Business educators and employers recognize the importance of quantitative methods to business professionals, and subjects in quantitative methods are among the most frequentiy required in the business undergraduate curriculum. However, both business employers and graduates have expressed some dissatisfaction with business education and comment that school ttaining fails to prepare graduates
adequately for the particular needs of business organisations. Because of recent changes in technology in the business environment, business educators need to understand what employers consider important, what quantitative methods are required in industry, and how education in quantitative methods can best be prepared in order to meet the needs of business in the 21st century.
This research study attempts to answer these questions by investigating the content of quantitative programs offered at the Victoria University of Technology, the effectiveness of associated teaching methods in undergraduate business comses and the viewpoints of final-year students, graduates, educators and business employers about the courses.