C A L I F O R N I A   S T A T E   U N I V E R S I T Y   B A K E R S F I E L D 2001-2003 Catalog

MBA Coordinator:  Thomas P. Mishoe
Dorothy Donahoe Hall, C109
(661)  664-3099
(661)  664-2438 (fax)
email:  tmishoe@csub.edu
http://www.csub.edu/GradStudies/MBA.html

MBA Director:  Brian McNamara
Dorothy Donahoe Hall,  A119
(661)  664-2340
email:  bmcnamara@csub.edu
Student Services Center at (661) 664-2326

The Master of Business Administration degree offers critical preparation needed by working professionals for challenging careers in business. Competing in the complex, rapidly changing environment of business and public sectors requires having the knowledge, skills, and values that the MBA degree provides. The CSUB MBA program has recently been redesigned to take a more integrated approach to better prepare professionals for the ever-changing global market place.

The mission of the MBA program is to develop the leadership abilities of working professionals. The foundation for this framework is a commitment to deliver a high quality graduate program based on a set of fundamental principles, skills, and tools focused on an ever changing, dynamic, diverse, and global environment. The specific objectives of the program are to:

1. Provide students with a broad-based understanding of fundamental business systems and processes.

2. Instill in students an integrated understanding of business dynamics for effective responses to the changing business environments.

3. Help students acquire skills in formulating, analyzing, and implementing significant business decisions.

4. Help students develop the ability to work with and lead other people in a diverse and changing environment.

5. Instill in students an understanding of the ethical framework in which modern business operates.

6. Guide students in the development of effective writing and speaking, critical thinking, as well as quantitative and qualitative analysis skills.

 

All MBA courses are taught by full-time academically qualified (i.e., Ph.D. or other equivalent degrees) faculty, many who have wide business and international experience. The faculty remains current in their fields of study by actively engaging in research, consulting activity, and serving on local, regional, and national boards. The faculty brings a strong theoretical foundation, as well as relevant practical experience, to the classroom, making for a good blend in the students’ education.

Most of the students in the MBA program are currently working professionals, bringing their own experiences to the classroom, enriching the learning environment for everyone by exposure to various industries. The program also has a number of international students, representing several different countries, providing insight into business activity from a global perspective.

Students have the benefit of a state-of-the-art library and computing resources to facilitate the development of the skills needed in an information-oriented world. Courses are scheduled at night and weekends, to make it more convenient for the working professional. Most individuals can complete the program in one to three years, dependent upon previous education, work experiences, and the pace of taking course work. An appointment with the Graduate Coordinator can establish the program length and exact graduation requirements.

Our MBA program is accredited by the AACSB – The International Association for Management Education, the most prestigious international accrediting body for business schools. This accreditation is an indication of the quality of CSUB’s MBA program – its curriculum, faculty, facilities, library, and information resources. The small class size permits quality interactions with the faculty and other MBA students, and better develops interpersonal skills, such as effective communication and team building skills. Emphasis is also placed on developing the necessary analytical and technological skills needed for effective decision-making and problem solving.

Application for admission to the MBA program is a two-step process: 1) apply for admission to the University as a post baccalaureate student for the MBA program; and 2) once admitted to the University the application is forwarded to the MBA Director for review for entry into the MBA program.

The goal of the admission policy is the selection of those candidates who demonstrate high potential for academic and professional success. The applicant must meet the following eligibility requirements:

• Hold a baccalaureate degree from a four-year college or university accredited by a regional accrediting association, score a minimum of 430 on the Graduate Management Admission Test (GMAT) and have a total index score of 1050 or more points. The index is based upon the grade point average (GPA A= 4.00) of all upper division work from their baccalaureate degree times 200 plus the GMAT score.

• An applicant whose preparatory education is principally in a language other than English must have a TOEFL score of 550 or higher (or 213 on the new conversion scale for the computer based TOEFL exam). Documentation must be in original form by the testing institution. Copes submitted by the applicant are not acceptable.

