School of Business


Dunton Tower 710B
Telephone: 520-2388
Fax: 520-4427

The Department


Director of the School:
Vinod Kumar
Supervisor of Graduate Programs:
A.K. Srivastava

The School of Business offers a program of study and research leading to the degrees of Master of Management Studies and Ph.D. in Management.

Master of Management Studies

The focus of the M.M.S. program is applied research directed toward the management of technology, productivity, and innovation. The program of study will develop in students the conceptual and methodological skills required to manage, plan, develop, and implement technological capabilities for the purpose of attaining the strategic and operational goals of organizations.

The main areas of specialization within the program are:

Graduate students in the School of Business are governed by the General Regulations section of this Calendar.

Admission Requirements

Admission into the program is judged primarily on the applicant’s ability to successfully undertake advanced studies and research in business, his/her prospects for completion of the program, experience, and achievement.

Applicants are required to have the equivalent of an honours bachelor’s degree, with a minimum of high honours standing. Applicants are expected to have credits in mathematics and the following core courses, or their equivalents, in functional areas of business described below:

In addition, applicants are expected to have an upper-level course sequence in their proposed area of business specialization, and to have an adequate grounding in at least one supporting fundamental discipline such as economics, psychology, sociology, mathematics, anthropology, or computer science.

The School requires that all applicants submit scores obtained in the Graduate Management Admission Test offered by the Educational Testing Services of Princeton, New Jersey. A superior GMAT score will be required for admission. All applicants whose native tongue is not English must take the TOEFL test and obtain a minimum score of 550.

The School’s admission policy is governed by the availability of graduate student space. Possession of the minimum admission requirements does not, in itself, guarantee acceptance. Advanced standing may be granted for required courses only if previous work is judged to be equivalent to courses required in the program. Advanced standing and transfer of credit must be determined on an individual basis in consultation with the supervisor of graduate studies and must also be approved at the time of admission by the Dean of the Faculty of Graduate Studies. In general, a grade of B– or better is required in equivalent courses to obtain advanced standing.

Program Requirements

The requirement for the Master of Management Studies degree is the equivalent of 5.0 credits of which at least 4.0 credits must be at the 500 level or above. Students must complete 1.5 credits of required business courses, 1.0 credit from a selection of advanced seminars, 1.0 credit of approved options, and a thesis equivalent to 1.5 credits as indicated below.

All master’s students are required to complete:

Required Business Courses

Advanced Seminars
1.0 credit from the following list of 0.5 credit courses:

Approved Options
The equivalent of 1.0 credit of approved courses which may be selected from among those offered by the School and in related disciplines.

Thesis

The M.M.S. thesis is equivalent to 1.5 credits. The thesis normally relates to issues that are relevant to producers and users of technology.

The thesis must represent the result of the candidate’s independent research undertaken after being admitted to graduate studies at Carleton University’s School of Business. Previous work of the candidate may be used only as introductory or background material for the thesis.

A candidate may carry on research work related to the thesis off campus provided that the work is approved in advance and arrangements have been made for regular supervision of thesis research activities with the School’s supervisor of graduate studies.

All students require the School’s approval for their proposed thesis topic. Each candidate submitting a thesis will be required to take an oral examination on the subject of the thesis.

Academic Standing

A grade of B– or better must normally be obtained in each credit counted towards the degree. A candidate may, with the recommendation of the School and the approval of the Dean of the Faculty of Graduate Studies, be allowed a grade of C+ in 1.0 credit (or the equivalent).

Doctor of Philosophy

The focus of the Ph.D. program in Management is applied and basic research on complex management problems in a rapidly changing and globally oriented environment. The doctoral program in management is designed to develop graduates skilled in research with both a theoretical and practical understanding of the complex problems of business and managers. These graduates will pursue careers in university education and research, in training and research in private and public sector organizations, and in business management.

The program is designed to accomplish its objectives by its orientation to a holistic, integrative,and discipline-supported approach to management problem-solving, focused on critical issues facing managers in organizations in both the private and public sectors.

The degree will normally be pursued on a full-time basis for the first two years.

Admission Requirements

Admission into the Ph.D. program will be judged primarily on the applicant’s ability to undertake research successfully and his/her prospects for completion of the program. Admission to the Ph.D. program is governed by the requirements stated in the General Regulations section of this Calendar.

The normal requirement for admission to the doctoral program in management is a master’s degree (or the equivalent) in business or a related field with an A– average. A number of years of work experience is desirable.

All Ph.D. candidates, regardless of their previous field of specialization, are expected to have or to acquire a basic knowledge of statistics and at least two of the following areas of management: finance, marketing, organizational behaviour, management science, information systems, and productions/operations management. Students will be admitted to the program with a course of study designed where appropriate to supplement previous education, experience, and training.

