PhD Curriculum

Required Coursework

The Paul Merage School of Business doctoral program coursework in Phase I will consist of both Area- and School-wide courses. The area faculty determine the area’s course requirements. Students have the opportunity to choose from an array of available courses offered through the Merage School, UC Irvine department schools or at other UC campuses as part of the Intercampus Exchange program. To obtain a quarterly schedule of classes for all departments at the UC Irvine campus please go to Websoc for our Schedule of Classes.

Area Courses:

Each area within The Paul Merage School of Business offers 4-8 units of Ph.D.-level courses annually which are deemed separate from the School-wide courses directly offered by the Ph.D. program as a whole. Students are required to take at least 8 units in their area of specialization. Students from other areas with related interests are welcomed and encouraged to take these seminars. See the appendix for the course descriptions of these classes, which will generally be offered every other year. (This is a tentative list of courses scheduled to be offered for 2012-13, the quarter and number of units are given in italics.) (as of 4/13/12)

Accounting
291-AC1. Capital Markets Research in Accounting (4 units, Winter 2012 FRI 9-11:50AM, SB 116, Teoh)
291-AC2. Theoretical & Empirical Research in Managerial Accounting

(2 units, last 5 weeks Spring 2012, Tues, 2-4:50PM, SB 116, Ho)
291-AC3. Research Methods in Accounting (2 units, last taught Spring 2011, Pincus)
291-AC4. Contemporary Accounting Topics (or Frontiers of Accounting Research)

(4 units, last taught Winter 2011, Teoh)
291-AC5. Behavioral Accounting Research in Capital Markets (4 units, Winter 2013, Teoh)

291-AC6. Tax Research in Accounting (4 units, Spring 2013, Shevlin)

Finance

291-FN1. Advanced Topics in Corporate Finance (4 units, Spring 2013, Hirshleifer)

291-FN2. Advanced Topics in Investments (4 units, last taught Fall 2009, Wang)
291-FN3. Behavioral Finance (4 units, last taught Spring 2011, Hirshleifer)
291-FN4. Finance Research Methodology (4 units, Spring 2012, Mon 11-1:50pm, Henrik Cronqvist)

Information Systems
291-IS1. Governance, Management & Impact of IT (2 units, Winter 2013, Gurbaxani)
291-IS2. Seminar on Digital Business (2 units, Winter 2013, Dewan)
291-IS3. Economic Theory in IS (2 units, Spring 2013, Xin)

Marketing As of 1-20-12, no marketing area classes are scheduled for 2012-2013
291-MK1. Ph.D. Seminar in Marketing Models

(2 units, last 5 weeks Winter 2012, Wed, 1-3:50PM, SB 116, Tyagi)
291-MK2. Ph.D. Seminar in Marketing Management and Strategy

(3 units, last taught Winter 2010, Kolay/Lau-Gesk)
291-MK3. Ph.D. Seminar in Consumer Behavior

(4 units, last taught Winter 2011, Gilly/Venkatesh)
291-MK4. Ph.D. Seminar in Marketing Research Methods

(2 units, Fall 2011, Wed, 9-11:50AM, biweekly, SB 111, Currim)
291-MK5. Ph.D. Seminar in Marketing and Culture

(2 units, first 5 weeks Spring 2012, Tues, 12:30-3:30, SB 116, Lau-Gesk)
291-MK6. Ph.D. Seminar in Perception, Judgment and Choice

(2 units, last taught Fall 2010, Pechmann)

291 Marketing Models (Kolay, Winter 2013)

Operations and Decision Technologies
291-OD1. Stochastic Models in Operations & Decisions (2 units, Spring 2013, So)
291-OD2. Research Seminars in Supply Chain Management (2 units, last taught Spring 2010, So)
291-OD3. Optimization Modeling & Methodology, Part 1: Nonlinear Programming (2 units, Fall 2012, Scott)
291-OD4. Optimization Modeling & Method., Part 2: Integer & Network Program (2 units, last taught Winter 2010, Scott)
291-OD5. Game Theory and Its Applications in Supply Chain Management (4 units, Winter 2013, Yin)
291-OD6. Large Scale Optimization (4 units, Fall 2011, Fri, 1-3:50PM, SB 111, Turner)

