What is the NEOCON™ MBA? It is a cutting-edge
graduate degree that fulfills the needs of the
new economic workplace. Business organizations
are looking for employees who can juggle a multitude
of tasks, come up with innovate solutions, and
work as part of a knowledgeable team.
These are just a few of the skills that employees
need to perform in today's global marketplace.
This new program provides professional education
that serves students for a lifetime, transforming
them into 'ready-to-go' professionals and lifelong
learners in all business disciplines. Through
an integrated curriculum and hands-on classroom
experience, the NEOCON™ MBA graduate is ready
to take their place in any professional team and
be productive from day one.
The NEOCOM™ MBA uses a thematic scheme that
integrates professional business knowledge, skills,
and abilities as a basis for developing students.
The thematic categories for all business offerings
include:
- Organizational resource integrations: creating
organizational value through the science and
art of controllership, treasury, and technology;
- Using technology, communication, and knowledge
management techniques to enhance competitive
advantage and create value;
- Creating learning organizations through innovation,
problem solving, benchmarking, and analytical
methods;
- Developing organization structures that enhance
market viability and maximize human capital
development;
- Understanding and harnessing global markets
to gain competitive productivity and profitability
advantage;
- Leadership: the art of business (includes
strategy, planning and business modeling);
- Professional skills practicum.
Each course is based upon these thematic areas,
integrating professional business knowledge into
a functional whole. Students work as teams using
critical thinking to problem solve; designing
organization structures, integrating functional
areas into a working organization, and developing
competitive strategies and marketing plans; exploring
cultural issues related to business; adjusting
marketing plans and competitive strategies, managing
technology, diversity and global influences; conducting
market/business research, financial resource planning
and developing a comprehensive business plan;
and much more. The new economy revolves around
the capacity to innovate, integrate, and perform
multi-functional tasks - the NEOCON™ MBA
develops the tools that professionals need to
succeed.
The thematically oriented NEOCON™ MBA courses
consists of 36 semester hours:
Enhancing Organizational Resources. Studies
in the art and science of controllership and Treasury
(6 semester hours). Emphasizes the techniques
of increasing value through resource integration
in an organization. Develops a framework for the
integration of accounting and financial concepts
into successful working and learning organizations.
Global Communication and Knowledge Management
in the New Economy (6 semester hours). Concentrates
on the development of problem solving, project
management, technology integration, and teamwork
skills. Participants utilize creative methods
to identify products or services as candidates
for next generation adoption.
Problem Solving and Innovation (4 semester
hours). Stresses methods for innovation and a
multi-phased approach to problem solving. Applied
analytical methods are used to support innovation
and optimization. This course emphasizes a team
methodology and product management approach to
problem solving.
Organizational Structures: Enhancing Market
Viability and Human Capital management (6
semester hours). Stresses production initiation
and application of market penetration activities
to achieve market viability. Participants are
exposed to the development of production-marketing
business systems, organizational issues, and human
resource planning.
Global Organizations: Marketing, Productivity,
and Profitability (4 semester hours). Emphasizes
the development of core competencies in globalization,
production operations, and management information
systems. Participants are introduced to the fundamental
tools for making informed business decisions in
increasingly mature business organizations.
The Art of Business and Strategy (4 semester
hours). Emphasizes the art of developing, running,
and growing a business. Most business courses
are technical, emphasizing the science of business.
The art of business applies a framework to understanding
the holistic nature of business. To further the
exploration of the essence of business, topics
such as strategic planning, awareness of market
opportunities, and technological and global developments
in the economic environment are covered.
Business Modeling (4 semester hours).
Capstone concepts. All disciplines are formally
integrated into a business and implementation
strategy. Analysis of economic feasibility of
product selection, product-service introduction
and marketability are key topics.
Professional Skills Practicum (2-5 semester
hours). Reinforces the core concepts inherent
in the revitalized business curriculum. Professors
demonstrate competencies, students work with faculty
and other students to formalize competencies,
then students demonstrate competencies through
experiential projects. Participants apply their
knowledge and skills under faculty guidance within
an approved framework. Participants are allowed
to individualize their culminating experience
by developing and researching a global project
or developing an entrepreneurial project. All
projects/experiences must have an application
component.
In addition to the thematic coursework, students
have the option of augmenting their studies by
taking additional classes in any of the thematic
areas, or preparing for professional certifications.
For instance, if a student wants certifications
in technology such as INet+ or Microsoft, they
can take courses that prepare them to take the
certification exam. If a student wants more experience
in Treasury or Controllership, they can take additional
courses that prepare them for the Certified Public
Accountant (CPA), Certified Cash Manager (CCM),
or Certified Financial Manager (CFM) examinations.
Additionally, further courses are offered in subject
areas such as Finance, Quality Management, e-Commerce,
and many more, as needs are identified.
On-line classes are offered in both thematic
coursework and certification preparation. Since
study and assessment is based on real business
situations, students can work on projects that
fit their current business needs if they apply
to the particular course. Instead of traditional
testing methods based on simple rote memorization,
a unique assessment method is used that emphasizes
business realities, requiring the development
of hands-on skills used in business. The various
projects assigned are evaluated according to a
uniform business standard by an academically credentialed
business professional.
The NEOCON™ MBA promotes contextual professional
skill development, integrating teamwork, productivity,
product and market development, technology, new
economy issues, globalization, and project management
throughout all the coursework. Finally, there
is a program that reinforces the 'art' of business,
fostering business skill development that is productive
from day one. The inherent structure of the NEOCON™
MBA reinforces real-life business practices -
students gain experience that is directly transferable
to business in the 21st century. The NEOCON™
MBA is the degree for the future business professional.
Author:
Dr. Roderic Hewlett, CFM, CCM
Associate Professor of Business
Director, NEOCON™ MBA Program
University of Dubuq
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