The School requires that all applicants submit scores obtained in the Graduate Management Admission Test (GMAT) offered by the Education Testing Service of Princeton, New Jersey. A superior GMAT score will be required for consideration for admission. All applicants whose native tongue is not English must be tested for proficiency in the English language and obtain a minimum score of 550 on the TOEFL.

Transfer from Master’s to Ph.D. Program

A student enrolled in the M.M.S. program (or a similar research-based master’s program in business) who has completed a minimum of 2.5 credits and who has shown outstanding academic performance and research promise may be permitted to transfer to the Ph.D. program without completing the master’s program. Under no circumstances will advanced standing be given for more than 2.5 credits.

Applicants who have completed a thesis-based master’s program in business or a related area may have their program requirements, as set out below, adjusted at the time of admission.

Program Requirements

The program requirements for the Ph.D. in Management are:

Course Requirements

All students in the doctoral program are required to successfully complete:

Students are strongly encouraged to complete 0.5 credit chosen from Business 42.671, 42.672, 42.673, or 42.674, a series of courses which focuses on the dimensions of complex problem representation and analysis. Students are also strongly encouraged to complete 0.5 credit chosen from Business 42.681, 42.682, 42.683, 42.684, or 42.685, a series of courses oriented to specific management issues.

The remaining 1.0 credit (or the equivalent) elective, chosen with the approval of the thesis supervisor to assist in the thesis research process, will normally be chosen from either those courses at the 500 or 600 level in the School of Business listed above, or from outside the School in a supporting discipline or in the area of statistics.

Thesis

All Ph.D. candidates are required to successfully complete a thesis normally equivalent to a minimum 5.0 credit on a topic approved by the School. Students with appropriate background will be reviewed for possible adjustment of thesis weight.

Comprehensive Examinations

All Ph.D. candidates are required to successful complete two written and two oral examinations. One of these examinations will normally cover the functional area specialization of the student. The other examination will normally test the student’s ability to integrate and apply knowledge to significant issues in management. The issues dealt with will be distinct from the thesis topic of the student.

The written comprehensive examination may take the form of two major essays, or one major essay and one research grant proposal developed for submission to an agency outside the School. The submission of each essay or grant proposal will be followed within one to three weeks by a comprehensive oral examination, which is not restricted to issues raised by the written portion.

The comprehensive examinations must be completed successfully before the Ph.D. proposal defence is scheduled. In normal circumstances, one oral defence must occur within four calendar terms of the student’s initial registration in the Ph.D. program. The second must be defended within six calendar terms of initial registration. Students who do not fulfil this requirement may be asked to withdraw from the program.

Academic Standing

Doctoral students must normally obtain a grade of B– or better in each credit, and Satisfactory on the comprehensive examinations, the Ph.D. thesis and its oral defence.

Graduate Courses**

Enrolment in graduate courses requires the permission of the School through the supervisor of graduate studies. The following is a complete list of all courses offered in the School of Business. Please note that not all courses will be offered each year.  Students should consult the University and Departmental timetables for a list of courses schedule for 1997-98.

  • Business 42.510F1
    Seminar in Management An examination of research on management issues and practices in modern organizations. The course will analyze and integrate both the micro and macro aspects of organizational behaviour.

  • Business 42.511W1
    Current Topics in Organizational Design A critical analysis of organizational design implications of high rates of environmental and technological change. New management structures, processes and technologies, with potential for enhancing productivity and quality will be evaluated.

  • Business 42.520F1
    Seminar in Marketing
    This course examines issues in productivity and innovation as they relate to marketing. The course assumes the viewpoint of product portfolio management, and addresses problems such as market assessment, marketing audits and policy, new prod-ucts, existing product management, and product line profitability. Particular emphasis is placed on marketing of technology-based products and the effect of technological developments on marketing practices.

  • Business 42.521W1
    Contemporary Marketing Thought
    This course examines the state of the art in marketing thought, and prepares the student to cope with an ever changing environment. Topics include the development of paradigms in marketing, recent advances in consumer behaviour, the acquisition of data and information from the external environment, the influence of societal and environmental developments upon marketing, and new directions in marketing theory and practice.

  • Business 42.530F1
    Managing the Multinational Enterprise
    This course examines issues in the management of multinational enterprises, e.g., optimizing productivity in multi-site environments, the dispersion of innovative products and ideas across national boundaries, international strategic planning, the selection of markets and modes of expansion, and the management of cultural differences and their impact on the basic managerial functions of communication, planning, decision making, and integration. The course will examine both Canadian-based multinational firms and externally-based firms with interests in Canada.

