M.S. in Management (MSM)

The following are 3-credit courses

MSM9011 Personal and Professional Leadership

Students explore issues of personality and individual style within organizations, as they begin to formulate a personal leadership philosophy. Personal change and paradigm shifts are examined and critical thinking skills are developed. Management and leadership definitions, philosophies and concepts are compared and applied to the workplace. The evolving role of the leader is differentiated from traditional management roles while the effects of the organization's culture, processes and paradigms on leadership are explored. Leadership issues of vision, influence, empowerment and inspiration are compared to management skills and processes.

MSM9013 Organizational Behavior

Leadership, motivation, communication, decision making and problem solving, as well as power and empowerment are all topics included in this course. The emphasis is on the human element in the organization. Employing a systems perspective, organizational structure and work design are explored to highlight their effects on employees.

MSM9014 Organizational Development

Internal and external environmental forces driving organizational change face resisting forces that maintain the status quo. The leader's role as a collaborative change agent is examined and possible individual, group and organization-wide interventions are investigated. Concepts regarding the depth of change and culturally appropriate strategies for entry and change are evaluated. Students assess models of change and plan and execute data-gathering activities. Change scenarios and qualitative research activities are evaluated for use within the student's organization to begin preparing for MSM9032 Professional Leadership Project.

MSM9015 Finance for Non-Financial Managers

Designed for the non-financial manager, students in this course will develop an understanding of the role of finance in the business organization. Topics include ratio analysis, creation of pro forma financial statements, sources of funds for financial operations, managing the cash flow process, the cost of capital and capital budgeting. In addition, the financial impacts of international operations will be explored.

MSM9018 Leading Effective Teams

Developing high performance teams is critical in today's organizations. Supervisory and participative leadership will be compared to team leadership with emphasis on style, versatility, trust building, facilitation, empowerment, conflict management and negotiation. The theory of transforming teams into workplace communities will be explored as a possible outcome of interteam collaboration. Prerequisites: MSM9014, MSM9015, MSM9022, MSM9028

MSM9019 Negotiation and Conflict Management

Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) processes and procedures help parties to a business dispute participate in a non-adversarial, collaborative search for mutually beneficial outcomes. Students will review and critically examine significant ethical, public policy, and other considerations that affect an organization's use of ADR processes and their potential impact on its operations. An analytical framework and strategies to effectively examine and address several key considerations will be developed. Students will analyze the dynamics of communication and practice fundamental conflict resolution skills, including effective oral and written communication.

MSM9022 Changing Economies

Current issues in economics and their relationship to the achievement of organizational goals will be discussed. The impact of economic reality on the student's own organization will be analyzed. Prerequisites: MSM9011, MSM9013

MSM9025 Operations Management

Operations effectiveness is critical to any enterprise, including manufacturers, service providers, or nonprofits. Further, quality operations require understanding of basic statistical techniques in order to measure and improve outcomes. This course provides students with an understanding of operations and data analysis techniques to support decisions. Case studies and spreadsheets will be used to apply students' understanding to a range of operations issues.
Prerequisites: MSM9011, MSM9013

MSM9026 Leading in the International Organization

Leadership and organizational changes associated with a shift from a domestic to a global marketplace are explored. The risks and opportunities in this vastly expanding operating sphere create a new paradigm of business practices, organizational values and leadership practices. Business plans and culturally appropriate strategies for success are investigated and formulated. Prerequisites: MSM9014, MSM9015, MSM9022, MSM9028

MSM9028 Ethics and Diversity in the Global Business Environment

Students explore issues of individuality, ethics and diversity and how these affect individuals, groups and leaders in contemporary organizations. Issues of stereotype, bias and resistance are examined from both personal and organizational viewpoints, as are the elements of understanding and appreciating diversity. Students will be exposed to ethical and legal responsibilities of the manager's job and how ethics policies and plans affect all employees. Interventions are formulated and implemented to champion ethics and diversity in the workplace and in the community.

MSM9029 Management Information Systems

This course provides students with the necessary knowledge and skills to assume leadership roles in information management, including the effective use of information for strategic planning, management control, program evaluation and outcome assessment. In addition, the course addresses oversight of information processes and evaluation of software for practitioners. This course assumes basic computer literacy. Knowledge of specific programs is not required; however, assignments will assume proficiency in word processing, spreadsheet and database applications.
Prerequisites: MSM9014, MSM9015, MSM9022, MSM9028

MSM9030 Business Research Methods

Qualitative and quantitative research methods and theories typical for leading successful organizational change are examined. Upon successful completion of the course, the student should understand and be able to design research methodologies, gain access to data, design data collection tools, collect and analyze data, formulate recommendations and develop rationales to defend the research. Upon completion of the course, the student has worked on a draft research proposal for the applied action research project (MSM9032).
Prerequisites: MSM9014, MSM9015, MSM9022, MSM9028

MSM9032 Professional Leadership Project

The student leader conducts applied action research in an organization producing a final paper documenting the project of professional caliber. In addition, the student formally presents his/her action research project to faculty and peers for evaluation and feedback. Prerequisite: all courses and permission of Academic Advisor

MSM9034 Strategic Management

Students identify strategic management areas for organizations and evaluate these in terms of changing environments. Skills are developed in strategic planning and scenario building for the alignment of mission, vision, strategies, goals and objectives. The realities of strategic management and ethical leadership are examined through current applications.
Prerequisites: MSM9013, MSM9028