Business Management

By Calli Wolfenden, Staff Writer
 

Business Management encompasses several key areas of business. To major in business management is to immerse yourself in a broad area of education that includes finances, accounting, business principles, human resources, and, of course, management. The key focus will be managing businesses and people, understanding laws, regulations, strategies, and the unity that goes into a thriving business.

To in business management at a Christian college means to include in your education Biblical perspectives on unity, integrity, service, and stewardships. It means to understand how best to use the resources given to you by God, how to honor him in your interaction and management of others, and how to be a leader by example and service, lifting others up toward success, both for the business and for themselves. You’ll learn to see business principles in the Bible, and how God encourages proper business and provision for yourself and your family, but demands it be done with integrity, honoring His image in your life.

Some example careers for students who major in business management:

• Operations Manager: An Operations Manager oversees production, logistics, and supply chain, ensuring efficiency in the processes and aiming to streamline operations safely. Their goal is to enhance productivity and reduce costs of production. They often work with other departments within a business to improve overall business and production performance.
• Marketing Manager: Marketing Managers oversee marketing initiatives, organize promotional activities, and manage social media and website presence. Their work often involves researching market trends and analyzing results and effects from previous or current marketing strategies implemented at the company.
• Project Manager: A Project Manager oversees to completion projects within a company, planning, creating timelines, managing budgets and resources, and ensuring that objectives are met. They coordinate with others involved in the different projects, such as stakeholders, teams, and clients. 
• Entrepreneur/Small Business Owner: An Entrepreneur is someone who starts their own business. They identify a need or desire in the consumer/business market and create a product or service to fill it. They often fill many business roles, especially at first, such as marketer, operations manager, and accountant in order to get the business off the ground.
• Account Manager: An account manager is the main point of contact between a client and the business. They work to keep and strengthen the relationship between the two, ensuring client satisfaction and goal achievement.
• Retail Manager: Retail Managers are in charge of daily operations at a retail store. They make sure that everything runs smoothly, put together schedules, manage employees and training, handle inventory, and deal with customer service issues. They make sure that everything is done according to company policies and aim to increase store profit.
• Nonprofit Manager: Nonprofit Managers oversee the administration of a nonprofit, ensuring that resources are properly managed and allocated, including money, volunteers, and employees. They also make sure that the mission of the organization is being reflected by programs and projects, while keeping in compliance with regulations, labor laws, and legal requirements.
• Health Services Manager: Health Services Managers are responsible for overseeing daily medical and health services in a health care facility, such as a hospital, nursing home, or clinic. They are in charge of planning, directing, keeping compliance with health care laws and regulations, ensuring efficient operations, managing staff, and maintaining quality patient care.

It’s difficult to pin down exact placement rates for graduates with a business management degree, though it is believed to be somewhere between 70-90%. There are many jobs and professions that fall within the scope of business management, meaning that there is ample opportunity for those who choose to major in business management following graduation. Depending on the concentration or specific focus of the student (if they chose to narrow their focus), such as accounting or human resources, there may be greater chance of landing a higher paying position right out the gate. However, even in those cases, as with a broader-view business management degree, there are certain strategies and characteristics that aid in succeeding early in your business career.

The first, as with most careers, is to carry not just your education to a job interview, but some experience. Internships are the best way to gain applicable experience to bolster your resume and set you apart as an applicant and potential employee. The more internships, the better. But, more than quantity, focus as much as possible on the quality of the internships. Try to find internships that are directly related to the specific career you want following your graduation. The more specific the experience is to the job you want after college, the more likely you are to begin that career right after graduation.

Another important booster for success is networking. Especially in business situations and management jobs, relationships and who you know is massively important. Being able to provide references for character and experience is key to getting the job or promotion. Additionally, keeping up connections across the field, even in other companies, can get your foot in the door for company switches, partnerships, and even potential clients. Begin networking while in college. Keep contacts from your internships, business classes, and go to networking or business events in your area. Make a point of introducing yourself, asking questions, and exchanging emails or contact information. You’ll need to get comfortable being social and starting conversations, so confidence is key in networking.

Building up a business-minded skill set is critical to getting the job done and becoming a manager/employee that can be trusted to do whatever is needed of them. Like we said, confidence is key, not just in conversation, but also in decision-making and leadership. You need to be sure of yourself and willing to take responsibility and constructive criticism without crumbling. You also need to be committed to continuous learning: no one has everything figured out, and the business world is constantly changing and shifting, there is always going to be something new to learn. Which leads us to being adaptable. With all the changes, you need to be light on your feet, and flexible with the shifts. With business management, you’ll also need a strong work ethic; others will look to you to lead by example, so you’ll need to be the one setting the standard for hard work and consistent effort.

These key traits that aid in success for someone with a business management degree make them great candidates for any profession. They ideally create a strong employee, a great communicator, and a dedicated leader, all ideal qualities for not just business, but also ministry.

Work Cited:

• “What Is the Average Business Management Salary by State.” ZipRecruiter, www.ziprecruiter.com/Salaries/What-Is-the-Average-Business-Management-Salary-by-State. Accessed summer 2025.

By Calli Wolfenden, Staff Writer
 

Being able to lead others, communicate well, and keep projects and finances organized is no small task, and incredibly important for ministries and Churches to be effective.

Luke 14:28-30
“Suppose one of you wants to build a tower. Won’t you first sit down and estimate the cost to see if you have enough money to complete it? For if you lay the foundation and are not able to finish it, everyone who sees it will ridicule you, saying, ‘this person began to build and wasn’t able to finish.’”

Matthew 25:23
“His master replied, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master’s happiness!’”

Churches often run very similarly to businesses. Not in the “for-profit” way, but in managing projects, fundraising, human resources, and the like. Churches need to be able to fund mission trips, building upkeep, ministry organizations, and be able to pay those who work full-time in the Church, such as pastors, counselors, and those who keep everything running behind the scenes. Because of this, churches can greatly benefit from the skills and expertise of someone with a business management degree. From managing volunteers and heading fund-raising projects to overseeing the finances of the Church, a business management degree provides an individual with the necessary knowledge to be a capable and beneficial part of the Church’s team.

Those who choose to major in business management can also play a central role in ministry. Ministries, Non-profits, and Charity-organizations alike all need organization, management, and financial stability and integrity. A business management degree prepares an individual to manage and lead others and projects, maintain organization and standards, and manage funds and money wisely. Someone with a business management degree can play any number of beneficial roles in Ministry, much like they can in Church, and use the gifts and skills the Lord has blessed them with to serve Him and others, as we are all called to do.

The possibilities and career paths for those who choose to major in business management are wide open. If you are a strong communicator, hard worker, natural and dedicated leader, and lean toward business, then a business management degree may be just the thing for you!