The practical applications of psychology in
a business setting are the focal point of human
resource management and organizational behavior.
By exploring the "human" side of an
organization, the faculty seeks to understand
employee selection, performance appraisal, compensation,
training, and labor relations, as well as such
aspects of management as leadership, group dynamics,
decision-making, and motivation. The result
is a framework for the effective management
of an organization's human resources.
When researchers focus on the organization and
its environment, they examine organizational
theory and design, the political, legal, social,
and ethical environment in which organizations
operate, and the interaction of organizations
with their environment. The curriculum includes
courses on the management of technology and
innovation, organizational theory and design,
business ethics and social responsibility, business
and politics, and the legal dimensions of doing
business.
Business policy explores organizational effectiveness
from the perspective of executive management.
The emphasis is on strategic management and
control, long- range planning, corporate decision-making,
and entrepreneurship.