Pamplin College of Business

Management

Overview

The curriculum in Management is a solid foundation for a wide variety of future business careers.  It is unique within the Pamplin College of Business because it fosters an integrated perspective of business enterprises. Course work in the traditional functional areas (accounting, operations, finance, marketing, information technology) is coupled with a choice of one of two Management nine-hour options: I) Entrepreneurship, Innovation and Technology Management, II) Human Resource Management. Students in Management are also eligible to participate in the Department of Management's Leadership minor and Business Diversity minor.

Our curriculum emphasizes the development of versatile skills that are essential to achieve organizational goals: cross-functional thinking, analytical problem-solving, leadership, team work, communication skills, and ethical decision-making.

The capability to manage across functions is of paramount importance in the modern-day business enterprise. Our curriculum enables students to understand how the separate business functions can be integrated to achieve a single, coordinated effort, especially in complex, technologically-based enterprises.


Tomorrow's managers must be able to lead themselves, other individuals, and teams. Students are exposed to state-of-the-art ideas and practices regarding leadership, and are given multiple opportunities to develop their interpersonal skills while applying this knowledge in team projects. Because effective communication is an essential component of organizational leadership, strong emphasis is placed on development of written and oral communications skills.

Increasingly in the modern business world, organizational success depends upon actions taken in situations requiring complex ethical judgments. Therefore, a concern for ethics is infused in courses throughout the Management curriculum.

In addition to fulfilling the Pamplin College of Business requirements for the first two years and the college core course requirements, all Management majors must: 1) meet these specific Management major course requirements, and 2) choose one of two options of concentration.

Required Courses:
ACIS 2504: Personal Computers in Business
MGT 3324: Organization Behavior
MGT 3604: Managerial Analytics
MGT 4334: Ethical Leadership and Corporate Social Responsibility
MGT 4344: Productivity and Quality Leadership


Option I: Entrepreneurship, Innovation & Technology Management
This option prepares students to take an entrepreneurial approach to managing in any organizational context, including large organizations as well as new startups. It is also suitable for students who intend to run their own businesses. Three additional courses are required for those students selecting this option:
MGT 4064:  Developing Entrepreneurial Ventures
MGT 3064:  Cornerstones of Entrepreneurship and Innovation
Course from EIT Option List Courses

EIT Option List Courses:
MGT 3074: Social Entrepreneurship
MGT 3754: Management Internships & Career Development
MGT 3334:  Managing Human Resources
MGT 4074:  Applied Small Business Consulting
MGT 3314:  International Business
MGT 4094:  Managing Technology Commercialization

Option II: Human Resource Management
The purpose of the track is to provide general managers with the knowledge and skills necessary to systematically manage people and human resource processes to help to achieve group and organizational effectiveness. The coursework provides a foundation for students interested in pursuing either general management or human resource management careers. Three additional courses are required for those students selecting this option:
MGT 3344:  Employee and Labor Relations
MGT 3424: Human Resource Staffing and Development
MGT 4414: Compensation and Performance Management

Leadership Minor

The Leadership minor provides a multi-disciplinary, experiential background in the history, values, skills and theory of leadership. It provides the student with the opportunity to tailor his/her leadership education and experience to personal and career needs.

The curriculum consists of eighteen (18) credit hours of study, including six (6) hours of electives and three (3) hours of experiential activity.

Required Courses
MGT 3304: Management Theory and Leadership Practice
MGT 4334: Ethical Leadership and Corporate Social Responsibility
MGT 4354: Leadership: Advanced Skills and Concepts

Elective Courses
Students may select six (6) credit hours of electives from the following areas, according to their interests:
Global/Multicultural Perspectives:
SOC 2024: Minority Group Relations
SOC 3614: Gender and Work in the U.S.
MGT 4314: International Management
Communication Skills:
COMM 3124: Interpersonal Communication
HUM/COMM 3204: Multicultural Communication

Experiential Activity
An experiential activity may take the form of a formal three-credit course or an independent study which offers significant leadership and/or service experience consistent with the goals of the minor.

Business Diversity Minor

The Business Diversity Minor provides students with an informed perspective of diversity issues prevalent in the workplace. Students will learn how to manage a diverse workforce with increased awareness, knowledge, and skills while also learning about the business case for diversity.

