Course

Integrative Activity

ACC 6351 - Financial Reporting & Analysis reveals whether the organization's strategies, implementation and execution are indeed creating shareholder value.  Financial statements remind managers that improved quality, response time, productivity, and innovative products benefit the firm only when they result in higher sales, increased market share, reduced operating expenses, or higher asset turnover.  The effective analysis of a set of financial statements requires an understanding of (1) the economic characteristics and current conditions of an organization's businesses, (2) the particular strategies the firm selects to compete in each of these business, and (3) the accounting principles and procedures underlying the firm's financial statements.  Armed with these three essential building blocks, you will be able to assess the success of the strategies as measured by profitability relative to the level of risk involved.  (In Financial Management (FIN 6352), students will learn to use this information to project the firm's future earnings and cash flows as a basis for valuation.)  The premise of this course is that MBA students learn financial statement analysis most effectively by performing the analysis on actual companies.  Accordingly, actual problems and cases will be used extensively throughout the course.

Strategic Analysis: Annual Report Project requires an assessment of (1) the economic characteristics and current conditions of an organization’s businesses, (2) the particular strategies the firm selects to compete in each of these businesses, (3) the accounting principles and procedures underlying the firm’s financial statements, and (4) the success of the strategies as measured by profitability relative to the level of risk involved. A thorough financial statement analysis of two competing firms is required.

ECO 6351 - Economics For Managers provides students with a sound appreciation of modern economics and its application to management and business strategy processes.  Corporate strategy is concerned with understanding the fundamental determinants of business performance, and this course emphasizes the underlying economic foundations of business performance.  The course focuses on the fundamental economic theories which support managerial decision-making in a complex and competitive environment.  The principles from both microeconomics and macroeconomics are covered.  Applications drawn from current economic events are used to enhance understanding of the internal and external environments of the firm and to help managers formulate effective business strategies and policies.  Important economic tools of analysis are introduced to provide managers with the skills necessary to apply economics in a meaningful way to enhance business decision-making.

Strategic Analysis: Industry Analysis Project requires an economic brief of a particular industry, which analyzes how the market is organized, how it works, what influences the market, and what are its prospects.  

QMS 6351 - Statistics & Research Methods provides necessary research and quantitative tools commonly used in marketing management, operations management, and financial management in the formulation of corporate strategy to maximize shareholder wealth.  Some tools are also used in economics and financial reporting, especially in bankruptcy analysis.

Strategy Formulation: Using case studies and a term project, statistical tools are used to solve accounting, operations management, and finance problems. 

FIN 6352 - Financial Management integrates financial theory and practices in the formulation of corporate strategy.  Corporate strategists need to understand how investors determine the values of stocks and bonds if they are to analyze, formulate, and implement projects that meet or exceed investor expectations.  In this course, students learn how financial markets value firms' securities and how strategic investments (capital budgeting) can create value for shareholders, as well has how the capital structure decision must be incorporated into the overall strategic decision making of the firm.

Strategy Formulation: Using financial modeling and a term project, students will learn how investors value securities; how investment projects should be formulated and implemented to create value that meets or exceeds investor expectations (capital budgeting); and how decisions about how a corporation is financed (capital structure) must be incorporated into the overall strategic decision making of the firm, given that this decision determines the way the corporation is viewed by both its stakeholders and its competitors.

ACC 6352 - Strategic Cost Management reveals whether the organization's strategies, implementation and execution are indeed creating value, increasing efficiency, and promoting continuous improvement.  It introduces students to the techniques and processes available to assist managers in planning and controlling an organization's business activities.  It deals in depth with the process of identifying, measuring, analyzing, interpreting and communicating financial information to managers in pursuit of the organization's goals and objectives.

Strategy Formulation: Using case studies, graduates will have the capacity to use accounting information to support management’s efforts to achieve and sustain competitive advantage.

MGT 6355 - Operations Management: Creating Competitive Advantage develops in students a thorough understanding of the strategic management of critical resources, including people, material, capital, and information, which is essential in the development of successful strategies in a dynamic business environment.  Students are exposed to the overall importance and strategic concepts of operations management including a complete analysis of the material flow both internal and external to the organization; the strategic master planning of the resources required to attain corporate goals; and the techniques of detailed scheduling, planning, execution and control of critical resources to achieve corporate goals.

Strategy Formulation: Using case studies, graduates will have the capacity to analyze and evaluate business operations and processes for the purpose of creating value through competitive advantage.

MGT 6352 - Management Information Systems exposes students to the issues, problems, and trends in the design and implementation of information systems for acquiring, storing, retrieving, manipulating, and disseminating data and information for effective managerial decisions.  The course also helps students understand the role played by information technology--computer hardware and software--in the effective management of information.  Effective managers must acquire, analyze, and use information within the organization to streamline business operations and processes (strategy implementation), and information from the organization's social, political, and economic environment to recognize and respond appropriately to emerging opportunities and threats (strategic planning).

Strategy Formulation: Using hands-on exercises and projects, graduates will have the capacity to evaluate and use various IT strategies to maintain and improve competitive advantage.

