The design and delivery of the courses described below are aligned with the Core Purposes of Higher Education as described by former Harvard University President Derek Bok:
“Learning to communicate, learning to think critically, building good character, preparing for citizenship, living with diversity, preparing for global society, developing breadth of interests, and preparing for a career.”
Derek Bok
Strategy
“Strategy is an integrated set of choices that positions an organization within its environment to achieve its vision over the long term.” – Ashish Nanda
Strategy
The goal of this course is to help you develop your ability to formulate strategy. According to Roger Martin, formulating a strategy involves addressing five questions:
- What is our winning aspiration?
- Where will we play?
- How will we win?
- What capabilities must be in place?
- What management systems are required?
To be able to systematically address these questions, strategists must leverage critical thinking skills and strategic decision-making skills while carefully analyzing the competitive dynamics of the industry in which an organization competes, the resources and capabilities embedded within the organization, the market opportunity, and the strategic fit among the organization, the industry, and the opportunity. Once the analysis is complete, strategists emphasize using design thinking to explore how the organization might create, claim, and deliver differentiated value.
Entrepreneurial Management
Entrepreneurial Management is the process by which opportunities are transformed into businesses.
Entrepreneurial Management – I
Entrepreneurial Management – I (EM-1) focuses on entrepreneurial management in large enterprises.
Entrepreneurial Management – II
Entrepreneurial Management – II (EM-2) focuses on the fundamentals of entrepreneurship and entrepreneurial management in startups.
Innovation Management
Innovation Management leverages managerial
a) perspectives (i.e. viewing and thinking about opportunities and threats through business-oriented theoretical lenses and frameworks),
b) decision-making, and
c) actions
to facilitate the innovation process which begins with the “fuzzy front-end of innovation” (i.e. trend analysis, brainstorming and idea generation) and [ideally] ends with the successful introduction of a new Product, Service, Process or Method, Material, or Experience (PSPMME) that creates value (internally or externally) and/or for which customers will pay.
Innovation Management – I
Innovation Management – I (IM-1) introduces students to the fundamentals of innovation management in an era of Disruptive Innovation.
Innovation Management – II
Innovation Management – II (IM-2) builds on the concepts from Innovation Management – I (IM-1) and examines additional topics in Innovation Management.
Thesis
This two semester course facilitates the design and implementation of a Master Thesis Research Project.
Thesis 1(A)
Thesis 1(A) facilitates the design of a Master Thesis Research Project. The learning objective is to write and successfully defend a Thesis Proposal; that is, the first three chapters of a Master Thesis as well as any supporting Research Instruments, References, and any supporting Appendices.
Thesis 1(B)
Thesis 1(B) facilitates the implementation of a Master Thesis Research and the completion of a thesis; that is, the collection of data and the writing of the last two chapters of a Master Thesis (IV. Chapter Four – Results & Discussion, and V. Chapter Five – Conclusions), References, and any supporting Appendices.
“Leading professors prepare thoroughly for class, build learning communities, highlight the big picture, balance complexity and simplification, make learning as interactive as possible, and continually emphasize the importance of the material. Truly effective and inspiring business professors have a sense of authenticity and purpose that extends beyond the classroom to benefit society at large. In my research, I identified four elements of authenticity that are key to the success of leading professors. These elements include [1] a passion for their subject, [2] a deep concern for their students, [3] a dedication to continuous learning from their students and from research, and [4] a focus on a higher purpose that has a positive impact beyond the classroom.”
– George Siedel, emeritus professor and former associate dean at the University of Michigan’s Ross School of Business