JMU College

of Business
Case Analysis
Team Three: Clarissa Carpenter,
Ethan Dillon, Connor Fitzsimmons,
Austin Harris, Josh Stephens, and
Devin Vicchio
Background

Company name: James Madison

University College of Business

Year of Establishment: 1972

Headquarter Location:
Harrisonburg, Virginia
Background
Background
Full time instructional faculty: 125

Key stakeholders: Students, professors, other faculty, families of students, and alumni/key donators

NAICS industry code: 611310 Colleges and Universities in the U.S. (IBIS World, 2023)

Industry growth rate: Revenue growth of 5.6% over the last 5 years (IBIS World, 2023)

Competitors: UVA, VT, ODU, W&M, GMU, and VCU

 Company History

The College of Business (COB) was originally called the School of Business and was
established in 1972. In 1982, thanks to the focus of the second dean, COB became
accredited with AACSB. In 1991, due to the business classes being spread across
campus, they constructed Zane Showker Hall as an all-business building. Later on,
in 1998 COB developed and eventually required the 12-credit integrated course we
know as COB 300. Finally, due to expansion and renovation, the construction of
Hartman Hall was finished in 2020 and was conjoined with the older building Zane
Showker Hall. (James Madison University, 2023)
 Mission, Vision, and Values

Mission: The JMU College of Business is a learning community committed to

excellence in preparing students to be engaged, principled business professionals
and leaders; advancing scholarship in business disciplines; and enhancing
organizational performance through our outreach activities.

Vision: To be recognized as a leader in developing collaborative business

partners, engaged with ideas and the world.

Values: Integrity, intellectual growth, community, engagement, innovation,

collaboration

(James Madison University, 2023)

 Strategic Group

Mobility
Barrier UVA
Ranking of Business School

VT

W&M

JMU
VCU

GMU
ODU

17k
Price To Attend 21k
(Niche, 2023)
 Stakeholder Analysis

Stakeholder Influence Level Estimated Impact Explanation of

impact
Students Medium + • Education level
+ • Educational
opportunities

Professors High + or - • Wages

+ • Skill set

Families Low + • Child's education

Alumni High + or - • Donation use

Other Faculty Medium + or - • Resource allocation

External Analysis
 PESTEL - Political

Accreditation
Gov’t Funding & Regulations &
Policy & Tax Benefits
Grants Legislature
Requirements
• 51.8% increase in JMU’s • Southern Association of • Affirmative Action • Exempt from state &
state gov’t Colleges and Schools • Student Loan federal income tax as
appropriations in 2022 Commission on Colleges Forgiveness well as property tax as a
from the year prior (SACSCOC) Accreditation public university
• 43.2% increase in requires compliance with
federal, state, and non- all standards listed in
gov’t grants received in their “Principles of
2022 from the year prior Accreditation:
Foundations for Quality
Enhancement”.
PESTEL Analysis
 PESTEL - Economic

Economic
Inflation & Unemployment
Growth & Tuition & Fees
Interest Rates Rates & Wages
Stability
• Increasing costs of • Salaries/wages not • Volatile economic • Rising university
student loans and able to keep up conditions causing tuition and fees
college expenses with inflation rates uncertainty in
consumers
 PESTEL - Social

Workforce Trends
Cultural Diversity & Community Consumer Behavior
(OR Cultural/Social
Demographics Relations & Preferences
Attitudes?)
• Need for improved • Increasing • Relationships with • Consumers seeing
diversity skepticism of value local organizations college as a
provided by • Alumni network decreasingly
college worthwhile
investment of time
and money
 PESTEL - Technological

Online & Hybrid AI Transforming Educational Technology Innovations

Learning Business Technologies in Hartmann
• Students received • Courses having to • Use of more • Cybersecurity labs,
less in-person adapt to address efficient, online Bloomberg
interaction over the rapidly course terminals, desks
the pandemic increasing use of management with built-in PCs,
• Gained proficiency artificial platforms such as etc.
in industry-valued intelligence in the McGraw-Hill
collaborative tools workforce Connect and
such as Teams, Instructure Canvas
Zoom, etc.
 PESTEL - Environmental