MKT 6352 - Strategic Marketing Management is the process of crafting and maintaining value chain strategies targeted toward specific markets.  In order to accomplish this successfully, managers need to understand how to monitor the constantly changing macroenvironments of the organization, have the skills to estimate accurately the impact of these environmental changes on the organization's markets, and be able to manage the adaptation of the organization's value chain to the changing needs of the marketplace.  This will require students to understand the role of marketing in the value chain and the macroenvironments of the organization and the impact of these macroenvironments in shaping the perception of value in its market segments, as well as the process of identifying and creating  value for the market segments the organization selects to serve.  The course also leads students to apply the basic marketing skills and knowledge they have mastered to crafting and implementing strategies that provide a sustainable competitive advantage for the firm in delivering value to the market segments targeted.  The premise of this course is the MBA students learn strategic marketing management most effectively by performing the analysis on actual organizations.  Accordingly, actual problems and cases will be used extensively throughout the course.

Strategy Formulation: Using case studies, students analyze an organization’s competitive advantage and develop a strategic marketing program to improve competitive advantage.

MGT 6353 - Management of Diversity in Organizations prepares managers to understand the impact cultural and demographic differences in employee values, beliefs, and attitudes have on their organizations. While performing a strategic analysis, leaders and managers cannot ignore the cultural/demographic differences that may exist in different markets. Similarly, differences in cultural values create heterogeneous workgroups within organizations. Such heterogeneity also impacts the manner in which decisions are made in organizations and problems are formulated and solved. These differences also have a critical impact on the implementation of strategic plans formulated by the top managers. What motivates individuals with a particular set of values may not motivate individuals with a different set of values. Thus, cultural differences and diversity have a very significant impact in the manner in which strategies are devised and implemented. To be a successful business leader in today’s business environment requires managers to be cognizant of diversity in the workforce, convergence and divergence across cultures on these values, and to adapt one’s leadership style to suit the particular individuals and/or groups of individuals with different value systems. In this course, students will learn to assess their own value systems, attitudes, and beliefs with a view to developing a personal portfolio of strengths and weaknesses; develop an understanding of the implications of cultural differences for managers; and acquire the knowledge and skills needed to effectively interact with a diverse work-group.

Strategy Implementation: Using exercises and a personal diary/development plan, students assess their own value system, attitudes and beliefs for the purpose of developing a personal portfolio of strengths and weaknesses. Cases and a research paper are employed to analyze and apply the necessary skills needed to interact and effectively lead a diverse workgroup.

MGT 6351 - Management & Organizational Behavior develops in students an understanding of their own philosophies regarding management as well as society's expectations for organizational behavior.  The course introduces students to motivation theories, group and team processes, organizational decision-making, organizational design, and practical management applications with the intent of preparing students to conduct strategic analysis relative to organizational mission, goals, and design; evaluate and respond to emerging threats and opportunities; analyze and evaluate business operations and processes through planning, organizing, leading, and controlling; and maximize employee and organizational effectiveness through effective leadership of diverse groups.

Strategy (introduction): This course introduces strategic management through coverage of organizational mission, goals, strategic planning and organizational design. In this context, students will be able to comprehend and apply various management and OB theories and concepts in such areas as planning, organizing, leading, controlling, motivation, decision-making, teamwork and empowerment.

MGT 6354 - Leadership & Organizational Change trains students to become effective and efficient organizational executives in leading change efforts in the dynamic global business world.  Major change has become a way of life in successful corporate environments, and leaders of change--people who understand the process of change and know how to improve systems and the people working within them--are desperately needed in organizations.

Strategy Implementation: Using case studies, students will be able to comprehend and apply leadership and change theories, analyze and diagnose the need for change, identify and evaluate the change options, and implement change while reducing the resistance to change through effective leadership.

BUS 6351 - Business & Society assists students in understanding the complex interrelationships between businesses, governments, and their stakeholders in increasingly dynamic domestic and international marketplaces.  Although business and society, and the related ethical issues, have often been considered to be largely "non-economic" concerns, neglecting the relationship of business to the larger society can often have more damaging economic consequences for the firm than any competitor's strategy.  The course provides students with the knowledge and skills to manage the interface between business and the larger society, both domestically and internationally.  More specifically, this course provides students with both theoretical knowledge such as the introduction to stakeholder theory and ethical theories, and with practical examples and case analysis skills necessary to support the formulation and implementation of successful business strategies.

Strategic Analysis & Implementation: Using case studies, students will have the capacity to understand and adapt to the changing business, political and social environments of business (the perspectives that form the context for business) and respond to emerging threats and opportunities.

MGT 6359 - Seminar in Strategic Management is an integrative course that synthesizes and applies cross-functional approaches learned in prior MBA core courses to organizational issues.  The course helps students create value for organizations by applying knowledge and skills developed in other MBA core courses along with strategic concepts, theories, and frameworks to formulate and implement strategies that will set the general direction of an organization and critically affect its success.  One task is developing an understanding of a company's current position and its historical development.  A second task is generating and evaluating strategic alternatives and selecting from them.  A third task is coordinating all the operational and functional components of the organization, such as integrating production, marketing, financial and behavioral theories and practices within the framework of a complex organization.  Through readings, cases, and a proficiency project, student learn to perceive and respond to changes in business environments, assess and marshal organizational capabilities, and make insightful decisions and recommendations.  The course assists students in developing ways of thinking and learning that make them more effective managers and leaders through their careers.

Strategy Analysis, Formulation, and Implementation: Using case studies, students will have the capacity to synthesize and apply cross-functional approaches to organizational issues in all three phases of the strategic planning process. A comprehensive case is embedded in this course for assessment purposes.