This paper presents the results of research undertaken to determine the level of business protocol knowledge possessed by a cross-section of students at a small liberal arts college in Western Colorado. The research was pedagogical in nature and designed to provide data for use in designing an upper division undergraduate course in business protocol. For purposes of the research, Business Protocol was defined as a code prescribing strict adherence to correct etiquette and precedence in situations affecting professional business environments. Etiquette knowledge was measured in situational areas the researchers felt would impact the success of a business venture. Areas included: Dining Etiquette, General Business Etiquette, Home Entertaining Etiquette, Sports Etiquette, Global Etiquette, and Dressing for Success. Methodology involved the development of a 100-question test designed to measure student knowledge in the identified areas of etiquette. Additionally, a form to gather personal data on each respondent was developed. The instrumentation was then administered to a nonprobability judgement sample of 127 students enrolled in four sections of a general education course titled Introduction to Business (BUGB 101). The administration resulted in 124 usable sets of scores. Results were tabulated and presented; conclusions were drawn and recommendations made.

INTRODUCTION

The idea for this research project grew out of the perceived need for an undergraduate class dealing with business protocol. Researchers began by reviewing current literature on the subject. The majority were merely opinion articles providing, at most, anecdotal evidence of the need to better educate students in certain areas of etiquette. The researchers' own experience also suggested that students needed training in several areas of etiquette and that lack of such training was proving detrimental to many graduates. Students had been requesting for several years a course that would help refine their "social graces."

The researchers could not find, however, any definitive evidence suggesting specific areas needing study. To remedy the aforementioned situation, the researchers decided to conduct their own research. The results were then used to help set the topical instructional outline for an upper division management class titled Business Protocol. Hopefully, the material contained within this paper will assist other professors needing similar information.

REVIEW OF LITERATURE

The competitive market for hiring employees, especially those with strong technical skills, is tight entering the 21^st Century. As companies fight for employees in virtually all fields, they are finding a skill set disturbingly missing - business protocol. For purposes of the research, Business Protocol was defined as a code prescribing strict adherence to correct etiquette and precedence in situations affecting professional business environments.

Several factors contribute to a decline in social graces. Dual employed parents or single parent households diminish the number of traditional family dinnertime settings where basic table manners, appropriate dress, and even personal hygiene are learned (Dobbs, 2000). The business culture of dressing down to the point at which an inverse power relationship can exist (the more casual the dress, the more likely the person is the CEO) creates difficult adjustments if a person is forced into the world of suits (O'Brien, 1998). Technology is creating interaction points for which etiquette tradition does not exist, such as e-mail, cell phones, and video conferencing (Marken, 1998).

So in the new age, anything goes; Silicon Valley's laid-back mentality has changed the nature of conduct. So what? The answer centers on two words - business and jobs. Improper behavior by employees can cost a company significant amounts of business; inappropriate actions in an interview can cost students desired jobs.

Being educated about products and industry may not be enough. Knowing how to meet people and make introductions, how to dress, how to use business cards properly, and even how to properly eat a meal are skills that can enhance long-term business growth (Casperson, 2000). Business clients are not only contacted within a place of business; clients are met at cocktail parties, in lines at banks, on golf courses, and especially over meals. How a client is treated (no matter the locale) will determine their perception of the individual and of the business. The Research Institute of America in New York reports that customers complain about discourteous treatment only four percent of the time, yet make a concerted effort to avoid the offending business 91 percent of the time (Dobbs, 2000). Offending infractions do not have to be major; simple common courtesy often has an important impact on the bottom line.

Social correctness is important in gaining and maintaining employment also. An executive for a software startup company hired an engineer with wonderful credentials for a position that required travel (O'Brien, 1998). The executive soon began to have doubts. The engineer/quintessential hippie came complete with long, bushy hair and beard, conspicuous body odor, and toenails that curled over the front of his well-worn sandals. Eventually appearance and odor limited any chance of advancement because most clients refused to work with him. Ultimately he left the company to take a position with a less promising company that kept him in-house and hidden from view .

The social minefield extends almost as far as the eye can see when business turns global. American companies are often characterized as exploitative, swaggering, or impudent; the term "Ugly American" is often well earned (Budd, 2000). The American business point of view is typically to assume the entire world is open and applicable to our rules (Champy, 1999). A study by the Protocol School of Palm Beach found that 75 percent of executives surveyed felt their companies needed more global leaders who understood business etiquette abroad (Cales, 2000).

Many articles have been written about social/language/etiquette blunders that businesses from every corner of the globe have committed when attempting to move beyond their own borders. Every business textbook that includes sections on international business addresses the importance of cultural and language barriers to trade. So how do we try to prevent these faux pas? The same way and for the same reasons employees and students need to learn business and social etiquette - through education.

Etiquette consultants, private training companies and college/university courses in etiquette are all rapidly growing in popularity as American companies realize that employee professional development is not enough. Personal deficiencies must be addressed also (Dobbs, 2000). How many graduating business students know where to place a napkin, which fork to use, how to pass the salt, or which wine to order with a meal? How many can engage in social conversation or dress professionally?