Organization and Management
291-OB1. Foundations of Organizational Behavior, Part 1 (2 units Fall 2012, Okhuysen)
291-OB2. Foundations of Organizational Behavior, Part 2 (2 units Winter 2013, Okhuysen)
291-OB3. Current Debates in Organizational Behavior
291-OT1. (Organizational Theory) Rational, Economic and Ecological Views of Organizations

(2 units, Fall 2012, Schoonhoven)
291-OT2. Behavioral and Institutional View of Organizations

(Learning, Networks, BTF, Institutional theory, Social movements) (2 units, Spring 2013, Schoonhoven)

Strategy
291-STC. Ph.D. Seminar in Strategy Content (4 units, Fall 2011, Wed, 1-3:50PM, SB 111, Postrel)
291-ST3. Ph.D. Seminar in Strategy Process (4 units, last taught Spring 2013, Bromiley)
291-ST4. Ph.D. Seminar in Topics in Strategic Management- Part 1 (2 units, Winter 2013, Gong)
291-ST5. Ph.D. Seminar in Topics in Strategic Management- Part 2 (2 units, last taught Spring 2010, Weber/Zhang)

School-Wide Courses:

297A DOCTORAL PROSEMINAR for first year Merage PhD students
(2 units, Fall 2012, Keller, planned for THURS 1-3:50PM, for 6 days spaced throughout quarter, Keller, followed by some brown bag sessions in Winter & Spring 2012; specific dates: 9/22, 10/6- preceded by new student welcome lunch at noon, 10/27, 11/10, 12/1, 12/8- final career plan project presentations)

Course objective: The purpose of this course is to prepare incoming Ph.D. students for various aspects of academic life as they pertain to a university-based research/teaching career in areas relating to the broad fields of management and business. The course will provide opportunities for students to learn about trends in management education and scholarship and to examine the key components that can contribute to academic achievement and career success.

297B-SW UNIVERSITY TEACHING (Teaching Development) (0 units, Students who entered in Fall 2010 take this in Spring 2012 (Keller) and those entering in Fall take it in SPring 2013, Keller). Listed under miscellaneous

Program Objectives:

to ensure that our PhD students are adequately prepared to assume academic teaching responsibilities upon completion of their programs;
to ensure that The Paul Merage School of Business students who teach courses here at UC Irvine are adequately prepared to do so effectively.

The primary component of the course is a series of seminars designed to foster a well-rounded set of teaching skills and competencies. The seminar series is offered on a two-year schedule, with 8-12 seminars over each two-year cycle (4-6 each year). Students are required to attend 6 different seminars to complete part of the program. Enrollment should be in the second year in the quarter in which the course is offered, although attendance at seminars in the prior year will be required.

The second component is recommended to ensure that every student, prior to completing the doctoral degree, has spent some time teaching in the classroom. Some students have gained this teaching experience prior to entry to the program by having taught courses at the college/university level. You may gain this valuable experience while in the doctoral program by teaching a lower division Merage School class in the undergraduate program during the academic year or undergraduate classes at all levels (Freshman-Senior) during summer school or guest lecturing in a MBA classes on a few occasions under the supervision of a faculty member from the student’s area (normally the student’s advisor). The mentoring faculty member would assume the responsibility for planning the class guest lectures with the student, attending the classes, and providing constructive feedback to the student afterwards.

Breadth Requirements

These courses are offered on a “menu” system (Research Methods Menu and Theoretical Breadth Menu).

All doctoral students are required to take four breadth courses (for at least 16 units total). Breadth courses are defined as the following:

(a) courses on the School-wide Menus (see below),

(b) Ph.D.-level courses offered by areas other than the student’s area of specialization, and

Of the four breadth courses, one must be from the Theoretical Breadth Menu, and a second one must be from the Research Methods Menu. The two other courses can be a combination from the Theoretical Breadth Menu and/or the Research Methods Menu and/or Ph.D.-level courses offered by areas other than the student’s area of specialization within The Paul Merage School of Business and/or Ph.D.-level courses outside The Paul Merage School of Business.

