MBA Courses
The purpose of this two-unit required course is to describe, discuss, and strategize regarding common work-related dilemmas and situations that you may not have experienced personally, or to a limited degree, in your business life to date. The course relies equally on readings, lectures, case analyses, guest presentations and panels, role plays, audiovisual and computer simulations, and other learning modalities to make the course content "come alive" as significant aspects of real-world business experience
This is a required course for all enrolled CAP students. The initial experience in a program designed to combine classroom theory with practical application through job-related experiences. Students are actively employed in bay area businesses in roles that focus on their academic training and career objectives in business. MBA 6001 is a prerequisite.
This course focuses equally on financial and managerial accounting. Financial accounting introduces principles and procedures involved in preparation and use of corporate financial statements. Income determination, asset and liability measurement, and disclosure requirements are covered. Emphasis is on how external parties can use published financial statements in making investment related decisions. Managerial accounting focuses on how accounting information can be used for internal decision making to improve operating efficiency. Cost concepts and classifications for different types of business decisions and use of managerial accounting information for planning, evaluation, and control aspects of business management are covered.
This course provides a toolkit for identifying, understanding and analyzing the social and ethical problems that managers encounter at both the individual and organizational levels. It focuses upon the knowledge and application of ethical frameworks for managerial decision-making, including teleological and deontological principles, virtue theory, and alternative standards of distributive justice. Additional topics include managerial misconduct and criminal liability, alternative measures of economic performance and well-being, international and cross-cultural issues embodied in the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act and Treaties of Friendship, Commerce and Navigation, the origins and purposes of corporations, corporate governance, the nature and purpose of work, and management education in a Jesuit context.
Strategic Management in the Global Environment will focus on strategic management principles and cases within an international context. Students will examine the dynamics between macro environment factors, industry structure, and the behavior of firms. Students will explore the sources of sustainable competitive advantages and analyze strategies employed in global business competition. Students will also apply guiding principles for formulating and executing strategies, and for adapting to uncertain competitive environments. Prerequisites: MBA 6016 and MBA 6019 and MBA 6014 and MBA 6012 and MBA 6018 and MBA 6015 and MBA 6011
This course blends the theory and practice of effective leadership in the spirit of the Jesuit Tradition of principled service to others. Although theory is at the heart of this course, practice is where the real leadership learning happens. Through the use of experiential exercises, simulations, cases, dialogue, and reflection, students enhance their authentic leadership skills at the individual, team and organizational levels. Topics explored include: the leadership-management relationship, motivational models, team dynamics, decision making, power, and organizational culture.
This course provides an integrated coverage of systems through which people, information, and technologies produce products and services for internal or external customers. Managers of all businesses need to understand how those systems operate, how well they operate, and how they change over time. Major topics related to concepts and analysis methods for systems in operation include business processes, supply chains, service systems, information systems, databases, emerging information technologies, impacts on people, and related ethical and practical issues. Major topics related to how systems change over time include technology-enabled innovations, system life cycles, and project management.
This course examines the role of marketing in today's organizations by attending to concepts and tools that are fundamental to good marketing practice. Topics include market analytics and research methods, competitive analysis, behavioral economics and pricing decisions, global and regional opportunities and threats, market entry strategies, brand and product management, social media and integrated marketing communications, channel management and distribution, and innovation and the generation of new business models. The course emphasizes the utility of the marketing mix while identifying and meeting customer needs, developing effective marketing strategies, ensuring quality of service, and achieving and sustaining competitive advantage. Marketing principles are applied to products and services, profit and non-profit organizations, and consumer and industrial sectors.
This course will enable you to integrate data, judgment and managerial knowledge to build spreadsheet models to quantify the financial and operational implications of managerial choices, to make sense of large datasets, and to communicate actionable managerial insights. You will be able to explain techniques for managing business analysis to achieve high productivity, high accuracy, and to build spreadsheet models that will serve as long-term organizational assets. You will understand the principles of descriptive, predictive, and prescriptive analytics and will be able to execute the primary techniques in a spreadsheet and other commercial software. You will be aware of the ethical issues that can arise in business analytic work.
