MBA PROGRAM OVERVIEW

This is a summary of all the program content that is essential for the award of the MBA. All the following modules have ECTS credits on the basis of 2 credits for 12 hour sub-modules, 3 credits for 18 hour sub-modules and 6 credits for full 36 hour modules. Students are required to complete the Core modules and a Specialization of 3 modules successfully before starting the Final Management Project phase of the program. Students that do not complete all the MBA modules may be eligible for the Post-Graduate Diploma in Business Studies. For full details of the up-to-date syllabus see the electronic version of the syllabus and the Course Outline either via Moodle or directly from your professor.

CORE MODULES : 63 credits

MARKETING Marketing Management Key concepts, practice and principles of marketing, the role of marketing for an enterprise and its relation and interaction with other functions. Methods used to explore and define customer needs and aspirations, in order to effectively meet these through the appropriate choice of products and services. The effective communication of these to the appropriate market segments. International Marketing Building on the Marketing Management input this module takes those key concepts and applies them further in an international context via a number of cases that discuss marketing issues both in product and in services marketing. INTERNATIONAL MANAGEMENT Business Ethics In response to business organization and financial systems failures in a globalised and complex environment there is a renewed focus on corporate ethics, codes of conduct and the ethical issues that the individual manager faces. This module examines how organizations attempt to meet their responsibilities through ethical guidelines and and looks at the dilemmas that managers face in their decisionmaking. Governance and corporate social responsibility policies are naturally part of this.

Cross-Cultural Management This module introduces the skills needed to effective manage across borders and to make cultural diversity an asset rather than an organizational liability. The focus is on ways to avoid conflict which will allow organizations to develop international teams through effective cross-cultural communication. Case examples and identification of the barriers to successful communication and teamwork will enable managers contribute to the international development in their organization. International Human Resource Management Organizations face a number of operational challenges in their international development and the diversity in the legal environment is one of these. The contractual and employment law provisions vary significantly from nation to nation, and the management styles learned in one part of the globe may be incompatible with working environments elsewhere. The experienced manager knows the importance of adaptation ACCOUNTING International Financial Accounting An introduction to accounting and financial reporting in a multinational environment. The module will consider the analysis of accounts and of financial data from the perspective of the user (the manager and the investor) rather than of the preparer (the accountant). There is a focus on the international dimension of financial reporting. Managerial Accounting Here the focus is on the manager and how accounting information is used for key processes such as planning, control or audit, and informed decision-making. Internal decision-making requires analysis and an understanding of where and how value is added. Analytical technique enables the manager to consider different scenarios through forecasting on the basis of current data, as well as looking at past results to understand factors leading to success or failure.

FINANCE & ECONOMICS Managerial economics By the end of the sub-module a student should understand and be able to work with the following : how competitive markets work and the microeconomic analysis of market demand elasticities as an integral element in planning a firms marketing mix ; the economic concept of opportunity cost and the application of the principle in developing a clear picture of the true costs of various aspects of business activity ; the process of rational investment project appraisal and in particular of the accurate calculation of opportunity costs as an input to rational decision-making ; the main economic theories of market structure and interaction and of the arguments surrounding the optimality or otherwise of different market structures, e.g. perfect competition v. monopoly. Finance : The Investment Decision and Finance : the Finance Decision The investment/financing decision is important to all forms of organizational activity and potentially the single most important decision faced by managers of corporations is the selection and the financing of investment projects that maximize the shareholders' return. These sub-modules will provide students with the key financial techniques used to evaluate the opportunity of investing and secondly how to put in place the finance required and so to proceed with the initiative once the decision to invest is made.

INFORMATION MANAGEMENT Business Statistics The major objective of this short course is to enable the student to learn, summarize and interpret data and so to make more effective decisions. By participating in the class and completing a series of exercises and by harnessing the power of modern IT software you will be able to master the basics of effective data analysis at managerial level.