 

Applicants having an existing Masters degree, or other postgraduate work may be considered for waiver of the GMAT requirement at the sole discretion of the MBA Admissions Committee

In rare instances, the applicant who has taken the GMAT but does not meet requirements may be considered for admission. Also, those who have previously been denied admission may present new information to be reconsidered. In either case, the applicant must petition, in writing, the MBA Admissions Committee giving those reasons relevant to the situation that demonstrate the likelihood of success—the burden of proof is on the applicant.

An MBA applicant must be submit the following items to the Admissions Office of the California State University, Bakersfield, 9001 Stockdale Highway, Bakersfield, CA 93311-1099.

1. A completed application and application fee;

2. Two official transcripts from each college or university attended (international students must submit foreign transcripts in the original language and an English copy);

3. An official GMAT score;

4. A resume;

5. Two letters of reference;

6. An official TOEFL Score (international applicant); and,

7. Submission of a financial declaration and supporting documentation (international applicant).

 

The School is dedicated to meeting the needs of our individual students. Please make an appointment with the MBA Coordinator to discuss your individual background, experience, goals, and objectives so that we may design a program of study that best meets your needs. Contact the MBA Coordinator in the BPA Student Services Center at (661) 664-2326 for an appointment.

The BPA Student Services Center will serve as the advising center for each MBA student. It is recommended that each student meet with the Graduate Coordinator during preregistration to enroll in next quarters classes and to discuss their progress in general.

There are four possible student classifications as a post baccalaureate student at CSUB.

Post-baccalaureate - Unclassified – A student who has been admitted to the University, but not to the MBA program.

Conditionally Classified MBA Student – A student who is qualified for the MBA with GPA, GMAT, and TOEFL (if necessary) but needs to take foundation courses before taking 600 level courses.

Classified MBA Student – Students who have met all of the requirements for admission to the MBA, and have completed all foundation courses required.

Advancement to Candidacy – Students will be advanced to candidacy when all the program requirements have been completed.

The Master of Business Administration program is designed around a set of 600-level courses that treat each of the management functions in depth and broaden the student’s awareness of contemporary issues affecting business enterprises. Admitted students must have a working knowledge of word processing and spreadsheet applications. Students are advised to achieve these competencies before beginning their MBA course work. The typical MBA candidate is expected to have a working knowledge of the fundamentals of business including management, quantitative decision-making, accounting, finance, and the current global business environment.

All graduate students are required to maintain a cumulative 3.0 grade point average in all graduate course work. Any course in which a student receives a grade lower than "C" cannot use that course towards the fulfillment of a degree requirement. Graduate courses may not be taken on a credit, no-credit basis.

For applicants with baccalaureate degrees not in business administration or those persons needing review, specially designed courses are available such as those listed below. Foundation courses may be waived based upon evidence of appropriate prior academic or professional experience. It is incumbent upon the student to provide such evidence to the MBA Coordinator. Applicants should consult with the MBA Coordinator regarding which course(s) might be appropriate.

1. BA 525 Business Communications Skills (2.5)

2. BA 526 Quantitative Methods for Business Decision Making (2.5)

3. BA 527 People In Organizations (2.5)

4. BA 528 Ethical Considerations In Business (2.5)

5. BA 529 Marketing Essentials (2.5)

6. BA 530 Principles of Accounting and Finance (5)

7. ECON 500 Economic Theory (5)

 

In addition to the following required core courses, the candidate must complete an additional fifteen (15) units of approved graduate work. No more than seven (7) quarter units of Individual Graduate Study (BA 699) may be used to satisfy degree requirements. At least fifty-four (54) units of approved 600-level graduate courses are required for the Master of Business Administration degree. All candidates for the degree must complete the following courses:

1. FIN 600 Seminar in Financial Management and Policy (5)

2. MGMT 600 Seminar in Organizational Theory and Design (5)

3. MGMT 602 Seminar in Operations and Technology Management (5)

4. MGMT 690 Seminar in Strategic Management (5)

5. MIS 610 Seminar in Information Systems Management (5)

6. MKTG 600 Seminar in Marketing Management (5)

7. BA 600 Professional Development Seminar (1)

8. BA 605 Managerial Skills (5)

9. BA 690 Master’s Culminating Project (3)

 

