School of Business

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Yunn K. Kang, MBA, Dean

Associate Professor

John A. Covone, MBA

Adjunct Faculty

Zachary B. Bingaman, MBA
Derek T. Cooper, PhD
Shawn L. Davis, DSL
Thomas P. Elmer, MBA
Jeff D. Eubank, MBA
Mark D. Forshaw, MA
Samuel Harrell, BS
Stephen J. Hauser, MBA
Timothy K. Hui, JD
Robert B. Kramer, DMin
Samuel J. Lufi, MTS
David Marks, PhD
John Mesher, JD
Paul T. Neal, MA
Lindsay Reilly, MS
Frank Robinson, MBA
Karl M. Smith, MBA
Frank Viola, MPA
James H. Worth, MBA

The School

In America today, more business degrees are conferred upon college graduates than any other degrees. But succeeding in business is about more than getting a job, and the marketplace needs more than graduates with business degrees. Business is influential, and people in business shape the world we live in.

Students who are serious about their faith and want to be successful business leaders, managers, or entrepreneurs can bring those commitments together at Cairn.

Students in the School of Business receive an education that prepares them professionally and personally through the development of business skills, ethics, integrity, and character. A biblical worldview is integrated in every subject, whether business communications, accounting, or organizational leadership.

On both the undergraduate and graduate levels, students are mentored by faculty with business and leadership experience. Faculty instill and encourage initiative, responsibility, creativity, and the application of wisdom in and out of the classroom. Practical business experience through internships, student groups, and employment strengthen the business education at Cairn. Graduates of the School of Business serve in for-profit and nonprofit business careers.

Mission Statement

The School of Business offers undergraduate and graduate programs that aspire to educate students to serve Christ in the church, society, and the world by integrating the business skills learning process with a biblical worldview to produce biblically minded, well-educated, and professionally competent men and women of character.

The mission statement is realized by pursuing the following major goals in all of the school’s programs:

• Admitting students from diverse backgrounds with high leadership potential
• Engaging students with a powerful Christian developmental experience using a nurturing educational process
• Fostering a biblical world/life perspective grounded in ethical standards, a global outlook, deep functional knowledge, and a commitment to lifelong learning
• Developing programs that foster intellectual and spiritual maturity, leadership potential, and a global view of missions
• Sustaining an environment that attracts, develops, and retains the finest faculty in the world for this purpose
   

The Programs

The School of Business offers the following graduate programs:

• Master of Business Administration (MBA)
• Master of Science in Nonprofit Leadership (MSNL)
• Master of Science in Organizational Development (MSOD)
• Graduate Certificate in Organizational Development

While these programs are complementary, they are different in their focus, purpose, and curriculum. The emphasis of the MSOD program is on the human side of the enterprise, while the focus of the MBA is on the functional (business) side of the enterprise. The MSNL program applies the same competencies as the other programs to the nonprofit and social sectors.

Business Administration

Cairn offers two delivery options for the MBA degree. The traditional classroom delivery is ideal for the working professional preferring live instruction, student interaction, and curriculum flexibility. The online cohort delivery focuses on entrepreneurial management, offering students the convenience of online instruction and class interaction.

The purpose of the MBA program is to ensure graduates will understand the multicultural, political, legal, and regulatory business environments and comprehend critical functional business areas.

The traditional MBA program offers courses in:

• Foundations of Organizational Leadership
• Accounting for Management Decisions
• Financial Management
• Managerial Economics
• Strategic Marketing
• Operations Management
• Global Business
• The Legal Environment of Business
• Strategic Management

The online MBA in entrepreneurial management focuses on the two strategic forces driving business today - globalization and innovation. This program offers the convenience of an online learning experience with the opportunity to meet classmates face-to-face at key points each semester. Entrepreneurship is not only the act of starting a new business, but a mindset of addressing problems around us, whether in a large corporation or a startup venture, with an innovative solution and the skills to put the solution into action.

Courses address innovation, strategic leadership and organizational culture, decision analysis, and market validation, as well as business competencies such as finance, law, and communication. The program concludes with a capstone course, which is an invaluable experience putting all of the new knowledge and entrepreneurial mindset into action.

The online program offers courses in:

• Market Discovery and Analysis
• Innovation and Entrepreneurship
• Creating and Leading Effective Organizations
• Global Business and Economics
• The Legal Environment of Business
• Financial Management
• Business Economics and Metrics
• Strategy and Operations Implementation
• Entrepreneurial Sales and Communications
• Entrepreneurship Capstone
• Overview of Christian Theology
• Theology of Business and Leadership

The MBA degree can be customized by using the elective courses for concentrations in organizational development, organizational culture, nonprofit management, human resources, innovation, leadership, entrepreneurship (on campus time required), or strategic planning and management (on campus time required).

MBA Program Objectives

Business Competence
Students will demonstrate understanding of core business subjects such as finance, strategy, marketing, and leadership.

Global Perspective
Students will understand and evaluate opportunities and needs around the world incorporating cultural context.

Leadership and Teamwork
Students will gain the skills needed to succeed as leaders and managers of diverse teams, and apply biblical and ethical values.

Entrepreneurial Spirit
Students will apply the skills and knowledge gained to identify and create opportunities, whether in a corporate or entrepreneurial setting.

Biblical Foundation
Students will apply biblical principles as the foundational core for their business decisions and actions.

Decisive Action
Students will demonstrate the ability to evaluate and apply appropriate and relevant decision-making tools and principles, and then follow through on their decisions with action.

Effective Communication
Students will demonstrate the ability to communicate effectively in business interactions of various types.

