Business Policy and Strategy
BPS 6250 Business Transformation Project I (2 semester hours) This two hour course will immerse the student in an initial examination and/or design of a substantial project within a corporation intended to raise corporate value by transforming the business. The emphasis will be on new uses of assets and resources, not the improved management of existing activities. This is intended to develop the executive capacity of the individual student. (2-0) Y
BPS 6251 Capstone: Integration/Transformation (2 semester hours) This 2-hour course will immerse the student in an initial examination and/or design of a substantial project within a corporation intended to raise corporate value by transforming the business. The emphasis will be on new uses of assets and resources, not the improved management of existing activities. This is intended to develop the executive capacity of the individual student. (2-0) Y
BPS 6252 Executive Study Trip: Washington DC (2 semester hours) This course focuses on economic and policy strategy and management as it related to governmental processes nationally and internationally. Considering business, political, and cultural issues related to conducting business in the United States and around the world, this course goes behind the scenes to learn the processes needed to effectively identify, understand and capture policy and regulatory efforts at early stages. All this is pertinent to business decision making and management anywhere in the world. (2-0) Y
BPS 6253 Strategic Leadership (2 semester hours) Addresses the challenge of leading organizations in dynamic and challenging environments. Overall goal is to not only question one's assumptions about leadership, but also enhance skills and acquire new content knowledge. Topics include visionary and transformational leadership; post-heroic leadership; empowerment; leveraging and combining resources; designing organizations; and ethics. (2-0) Y
BPS 6260 Readings in Management (2 semester hours) Examination of the development of management thought and practice as business developed into a major institution in our society. Readings in management thought assignments to accomplish this purpose. Each student is expected to develop his/her own written philosophy of management as a major objective of the course. Prerequisite: BPS 6310. May be repeated for credit as topics vary. (2-0) T
BPS 6301 The Environment of Business (3 semester hours) An examination of the relationship between the management of micro-organizational units (corporations, non-business entities, and government agencies) and the larger social environment of which they are a part. (3-0) S
BPS 6302 Strategic Business Communications (3 semester hours) The ability to communicate clearly and persuasively is the hallmark of a successful leader. Students in this course will get hands-on experience working through communication challenges in a realistic and dynamic class setting, and will learn the importance of communication for problem solving and decision-making in business. Material emphasizes both written and oral presentation skills and the use of media/technology. For students in all business areas. Prerequisites: none. (3-0) Y
BPS 6305 Ethical Issues in International Business (3 semester hours) Examines ethical concepts such as justice, equality, freedom, and responsibility as they relate to the functioning of an economic system. Specific problems facing the global business organization will be discussed from an ethical perspective. Articulation of management philosophy incorporating the ethical dimension. (3-0) S
BPS 6310 Strategic Management (3 semester hours) Strategic management consists of the analysis, decisions, and actions that organizations take to create sustainable competitive advantages. The course examines a variety of issues including environmental, competitor, and stakeholder analysis; strategy formulation; and strategy implementation and control. The central role of ethics and corporate governance as well as global issues will be addressed. Prerequisites: OB 6301, MKT 6301, ACCT 6201, ACCT 6202, FIN 6301 or consent of the instructor. (3-0) S
BPS 6311 Strategy Implementation (3 semester hours) Implementation issues of strategic planning. Topics include: planning system design, organizing for planning, situation analysis, and corporate/divisional relationships. Cases and selected readings illustrate the key planning concepts. Prerequisite: BPS 6210 or BPS 6310 or consent of instructor. (3-0) Y
BPS 6312 Advanced Multinational Business Seminar (3 semester hours) This seminar aims at the broadening of business strategy horizons to include the international dimension applied to topical business problems. It also responds to the recent findings of the US Management schools that precepts of corporate strategy for national markets are subject to many exceptions and require much supplementation when applied to multinational markets. This course also aims at providing support for the Dallas metroplex area business organizations for designing and implementing their strategies in general, multinational strategies in particular. This course will investigate topical and sector-based implementation problems derived from the participants' own companies or current business media (3-0) T
BPS 6320 Government Regulation of Business (3 semester hours) Impact of U.S. federal and state agencies on business as well as international legal issues. Emphasis is on a strategic approach to the principle regulatory issues facing business today. (3-0) Y
BPS 6321 Contemporary Business Issues and Strategy (3 semester hours) This course focuses on the factors that affect economic growth, contractions and cycles and how they affect specific industries, firm profitability, security of investment, job growth and individual career opportunities. Students make connections between the fundamentals of the global economy, national corporate policy and companies' strategies. These strategies should determine long-term objectives, the adoption of courses of action and the allocation of corporate resources in an evolving complex competitive environment. (3-0) Y