Indiana University of Pennsylvania is one of a growing number of institutions of higher education to offer training to answer such questions through a dinner set up by business communication faculty and university food service (McPherson, 1998). The Massachusetts Institute of Technology Entrepreneurship Center conducts serious training for prospective entrepreneurs in making their "pitch" to potential investors in a cocktail party setting (Harrington, 2000).

We know that business is often conducted in non-business settings. How do we instill this fact of life into our students? The Advanced Professional Sales class at Northern Illinois University offers a student/professional golf outing (Nolan, 1998). Topics include general etiquette, appropriate dress for golf, rules, and use of golf as a sales call. Business professionals increasingly use golf outings as sales calls; business students who learn how to do this have a distinct advantage.

Little empirical evidence exists on the topic of teaching business etiquette/protocol in a Department of Business. The reported research attempts to lay a foundation for additional work in this important area.

METHODOLOGY

After completing a review of literature, the researchers determined that no suitable instrumentation existed for measuring the business protocol knowledge of undergraduate students in the desired areas. Using trade market literature as a guide, a questionnaire and respondent personal information form were developed.

After developing a working draft of the instrumentation, it was reviewed by individual students and faculty. Methodology of the review utilized a nonprobability sample of students and faculty. Each was asked to comment on clarity and content. Salient comments were incorporated into the final form of the instrumentation. Final instrumentation consisted of a 100- question business protocol knowledge test and a personal information form (See Appendix A).

During April, 2000, the instrument was administered and corresponding personal information gathered. A nonprobability judgement sample consisting of students enrolled in a general education introduction to business course was used. The same researcher visited all four sections of the course and administered the instrument and corresponding personal information form. The researcher stressed to students the importance of not guessing an answer and only answering questions where some level of knowledge was possessed.

A spreadsheet program was developed to tabulate data. The dependent variables (score on overall knowledge test and individual scores on the six individual component parts) were tabulated by the independent variables as collected on the personal information form. Independent variables included: age, gender, state of residence, number of credit hours completed, grade point average, school in which major is located, and prior academic training in business protocol.

Limitations of Methodology

There were several limitations of the research methodology employed by the researchers. First was the knowledge test. The use of dichotomous choice questions (the respondent is asked to choose between two answers) is prone to measurement error. This limitation was addressed through the thoughtful wording of questions and through instructions given students by the administering researcher.

The second limitation involved the sampling technique. A nonprobability judgement sample was used. The researchers felt the limitation was negated by the composition of typical general education classes which have a mix of students from all schools on campus. Given the cross-campus mix, project researchers judged that students enrolled in the general education introduction to business classes provided an acceptable representation of undergraduate students.

The third limitation was created by the nature of the research site. Data collected at a small liberal arts college in Western Colorado has limited ability to be generalized. The researchers hope that future replication of the study in different geographic locations will provide needed validation of the initial research results.

RESULTS

Administration of the business protocol knowledge test and a personal information form resulted in 124 usable responses. Two responses were discarded because respondents were international students and did not represent a large enough sub-group for analysis. A third response was discarded because of insufficient information on the personal information form.

The following tables were formulated to present the research findings.

Table 1 Data Summarized by Number of Respondents in Each Area

Table 1 reveals that age is concentrated in the 17-22 age categories with a fairly even distribution by gender. State of residence was clustered by geographic region with the majority (91%) from the West. The majority of respondents had a GPA above 2.00, were business majors, and had not had formal protocol training.

Table 2 Average Raw Scores for the 124 Respondents

As illustrated in Table 2, when using a standard 70% pass rate, respondents failed to reach the mark on total scores and on all individual sections. The highest knowledge was demonstrated in the Dressing for Success section where respondents scored an average of 60.4%. The least knowledge was demonstrated in the Global Etiquette section where respondents scored an average of 31.86%. Other scores were clustered in the 40 to 50% range. Percentages were converted from raw scores.

Table 3 Average Percentile Score by Age

Table 3 reveals that even though data results are mixed, they show a generally increasing knowledge trend with age. The trend is not strong enough, however, to absolutely state that the older one is, the more knowledge possessed.

Table 4 Average Percentile Score by Gender

Table 4 reports that overall means and means within individual categories are not significantly different. The only exception is Global where the male mean is higher.

Table 5 Average Percentile Score by Region

Table 5 reveals that since 91% of the respondents are from the West region, there is insufficient data to draw any conclusions from this table.

Table 6 Average Percentile Score by Credit Hours Earned

In Table 6 data generally support that knowledge increases with credit hours earned. Total mean was higher for those with 91+ credit hours as were means for 4 out of 6 categories. Dining and Sports Etiquette were the exceptions.

Table 7 Average Percentile Score by Current GPA

Table 7 reveals those with the lowest GPA were number 1 in mean scores for total score and also for all individual categories. Respondents with the highest GPA were number 2 in total score and number 2 in all individual categories with the exception of Dining. The reader should note, however, the low number of respondents (12) falling in the 00-2.00 GPA range. The largest number of respondents (61) fell in the 2.01-3.00 GPA range.

