Multidisciplinary Approaches: A Management Core for Applied Managment and Decision Science

Abstract

The new management core curriculum was launched at South Dakota State University in 2012 designed for programs at the institution affiliated with decision sciences, applied management and economics. A task force of business and industry leaders working with faculty developed a set of key competencies for graduates from management-related programs. Based on those competencies, an ad hoc group of multidisciplinary faculty in the Colleges of Engineering, Agriculture and Biological Sciences, Education and Human Sciences, and Arts and Sciences designated a four-course sequence named the Management Core to address key elements of the competencies. The undergraduate Operations Management program, housed in the College of Engineering, is preparing for accreditation under ABET - Applied Sciences Accreditation Commission (ASAC) and has adopted the management core. The competencies developed by the external task force are reflected in the program educational outcomes. Department faculty accomplishes data collection on student outcomes and continuous improvement. Our challenge has been in working with departments in other colleges to design and execute an assessment plan for the courses in the Core that will meet divergent accreditation requirements. Philosophical differences on assessment, concerns about additional work to collect and organize outcome data, and faculty governance have been points of departure. To address these issues, a multidisciplinary Division of Economics and Management was formed which includes a Faculty Advisory Committee empowered to develop a framework for cross-disciplinary collaboration in course delivery and assessment. In recent weeks, engineering faculty have conducted workshops on outcome assessment and continuous improvement based on the ABET model for faculty in other colleges. This has produced better understanding of the assessment process and the value in well-designed outcome measures. This paper provides insight on the challenges and rewards of multidisciplinary curriculum development framed against ABET-ASAC accreditation requirements.