The primary focus of the course is the role of the financial manager in creating economic value for the firm. We will cover financial concepts that will enable the manager to make better business decisions. The course provides a description of some specialized topics in finance and an introduction to recent developments in financial theory. Topical coverage is provided via class discussion, lecture, and case methods. Prerequisites: MBA 6018 and MBA 6011
This course examines the role of marketing in today's organizations by attending to concepts and tools that are fundamental to good marketing practice. Topics include market analytics and research methods, competitive analysis, behavioral economics and pricing decisions, market entry strategies, brand and product management, social media and integrated marketing communications, channel management and distribution, and innovation and the generation of new business models. The course emphasizes the utility of the marketing mix while identifying and meeting customer needs, developing effective marketing strategies, ensuring quality of service, and achieving and sustaining competitive advantage. Marketing priciples are applied to products and services, profit and non-profit organizations, and consumer and industrial sectors.
This course integrates the knowledge and skills acquired from core courses in financial accounting, managerial finance, and macroeconomic business conditions. You will analyze case studies and real world examples to acquire detailed knowledge of methods applied in making informed and sophisticated business decisions. Prerequisites: MBA 6019 or MBAI 5002
This course deals with how a new international environment is developing and its impact on business and leadership. Country and political risk, state capitalism and sovereign wealth funds, corruption and criminal syndicates, influence of new power brokers, including NGOs and business councils, regional competition and collaboration (Caspian Basin, China and the U.S. in Africa), innovation clusters, evolution of globalization, corporate diplomacy, strategic options in emerging markets and other issues relevant to national competitiveness and the corporate role in shaping the global order.
This course provides you with a toolkit for identifying, understanding and analyzing the social and ethical problems that organizations must confront and resolve. You will learn how to use ethical frameworks for managerial decision-making. Additional topics include corporate social responsibility, alternative measures of economic performance, cross-cultural ethical issues that arise in a global economy, and management education in a Jesuit context.
The objective of the course is to develop decision making skills and an understanding of strategic management. You will develop expertise in the formulation of strategies leading to sustainable competitive positions. You will also learn how to analyze a company's internal competencies and relationship to its external environment.
The student must propose an independent student project, working with a faculty member intended to facilitate research and the study of topics not normally taught within the framework of the regular curriculum. In select cases, internships with a detailed deliverable component may qualify for directed study credit. All directed study petitions must be submitted to the MBA office at least 3 weeks before the semester start date. Students can only take up to six units total of Directed Studies. Pre-requisites: Meeting and approval of MBA Graduate Student Affairs Office prior to receiving faculty sponsorship. All faculty sponsors must be full-term or tenure track. Lastly, student must be in good academic standing to apply.
(Required for Finance concentration.) This course will help you develop a framework for thinking about and making sound investment decisions. You will become familiar with the investment environment and the characteristics of various financial securities, understand the risk/return tradeoff and the benefits of portfolio diversification, understand the essence of portfolio theory, learn to value and analyze stocks, bonds and derivatives, learn to measure portfolio performance and manage portfolio risk, attain proficiency in the use of financial calculator and excel spreadsheets for investment analysis, and become familiar with the sources of economic and financial information. Prerequisites: MBA 6109 or MBAI 5002 or MBA 617 or MBA 6019 or MBA 6019
(Elective for Finance concentration.) We begin by determining best practices for firm valuation, and how to critically analyze a firm's financial performance. Subsequently, we analyze a complex project, and examine common pitfalls associated with the process. Other topics of analysis include financial forecasting in a small business environment, a look at valuation techniques for small businesses, and finally we simulate an acquisition process, including detailed company valuation and attendant negotiations. A common theme is the creation of economic value, with additional elements of agency costs , ethics, and corporate governance as subtexts. The course is delivered primarily through the case method, with active participation of all students a must. Prerequisites: MBA 617 or (MBA 6109 and MBA 6110 ) or MBAI 5002 or MBA 6019 or MBA 6019
(Elective for Finance concentration.) We begin with an examination of the impacts of debt on the firm's financial statements, and discuss how different firms will typically choose a financing mix depending upon their operating characteristics, and how these choices impact value. Further extensions include the use of financial derivatives to manage firm operating risk, and extend the analysis to include various forms of international financing. We also look at how firms choose to finance existing operations via more complex financing vehicles, as well as undertake an IPO case study. The course is delivered primarily through the case method, with active participation of all students a must. Prerequisites: MBA 617 or MBA 6109 or MBAI 5002 or MBA 6019 or MBA 6019
