ISCAP Proceedings: Abstract Presentation
Further Exploration Into the Uses of Microsoft Excel® in the Business Curriculum
RJ Podeschi
Millikin University
Carrie Trimble
Millikin University
Abstract
If the population of the world’s Excel® users was a stand-alone country, that population (estimated as 1.1B to 1.5B) would rival that of China’s and India’s (Max, 2024). That population includes a diverse array of professions, including research, education, engineering, and most business disciplines, with heavy adoption in job functions like IT, sales, and business development. Additionally, most users of Excel® are frequent users; one survey found that 66% of Excel® users look at a spreadsheet at least once an hour while at work and frequently have at least two spreadsheets open at a time (Global Excel Summit, 2022). If the use of Excel® is that ubiquitous and that vital, it is important to consider how users are trained on the platform’s functions.
Historically, business programs have commonly incorporated data analysis and the commonly used spreadsheet tool, Microsoft Excel® (McCloskey and Bussom, 2011). Formby et al. (2017) performed an exploratory study to identify the need for Microsoft Excel® skills as well as the specific skills within the software that were most important to employers. In an examination of where Excel was being used in the business school curriculum among AACSB schools. McCloskey and Bussom (2011) found that students were addressing computer literacy using Excel® through a course within or outside the business school and that there was evidence of its use in some upper-level courses within specific majors (e.g. accounting, finance, information systems). Fewer than 50% of schools surveyed had an advanced course in problem solving using Excel®. This poses a problem whereby students are learning the tool in their first year, but they are not using the tool repeatedly to solve different business-related problems.
Business faculty from a private midwestern university were asked to answer questions about how Excel is used across the business curriculum, primarily the core set of business-related courses. A small (10) but meaningful sample of instructors who teach across the lower and upper-division courses responded with details in addition to some providing sample assignments. Examples were gathered across accounting, finance, information systems, and management. While most or all faculty expected students to be able to enter numbers into cells, format data, and use basic functions (e.g. SUM, AVERAGE, etc.), approximately ½ to ? expected students to be able to use absolute and relative cell references, use logical functions (SUMIF, VLOOKUP, etc), and create charts and graphs. PivotTables, Data Analysis ToolPak, and data cleaning were the least expected Excel features.
Attendees to this presentation should expect to see how one school has Excel integrated throughout the business disciplines and learn recommendations on how they are seeking to better understand how to scaffold Excel usage over time. The purpose of this research should inform business schools on how best to map Microsoft Excel® and business analytics skills across business school curricula to better meet employer expectations.
References
Formby, S., Medlin, B., & Ellington, V. (2017). Microsoft Excel®: Is It An Important Job Skill for College Graduates? Information Systems Education Journal. 15(3), pp. 55-63.
Global Excel Summit (2022, October 3). How People Use Excel in the Real World. Retrieved from: https://globalexcelsummit.com/post/how-people-use-excel-in-the-real-world
Max, S. (2024, August). 17 Excel Statistics To Know. Retrieved from: https://scottmax.com/excel-statistics/#:~:text=A%20World%20of%20Excel%20Users,billion%20to%201.5%20billion%20people.
McCloskey, D. W., & Bussom, L. B. (2011). Using Excel in Business Curricula: An Opportunity to Combine Student Engagement with Active Learning. Proceedings of the Northeast Business & Economics Association.