Deming Scholars MBA Program "The School of Business at Fordham University started fresh with a great idea, namely, to bring about transformation that is vital for American business, government and education. --- W. Edwards Deming May 1992 Fordham's Graduate School of Business Administration is proud to offer a unique MBA program featuring Dr. W. Edwards Deming's System of Profound Knowledge. The Deming Scholars MBA Program aims to build a foundation for leadership in the new economic age of global interdependence and turbulent change. It provides a small group of highly motivated scholars with a unique opportunity to broaden and deepen their understanding of Dr. Deming's teachings and to build leadership skills within the framework of an outstanding, fully-accredited MBA program. The program's director and board of advisors are internationally recognized experts in Dr. Deming's management theory. Dr. Deming served as senior advisor to the program until his death in December 1993. The Plan Do-Study-Act (PDSA) learning cycle is the cornerstone for the delivery of the program. Subject matter is delivered in five integrated learning cycles. Five eight-week sessions of classroom lectures and study are linked by seven-week internships at participating companies or employer sponsors. All courses are taught from a quality perspective. Graduates receive an MBA degree in Management Systems. CURRICULUM The Deming Scholars MBA Program integrates Fordham's MBA business curriculum with Dr. Deming's teachings and practical business experience to develop the individual to help lead an organization through the required transformation. Subject matter falls into three broad categories: Deming's management philosophy, leadership and business. Deming's Management Philosophy Students receive expert instruction in the System of Profound Knowledge articulated by Dr. Deming. This knowledge system consists of four interactive parts: Appreciation for a system: Organizations are interactive systems and must be managed as systems. Management's role is to strive toward optimization of the enterprise as a whole. Theory of variation: Variation is always present. The key is not in measuring it, but in understanding what is causing it; not to judge or blame individuals, but to improve the system. Theory of knowledge: Management's job is prediction. Prediction is based on knowledge. Knowledge is built on theory. Experience without theory teaches nothing. Psychology: Knowledge of individual and group psychology is needed to nurture and preserve innate desires of people to learn, to create, to contribute and to take pride in work. Leadership Development of leaders who are prepared to help guide their companies through the needed transformation is the essential purpose of the Deming Scholars MBA Program. Students learn and practice collaborative skills and strive for proficiency as facilitators of change. Specific topics include presentation skills, team facilitation, verbal and written communication and theories of leadership and organizational change. Business Students receive intensive instruction in an array of MBA "core" and elective subjects including: business law, business policy and strategy, corporate finance, financial accounting, financial environment, information systems, marketing management, managerial accounting and principles of modern finance. Standard subject matter is integrated with new material on the System of Profound Knowledge and leadership. FIVE CYCLES OF LEARNING CYCLE 1 Introduce the System of Profound Knowledge; review evolving theories ad challenges of management, economics, political and social systems and organizational and individual behavior; examine challenges of the new economic age. (Internship) CYCLE 2 Deepen understanding of System of Profound Knowledge and its application to key business systems and the organization as a whole; develop basic understanding of the organization and its role in the economic, social and political system. Introduce core MBA business material. (Internship) CYCLE 3 Develop understanding of measurement, its purpose, limitations and application to management systems. Extend and deepen understanding of core business material, knowledge of variation and theory of knowledge. (Internship) CYCLE 4 Develop strategies for leadership of transformation through understanding of organizational learning and optimization of a system. Develop appreciation for the integration of functional business specialties and the System of Profound Knowledge. (Internship) CYCLE 5 Deepen understanding of cultural formation and change and optimization of the enterprise. Synthesize business knowledge, System of Profound Knowledge and leadership knowledge and skills. (Internship) The Internships Internships provide students with an opportunity to test theory, learn by doing, experience leadership and practice teamwork. Each student spends a total of twenty-four weeks on site with a participating company or sponsoring employer. Faculty and sponsoring executives work together to guide the students through their learning experience. A symposium involving faculty, sponsors, and students is held at the end of the program. Other Program features - Students attend a four-day seminar on the Deming System of Profound Knowledge. - Internships, as well as individual and group projects, provide opportunities to apply theory and develop skills. - Course material is integrated to present multi-disciplinary viewpoints. - Prominent executives from companies under going transformation and recognized scholars present lectures and interact with students. - Regular study group sessions of students, educators, and executives foster understanding of principles. - Study groups prepare research papers for distribution to interested audiences. The Deming Scholars MBA Program is offered by Fordham's Management Systems Area in cooperation with the Center for Advanced Management Studies. About Fordham University Graduate School of Business Administration: The Fordham Graduate School of Business Administration, established in 1969, embodies the University's Jesuit tradition and a long-standing faculty commitment to the quality management approach. This combination has fostered an atmosphere of cooperation, interaction and involvement that promotes interdisciplinary activity and achievement. At Fordham, students are able to study for the MBA in the midst of one of the world's great commercial, financial and communications centers--New York City. Located within the Lincoln Center complex in midtown Manhattan, the School offers students a flexible, state-of-the-art curriculum combined with the cultural and professional resources of New York. Deming Scholars MBA Program Advisory Board Joyce Orsini, Ph.D. Fordham University Program Director (212) 636-6219 Nida Backaitis, Ph.D. Consultant Edward M. Baker, Ph.D. Consultant Barbara B. Lawton, Ph.D. University of Colorado Marta Mooney, Ph.D. Fordham University Gipsie Ranney, Ph.D. Consultant Michael Tveite, Ph.D. Consultant W. Edwards Deming, Ph.D.