Full Course Description List:

MGMT Courses

3 semester credits

Students gain a working knowledge of the essential principles and concepts of management theory and practice. The course is structured so the students examine the interrelationships among the major business disciplines and gain a comprehensive perspective with which to organize additional study in management. Practical applications of the manager’s role in planning, organizing, directing, and controlling are demonstrated and evaluated.

3 semester credits

This course is an introduction to enterprise information systems. Students review the characteristics of enterprise information systems; their impact on the enterprise; how they fit in organizations; and their current architectures, enabling tools, and project cycles.

3 semester credits

This course is a survey of the global business environment in the 21st century, and students are introduced to the basic concepts of global business activity and theory. Students are introduced to the major foreign environmental forces, focusing on strategic management issues, including competitive, financial, economic and socioeconomic, cultural, political, legal, and labor factors.

5 credits

The need for businesses to extend their operations beyond domestic borders is growing continually. This shift to globalization brings both advantages and disadvantages. Students in this course explore the major aspects of international business environments and operations and focus on the strategic and operational issues that firms face when they do business abroad. Students engage in a variety of application exercises and written assignments involving key themes, such as the political, legal, and economic challenges of operating in a global environment; the design, implementation, and control of international business operations; and the socio-cultural aspects of doing business globally. They also discuss and reflect on current issues in international business to share ideas and gain varying perspectives from their peers.

Prerequisites

• BUSI 2003

5 credits

In this course, students have the opportunity to gain an understanding of the concepts of human and organizational functioning, while focusing on the managerial problems and solutions in both domestic and transnational settings. Students examine individual perception and learning, differences in personality, career development, motivating employees, and making effective decisions. They explore the ethical issues faced by domestic and transnational organizations and managers, social responsibility, communications, motivation, and leadership. Students examine the impact national culture has on leadership and management as well as the day-to-day operational issues, such as the management of diversity in the workplace. Through a diagnostic approach employing text readings, individual and case analyses, application exercises, and a final individual organizational plan, students learn course concepts and contextualize theoretical content. Ideally, this course is suited to individuals either currently operating in an international environment or contemplating doing so.

Prerequisites

• BUSI 1001 or BUSI 1002

3 semester credits

The focus of this course is on human behavior in the context of the organization in a domestic and/or a transnational setting. Students completing this course gain an understanding of the concepts of human and organizational functioning with emphasis on application of these concepts to managerial problems and solutions in both domestic and transnational settings. Students examine individual perception, attribution, and learning; differences in personality; career development; motivating and rewarding employees; and making effective decisions. Students are also provided with an overview of ethics and the ethical issues faced by domestic and transnational organizations and managers, social responsibility, communications, motivation, and leadership. By focusing on the elements of national culture, students examine the impact culture has on leadership and management as well as the day-to-day operational issues endemic to transnational and global businesses. Finally, students investigate the management of diversity in the workplace, especially in a transnational and global setting. Learning is accomplished through a diagnostic approach employing text readings, individual and case analyses, quizzes and exercises, and a final individual organizational plan. The course is ideally suited to current potential managers either presently operating in an international environment or contemplating doing so.

3 semester credits

The course is designed to instruct students in creative decision making for market mix, channels of distribution, and industrial and international marketing. Special emphasis is on the development, organization, implementation, and control of the marketing plan.

3 semester credits

Students are introduced to the world of international marketing. Students explore cultural, legal, technological, and financial aspects of various countries. In addition, students learn to apply the tools of the marketing management process to the international environment.

5 credits

Students address concepts of human and organizational functioning, while focusing on managerial problems and solutions in organizational settings. Topics include individual perception and learning, career development, employee motivation, effective decision making, management of diversity, ethical issues faced by organizations and managers, communications, and the impact of organizational culture on leadership and management.

BS in Communication

Prerequisites

• COMM 1010

All Other Programs

Prerequisites

• BUSI 1001 or BUSI 1002 or COMM 3001

5 credits

In this course, students have the opportunity to gain an understanding of the concepts of human and organizational functioning, while focusing on the managerial problems and solutions in both domestic and transnational settings. Students examine individual perception and learning, differences in personality, career development, employee motivation, and effective decision making. They explore the ethical issues faced by domestic and transnational organizations and managers, social responsibility, communications, motivation, and leadership. Students examine the impact national culture has on leadership and management as well as the day-to-day operational issues, such as the management of diversity in the workplace. Through a diagnostic approach employing text readings, individual and case analyses, application exercises, and a final individual organizational plan, students learn course concepts and contextualize theoretical content. Ideally, this course is suited to individuals either currently operating in an international environment or contemplating doing so.

BS in Psychology Workplace Psychology Concentration

Prerequisites

• BUSI 1001 or BUSI 1002

All Other Programs

Prerequisites

• BUSI 1001 or BUSI 1002 or COMM 3001

0 credits

A background in the basics of business is often a key to making the most of a graduate business or management program. In this foundational course, students can build their business acumen in major functional areas that are essential to business success including business leadership and management, business ethics, the legal environment of business, accounting, finance, economics, quantitative methods and statistics, information systems management, global business, marketing, and strategic management.

3 semester credits

The capstone course is designed to bring together the knowledge gained through the entire concentration program, and students demonstrate competency and mastery in the various course competencies. The major focus in the capstone course is a strategic case study. Students are expected to apply and integrate a variety of skills, tools, and knowledge to assess the strategic issues in a real-world case analysis and arrive at recommendations for change and/or improvement. The course is designed to permit students to demonstrate their understanding and competency in complex problem identification and solution.