Environmental Environmental Sustainability

Climate Change
Regulations Concerns Efforts
• Emissions • Emphasis on • Automatic sinks & • Drastic
regulations recycling and Dual-flush toilets temperature
becoming energy in all CoB fluctuations
increasingly strict conservation restrooms leading to
• Low-energy entry increased building
doors energy usage
• LED lighting
 PESTEL - Legal

Accreditation Government Data Privacy & Intellectual Property

Requirements Regulations Security & Copyright
• Faculty • Title IX compliance • Ethical use of data • Protection of
qualifications • Family Educational • Confidentiality of research
• Student learning Rights and Privacy student and publications and
outcomes Act (FERPA) faculty information branding materials
• Administration requirements • Cybersecurity • Copyright-
• Adequate • Americans with measures to compliant use of
academic support Disability Act protect against course materials
resources (ADA) data breaches and textbooks
requirements
Porter's 5 Forces
 Threat Level: Weak

New Entry
Threat of
 Faculty Recruitment
 Curriculum Development
 Accreditation

Threat Level: Moderate

 Faculty & Staff
 Teaching Material Resources
 Canvas (LMS)
Competitive Rivalry
Supplier Power • Many Firms in Market Buyer Power
• High aggressiveness of firms
Threat Level: Strong

Porters Five  High Competition

 Price Sensitivity

Forces  Information Availability

 Switching Costs

Substitution
Threat of
Analysis Threat Level: Moderate
 Community College

Diagram  Online School

 Certificates
 Corporate Training
 Bargaining Power of Suppliers

Overview: At the College of Business, the suppliers would be considered individuals who provide any inputs that are required to
deliver educational services. Faculty and staff, teaching material providers, and technology providers (Canvas) would be
considered the suppliers.

Staff & Faculty: If there was ever a staff shortage CoB’s or professors decided to walk out their business model would be
completely disrupted. For the foreseeable future there doesn’t seem to be a shortage of staff, or the need for a strike.

Educational Material Providers: Given the digital age and the fierce competition in the education market its material providers
have little bargaining power.

Canvas: Canvas, JMU’s learning management system, has significant bargaining power as it is utilized for almost all functions
related to learning. Given existing contracts with JMU and a reputation to uphold its unlikely they would ever use it.

Threat Level: Moderate. While faculty and canvas specifically have significant power in bargaining with CoB, its unlikely either
would ever use it. Considering the both parties could majorly disrupt CoB’s operations the threat level is medium no matter how
unlikely.
Threat of New Entrants
Massive Capital Costs: In order to
create a college of business from
scratch, it would cost 10's of millions
Threat Level: Weak
of dollars to be able to compete at the
level that JMU College of Business is
currently.

Curriculum development and

Faculty recruitment: Being able to take
the time to find and fill all the faculty
requirements for a college of business
is a very long process and makes it
very difficult to achieve in a short time
frame.
innovation: Creating and developing a
whole college of business curriculum
is a multiyear process that involves
trial and error to be able to achieve an
effective efficiency and performance
that currently matches JMU's college
of business.

Accreditation: Being able to match

JMU's college of business
status/accreditation would take any
new entrant years to achieve (4-5 years
on average) to be able to become
AACSB status.
 Threat Level: Strong

Many College Competitors: There are many other business schools in Virignia competing
Bargaining for business students, buyers have more choices, which increases their bargaining power.
This can lead to higher expectations for scholarships and variety of course offerings.

Power of Price Sensitivity: The cost of attending JMU's College of Business can be high relative to
the perceived value or compared to other colleges that offer similar courses and campus

Buyers service offerings, especially for out-of-state students.

Information Availability: With easy access to information about different colleges,

programs, and degrees, students can make more informed decisions, which enhances
their bargaining power and makes them less restricted.