  • Business 42.531W1
    Seminar in International Business Management
    This course examines specific topics in the area of international business management. Areas of interest include management in inter-cultural environment, issues in international financing and marketing, business negotiations, international inter-firm alliances including joint ventures, and the role of free trade areas in international business. Students will be expected to make significant contribution to the discussion.

  • Business 42.540F1
    Seminar in Information Systems Management
    This course is concerned with major issues in the management of information technology. It covers the following major topics: organization of information services; planning, management, and administration of information resources; assimilation and diffusion of information technology; integration of information services; and current opportunities and concerns in information services.

  • Business 42.541W1
    Current Topics in Business Information Systems
    This course examines trends and issues associated with business information systems within organizations. It covers topics such as analysis and design of information systems, end-user computing, databases, distributed systems, teleprocessing, office automation, data communications. Other topics may include modern technologies such as knowledge-based systems and artificial intelligence.

  • Business 42.550F1
    Seminar in Finance
    An analysis of contemporary theory of finance. This analysis includes: the examination of innovations in corporate financing; financial planning; financing strategies; valuation of contingent claims; implications of agency theory, etc. Particular emphasis is placed on financial decision of technology-based firms.

  • Business 42.551W1
    Current Topics in Financial Research
    This course examines research and empirical issues in investments, portfolio management, corporate finance, and capital markets. Particular emphasis will be placed on innovative research methods and financial innovations.

  • Business 42.560F1
    Seminar in Production and Operations Management
    This is an introduction to the philosophies, methods, and techniques of modern production and operations management. It discusses long run design issues involving products, plants, equipment, layout, work organization, and their interrelations. It also looks into medium and short term operational questions involving the planning and control of production, inventories, and product quality. The theoretical material will be grounded in problems, cases, and project work.
    Prerequisite: Graduate standing with 42.337 or the equivalent.

  • Business 42.561W1
    Strategic Management of Manufacturing Technology and Productivity
    This is a case-analysis course intended for students interested in strategy, productivity, and technology in manufacturing operations. The course focuses on articulating and executing the manufacturing strategies related to structural kinds of changes in facilities, locations, production technologies, and sourcing arrangements, and the infrastructural kinds of changes in management policies and practices. Other topics include adoption and implementation


    of new technologies and interaction between research and development, engineering and operations.
    Prerequisite: Graduate standing with 42.337 or the equivalent.

  • Business 42.570F1
    Seminar in Management of Research and Development
    Examines the mission of research and development and the management of research and development groups. The focus is on the creation of technology and its deployment. Topics include specific managerial problems around the management of design and development activities, and the basic and applied research which support these activities.
    Prerequisite: Graduate standing with 42.337 or the equivalent.

  • Business 42.571W1
    Current Topics in Research and Development and Innovation Diffusion
    The course deals with the concepts, theories, and methods of efficiently managing the technological innovation cycle, the innovation monitoring system incorporating the critical factors that signal the possible success or failure of a developing project, quality in research and development, theories of adoption of an innovation in a firm, and the models of the diffusion of an innovation. Other topics relevant to research and development and innovation diffusion include the role technology monitoring and forecasting play in long-range planning decisions and the methodologies to perform these activities, transfer of technology, and the role of government supporting the innovation.

  • Business 42.580F1
    Seminar in Decision Analysis
    The course deals with analyzing decisions and the assessment of the relative quality of management systems by examining the quality of the decisions that they make. The topics covered include decision making, decision modelling and management science, problem representation, expected utility theory, multi-attribute utility theory, value and utility measurement. All the theoretical concepts will be illustrated with intuitive examples and practical applications.

  • Business 42.590T1 or T2
    Tutorials/Directed Studies in Business
    Tutorials or directed readings in selected areas of business, involving presentation of papers as the basis for discussion with the tutor. A requirement for the course may be participation in an advanced business course at the undergraduate level.

  • Business 42.592F1
    Business Research Methods
    A consideration of the basic issues of scientific research as applied to business problems. The course includes a discussion of the logic of scientific research, proof and verification, hypothesis testing, the logic of statistical inference, and research design.

  • Business 42.593F1
    Multivariate Statistics for Business Research
    This course involves an in-depth study of some of the methods of multivariate statistics most frequently encountered in business research. The course begins with multiple regression, including regression diagnostics, and proceeds through multivariate analysis of variance, discriminant analysis, factor analysis, and cluster analysis. There is a strong focus on the assumptions underlying each technique, and methods for assessing assumptions and coping with violations will be stressed. A specific objective of the course is to provide students with the background necessary for studying more specialized topics in business statistics, such as time series analysis and multidimensional scaling. Students will develop practical skills in data analysis by using statistical packages to analyze real datasets, compiled by researchers at the School of Business.