3 semester credits

Being an effective leader is essential in business and demands that an individual has a strong set of competencies, including the ability to understand one's self, motivate others, understand organizational culture, and manage ambiguity. In this course, students begin their personal and professional transformation by closely examining their current strengths and weaknesses, values, decision-making processes, and approaches to dealing with difficult problems. Students also explore leadership in turbulent times by examining how effective leaders think as well as how various management styles impact situations and relationships within an organization.

3 semester credits

Contemporary business environments are increasingly competitive, global, fast paced, and knowledge intensive. In these environments, effective use of human capital is vital to an enterprise's success and survival. In this course, students will explore practical issues related to developing individuals and managing collaboration and will examine the skills and strategies necessary to address them effectively. Students will examine ethical and legal implications of managing a diverse workforce including issues that arise from cross-cultural differences and virtual work settings. The importance of communication as a tool to manage internal and external relationships is emphasized as it relates to the effectiveness of managing people to achieve organizational goals.

3 semester credits

Students in this course explore contemporary management concepts and practices to gain a foundation for building the skills and knowledge necessary to be effective and ethical managers in a global and interconnected environment. Students examine and contrast management and leadership theories and practice. They also explore keys to success in the program, including setting goals; establishing priorities; managing time; communicating effectively and working in online settings; and giving, receiving, and using constructive feedback and reflection. Students are also provided with a brief introduction to Walden University, graduate studies at Walden and related processes and policies, the MS in Management program, and the essentials of scholarly writing.

3 semester credits

Effective managers know how to identify, prioritize, and act upon the most important items of the myriad of tasks that can potentially distract them on any given day. Students will explore the qualities of effective managers and various management styles to identify those which resonate. They will examine critical skills that are imperative to successful management, including organizing and handling priorities; communicating effectively; motivating, empowering, and developing people; resolving issues and challenges; and managing oneself. Students will gain valuable skills and knowledge that they can apply immediately.

3 semester credits

Managers encounter a variety of challenges on a daily basis, which require the ability to employ existing tools and strategies to strategically communicate with individuals and the organization at large and to understand the different types of attitudes and values of others. Individuals with these skills are most successful when their efforts are coupled with the ability to think critically and analytically. Students are provided with the opportunity to improve their overall critical-thinking and reasoning skills within a managerial context. Using relevant management articles, case studies, and current topics analyses, students sharpen their diagnostic-reading skills and learn to construct effective, ethical, evidence-based arguments, which are fundamental capabilities of effective managers. They also examine common fallacies in thinking and reasoning as well as the rhetorical use of language to formulate convincing and effective arguments.

3 semester credits

Effective communication is frequently cited as one of the most important factors in managerial and organizational success—as well as one of the areas of greatest dissatisfaction. In this course, students take a close look at the components of effective communication and hone strategies for communication success. They explore how self-perception and perception of others affect communication and will develop skills for communicating more effectively with diverse audiences. Topics include the communication process, interpersonal communication, self-awareness in communication, communication channels and mediums, and communicating across and beyond the organization.

3 semester credits

Effectively using data and information can make the difference in whether the best decisions are made or problems are solved correctly. There are multiple approaches to practical managerial problem solving that are rooted in the systematic collection, analysis, and display of relevant data and information. In this course, students examine the importance of data, beginning with the process of transforming data into information, and then focusing on the best methods for presenting that information in support of sound and ethical decision making. Students evaluate common misinterpretations or errors in working with data and determine how to detect data and information presented in a deceptive manner. Students explore current paradigms in data-based decision making and problem solving. They learn how they can use these analytical-thinking practices to improve their general managerial decision-making skills.

3 semester credits

Today's business environment is constantly evolving to accommodate changes in economy, leadership, new regulations, and internal reduction and growth. Organizations require leaders who know how to work through barriers to effect positive and efficient organizational change. Students in this course learn about situations that constitute and require such change. They engage in a variety of assignments through which they explore effective strategies for initiating change and anchoring change into corporate culture to achieve organizational goals as well as for managing unplanned or unwelcome change. Students explore a variety of approaches and methods to transition individuals and organizations within evolving environments. They distinguish between reactive responses and proactive responses to change and examine the implications of culture, inertia, and uncertainty. Additionally, students explore the importance of understanding motivation and effective communication in mitigating negative reactions to change and facilitating the change process itself.

3 semester credits

Managing business processes often involves careful planning and forecasting, taking into account many factors, such as expenses, investments, and, often times, unforeseen financial obligations. Students in this course explore the role of budgeting and resource allocation along with related processes within the organizational context. They examine processes related to managing budgets and strategies to read and communicate effectively the often complex financial information related to unit and organizational performance. Students also explore and discuss the implications of resource availability as well as methods to plan for and prioritize the use of resources, while considering ethical issues related to sustainability and resource scarcity.

3 semester credits

Managers and leaders must be skilled in conflict management including the capability to mediate or resolve conflict at the interpersonal through organizational levels. Students in this course explore the challenges of managing people in times of perceived conflict and dispute, and they work toward developing skills to identify different types of conflict situations.  Students will gain the knowledge of methods and tools to prevent, manage, and break inherent conflict. Students also consider the implications of emotion and the multifaceted array of conflict-management styles—factors for which professionals must account. They engage in hands-on, practical exercises in general contingency thinking and action approaches and communication styles designed to help them resolve conflicts and move toward win-win outcomes.

3 semester credits

Performance management involves the ongoing activities of employee evaluation and development focused on achieving the organization's short- and long-term goals. Performance management also is required to meet ethical and statuary requirements. Looking at the continuous nature of performance management underscores the importance of identifying and supporting talent development. Students assess performance management systems within the context of the defined system metrics supporting the organization's goals, and they assess the role of performance management in strengthening the organization through diversity and inclusion.