(Elective for Finance concentration.) The main objective of this course centers on the recognition, understanding and analysis of corporate financial statements from the viewpoint of various professional users, corporate executives, bankers, creditors, security/financial analysts and investors. Emphasis is placed upon the assessment of quality of the 10K income statement and balance sheet, financial position and cash flows underlying financial valuation. The course blends theory with practical application through the extensive use of actual company examples and cases. Prerequisites: MBA 617 or (MBA 6109 and MBA 6110 ) or MBAI 5002 or MBA 6019
(Required for Finance concentration.) (Elective for International Business concentration.) This course will focus on the international financial markets and how the financial activities of multinational firms must be adapted in the global context. Topics include the international monetary system and economic linkages, the foreign exchange markets and instruments, management of the firm's currency exposure, the global debt and equity markets, and financing of the global firm. Prerequisites: MBA 6109 or MBAI 5002 or MBA 617 or MBA 6019
(Elective for Finance concentration.) (Elective for Entrepreneurship concentration.) This course explores the importance of private equity financing, including venture capital, in contemporary financial markets. The course examines the limited partnership business models for private equity and venture capital funds with a focus on how these funds raise capital from institutional investors. You will then learn to identify, value and finance key transactions (e.g. mezzanine financings, LBO transactions and the funding of start-ups). The course also covers the nature of the corporate governance arrangements used in private equity and venture capital funds, along with the associated due diligence performed. Prerequisites: MBA 617 or MBA 6109 or MBAI 5002 or MBA 6019
(Elective for Finance concentration.) (Originally "Advanced Investments 1") This two-part course defines the main kind of derivatives such as forwards, futures, swaps, and options, shows how they are used to achieve various hedging and speculating objectives, introduces a framework for pricing derivatives, and studies several applications of derivative-pricing techniques outside derivative markets. Derivatives have become extremely useful tools as they allow us to tailor the amount and kind of risk we take, be it risk associated with changes in interest rates, exchange rates, stock prices, commodity prices, inflation, etc. Prerequisites: MBA 617 or MBA 6109 and (MBA 6110 or MBAI 5002 ) or MBA 6019
(Elective for Finance concentration.) (Originally "Advanced Investments 2") Previously Advanced Investments I and II, this two-part course defines the main kind of derivatives such as forwards, futures, swaps, and options, shows how they are used to achieve various hedging and speculating objectives, introduces a framework for pricing derivatives, and studies several applications of derivative-pricing techniques outside derivative markets. Derivatives have become extremely useful tools as they allow us to tailor the amount and kind of risk we take, be it risk associated with changes in interest rates, exchange rates, stock prices, commodity prices, inflation, etc. Prerequisites: MBA 617 or MBA 6109 or MBAI 5002 or MBA 6019
(Elective for Finance concentration.) (Elective for International Business concentration.) This course is an extension of the core course Macroeconomic Business Condition I with a focus on globalization and other more advanced concepts related to the study of the business cycle. Specific topics include real-time study of foreign exchange fluctuation, inflation, the term structure of interest rates with exposure to financial deregulation and current controversies in economic theory and policy. Prerequisites: MBA 617 or MBA 6102 or MBAI 5004 or MBAI 5002 or MSBE 5626
(Elective for Finance concentration.) In this course you will first learn about publicly owned Bay Area Firms and how to build portfolios using company information and fundamental analysis. These portfolios will then be analyzed using portfolio theory (mean-variance). The last part of the course will further enhance these portfolios by adding individual investors' concerns and current investment issues. Prerequisites: MBA 617 or MBA 6109 or MBAI 5002 or MBA 6019
(Elective for Finance concentration.) This course covers the fundamentals of personal finance to make informed decisions about managing your personal investments. Included are the three stages of every person's financial life, how personal investing differs from institutional investing (behavioral finance), getting the most from tax-advantaged accounts (401k, 403b, etc.), how to use online calculators and how to build spreadsheets for common personal finance decisions (each student will build his or her own personal Critical Path), understanding FICO scores and managing credit wisely for big ticket purchases (housing, autos, etc.), mutual funds vs. individual stocks, personal taxation principles, what to look for in employer benefit packages as part of overall compensation, insurance and risk management, etc. Extensive use of outside speakers. Prerequisites: MBA 6109 or MBAI 5002 or MBA 6019
(Elective for Finance concentration.) Broader and deeper coverage of personal finance to deal with more complicated issues, including the problem of sequence risk, pros and cons of diversification, active vs. passive management, building personal portfolios from a database that will be provided for long term returns to all asset classes back to 1927, Dedicated Portfolio theory vs. Modern Portfolio theory, estate planning, how the personal financial advisory industry works, professional licensing, etc. Extensive use of spreadsheet analytics for correlation, simulation, and optimization. Prerequisites: MBA 6213 and MBA 6019
