This course is designed to be highly integrative in that students use knowledge and tools from all functional areas of business to develop a "whole organization" perspective. In addition, they integrate by examining these functions within the context of business and societal environments, such as the competitive, political/legal, socio-cultural, technological, and economic. Furthermore, they integrate and further develop general education knowledge and skills, such as written and oral communications in each course assignment. Finally, the course includes a highly sophisticated online Capstone Simulation "game" whereby students (in teams of four) put their knowledge and skills obtained in all UMass courses and even life experiences into practice by operating a company over an 8-year period and competing with other firms (other teams of students). Students conduct professional business meetings, make professional presentations, and prepare strategic plans for their "simulated" companies. Satisfies the Integrative Experience requirement for BBA-Acctg, BBA-Finan, BBA-OpInfo, BBA-Mgt, and BBA-Mktg majors.

There are three primary threads in the course. First, the course serves as an overview of the key concepts and frameworks of strategic management and shows how these can be applied in the discussion of particular cases. The second thread is sustainability. Typically, strategic thinking has limited itself to a concern with economic performance; competitive advantage and above-average profitability have been seen as the `holy grail.? This course takes a broader view and sees the `bottom line? in strategic thinking as including environmental and social impacts. The third thread is actually `doing? strategy. The course incorporates an internet-based simulation called Capstone? that puts its players into decision-making situations much like those faced by strategists. Performance in the simulation provides opportunities to use strategy and sustainability concepts and to draw on and use learning from other courses in the curriculum. This course satisfies the Integrative Experience requirement for BBA-Mgt majors with a special interest in sustainability, and priority will be given to BBA-Mgt majors with a concentration in Sustainable Business Practice.

This course is based on an alternative paradigm of sustainability-oriented innovation. Adopting a triple bottom line approach to entrepreneurship is becoming increasingly important as investors question risks in our hotter, scarcer world. The first step is Systems Thinking, mapping the system of a sustainability challenge such as climate change, and learning opportunities for leverage. Next, students will be introduced to and apply biomimicry, a product development process based on biological intelligence, to create a solution for their leverage point in the form of a sustainability-oriented innovation.

Social entrepreneurship involves using the skills and strategies of business to innovatively and sustainably solve social, environmental, and economic problems. As a result, this course will help students identify and create business opportunities that have positive social impacts.

Internationalizing activities including: trade concepts and issues, types of relationship, and specific forms of organization and operation; current issues and situations in the international arena and their impact on business activities; current transitions from international to global business conditions. Alternative views and differences fostered replicating actual intercultural relations. New views on how international business may help reduce the economic gap between poor and rich nations.

Internationalizing activities including: trade concepts and issues, types of relationship, and specific forms of organization and operation; current issues and situations in the international arena and their impact on business activities; current transitions from international to global business conditions. Alternative views and differences fostered replicating actual intercultural relations. New views on how international business may help reduce the economic gap between poor and rich nations.

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