FACULTY EDUCATION: THE KEY TO GAINING ACCEPTANCE OF CROSS-FUNCTIONAL BUSINESS PROGRAMS Richard F. Anthony, Northern Illinois University Carol W. DeMoranville, Northern Illinois University Timothy W. Aurand, Northern Illinois University ABSTRACT Heightening corporate demand for employees equipped to effectively compete in cross- functional business environments has fostered growth in functionally integrated curricula throughout higher education. Business schools in particular are reengineering their programs to better reflect the environment in which graduates will work. But the implementation and garnering of faculty buy-in of the dramatic change initiatives involved in a cross-functional curriculum can be daunting to even the most progressive universities. This study examines faculty perceptions of a cross-functional program that has been in place seven years. Results show greater support for the cross-functional curriculum than for the pedagogy of this particular program. To assist in the development and implementation of such a program it is recommended that institutions of higher education consider an educational program that also educates the faculty, and solicits their input on how to design, implement, and modify the program. INTRODUCTION Corporate demand for functionally integrated college curricula continues to grow as firms increase their reliance upon cross-functional teams. Previous research investigating a wide variety of cross-functional programs has uncov- ered numerous issues that academicians must consider when debating a cross-functional en- deavors, including: (1) general leadership issues, (2) college administration issues, (3) faculty con- cerns, (4) student concerns, and (5) issues with general university strategies (Aurand, DeMoranville, and Gordon 2001a). Of these areas, faculty concerns may be the most critical for it is the faculty who are directly responsible for the development of the course and its imple- mentation, and who must often undergo a total change in pedagogical mindset. Therefore, pre- paring faculty for a cross-functional program, keeping them abreast of any changes to the curriculum, and providing the faculty with an opportunity to offer their opinions of the pro- gram is a critical element of any cross-functional initiative. In other words, educating the faculty on how cross-functional education is taking place may prove to be the vital element to a program’s success. The following study analyzes faculty opin- ions of a cross-functional business course that has been operational since 1994. The findings indicate that while the vast majority of faculty members agree upon key elements of the pro- gram, there is not a consensus regarding several pedagogical issues. Many of the differences of Journal for Advancement of Marketing Education – Volume 2, 2002 25