School-wide Research Methods (SWM) Menu – All students are required to take at least one (4 unit) course from the schedule of courses being offered. Courses on this menu could include the following, which are generally 4 units and offered every other year:

297F-SWM. Doctoral Research Methods (4 units, Fall 2012, Pearce)

UCI Catalog: An introduction to the fundamentals of social science research: theory development, research design, methods, data management, and writing for scholarly publications; for doctoral students intending scholarly research careers. Involves hands-on practice in formulating hypotheses, designing research, and conducting journal reviews. Formerly PHD297E.

297G-SWM. Qualitative Research (4 units, Winter 2013, Venkatesh)

UCI Catalog: Course focuses on qualitative research techniques for management. A hands-on course that includes in-depth/long interviews, visual research methods, participant/non-participant observation, verbal protocols, constructing field notes, multi-media approaches for data gathering and analyses.

297H-SWM. Experimental Design (4 units, Spring 2013, Pechmann)

UCI Catalog: Advanced course provides experience in planning and implementing an experiment or quasi-experiment, including choice of topic, study design, data analysis, and manuscript preparation. Data analysis topics include ANOVA, ANCOVA, repeated measures, logistic regression, chi-square, and tests of mediation.

297 I-SWM. Applied Multivariate Statistics (4 units, Winter 2012, WED 9-11:50, SB 111, Bromiley)

UCI Catalog: Provides an overview of the most common techniques for multivariate analysis: principal component analysis, factor analysis, cluster analysis, MANOVA, regression with continuous variables, and regression with discrete variables.

297J-SWM. Applied Econometrics & Research Methods (4 units, Fall 2011 WED 1-3:50PM MPAA 120, Carpenter)

UCI Catalog: Helps students to be more knowledgeable consumers and producers of empirical research. Reviews econometric techniques and research designs used by applied microeconomists. Attention to practical issues that arise when analyzing data.

297K-SWM (pending campus number, prior number 291-SE) Advanced Qualitative Methods, 4 units, cross listed with School of Social Ecology PP&D 213, Winter 2011, Martha Feldman)

UCI Catalog: Planning Policy and Design PP&D 213 Advanced Qualitative Methods: Analyzing Qualitative Data (4). Introduces students to the theory and practice of analyzing qualitative data. Students must have already learned about data collection and research design for qualitative research and they must have qualitative data they can analyze in the course. Prerequisite: graduate standing or consent of instructor. Same as Political Science 273A and Sociology 223.

291-SWM. Structural Equation Modeling (4 units, Fall 2011 THURS 4-6:50PM SB 410, Alex Liu)

This course introduces to students the basic concepts, methods and computing tools of structural equation modeling. Emphasis will be placed on developing a working familiarity with some of the common statistical procedures, coupled with their application through the use of statistical software including LISREL and R. Reading materials:Rex B. Kline 2005 Principles and Practice of Structural Equation Modeling, Guilford Press, E. Kevin Kelloway 1998 Using LISREL for Structural Equation Modeling, Sage Publications, Ken Bollen 1989 Structural Equations with Latent Variables, Wiley, Alex Liu 2009 Building Structural Equation Models in Social Science, RM

291-SWM. Collaborative Governance and Public Management. (Same as PP&D 283) (4 units, Fall 2011 MON. 1-3:50PM, PCB 1300, Martha Feldman)

School-wide Theoretical (SWT) Breadth Menu – All students are required to take at least one (4 unit) course from the schedule of courses being offered. School-wide courses are Listed under Miscellaneous in the Catalyst schedule, rather than under the area of the faculty member teaching the course; and are scheduled and approved by the Doctoral Program Director in consultation with the Ph.D. Program Committee, then the Senior Associate Dean. These courses could include the following, which are generally 4 units and are offered every other year:

297Q-SWT (Catalog number pending from campus) prior number 291-SWT. Philosophy of Science. (4 units, last taught Venkatesh)

297R-SWT (Catalog number pending from campus) Theories of Power and Empowerment (prior number 291-SE, 4 units, Winter 2012, Martha Feldman), cross listed with Social Ecology

UCI Catalog: Planning Policy and Design PP&D 279 Theories of Power and Empowerment (4). Studies different ways of thinking about power and its uses. Explores theories of power that inform various notions of empowerment, including resistance, participatory democracy, and workplace empowerment. Prerequisite: graduate standing or consent of instructor. Same as Political Science 223A and Sociology 271.