    This course is not available for credit for students registered in programs offered by the Department of Mathematics and Statistics.

  • Business 42.597W1, S1
    M.M.S. Thesis Tutorial
    A seminar designed to help the student formulate and evaluate specific research topics. The successful submission of a thesis proposal is necessary for the completion of the course.

  • Business 42.599F3, W3, S3
    M.M.S. Thesis Research Prerequisite: Business 42.597.

  • Business 42.610F1 or W1
    Seminar in Organizational Behaviour I: Modern Organization Theory
    The development of post-structuralist organization theory is examined. Theories of organizational culture and symbolism, political theories of organization, ethnomethodological, decision-based and population ecology approaches are investigated.  The social, economic, and intellectual forces shaping organization theory provides a major focus.

  • Business 42.611F1 or W1
    Seminar in Organizational Behaviour II: Topics in Organizational Behaviour
    The study of individual and group behaviour in organizations continues to expand both in the areas covered and the theoretical approaches employed.  In this seminar selected topics are analyzed in detail. Potential topics include leadership, small group behaviour, management of conflict, effective supervision, organizational control, and work group structures.

  • Business 42.620F1 or W1
    Seminar in Marketing I This seminar focuses on marketing theory, its history and current development through the analysis, synthesis, and extension of published theoretical and empirical papers on such topics as: the marketing concept, the role of marketing in various types of organizations, defining and segmenting markets, managing new product introductions, managing established products, and marketing planning.

  • Business 42.621F1 or W1
    Seminar in Marketing II This seminar focuses on marketing decision-making practice and theory in business and not-for-profit organizations in such areas as consumer decision making, organizational decision making, analytical methods, and research methods to aid in marketing decision making.

  • Business 42.630F1 or W1
    Seminar in Management of Production/Operations I: Strategic Management of Production Systems
    The course focuses on developing the firm's strategies with respect to facilities, locations, production technologies, and sourcing arrangements.  It also discusses recent developments in management policies and practices used by companies to enable their production system to operate at its full potential in the wake of time- and quality-based competition.

  • Business 42.631F1 or W1
    Seminar in Management of Production/Operations II: Production/Technology/Strategy Interface
    This course deals with strategy, productivity, and technology in the production environment. The focus is on the evolution and the management of process innovation; management of productivity using production technologies; integration of production strategy and technology; interaction between research, development, engineering, and operations, including topics such as quality function deployment and the deployment of process innovations.

  • Business 42.640F1 or W1
    Seminar in Information Systems I: Information and Computing Technologies in Management
    This course deals with the role of computing and communication technologies and information systems in the functioning of organizations and managers. This seminar introduces such technologies as wide-and local-area networks, distributed systems, distributed databases, telecommuting, electronic mail and on-line information services, management and executive information systems, decision support systems, organization information systems, multi media, intelligent decision systems, and knowledge-based systems.

  • Business 42.641F1 or W1
    Seminar in Information Systems II: Analysis and Design of Information Systems
    This course examines theory and practice concerning the factors determining the effective and efficient use of computing technologies, particularly on the match between the information system and its users. Emphasis is placed on the use of system science to provide a rigorous and comprehensive approach to requirement analysis, design and implementation techniques to shape the information flow and communication between organizations and individuals.

  • Business 42.650F1 or W1
    Seminar in Finance I
    The objective of the course is to integrate topics in financial theory so as to facilitate a broader understanding of the area. Specific topics to be covered in any year are chosen with the interests of students and new developments in theory in mind, and may include theory of options, futures and forwards pricing theory, asymmetric information and corporate finance, agency theory, concepts in economic efficiency, and also more recent empirical methods, such as GMM, ARCH, GARCH, etc.

  • Business 42.651F1 or W1
    Seminar in Finance II
    A special topics seminar course in finance designed to expose students to emerging areas in finance, such as total quality management, left-hand financing, activity-based costing, multi-criteria decision making, neural networks in financial managements, etc. Integrative problems spanning two or more functional disciplines in management, such as taxation, are also explored.

  • Business 42.671F1 or W1
    Choice Behaviour
    The basic objective of this course is to present an understanding of choice behaviour from the perspective of a variety of disciplines. Topics covered may include: a review of individual choice behaviour models in economics, Von-Neumann-Morgenstern utility, Luce Choice Axiom and its extensions, multi-criteria individual choice behaviour, and multi-criteria group choice behaviour.

