Connections

Humber's Bachelor of Applied Business - e-Business degree is preparing students to capitalize on the future of business. And that future lies in harnessing the power of technology to improve businesses' bottom line.

Edmund Baumann, program faculty member, explains the purpose of the program this way: "What the program does is teach students how technology aids in the execution of a business vision. It not only gets them to explore the relationship and impact that different information systems have on business, but it teaches them how to use information systems to optimize and maximize business returns."

Over the course of eight semesters, e-Business students learn how traditional business elements - like economics, marketing, accounting, finance, operations, and organizational behaviour - mesh with e-business concepts and processes to improve the bottom line of any organization. The program includes a four-month paid work term that is completed before the fourth year to provide students with the opportunity to apply their studies in a real work situation.

The inspiration for the e-Business degree came from industry recognition that most degree graduates are either trained in traditional business areas or modern technology, but seldom both. A degree student who has both kinds of training, by comparison, is a very attractive commodity to potential employers: "These graduates understand and excel at both perspectives making them key contributors to any business organization in the twenty-first century," says Edmund.

The role of technology in business is reflected in the use of technology in e-Business classrooms. Dr. Pierre-Pascal Gendron teaches economics in the program and says his class is "more than just chalk and talk." Drawing upon his past experience as an economist, journalist, and financial consultant, Pierre-Pascal is committed to delivering an education that fuses economics with technology. He describes the economics courses he teaches as "straddling the line between technology and business in order to give students the maximum flexibility to pursue options in a variety of job markets."

Jeff Short approaches his Human Resource Management courses in the e-Business program in much the same way. According to Jeff, "organizations cannot achieve their goals without developing effective strategies, and strategic plans cannot be implemented without talented and motivated employees. This is what my courses are about. Employers are starving for enthusiastic employees who can work effectively in a team environment and think strategically. e-Business students will graduate with a degree that provides them with an excellent mix of practical business training, the technical know-how of e-business, and the people skills necessary to support an effective team and develop into excellent managers and leaders."

Eli Lewin also brings a wide-range of technical and business experience to the Operations Management, Supply Chain Management, and Management Support System courses he teaches in the e-Business program. Eli is a professional engineer, a member of the Association for Operations Management, and he's SAP-certified. Eli says that having experts like himself in the e-Business classroom "gives our grads an advantage when they apply for jobs and seek employment because they know their education is current and up-to-date."

With experts like Pierre-Pascal, Jeff and Eli in the classroom, it's not surprising that hundreds of prospective students apply each year for only a few coveted spots in the e-Business program.

To ensure your spot in the e-Business program, apply today on the Ontario Colleges Application Service website at www.ontariocolleges.ca using OCAS Program Code 22001.