297S-SWT. Information Economics (Last taught in Winter 2007, Dewan)

UCI Catalog: Designed to provide doctoral students in the Merage School with an overview of the basics of information economics, so the students can readily access the literature in their areas based on this key reference discipline.

297T-SWT. Decision Theory (4 units, Spring 2013, Keller)

UCI Catalog: Decision theories and preference models: How models are elicited or theories are experimentally tested, relevance to different management research areas, alternative theories, applications in management practice, and interpretations for the general public.

297U-SWT. Foundational Theories of Organizations (4 units, Spring 2012, TUES 9-11:50AM SB 111, Beckman)

PHD297U Foundational Theories of Organizations (4). Covers major economic and sociological perspectives guiding the study of organizations (i.e., transaction cost economics, agency theory, institutional theories, organizational ecology, network and diffusion theories, behavioral theories, resource dependence), and examines how different theoretical perspectives are tested.

297V-SWT. Information, Psychology and Social Processes (course number pending, 4 units, last taught Winter 2010, expected in 2012-13, Hirshleifer)

Catalog: In the marketplace for ideas, which succeed and which fail? How do ideas and information spread between individuals, and how do populations of ideas evolve? This course reviews recent research on these issues and applications to business.

291-SWT. Social Media (4 units, Winter 2012 FRI 9-11:50AM SB 111, Venkatesh)

This is a review course of Social Media with the following emphasis:

1. What are Social Media and what are the Social media practices and applications relevant for research?

2. Some Expected outcomes;

- Familiarity with the major social media theories how they can relate to modern digital practices.

- Learn methods to investigate this new digital media and how those methods can apply to understanding business/social practices.

- Deepen our understanding of the role of social participation and inclusion in the social worlds

- Learn about socio/business cultural structures of society

-What technical tools are necessary to engage in social media?

-What are the challenges facing the social media world?

Other Ph.D.-level courses (in the Merage School or other Departments on Campus, as approved by your advisor)

Here are three possible examples of students whose Breadth Courses might appear as follows:

Student 1: (all courses are from the Merage School)	Course 1. Course 2. Course 3. Course 4.	Decision Theory (Merage School) Experimental Design (Merage School) Organizational Theory (Merage School) Research Methods (Merage School)
Student 2: (all course are from the Merage School)	Course 1. Course 2. Course 3. Course 4.	Organizational Theory (Merage School) Qualitative Research (Merage School) Data Analysis (School of Social Sciences) Public Expenditures (School of Social Sciences)
Student 3: (all course are from the Merage School)	Course 1. Course 2. Course 3. Course 4.	PhD Seminar in Microeconomic Theory (Social Sciences) Decision Theory (Merage School) Research Methods (Merage School) Seminar in Social Ecology (Social Ecology)

Appendix:
Merage School PhD Courses offered by Each Area
(Mgt. Ph.D. 291-section code indicates area)

Accounting

291-AC1. Capital Markets Research in Accounting
The emphasis in this course is on empirical-archival research methods and issues, primarily pertaining to the role of financial accounting in capital markets. Empirical research and the theory foundations for the hypotheses will be covered. Topics will vary across years to enable wider coverage of the vast literature in capital markets research in accounting, and so this course may be repeated.

291-AC2. Theoretical and Empirical Research in Managerial Accounting
This seminar provides an introduction to theoretical and empirical research in management accounting, using an economics and organizational theory framework. Some examples of topics are: framework, theoretical and empirical research in performance measurement and incentives, strategy and management accounting, strategy theories on competition, governance and firm choices.

291-AC3. Research Methods in Accounting
In this course, students will learn ways to identify important and testable accounting research questions in this seminar. They will study various design tools and learn how to evaluate research, its validity, and research ethics. The core topics will review the classic papers in accounting research. First-year Ph.D. students will do either a replication of a published empirical paper, or a numerical example of a theoretical model. Senior students will propose and conduct new research.

It is expected that the instructor will incorporate a discussion on teaching expectations in an academic accounting career, as well as the integration of research with teaching. This will expose first year students to the expectations of an academic career in accounting, and to transition senior students to be instructors because they are likely to be course instructors for the first time.