Required Courses
Must take both courses:
MGT 3434: Diversity in the Workplace: Issues for Individuals
MGT 3444: Diversity in the Workplace: Issues for Organizations

Additional Courses
Select one of the following:
HTM 3484: Socio-cultural Impacts of Tourism
MKTG 4644: Marketing, Society and the Public Interest

Select one of the following:
MGT 4234: Ethical Issues in Business Diversity
FIN 4024: Legal Aspects of a Diverse Workplace

Elective Courses
Select one of the following:
AFST 1714: Introduction to Africana Studies
AFST/REL 2144: African Religions
AFST 2354: The Civil Rights Movement
AFST 2454: Race and Racism
AFST/REL /WS 2734: The Black Woman in the U.S.
AFST/REL 2744: The Black Church in America
AFST/HIST 3176: Afro-American History
AFST 3454: African American Leadership
AINS/HUM 1104: Introduction to American Indian Studies
AINS/HUM 4004: Special Topic (as appropriate)
ECON 3014: Economics of Poverty
ENGL 2524: Introduction to Ethnic American Literatures
HUM 1704: Introduction to Appalachian Studies
HUM 1924: Exploration of Modern Asian Cultures
HUM/COMM 3204: Multicultural Communication
HUM 4104: Explorations in Advanced Humanities Topics
HUM 4404: Appalachian Folk Culture
PSCI 3255 or 3256: The Politics of Race, Ethnicity, and Gender
REL 1014: Asian Religions
REL 1024: Judaism/Christianity/Islam
REL 1034: Religion and the Modern World
REL 3214: Religion and Culture in India
REL 3224: Religions of China and Japan
SOC 2024: Minority Group Relations
SOC 2514: Appalachian Social Issues
SOC 3014: Gender Relations
SOC 3614: Gender and Work in the U.S.
SOC 3714: Sociology of Aging
SPAN/HUM 2754: Introduction to Spanish-American Culture and Civilization
WS 1824: Introduction to Women’s Studies
WS 2224: Women and Creativity
WS 2264: Race, Class, and Gender

Required Experiential Activity
Select one of the following:
MGT 2964 or 3964 or 4964: Field Study
MGT 3464: Diversity-Related Internship and Professional Dev.

Undergraduate Course Descriptions (MGT)

1004: INTRODUCTION TO BUSINESS
Introduction to the role of the free enterprise system in society and economy.  Study of the various business functions such as economic trends, accounting, finance, management, marketing, and production and operations. Analysis of these functions for programs of study and for career opportunities.  Restricted to freshmen and sophomores.
(2H,2C)

1945-1946: FUNDAMENTALS OF CADET LEADERSHIP
Foundational course of the Virginia Tech Corps of Cadet Leader Development Program. Explores self-understanding, personality types, active and passive followership, leadership and ethical theories. A laboratory introduces freshmen cadets to academic success strategies. Membership in the Corps of Cadets is required. (1H,2L,2C)

2944: MILITARY LEADERSHIP PRACTICUM
Progressive leadership education, training and development through readings, lectures, exercises and leadership positions within the Corps of Cadets. Emphasis of this course is on the day-to-day implementation of leadership strategies and tactics in a military environment.  Topics include leadership theory and practice, honor and ethics education, and professional integrity.  Exercises include small group discussion, leadership scenarios, and role-playing.  Each cadet will perform at least one leadership position to include team leader, cadre, squad leader, platoon leader, company commander, or primary/special staff positions. May be taken up to 8 times. Pass/Fail only. (1H,1C)

2945-2946: SMALL UNIT LEADERSHIP FOR CADETS
Prepares cadets for responsibilities as small unit leaders. Builds on the previous year's knowledge to focus on skills and knowledge necessary to lead small units. Introduces cadets to the importance of communication, includes basic counseling techniques, disciplinary actions, conflict resolution, cadet regulations and leadership case studies. Membership in the Corps of Cadets is required. (1H,1C)

2954: BUSINESS STUDY ABROAD
This course provides students with an international business experience. It is only offered as part of a program outside of the United States. Students will learn from the structured educational experience developed by the faculty leader. This course is intended for students who want to develop management-related free electives. Pre: Instructor's consent and the completion of 24 semester hours with a minimum GPA of 3.0 or departmental consent. Variable credit course.