3 semester credits

Understanding the value of an organization's human capital is crucial to its continuing success. Human resource (HR) management metrics provide the tools both for measuring value and for managing an organization's human resources. Students in this course explore HR analytics and metrics as tools for organizational and individual performance improvement. These tools establish a foundation for the effective deployment of performance metrics as part of the recruitment, talent development, and retention of human resources. They also facilitate alignment of the HR strategy with the business strategy. Students examine the power of analytics and an HR metrics dashboard. In addition, students investigate the role of human resource information systems (HRIS) and the importance of working with internal business partners from areas such as information technology, finance, and the executive team.

3 semester credits

Students in this course assess the causes and consequences of historical events on health and medical care in the United States. They appraise the impact of barriers related to cost, quality, and access to health and medical care. Students analyze unique and complex aspects of subsystems and differentiate vertical and horizontal integrated healthcare delivery systems. They compare characteristics of healthcare and medical care in the United States with healthcare and medical care systems in other countries. Students also evaluate current and future issues, trends, and forces in healthcare and medical care reform.

3 semester credits

The rapidly evolving healthcare system presents the healthcare administrator with complex challenges and risks. Healthcare administrators must possess the skills needed to assess external and internal healthcare polices to influence organizational design and delivery of healthcare services. Students assess and discuss key policy initiatives from the diverse perspectives of policymakers, interest groups, and other stakeholders. Through coursework, students focus on required knowledge of laws and regulations developed by policymakers that impact the healthcare organizations, and they review key laws that govern patient care delivery, employee relations, contracts, and fraud. Emphasis will be placed on legal and regulatory failure points that administrators must avoid in designing and implementing policies and practices within the healthcare organization. To help frame these concepts, students examine the ethical underpinnings and principles that healthcare organizations and administrators follow in the delivery of services to patients.

3 semester credits

Being an effective authentic and trustworthy leader requires considerable self-awareness based on commitment to candid self-reflection and the wisdom to recognize how one can best serve others through creating shared vision for a better future. In this course, students examine their values, experiences, skills, capabilities, preferences, and knowledge in context of their leadership aspirations. Students will examine factors that affect their ability to influence and inspire others and create plans to strengthen these leadership skills. Students will learn strategies to navigate in turbulent, changing environments that often pose difficult choices and discover how leaders rise to meet challenges and opportunities.

3 semester credits

In this course, students gain knowledge of economics principles such as cost, quality, and access as they relate to the healthcare world. The principles of healthcare financial management, including accounting and finance, are vitally important to the viability and ongoing operations of a healthcare business. Students have the opportunity to interpret and analyze the financial statements of a business, use and analyze financial ratios, utilize variance analysis, understand and implement operating and capital budgeting, and develop knowledge of the business planning process. Students create portions of a business/financial plan using these techniques and analyze the viability of their plan using accepted financial management tools.

3 semester credits

Students in this course immerse themselves in the ways in which business operates in a global environment. Topics include supply chain management, process management, quality, innovation, forecasting, and decision making in a global operations environment. Through course assignments, students focus on the practical application of writing, creative, and critical-thinking skills and the integration of professional practice at the doctoral level.

3 semester credits

One of the most important assets of an organization is its talent, in other words, its human capital. However, too often there is little planning or strategy applied to the creation and management of this huge asset. In this course, students have the opportunity to develop the skills and knowledge to create and work effectively within a talent management and planning process. They explore recruiting strategies within a human capital development context and focus on building specific skills in managing an organization's talent through position planning, talent selection and placement, and retention. Using industry best practices, students also engage in applications and group projects to practice developing initiatives that align with organizational strategies.

3 semester credits

Understanding the specific value of the human resource (HR) capital of an organization is crucial. Metrics for HR management provide the tools for both measuring human capital value and for overseeing and managing an organization's human resources. Students in this course explore HR metrics as tools for organizational and individual performance improvement. They work toward establishing a foundation for the effective deployment of performance metrics as part of the recruitment, training and development, and retention of human resources. Students learn which metrics to employ and how to manage the results—a pivotal responsibility of HR managers. Students in this course are provided with the tools to make informed decisions required to create, apply, interpret, and manage results of appropriate metrics as HR professionals.

3 semester credits

Organizational leaders act as partners in shaping, and are shaped by, the organizational cultures they seek to influence. Students in this course learn to recognize the elements that make up an organization's culture as well as ways to harness these for positive change and organizational success. They explore perspectives on how to make conceptual sense of the cultural landscape of organizations and examine the implications for leading and building effective communities at various levels of application. Students assess and discuss a variety of topics, such as tools of self-development, the reciprocal nature of leadership, and cultural components.

3 semester credits

Contemporary organizations typically strive to align human resources with their functional strategies and business units, lending to the fulfillment of the short- and long-term goals of the organization. In this course, students explore the role of effective human resource (HR) professionals, who engage with colleagues that lead these operating areas and develop HR solutions that support their success. Students identify and discuss the key drivers and metrics that managers in accounting, finance, information systems, sales, marketing, distribution, regulatory, supply chain, and other operating areas within the organization employ to craft their functional-level strategies. Students discover that this knowledge is what provides HR professionals the credibility to be valued partners with functional management figures, thus helping to prepare students for the inherent challenges of the HR manager role.

3 semester credits

Students in this course will understand and apply skills of effective mentoring such as active listening, learning, empowering, enabling change, and using feedback to create interactive dialogue and deeper understanding. Mentoring requires an understanding and integration of many leadership, interaction, and communication theories that support the development of effective leaders.