(Elective for Finance Concentration)
(Elective for Finance Concentration) Spreadsheet models are integral to the practice of finance. Financial models need to be created quickly and accurately, and be constructed so that anyone on the team can understand and extend them. Building on the fundamentals of finance and spreadsheet engineering, you will learn principles, methodologies, and keyboard-level practices used by the world's best modelers. These techniques are not widely known in North America. They offer higher productivity, allowing modelers to spend more time doing finance and less time doing spreadsheet programming, enable faster response to opportunities, and prevent problems caused by models that nobody but the author can understand. You will explore ways to leverage these practices across teams of financial analysts, and to manage spreadsheet model assets to enhance the effectiveness, responsiveness, and regulatory compliance of financial activities. Prerequisite: MBA 6019
(Elective for Finance concentration.) Prerequisites: MBA 617 or MBA 6109 or MBAI 5002 or MBA 6019
(Required for Marketing concentration.) This course focuses on understanding the relationship between marketing research techniques and improved marketing strategy decision-making. The course provides an overview of problem definition, questionnaire development, and sampling and enables participants to appreciate the issues of the design and implementation of marketing research and interpretation of research results that provide managerially relevant marketing information. Prerequisites: MBA 6106 or MBAI 5006 or MBA 618 or MBAI 5008
(Required for Marketing concentration - capstone.) This course allows the participants to appreciate how integrated marketing strategy components enable a firm to achieve strategic, sustainable advantage and superior performance. These marketing strategy components include product design, channel strategy, pricing, promotion, customer service, and competitive intelligence. Prerequisites: MBA 618 or MBA 6106 or MBAI 5006 or MBAI 5006
(Elective for Marketing concentration.) (Elective for International Business concentration.) This course allows participants to appreciate the theory and practice of marketing in the multinational firm. It highlights how international firms shall take into account cultural, political, and economical differences when designing and implementing marketing strategy and marketing mix (product, price, promotion, and distribution) in foreign markets and in the global context. Prerequisites: MBA 6106 or MBAI 5006 or MBA 618 or MBAI 5008
(Elective for Marketing concentration.) This course examines external and internal influences on the behavior of the individual in the exchange situation including consumer information processing and decision-making. It emphasizes the application of consumer behavior theories to the development of marketing strategies. Prerequisites: MBA 618 or MBA 6106 or concurrent MBAI 5006 or MBAI 5008
(Elective for Marketing concentration.) This course focuses on best practices of marketing through the internet, including internet-based communication, distribution, product and service customization, and customer relationship management. Company cases are used to demonstrate how internet may be employed by all kinds of businesses to enhance or transform their traditional marketing programs. Prerequisites: MBA 6106 or MBAI 5006
The Internet has rewritten the rules of business, creating a dramatic shift from traditional media to a complex, ever-evolving array of interactive marketing tools that offer immediate, measurable results. This course examines the role of integrated marketing communications in achieving business goals. It focuses on digital marketing practices , including established analytics methodology, and their contribution to marketing strategy. Students will analyze business scenarios and determine strategic objectives, target markets and messages, while learning the applicability of specific digital marketing tactics. Prerequisite: MBA 6306
(Elective for Marketing concentration.) One third of U.S. consumers belong to ethnic groups including Hispanic-Americans, African-Americans, and Asian-Americans. By 2050, these groups will account for approximately half the U.S. population. This course is designed to highlight the importance and challenges in developing marketing strategies targeting ethical consumers and familiarizes participants with latest trends and best practices in marketing towards diverse groups of consumers in America. Prerequisites: MBA 618 or MBA 6106 or MBAI 5006 or MBAI 5008
(Elective for Marketing concentration.) Consumers are bombarded by thousands of commercial messages from a broad range of sources on a daily basis. Intelligent marketers understand the inherent challenges associated with this trend and are adopting an integrated approach to marketing communication; one in which the company carefully manages its many communications channels to deliver a clear, consistent and compelling message about the organization and its brands. This course takes into account the entire promotion mix when developing an integrated communications strategy including; defining the communication objectives, budget determination, selecting a target audience, designing the message, selecting the proper media mix, collecting feedback and measuring performance. Prerequisite: MBA 6306