2964: FIELD STUDY
Variable credit course.

2984: SPECIAL STUDY
Variable credit course.

3064: CORNERSTONES OF ENTREPRENEURSHIP AND INNOVATION
Provides a cornerstone foundation for the understanding of entrepreneurship and the business innovation process exposing students to fundamental business concepts applied and integrated in these arenas. An examination of value creation through entrepreneurship and the rudiments of new ventures are provided helping students develop an entrepreneurial frame of mind and perspective. (3H,3C)

3074: SOCIAL ENTREPRENEURSHIP
Provides a foundation for how social entrepreneurs use and combine resources to pursue opportunities that lead to social change and/or address social needs. An examination of the nature of social entrepreneurship and its various practices is provided, helping students develop an entrepreneurial frame of mind and prepare them to act as effective leaders of social change. Pre: 3064. (3H,3C)

3304: MANAGEMENT THEORY AND LEADERSHIP PRACTICE
This survey course introduces the student to a broad range of concepts, theories and practices important for a basic understanding of management. Topics also focus on the environment in which today's managers must effectively operate.  Junior standing required. (3H,3C)

3314: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS
The course provides a framework to show how a firm's international business operations can be analyzed, understood, and undertaken, including discussion of cultural, social, political, and economic aspects of doing business abroad.  The main learning experience in the course is oriented toward effective decision-making in the face of unique challenges faced by managers in the international business environment, with the goal of improving critical, analytical and creative thinking skills in international business operations.  Junior Standing Required. (3H,3C)

3324: ORGANIZATION BEHAVIOR
This course examines the determinants and consequences of human behavior in formal organizations.  Specific focus is on the individual, interpersonal, and group processes which underlie all the human dynamics. Co: 3304. (3H,3C)

3334: MANAGING HUMAN RESOURCES
Examines the strategies, policies, and practices associated with effectively managing human resources. Designed to provide future managers with tools and techniques to acquire, develop, reward, and retain employees within the legal and social context of today's organizations. Emphasizes how managing human resources can contribute to organizational effectiveness in a variety of industry and organizational settings. Pre: 3304. (3H,3C)

3344: EMPLOYEE & LABOR RELATIONS
Examines employee and labor relations policies and practices from a legal, behavioral, social, and economic viewpoint. Covers the content and application of labor and employment laws. A focus on skills and knowledge associated with responding to employee organizing, negotiating employment contracts, and resolving employment disputes in private and public. Union and non-union work settings in the United States and selected other countries. Pre: 3304. (3H,3C)

3424: HUMAN RESOURCE STAFFING AND DEVELOPMENT
Concentrates on the acquisition, deployment, and development of human resources within organizations. This course emphasizes the design and implementation of staffing, training, and development processes to achieve organizational objectives within social and economic constraints. Pre: 3304, 3334. (3H,3C)

3434: DIVERSITY IN THE WORKPLACE: ISSUES FOR INDIVIDUALS
Examines the individual perspectives of diversity on the work experience, and is designed to prepare individuals to meet the challenge of all aspects of diversity in organizations.  Attention is given to how gender, race, ethnicity, religion, age, disabilities, social class, sexual orientation, culture, tradition, education, economic structure, and organizational philosophy interact to create a set of rules for acceptable behaviors in complex organizations. (3H,3C)

3444: DIVERSITY IN THE WORKPLACE: ISSUES FOR ORGANIZATIONS
Examines the impact of diversity on organizational performance. The ability to relate to people on every level is critical to business success.  Accountability for diversity-related efforts and outcomes, diversity metrics, including ROI for diversity management, and making diversity a bottom-line necessity will be discussed. (3H,3C)

3454 (AAEC 3454): SMALL BUSINESS MANAGEMENT AND ENTREPRENEURSHIP
Characteristics of small business and entrepreneurs, and their economic importance. Development and operation of a small business, including concepts and principles such as franchising, business plans, capital acquisition, venture capital, financial and administrative control, marketing, human resource and operations management. Taxation, legal, insurance and ethics in small business. Pre: 3064 or AAEC 2434 or ACIS 2115. (3H,3C)