291-AC4. Contemporary Accounting Topics (or Frontiers of Accounting Research)
Students will be exposed to the most current research topics in this seminar. The course will provide a sampler menu of research topics for first year students and will help students at the proposal stage to develop their own research area. This course may be repeated.

291-AC5. Behavioral Accounting Research in Capital Markets
This seminar explores topics in accounting research that follows the new paradigm that does not assume perfect rationality of entities (individuals, institutions, or markets) and instead allows for psychological influences in the capital markets. Some examples of topics are: accounting-related market anomalies, limited attention effects on capital markets and strategic behaviors of entities, accounting regulation response when markets are not perfectly rational, etc.

Finance

291-FN1. Advanced topics in Corporate Finance
The course helps students understand and develop their skills in analyzing, firms’ investment and financing decisions. It covers research topics in corporate finance to illustrate basic principles and to give students practice developing these skills. It examines a variety of topics, such as optimal debt and equity financing, managerial and firm reputation and investment decisions, motives for financial signaling, conflicts of interest and informational differences between managers, debtholders and equityholders; the takeover process; the use of capital structure and compensation to strategically position the firm in product markets; and the significance of imperfect rationality for corporate policy. The style is a mixture of lecture and discussion.

291-FN2. Advanced topics in Investments
The goal of this course is to give critical perspectives on the some of the most challenging problems related to investments, the problems that are most relevant for both academics and the applied world. It covers a variety of topics such as the basic asset pricing test framework, the common methodologies used in empirical asset pricing tests, empirical equity market regularities, and new directions in empirical finance. The idea of the course is not to go through in detail all of the assigned reading. It will be assumed that students have read each of the articles. The classroom discussion will be broad and will not necessarily focus on any technical details in the readings. We are more interested in extracting the big picture and what it means for the future of finance research.

291-FN3. Behavioral Finance
Building upon traditional theories of investment choices and asset market equilibrium, this course examines how the psychology of investors and managers affects financing and investment choices. It reviews evidence from psychology that may be relevant for finance, relevant evidence from financial markets, and recent approaches to modeling how imperfect rationality affects financial markets. It covers recent research on how psychology influences the preferences and information processing of investors; how imperfect rationality and arbitrage interact to determine equilibrium asset prices; how firms can take advantage of market inefficiencies; and how psychological bias affects the behavior of managers. Our emphasis will be on approaches that reflect evidence or insight from the explicit study of human psychology. The course provides a preparation to take advantage of the rich set of opportunities for future research in this field.

291-FN4. Finance Research Methodology
This course offers a survey of recent advances in finance research methodologies. In particular, we will discuss the pros and cons of the different approaches and the motivations behind their model designs.

Information Systems

291-IS1. Governance, Management and Impact of IT
IT has become a critical driver of growth in companies and economies, accounting for 50% of capital investment in the US. Accordingly, understanding the drivers and impacts of IT investment is a major area of research in information systems. Initially, research was unable to empirically associate positive outcomes to IT investment, however, more recently, research at the firm and country levels has shown that IT investments contribute strongly to output growth, productivity and market value. These findings reflecting excessively high returns on IT investment presents a puzzle that is the subject of current research. The potential for such high returns also points to the importance of studying effective management of IT. This seminar will cover topics such as contribution of IT investment to firm-level and country level productivity; role of IT in multifactor productivity growth; role of IT in globalization; incorporation of IT risk and externalities; and impact of unmeasured investments in organizational capital and intangible assets. We will also cover topics on IT governance such as the role of contract design in achieving effective governance of IT sourcing relationships; economic impact of IT outsourcing focusing on market returns and on labor productivity; pricing of IT products and services; and HR practices and human capital development policies that affect information workers’ performance in unstable environments characterized by offshoring.

291-IS2. Digital Business
Businesses will succeed in the global innovation economy by deriving competitive advantage from IT-enabled strategies and business models. Innovation in organization structure and in processes is a critical component of innovation, and one that is less easily replicated than product innovation. This seminar will study the role of IT in business innovation including business model innovation, and digital business strategies. Business model innovation includes research on network enabled firms and the location of work. Digital business strategies include leveraging customer information for business intelligence and personalization; personalization-for-privacy tradeoffs; design and pricing strategies for electronic marketplaces; role of reputation systems and transaction costs in consumer-oriented electronic markets; analysis of IT-enabled social networks; impact of social media on organizations and markets; supply chain strategy for digital goods; and pricing and versioning strategy for information goods.