3 semester credits

Students in this course are introduced to the knowledge, skills, tools, and techniques needed to successfully manage projects throughout the life of a project, known as the project life cycle. By learning about the project management Knowledge Areas and Process Groups as well as the distinguishing characteristics of each, students gain an appreciation for how these two dimensions of project management interact in initiating, planning, executing, monitoring and controlling, and closing a project.

3 semester credits

Project management involves an ongoing, and nearly inevitable, variation of risks to which managers must be attuned and ready to mitigate. In this course, students learn how to plan, analyze, respond to, and control qualitative and quantitative risk in projects. They examine the internal risks associated with managing projects and the external risks associated with customer behavior, the supply chain, transportation and distribution channels, and acts of nature within the framework of the organization's overall risk strategy. Assessing real-world examples of project risks, students learn about strategies for working with project stakeholders to identify and respond to risk within defined ethical and legal standards.

3 semester credits

One role of the project manager is to lead teams in complex and diverse organizational settings while concurrently communicating with all stakeholders. In this course, students analyze this dual role and examine how individual and group behavior impacts organizational effectiveness. They discover how using influence, rather than organizational power, leads to more successful project management. Students learn ways to design projects to support organizational goals and how to build and engage organizational capital (intellectual, human, physical, financial, and structural). They also apply stakeholder management practices to engage in and manage relationships with the community of project stakeholders.

4 semester credits

Students in this course focus on innovation and technology management and supporting processes. In addition, students examine how technology solutions are affected when the context is global in scope.

3 semester credits

In today's complex and uncertain environment, innovation is important to achieving business success. In this course, students will examine how to be effective, creative leaders who can readily apply imagination to resolve complex problems. Additionally, students explore methods to establish a work environment conducive to creative thinking. Students will gain a set of proven methods, skills, and strategies that enable innovative breakthroughs to occur in a much more deliberate and predictable manner.

4 semester credits

Students in this course are introduced to how institutions, organizations, and culture shape uniqueness in regional market and business practices. Students are exposed to the functioning of global organizations that shape the global business climate. Students explore the drivers of internationalization, barriers and pitfalls, and best practices in international business.

3 semester credits

One of the most critical challenges in maintaining and improving organizational performance is identifying core strengths and weaknesses within the organization and across the more general value creation landscape. The focus of this course is on the challenges and opportunities for managers to create value and to increase organizational performance through the effective deployment of systems thinking and change management skills. Students in the course explore systems thinking as a process whereby problems are viewed as individual components within a larger system and explore how various operational and systems thinking frameworks can be utilized to optimize organizational performance in both industrial and service settings.

3 semester credits

Whether one is addressing a customer, an audience, or a jury, the aim is to use the tools of persuasion to influence individuals to take action.  Especially in social media, it is critically important to establish an appropriate tone, voice, and personality. Tying these strategies to the overall brand positioning is even more important. It has been found that storytelling is one of the most effective tools of persuasion. Rather than simply stating the facts, the story puts facts into a meaningful context, so that the consumer can understand and empathize with the characters in the story and, therefore, identify with the brand's social media personality. In this course, students explore the elements of the story and the approaches used to develop content. Understanding the impact of individual channels on a strategy for integrated marketing communications and positioning allows the marketer to allocate budgets more effectively and efficiently.

3 semester credits

Effective managers know that a clear understanding of the role of marketing, as well as a grasp of effective marketing practices, is essential for organizations to succeed in today's fast-paced, competitive environment. In this course, students gain a working knowledge of both marketing theory and the practical application of innovative marketing tools and strategies. Students also explore how product, price, place, promotion, and people contribute to the marketing mix as they explore research-based insights into consumer behavior.

3 semester credits

Students in this course focus on acquisition of substantive, foundational knowledge of the philosophy of science, including the construction, use, and critique of concepts and theories. Qualitative and quantitative frameworks for inquiry are introduced. Ethical, social, and political aspects of conducting research and producing knowledge for practice are examined. Quantitative designs covered include experimental and quasi-experimental, survey, causal-comparative, evaluation, and existing action research. Qualitative designs include case study, phenomenology, grounded theory, and ethnography. Assignments consist of knowledge demonstration and problem solving for professional practice. Through course assignments, students focus on the practical application of writing and critical-thinking skills and the integration of professional practice at the doctoral level.

3 semester credits

While some companies may still be asking, "Why should we care about social media?" most are now asking, "How can we leverage the power of social media?" In this course, students examine how social media has changed the way consumers interact with brands and apply elements of storytelling to develop a social media strategy for an organizational scenario. In addition, students explore issues of ethics, privacy, and media law that are heightened by social media and digital communication distribution. Topics include types of social media, audience appropriateness, reputation management, social media strategy, evaluation methods, and the communications regulatory environment, including media law and privacy.

3 semester credits

Understanding consumer behavior is essential for developing and effectively marketing products and services. In this course, students can learn how to use customer data and insights to improve strategic marketing decisions and improve performance. Students have the opportunity to analyze factors that influence buyer behavior during all stages of the purchasing process and to consider how learnings can be translated into product strategy and related marketing decisions. Additionally, students will study market segmentation and targeting practices as a key means of differentiation.

3 semester credits

This course is an introduction for students to learn how institutions, organizations, and culture shape uniqueness in regional market and business practices. Students are exposed to the functioning of global organizations that shape the global business climate. Students explore drivers for internationalization, barriers and pitfalls, and best practices in international business.

3 semester credits

In this course, international business topics are explored in depth and in context through real-world case studies. Students analyze the success and failure of international business ventures across a wide range of industries, developing their analytical skills in the process.