3464: DIVERSITY-RELATED INTERNSHIPS AND PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT
Guided experience in a diverse work environment.  Through a paid or unpaid internship, students will have the opportunity to experience diversity within an organization first hand while working on organizationally meaningful assignments in the classroom. Pass/Fail only. Pre: 3434. (1H,6L,3C)

3604: E-MANAGEMENT: CONCEPTS AND SKILLS
Digital tools to analyze managerial data ranging from productivity  data to large scale, organizational databases. Three themes: (1) analyzing and improving productivity using digital tools; (2) applying exploratory data tools; (3) improving organizational collaboration, analysis, and knowledge sharing using relational databases. Pre: ACIS 2504. Co: 3304. (3H,3C)

3614: STRATEGY COMPETITION ANALYTICS
Develops concepts and techniques for analyzing and formulating strategy in a variety of business environments. Focuses on research, data, and analysis related to the key players in the environment from both a competitive and cooperative perspective. Basic frameworks for analysis include mapping the objectives and constraints of the players, and modeling the pattern of interaction among the players. Provides an in-depth exposure to the theory and tools of strategy analysis and practice in their management consulting application. Co: 3604. (3H,3C)

3754: MANAGEMENT INTERNSHIP AND CAREER DEVELOPMENT
Guided experience in work environments and job search. Through unpaid internships, students have the opportunity to view the inner workings of businesses first hand while working on organizationally meaningful assignments. Class activities prepare students for conducting effective job searches. Pass/Fail only. Pre: 3304. (1H,6L,3C)

3945-3946: CADET ORGANIZATIONAL LEADERSHIP
Prepares junior class cadets for responsibilities as senior sergeants. Builds on the previous year's knowledge of small unit leadership. Introduces cadets to decision making, writing decision papers/executive summaries, project management, public speaking, and refinement of their personal leadership philosophy. Membership in the Corps of Cadets is required. (1H,1C)

3954: STUDY ABROAD
Variable credit course.

3964: FIELD STUDY
Variable credit course.

4064: DEVELOPING ENTREPRENEURIAL VENTURES
Takes a cross-functional perspective on identifying and evaluating entrepreneurial opportunities, developing new ventures, and pursuing new venture strategies to compete in the marketplace. Explore business potentials of new venture ideas, examine new venture's feasibility, and develop business planning tools for the venture. Pre: Senior Standing. Pre: 3064. (3H,3C)

4074 (MKTG 4074): APPLIED SMALL BUSINESS CONSULTING
Application of accounting, finance, marketing, management, information technology, and management science concepts to small business cases. On-site consultation with existing firms. Through the experiential studies, students will explore the role of 'pro bono' work in the management field.  Pre: Pamplin College of Business senior or graduate standing. Permission of instructor is required for students outside the Pamplin College of Business. Pre: 3304. (3H,3C)

4084: MANAGEMENT CONSULTING
Hands-on application of accounting, finance, marketing, management, information technology, and project management to actual business clients through on-site consultation with start-up and existing businesses and non-profits. Through classroom instruction, instructor coaching, and experiential studies, students will use the skills they have learned over several semesters to explore the field of management consulting. Management major with senior standing in the Management Consulting Option. Pre: 3304, 3614. (3H,3C)

4094: MANAGING TECHNOLOGY COMMERCIALIZATION
How technology-based innovations, innovations developed through science or engineering expertise, are leveraged from the innovative idea or concept to successful commercial products.  Examines the frames that guide the technology commercialization process and applies these frames by using cross-functional teams to investigate a commercialization project from opportunity scanning to exploitation. (3H,3C)

4234: ETHICAL ISSUES IN BUSINESS DIVERSITY
This course examines underlying ethical issues involved with operating in a diverse business environment with respect to gender, race, religion, age, social class, sexual orientation, culture, tradition, and education. Ethical decision making frameworks including rights-based ethics, duty-based-ethics, utilitarianism, justice, and virtue ethics as well as the concepts of corporate social responsibility and corporate citizenship are introduced and applied to issues of diversity.  Competence in the application of these frameworks to diversity issues is developed through analysis of cases and experiential activities.
Pre: 3304, 3434. (3H,3C)