Information Systems & Knowledge Management Information Systems (IS) and their associated technologies and disciplines such as KM are critical to the successful operation of modern enterprise and to the achievement of organizational objectives. The issues surrounding the development of effective IS are explored to prepare students to face environments where information needs are often unclear and constantly evolving. Theoretical frameworks to support analysis leading to an IS strategy are complemented by cases that examine major organizational challenges in data management to see how IS can meet these. The course assumes no Information Technology or Information Systems specific knowledge beyond what is covered in the Information Systems Management course. Through the course the student will become familiar current and future technology trends ; understand the business and economic implications of the recent developments in network technologies ; comprehend how advanced IT can be used to enable and reshape business strategy ; understand concepts and explore analytical tools designed to inform the development of sustainable IT strategy. BUSINESS LAW This module will provide students with the key concepts and elements of the most important areas of business law. Because laws are territorial in nature, each area or topic will be approached both through the studying of general, internationally recognized - or harmonized - principles, as well as through a US-EU comparative analysis when appropriate. Through this course input students will also become familiar with the legal vocabulary and master fundamental concepts of general business law. This course will at a basic level also enable students to apply legal concepts to real-life professional situations through legal case analysis and problem solving. STRATEGIC MANAGEMENT The course will address the question: what makes the firm successful? Success is defined in this context in terms of creating shareholder value over the long-term. The strategy of a firm is the set of decisions it makes concerning how it will achieve superior performance, and therefore create value for its shareholders. The course will present the tools and techniques for formulating successful strategies, by analyzing industries, sources of profitability available to firms and designing the strategies to access these sources of profitability. We will look at strategy as a link between the firm and its industry environment. A central topic of the course is the analysis of industry structure and the strategies for building competitive advantage for superior profitability. The course is concerned not just with analysis but with decisions. We will therefore concentrate on discussions on industries and individual companies. You

will be asked to analyze industries and structures and positions, and make decisions concerning key issues and indicate how your decisions will be implemented. MANAGING ORGANIZATIONS Organizational Behavior This course aims at developing participants' knowledge of how organizations function on individual, group and organization levels. Students will learn how to combine concepts and models of analysis on different levels to enhance their understanding of organizational phenomena. They will develop an understanding of the most important managerial approaches towards power and politics in organizations, managing groups and teams, and analyzing work organizations Change Management This course enables participants to define and actively participate in change management initiatives in organizations. Students learn about the major theoretical approaches to managing change, understanding and dealing with resistance to change, and designing and communicating change initiatives. Through this input students will : Understand the theoretical foundations of approaches to organizational change, Be able to diagnose resistance to change and to propose adequate measures, Understand the relationship between change and innovation in organizations. Leadership This course explores participants' leadership experiences and at helping them to understand their personal leadership skills and preferences. Students learn about different leadership styles and about how effective leaders mobilize followers to transform organizations. Through this input students will :

Understand the foundations of the leadership discourse in management theory and practice Understand different leadership styles and skills Understand your personal leadership preferences Be able to analyze and to implement leadership in groups and teams Be able to analyze and to implement leadership in organizations TECHNOLOGY MANAGEMENT Technology and Innovation Management This module develops student awareness of the process of technological innovation and of its strategic value, its impact on competitiveness. The management of technological and innovation requires an understanding of the dynamics of technological change and this will be a focus of the input. Participants will acquire

the main conceptual frameworks and practical tools related to technology and develop their skills in management of technological change. Operations Management Operations management concerns all forms of enterprise : manufacturing and service, public or private, profit and non-profit. The input will focus on strategic operations management and implementation of efficient operational processes (rather than quantitative modeling). Through this approach students acquire an overview of the main managerial methods that are applied to operational challenges today.

INTERNATIONAL NEGOTIATIONS The 18 hour International Negotiation skills sub-module has been introduced in response to student feedback at several debrief meetings. You will learn first by negotiating with cases, and then by stepping back to compare your approach and results with those of your classmates. You can test your analytical skills and experiment with new techniques. Special preparation and follow-up assignments will encourage you to draw practical lessons from your personal experience. You will also have the chance to exchange feedback with your classmates in a structured way and finally to reflect on your negotiation experience and how you have changed as a negotiator. INTEGRATIVE CASE The integrative case marks the conclusion of the taught part of the program, with a broad-based business case or cases over a 16 hour period. This is an opportunity for students to display what they have acquired during the taught part of the program by analyzing the case from different functional areas. Students are given the task of driving the case analysis through small group presentations and through a 2-hour exam.

