The UCI Graduate School of Management is using a recent $1 million anonymous gift to enhance its information-technology focus, especially in the hot e-commerce area.
GSM is widely known for its emphasis on information technology for management (ITM). The ITM objective is to teach students how to make management decisions by using information being generated by the rapid growth of technology. The school also stresses entrepreneurism, with the goal of creating graduates especially suited to the so-called “new economy” of high-tech and Internet-related firms. The approach has attracted the attention and support of the local technology business community and national donors.
“The donor was so impressed by the creativity and forward thinking of this focus that he wished to provide funds to ensure its effective and rapid implementation across the curriculum,” said David Blake, dean of GSM.
In addition to the $1 million gift announced in the fall, the school has received about $5 million in software donations.
The cash donation was first used to hire a curriculum development officer, Tom Eppel, who is responsible for further developing coursework in the IT area. Three new classes in e-commerce have been added to the school’s course list this year, and five existing classes were also improved by the gift.
One new class, titled E-Commerce Practicum, provides teams of students with experience working with real-life e-commerce problems under the direction of an experienced consultant.
The school also hired eight new teaching assistants to support new and existing faculty members, and it was able to send several professors to major conferences on information technology. The donation also allowed faculty members and students to collaborate in the development of an e-portal, a support tool used across all the e-commerce classes.
The remaining $250,000 of the donation will partially fund the ongoing development of five ITM labs, where students will gain experience managing all aspects of a business operation. These labs enable students to solve actual problems of existing companies by providing access to software and real-life data.
Both Blake and assistant dean Barbara Claybaugh had known the $1 million donor for some time, and had been developing the individual’s involvement with the school. Claybaugh said that relationship was key in getting the individual to buy into GSM’s vision.
“I think the gift showed our faculty that someone in the community thought we had a wonderful, winning idea, and that is always comforting to know,” Claybaugh said.
The UCI Graduate School of Management was recently rated No. 22 on the Financial Times of London’s list of 106 business schools worldwide, and No. 1 in the U.S. in the information-technology category. n
GSM Getting Consultant Once-Over
UC Irvine’s Graduate School of Management is undergoing an in-depth analysis with the help of New York-based McKinsey & Co., one of the nation’s largest management consulting firms. The school is working with the firm’s local office.
GSM Dean David Blake said “in these days, any organization associated with business has to be able to be very agile.”
The study, about half completed with about two more months to go, will make recommendations for improving management and operations at the school. Like GSM’s move to an Information Technology focus a few years ago, the analysis is part of the school’s commitment to staying on the cutting edge, Blake said.
McKinsey is known for consulting on organizational, e-commerce and strategy issues. The UCI business school has 1,100 students.
,Sherri Cruz