(Elective for Marketing concentration.) This is a marketing and strategy course that provides an understanding of the challenges associated with serving low income populations and how firms working at the bottom of the pyramid gain noteworthy rates of return and scale. The impact of wealth disparity, diverse consumption patterns, strengthening political institutions, regional diplomacy and infrastructure programs (telecommunications, housing, health care, power and energy, water) is also examined. The relationship of a firm's marketing performance to social change and economic development is a major topic. Case studies in Africa, South America, and Asia are an important component of the course. Prerequisites: MBA 618 or MBA 6106 or MBAI 5006 or MBAI 5008
(Elective for Marketing concentration.) This course analyzes critical decisions in designing, implementing, and managing effective marketing channels of distribution for goods and services, and examines essential elements of sales management process. Prerequisites: MBA 618 or concurrent MBA 6106 or MBAI 5006 or MBAI 5008
(Elective for Marketing concentration.) This course explores the best practices of creating, building, and sustaining brands, and focuses on understanding, developing and evaluating brand strategies that yield a distinctive competitive advantage for the firm. Students will learn how to build brand equity, what constitutes a successful brand in terms of the consumer and the firm, and how to sustain a brand throughout its lifecycle. Prerequisites: MBA 618 or MBA 6106 or MBAI 5006 or MBAI 5008
(Elective for Marketing concentration.) Product Managers drive the success of their products and services through all stages of the product lifecycle; from strategy formulation to product concept, to customer delivery, and final termination. During the course of this effort, product managers are responsible for all phases of the product, working across all functional organizations within an enterprise to ensure market success. The very best product managers quite literally become the "CEOs" of their product or product lines, managing their profitability, market presence, and global impact. This course will cover all aspects of the practice of product management today with a heavy emphasis on real-world implementations and industry "best practices."
(Elective for Marketing concentration.) Although brands managers can no longer control the web-enabled, consumer-created information available on social platforms, they can engage in deeply meaningful ways to retain relevance, improve engagement, sell products and services and build value through creative, forward-thinking social media marketing solutions. Using real-world cases, this course will focus on the many creative ways that marketers can use the web as a platform for ROI based marketing initiatives, using social platforms such as YouTube, Facebook, Twitter, Foursquare and more to create opportunities for their brands. We will also examine the major listening platforms marketers employ to gain real-time insight into what their consumers are saying about their products and services and how this learning may be used as a foundation for social media strategy.
(Elective for Marketing concentration.) Examines the principles and practices of marketing and public relations as applied to the needs of nonprofit organizations.
(Elective for Marketing concentration.) Prerequisites: MBA 618 or MBA 6106 or concurrent MBAI 5006 or MBAI 5008
This course is a retreat seminar, taught off-site, offering you an opportunity to continue to develop yourself as effective team member and dynamic leader. Through a bond with twenty other individuals, you will create a highly supportive as well as challenging environment to explore your understanding of the cultural, sociological and psychological factors that influence self-identity, values and approaches to leadership. You will explore ideals and visions for the future by as you work together to promote a supportive learning environment that fosters honesty, creativity, and risk-taking. The goals of the course are to increase participant's ability to manage differences, enhance conflict resolution skills, confront issues concerning power and authority, and align their career choices with their most deeply held values and principle Prerequisites: MBA 6103 or MBA 6104 or concurrent MBAI 5001 or MBA 614 or MBA 6105 or MBAI 5007
Prerequisites: MBA 6103 or concurrent MBAI 5001
This course builds upon the required core course in Ethics and Social Responsibility in Business. Using the analytical tools and techniques and frameworks from that class, you will examine a series of contemporary social responsibility challenges to organizations. Specific topics will include such issues as the social impact of globalization, workplace diversity, customer and employee privacy, whistle blowing, protection of the natural environment and the movement toward creation of a sustainable economy. Prerequisites: MBA 614 or MBA 6103 or MBA 6104 or MBA 6105 or MBAI 5007 or MBAI 5001
(Required for Organization Development Concentration) In this introductory course students will learn to recognize the many times each day they have an opportunity to negotiate and influence others. Students will develop skills in person-to-person negotiations in which the stakes are often high, people have different points of view, and there are strong emotions attached to those points of view. The ability to move through conflict to a negotiated outcome is an essential skill for every business person. This course will be skill-based, experiential and participatory in nature. Practice is the only way to improve negotiation and bargaining skills, therefore we will be using cases, role plays, exercises and a final simulation to apply the learning in the course. Prerequisites: MBA 614 or MBA 6103 or MBA 6104 or MBA 6105 or MBAI 5007 or MBAI 5001 or OD 660
