Olivet College of Business is excited to feature two courses in its MBA curriculum in 2010 Spring semester: BU600 Business as Mission and MG600 Marketing Management. Both courses adopt the interactive method of case study, which allows individuals or small groups of students to study and work together on real business/ministry situations and company examples.

Business as Mission is a course examining the role of business in Christian missions. Cross-listed in Olivet Theological College & Seminary (OTCS), the course is co-developed and team taught by Olivet College of Business Dean Dr. Tom Cowley, a successful business strategist, and OTCS Dean and Middle East mission expert Dr. Joseph Ray Tallman. It covers themes that include the theology of business as missions; practical issues concerning the use of business as a vehicle for cross-cultural missions, and specific for-profit business models and case studies. A special focus of this course will be business mission in countries with a history of hostility to the Gospel message.

Marketing Management provides students with an understanding of the basic concepts of marketing management and experience in making marketing strategy decisions. The course features lectures by John F. Hunt, the author of the award-winning business book "The Do-It-Yourself Marketing Handbook: How Anyone Can Be A Great Marketer. The course is specially designed to cover issues facing students in their specific ministry and business situations, including how to conduct market analysis, identify target audiences and implement marketing tactics using web technology.

“I hope the students in these courses can provide a sounding board with feedback for making our business school outstanding among Christian programs,” Dr. Cowley said.