strategic action initiatives
Action Priorities—College of Business Administration
Overview
In 2006-2007, the College of Business completed the initiatives established in its last strategic plan. Following is a report about those initiatives. In 2007 the College will conduct another strategic planning exercise to develop new initiatives and direction.
Integrate applications into BBA and MBA programs
2006: Restructure BBA/MBA core to include applications for a common business experience. Create assessment, professionalism education and practicum opportunities by reducing current BBA pre-core or core course credits. Each core course in BBA has an applied exercise.
2007: The College of Business was successful in restructuring the BBA/MBA core to include applications for a common business experience, specifically in creating the project consulting course for undergraduate students. A few of the current BBA pre-core or core course credits were reduced to two, allowing students to take more courses in their major. Each core course in BBA has an applied exercise. Examples include writing job descriptions, developing a marketing plan and analyzing a business case to provide advice and counsel to management.
Develop project-consulting courses for undergraduates
2006: Provide students with an opportunity to apply knowledge and skills by working with organizations to develop solutions to business problems. Students selected into the course via application process. Projects selected form those submitted by organizations, priority to cross functionality.
2007: The Supply Chain Operations Management major offers students the opportunity to complete sustainability projects for companies. To date, more than 20 projects have been completed for companies such as Bay Towel in Green Bay and Town and Country Electric in Appleton.
Establish a student-owned and operated business
2006: Initial group of students would create a business plan. Students selected via an application process. The course is managed by an instructor; the business is managed by students who would also report to a board of directors. Revenue generated by the business would be channeled into entrepreneurial incentive programs for students (scholarships, venture capital for students in entrepreneurship or community programs).
2007: The College of Business projects course evaluated the viability of establishing a successful student-owned and operated business on campus and concluded the timing was not appropriate for this project to be successful.
Develop a global MBA degree
2006: With universities in Germany and India, implement a MBA degree that includes online courses with students from all three universities and at least four weeks of face-to-face instruction at each of the three universities.
2007: A one-of-a-kind global master’s degree in business administration program was approved by the UW System Board of Regents. The program is a collaborative venture with universities in India and Germany. Through interactive, online classes and first-hand observation of businesses in the three countries, students from UW Oshkosh, the University of Applied Sciences in Darmstadt, Germany, and the T.A. Pai Management Institute, Manipal, India, take part in the innovative, global educational experience. The first cohort of students began taking classes in August 2007
Establish a Center for Family Business Research and Services
2006: Leverage the value and credibility the Wisconsin Family Business Forum has created. Create a center that will provide research, consulting and educational services to family owned businesses. It will be a resource for family businesses throughout the state.
2007: The Center for Family Business Research and Services conducted planning sessions with family businesses to establish priorities for the center. The results indicated strong interest and the need for credit and non-credit education in family business issues. The College faculty are refining curriculum to include family business issues in for-credit courses. The center is working on non-credit education and seminar development for the busines
Improve quality of students entering the college
2006: Change admission standards to a C or better in Math 206, Econ 207 and Bus 204. Require professional and community service experiences and demonstrated interest in business.
2007: The College changed admission standards to a C or better in all pre-core courses. Dashboard metrics were developed to define success for the College. As a part of the metrics process, student quality metrics and goals were defined. Process metrics include the percentage of applicants with ACT scores of 23 or higher. Outcome metrics include student learning results on the ETS exam and percentage of employers who have a favorable view of new graduates they hire.
Define and recognize excellence for undergraduate and graduate students
2006: Develop requirements to be recognized as excellent (oral and written communication, ability to work in teams, analytical skills, personal ethics and integrity, professionalism). Develop instruments for measuring excellence.
2007: The graduate honors and awards banquet recognizes the outstanding graduate student, as voted by fellow classmates.
The College publicly honors the College of Business Alumni Association scholarship winner as part of the recognition program during the annual dinner held in February at the Fox Cities Performing Arts Center in Appleton.
Develop Center to Support Innovation
2006: Provide a single space for entrepreneurs and organizations to get education and services for starting a new business. Help link entrepreneurs to resources needed to develop their business. Help existing organizations develop a culture and mechanisms that support innovation.
2007: The Council for Innovation (CFI) has been developed and Meredith Jaeger was hired as executive director. CFI has three components: Value-Added Manufacturing, which includes a partnership with Product Genesis (a spin off of MIT) to help manufacturers increase their capacity to innovate; Strategic Management of Assets, Research and Technology to help companies share intellectual assets that have not been commercialized; and various roundtable discussion groups (i.e. software) to help develop a culture of entrepreneurship and innovation in the New North.