3 semester credits

Over the last few decades, a fundamental shift in the world economy has been underway. No longer are national economic interests and business operations largely confined within well-­defined geographic borders. Phenomena such as the explosion of the Internet, global sourcing, and the reduction in barriers to cross-­border trade have all contributed to the creation of a truly global economy. Students in this course focus on the global environment of business and explore how the international sociocultural, political, legal, economic, physical, and historical environments affect business practices and policies. Students will learn the skills and methodologies required for market analysis and business strategizing on a global scale. In particular, students identify the internal and external forces affecting an organization's ability to compete both domestically and globally.

3 semester credits

The ability to communicate with others influences success in both professional and personal settings. As communities and places of work become increasingly diverse, the intersections of interpersonal and intercultural communication also increase, and communicators need to be aware that the cultural diversity of their audiences should affect the way they convey information. Students in this course examine interpersonal and intercultural intersections and study the influence of cultural diversity on interpersonal communication. By examining theory, students develop an approach to practice and hone individual strategies for communicating successfully in diverse interpersonal situations. Topics include interpersonal communication theory, intercultural communication theory, individual communication competence, nonverbal channels, person perception, conflict resolution, and listening and communication barriers.

3 semester credits

Students in this course leverage a wide range of knowledge and skills to conceive and execute a global communication campaign that uses traditional and digital media. Students have the opportunity to develop and review a creative or innovative brief grounded in concepts of integrated marketing communication. Students generate solutions for that brief across the phases of the creative process, present and defend solutions, and evaluate solutions using metrics. Topics include the creative process, integrated marketing communication, selecting appropriate channels, pitching and selling ideas, and evaluation metrics.

3 semester credits

To successfully build and manage the relationship between an organization and the public in today's increasingly global community, a strategic communications plan requires the use of both traditional and new technology. Students in this course explore, from a global perspective, the needs of various public relations stakeholders, including the customer, the press, and the investor. Topics include how to change behaviors, advocate for causes, design messages for specific audiences, select appropriate communication channels, and evaluate results of public relations campaigns. Students also consider the potential legal and ethical aspects of the practice of public relations.

3 semester credits

Students in this course are provided with the opportunity to synthesize management content, theory, and practice to create their personal visions and goals. Students assess existing research and methods, reflect on their current approach to management, and purposefully plan for a future as a management professional who affects positive change. Students produce individual treatises that include essays on their values, beliefs, strengths, and weaknesses, which serve as a foundation for continued professional growth and development; thus, students become better equipped to meet the management challenges of an uncertain tomorrow.

3 semester credits

The purpose of the capstone course is to integrate the knowledge and concepts students have gained through the MBA program. Students will practice their skills and employ their knowledge by evaluating business strategies capable of achieving sustainable competitive advantage. Students in this course will be required to identify and address challenges and opportunities found in today's complex and often uncertain business environment. Students complete their transformational journey through the program by reflecting on their learning and will consider the next phase of their career development. The aim of the course is to improve the students' ability to manage in an environment requiring both strategic and operational knowledge.

5 credits

In this course, students begin their journey to the domains of the scholar-practitioner as they examine what it means to earn a doctorate and become a Walden PhD. No organization can succeed without being led and managed, and students will graduate with a unique perspective on organizational success. This course prepares students for the journey that will take them from absorbing knowledge to becoming creators of knowledge. During this orientation course, students grapple with some of the biggest questions facing the management profession: How have the demands on management and leadership shifted with the digital age? What are the implications of a global, 24/7 world? How will the students, as scholar-practitioners, contribute to positive social change when they graduate? While engaging in these and other questions regarding the future of management, students are introduced to the full spectrum of Walden resources and are familiarized with academic support systems designed to foster their development as better critical thinkers and scholarly writers.

5 credits

There are many ways of seeing an organization and one's place in it. The assumptions students make about people, purpose, and profit will influence the way they manage. It is important to develop the skill required to read various situations and to understand what is between the lines to act with insight. Developing and utilizing various divergent perspectives on organizational dynamics enables a manager to devise appropriate actions by critically thinking about the way things can be (based on the way things are). In this way, leaders free themselves from conventions and can consider the knowledge management strategies, structures, and policies to succeed. Students will explore several metaphors of organizations from mechanistic to organic to network, among others. The students will look at organizations through several all-encompassing frames to understand how a leader can leverage these new perspectives to better manage processes, the implications of social change, and innovative strategies. Students will also continue building the skills required to succeed in the program and leverage those skills as they begin working on their dissertation topics. Students are asked to reflect each week on their learnings and how those learnings are shaping their specialization perspective. Students will deepen their understanding of APA, scholarly writing, and the importance of integrity in writing; they will also hone their analysis and evaluation skills.

Prerequisites

• MGMT 8003M

5 credits

Organizations are increasingly a reflection of the confluence of dynamic influences and pressures to compete in an uncertain environment. Leaders need to stimulate creative and innovative approaches to products, services, and operations. Yet, organizations also need to have predictable control systems to enable the efficient utilization of resources. Students in this course cover some basic to intermediate concepts, models, and theories from general systems theory, systems thinking, network theory, complex adaptive systems theory, complexity leadership theory, and evolutionary systems theory with applications to social organizations. Students use a provided template to model, describe, and apply these concepts to an organization of their choice such as society-at-large or a subset of society; a community, city, county, state, or country; or a corporation, a nonprofit, government agency, an educational institution, or a military organization as this course starts from abstract systems and moves to concrete instances. Throughout this course, students will improve their understanding of systems, organizations, and leadership or management decision-making capabilities.