(Elective for Leadership concentration.) The critical source of competitive advantage often comes not from having the best product design, marketing strategy or production technology, but rather from having an effective system for obtaining, mobilizing, and managing people. Although many managers and organizations recognize the importance of managing the work force effectively, frequently firms fail to implement effective human resource management analysis and practices. This course has two central themes: (1) How to think systematically and strategically about aspects of managing the organization's human assets, and (2) What really needs to be done to implement these policies and to achieve competitive advantage through people. Prerequisites: MBA 614 or MBA 6103 or MBA 6104 or MBA 6105 or MBAI 5007 or MBAI 5001 or OD 660 or OD 660
(Elective for International Business concentration.) This course will provide students with an understanding of the reason behind this change and offer a thorough introduction to the concept and practice of business sustainability. The course will examine important topics such as pollution prevention, product stewardship, sustainable development, the triple bottom line, brand and reputation, corporate social responsibility and stakeholder theory. The course will place a heavy emphasis on practical examples from the business world and, as such, will make extensive use of guest lecturers and case studies. Prerequisites: MBA 614 or MBA 6103 or MBA 6104 or MBA 6105 or MBAI 5007 or MBAI 5001
This course covers employment law doctrines that all managers with supervisory responsibility must know and follow in order to avoid costly and unnecessary litigation. You will learn how to manage the legal risks associated with employment discrimination based upon race, sex, religion, national origin, age, family status, sexual orientation and disability. Additional topics include sexual harassment, wage and hour regulations, and independent contractor status Prerequisites: MBA 614 or MBA 6103 or MBA 6104 or MBA 6105 or MBAI 5007 or MBAI 5001
Examines the relationships between companies role in and impacts on society's wellbeing and multi-stakeholders expectations, for the continued co-existence. The course consists of an analysis of CSR-related issues, case studies, and discussions.
(Required for Organization Development Concentration) Entering into an already existing team or creating a new one is always a tricky and mysterious process. In this course, you will use the class as a laboratory to discover what makes a high performance team, and how to create one yourself. Using exercises, projects and the study of group dynamics you will become an outstanding team member and potentially a great team builder and leader. Prerequisites: MBA 614 or MBA 6103 or MBA 6104 or MBA 6105 or MBAI 5007 or MBAI 5001
(Required for International Business concentration.) (Elective for Leadership concentration.) Working in another culture or working with people from another culture can often feel like visiting another planet. In this course, you will study dimensions of culture such as time, personal space, ethics, and business etiquette as well as a host of other elements. You will also study particular cultures in Asia, Europe, Middle East and others to become more familiar with how individuals from those cultures approach business relationships and work in general. The intent is to become effective cross cultural managers, leaders and negotiators. Prerequisites: MBA 614 or MBA 6103 or MBA 6104 or MBA 6105 or MBAI 5007 or MBAI 5001
Although specific topics change from year to year, this course deals with current business issues and the social problems mediating individual and organizational performance. The challenges posed by endemic poverty, stressed health, tax and law enforcement institutions, expanded educational and income inequalities, growing influence of a power elite and the fragmentation of community and social life nationally and internationally comprise a broad framework to evaluate a leader's effectiveness. Prerequisites: MBA 614 or MBA 6103 or MBA 6104 or MBA 6105 or MBAI 5007 or MBAI 5001
Recognizing that innovation is the chief source of sustainable advantage, this course focuses on how leaders spur and manage it in a harshly competitive environment. Students learn how to choose where to focus innovation efforts, how to leverage unexpected occurrences and situations, how to build a team of innovation enthusiasts and content experts, how to set innovation metrics, how to explore uses of new technologies and processes, how to anticipate and recognize changes in perception and attitudes, how to learn from mistakes, and how to inspire or appeal to a desire for change. Additionally, the course examines how managers can develop the skills and attitudes that enrich their leadership of innovation, both in small groups and large organizations. Prerequisites: MBA 614 or MBA 6103 or MBA 6104 or MBAI 5001 or MBAI 5007 or MBA 6105
(Required for Organization Development Concentration) This course explores the theory behind and dynamics of organizational change management processes. Students will investigate best practices related to developing, implementing and managing large and small scale change initiatives as an internal change agent and as an organizational development consultant. The course blends both theory and practice in understanding change management models; generating and evaluating change management tactics; and, leading organizational change efforts. Student teams will have the opportunity to engage in an organizational change management consulting project working with community partners in the Bay Area. Prerequisites: MBA 6103 or MBA 6104 or MBA 614 or MBA 6105 or MBAI 5007 or MBAI 5001
Participants will learn the extent to which cultural differences impact decision making, relationships, communication, problem solving, conflict management and other leadership and management aspects of their business lives. During this program we will define Linear-Active, Multi-Active, and Reactive (LMR) cultural categories. We will also discuss the works of experts such as Edward Hall and Fons Trumpenaars.
