Get to Know Your Professor Part 1
Dr. James Bloodgood, professor of management, teaches classes on campus as well as online through the Division of Continuing Education. Students who take Management Concepts (MANGT 420) or Business Strategy (GENBA 880) may know him as a professor, but this Q&A session with Bloodgood gives insight to his teaching strategies and life outside the classroom.
Q: Talk a little bit about yourself.
A: I grew up in Indiana and got married at 19. I have now been married for 31 years. I have two kids and three grandchildren. It is true that grandchildren are actually much more fun. I was an accountant for General Motors for eight years after college and worked for a distributor for a couple of years. I found both organizations to be run in very different ways. They made good moves, and some bad moves. I liked analyzing their effectiveness quite a bit and decided I would like to learn more about how companies should be run to perform better. So I decided to become a professor. My kids were very young at the time, so it was very challenging.
Young children are my favorite thing in the world, so I spend most of my free time with them. Fortunately, I have three grandkids (aged 3, 4 and 5) that are a complete blast to be with. I try not to spoil them too much, but their smiles make me melt.
My first Assistant Professor position was at Mississippi State University. I got my Ph.D. at the University of South Carolina. The seven years I spent in the South were very interesting, but I was very glad to get back to the Midwest.
Q: What do you like about teaching online?
A: I have students write short papers about management topics they have personally experienced, and this always provides me with interesting and unique perspectives from students. It is interesting learning about their lives and goals. There is a lot more variance in the types of students that take online courses than those that primarily take on-campus courses. I also enjoy making their lives a little more informed and a little easier.
Q: What do you love about the subject you teach, and why did you decide to become a professor?
A: I decided to become a professor after I worked for General Motors as an accountant and for a medium-sized distributor of consumer goods. These were very different companies, and the distinctive way they were run fascinated me. I liked to see how various plans were created and carried out, and to see how effective they were. Watching management in action from a third-person perspective, as well as being directly involved in it, was fun and challenging. There are just so many different paradoxes facing managers that it makes it difficult to manage well. I wanted to share my experiences with others and to engage in research on management topics so I could learn more. Becoming a professor enabled me to do both. Getting a Ph.D. was extremely challenging professionally and personally, but well worth it for me. I absolutely love teaching.
Q: What tips can you give students who are earning their degree online?
A: Contact your instructor whenever something is unclear. We are here to help. Try to make the course material come alive in your own way so that you will understand it better and be able to apply it more effectively. I try to provide interesting stories to help with this, but it also helps for students to take an active role in doing this.
Q: What are some strategies you use to cater to distance students through your teaching?
A: I try to explain as much as possible up front so all students can have a better idea of what is expected of them and what they can expect of me. I also know what it is like to take distance classes, since I did during my undergraduate (Accounting) and graduate (Master’s in Manufacturing Management and Doctorate in Strategic Management) programs. I like to respond very quickly to students’ questions and grade assignments within one day so they can get quick feedback.
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