Master of Business Administration (MBA)

MBA 6000 - Human Resources Management for Competitive Advantage - 3 credits

This course will define and articulate tactical and practical critical factors that affect behavior, policy creation and adherence to the human resource management of the enterprise. People are the defining difference in companies. This course will explore Culture, Motivation, Ethics, Recruitment, Selection, Retention, Training and Development, Compensation, Power and Politics, Interpersonal Relationships, Evaluation of Performance, and Labor Law considerations. As a result, students will be equipped to proactively manage people through applied planning techniques for the company and employees to meet mutual goals. Students will be able to improve their ability to navigate organizational systems as well as the management and leadership of individuals and teams in large and small organizations. This course is about scholarship, teamwork, discussions and research with colleagues from different professional and industrial backgrounds, giving you opportunities to develop your thinking beyond what is usually possible given the time pressures on the job. In discussions, you will be able to benefit from the experiences of a diverse group of peers with different approaches to considering and solving business problems. Performance in this course will depend on your ability to appropriately apply the course material to cases and current situations. You will apply your knowledge of Human Resources strategies and organizational dynamics to specific problems and seek out missing perspectives that will help you avoid unintended consequences of your decisions.

MBA 6010 - Business Law & Corporate Governance - 3 credits

This course examines business contracts and corporate governance to anticipate legal problems, analyze how to avoid them, and employ principles in competent decision making. In order to achieve sustainable competitive advantage, business managers must understand the elements of contract law and their application to the business environment. Further, it is important to develop an understanding of the legal and ethical issues that corporate boards and CEOs encounter. This course will explore contracts, bankruptcy law and labor law, as well as the growing importance of corporate governance. The student will review the role of the board of directors, management, audit committee, shareholder interests, and the executive involvement in developing a good corporate governance culture. The student will utilize the case method for evaluating problems and analyzing information and apply the course material to case studies involving contemporary legal and ethical challenges in various business settings. The student will demonstrate knowledge of corporate governance, contract formation, various forms of contracts, and other laws that affect business (such as bankruptcy law and labor law) through teamwork, discussions, and application of learned material to problem-solving.

MBA 6200 - Managerial Accounting - 3 credits

Managerial Accounting will take the student beyond the preparation of financial statements and cost accumulation to the analysis of accounting information and the decision making policies and procedures that are enhanced by the systematic collection and reporting of financial data. Topics include cost analysis for decision-making and performance evaluation; strategic cost analysis; management control systems; income measurement; assets and liabilities; income taxes; statements of change in financial position; and capital budgeting. The emphasis of this course will be on the application of acquired accounting information and analytical techniques, to problem resolution and decision-making.

MBA 6210 - Strategic Financial Management - 3 credits

This course provides an opportunity to learn about investment and financing. The investment decision allocates scarce resources for projects in the organization and involves asset valuation, capital budgeting, and time value of money, risk management, and working capital management. The financing decision determines sources of cash to finance the investment decisions and involves capital structure, financial instruments, the risk- return Trade-off, financial planning, and the cost of capital. Ethical considerations and management in the global context are integrated into these topics. The emphasis of this course will be on the application of acquired financial information and analytical techniques, to problem solving and decision-making.

MBA 6300 - Strategic Managerial Economics - 3 credits

This course uses economic theory and tools to examine how a firm can make optimal managerial decisions in the face of the constraints it faces. It looks at three levels. First, it uses the theory of the firm as a unifying theme to examine the managerial decision-making process. Second, it then introduces a number of special topics such as firm architecture, industry analysis and competitive strategy, risk management, and international economies of scale. Third, it introduces an international view into managerial economics to reflect the globalization of production, distribution, and competition in today’s world.

MBA 6320 - International Business - 3 credits

This course will introduce the student to the discipline of international business. This course will demonstrate the uniqueness of the international business environment and focus on aspects of business skills necessary to compete in the global arena. International Business addresses the creation of competitive advantage in the multinational firm as well as the complexities of managing a multinational firm. Course emphasis will include economic, social, cultural, legal, and environmental influences on the formulation and execution of the business policy of firms engaged in multinational business. Students will explore the forces of regionalization and globalization and the functions, problems and decision-making processes of multinational business organizations. This course will include examination of the strategies and structures that both local and multinational firms adopt and explains how firms can perform their key functions (production, marketing, R & D, finance, human resource management) to compete successfully in the international business environment. Considerations include the nature of global industries and global competition to assist managers in understanding how to create and administer a successful global strategy. Specific topics include: trends, challenges and opportunities of globalization, the cultural environment, the economic and political environments, international trade theory, government influence on trade, regional economic integration, Country Analysis Framework, and CAGE Analysis Framework.