291-IS3. Eeconomic Theory in IS
Technology is changing rapidly and enabling many new ways of doing business. This rapid pace of change makes it important to identify underlying principles and frameworks that can help explain emerging phenomenon. Economics provides a number of such frameworks and this course will cover such topics including transaction cost economics and search costs; agency theory; theory of network goods; systems competition; compatibility decisions and the role of standards; complementary products; auction theory; price discrimination and product versioning; horizontal and vertical differentiation models; Information goods; product bundling and competition; and applications of economic theory in electronic markets and electronic commerce.

Marketing

291-MK1. PhD Seminar in Marketing Models
Critical review of economic theory and data based marketing models to predict and understand the behavior of customers, the firm, and its competitors, and to aid in managerial marketing-mix decisions.

291-MK2. PhD Seminar in Marketing Management and Strategy
Examines how firms make decisions about pricing, product design, product introductions, distribution and advertising. Also discusses strategy, competition, market structure, information signaling and reputation, technology, and research and development.

291-MK3. PhD Seminar in Consumer Behavior
Examines seminal and emerging theories of consumer behavior. Reviews research from the basic disciplines (psychology, economics, sociology, anthropology) and the applied disciplines (marketing, consumer and organizational behavior, communications).

291-MK4. PhD Seminar in Marketing Research Methods
Examines various research methods used in marketing, both quantitative (surveys, experiments) and qualitative (interviews, observations). Addresses the role of multi-method research in marketing and highlights the advantages and the challenges.

291-MK5. PhD Seminar in Marketing and Culture
Focuses on cultural practices and behaviors in the marketplace both across and within cultures. Discusses rapid globalization and the increasing role of culture. Ethnographic methods will be employed.

291-MK6. PhD Seminar in Perception, Judgment and Choice
Examines key underpinnings of consumer decision-making including individual- and situation-specific variables that influence perception, judgment and choice. Emphasis will be on theories and methods that can guide managerial decisions.

Operations and Decision Technologies

291-OD1. Stochastic Models in Operations and Decisions
This doctoral seminar covers some fundamental concepts in queueing systems and dynamic programming. We also apply these models to analyze the optimal decisions in a number of stochastic operations. (2 units)

291-OD2. Research Seminars in Supply Chain Management
This doctoral seminar provides some basic knowledge in several key research issues in supply chain management    We discuss a number of current research topics and challenges in supply chain management research. (2 untis)

291-OD3. Optimization Modeling and Methodology   Part 1: Nonlinear Programming
An overview of the different classes of nonlinear optimization problems with applications to management. Includes convexity and duality. (2 units)

291-OD4. Optimization Modeling and Methodology    Part 2: Integer and Network Programming
Types of network optimization problems. Binary integer and mixed integer programs. Application to management. (2 units)

291-OD5. Game Theory and Its Applications in Supply Chain Management
This PhD seminar course introduces some fundamental concepts and methodologies in cooperative and non-cooperative game theory and their applications in supply chain models. Each class is a combination of lectures and class discussions. (4 units)

Organization and Management

291-OB1 and 2. (OB= Organizational Behavior) Foundations of Organizational Behavior Theory

291-OB1. Foundations of Organizational Behavior Theory- Part 1 (2 units)
291-OB2. Foundations of Organizational Behavior Theory- Part 2 (2 units)

The core domain of organizational behavior is the study of individuals and groups within an organizational context, and organizational processes and practices as they affect individuals and groups. Major topics have traditionally included: individual characteristics such as beliefs, values and personality; individual processes such as perception, motivation, decision making, judgment, commitment and control; group characteristics such as size, composition and structural properties; group processes such as collective cognition, decision making and leadership; organizational processes and practices such as goal setting, feedback, rewards, and behavioral aspects of task design; and the influence of all of these on such individual, group, and organizational outcomes as performance, productivity, turnover, absenteeism, and stress. In this course, we will examine research focusing on the core of organizational behavior, developing an in-depth familiarity with several organizational behavior frameworks that have an extensive history and have also remained prominent over time in our literature (specific selection of classics will rotate each year). The emphasis will be on developing a rich understanding of the attractions of these ideas to our colleagues (i.e., why each of the readings have become classics) as well as the fundamentals of the theories. We will also pair the classics with recent papers as a basis for discussing how they have been utilized and the quality of the empirical work investigating them. In addition, the seminar is designed to encourage the development of the following skills: critical thinking about research, expertise in analytical written evaluation of research, group facilitation and discussion techniques, and research framing, planning, and presentation skills.

