Most of our wants and needs are met through the activities of private business enterprises, and, to a lesser extent, of entrepreneurial nonprofits.  You may be considering a career in business or entrepreneurship, or perhaps you are just exploring career options.  This introductory program will provide perspective on and a foundation in skills essential for success in business and social entrepreneurship. A measure of this program’s success is whether it supports you in developing your talents and abilities, to enable you to play a positive role in these arenas. 

The content of this program includes economics and business statistics, as well as the study of ethics and values as they apply to leadership and decision-making.  Students will acquire an understanding of the economy and its impact on firms, industries, communities, and households.  They will be exposed to descriptive and inferential business statistics—necessary background for any subsequent work in marketing, finance, auditing and accounting.  Students will be challenged with ethical problems that will require careful, analytical thought. In connection with the readings on ethical values, students will be encouraged to think through how their own sense of what makes life worthwhile would influence their decisions as a businessperson or community organizer. Students will need to squarely face the conflicts that inevitably arise in a pluralistic society, and learn to respond honestly and constructively in conflict situations. They will participate in team-building tasks which will provide perspective on working as part of a team, as well as independently. All of this will occur in the context of an interdisciplinary liberal education, oriented to the student’s intellectual and personal growth.

The program will include lectures, seminars, workshops, guest lectures and field work.  Our guest lecturers will come from successful local businesses and nonprofits.  The field work will involve visiting a nearby community and producing a detailed analysis of its economic well-being. Reading for this program will include texts in economics, business statistics, and practical ethics, along with short stories and novels that illustrate the challenges of making business decisions that are both ethically and economically sound. Students will also develop practical skills working with the spreadsheet software Excel.