Business is becoming more competitive, more technical, and more global. Traditional organizational structures are giving way to more flexible and responsive organizations. Management and leadership in these new organizations are largely channeled through communications technologies such as the Internet, e-mail, groupware collaborative systems, videoconferencing, and virtual teams. Whereas traditional leadership was focused at the top, leadership in these new organizations occurs throughout the organization at all levels. To serve this emerging need, we have developed a concentration in the School of Management that prepares students to take entry-level roles in consulting firms and other organizations that will require exemplary leadership skills. This concentration is available as a primary concentration. However, we believe many students will find a combination of Consulting and Leadership with other concentrations such as Management Information Systems (MIS) or Marketing to be very attractive to future employers.
Students will make use of traditional methods of learning such as texts and lectures. However, this concentration emphasizes hands-on practice by means of simulations, student projects in local companies, cases, and guest speakers. Extensive use will be made of communications technology in the from of the Internet, computer-assisted decision-making, and virtual teamwork to teach required technology skills. An innovative partof the program is a comprehensive assessment of leadership skills. Students will use feedback from this assessment to develop personal development plans to enhance their leadership potential. Courses also provide practice in presentations and writing. Students will be encouraged to take internships in local companies or elsewhere, perhaps New York City.
To fulfill the requirements of the Consulting and Leadership concentration, students must complete the standard core curriculum for the management degree option and 3 undergraduate LEAD courses. Each course is four credit hours.
Focuses on individual leadership development. Concentrates on leadership as a dyadic or small-group process, e.g. one leader and several followers. Also provides a survey of the major topical areas of leadership. Students learn how to use technology to enhance their leadership potential up front and working at a distance with others.
Focuses on team or shared leadership development. Begins with an emphasis on one individual leading a team of individuals. However, over time the team takes on more of a shared leadership model, whereby participants learn how to distribute leadership within their teams. Students work in project teams to learn the process of implementing and leading a project team. Teams work both face-to-face and through technology to learn how to be a virtual team. The team and project leadership literature provides the readings.
Focuses on leading larger systems and on the role of culture in organizations. Emphasis is on how to work in larger organizations to effect strategic change, implement new technology, work across different boundaries/units, and work in different cultures and globally. Intent is to develop the capacity in students to consult with larger organizations on strategic leadership and change management practices. Students work with advanced information technology to learn how to best manage knowledge and to develop a learning culture in organizations.
HIGHLY RECOMMENDED! This excellent, well-organized site contains information and links on topics such as: Career areas to explore, Is Consulting Right for You?, Skills & Talents required, Salary levels, Facts & Trends in Consulting, Top Tier Strategy Consulting Firms, and many others. It also contains a well-vetted list of recommend books on jobs in consulting and links to important websites.
This comprehensive site has good articles and resources on a variety of HR topics such as: training, performance management, organizational development, teams, compensation, benefits, job opportunities, and beginning a career. It also has a large section devoted entirely to researching & finding entry-level HR positions.
The Society for Human Resource Management
Training and Development Community Center
