Faculty Spotlight
The Management and Organization Department's distinguished and highlighted faculty members.
Five Questions with a Faculty Member...
with Dr. Luciano
- Tell us about the classes you teach and the areas you research.
I teach MGMT 326 (Organizational Behavior and Design), BA 802 (Team Process and Performance), and MGMT 548 (Seminar in Management). In MGMT 326, I focus on building knowledge and skills associated with how students can better manage themselves and others – as leaders, followers, and team members. For example, learning how to motivate their team members and work with people with different personalities. This class features numerous skill-building activities (e.g., Minute to Win It, Lego-Mania, Crack the Code) and simulations (e.g., Crafting Your Life, Mt. Everest). I also teach multiple sections of BA 802 to students in our MBA program and PhD students from other colleges. In this class, students learn how to improve team effectiveness by building core team skills (e.g., skills related to enhancing coordination, cooperation, communication, and conflict management). Alternatively, in MGMT 548, I work with students in our Doctor of Business Administration Program to build their research-related skills, such as diagnosis, integration, application, and translation. My research focuses on leaders, teams, and complex systems, with an emphasis on enabling organizations and their employees to thrive in complex, dynamic, and hybrid environments. - What do you enjoy most about the work that you do?
I love helping people develop the skills they need to be successful in their careers and creating new activities to help them do so. The closet in my office is filled with an interesting mix of supplies—including boxes of Legos, six types of pasta, decks of cards, and over 100 ping-pong balls. - Considering the undergraduate course(s) that you teach, how can students start putting what they are learning into practice?
There are several ways students can use the material in MGMT326 to help with their internship and/or job search. For example, they learn how to diagnose organizational culture – which can help determine whether an organization is a good fit for them, and some basic negotiation skills – which can help with negotiating their compensation package. Students also build a variety of team-related skills (e.g., communication, conflict management) and get practice using important team tools (e.g., team charter, debriefs). These skills can help students perform more effectively in their project teams across their courses – and potentially even help deal with difficult roommates. - What advice do you have for students, as we move past the mid-point of the semester?
I recommend considering taking a weekend off to take stock and reset. You may have faced (and overcome!) some challenges during the first half of the semester. Now is a great time to take stock and adjust your plans for the second half of the semester (e.g., how will you adjust your study strategy for the next set of exams, do you need to ramp up your effort on a major team project?). Additionally, taking a little time off to reset at the semester mid-point can help avoid feeling burnt out during the end-of-semester crunch. - What do you enjoy doing in your free time?
I enjoy hot yoga, Pilates, and going for long walks with my German Shepherd, Bentley.
Should you have a question or wish to get more involved in the Management major, please email Undergraduate Management Major Program Coordinator Dr. Jennifer Eury, at jld345@psu.edu
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