1. ACCT 620 Accounting for Decision Making (5)

2. BA 640 Change, Innovation, and Creativity (5)

3. BA 677 Selected Topics in Business (5)

4. BA 699 Individual Graduate Study (1-5)

5. FIN 620 Seminar in Investments (5)

6. FIN 680 Seminar in Real Estate Investments (5)

7. FIN 685 Seminar in International Financial Management (5)

8. MGMT 610 Seminar in Human Resource Management (5)

9. MGMT 650 Seminar in Global Operations Management (5)

10. MGMT 655 Seminar in Statistical Analysis (5)

11. MGMT 680 e-Business: Challenges and Opportunities (5)

12. MKTG 601 Seminar in Consumer Behavior (5)

13. MKTG 602 Seminar in Advertising and Public Relations Strategy (5)

14. MKTG 604 Seminar in Services Marketing (5)

15. MKTG 610 Seminar in Global Marketing (5)

16. PPA 618 Health Services Planning and Policy (5)

17. PPA 689 Legal and Ethical Issues in Health Care (5)

 

Examines how accounting information is used in managerial decision-making and control. The course stresses how to use rather than how to prepare accounting reports. Topics to be covered include: basic cost concepts, cost volume profit relationships, product costing, differential analysis, strategic product pricing, cost allocation, budgeting and the evaluation of financial performance. This course is designed for MBA and MPA students who have not had ACCT 303 Cost Accounting or its equivalent. Prerequisite: completion of all required MBA 500-level courses or permission of the instructor. This course is not open to students who have taken ACCT 303 Managerial Accounting or its equivalent.

Students will develop and reinforce the knowledge and skills necessary to succeed in the MBA program. The case approach is used to foster each student’s critical analysis, research, professional writing and presentation skills. Students will become familiar with the assignment standards and formats required of successful MBA students.

This course provides a review of math, probability and statistics skills. Students will develop a working knowledge of algebra and differential calculus before beginning their MBA course work. Emphasis is placed on probability and statistical inference. Descriptive statistics, principles in data collection, sampling, and statistical inference are covered. Application of data-analytic methods to problems in marketing, finance, accounting, production, operations, and public policy will be explored.

This course examines the theories and concepts important for understanding human behavior in organizations, as well as approaches to the management of individual, group, and social behavior within organizations with special emphasis on areas of leadership, motivation, diversity, and decision-making.

This course examines a range of ethical perspectives and stakeholder group considerations involved in analyzing the business decisions of the individual, leader, and top management team of an organization. It will include analysis from the social, economic, political/legal, and ethical perspectives of the enterprise.

This course introduces the student to the basic principles and concepts of marketing, including the exchange process, market segmentation, defining target markets, consumer behavior, and developing marketing mixes. Students also learn the importance of having a consumer orientation and how to implement the marketing concept.

This course is designed to provide an overview of the basic principles of accounting and finance. Emphasis is placed on financial statement analysis. In addition, this course provides an overview of how the capital markets function and the basic concepts of financial decision making through coverage of the following topics: debt and equity markets, risk and return, portfolio theory, security valuation and capital budgeting. Spreadsheet applications are included.

Practicing managers from industry and government will speak on current topics in management, finance, marketing, entrepreneurship and international business. The presentations will focus on leadership and decision-making. MBA candidates will have the opportunity to enter into a roundtable discussion with each of the speakers. Six 2-hour seminars will be scheduled throughout the academic year. To qualify for one unit of credit the candidate is required to attend at least four of the six scheduled seminars in any given academic year and prepare a written review and evaluation of four of the presentations. Although the candidate is expected to attend the presentation throughout the academic year, registration for the Professional Development Seminar is only required for the candidate’s final quarter.

