Tommy Cates, D.B.A.


Career

Teaching
I teach management classes at the junior, senior, and graduate levels in the School of Business at the University of Tennessee Martin. These include:
Management 301 Organization and Management
Management 305 Innovation and Creativity
Management 306 Entrepreneurship
Management 490 Business Policy
Management 740 Innovation and Entrepreneurship
Management 790 Strategic Management
I have taught several classes using the interactive distance learning equipment to transmit the classes to off-campus sites. I see this equipment and the recent developments in technology as important points in the future of college education. Included with this change, the addition of Internet-based classes and the use of digital television broadcasts will significantly alter teaching at the college level. Currently I am developing my skills in Internet-based teaching to maintain my viability as a college professor.
I am particularly interested in teaching innovative processes that move creative ideas of students from conceptual ideas to products in markets.  My interest in this area led me to develop new definitions for some business courses.  Examples, of these courses are Management 305 and Management 306.   Management 305 will be taught as a course in Concept Recognition where the students will develop ideas for new products and services.   Management 306 will be taught as a course where teams will develop business plans for products or services developed in the Management 305 course.  These courses will be based on the ideas from the University of Southern California's  Entrepreneurship Program and the E-Team concept from HampshireCollege.   My interest in developing an intensive program of  Entrepreneurship is detailed in this page.    In addition, there is a list of web pages to aid students and finding information on Innovation and Entrepreneurship.

Entrepreneurship Program

Research

I am interested in several different areas of management and marketing. I average two or three papers or articles per year.  My research interests vary and cross disciplines to include accounting, experiential learning, writing across the curriculum, and new teaching techniques.
Service
My service activities include working within the University in several areas: Faculty Senate, Personnel Policies Committee within the Senate, Distance Education Committee at the State-level, and as a Team Facilitator in the System Quality Enhancement program within the University. In addition, I have worked for several years as a Freshman Studies Counselor for incoming freshmen.  In addition, I am involved in several committees within the School of Business as the need arises.


Life Outside the University

Church
My family and I are involved in our local United Methodist Church and several ecumenical groups.
Hobbies
I hunt a variety of game with archery, muzzle loading rifles, high-powered rifles, and cameras. I fish with cane pole and flyfish when I have the opportunity. Photography has been and continues to be an interest for me. Working in our lawn and garden take a lot my time in the spring and summer months. Cooking is another hobby that I chase and sometimes I think it catches me around my waist.
Service to the Community
I am a member of the Martin Economic Development Board. Also, I serve as a Board Member of the Interfaith Center located just off campus.

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