The course is heavily case- and discussion-oriented. A business case study will typically be assigned, as well as one or more articles or chapters, for each class. Students are expected to come to class prepared to discuss in depth their answers to questions about the assigned case and/or the readings for that class, and to be able to defend and adjust, as necessary, their position and reasoning on an issue as the class progresses.
Each short paper will be due at the beginning of the second, third and fourth modules of the course. These papers will be based on the immediate class at the end of the module, and are to represent the student's extension of the case and topic. The format will most often be in the form of a memorandum to an executive in the case, or to a class visitor where one has participated on the topic. The take-home final exam will be based on the next-to last class of the course, and will be due at the beginning of the last class.
Teams of four or five students will be formed in the first class session. Teams are for the team project, and also to meet weekly on their own schedule to discuss the assigned case and articles as part of their preparation for the upcoming class.
The team presentations will be based on research topics selected by the student teams and reviewed and approved by the instructor. Several progress reports, in the form of a one-page memo to the instructor, will be expected during the semester. All members of the team must participate in the presentation itself, which will be held in class with all other teams participating in question and answer. Each team will be asked to submit a short written answer to one or more questions raised during the discussion of their presentation.
