Students interested in pursuing a career in the industry can now choose to major in business administration with an emphasis in furniture manufacturing management. Although the program doesn't begin until the fall semester, students may sign up now.
The new major is a direct result of requests by furniture industry representatives across the state, said program adviser Barbara Spencer.
"Mississippi State's major teaches students to understand the industry itself, as well as to learn good business and managerial skills," said Spencer, a management professor in the College of Business and Industry.
Mississippi State's interdisciplinary program involves a shared campus curriculum between the business college and the School of Forest Resources.
Also, through a cooperative education program, students will spend three semesters gaining practical work experience with some of the state's 300-plus furniture manufacturers. Among them are Action Industries of Tupelo; Brookwood, Pontotoc; Franklin Corp., Houston; River Oaks, Fulton; Flexsteel, Starkville; Baldwin Piano, Greenwood; and La-Z-Boy, Newton.
Mississippi State's program differs in significant ways from other academic programs aimed at the furniture industry, said management professor McRae C. Banks.
"Rather than being technologically oriented like North Carolina State or focusing on the merchandising aspect, such as High Point (N.C.) University, our program stresses the management aspect," Banks said. "This is what makes us unique."
Mississippi is the nation's No.1 manufacturer of upholstered furniture. Within the state, furniture manufacturing is the state's third-largest employer.
After graduation, students will be qualified for such career options as manufacturing management, inventory control, administrative management, customer service, purchasing, and human resources management, Spencer said.
"The best part of this new effort has been the cooperation among the College of Business and Industry, the School of Forest Resources, the Office of Cooperative Education, and the furniture manufacturers themselves," said Spencer.
Though the College of Business and Industry has been heavily involved with the Mississippi furniture industry only for a few years, another university unit—the Forest Products Research Laboratory—has been providing assistance since 1964. Added emphasis came in 1987 when the Mississippi Legislature created the furniture research unit at the lab.
This World Wide Web version of MSU Memo was modified and updated by Chris Brown.
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Last modified: Friday, 14-Jun-2002 15:59:04 CDT.
URL: http://msuinfo.ur.msstate.edu/msu_memo/1995/4-17-95/major.htm
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