Strategic Management

Candidates that specialize in strategic management complete their MBA with a better understanding of the operational needs of an organization, both public and private, as well as how the strategic direction of an organization affects other areas of the firm, including finance, marketing and human resources. Graduates go on to careers in supply chain management, production, and general management.

Students can select MGT674 or MGT673 as concentration courses in case they fulfill their advised elective requirement with one of the other classes offered under that course block

Concentration Courses (3 from the following options)

MGT 677 is required and you will select two other courses from the list to satisfy the concentration requirements

  • MGT 677: Organizational Development*

    Credit Hours: 3

    This course considers organizational development as a process of planned change to improve an organization's problem-solving skills, creativity, innovation, and its overall effectiveness within a changing and complex environment. Students will study intervention strategies to help individuals and organizations achieve their goals.

    *This course is required as part of the Strategic Management Concentration

  • MGT 675: Strategic Human Resource Management

    Credit Hours: 3

    The course studies human resource practices and their impact on firms' competitive advantage and corporate structure. This nexus is specifically studied as it relates to costing human resources, environmental scanning, mergers and acquisitions, and the internationalization of HRM. The importance of human resource planning to strategic choice, staffing, compensating, and employee and labor relations are also addressed. The student is taught skills for maximizing firm objectives via appropriate human resource practices.

  • MGT 672: Creative Problem Solving

    Credit Hours: 3

    Edward deBono said: “Creative thinking is not a talent, it is a skill that can be learned. It empowers people by adding strength to their natural abilities which improves teamwork, productivity, and, where appropriate, profits." This course examines the development of ideas as a collaborative process by exploring design thinking and other tools to creatively address organizational problems.

  • MGT 679: Data & Knowledge

    Credit Hours: 3

    This course builds on the problem solving, data manipulation skills, and associated analytics needed to turn information into competitive knowledge and enable business leaders to compete effectively in the digital data environment. Students will translate real-world problems into forms where digital technology and resources can provide problem solving assistance and insight.

  • MGT 673: Production & Operations Management

    Credit Hours: 3

    This course provides a management overview of the planning, coordinating and executing of all activities that create goods and services. Topics include productivity, demand and capacity planning, quality measurement systems, network analysis, supply chain interface and production related information technologies.

  • MGT 674: Strategic Supply Chain Management

    Credit Hours: 3

    This course is designed to view the supply chain from a strategic perspective so that purchasing, materials management, and transportation logistics can be leveraged for competitive advantage. Specific topics include supply chain re-engineering, improving customer service, inventory management, outsourcing, supplier certification, supplier/buyer ethical considerations, and global procurement issues.