WEMBA Home>Course Descriptions

501E -- ECONOMIC ANALYSIS FOR MANAGERS

This course uses economic theory to study the environment of business and decision making within the firm. Topics covered include demand analysis for production inputs as well as final product, competition within markets, spillovers across markets, costs, pricing, and government policies regarding concentration within markets.

503E -- GLOBAL MACROECONOMIC PERSPECTIVES

This course will broaden EMBA students' awareness of the impact of global economic, financial, political, and demographic trends on all business. It also provides students with conceptual frameworks and tools for analysis critical to conducting business in the international environment. Implications for human as well as economic development are discussed. Current trends and case studies as well as important historical events and models are studied. Topics covered include the raging debates over globalization, trade deficits, offshoring of jobs, exchange rates, possible manipulation of currencies, the potential of China or India as economic powerhouses, etc.

505E --MULTI-NATIONAL ENTERPRISE STRATEGY

This course explores the development and performance of multinational enterprise in global economic, political, and cultural environments. Topics include the design and control systems of MNEs, the role of transnational institutions, political risk assessment, technology transfers, and management of a multicultural work force.

512E – FINANCIAL ACCOUNTING

There are four primary learning objectives for 512E, Introduction to Financial Reporting. Combining in-class lectures with examples derived from actual financial statements, the student begins to visualize accounting as an activity that extends far beyond a mechanical bookkeeping exercise. By the end of the course, the student will be able to: (1) locate relevant information in a corporate annual report, (2) understand measurement concepts underlying primary financial statements and the relative importance of the Balance Sheet, Income Statement, and Statement of Cash Flows, (3) use information in the financial statements to analyze a company’s financial performance and position, and (4) confidently communicate the results of a financial analysis. In sum, the course teaches someone how to act as an intelligent user of financial statements and footnotes for purposes of making economic decisions.

513E -- MANAGERIAL ACCOUNTING AND CONTROL

This course explores the role of cost management in establishing and maintaining the strategic success of the firm. It explores ways to both determine the cost of products and services and ways to reduce those costs.

520E -- MANAGERIAL FINANCE

Managerial Finance addresses the theory and practice of financial management, defined by many as the raising and allocation of financial resources by companies over time. This course has three major objectives. First, to develop your skills in financial analysis, planning, and decision making. Second, to provide you with a foundation in the basic concepts of finance, including the time value of money, capital allocation, the role of financial markets, asset valuation, portfolio theory, asset pricing, and the risk-return tradeoff. Third, to expand your awareness of institutions and practices in business and finance.

531E -- ORGANIZATIONAL BEHAVIOR

With the increasing recognition of the vital importance of the human factor in organizational performance, the relevance of the field of Organizational Behavior has increased proportionately. Organizational Behavior is a multidisciplinary field that draws upon: psychology, sociology, political science, and economics. This course is designed to help students understand the major issues that are the subject of both Organizational theory and practice.

540E --MARKETING MANAGEMENT FOR MANAGERS

Marketing Management for Managers - The class introduces participants to concepts and principles of marketing management. The major role of marketing in a company (or public agency) is determining, creating, communicating and delivering a value proposition that meets the needs of its customers. In addition, marketing in its boundary-spanning role introduces the “voice of the customer” into the firm, helps build long-term relationships and ensures that the firm builds equity with its customers.

547E -- BRAND, PRODUCT & e-MARKETING

A company’s brands are among its most valuable assets and are a major source of competitive advantage. This course addresses key branding issues, including: Why are brands (market-based) assets? How should one build/grow brands? How should they be leveraged to enhance profitability, yet maintained to avoid dilution? What are the implications of branding for resource allocations by corporate management?

550E -- MANAGING AS IF NUMBERS MATTERED

Develop an understanding of formal and quantitative approaches to decision processes, using management decision situations to examine the tools and techniques available to support decision-making. Spreadsheets and other software is used as the basis for quantitative decisions, and topics include decision analysis, decision trees, expected value of information, quality forecasting, and statistical analysis and regression.

551E - MANAGING OPERATIONS FOR COMPETITIVE ADVANTAGE

This course examines what is required in order for firms to achieve world class operational performance and supply chain integration. Topics include the supply chain perspective, supplier partnerships, process analysis, lean manufacturing, theory of constraints, quality management and system modeling and simulation.

552E -- TECHNOLOGY & COMPLEX ADAPTIVE SYSTEMS

Investigate the role of new information technology (IT) concepts and applications in organizational settings. The topics covered in the course include IT and new organizational forms, leading the virtual organizations, the role of IT in managing organizational knowledge and strategic applications of information technology.

557E - LEADERSHIP AND LIFEWORK

Will explore the changing requirements of effective leadership in a new economy and global environment; this will include examining the best current thinking of leadership practices in an organizational context as well as helping the students to achieve richer understanding of their own leadership styles, strengths and areas for development.

620E -- ADVANCED FINANCIAL TOPICS

This module will focus on analyzing the characteristics of capital markets and instruments, the risk-return tradeoff, application of corporate risk management strategies to financial decision-making, financial management issues in a global economy, and sourcing of capital in global financial markets.

621E - MERGERS & ACQUISTIONS

Participants will analyze a current acquisition and will be responsible for setting an overall corporate strategy, deciding on why an acquisition is necessary, screening potential targets, valuing targets, negotiating an offer, paying for the acquisition, and finally integrating the acquisition.

634E -- STRATEGIC & COMPETITIVE ANALYSIS

This course addresses the big-picture issues in business: What determines overall corporate performance? Why do some companies succeed, while others fail? And what, if anything, can managers really do about it? The main goals of this course are: (1) To help you develop and practice diagnostic-reasoning skills (2) to teach you how to apply the conceptual tools and methods of strategy formulation and implementation to help you identify and frame the critical issues driving the overall performance of a business.

699E - GLOBAL BUSINESS COLLOQUIUM ABROAD

Take 10 days abroad to learn first-hand about global business opportunities, challenges and risks, including economic, political, social, and cultural issues. Topics vary with the itinerary selected, but typically address the financial, marketing, organizational, human resources, and operations issues of multinational business.