STR3506 Mysteries, Puzzles and Imagination

(Formerly MOB3506 Mysteries, Puzzles and Wicked Problems)
4 Advanced Management Credits

The course will help you learn how to think insightfully and become a skilled problem solver. Excelling in both is essential for success, no matter what your choice of career. Employers rank critical thinking and problem solving as prized skills that are difficult to find in business school graduates. A rising number of companies look for these skills using case interviews.

We will learn a variety of techniques and approaches to solving strategic, consequential, and wicked problems. Wicked problems are messy, multifaceted, lack sufficient information, and are difficult to solve. It is easy to get them wrong, especially under time pressure. We will approach them as mysteries or puzzles to better solve them. And we will learn how imagination might play a role in solving business problems.

Using various techniques and ways to think, we will learn to frame problems well to make sense of messy, ambiguous situations; identify needed evidence without wasting time on irrelevant information, draw upon different business disciplines but not be limited by any, find the story in numbers, use judgment, be original, and so much more. Throughout the course, I will ask you how you thought and made decisions and how others thought and made decisions. Effective problem solving needs such awareness about oneself and others.

The course uses a workshop format to emphasize in-class exercises and practice. We will minimize using conventional cases (14 pages of text and many more with exhibits). Instead, to simulate case interviews and workplace realities, we will use cryptic cases and live cases.

Few business schools teach problem solving rigorously. Acquiring this skill will differentiate you in the job market, prepare you for doing well in case interviews, and position you for success in your career of choice.

Prerequisites: (FME 1000 and FME 1001) or (MOB 1010 and EPS 1000)

STR7504 Mysteries, Puzzles, and Imagination
3 Elective CreditsThe course will help you learn how to think insightfully and become a skilled problem solver. Excelling in both is essential for success, no matter what your choice of career. Employers routinely rank critical thinking and problem solving as prized skills that are difficult to find in business school graduates. A rising number of companies now look for these skills using case interviews.

We will solve problems that are puzzles and mysteries, and we will slay problems that are wicked. Wicked problems are messy, multifaceted, lack sufficient information, and are difficult to solve. It is easy to get them wrong, especially under time pressure. Using various techniques and ways to think, we will learn to frame problems well to make sense of messy, ambiguous situations; identify needed evidence without wasting time on irrelevant information, draw upon different business disciplines but not be limited by any, find the story in numbers, use judgment, be original, and so much more.

The course has a workshop format to emphasize in-class exercises and practice. We will minimize the use of conventional cases (14 pages of text and many more with exhibits). Instead, to simulate case interviews and workplace realities, we will use cryptic cases and live cases.

Few business schools teach problem solving rigorously. Acquiring this skill will differentiate you in the job market, prepare you for doing well in case interviews, and position you for success in your career of choice.

Prerequisites: None

CSP2057 Narratives of Sustainability
(Formerly CVA2057 Imagining Sustainability)
4 Intermediate Liberal Arts CreditsThe primary focus of this course is on the exploration of the concept of sustainability as a juncture of economic, environmental and social concerns. With the rapid expansion of globalization, and the attenuating crises that accompany it, with regard to these concerns, future business and public policy leaders will need to be in the vanguard at determining how best to effect solutions. To that end, this course will examine a variety of sources in the consideration both of what allows for the implementation of sustainability and what prohibits it--from business case study to philosophical/economic analysis to literary memoir. Within this context, students will be invited to examine what we mean when we talk about _justice,_ _ethics,_ _profit,_ _growth,_ and _community._ In sum, we will explore how concepts that contribute to our understanding of individual and communal responsibility might be revisited and redefined in the effort to create a world that offers sustainable economic opportunity for all, ensured within a vital commitment to environmental stewardship.

This course is typically offered in the following semesters: Spring or Summer

Prerequisites: (FCI1000 or AHS1000) and (WRT1001or RHT1000)

MOB3580 Negotiations
4 General Credits

** This course is recommended for juniors and seniors **

This course explores the many ways that individuals think about and practice conflict resolution. Students will have a chance to learn more about their own negotiating preferences and the consequences of the choices they make. The course requires both intensive involvement in negotiation and mediation simulations/exercises and thoughtful application of theory through class discussion and written analysis. Class materials will reflect a variety of contexts from the workplace, including interpersonal, global, and cross-cultural interactions.

Prerequisites: FME1000 and FME1001 or MOB1000 and MOB1010

MOB7511 Negotiation
3 CreditsExplores formal and informal ways that business professionals negotiate with colleagues, supervisors, employees, clients, suppliers, competitors, and others. Examines research and concepts developed in a number of academic fields, and looks closely at personal skills and experiences. Requires intense involvement in negotiation simulation exercises, and thoughtful application of theory and research.

Prerequisites: None

EPS3503 New Technology Ventures
4 General CreditsEPS3501, EPS3502 and EPS3503 are all equivalent courses. Students can take only ONE of these courses.

Creating a new venture that has technology as a basis for its products or services presents special challenges. On one hand is the _push_ of new technology, as evidenced by the plethora of scientific invention and technological innovation. On the other hand is the _pull_ of the market as it presents new entrepreneurial opportunities. Other key challenges present themselves in areas of intellectual property protection, team building and funding opportunities. In this course we will explore entrepreneurship in technology industries in depth with the hope of penetrating the popular veneer, and uncovering the guts of starting a growing new technology ventures. Of course, there is a lot about new technology venturing that is common to all new venture creation, and also the qualities entrepreneurs demonstrate are valuable in a wide spectrum of life's activities.