This course focuses on developing and enhancing managerial skills that are of major importance for current and future career survival and success. Specific skill areas include: self-management, communication, decision-making, motivation, delegation, team management, diversity management, negotiation, organizational politics, and change management. The course is primarily experiential in nature with skill assessments, exercises, role-plays, case studies, and group discussion activities being the primary learning tools. Relevant literature from the behavioral sciences will provide a knowledge base for skill development.

This is a skills based course for creating and managing change to create competitive advantage. Topics include creativity, the change process, and tools for discovering customers’ articulated and unarticulated needs.

Special topic courses provide each department with the opportunity to present an in-depth study of a selected subject not covered in regular courses. When offered, prerequisites and course requirements will be announced for each course. Each department will determine applicability toward the concentration.

The culminating project provides an opportunity for each student to utilize and demonstrate the tools and understanding he or she has developed during the program. Through a comprehensive interactive competitive simulation, each student will manage a firm in competition with other student-managed firms. At the completion of the simulation, each student will produce a historical account of the firm’s performance via an annual report, an account of how the firm responds to its key stakeholder groups via a social audit, and a strategic plan for the future via a business plan. Each student is expected to demonstrate mastery of the essential tools of the business disciplines and an understanding of markets and the external environment. Students will not be permitted to register for this course until final quarter of graduate studies.

Individual study is offered to give the student experience in planning and outlining a course of study on the student’s own initiative under departmental supervision. Independent study should deal with a special interest not covered in a regular course or with the exploration in greater depth of a subject presented in a regular course. Instructor consent is required. No more than 5 quarter units may be used to satisfy degree requirements. (May not be substituted for any required graduate seminar).

Economic theory for MBA candidates. Application of theory to business analysis. Topics include supply and demand analysis, cost theory, market structure, national income and interest rate determination and economic conditions analysis. (Not open to students who have completed ECON 201 and ECON 202).

Formulation of financial policies for obtaining and using financial resources for the purpose of value creation. Heavy emphasis is placed on the analysis of real-world cases that focus on the decisions confronting the financial manager. Statistical analysis, financial analysis, and advanced spreadsheet applications are required. Students will be challenged with both theoretical and practical problems in the following areas: performance analysis, long-term planning, working capital management, capital budgeting, long-term financing, acquisitions, and international financial management. Student presentations are required.

Discussion and analysis of security investments. Emphasis directed toward understanding financial investment theories and concepts from both a qualitative and quantitative perspective. Topics include: securities markets, risk and return, portfolio theory, asset pricing theory, valuation, fundamental analysis, and portfolio management. Case analysis, statistical analysis, and other computer applications are required.

Investigates methods of analyzing real estate investments. Includes an examination of appraisal methods, capitalization approaches, and cash flow models. Consideration is also given to legal, tax, and financing issues. Specific project analysis techniques are part of the course, i.e., analysis of residential properties, commercial properties and shopping centers. A term project and oral presentation are required along with computer applications.

Looks at the international financial environment, including balance of payments, the international monetary system, foreign exchange and financial markets. Specific topics include managing foreign exchange exposure, domestic versus foreign financing, cash management, political risk, and international legal constraints. A term project and oral presentation will be a part of the course.

A study of the theories and research that explain why business organizations operate the way they do. A social systems perspective is presented that views the business organization’s external environment and structure as critical determinants of organizational effectiveness. Key department-level and organizational-level variables and models are studied with the goal of developing an understanding of the patterns and relationships among organizational dimensions such as strategy, goals, size, technology, and external environment. The case method is used extensively to develop skill in diagnosing and solving organizational design problems.

An examination of principles related to effective utilization of factors of production in manufacturing and non-manufacturing systems. This course uses extensive readings and case studies to define and analyze problems of productivity improvement, production planning, inventory management, quality control, system design and implementation from the operating manager’s perspective. Issues in management of technology-based organizations, capacity planning, scheduling, facilities design, operations strategy in services, and supply chain management will also be explored.

Traditional human resource management functions such as selection, compensation and training are analyzed from a strategic perspective. Topic areas include strategies for: human resource acquisition and placement, maximizing human resource productivity, maintaining human resources, dealing with unions, and strategic separation of human resources.

