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  • 1.  Udergrad Organization & Management Introductory Course

    Posted 11-27-1998 16:06
    Dear Colleagues:

    As a fellow Academy member active in BPS, ENT, TIM divisions, I need to
    seek help from our MG-ED-DV colleagues on the net. (copy also forwarded to
    OMT net)

    Our business school offers BS in Business Administration, Management
    Science, Marketing, Finance, and Accounting. For all these majors we offer
    an introductory overview course titled: Business Organization and
    Management (required). The course essentially covers--management history,
    management functions (planning, organizing, leading, controlling,
    decision-making), and the contemporary issues in management.

    What we have been experiencing over the years is that this is too large a
    material to cover in a typical 3 semester hour class, and it is difficult
    to maintain sufficient student interest with this huge overview material
    generally taught through lecture and some in-class exercises.

    The proponents for elimination of this course argue that the course
    material is no longer relevant to the needs of undergraduates. And
    that the course should be replaced with a typical Organizational Behavior
    course with a lot of hands-on in-class group and individual exercises to
    make it manageable for the instructor and more interesting for students.

    On the other hand the proponents for keeping (and if necessay revamping)
    this course argue that this is the only management overview course for a
    number of majors such as accounting, finance and even business
    administration where a prior knowledge and understanding of
    management functions etc is considered essential for the capstone
    business policy and strategy course as well.

    I guess, my key questions to our MG-ED-DV colleagues are:

    Can anyone share his/her experiences in this regard?

    What are the current trends in our undergraduate business programs in this
    area?

    I would very much appreciate your help.


    Sincerely,
    Sarfraz

    ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
    + Sarfraz A. Mian, Associate Professor Email: Mian@oswego.edu +
    + Management Area Coordinator Phone: (315) 341-3154 +
    + School of Business, One Swetman Hall, Fax : (315) 341-5440 +
    + State University of New York at Oswego, Oswego, NY 13126, USA +
    ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++


  • 2.  Udergrad Organization & Management Introductory Course

    Posted 11-27-1998 20:14
    Sarfraz,

    Our college would seem to follow the same example as you cite --an
    introductory management course required for all Business School degree
    programs. My problem with most of the "introductory" management courses is
    that they do indeed seem to be too broad in scope. Of course, I prefer to
    structure the course so that perhaps a third is devoted to "historical
    perspective" and the remainder concentrates on Total Quality Management.
    In your post you mentioned having a "course with a lot of hands-on in-class
    group and individual exercises." Do you have any examples you'd be willing
    to share?

    Ken Miller
    I have a dream that one day this nation will rise up and
    live out the true meaning of its creed - we hold these
    truths to be self-evident - that all men are created equal.
    (Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.)
    -----Original Message-----
    From: Sarfraz A. Mian {VMS} <mian@OSWEGO.EDU>
    To: MG-ED-DV@MAELSTROM.STJOHNS.EDU <MG-ED-DV@MAELSTROM.STJOHNS.EDU>
    Date: Friday, November 27, 1998 4:18 PM
    Subject: Udergrad Organization & Management Introductory Course


    >Dear Colleagues:
    >
    >As a fellow Academy member active in BPS, ENT, TIM divisions, I need to
    >seek help from our MG-ED-DV colleagues on the net. (copy also forwarded to
    >OMT net)
    >
    >Our business school offers BS in Business Administration, Management
    >Science, Marketing, Finance, and Accounting. For all these majors we offer
    >an introductory overview course titled: Business Organization and
    >Management (required). The course essentially covers--management history,
    >management functions (planning, organizing, leading, controlling,
    >decision-making), and the contemporary issues in management.
    >
    >What we have been experiencing over the years is that this is too large a
    >material to cover in a typical 3 semester hour class, and it is difficult
    >to maintain sufficient student interest with this huge overview material
    >generally taught through lecture and some in-class exercises.
    >
    >The proponents for elimination of this course argue that the course
    >material is no longer relevant to the needs of undergraduates. And
    >that the course should be replaced with a typical Organizational Behavior
    >course with a lot of hands-on in-class group and individual exercises to
    >make it manageable for the instructor and more interesting for students.
    >
    >On the other hand the proponents for keeping (and if necessay revamping)
    >this course argue that this is the only management overview course for a
    >number of majors such as accounting, finance and even business
    >administration where a prior knowledge and understanding of
    >management functions etc is considered essential for the capstone
    >business policy and strategy course as well.
    >
    >I guess, my key questions to our MG-ED-DV colleagues are:
    >
    >Can anyone share his/her experiences in this regard?
    >
    >What are the current trends in our undergraduate business programs in this
    >area?
    >
    >I would very much appreciate your help.
    >
    >
    >Sincerely,
    >Sarfraz
    >
    > ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
    > + Sarfraz A. Mian, Associate Professor Email: Mian@oswego.edu +
    > + Management Area Coordinator Phone: (315) 341-3154 +
    > + School of Business, One Swetman Hall, Fax : (315) 341-5440 +
    > + State University of New York at Oswego, Oswego, NY 13126, USA +
    > ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++