291-OB3. Current Debates in Organizational Behavior Theory
As the second in a two-part series, this course extends beyond the foundational theories in organizational behavior, to enable students to develop knowledge of the most recent organizational behavior research published in the mainstream management journals. Coverage will include awareness of: which issues and theoretical frameworks are currently receiving attention (and those that are not, but perhaps should be), the strengths of recently employed research designs and methodologies (as well as the weaknesses), basic conclusions which can be drawn from recent research (and those which have yet to be evidenced), and implications for practice (as well as gaps in our understanding). Specific selection of topics will rotate each year according to instructor and participant expertise and interest. Participants will also become familiar with the mainstream management journals, including: editorial missions, foci and domains; submission guidelines; review processes; acceptance rates, reputations, and rankings; strengths and weaknesses. The overall objective of the course is to gain a greater understanding of what constitutes high quality, impactful, and interesting theory and research in the field, as well as challenges associated with developing such theory and research. In addition, the seminar is designed to encourage the development of the following skills: critical thinking about research, expertise in analytical written evaluation of research, group facilitation and discussion techniques, and research framing, planning, and presentation skills.

291-OT1. (OT= Organizational Theory) Behavioral and Institutional View of Organizations (Learning, Networks, BTF, Institutional theory, Social movements)
This course introduces students to many of the core theoretical arguments in contemporary organizational theory. Our first goal is to understand the foundational theories in sociology have shaped organizational studies (i.e., institutional theory, behavioral theory of the firm), and we explore how these theories have evolved (i.e., learning, networks, social movements). We consider how recent advances in theory and research extend these approaches in interesting ways. Our second goal is to develop your skills for analyzing and developing organization theory. During the course, you will develop a solid understanding of some of the major economic perspectives guiding the study of organizations and you will examine how different theoretical perspectives are tested.

291-OT2. Rational, Economic and Ecological Views of Organizations (Rational systems, TCE, Agency, Contingency, Resource Dependence, Ecology)
This course introduces students to many of the core theoretical arguments in contemporary organizational theory. Our first goal is to understand the foundational theories in economics and rational systems and to consider how power and ecological views have shaped these theories (i.e., resource dependence, transaction cost economics, organizational ecology, community ecology). We consider how recent advances in theory and research extend these approaches in interesting ways. Our second goal is to develop your skills for analyzing and developing organization theory. During the course, you will develop a solid understanding of some of the major economic perspectives guiding the study of organizations and you will examine how different theoretical perspectives are tested.

Strategy

291-ST1 (Part 1, 2 units) and 291-ST 2 (Part 2, 2 units). Corporate Strategy

This is an introductory seminar in the history, theories and empirical research in the field of strategy. Our focus will be on research that seeks to explain variation in firm (business or corporate) strategies and performance. The seminar touches upon the major topics and theories in the strategy field, but it is not inclusive of all theories and topics. The focus of the seminar is to explain what firms and their managers do (content) rather than how they do it (process). The objective of the seminar is for students to develop an advanced understanding of the major theories, issues, and contributions on strategic management. Topics that will be covered in the course are competitive (business level) strategy, corporate strategy and scope, industry versus firm effects on firm performance, the CEO and top management, and corporate governance. Theoretical perspectives will include industrial organization economics, transaction costs economics, agency theory, and resource-based view of the firm.

291-ST3. Strategy Process
Examines research on process by which firms formulate and implement strategy. Topics covered include top management teams, cognitive approaches, risk taking, CEO's and boards, and top management decision processes.

291-ST4. Topics in Strategic Management
Will address major research activities in one or two areas of strategic management. The areas of focus will vary so interested students should contact the instructors.