The Business Management program provides students the basic competencies involved in a leading a team whether from the very top of a company, middle management or first-line supervision. Managers at intermediate levels serve as the bridge between their staff and higher management understanding how to execute the project, exercising good judgment over costs and risks but also able to extract and rely on the talent of their team to get things done effectively. Good leaders are key to cultivating positive morale among their staff while also best situated to identify policies or procedures that are not working and improve upon them to benefit both staff and management. Effective managers have unique skill sets that promote collaborative, orderly and productive work environments from which everyone can benefit. Being an effective manager requires a fundamental understanding of leadership, organization and communication skills that will always be in demand by employers.

Leading a team of colleagues or managing your own staff requires a set of leadership skills that are often few and far between in today’s business culture. Understanding the personalities working for you and with you, while also maneuvering to get the most out of the different skill sets and personalities on your staff is essential to effective leadership and productive management.

With the Business Management program, this collection of skills and knowledge will ensure students understand the delicate balance of leadership, motivation, delegation, and authority while fostering an environment of encouragement and teamwork. From business communication and basic supervision to the fundamentals of leadership and project management, this combination of courses ensures learners will emerge with the confidence to make the tough decisions managers are faced with every day coupled with a comprehensive understanding of what it takes to be a true leader.

Program Objectives

After completing this program, learners will be able to:

• Contrast theories and techniques of managing, motivating, and leading others
• Analyze the impact of an organization’s culture, environment, and design on management
• Examine how social responsibility and ethics affect management functions
• Analyze issues facing managers when performing management functions
• Examine challenges related to organizational strategies and processes that managers face in today’s business environment
• Evaluate approaches to communication to best fit an organizational structure
• Apply theories of leadership and motivation to effectively manage others
• Assess approaches to controlling organizational performance
• Examine operations management
• Describe the key components of the contemporary U.S. and international business environment
• Describe the role of ethics and social responsibility in the business environment
• Examine how businesses can be organized and structured
• Analyze the various functions of and approaches to management
• Analyze marketing processes, forces, and issues in a business enterprise
• Examine the key strategies, tools, and issues involved in business operations
• Examine the key financial concepts involved in the business enterprise
• Develop a business plan incorporating sound business concepts, systems, and strategies
• Analyze the competencies and skills needed to be an effective supervisor
• Explain contemporary workplace considerations with respect to a supervisory role
• Plan strategically using goal-setting and organizing skills
• Recommend a staffing, recruiting, and retention strategy
• Recommend a control process strategy
• Propose a decision-making strategy
• Explain motivational leadership in the context of today's workforce
• Use effective communication strategies
• Propose group- and-team-building skills
• Analyze the performance appraisal process
• Recommend strategies to improve workplace health and safety
• Propose conflict resolution strategies
• Analyze factors that impact change management
• Analyze the supervisor's role in the collective bargaining processes
• Use Microsoft Office®