This course begins with foundations in both the history and evolution of business functions and processes and the role of business in the general health and welfare of the United States and the world. It then considers the future of business and work from a critical and multidisciplinary perspective, involving a wide array of technological, information access, macroeconomic, governmental and political, legal, socially responsible, environmental, personal and interpersonal dimensions. The future of work is particularly dynamic in view of rapid changes in technological developments, artificial intelligence, automation, information access, public health conditions, and social and environmental justice demands. These conditions are explored in relation to questions of socially responsible practices in business that respect employee rights, promote ethical conduct, involve new forms of media and global coordination, address diversity and equity concerns, protect the environment, and respond to new ways of thinking, feeling, and critically engaging the world by all individuals involved in various ways and capacities with business. This course provides an overview of these topics relying on senior faculty to ensure that students, as they develop a critical and multidisciplinary sense of the future of work and business, also engage in critical introspection about themselves in considering their skills, interests, and goals.

This course focuses on providing students a foundation so they may be innovative and creative while managing and interacting in uncertain and diverse environments. Managers need the ability to reason clearly and articulate this reasoning to others. Managers need to be able to follow the points made by their teammates and understand the thinking from those outside the organization. To achieve these goals, this course focuses first on illuminating the key elements of critical thinking, deliberation, collaboration, and mutual understanding. It provides students the opportunity to make their own reasoning explicit, reflect on the quality of thinking around them, and to engage, challenge, and learn from the thinking of others in a constructive manner. It dives deep into understanding design thinking, and how one can apply principles of design thinking to build empathy and gain insights into others' perspectives. Finally, the course provides students the opportunity to apply their learning to innovate in an uncertain context.