Switching costs: Switching costs for JMU's college of Business can vary depending on how
far along the student is in regard to their academic progress through the college
 Threat of Substitutes

Threat Level: Moderate

Lower Alternatives: Online courses replacing classes
offered by JMU's CoB can be offered elsewhere for a
lower cost which can be seen as a threat to JMU's College
Corporate Programs: In-house corporate training
of Business.
programs offered by employers can be a direct substitute
of traditional college classes. This alternative can be
enticing to price sensitive students who want to work
throughCommunity College:
a company's Community
corporate college
latter in that way.can be seen as a
replacement of at least the first few semesters towards a
full 4-year college degree and can take away from the
market potential JMU's College of Buisness faces.
 Threat Level: Strong
Many Competitors in the Market

University of Virginia: Darden School of Business

1,110 COB students out of 16,793 (6.6%) (Ranked #14)
Faculty: 193
Degrees/Programs: 9
Competitive
Old Dominion University: Strome College of Business
Rivalry 3,477 COB students out of 23,494 (15%) (Ranked #89-Tied)
Faculty:135
Degrees/Programs: 11

James Madison University: College of Business

4,312 COB students out of 20,346 (21%) (Ranked #89-Tied)
Faculty: 209
Degrees/Programs: 8
Strategic Alliances

Corporate Partners: Non-equity alliance

• Tek Systems (Platinum)

• ALKU (Gold)
• KPMG (Silver)

JMU COB Alumni Association:

• Networking, Internships and full-time job opportunities for students

Internal Analysis
 Overview of
CoB’s Core
Competencies
 VRIO Framework

Resources & Costly to Organized to Capture Type of Competitive

Capabilities Value(V) Rare(R) Imitate (I) Value (O) Advantage
Academic Yes Yes Yes Yes Sustained Competitive
Reputation Advantage
Distinguished Yes Yes Yes Yes Sustained Competitive
Faculty Advantage
Industry Yes Yes Yes Yes Sustained Competitive
Partnerships Advantage
State-of-the-Art Yes Yes Yes Yes Sustained Competitive
Facilities Advantage
Accreditation Yes No Yes Yes Competitive Parity
 Service Organization Value Chain Analysis

Supporting Services:
Firm Infrastructure
Human Resource Management
Technology Development
Procurement
Margin

Primary Inbound Outbound Marketing

Operations Services
Activities Logistics Logistics & Sales
 Primary Activities of the Value Chain
Inbound Logistics at the College of Business starts by transitioning interest in the college to admission. Focusing on a seamless admissions
Inbound process from first point of contact to enrollment of students. This portion of the value chain deploys efficient application processing,
Logistics transparent communication and personalized engagement with students. This strategy is not just to attract students but foster a supportive
entryway into the College of Business that aligns with student expectations and higher education standards.

At the epicenter of JMU’s College of Business is the educational delivery system, a blend of expert-led coursework and rich extracurriculars. This
Operations system is designed to provide students with a vigorous business education, characterized through a mix of theory and practical application,
ensuring graduates are well equipped for the real business world.

Career Development and Alumni Relations at the College of Business are critical in placing students in successful career paths. Fostering an
Outbound
alumni network that reinforces the community through real time updates to opportunities in the professional world. By offering students
Logistics
career services and maintaining connections with its graduates, CoB created an environment for professional growth.

Marketing and Sales at JMU’s CoB is the driving force behind the colleges’ growth and market presence. Focusing on conveying the value and
Marketing & advantages of a CoB degree through marketing, public relations, and strategic advertising. This sector of the value chain engages with potential
Sales students, increases the colleges visibility in the academic community and promotes their status as distinguished business educator. This
department ensures a flow of interested applications assisting the admissions process.

Services at the college of business encompass a suite of support mechanisms designed to enhance the student experience. Through academic
Services advising, career counseling, advanced learning resources, internships and extracurricular opportunities the College of Business creates a
student centric environment. These services foster a well-rounded rich education which furthers their alumni network.
 Supporting Activities of the Value Chain

The College of Businesses firm infrastructure includes the organizational framework and governance. Strategic leadership from the CoB
Firm
administration, financial planning and management systems are what make up this section. Ensuring compliance with accreditation standards
Infrastructure
and alignment with the universities mission, vision and values.

