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This paper examines the challenges of teaching management policy development in nonprofit organizations through a pan-disciplinary "constructive epistemology." The elements of the epistemology encompass sequential elements that go beyond problem- solving heuristics, and apply well to managerial policy development in nonprofit organizations. Those elements include Issue Identification, Stakeholder Recognition, Normative Desires, Conceptual Framing, Empirical Observation, Scenario Envisioning and Prescriptive Recommendation. I argue that each of these helps to frame policy problems, and together they provide a firm basis for developing policy and for reviewing its effects. The constructive epistemology is illustrated with a discussion of how nonprofits might develop policy around the prospect of receiving donations from morally suspect sources, the so-called "dirty money" problem. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Although liberal arts colleges are reputed not to offer business education, a study of 182 nationally known colleges found that most offer business majors. Apart from economics, these programs predominantly operate outside disciplinary mainstreams. Although business education is associated with lower performance and reputation rankings, it is a common adaptive strategy for liberal arts colleges. (MSE)