Selectives

Smith’s innovative curriculum gives students a solid appreciation and understanding of the importance of globalization, entrepreneurship and technology (GET) in today’s business environment. Courses in these three areas are the pillars of the Smith core and enhance the fundamental courses in such areas as finance, marketing, operations, and management. During your first year, you will choose one GET Selective in each of the three areas, providing you with the flexibility to customize your program with GET courses that best meet your unique interest and career goals.

Throughout the core, you’ll explore how GET is changing business practice, as well as build critical management skills in leadership, teamwork, integrative analysis, and oral and written communication.

Global Selectives

BUSI 672: Global Supply Chain Management (2 credits)

Offers a practical blueprint for understanding, building, implementing, and sustaining supply chains in today’s rapidly changing global supply chain environment. It will provide the student with a survey of the fast-moving Supply Chain Management discipline and practice, including the evolution of supply chain strategies, business models and technologies; current best practices in demand and supply management; and methodologies for conducting supply chain-wide diagnostic assessments and formulating process improvement plans.

BUSI 673: International Economics for Managers (2 credits)

Focus on understanding critical aspects of the global business environment that influence firm decisions and behavior. Globalization is present in market competition, capital markets, and managerial talent as evidenced by free trade areas and economic unions forming, the volatility in global financial markets, and the continued rise of transnational firms. With globalization, the challenge for firms is to acknowledge, understand and act when appropriate - to act by sourcing, lobbying, and relocating value chain activities internationally.

Entrepreneurship Selectives

BUSI 660: Entrepreneurship & New Ventures (2 Credits)

Provides an introduction to important tools and skills necessary to create and grow a successful new venture. The course integrates research findings from a range of different practical and intellectual perspectives, including psychology, sociology, economics, strategic management, and history into practical, hands on lessons for an entrepreneur. Class projects provide the foundations for new, real businesses.

BUSI 661: Creativity for Business Leaders and Entrepreneurs (2 Credits)

Examines the concept of creativity as it applies in today's and tomorrow's complex business environment. The course gives an overview of the cognitive foundations of creativity, examines many of the preconceived notions about creativity in business and discusses multiple ways in which creativity can help business leaders and entrepreneurs to succeed. Topics include creativity techniques for groups and individuals, creativity as a foundation to recognize business opportunities and develop innovative products and services, selecting ideas and making them stick, mental and organizational obstacles to creativity as well as an overview of electronic tools to increase creative capability.

Technology Selectives

BUSI 621 (2 credits)

Includes case studies to illustrate managerial decisions about technology as well as lectures that help frame the issues. There will be extensive class discussion; assignments include two short case write-ups, a group project on industry transformation, and a term paper defined by the student. There are no exams. The course does not assume any particular student background. It is focused on management issues and is suitable for the student with no IT experience as well as for students with technical backgrounds who want to understand how to manage IT in the firm.

BUSI 622 Managing Digital Business Markets (2 credits)

Examines the question of how to manage digital businesses and markets. As businesses increasingly buy and sell digital goods, participate in digital markets, and rely on digital information to manage their operations, they often face new challenges. In this course, we will examine some of the characteristics of digital businesses and markets that make them unique and understand how companies can best manage them.