4314: INTERNATIONAL MANAGEMENT
The course is designed to provide the student with familiarity concerning the unique problems, characteristics, and demands that face multinational managers and the international business community.  Junior standing required. (3H,3C)

4324 (PHIL 4324): BUSINESS AND PROFESSIONAL ETHICS
An inquiry into the fundamental norms of conduct in business and other professions and their justification in relation to the most important ethical theories.  Special attention will be given to moral problems such as the ethics of hiring and firing, bribery, and professional responsibility to society. (3H,3C)

4334: ETHICAL LEADERSHIP AND CORPORATE SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY
The leadership role of managers in promoting ethics and corporate social responsibility in business today. Consideration of business-society issues such as environmental pollution, employee rights and responsibilities, discrimination/affirmative action, and the activities of multinational corporations.  These issues will be examined through the conceptual frameworks of business ethics and corporate social responsibility. Pre: 3304. (3H,3C)

4344: PRODUCTIVITY AND QUALITY LEADERSHIP
This course provides an introduction to leadership in the context of productivity and quality improvement.  It focuses on understanding the concepts and skills associated with contemporary management strategies and systems.  This course requires active student involvement and emphasizes participative leadership skills, data collection, qualitative problem solving, and communication processes. For Management majors only.  Senior standing required. Pre: 3304, 3324, BIT 3414. (3H,3C)

4354: LEADERSHIP: ADVANCES IN SKILLS AND CONCEPTS
This cornerstone course provides cutting-edge experiences, skills, and knowledge in leadership for students in the leadership minor.  Within an historical context that balances military, political, and business perspectives, four types of leadership will be examined: self-leadership, dyadic leadership, team leadership, and enterprise leadership. Special emphasis will be placed on the specific skills, such as computer literacy and project management, required for leaders to succeed in modern, technologically oriented organizations.  Pre: senior standing. Pre: 3304. (3H,3C)

4394: BUSINESS POLICY AND STRATEGY
Integrates business principles and practices covered in basic courses. Cases used extensively. Senior standing required. Pre: 3304, (MKTG 3104 or MKTG 3104H), FIN 3104, BIT 3414. Co: FIN 3055. (3H,3C)

4414: COMPENSATION AND PERFORMANCE MANAGEMENT
This course provides the knowledge and skills required by managers to design and implement comprehensive compensation and performance management systems in public and private organizations. Topics include development of compensation strategy, internal pay structure, determination of pay level through wage surveys, evaluating job performance, rewarding individuals and groups, and administering employee benefits. Pre: 3304, 3334. (3H,3C)

4764: APPLIED HUMAN RESOURCE INFORMATION SYSTEMS
The study of how human resource information systems (HRIS) can and should be applied in organizations to support organization strategy, improve efficiency and flexibility, increase productivity, and improve the quality of work life for all employees. Pre: 3334. (3H,3C)

4864: WI UNDERGRADUATE RESEARCH
Variable credit course.

4874: WI INDEPENDENT STUDY
Variable credit course.

4944: LEADING IN YOUR PROFESSION
Examines the skills and knowledge necessary to succeed in a responsible role of leadership when beginning one's career. It is a capstone course that draws on the leadership training and experience cadets have accumulated during their first three years in the Corps of Cadets. Senior standing in the Corps of Cadets required.  Course may be taken twice for credit.  The pre-requisite requirement is such that a student must take the pre-requisite twice before enrolling in this course. Pre: 2944. (1H,1C)

4945-4946: EXECUTIVE LEADERSHIP FOR CADETS
Examines executive level leadership. It explores executive decision making, constraint theory and problem solving in both the military and civilian career fields. Senior standing in the Corps of Cadets is required. (1H,1C)

4964: FIELD STUDY
Variable credit course.

4974: INDEPENDENT STUDY
Variable credit course.

4984: SPECIAL STUDY
Variable credit course.

4994: UNDERGRADUATE RESEARCH
Variable credit course.

4994H: UNDERGRADUATE RESEARCH
Honors section Variable credit course.

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