HR Management is critical to any successful organization; at CoB its focus is on attracting, developing, and retaining talented educators. CoB
HR
invests in faculty through professional development, research opportunities, and rewarding performance. An emphasis is also placed on the
Management
faculties well being ensuring a supportive and inclusive culture at the College of Business.

The College of Business prioritizes in IT infrastructure, educational technology, and digital resources to enhance learning and increase operational
Technology
efficiency. CoB emphasizes innovative technologies internally and, in the classroom, to maintain their position at the forefront of business
Development
education.

Procurement of the highest quality educational materials, software licenses, and partnerships with vendors is crucial to successful operations at
Procurement
the College of Business. Efficient procurement policies ensure that CoB can provide a cost-effective top-tier education.
 BCG Analysis
High

Question Marks
Stars
• Business Economics
• Finance
• Business Analytics
• Marketing
Industry Growth Rate

Cash Cows
Dogs
• Accounting
• Hospitality Management • Computer Information System
• Management

Low
Low Relative Market Share High

*Based on Factbook 2020-2021 & Factbook 2021-2022 Major Enrollment Data from James Madison University*
SWOT - TOWS Analysis
Strengths:
S1 – AACSB Accredited Program (1 of 2%)
S2 – Consistently ranked in the top 25 business
programs
S3 – High employment rates, more than 88%
of the students graduate with a job
S4 – New Facilities and new technologies
S5 – Center for aiding student
entrepreneurship
Threats:
T1 – College Enrollment is on a Downward
Trend
T2 – Increase accessibility in online business
courses and other Viriginia universities gaining
more accredited business programs
T3 – Higher need to tailor towards the needs
of individual students
T4 – Companies are looking for people with
certifications more than just education
T5 – Economic uncertainty due to war
Weaknesses:
W1 – Lack of concentration in courses
W2 – Losing classes and concentrations due to lack
of interest or faculty support
W3 – Lack of increase in newer, young professors
W4 – Lack of diversity in student body
W5 – Slow to adapt to current business
Opportunities:
O1 – JMU recently entered the Sun Belt Conference
O2 – Recently classified as a doctoral university
O3 – Strong network of alumni who help to form
connections with businesses
O4 – Partnerships and projects within the
community to gain hands on experience with
different areas of business
O5 – Various abroad and student exchange
opportunities for students
Strategic Direction
Strategy Canvas
High
Ivy League

JMU
College of
Business

Community
College
Low
Curriculum Career Students
Price to attend Notoriety Convenience
Level Opportunities enrolled
Critical Success Factors

*Each critical success

Institutional Sustainment (WO1) factor helps
compliment a
differentiation strategy
to be implemented into
JMU's College of
Increase Financial Support for Students Business strategic plan

(ST2)

Enhance Student Success (WO2)

 Strategic Direction
CSF #1 – Institutional
Sustainment
Strategic Recommendation #1
Strategic Recommendation #2
CSF #2 – Increase Financial
Support for Students
Strategic Recommendation #1
Strategic Recommendation #2
Description
Continuous improvement
through AACSB
reaccreditation
Collaboration with
stakeholders
Description
Bootcamps held by the Office of
Professional Development and
Engagement
Create more scholarships and
financial aid opportunities
through affiliates/partners
Pros Cons
High quality programs To be reviewed every 5 years
Improved relations with May not be able to make
donors decisions based on
stakeholder values
Pros Cons
Increased aid of those Costly and can be time
who lack financial consuming for OPDE
means
A diverse student body Could be very costly to create
with high potential for new scholarships and
success financial aid
 Strategic Direction

CSF #3 – Enhance Student Success Description Pros Cons

Strategic Recommendation #1 Yearly workshops to prepare Increased career-readiness, ability to Time consuming, may be hard to
students and get them job-ready assess strengths in comfortable implement
setting