  • 3.  Udergrad Organization & Management Introductory Course

    Posted 11-28-1998 16:04
    Ken,

    Thank you for your response. In fact we have neither designed nor taught
    an introductory organizational behavior course yet. This is just an
    argument that such a course will have "a lot of hands-on in-class group
    and individual exercises." My guess is that the proponents are looking at
    a typical OB course generally known for a heavy component of in-class
    exercises. (I have in front of me an OB text contents with 3 parts:
    individual in organizations, groups and organizational process, intergroup
    relations and the organizational process). Once we have one, I shall
    be glad to share with you. Thanks again for your input.

    Sarfraz

    On Fri, 27 Nov 1998, KMiller wrote:

    > Sarfraz,
    >
    > Our college would seem to follow the same example as you cite --an
    > introductory management course required for all Business School degree
    > programs. My problem with most of the "introductory" management courses is
    > that they do indeed seem to be too broad in scope. Of course, I prefer to
    > structure the course so that perhaps a third is devoted to "historical
    > perspective" and the remainder concentrates on Total Quality Management.
    > In your post you mentioned having a "course with a lot of hands-on in-class
    > group and individual exercises." Do you have any examples you'd be willing
    > to share?
    >
    > Ken Miller
    > I have a dream that one day this nation will rise up and
    > live out the true meaning of its creed - we hold these
    > truths to be self-evident - that all men are created equal.
    > (Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.)
    > -----Original Message-----
    > From: Sarfraz A. Mian {VMS} <mian@OSWEGO.EDU>
    > To: MG-ED-DV@MAELSTROM.STJOHNS.EDU <MG-ED-DV@MAELSTROM.STJOHNS.EDU>
    > Date: Friday, November 27, 1998 4:18 PM
    > Subject: Udergrad Organization & Management Introductory Course
    >
    >
    > >Dear Colleagues:
    > >
    > >As a fellow Academy member active in BPS, ENT, TIM divisions, I need to
    > >seek help from our MG-ED-DV colleagues on the net. (copy also forwarded to
    > >OMT net)
    > >
    > >Our business school offers BS in Business Administration, Management
    > >Science, Marketing, Finance, and Accounting. For all these majors we offer
    > >an introductory overview course titled: Business Organization and
    > >Management (required). The course essentially covers--management history,
    > >management functions (planning, organizing, leading, controlling,
    > >decision-making), and the contemporary issues in management.
    > >
    > >What we have been experiencing over the years is that this is too large a
    > >material to cover in a typical 3 semester hour class, and it is difficult
    > >to maintain sufficient student interest with this huge overview material
    > >generally taught through lecture and some in-class exercises.
    > >
    > >The proponents for elimination of this course argue that the course
    > >material is no longer relevant to the needs of undergraduates. And
    > >that the course should be replaced with a typical Organizational Behavior
    > >course with a lot of hands-on in-class group and individual exercises to
    > >make it manageable for the instructor and more interesting for students.
    > >
    > >On the other hand the proponents for keeping (and if necessay revamping)
    > >this course argue that this is the only management overview course for a
    > >number of majors such as accounting, finance and even business
    > >administration where a prior knowledge and understanding of
    > >management functions etc is considered essential for the capstone
    > >business policy and strategy course as well.
    > >
    > >I guess, my key questions to our MG-ED-DV colleagues are:
    > >
    > >Can anyone share his/her experiences in this regard?
    > >
    > >What are the current trends in our undergraduate business programs in this
    > >area?
    > >
    > >I would very much appreciate your help.
    > >
    > >
    > >Sincerely,
    > >Sarfraz
    > >
    > > ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
    > > + Sarfraz A. Mian, Associate Professor Email: Mian@oswego.edu +
    > > + Management Area Coordinator Phone: (315) 341-3154 +
    > > + School of Business, One Swetman Hall, Fax : (315) 341-5440 +
    > > + State University of New York at Oswego, Oswego, NY 13126, USA +
    > > ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
    >