Fall Semester 2000 through Summer Semester 2002
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Associate Professor: Harry J Martin (Chairperson). Professors: Tim R.V. Davis, Robert Minter, Nels E. Nelson, Lawrence R. Walker, Associate Professors: Kenneth J Dunegan, Brian P Heshizer, Mary W. Hrivnak, Augustine Lado, Brenda Stevenson Marshall, Assistant Professors: Deborah Knapp, Maria Kraimer, Scott Seibert, Raymond Sparrowe, Raji Srinivasan.

MLR 301 Principles of Management (3-0-3). Prerequisite: Junior standing or permission of instructor. Introduces students to managerial roles and functions; covers planning, organizing, controlling, leading, staffing, and problem-solving in contemporary organizations; reviews foundations of management thought and managerial processes that lead to organizational effectiveness. Return to top

MLR 302 Principles of Labor Relations (3-0-3). Prerequisite: Junior standing or permission of instructor. Introduces students to labor relations and collective bargaining; covers the parties (union and management), the legal framework, union structure and administration, the employer role, union organizing, bargaining issues, the negotiation process, grievances and arbitration, and public sector labor relations. Return to top

MLR 321 Organizational Behavior (3-0-3). Prerequisite: Junior standing. Analysis of situations involving individual and group behavior. Development of small and large group theory, interpersonal relations, and achievement of the goals of the enterprise with and through people as individuals and as groups. Areas of investigation include communications, direction, coordination, control leadership, and group dynamics. Return to top

MLR 340 Human Resource Management (3-0-3). Prerequisite: Junior standing or permission of instructor. Current human-resource issues, policies, and practices; includes study of legal environment, job analysis, planning, recruiting, selection, training, performance appraisal, compensation, and benefits; strategic and international HR issues are addressed throughout the course. Return to top

MLR 341 Personnel Compensation, Performance, and Job Evaluation (3-0-3). Prerequisite: MLR 340 or permission of instructor. Methods of work analysis and measurement used in industry; systems for compensation of both hourly and salaried personnel; performance standards, time rates, and wage incentive methods; salary determination and administration. Return to top

MLR 342 Staffing and Developing the Organization (3-0-3). Prerequisite: MLR 340 or permission of instructor. Detailed presentation of the recruitment, selection, testing, and development functions of a personnel manager. Includes organization and government constraints, current laws, learning, and training devices. Return to top

MLR 404 Organizational Theory and Design (3-0-3). Prerequisite: MLR 321 or permission of instructor. Nature and importance of organizational structure and design; functions and dysfunctions of traditional designs; how and why organizational designs change; effects of the environment, technology, information and control systems, power structures, and political behavior on organizational performance. Return to top

MLR 411 Labor History (3-0-3). Prerequisite: MLR 302 or permission of instructor Examination of the organized labor movement in the United States and its influence on political and legal institutions; analysis of legislation relating to labor, management, and the public; laws and regulations concerning wages, hours, collective bargaining, labor contracts, and arbitration. Return to top

MLR 421 Comparative Labor Systems (3-0-3). Prerequisite: MLR 302 or permission of instructor. American and foreign labor movements; trade unionism and industrial relations systems in different areas of the world, showing their roles in economic, social, and political developments; comparison of structure and functions of labor movements at various stages of economic development. Return to top

MLR 422 Labor Law (3-0-3). Prerequisite: MLR 302 or permission of instructor. The law of industrial relations with emphasis on the Labor-Management Relations Act, including unfair practices and representation cases. Return to top

MLR 423 Labor Relations in Public Employment (3-0-3). Prerequisite: MLR 302 or permission of instructor. Collective bargaining by federal, state, and local employees; differences between public and private employment; union security, impasse procedures, and implications of collective bargaining for public management; impact of collective bargaining on wages and other conditions of employment in the public sector. Return to top

MLR 431 Employment Practices Law (3-0-3). Prerequisite: MLR 302 or permission of instructor. Analyzes employment-practices law and its impact on employment decision-making; equal employment opportunity and discrimination; occupational safety and health, pension and benefit regulations and laws that pertain to the employment relationship. Emphasis is on the impact of regulations on organization personnel and human resource policy. Writing. Return to top

MLR 443 Entrepreneurship (3-0-3). Prerequisite: Senior standing or permission of instructor. Exploration of the business formation process, and the management and operation of new/smaller enterprises both within and apart from existing ventures. Students are required to develop a written business venture plan and may act as advisors to existing smaller enterprises. Return to top

MLR 447 Cross-Functional Management (4-0-4). Prerequisite: MLR 301 or permission of instructor. Analysis of issues involved in managing different functional departments, and examination of the types of interactions and conflicts that typically occur between departments. Methods of dealing with interdepartmental problems are considered along with current management techniques for improving strategic and operational performance. Return to top

MLR 455 Trends in Employee Relations and the Quality of Working Life (3-0-3). Prerequisites: MLR 321 or permission of instructor. Exploration of cooperative work systems and efforts by labor and management to work together to improve the quality of work life by increasing effectiveness of the organization, productivity, quality, and work satisfaction, and understanding the processes used to accomplish these ends. Return to top

MLR 457 Human Resource Information Systems (3-0-3). Prerequisites: MLR 321 or permission of instructor. A comprehensive analysis of human-resource information systems with exploration of major applications and use of systems to improve decision-making; emphasizes hands-on use of technology in human resource planning, selection, appraisal, and compensation. Return to top

MLR 465 Management Strategy and Policy (3-0-3). Prerequisites: Senior standing, all college core courses, at least three major field courses. A business capstone course: integration of the student's background, experiences, and previous core business curriculum through case studies and business decision simulation exercises; development of an effective conceptual approach to integrating administrative policy, strategies, and decision-making; diagnosis, analysis, and solution of interrelated administrative problems. Writing. Return to top

MLR 477 Managerial Skill Development (3-0-3). Prerequisite: MLR 321 or permission of instructor. Analysis of aspects of managing in which specific behavioral skills can be developed; focus on individual managers and skill development in such areas as goal-setting, time-management, conducting meetings, communication processes, delegation, training, and appraisal interviews. Return to top

MLR 487 International Management (3-0-3). Prerequisite: MLR 321 or permission of instructor. Strategic, managerial, and human-resource issues in international business management; cultural differences and managerial practices in different countries; planning and control of small businesses and global enterprises; evaluating the performance of overseas subsidiaries; coordinating operations in different countries; overseas decisions; career concerns with overseas assignments. Return to top

MLR 490 Internship (1 to 4 credits). Prerequisites: Two MLR courses and permission of instructor. Provides students with an opportunity to gain practical experience in human resources, labor relations, and/or management; may be arranged at the initiative of the student or the faculty member; offers a maximum of three semester hours for a 14-hour-per-week internship with fewer semester hours offered for fewer hours of work. The course is graded on a Pass/Fail basis. Return to top

MLR 493 Current Topics (3-0-3). Prerequisites: Senior standing and permission of instructor. A study of a selected current topic in management. Course topics will vary. Offered as demand warrants. Return to top

MLR 496 Special Problems (1 to 3 credits). Prerequisites: Senior standing, approval of sponsoring professor and department chairperson, written proposal approved before registration. Flexible in content and structure, this course is designed to enable qualified students to pursue special areas of interest and competency; opportunity for independent study, field research, or other special assignments. Writing. Return to top