Strategic Recommendation #2 Partner with more companies More opportunities for students to Don’t want to strain relationships
and firms for more interaction gain jobs and/or knowledge in their with strong affiliates, Time
time with students through guest interested fields of study consuming
speakers or company visits

Strategic Recommendation #3 Multiple and more frequent Allows students to see jobs Can be costly to host more
career fairs adept for all majors accustomed for other majors; companies more often
increasing their potential for a good
fitting position after graduating
Return on Investment – Is it worth it for students?
 • 41% salary only​

ROI – Cost • 29% base salary + bonus​

• 17% base salary + commission​
Breakdown • 13% other​
•$5,821 = average signing bonus
Conclusion
 Implementation
• Enhance student success through gaining more partner companies
and hosting more student-oriented events

Action: Reach out to new companies through student organizations, Action: Host more frequent career fairs/workshops with the aid of the
research into what fields of study are lacking jobs after graduation newly fostered relationship with said companies
KPI: Affiliations with more firms KPI: Increased levels of students receiving employment

2024

2023 2025

Action: Integrate new companies into the College of Business and

familiarize them with the process of interacting with students
KPI: More student engagement
References
• https://www.jmu.edu/cob/about/history.shtml#:~:text=The%20College%20of%20Business%20(CoB,included%20typing%2C%20shorthand%
20and%20accounting
.
• https://www.jmu.edu/cob/about/quick-facts.shtml
• https://www.jmu.edu/cob/centers/center-for-professional-sales/corporate-partners.shtml
• https://educationdata.org/college-enrollment-statistics#:~:text=College%20enrollment%20totaled%2015.44%20million,decline%20in%20en
rollment%20since%201951
.
• https://www.stamats.com/insights/challenges-facing-business-schools/#:~:text=Business%20schools%20are%20facing%20some,boom%20i
n%20virtual%2Fremote%20learning
.
• https://www.jmu.edu/cob/about/index.shtml#undefined
• https://www.jmu.edu/pair/sacscoc/index.shtml#:~:text=James%20Madison%20University%20is%20accredited,educational%20specialist%2
0and%20doctorate%20degrees
.
• https://www.jmu.edu/being-seen/where-we-go-from-here.shtml#:~:text=JMU%20arrived%20at%20this%20%E2%80%9CR,research%2C%2
0scholarship%20and%20creative%20activities
• https://www.jmu.edu/pair/ir/research/statsum/2020-21/t3-9a_2020.pdf
• https://www.jmu.edu/pair/ir/research/statsum/2021-22/t3-9a_2021.pdf
References
• https://digitalmarketinginstitute.com/blog/6-higher-ed-trends-to-know-in-2023
• https://www.jmu.edu/economicdevelopment/ti-ed/index.shtml
• James Madison University Audited Financial Report 2021-2022
• https://www.jmu.edu/news/2016/11/17-gallup-poll-results.shtml#:~:text=On%20every%20dimension%20of%20well,the%20top%20100%2
0colleges%20and
• https://www.jmu.edu/cob/about/quick-facts.shtml
• https://www.usnews.com/best-graduate-schools/top-business-schools/university-of-virginia-main-campus-01234
• https://www.darden.virginia.edu/faculty-research/directory?page=12
• https://admission.virginia.edu/admission/statistics
• https://my.ibisworld.com/us/en/industry/61131a/at-a-glance
• https://www.niche.com/colleges/search/best-colleges-for-business/s/virginia/
• https://www.jmu.edu/cob/about/history.shtml#:~:text=The%20College%20of%20Business%20(CoB,as%20the%20School%20of%20Business
• https://www.jmu.edu/global/abroad/exchange/index.shtml#:~:text=An%20exchange%20program%20offers%20JMU,most%20exciting%20a
nd%20innovative%20cities
.
• https://www.jmu.edu/career/careeroutcomes/class_of_2022_report_for_website.pdf