SPECIALIZATION MODULES : 18 credits

GLOBAL MANAGEMENT International management is reliant on a precise understanding of the global and local environment that the organization must deal with. Increasingly legal complexities and effective financial management have a significant impact on the international managers professional activity. Therefore this specialization brings together more advanced input in Law and in Financial Management with a greater

focus on international management and issues, plus a module on international business from a strategic perspective. Business in the Global Environment International Financial Management International Business Law MARKETING This is an opportunity for students to go deeper into Marketing Management, through strategic planning for marketing, market research and the marketing challenges of business planning. The strategic marketing module opens the track with up-to-date cases and an internet-based simulation before moving on to advanced market research in module two. This concludes with a new module for 2011, Digital Marketing, and areas covered on this course include website communication, online consumer behavior, the growth in e-retailing, customer relationship management. The impact of social networking tools is also explored. Strategic Marketing and Marketing Planning Market Research Digital Marketing FINANCE This track focuses on the areas that financial managers and controllers need to acquire : valuation criteria and techniques, financial planning and budgeting, investing under uncertain conditions. A further module examines the complexities of the international financial environment , including the impact of globalised markets and financial crises. Finance & Control Investment & Valuation International Financial Management

MANAGEMENT CONSULTING Track for managers who wish to pursue consulting on an external or internal basis. The approach is highly applied and the input comes from professional consultants who provide the tools and skills used in their specialist area of activity.

The three modules place students in the role of consultants so that they master the tools and experience the consulting processes. This approach also enables them to understand the types of strategic and organizational analysis that is vital for the completion of successful consulting initiatives. The Management Consultant : Process and Tools Corporate Business Process Developing Consulting Expertise ENTREPRENEURSHIP This track is aimed at all those students who have a desire to apply their creative abilities within a wide range of contexts. The modules are designed to meet the future needs of a wide variety of individuals and recognize that tomorrows organizations, irrespective of size, require the skills of intrapreneurs, professionals that are both innovative and creative. The needs of those who wish to start up their own business (entrepreneurs) are also addressed. In the final phase students will be asked to present a business plan in groups and subsequently in an individual written form. Entrepreneurship Small & Family Business New Venture Business Plan BUSINESS INTELLIGENCE Today organizations must focus scarce resources on strategies that are the most likely to bring success. Business Intelligence provides some powerful analytical tools to support this process. It enables organizations to acquire from their data a deep and broad vision to learn from the past, monitor the present and forecast the future. The business analytics and resulting solutions enhance decision-making processes by providing more people across more departments with a strategic view of the whole enterprise. The focus can be on customer behavior, purchasing budgets, employee retention to name a few examples, as well as financial performance generally. Business Intelligence Strategy Corporate Performance Measurement Customer Intelligence INNOVATION MANAGEMENT The Innovation Management track is focused on the interface between management and technological innovation. The objective is to enable managers to work in

environments where innovation can change radically change the rules of the business. The strategic application of innovation to gain competitive advantage is explored in different sectors. Current evolution and potential future trends are examined in the final module. Challenges and External Context of Innovation Management Dynamics and Internal Context of Innovation Management Emerging Trends in Innovation Management BIOTECHNOLOGY The uncertain environment of the biotechnology based product development requires a broad set of skills and know-how. The constant creation of new fields has revolutionized the biotechnology industrys approach to drug discovery and has been a key driver with respect to the aggressive growth experienced by this sector. In this dynamic environment, formulating a successful strategy depends to a significant degree on learning with new direction and on recognizing opportunities that materialize during the process. Participants will also learn the concepts of entrepreneurship and the competencies, skills, experience and resources to pursue different entrepreneurial opportunities in the biotechnology sector. Technology & Biotechnology Biotechnology Industry Dynamics Entrepreneurship and Biotechnology PROJECT MANAGEMENT (available only at London campus ) In this specialization students learn as future consultants and acquire the techniques and the tools to build successful projects. They learn how to use analysis tools and apply them for the different situations encountered such as project requirements or process workflow re-engineering. The input introduces Project Management methodologies as used in the industry and following Project Management Methodology best practices. The aim is to give students an effective preparation for a career in Project Management and the final module is built around a major case which allows students to explore and test out project management approaches and techniques . Project Management : Tools & Techniques The Project Management Process Project management in Action