This course introduces students to a conceptual framework which will help them recognize and meet international operations management challenges. It studies issues relating to global sourcing and logistics, and manufacturing competencies of different nations. Topic areas include: strategic planning for global competitiveness, managing global facilities, managing global supply chains, improving operations performance, world class manufacturing, building a strategic alliance, coordinating international manufacturing and technology, and overcoming the limits to global operations project.

The issues and methods involved in conducting business research will be explored. Students will collect data that will then be analyzed by utilizing a variety of statistical techniques via computer. Bivariate, multivariate and nonparametric techniques will be covered. A strong emphasis will be placed on the use of statistics to aid in managerial decision-making. Examples of actual business research will be reviewed.

This course provides students with a conceptual framework for understanding the challenges and opportunities that face e-Business systems. The course is cross-functional, decision focused, and strategic in its orientation. Different types of e-Business applications are analyzed based on web site reviews and case studies. The course includes a practicum in which teams of students build a prototype e-Business system. Specific topics covered include the integration of supply chain management and e-Business, e-procurement, selling-chain management, enterprise resource planning, collaborative computing technologies, virtual team management, considerations for hardware and software development and/or purchasing, controlling e-Business cost, quality, and risks, and the legal and social environment of e-Business.

The subject of this course is competitive behavior and the "strategy" of business firms. Competition is defined to be the effort to create and retain economic value within an environment of interdependence among competing firms. Strategic behavior is the effort of a firm as a coherent objective-seeking entity to create economic value within a competitive environment. An understanding of strategic behavior requires a close examination of 1) business objectives, 2) firm structural interdependence, and 3) value creation within the structure of competitive interdependence. Prerequisites: FIN 600, MGMT 600, and MKTG 600.

MIS 610 Seminar in Information Systems Management (5) 

This course introduces MBA candidates to information systems in organizations from a management perspective. Managerial and strategic uses of information systems, information technology that underlies these systems, and ways such systems are developed and managed are explored. Emphasis is placed on evaluation of systems for support of individual and group decision-making and collaborative work, expert systems and other knowledge-based systems and their applications. The course will cover methods and tools for information systems design, development, implementation, and maintenance. New state-of-the-art tools and models in information systems, decision support systems/expert systems, and their practical applications will also be explored.

Development of marketing strategy for the organization and design of integrated product-service, promotion, and distribution programs utilizing systems analysis. Intensive analysis of management’s marketing problems, including market analyses, pricing, channels of distribution, promotion, competition, product strategies, and marketing research. Applications are emphasized to include research, quantitative, and business analytical techniques through the development of case and project assignments.

Intensive analysis of behavioral science concepts, theories, and current empirical research in buyer behavior. Research orientation requires developing an understanding of statistical tests and research designs currently employed in buyer behavior. Equal emphasis on developing creative marketing strategy and programs on the basis of such research. Prerequisite: MKTG 600 or permission of instructor.

Development of communications strategy necessary to fulfill the objectives of the marketing program through intensive analyses of situational and primary information, target market(s), creative objective(s), media selection and scheduling, sales promotion, public relations, budgeting and program evaluation. Includes qualitative, statistical, financial, and computer applications. The course integrates theory with case analyses and the development of a comprehensive marketing communications plan. Prerequisite: MKTG 600 or permission of the instructor.

An investigation into and analysis of the complexities and unique aspects of marketing services contrasted to the marketing of tangibles. Special attention will be given to creating effective customer service, demand management, and quality control. The case study method will be utilized.

A study of current global marketing status in industrialized, newly industrialized (NICS) countries, emerging democracies, and the developing world in a dynamic environment of changing communication technologies. Discussion of research techniques one should use in selecting the countries, entry strategies, and developing the right marketing mix and strategies to meet the needs of the countries selected. Marketing management techniques to be used keeping in mind the degree of literacy, economic, legal, political, and socioeconomic environmental variables. Developing and implementing global marketing strategies during the 21st century in an environment in which the countries around the world are grouping into trading blocks like the European Economic Community and NAFTA. Extensive use of library resources, case studies, and empirical research projects.