Values Based Leadership MBA Concentration

Since the spring of 2013, Xavier University's Williams College of Business has offered a Values-Based Leadership Concentration (VBL) in its MBA program.

Increasingly, organizations find they must have employees with a solid basis in ethics and governance-related training. Scandals of the recent past have made it harder for the public, and even a corporation's own employees, to trust organizations. VBL has its foundations in many disciplines, from leadership and values-based decision making to corporate social responsibility and sustainability.

The program was proposed by Xavier's Cintas Institute for Business Ethics, Williams College of Business, and by Ann Marie Tracey (retired) and Paul Fiorelli. VBL is cross-disciplinary, and will include faculty from across the disciplines of the Williams College of Business.

"Our new MBA concentration in Values-Based Leadership is a great example of Xavier's Jesuit identity in action," says Brian Till, PhD, former dean of the Williams College of Business. "In addition to a solid mastery of business fundamentals, Xavier MBA students will also come away with the tools and concepts for more responsible decision making."

A few other MBA programs offer courses in ethics, governance, sustainability, and leadership, but Xavier VBL's comprehensive approach sets a high standard for values-based leadership in the Catholic, Jesuit tradition. Students will become more proactive in developing strategies inclusive of all constituencies and stakeholders in the organization, the community, and the global environment. They will learn the best practices of others and network with peers and senior executives from the community.

To successfully complete the concentration, students complete three elective courses in the VBL concentration from these options: Spirituality and Leadership (BUAD604), Business Ethics through Film (BUAD609), Ethics and Leadership (MGMT616), and International Ethics in London-Paris (BUAD681). They complete a Corporate Governance (BUAD690) course as their capstone requirement.  Due to potential scheduling conflicts, BUAD690 - Corporate Governance - may be used as one of the three electives, but then students would be required to take another one of the capstone options to complete their MBA.

Xavier University's Williams College of Business educates students of business, enabling them to improve organizations and society, consistent with the Jesuit tradition. For more information, contact Professor Fiorelli at 513-745-2050 or email fiorelli@xavier.edu.