Participants will have the opportunity for a "hands on" working weekend with a targeted Bay Area company that must revitalize its core strengths and business model with disciplined, successful innovation. They will pitch their changes and innovations live to an invited panel of Bay Area Entrepreneurs and Corporate Managers on Sunday, May 2nd, with designated time for reviews and networking with those Panelists.
Overview of the American nonprofit sector and introduction to unique features of nonprofit management including governing boards, fundraising, volunteer management, law, financial management, and public policy.
Reviews emerging issues and topics in the field of organization development. The course focuses on the values and ethics underlying OD as applied to practice, and the essential skills for the OD practitioner, including entering, contracting, developing client capability, and managing unplanned events in the change process.
(Required for Organization Development Concentration) Reviews the consulting process, especially with respect to organization development. Focuses on the values and ethics underlying the consulting practice, and the essential skills for a consultant, including entering, contracting, developing client capability, and managing unplanned events in the change process.
Students serve as on-site consultants to area organizations that have been identified through research and evaluation as being aligned with the vision and values of the University of San Francisco. Student consulting teams face unique challenges as they assess issues, plan strategies, and enact change within these organizations. This course incorporates team building skills as well as real-world consulting and business development practices. Prerequisite: MBA 6435
Integrates the practice and essential skills for a change consultant, including developing an organization's capacity for change, with the design, implementation, and evaluation of various individual, team, and organizational interventions. Focuses on the values, ethics, and emerging issues and practices underlying organization development and change practices.
Introduces a strategic project management framework for planning and implementing complex projects. Includes how project plan inputs are accurately gathered, integrated, and documented in conjunction with the application of essential tools and techniques necessary for effective planning and change management. Emphasis is placed on managing complexity in projects and their environments where uncertainty, ambiguity, and unpredictability are high.
Studies, through a highly interactive format, the theory and processes of negotiation as practiced in a variety of organizational settings. Addresses both the art and science of creating and securing an agreement between two or more interdependent parties, and exposes the negotiation problems specific to managerial situations.
Develops the knowledge and skills necessary for change catalysts and agents when implementing large-scale organizational change initiatives. Integrates complexity science theory and concepts when examining the internal and external forces impinging on organizations. Emphasizes a balanced organizational view where both the positive and negative aspects of the organization's current state are considered simultaneously.
Investigates quantitative and qualitative information that leaders and managers rely on in developing and evaluating change initiatives in organizations. Emphasis is on human capital investments and how leaders integrate financial and statistical information in building best-case scenarios for making such investments to ensure the organization's long-term viability.
This course will focus on the foundations of professional project management and change management that are necessary for students to assume with confidence a challenging role in contemporary and future projects. These roles may include project manager, consultant, cross-functional project team member, or manager who sponsors project initiatives. The need for project management expertise in organizations is very evident as product and service life cycles shorten, new products across different functions expand, technology innovations increase, and globalization becomes more and more the norm on projects. This course will prepare you to work effectively in these complex project environments by applying your knowledge to an actual project with a cross-functional team, and preparing a project portfolio that can be used in future employment.
(Elective for Organization Development Concentration) This class examines leadership and organizational studies in the global work context through the lenses of culture, communication, and connectivity through technology. Students will prepare themselves for international management by learning about both the dilemmas and opportunities presented in cross-cultural and multicultural work environments. At the end of the course, students will have enhanced their global perspectives and abilities to understand the competencies necessary to succeed in an increasingly global business environment. Special emphasis will be placed on the behaviors of people and groups in international organizations.