Nonprofit Leadership

The MS in Nonprofit Leadership prepares students to be effective leaders, not just managers, of nonprofit organizations. The program is offered in a combination of online, hybrid, and experiential courses and can be completed in 20 months. The program combines organizational leadership courses with nonprofit management and strategy courses to prepare leaders to direct nonprofit organizations, social ventures, and other agencies with innovation and excellence. The program trains leaders in finance, strategy, leadership, and other business competencies as they apply to a nonprofit or social organization. The program culminates in a capstone leadership practicum to put the skills learned to use in a real-world environment.

The program offers courses in:

• Nonprofit Innovation
• Best Practices in Nonprofit Organizations
• Financial Management for Nonprofit Organizations
• Principles of Research
• Nonprofit Strategy
• Fundraising and Development
• Capstone: Nonprofit Strategy Practicum

MSNL Program Objectives

Organizational Effectiveness
Students will demonstrate and apply the skills and understanding of how to scale the effectiveness of nonprofit organizations.

Management Competence
Students will demonstrate understanding of core business subjects such as finance, strategy, and leadership.

Leadership and Teamwork
Students will demonstrate the skills needed to succeed as leaders and managers of diverse teams, and apply biblical and ethical values.

Biblical Foundation
Students will employ biblical principles as the foundational core for their business decisions and actions.

Decisive Action
Students will demonstrate the ability to evaluate and apply appropriate and relevant decision-making tools and principles, conduct research and analyze results, and follow through on their decisions with action.

Effective Communication
Students will demonstrate the ability to communicate effectively in organizational interactions of various types.

Organizational Development

Churches, schools, parachurch organizations, social service agencies, businesses, and hospitals meet people’s needs by providing a variety of services and products. While each organization has a specialized function, unique culture, and diverse resources, there are also a significant number of similarities, including complex human and political dynamics, diverse values and goals, and specialized technologies and skills. Christians in positions of leadership need to develop the skills required to work in collaboration with diverse groups of people, create a healthy and productive environment, and cultivate transformational change that leads to long-term viability and effectiveness.

These programs are designed for professionals who desire a better understanding of organizational dynamics and who value collaboration with and insight from experienced peers. The educational approach of this program recognizes that all adult students possess insight and experience which, when shared with others, is a valuable contribution to the overall learning process. Students are provided with an environment that encourages reflection, innovation, dialogue, interdependency, and skill development.

The purpose of the Master of Science in Organizational Development program is to contribute to the development of professionally effective and relationally healthy Christian leaders locally, regionally, and internationally.

The Graduate Certificate in Organizational Development provides an overview of organizational leadership theory and practice from a biblical perspective. Upon completion of the program, participants will understand how to assess an organization’s culture and environment, how to improve organizational effectiveness, where and when to use certain leadership styles and approaches to improve performance, and how to more effectively supervise and manage personnel and teams.

The MSOD program offers courses in:

• Foundations of Organizational Leadership
• Philosophy of Leadership
• Organizational Culture and Change
• Communication Skills for Leaders
• Principles of Organizational Consulting
• Principles of Team Dynamics and Development
• Principles of Research

MSOD Program Objectives

Human Dignity and Diversity
Students will demonstrate an understanding of the critical importance of human beings, human dignity, and human values, as bearers of God’s image, and the richness that human diversity brings to organizations.

Personal Character and Credibility
Students will demonstrate an understanding of the critical nature of strong personal character and credibility in exemplifying good leadership. Students will demonstrate an integration of a biblical worldview of organizational leadership into life and practice.

Leadership Principles and Styles
Students will be able to responsibly articulate the key principles of good leadership and leadership styles in organizations, as well as an understanding of the dynamics of organizational culture and culture changes through a biblical worldview.

Effective Communication
Students will be able to demonstrate effective communication and presentation skills in an organizational setting, as well as the ability to apply facilitation and consultation skills in appropriate situations.

Organizational Assessment and Intervention
Students will be able to employ organizational strategy, systems thinking, and intervention skills, as well as critical assessment, critical thinking, diagnostic and research skills, and reflective practice skills to their decision-making and leadership development.

Human Motivation and Group Dynamics
Students will demonstrate an understanding of human motivation, the application of influencing and collaboration skills, and an understanding of relational health, group dynamics, and interaction.

Related Program Information

Delivery Methods

The graduate programs in the School of Business are designed to accommodate working professionals by providing various program delivery options. Classes are held on Cairn’s Langhorne campus and are conducted in hybrid online/onsite sessions and seven-week modules. Seven-week modules meet one night a week for three hours during the fall and spring semesters.

Incorporating state-of-the-art technology, all graduate courses are web-enabled and designed to incorporate Cairn’s online course management site, eLearning. This site is used for online learning collaborative activities, for posting learning materials, and for course work submissions. Students will research pertinent topics and/or discussion questions, post results to forums, and engage each other in meaningful dialogue. Additionally, students are placed in learning teams and use the eLearning site to collaborate on project activities, presentations, and participate in group discussions.

Student Profile

One of the enriching elements of the programs is the diversity within the student body. Such diversity provides the opportunity for exposure to unique experiences and perceptions, as well as valuable interaction which benefits all participants.

Career diversity: Students work in varied leadership roles in churches, businesses, nonprofit organizations, government, and education.

Ethnic diversity: In a typical class, ethnic diversity is Hispanic, 4%; Asian, 12%; Black or African-American, 10%; White, 56%; International, 12%;  Other, 4%; Two or more races, 2%.

Age diversity: The average age of students in the programs is 37. Students’ ages range from the early twenties to the mid-sixties.

Gender diversity: The average class is approximately 44% female and 56% male.

Church diversity: Students in the programs are evangelical in their doctrine and come from diverse church backgrounds, including Baptist, Assemblies of God, Bible Fellowship, Calvary Chapel, Evangelical Free, and Presbyterian.

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