Northwood University Accredits University Of Toyota Management
December 16, 2003 -- Torrance, CA -- Graduates Now Receive 16 University-level Credits
The University of Toyota School of Retail Professional Development and Midland, Michigan's Northwood University have announced the recognition of Toyota's Executive Management curriculum, awarding future participants 16 transfer credits upon graduation from the course.
Toyota Quality Executive Management, created by the University of Toyota School of Retail Professional Development, is a unique, in-depth senior management development program that helps managers improve employee engagement and build highly effective teams. Launched in 2000, this comprehensive, year-long performance improvement process is unlike anything else available in the automotive industry. With a focus on building management skills, participants learn to lead their dealerships toward a customer-centered culture, and positively impact productivity, profitability, customer satisfaction and employee retention.
The year-long Executive Management course includes pre-work, four four-day classes at the University of Toyota, in-dealership performance coaching and evaluation of key performance criteria.
The four Toyota Quality Executive Management classes can now be substituted for four classes currently being offered by Northwood University:
English 301 "Communication and Interpersonal Relations" TQEM 101 "The Coach" Management 312 "Applied Management" TQEM 201 "The Franchise" Management 385 "Advanced Topics in Management" TQEM 301 "The Team" Management 310 "Human Resource Management" TQEM 401 "The Draft"
Junior- and senior-year students in Northwood University's Automotive Management program now have the option to attend either the above Northwood classes, or Toyota Quality Executive Management at the University of Toyota campus in Torrance, Calif., or one of two satellite campuses located in the mid-west and east coast.
Toyota Motor Sales, USA Inc. and Northwood University began their collaboration earlier this year when Northwood and the University of Toyota agreed to offer Toyota Quality Executive Management to participants whether or not they were affiliated with a Toyota dealership.
Bryan Bergsteinsson, group vice president of the University of Toyota, congratulated the School of Retail Professional Development on the success of its management course. "By awarding credit to graduates of Toyota Quality Executive Management, we're reinforcing the industry-education connection, helping university students make the leap into their careers. We're also building excellence in the world of automotive management through education aimed at building engagement for all members of the staff."
About the University of Toyota School of Retail Professional Development The University of Toyota School of Retail Professional Development provides education for nearly 1400 Toyota and Lexus dealers nationwide. Educational offerings include classes, performance groups, in-dealership consulting and comprehensive performance improvement solutions on topics that cover all aspects of automotive retail, including sales, service, parts, finance, management, and leadership. Located in Torrance, Calif., the University of Toyota is a division of Toyota Motor Sales, U.S.A., Inc., the sales, distribution and marketing arm of Toyota in the USA. (www.toyota.com)
About Northwood University Northwood University is a private, accredited university specializing in managerial and entrepreneurial education offering two- and four-year degrees in a variety of enterprise fields. The Richard DeVos Graduate School of MBA programs make Northwood's free market-based degree offerings in management and enterprise the most complete anywhere. Northwood operates a residential campus in Michigan, Florida and Texas; the Margaret Chase Smith Library in Skowhegan, Maine; University College outreach centers and locations throughout the United States including a Distance Education online program; and several international study programs abroad. Northwood is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission and is a member of the North Central Association. More than 6,000 students have graduated from Northwood University's automotive dealership management program since 1963. (www.northwood.edu)