* Senior Program Advisor The Deming Scholars MBA Program at FORDHAM UNIVERSITY Graduate School of Business Administration Center for Advanced Management Studies 113 West 60th Street New York, NY 10023 (212) 636 6219 FAX (212) 765-5573 * Deceased, 1993 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- ---------------------------------------- For Companies: A Partnership That Works Fordham's Graduate School of Business is responding to the demands of executives for a new brand of leaders...leaders equipped to spearhead your company's transformation to new age management. To educate these leaders of tomorrow, we have created the Deming Scholars Program, an intensive, full-time, limited enrollment MBA program. But developing talent to compete in the real world requires cooperation...a partnership between business and academia. We need companies to provide internships for students enrolled in this innovative new program. Do any of the following apply to your organization? - Interested in facilitating your business transformation? - Interested in developing in-house expertise in quality management? - Interested in reducing dependency on external consulting services? - Interested in discovering what's involved in leading organizations that depend on "knowledge" as their primary productive resource? - Interested in helping to improve graduate management education and helping motivated students learn? The Deming Scholars MBA Program This enriched MBA program, begun in 1992, presents the management teaching of world renowned management thinker Dr. W. Edwards Deming within the framework of Fordham's fully accredited MBA program. Dr. Deming worked with Fordham faculty to develop this innovative new program--the only MBA program in the world which Deming recommended. Enrollment is limited to 25 students. As described in the accompanying description, coverage includes conventional MBA topics such as accounting, economics, finance, information systems and marketing. But it goes on to present the teaching of Dr. Deming's System of Profound Knowledge: systems theory, theory of variation, learning and knowledge theory and theory of individual and organizational behavior. The combined coverage helps students develop the practical knowledge and skills needed to successfully lead today's knowledge-centered organization. The Internship Component Internships that create opportunities for students to test and refine their understanding of concepts learned in class are vital program elements. Students spend the first 12 weeks of the program attending classes at Fordham's Lincoln Center campus. The following three weeks are spent working as interns at participating companies. This first learning "cycle" is followed by three more, each involving eight weeks of classroom study followed by seven weeks on site as interns. A final eight-week classroom session concludes the 18-month program. A Choice of Arrangements Companies can participate in two ways. They may choose to sponsor an Executive "Intern", where the student is a regular employee of the sponsoring company. Or, they may choose the "Standard Internship", where they select a student who has independently enrolled in the program. The Executive Internship This method provides firms with a cost effective means of developing in-house quality management expertise and reducing dependency on external consultants. To create an Executive Internship, the firm recommends one or more talented, highly motivated employees to participate in the Deming Scholars MBA Program. Applications are reviewed and approved by Fordham administrators in accordance with preset selection criteria. Students spend internship periods with sponsoring firms. By the time they graduate, they have received the best available grounding in knowledge and skills needed to help their companies lock in competitive advantage. For acceptance into the program, applicants must satisfy admission criteria stipulated by Fordham's Graduate School of Business. Requirements include an undergraduate degree from an accredited college. Several years of work experience is preferred. In addition, suitable candidates for the Deming Program will be high-energy self-starters with recognized leadership, cognitive and communication skills; a fierce desire to learn; an ability to cooperate with others and a commitment to helping their companies compete successfully in today's turbulent economic climate. The Standard Internship Companies can also participate in the Deming Scholars MBA program by providing internships for students who enrolled in the program independently. Participating companies interview potential candidates and select a student who best satisfies their needs. The sponsoring firm gains over the course of the internship as the student's knowledge of quality management and leadership skills broaden and deepen. In addition, the company has the "inside track" on recruiting and hiring this highly qualified individual upon graduation. The Role of Interns Students enrolled in the Deming Scholars MBA Program have two overriding responsibilities-- to gain knowledge and to develop their leadership skills. As interns, they are expected to learn to apply systems thinking and methods to help the enterprise achieve its business objectives. Initially, their responsibilities to the program and sponsors revolve around listening, observing, learning and communicating. Later in the program, these responsibilities expand to include analyzing and coaching. Specific Tasks Decisions about how interns spend their time is made jointly by the sponsoring company, Fordham faculty and the intern. Early in the program, a company representative and Fordham's Intern Coordinator will discuss possible internship assignments. The aim: to maximize both the learning experience for the student and his or her contribution to the company. In keeping with the Plan-Do-Study Act (PDSA) learning cycle, agreements are flexible and can be modified at any time during the course of study. Work Hours During internship periods, interns work at sponsoring companies full time with an occasional Friday kept free to allow time for interns to meet with Fordham faculty to review and debrief learning and to prepare for the weeks ahead. Compensation Executive Interns work out their own financial arrangements with sponsoring organizations. Sponsors of Standard Interns are expected to provide interns with a modest stipend to help defray extra expenses associated with the internship. Bringing the Best Together The Deming Scholars Program leads the way for the evolution of MBA programs over the next decade. The program owes its forward thinking to the involvement of one of America's most progressive management thinkers--W. Edwards Deming. Its faculty, students and corporate sponsors all add their own brand of commitment and expertise to the mix...and the result is a refreshing blend of competence and achievement. We welcome inquiries from all types of companies: large and small, service and manufacturing. Interested in being on the leading edge of management education? Contact: Joyce Orsini, Ph.D., Program Director Deming Scholars MBA Program Fordham University Graduate School of Business Administration 113 West 60th Street New York, New York 10023 Phone: 212-636-6219 Fax: 212-765-5573 e-mail: nmurray@mary.fordham.edu