In an attempt to keep up with the changing environment in the business world, the Lally School of Management and Technology has recently created a new curriculum for the first year of their MBA program. The curriculum, which will be introduced in Fall 2004, has shifted to provide more real-world experience.
Students graduating after completing this curriculum will have a portfolio displaying their analytical and business skills. Included in this portfolio will be a marketing plan, business plan, technology assessment, competitor analysis, and strategic map.
“This curriculum really responds to the changing demands of business in the 21st century. It integrates basic business principles and presents them in a framework that mimics real-world conditions. It truly gives students an understanding of what it takes to be a manager or entrepreneur in a successful enterprise today,” said Denis Fred Simon, dean of the Lally School.
The curriculum will start off with study of leaders through case studies and lab settings in “Leaders, Heroes, and Innovators” in the week before the fall semester begins, providing a basis in innovation and entrepreneurship.
Throughout the year, students in the MBA program will explore five key areas instead of the traditional focus on finance or marketing. The additional areas include creating and managing and enterprise; creating value, managing networks, and driving innovation; formulating and implementing competitive business strategies; and managing the business implications of emerging technologies.
The more traditional subjects will be embedded in these five areas, giving students a better grasp of how they are used in the business world and fit together to add depth to their analysis.
Currently, the Lally School of Management draws an MBA class of 28 full-time students each year, with an average of five years of work experience. Second year concentration options for MBA students include strategy and technological entrepreneurship, new product development and marketing, management of information systems, finance, production and operations management, and environmental management policy.
