MS in Leadership for Creative Enterprises logo

Disney, Lululemon, Yahoo, and Michelin star restaurants all offer products familiar to most of today’s consumers, but MSLCE students got an even closer look into these well-known brands this fall through Pablo Boczkowski’s Organizational Processes course.

Students examined the structure and function of various companies through three lenses: the strategic design, political, and cultural. Each lens was applied to various case studies to prepare students to be effective leaders in our respective creative sectors. 

MSLCE students first delved into the strategic design lens through analyzing Disney’s “The Lion King.” Key takeaways consisted of identifying hierarchical structures in companies. Students learned that applying the functional, market-based, and matrix structures would allow us to make informed decisions in our fields, and to know when structural change is needed.

In viewing companies through the political lens, MSLCE students gained tools to evaluate divisions of power and the impact of structural network-building.  We studied charismatic venture capitalist, Heidi Roizen, whose work focuses on networks and three key sources of power: positional, relational, and social.

Yahoo’s branding is internally and externally synergistic, which makes it ideal for the cultural lens. Students identified artifacts, deeds, language, stories, accomplishments, and standards of Yahoo, and organized them into an iceberg metaphor to grasp the cultural lens.  

Students enjoyed approaching el Bulli, a case about a former fine dining restaurant that is the only recipient of three Michelin stars. Students fantasized about the exquisite food while analyzing operations of the restaurant.

The best advice for any incoming MSLCE students? Incorporate as many soccer references as possible in assignments to score an “A.”  All jokes aside, Pablo’s infectious and humorous personality is the cherry on top of an outstanding course in the MSLCE program. Moving forward, MSLCE students are well-equipped with fundamentals to be leaders within their creative industries.