Table 8 Average Percentile Score by School of Major Course of Study

In Table 8, one sees that more than half the respondents (74) came from the School of Business and Professional Studies and had the highest total mean score on the knowledge test. These same respondents also had the highest mean score in 4 of the 6 individual categories. Overall, the School of Humanities and Social Sciences had the lowest scores on the etiquette knowledge test.

Table 9 Average Percentile Score by Protocol Coursework

Table 9 shows that those respondents who had a course or other academic training in business protocol had the highest total score mean on the knowledge test. These same respondents also had the highest mean score in 5 of the 6 individual categories with Dressing for Success being the lone exception.

Table 10 Frequency Distribution of Specific Test Scores

Table 10 shows the majority of respondents (91) scored in the 31-60 range. No respondents scored in the bottom range or the top two ranges.

CONCLUSIONS

The mean score on the knowledge test was 45.89 with 100 being the highest score possible. Of the 124 usable scores reviewed by researchers, only one student made a passing score of 70 or above; the student scored 73. The first conclusion derived from data analysis was that students need formal training in business protocol.

Knowledge in Global Etiquette was only 31.8%. Such a statistic leads the researchers to conclude that this area was most in need of training followed in order by Home Entertaining, General Business, Dining, Sports, and Dressing for Success. Since number six in the order, Dressing for Success, achieved a paltry 60.4%, it must be concluded that all six areas need extensive training.

Age and gender analysis revealed that sex plays no real role in etiquette knowledge, however, age may. Data suggest that the more credit hours earned by a student, the higher the level of etiquette knowledge. The researchers feel that enough evidence exists within the data to conclude that older age and more education positively impact etiquette knowledge.

Data support that the major course of study is an indication of etiquette knowledge. The conclusion was drawn that business and professional studies students have the highest level of knowledge. This can probably be explained by casual exposure to the subject matter in business coursework.

The final conclusion was that previous training or coursework in business protocol resulted in higher scores. This was to be expected and supports the researchers' premise that students need such training.

RECOMMENDATIONS

Recommendation number 1: Coursework in business protocol should be implemented as soon as possible in business programs.

Recommendation number 2: Business protocol courses should include the following topics which are listed in a descending order of importance.

Global Etiquette

Home Entertaining Etiquette

General Business Etiquette

Dining Etiquette

Sports Etiquette

Dressing for Success

Recommendation number 3: The research should be replicated in different geographic

regions to determine if there are regional differences in the need for business protocol training.

Budd, J.F. (2000, February) Still the ugly american. Across the Board, pp. 9-10.

Cales, M. (2000, March) Etiquette for the global market. Management Review, p. 7.

Casperson, D.M. (2000, May) Easy ways to gain new clients: Business etiquette is the

key. CMA Management, pp. 13-14.

Champy, J. (1999, September) The ugly american lives on. Sales and Marketing

Management., pp. 22-25.

Dobbs, K. (2000, May). Mind your manners: It's big business. Training, pp. 48-53.

Harrington, A. (2000, April) I'll take that pitch with a dash of politesse. Fortune. pp. 334- 336.

McPherson, W. (1998, December) Learning business etiquette at dinner. Business Communication Quarterly, pp. 104-106.

Marken, G.A. (1998, March). Think before you click. Office Systems, pp. 44-46.

Nolan, P. (1998, March) Tee to green. Potentials in Marketing. pp. 22-25.

Mitchell, M. (2000). The complete idiot's guide to etiquette. Indianapolis, IN: Alpha Books.

O'Brien, T. (1998, December). Etiquette tips for the not-ready-for-prime-time geek.

Upside, pp. 96-104.

PLEASE DO NOT GUESS. If you do not know the answer, PLEASE LEAVE IT BLANK. THANKS!

THANK-YOU

The following information will be used for research purposes only. No individual results will be reported; data will be reported using only group statistics.

Please provide the last 4 numbers of your social security number: ___ ___ ___ ___

Please record the same 4 numbers on your Scan-Tron form where it says "NAME."

Age: Please check one.

1. ___ 17 - 19

2. ___ 20 - 22

3. ___ 23 - 25

4. ___ 26 - 30

5. ___ 31+

Gender: Please check one.

1. ___ Male

2. ___ Female

In what State is your hometown located? Please do not abbreviate. ___________________________________

Number of credit hours completed prior to the current semester: Please check one.

1. ___ 0 - 30

2. ___ 31 - 60

3. ___ 61 - 90

4. ___ 91 +

Current Grade Point Average: Please check one.

1. ___ .00 - 2.00

2. ___ 2.01 - 3.00

3. ___ 3.01 - 4.00

In which School is your major located? Please check one.

1. ___ School of Business and Professional Studies

2. ___ School of Humanities and Social Sciences

3. ___ School of Natural Sciences and Mathematics

Have you had a course or other academic training in business protocol (manners, etiquette, etc.)?

1. ___ yes

2. ___ no