Bridging the American Divides is an elective designed for Columbia Business School students to gain a better understanding of the causes and consequences of the American divides — and what might be done to help bridge them as future business leaders. A primary focus will be on the linkages between business decisions and practices and how they impact the divides. The course also examines how each of us plays a personal role in directly or indirectly enabling and fueling the divides. Co-taught by Professors Todd Jick and Bruce Usher, the course will be offered in two sections with both joint and separate activities and will include numerous guest presenters, extensive class interaction, and a four-day visit to Decatur, Alabama. Travel will take place from October 29 – November 2, and the program fee of $900 will cover lodging and meals during the trip (the fee does not cover airfare). This course is application-based only. The application is available at https://www8.gsb.columbia.edu/chazen/secure/students/bridging-the-american-divides/application. Students will be notified of enrollment after the course matching process but before the first add/drop round.

Todd Jick

Senior Lecturer in Discipline in Business

Professor Jick is a leading expert in Leadership and Organizational Change.  He has had a long career of both academic and consulting work in this field. In 2020, he became the Faculty Director of the Reuben Mark Initiative for Organizational Character and Leadership. He has an MS and PhD from Cornell in Organizational Behavior. He was a professor at the Harvard Business School for...

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