Send Us Your Feedback Several courses fall under an area the university calls Strategic Uses of Information Technology. All involve theory, analysis, and business case studies done in teams. We provide instructors from each of these areas to offer perspectives on each of these concepts. It's important to give students the ability to put the concepts into practice, Mendelson says.
Actionable information is what's most important.
According to Miller, the courses' greatest benefit stems not from content, but from an attitudinal shift. Collaboration with universities can come in a number of ways. Steve Finnerty, CIO of Kraft Foods Inc., recalls a cross-training effort that began with a book assignment and led to a program with Northwestern University's business school. Finnerty, who has an MBA, says the most important cross-training still goes on outside classrooms. Midcareer IT managers can take part in leadership programs that pair them with more senior mentors on the business side, such as finance or marketing, to provide them with real-life understanding of business issues.