Prerequisites

• MGMT 8003M

5 credits

In today's highly complex organizations, rational and behavioral decision-making processes and models impact leadership, ethics, group dynamics, and risk assessment. Students will examine the ethical implications of organizational decisions based on the literature. Students will also explore, evaluate, and debate how judgments and decisions influence team dynamics and an organization's social responsibility decisions. Students will also develop a deeper appreciation for predictive and adaptive decision systems and the impact of artificial intelligence and autonomous systems on an organization's decision processes. Students will continue to develop their skills assessment plan and tie what they learn to their specialization and, ultimately, the dissertation process. Students will focus on developing their analysis capabilities of peer-reviewed literature related to their specialization, and decision making and judgment.

Prerequisites

• MGMT 8003M

5 credits

Organizations are increasingly a reflection of the confluence of dynamic influences and pressures to compete in an uncertain environment. Leaders need to stimulate creative and innovative approaches to products, services, and operations. Yet, organizations also need to have predictable control systems to enable the efficient utilization of resources. This tension between chaos and order demands new approaches to structuring organizations and decision making. Using processes of systems thinking, mental modeling, and relational dynamics, students have the opportunity to analyze organizations and develop tools to better understand complex systems dynamics.

Prerequisites

• MGMT 8025 (may be taken concurrently)

0 credits

The purpose of this course is to assist doctoral students in making steady progress toward their degree. Students use this course as a forum for ongoing exchange of ideas, input, and feedback with peers and their faculty mentor. Gaining tools needed for success in completion of their dissertation, students practice with various research methods and data-gathering techniques; determine best practices; and explore the various resources, including the Walden University Library, Writing Center, and Research Center. On a quarterly basis, students also prepare a progress plan and submit a progress report to help stay on track for successful completion of their degree.

Prerequisites

• RSCH 8201M or RSCH 8301M (may be taken concurrently)
• MGMT 8990

5 credits

A desirable trait of modern managers and leaders is the ability to assess multiple perspectives and the confidence to assert change, if needed. Leaders are also influenced by the function of power. Students will consider the full spectrum of leadership behavior from autocracy to emergent consensus and how rights and powers are distributed to people to achieve their responsibilities in an organization. The power structure also challenges conventional views of organizational structures and influences leadership behaviors.

Students in this course are provided with the opportunity to diverge from conventional leadership ideology and behavior through exploration of alternative models and lessons related to power and authority structures. Students will explore ways to reinvent the leadership and organizational structures based on unconventional organizational models. Students analyze and develop new and promising methods, principles, and systems about how new structures and leadership can support the needs of a global environment.

Prerequisites

• MGMT 8003M
• MGMT 8005M
• MGMT 8007M
• MGMT 8009M
• RSCH 8110

5 credits

Socially conscious leadership involves the use of widely diverse psycho- and sociographic sensibilities regarding stakeholder interests and those of the larger society. In this course, students learn how to harness such awareness and examine the pursuit and distribution of profit, the mission of the organization, the methods of management, and organizational growth and restructuring to achieve new strategic objectives. They explore the nature of sustainability management including environment, supply chain, social justice, and profit. They also study the nature of formal and informal relationships among people and between an organization and the supply chain in which the organization does business. Students are presented with the opportunity to gain skills necessary to understand the motives as well as the impact of organization and leadership failure.

Prerequisites

• MGMT 8405M or MGMT 8505M or MGMT 8605M or MGMT 8705M or MGMT 8805M

5 credits

Leadership in a global context with transnational organizations requires an understanding of the differences that exist among people as employees, colleagues, and customers. Students in this course are introduced to advanced research topics in leadership and organizational behavior as well as ways in which leaders respond to change within an organization as they relate to the challenges of leading in internationalized, cross-cultural, and diverse contexts.

Students analyze theories of cross-cultural practice, diversity in thinking, culture and belief systems, and stakeholder management as well as strategic and change management theories. Students also use traditional leadership methods and strategies to explore how the need for change is perceived, understood, and managed, and how change manifests itself from external and internal sources. They actively engage in identifying potential research topics for their dissertation and explore the behavioral and strategic dimensions of the topics under study.

Prerequisites

• MGMT 8405M or MGMT 8505M or MGMT 8605M or MGMT 8705M or MGMT 8805M

5 credits

Security and compliance are critical topics in all businesses that engage in internal information technology (IT) and external commerce-producing digital products and services. All organizations need to consider the multifaceted aspects of IT security and standard compliance. Each specialization course is designed to encourage students to select two topics and develop an article that is ready for publication. 

Prerequisites

• MGMT 8003M
• MGMT 8005M
• MGMT 8007M
• MGMT 8009M
• RSCH 8110

5 credits

Strategic information technology (IT) leadership and systems architecture is a core domain of the information systems technology for the professional and scholar. There are many new forms of emerging architectures being used by organizations that are innovating their infrastructure. For instance, many are considering the multiagent systems (mas) application and services architecture that considers the need for mobile, connected things, social media, and partners to interact with those apps autonomously and collectively. Students will also be able to canvas topics such as digital disruptive innovation trends as well as how IT teams work together in a digital environment. Organizations need to develop a strategic and far-reaching vision for their architecture and the leadership of a digital workforce as a key way to engage.

Prerequisites

• MGMT 8405M or MGMT 8505M or MGMT 8605M or MGMT 8705M or MGMT 8805M

5 credits

Decision making is only as good as the information and the context of the information received. Most information systems technology professionals understand that individuals are awash with data. Big data is vast, yet harnessing such data is not as simple as conducting a search. All big data and decision making needs to consider both analytics as well and the ethics and context development of the searching strategy.

