Professor Loren Dyck is revolutionizing the way MBA students approach business deals at the University of La Verne with a unique course that emphasizes the importance of exchanging more than just money. BUS 551: Seminar in Organization Theory and Behavior teaches students how to negotiate, analyze decision-making processes, understand emotional intelligence in the workplace, and communicate effectively within group dynamics by bartering a small $1 item in the La Verne community for something of much greater value.
The project allows students four weeks to put into practice the concepts and theories learned in class in a real-world setting. The skills they acquire through this project are not only practical but also valuable in any workplace. Professor Dyck developed this assignment to give students an experiential exercise that would help them apply course concepts and theories beyond traditional case studies.
After several years of implementing the project, students came up with an idea to donate the items they bartered to local charities. Professor Dyck was thrilled by this initiative and redesigned the assignment to require each student team to find a local charitable organization to donate their final item. He was impressed by the students’ commitment to the university’s values of community and civic engagement as well as their ability to learn and apply course concepts and theories.
In its tenth year, Dyck reports that his students have bartered and collected 29 items worth over $8,000 for local charities. This year, they collectively bartered items totaling nearly $300 in value, which were donated to various local organizations. This class is just one example of how University of La Verne faculty are fostering a community of changemakers on campus. To stay updated on all developments at the university, visit the University of La Verne news page.
