Organizational Diversity Specialization

This course will review the theoretical underpinnings for diversity work in the United States. Students will consider the implications of different models and explore what diversity means as a developing field. The course explores multi-disciplinary scholars, practitioners and theorists (academic, public policy, organizational, and others) to formulate discussion, analysis and experiment in the concept of diversity as a framework for organizational success.

This advanced course in cross-cultural communication will focus on the natural tensions that exist when conducting business globally. Within a framework of transnational business and global economics, students will address contemporary concerns that apply to strategic alliances and the management of the globally diverse organization. Topics covered include the achievements of global leaders, characteristics of leaders, leading across cultures, leading change and relationship between leaders and followers.

Promoting an organizational environment that fosters diversity requires aligning to and with organizational values, missions and visions. This course provides an overview of the organizational system including the design, control, and improvement of business systems. Topics include operations strategy, marketing and public relations, the legal landscape, principles of measuring organizational results, quality management, affirmative action and its role with Human Resources, as well as supplier diversity management.

In this course, students will conduct an action research project to help select the appropriate interventions related to diversity and inclusion. It is critical that when designing plans, students understand the role that different solutions have toward meeting organizational goals. Students will first begin by defining diversity and inclusion and how the definitions relate to organizational solutions. Then, they will explore approaches that organizations may take to assess and evaluate their needs, and to plan and then execute the appropriate response to support the organizational strategy. Topics will include: learning and development, training, communications, event planning, and community relations.

This advanced graduate seminar explores issues and models for leveraging human resources to execute business strategy. Topics include succession planning, leadership development models, workforce staffing models, compensation models, and training and development strategies.

The role that media forms like “social media” (or computer-mediated social networking sites like Facebook or LinkedIn) play in large companies and organizations has become increasingly important for the analysis and leadership of organizations. In this course, students will develop a theoretical basis in, and begin to differentiate among, emerging media and internet technologies, the ethical questions surrounding social media, personal identity and the workplace, and the role that the internet, blogs and email have on group decision-making and the effectiveness of leaders. Students will take their knowledge of how social media are used for promotion and public relations, and how content communities and virtual social worlds are utilized in organizations, and apply it to creating plans for transforming organizations.