A unique aspect of this course is its desire to include students from both Babson as well as the F.W. Olin College of Engineering. Particular value from this intermingling will be evidenced in the true interdisciplinary nature of the course field project teams that are formed, and the ability for students to begin to develop networks of relationships outside their individual domains of business or engineering.

Primary Course Objectives:
1. To investigate the components, tools, and practices of technology entrepreneurship: identifying new venture opportunities, evaluating the viability of a new business concept, calibrating risk of successful technology development, protecting intellectual property, building a team that possesses the attributes necessary for success, obtaining appropriate financing, writing a business plan, and developing an investor presentation, creating an entrepreneurial culture that increases the odds of success, and creating liquidity for shareholders.
2. To identify and exercise entrepreneurial skills through classrooms debate and assignments.
3. To introduce students to a variety of technology entrepreneurs. Case studies are used as tools for discussion, and are augmented with readings and guest speakers.

The core project for this course will be the development of a technology based business plan. Students will form teams to explore a business opportunity, and develop a business plan and investor presentation.

For more information view this video.

Prerequisites: SME

EPS7500 New Venture Creation

(Formerly Entrepreneurship)

3 CreditsThis course integrates many of the concepts, tools and practices of entrepreneurship. Students will learn to be superior opportunity assessors and shapers, to understand the integration of people and process in entrepreneurship, to write, articulate and present a new venture execution plan, understand the alternatives and trade-offs in financing, starting and operating a venture, and gain a better understanding of their personal entrepreneurial capabilities. Students will engage in feasibility assessment, venture viability analysis and resource acquisition. Students will learn how to conduct rigorous business-planning, and also how to network for resources and to be able to communicate about a new venture in a confident, articulate and effective manner. The course builds on foundation concepts from the Opportunity and Entrepreneurship courses, and is designed for students seriously considering launching a new venture in a variety of contexts (e.g. corporate, family, organization, franchise) or students planning to work in an early-stage venture.

Prerequisites: EPS7200 or EPS7800

NST1060 Oceanography
4 CreditsOver 70% of the globe is covered by ocean. Marine systems are a nexus of life - crucial sources of protein for human populations, reservoirs of minerals, and regulators of the global climate. However, human populations have increased demand for ocean resources in greater numbers than is ecologically sustainable. In addition, the ocean serves as a dumping ground for many types of waste, resulting in waters degraded by pollution. The objective of this course is to give you a basic understanding of the physical, biological, and chemical processes driving ocean fundamentals. In addition, we will examine how human demand on marine resources impacts ocean communities.

This course will stress the importance of the scientific method - both in principle and in practice. Extensive discussion of human environmental impacts on the ocean (e.g., climate change, marine pollution, overfishing) will enhance perspectives of self-awareness and ethical decision-making related to social, economic and environmental responsibility and sustainability (SEERS). Critical analysis is emphasized in class discussions, exam questions, lab reports, written assignments, and the group project. Assignments facilitate development of logical communication skills, appropriate use of graphs and tables, and organizing, synthesizing, evaluating and interpreting scientific information. Through lab and group activities, this course fosters team work and ability to work with others. International and multicultural perspectives are integral to the course, since the oceans influence on human populations is global, both directly on the coasts, and indirectly away from the coasts (via weather, climate, and seafood production).

Prerequisites: None

OIM7800 Operations and Information Management
2 Credits (Core MBA)

If you have taken and passed OPS7200, you cannot register for OIM7800, as these two courses are equivalent

This course focuses on the role of operations and information in executing a firm's strategy and delivering the organization's products and/or services. Within this focus, students learn to apply operations design and strategy in three ways. First, they learn to configure resources and design processes to achieve performance, identify improvement opportunities, and leverage strategic capabilities for sustainable growth. Second, they learn the strategic role of technology and data, and use data for improving the operational model. Third, they study the operational model of innovation to create sustainable value for an organization. With an emphasis on building long-term sustainable models, this course helps managers consider environmental and social impact in their operating models.

OIM3503 Operations for Entrepreneurs
4 Advanced Management Credits

This elective course will examine the real-world operational challenges and execution risks associated with getting a venture started and building a start-up operation from scratch. The class will include case-discussions, a semester-long project and guest speakers. The course will provide students with a set of practical frameworks, decision-making techniques and business management tools that can be used in developing their operational processes and managing their operational resources in a start-up. During each session, the students will be exposed to a different operations-related concept which they will apply to their own start-up venture or to the operation of an existing local start-up in the semester-long project.

We will consider the operational challenges experienced by start-up ventures in a variety of industries. Case studies and class discussions will explore operations topics which are unique to start-ups including: Operational Business Models; Start-up Operation Metrics; How to Find a Supplier/Operations Partner; Product/Service Outsourcing Mistakes; Challenges in Achieving Product/Service Quality Control; How to select a Product/Service Distribution Channel; Managing Start-up Inventory; Challenges in meeting Product/Service Demand; Handling Market Uncertainty and Supply Uncertainty; Importance of Operational Flexibility; Bootstrapping Operational Costs; Operational Scalability.

Local entrepreneurs will serve as frequent guest speakers who can provide real-world insights on their own operational challenges, failures and success as they developed their ventures.

This course is an approved elective for the Operations management concentration.

Prerequisites: (SME2001 and SME2002) or permission of the instructor.