Prerequisites

• MGMT 8405M or MGMT 8505M or MGMT 8605M or MGMT 8705M or MGMT 8805M

5 credits

The focus of this course is on the preparation for the dissertation phase of training. In this course, students identify a dissertation topic and potential dissertation committee members; begin to conduct a literature review; develop a problem statement and research questions; and evaluate research designs, methods, and types of analyses to use for their dissertation. Students also complete their initial premise in this course and an annotated outline of their prospectus.

5 credits

All responsible leaders consider the fiscal implications of the decisions they make on a daily basis, such as those involving growth, sustainability, and employee issues. In this course, students are provided with a survey of fundamental concepts in financial decision making. Students examine core principles, such as the time value of money, decision making under conditions of uncertainty, valuation, risk management, mergers and acquisitions, and capital budgeting. They also explore the legal, ethical, and global dimensions of financial economic decision-making theories and practices. Students will also consider the impact and limitations of financial markets in society, and how risk and return for firms is mediated and moderated by agency effects, information asymmetries, and both rational and irrational aspects of market behavior.

Topics that students are encouraged to explore include risk management, financial decision making, uncertainty valuations, mergers and acquisitions, global ethical decision making, managing growth and sustainability, legal and ethical decision making in finance, managing economic growth and sustainability, and time value of money and the capital structure puzzle. As scholars, students will need to work independently to develop their understanding about the various topics the class has selected for the discussions.

Prerequisites

• MGMT 8003M
• MGMT 8005M
• MGMT 8007M
• MGMT 8009M
• RSCH 8110

5 credits

Financial ethics is a crucial topic for today's corporate financial leaders and managers. The financial benefits of ethical compliance and corporate social responsibility globally are considered in this course. Students will discuss and analyze the role of ethics compliance reporting as well as antitrust reporting in a corporate environment. Students will also debate the ramifications of controlling compliance risks, how ethical behavior adds value to organizations financially, how organization structures impact financial ethics, and corporate social responsibility. Alternative operationalization and measurement approaches for the corporate social responsibility and corporate financial performance concepts that have been deployed in empirical literature are also discussed. 

Prerequisites

• MGMT 8405M or MGMT 8505M or MGMT 8605M or MGMT 8705M or MGMT 8805M

5 credits

Financial managers need specific understanding about organizational structures and how to deal with startups, benefit corporations, nonprofits, and other organizational structures. Students will also discuss the financial issues in mergers and acquisitions (M&A) and investor financing. In both M&A and investor financing, tangible and intangible assets need consideration. Financial managers also need to consider economic sustainability, profitability, and managing the effects of innovation. There are also other financial realities that are becoming more relevant that financial leaders and managers need to consider, such as alternative currencies and how that will impact investments, research and development, and an organization's relationship with the conventional banking system. How will alternative currencies change the way startups manage their finances? These are some of the important questions students will explore and around which they will develop theoretical hypotheses.

Prerequisites

• MGMT 8405M or MGMT 8505M or MGMT 8605M or MGMT 8705M or MGMT 8805M

5 credits

The focus of this organizational behavior and human capital development course is on organizational behavior, motivation, collaboration, and performance and evaluation of individuals and teams. Some of the questions that may be explored relate to how human resource managers motivate and build resiliency in their organizational culture. Students will also consider the influence of organizational structure behavior of individuals and teams, how behavior and motivation are impacted in a global virtual environment, and the impact of expert systems and artificial intelligence on the behavior of employees.

Prerequisites

• MGMT 8003M
• MGMT 8005M
• MGMT 8007M
• MGMT 8009M
• RSCH 8110

5 credits

The focus of this course is on strategic planning that supports labor relations, succession planning, retention of both tacit and explicit knowledge, as well as the strategic role of information technology in human resources management. Students will also consider the regulatory requirements for global organizations as well as establishment of a positive social and ethical environment.

Prerequisites

• MGMT 8405M or MGMT 8505M or MGMT 8605M or MGMT 8705M or MGMT 8805M

5 credits

Managing organizational talent in the 21st century requires organizations to fully engage their workforce to optimize their motivation, commitment, and productivity. Leadership and management of the organizational talent strategy to optimize the global talent is a current organizational necessity, which requires talent management leaders to consider new workforce strategies for selection, recruitment, and retention of the workforce. Topics to be considered include information technology impact on talent management, recognition and reward systems, compensation and benefits, as well as the need to engage an agile workforce.

Prerequisites

• MGMT 8405M or MGMT 8505M or MGMT 8605M or MGMT 8705M or MGMT 8805M

5 credits

Agile and disruptive innovation is a reality for every business, and as such, managers must be prepared to incorporate innovation theories into practice. In this class students discuss the many aspects and theories of innovation management. Topics such as disruptive and open innovation, innovation strategies, product and service management through analytics, and agile innovation are discussed. These topics are covered in depth to better prepare students for the cutting-edge innovation fields.

Prerequisites

• MGMT 8003M
• MGMT 8005M
• MGMT 8007M
• MGMT 8009M
• RSCH 8110

5 credits

Managing by design and management ambidexterity focus on the design and then the efficiency of an innovation. There is a need for design thinking for those undertaking innovation activities in products or organizationally. Design thinking focuses on human, environmental, and ethics-centric innovative considerations and intangible issues. Also identified are models and frameworks that support the development of innovative culture, including the voice of the customer in product and service requirements and the power of a customer-centric perspective, whether in an organizational innovation, product, or service.

Prerequisites

• MGMT 8405M or MGMT 8505M or MGMT 8605M or MGMT 8705M or MGMT 8805M

5 credits

Students discuss the ethical and social implications of artificial intelligence (AI) based on the AI design standards that focus on ethically coordinated design criteria. Organizations and leaders who are considering any type of AI or autonomous system within the workplace or for customer applications should consider the ethical dilemma this new environment may cause.

