Basic Management Concepts (Honors)

Catalog description

Study of fundamental principles and processes available to the understanding of management. Students will likely spend a major part of their lives working for one or, perhaps, leading one they have started. Although sound technical skills and relevant knowledge are important reasons an organization hires employees, the ability to lead and manage people is critical for future advancement. This course is focused on the social facets of organizations - as opposed to elements such as finance, marketing, operations, etc. A good grasp of how organizations work will help students succeed in their careers. This course provides a forum to critically engage with theories and concepts that attempt to explain organizational practices. It is designed to not only provide students with the basic fundamentals that may be used as tools to become better managers, but also help students question their own assumptions about how people ought to behave and how they actually do behave in organizations. This course, builds on the concepts embedded in a traditional foundation management course by researching the theories these courses are built upon and pointing out the advantages and limitations of these different approaches. The topics covered in this course will provide both the breadth and depth of understanding of various topics including organizational structure, strategy, culture, leadership styles, ethics, and staffing that fall under the domain of Management and Organization. In addition, specific challenges faced by managers in contemporary organizations such as managing teams, globalization, and diversity are also incorporated. These topics are covered using lectures, independent research, case analyses and experiential exercises that will help you develop in-depth domain knowledge as well as managerial skills. In addition, the course will facilitate the development of research and analytic skills through the inclusion of individual presentations of current topics that represent critical issues in organizations. A team project will further enhance knowledge acquisition of specific issues facing organizations and, since teams are prevalent across most organizational settings, also help develop teamwork skills. Students may earn credit towards graduation for only one of the following; BA 304 , MGMT 301 , MGMT 301H , or MGMT 301W .