MBA 6400 - Management of Information and Technology - 3 credits

Information Technology is an integral discipline in establishing the competitive positioning of businesses and how they are managed. The infrastructure of business organizations relies on the IT structure and is a part of determining the strategy of the organization. The strategies of goal setting, positioning, and communications influences the success of an organization. Through use of case studies and hands-on technical sessions, this course will explore the process a manager follows in order to make informed decisions regarding the planning, implementation, and use of information and technology within an organization.

MBA 6410 - Strategic Marketing - 3 credits

This course stresses the strategic application of broadly accepted marketing concepts to the ever-changing global markets of today. The students will explore the strategic role of marketing within business firms and nonprofit organizations. Topics will include: industry and competitive analysis, customer analysis and consumer behavior, market segmentation, market research, distribution channel policy, product policy and strategy, pricing policy, advertising, sales force management, brand management, industry marketing, and services marketing. Based on weekly cases, readings, lectures, and research students will prepare weekly presentations to enhance discussion of the topics.

MBA 6500 - Strategic Process and Planning - 3 credits

This course examines business and corporate strategy. The focus is on strategic management, the process of choosing and defining purposes and objectives, formulating and implementing a viable strategy and monitoring strategic performance. The course develops a structure for strategic decision-making, which may be applied to all analytical challenges in the MBA program. Student cohort teams will develop their expertise using strategic analysis tools.

MBA 6510 - Supply Chain Management and Operations Analysis - 3 credits

This course helps students develop an understanding of the concepts and skills needed for the design and control of operations for service and manufacturing organizations. Operations management is a central skill for all managers, in every function, in manufacturing and service businesses; as well as non-profit and military organizations. We take a strategic approach to the design of an “Operating System” with a focus on the strategic role of operations and technology decisions, and with an emphasis on the integration of R&D, operations, and marketing. The course will emphasize the quantitative and qualitative analyses and techniques that are useful in making decisions on production facilities and capacity, choices of technology and equipment, process design, human resources, and control of operations. This course incudes techniques for optimizing many critical business strategy and operations management decisions such as production capacity, distribution network design, input/output distribution, Materials Resource Planning (MRP), reorder point computations, distribution and logistics management, and production and workforce scheduling.

MBA 7600 - Strategic Consulting Project: Capstone Foundation - 3 credits

As the Capstone Project Foundation, this seminar is designed to explore changing issues that strategic managers face in the global business and organizational environment. Working with faculty mentors and a sponsoring organization, students use past course materials and knowledge learned as well as personal business experiences to begin addressing the agreed upon client project scope. The client Statement of Work contains the project scope and is the guiding document for the project with identified goals and deliverables. Project development includes forming the consulting organization, “hiring” the Project Manager, and electing the Team Leads. The newly formed consulting organization formed from the cohort discovers industry best practices with thorough research in appropriate areas for the consulting project foundation. Where applicable, students may choose a “global component” to their capstone experience, which may include overseas travel. Countries and companies change with each course. Students who cannot take advantage of the global experience will continue with the “domestic component” to the project.

MBA 7610 - Strategic Consulting Project: Capstone Recommendations - 3 credits

This seminar continues the foundation work of MBA 7600 and bridges the gap analysis towards the final project presentation. Creative recommendations are discussed based on research, client interactions, and other business activities. Collaboration with a faculty mentor along with the consultant cohort demonstrates mastery of the MBA program themes through integrated knowledge and analytical skills applied to the situational evaluation. The consulting group will prepare the manuscript for client delivery at the formal presentation to the sponsoring organization, fellow students, faculty and friends at the end of the course.

The Strategic Leadership Capstone Project

Requires students to demonstrate competency in the four core themes and in business disciplines through the application of their broad knowledge in a project for a sponsoring firm. Working with faculty mentors and a sponsoring organization, students will act as consultants to the organization, working on a well- defined “set of deliverables” that will address a multifunctional, “real-life”, business issue. Where applicable, students may choose a “Global Component” to their capstone experience, which may include overseas travel. Countries and companies change with each course. Students who cannot take advantage of the global experience will continue with the “Domestic Component” to the project. The Capstone Project will be formally presented to the sponsoring organization, fellow students, faculty and friends at the end of the course.