Prerequisites

• MGMT 8405M or MGMT 8505M or MGMT 8605M or MGMT 8705M or MGMT 8805M

3 credits

The prospectus is a brief document that is critical to articulate the general topic under consideration for a dissertation. Students will align, organize, delineate, and make decisions regarding their dissertation and appropriate research methodology. Students in this course are provided with the opportunity to design the prospectus in collaboration with program colleagues and mentorship from a course instructor. Students learn preferred practices for developing the prospectus and analyze examples of past documents. Students refine their problem and purpose statements along with their research questions. Then they finalize their decisions about the research method and design that may be incorporated into their dissertation. Finally, students engage in the iterative process of writing the prospectus, integrating feedback from peers and the course instructor. Students will incorporate all the skills learned throughout the program and apply them in the development of their prospectus.

Prerequisites

• MGMT 8003M
• MGMT 8005M
• MGMT 8007M
• MGMT 8009M
• RSCH 8110
• RSCH 8210
• RSCH 8310
• Residency 1
• Residency 2
• Specialization Courses 1, 2, and 3

3 credits

There are two major gates in the dissertation process that students must be aware of: the development of the proposal and the research phase. In this course, students are provided with an overview of the dissertation development process. The prospectus is further developed into the proposal and then into the final study. Students will understand the dissertation development process, how to work with feedback, how to manage their dissertation process, and how to collaborate with their committee members. Students will cover the major dissertation gates they will need to have, including the development of the proposal preparing for the Institutional Review Board (IRB), collecting data, analyzing data, developing results, and articulating findings. They will develop a time management plan to have a realistic understanding of what will be required with respect to their educational, personal, and work commitment balance as they move to their dissertation course. Students will review all the skills developed throughout the program and see how those skills apply to the dissertation development process.

Prerequisites

• Residency 1
• Residency 2
• MGMT 8900M
• MGMT 8920M
• RSCH 8260 or RSCH 8360 or RSCH 8460

3 credits

The dissertation has two literature reviews. The first literature review is developed for the content (Chapter 2), and the second literature review is related to the method and design (Chapter 3). Students will begin to formalize the development of both components for the proposal. This course is an opportunity for students to focus on the development of their literature review and begin to compose a draft of their Chapter 2 and part of their Chapter 3 for their proposal. Students are encouraged to leverage all the literature they have amassed throughout their program of study and begin to analyze and synthesize the topics that are relevant to the content, method, and design. The focus of this course will be on advanced-level skills development in analysis, synthesis, and reflection.

Prerequisites

• MGMT 8003M
• MGMT 8005M
• MGMT 8007M
• MGMT8009M
• RSCH 8110
• RSCH 8210
• RSCH 8310
• Specialization Course 1

4 credits

The proposal is the first three chapters of a dissertation; it establishes the rationale for conducting the study, includes a review and analysis of relevant literature, and describes the study's design and methodology. All previous work throughout the program is integrated, providing students with the opportunity to design a proposal in collaboration with members of their dissertation committee and committee chair. The development of a proposal feeds the final dissertation, allowing students to incorporate feedback from the course into the completion of their dissertation. Students often prepare multiple revisions of their proposal, requiring approval from Walden's Institutional Review Board (IRB). Students present their final proposal to their committee via an oral presentation.

Prerequisites

• RSCH 8250 or RSCH 8251 or RSCH 8350 or RSCH 8351 or RSCH 8450 or RSCH 8451
• MGMT 8990

5 credits per term for a minimum of 4 terms; taken continuously until completion

The final dissertation demonstrates students' scholarly ability to examine, critique, and synthesize knowledge, theory, and experience, so that new ideas can be tested; best practices identified, established, and verified; and theoretical, practice, or policy constructs evaluated and advanced. In all cases, the dissertation is a rigorous inquiry that results in new knowledge, insight, or practice, demonstrating its efficacy in the world of management. Students design personal best practices for completing their dissertation within a designated context. They also select their committee members with whom they establish and maintain strong working relationships and on whom they rely to mentor and approve their proposal and final paper. Ultimately, every dissertation should make a fresh contribution to the field of practice in the management environment.

continuous enrollment in 5 credits per quarter for a minimum of 4 quarters until completion

In the final Dissertation, independent scholars demonstrate their ability to examine, critique, and synthesize knowledge, theory, and experience so that new ideas can be tested; best practices identified, established, and verified; and theoretical, practice, or policy constructs evaluated and advanced. In all cases, independent scholars engage in rigorous inquiry that results in new knowledge, insight, or practice, demonstrating efficacy in the world of business and management. Through this course, independent scholars gain assistance in working through the process of the dissertation. They design personal best practices for completing their study within a designated context. They also select their committee members, with whom they establish and maintain strong working relationships and on whom they rely to mentor and approve their proposal and final study. Ultimately, independent scholars completing the dissertation make a fresh contribution to the field of practice in the professional business environment.

Students take this course for a minimum of four quarters and are continuously enrolled until the completion of their dissertation with final chief academic officer (CAO) approval.

To complete a dissertation, students must obtain the academic approval of several independent evaluators including their committee and the Institutional Review Board; pass the Form and Style Review; gain approval at the oral defense stage; and gain final approval by the chief academic officer. Students must also publish their dissertation on ProQuest before their degree is conferred. Learn more about the dissertation process in the Dissertation Guidebook.

Prerequisites

• MGMT 8991 or MGMT 8991M or MGMT 8920M
• RESI 8401
• RESI 8402 or RESI 8402D or RESI 8402E