"An organization is a collection of people working together to achieve a common purpose. It enables its members to perform tasks far beyond any single individual." (Schermerhorn & Bachrach, 2020)

Organizations are complex structures made up of several distinct functional areas, departments, and business units. While all of these entities are assigned specific roles and responsibilities, they do not operate in isolation. For any strategic decision to be operationalized, each functional area, department, and business unit plays an integral role. The interconnectedness of these entities becomes apparent in the collaborative decision making, which is a hallmark of organizational growth.

In the next three modules (and throughout the course), you will play the role of a business consultant in a health and beauty company, specifically in their rewards and loyalty department. In your role, you will explore organizational structures and the interconnectedness of various functional areas and business units. You will also learn to distinguish between strategic and operational thinking and learn to apply business analysis techniques, such as strength, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats (SWOT) analyses. You will also learn to interpret results of a SWOT analysis. In doing so, you will explore how a strategic decision can impact various departments within an organization. In Module Three, you will apply this knowledge and skills to complete Project One: Applying Strategic and Operational Thinking.

Before you get to this project, you will have the opportunity to learn about these skills using the recommended resources for each module as well as the MBA Library Research Guide opens in new window. You are also encouraged to reach out to your instructor for support without hesitation.

In this course, you will have the opportunity to earn industry-recognized badges and certifications that will help you gain additional skills that speak directly to what employers want. The AICPA Certificate in Human Intelligence - Coaching vs. Mentoring will help you recognize the similarities and differences between coaching and mentoring, recall the coaching preparation process, recognize the facts and myths about mentoring, and recall the best ways to establish a mentor/mentee relationship. The Wiley Acclaim Badge: MS Excel for Accounting explores the basics of this essential business tool MS Excel. As you progress through your program and earn these badges and certifications, you are encouraged to update your resume, your LinkedIn profile, or both to document your achievements.

• Distinguish a functional area, a department, and a business unit
• Identify the responsibilities of the functional areas/departments
• Analyze the interconnectedness of the functional areas/departments in an organization