BPS 6332 (SYSM 6320) Strategic Leadership (3 semester hours) Addresses the challenge of leading organizations in dynamic and challenging environments. Overall goal is to not only question one's assumptions about leadership, but also enhance skills and acquire new content knowledge. Topics include visionary and transformational leadership; post-heroic leadership; empowerment; leveraging and combining resources; designing organizations; and ethics. (3-0) Y
BPS 6340 Accountability and Ethics in Corporate Governance (3 semester hours) This course addresses the issues faced by top management teams and boards of directors, including compensation, investor relations, social responsibility, and accountability in the context of ethical strategic policy making. (3-0) S
BPS 6351 Business Transformation Project II (3 semester hours) This three hour course will immerse the student in an initial examination and/or design of a substantial project within a corporation intended to raise corporate value by transforming the business. The emphasis will be on new uses of assets and resources, not the improved management of existing activities. This is intended to develop the executive capacity of the individual student. (3-0) Y
BPS 6360 Management and Organizational Consulting: Theory and Practice (3 semester hours) Management consulting now accounts for more than $120 billion in global annual revenues. In addition to these full-time consultants, more and more employees are also in roles of a consultative nature, as the knowledge-intensive nature of work increases. This course will begin with a review of the theoretical foundations of the client-consultant relationship, drawing from counseling psychology and other disciplines, then broaden to cover theories of Organizational Behavior, Organizational Learning and Strategy. Through various workshops and hands-on exercises, participants will apply these theories in a number of scenarios relevant for consulting. Special attention will be given to prepare students to become confident practitioners, by bridging the theory-practice gap in the practice of management and organizational consulting. Prerequisite: OB 6301 (3-0) T
BPS 6379 Business Strategies for Sustainability (3 semester hours) The course introduces student to sustainable business practices. The role of legislation and its impact on business practices as well as proactive business strategies firms use to differentiate themselves and obtain a competitive advantage will also be addressed. By viewing a firm through an environmental lens, managers find opportunities to reduce risks, drive down costs, and create intangible value. Further, firms can build stronger connections with a broad range of stakeholders. (3-0) Y
BPS 6385 Entrepreneurial Business Strategies (3 semester hours) This course is an advanced course in strategic management, with an emphasis on business strategies for entrepreneurial firms. Within this framework, the course addresses the most recent approaches and perspectives on strategies management in rapidly changing environments. Topics include the formulation and evaluation of strategy in emerging industries, strategies for market entry and competition against established incumbents, the role of technology standards, the technology adoption life cycle model, theories of disruptive innovation, and the use of creative imitation, speed and agility to prevail over established competitors. Prerequisites: ENTP 6370 and BPS 6310 or consent of instructor. (3-0) Y
BPS 6v99 Special Topics in Business Policy and Strategy (1-4 semester hours) May be lecture, readings, or individualized study. May be repeated for credit ([1-4]-0) S
BPS 7300 Advanced Strategic Management Seminar I (3 semester hours) This is the first of a two-part series of Ph.D. seminars in strategic management that (1) expose students to various theories and topics in strategic management research, and (2) train students to become informed researchers who will be able to contribute to this literature. This seminar covers the major theories in current research addressing strategy formulation and implementation. Prerequisite: OB 7300. (3-0) T
BPS 7301 Advanced Strategic Management Seminar II (3 semester hours) This is the second of the two-part series of Ph.D. seminars in strategic management. Together the two seminars (1) expose students to various theories and topics in strategic management research, and (2) train students to become informed researchers who will be able to contribute to this literature. Seminar II focuses more on the empirical research in major topics such as strategic alliances, networks, competitive dynamics and knowledge management. Students learn to use the different theories introduced in the previous seminar as tools for analyzing strategic business phenomena. Prerequisite: BPS 7300 (3-0) Y
BPS 7302 Research Methodology (3 semester hours) The aim of this course is to lay the foundations for good empirical research in the social sciences and to introduce students to the assumptions and logic underlying social research. Students become acquainted with a variety of approaches to research design, and are helped to develop their own research projects and to evaluate the products of empirical research. (3-0) Y
BPS 7303 Doctoral Teaching and Writing Seminar (3 semester hours) Provides the tools necessary for beginning academics to think critically about teaching and writing to enable them to be successful researchers and effective teachers. Students will not only be exposed to research on effective writing and teaching, but will also work actively with classmates - both within and across areas - to improve their ability to write clearly and teach well. The course will require students to assess both their own writing and the writing of others. Students will practice putting together a syllabus, creating assignments for students, and presenting explanations of difficult concepts. (3-0) Y