  • Business 42.672F1 or W1
    Analysis and Representation of Complex Problems
    This course uses both qualitative and quantitative techniques and theoretical frameworks to represent organizational systems, problems and decisions that executives and managers face. It introduces methodologies in symbolic representations or adaptive and learning systems. The qualitative models are viewed as primary, providing the setting for the quantitative models, selection of choice mechanism, and interpretation of solutions.

  • Business 42.673F1 or W1
    Systems Concepts in Management
    The objective of this course is to develop an ability to deal with reality as a system — specifying system variables, components, boundaries, and limitations. A unified outlook towards modern management theory and practice, management systems, and computer-based information systems is developed. Topics to be studied include: analysis of managerial-organizational systems as adaptive and learning-responsive systems, gestalt views of firm-environment interaction and the open system paradigm, model building and use, managerial decision making, and systems thinking in the context of the organizational functions of planning and control.

  • Business 42.674F1 or W1
    Managing the Change Process
    The process of organizational change is analyzed through an examination of both the process of change within the organization and the external forces which drive change. Emphasis is placed on the roles taken by internal and external agents in forecasting, understanding, and managing change.  Topics include sources of environmental change, change agent theory, the impact of government policy, and resistance to change.

  • Business 42.681F1 or W1
    Management of Technology
    Introduction to issues in the management of technology. Topics include: technology strategy and policy, technology forecasting and planning, the process of technology innovation from concept to market, research and development management, technology adoption, diffusion and implementation, technology transfer, and technology and social issues.

  • Business 42.682F1 or W1
    Women in Management
    This course explores the research and organizational challenges arising from changing gender roles and the increased participation of women in management.  Topics include: the sex segregation of work, gender differences in communication and management styles, work-family conflict, women’s careers, managing sexual harassment, employment equity, and pay equity. The implications for managing a more diverse workforce are discussed.

  • Business 42.683F1 or W1
    Corporate Strategy and Policy
    This course focuses on corporate strategic planning, strategy formulation and implementation, and the interface between business, government, and other elements in the environment. The course serves to integrate and synthesize knowledge acquired in the functional disciplines of business by application of functional skills to corporate planning and strategic decision making. The course examines the history, stage of development and future directions of practice and research in the field.

  • Business 42.684F1 or W1
    International Business Strategy
    An advanced examination of contemporary theory focusing on the international expansion of firms.  Topics include: trade and investment flow interactions in global markets; location theory and retrenchment trends; mode of entry, market selection, and sequential expansion issues; the globalization paradigm versus the EPRG Framework in the context of international consumer behaviour theory; trans-border data and financial flows; internationalization theory in small, medium-sized, and large firms; expansion methods and issues including strategic alliances, free trade zones, trade blocs and free trade areas, and consortia.

  • Business 42.685F1 or W1 Canadian Business Competitiveness Competitiveness at the country, industry, and firm levels is studied in the context of Canada’s unique characteristics. The central theme is examined from various domestic and international perspectives including:  industrial organization theory; antecedents and evolution of Canadian business; comparative perspectives on industrial concentration; internalization theory; Porter’s competitiveness diamond; role of foreign firms in Canada and performance of Canadian firms abroad; business-government interactions in a decentralized federal state; and antecedents, role, and impact of government support programs for business.

  • Business 42.692F1 or W1
    Research Methodology in Business
    The study of research techniques commonly used in research on business and management issues. The development of knowledge of these methodologies and their application, as well as their possible use in the thesis research of the student are the two main goals of this course.

  • Business 42.695F1 or W1
    Advanced Statistical Methods for Business Research
    Introduction to advanced statistical methods used in business research, including canonical correlation; discriminate function analysis and classification; cluster analysis; causal modelling techniques, including LISREL and PLS; analysis of real data sets using mainframe and/or micro-statistical packages.

  • Business 42.696F1 or W1
    Advanced Methods and Models of Management Science
    This course involves the study of advanced topics of decision making under certainty and uncertainty.  Students study the issues of building complex constrained and unconstrained optimization models, project management, job-shop scheduling, facilities location, and problems of a discrete choice. They also become familiar with multi-objective dynamic programing, evaluation of discrete alternatives, and multi-attribute utility theory. The course explores the direct links between theoretical developments and practical applications through the use of case studies or applied modelling.

  • Business 42.697F1,W1,S1
    Ph.D. Thesis Tutorial
    An intensive preparation for Ph.D. thesis research, under the direction of one or more members of the School. The successful submission of a thesis proposal is necessary for the completion of the course.

  • Business 42.698F2,W2,S2
    Ph.D. Comprehensives
    Preparation for comprehensive examinations.

  • Business 42.699F,W,S
    Ph.D. Thesis