This course will cover core concepts in business law for corporate management. The objective is to provide a basic understanding of important legal issues facing business decision-makers with respect to organizational relationships, operations, asset protection, and risk/liability management. The goal is to recognize fundamental legal issues and their potential impact on business decisions.
(Elective for International Business concentration.) Trends in international communications industries. Factors contributing to growth of mobile services in Japan and South Korea. Opportunities and challenges in emerging markets of Asia, Latin America and Africa. Role of ICTs in socio-economic development. Prerequisites: MBA 616 or MBA 651 or MBA 6113 or MBAI 5004
Supply Chain Management considers the flows of goods and information among all of the firms that contribute value to a product, from the source of raw materials to end customers. We will use concepts from marketing, operations, information technology and international business as we explore global supply chain strategies and relationships. You will be exposed to ways of combining multiple players and geographically-dispersed activities into an integrated system. You will become conversant in important principles such as lead-time reduction, risk pooling, postponement, inventory placement, and information value. We will use these concepts to explore strategic sourcing, risk mitigation through supply contracts, outsourcing of selected functions, and the role of the internet. Prerequisites: MBA 6106 or MBA 6103 or MBAI 5006 or (MBA 618 and MBA 616 )
Explores the managing of projects within an organizational context, including the processes related to initiating, planning, executing, controlling, reporting, and closing a project.
Studies the biotechnology timeline, the basic terminology of the biotech field, the applications represented by the biotech field, including pharmaceuticals, agribusiness, energy, industrial applications and biodefense, the biotech business environment of the San Francisco Bay Area - the world's largest biotech cluster, the capabilities of regional clusters throughout the United States, global biotech clusters, and the global industry. Professionals from the biotechnology field will present on a variety of topics. Course References include: Welcome to BioTech Nation, Moira A. Gunn, AMACOM, 2007. BayBIO Impact Report 2009. Industry Report San Francisco Bay Area California Cures 2009. Industry Report: San Francisco Bay Area, Los Angeles and San Diego Biotech Clusters. Growing the Nation's Biotech Sector, International BIO Organization Guide to Biotechnology, International BIO Organization.Starting Spring 2013 this course will be 3 units.
Surveys the creation, storage and analysis needs of the information generated by the biotech industry, including the data collection requirements of Phase I, II and III clinical trials, the information requirements for drug and device submissions to the FDA, the EU, and other agencies on the global landscape, the digital representation of DNA, and the biotech computer applications available from major software/hardware manufacturers, including Dell, Intel, Google, Oracle and Microsoft. Professionals from the biotechnology field will present on a variety of topics. Course References include: Putting the Pieces Together: Genomics, Proteomics and Bioinformatics, International BIO Organization Manufacturers/service-provider's technical materials. Starting Spring 2013 this course will be 3 units.
Studies biotech intellectual property and patents on a national and global basis, the privacy and security regulations from HIPAA and GINA (Genetic Information Nondiscrimination Act), the societal implications of the development and use of biotechnology in both the developed and developing world, ethical concerns and human use regulations for clinical studies, and the implications for information systems designers and managers. Professionals from the biotechnology field will present for a portion of every class session.Starting Spring 2013 this course will be 3 units.
Studies the capabilities of the global biotech clusters and examines the global biotechnology industry as a whole. Topics include venture capital deal flow, intellectual property challenges, and multi-national corporate structures, taking advantage of the global marketplace. Emergent capabilities in science and technology innovation are also examined.Starting Spring 2013 this course will be 3 units.
This course will build on the modeling and analysis skills from the MBA core. Students will learn develop an understanding of how statistical models are applied in the business world today by examining a variety of data-driven business problems from functional areas such as marketing, finance, and operations. In the process, students will master several new techniques, including multiple regression, logistic regression, cluster analysis, and principal components analysis. In addition to working with Excel, students will also develop their skills with the JMP software platform for data management, analysis, and visualization.
(Required for Entrepreneurship concentration.) In Entrepreneurial Management students apply their creative and innovative talents while sharpening their analytical abilities. Students will develop a new business idea and craft it into a comprehensive business plan that details the qualitative (e.g. business modeling and milestone planning) and quantitative (financial forecasts and valuation) process of bringing a new venture idea to fruition. The business plan that each team develops is an operating plan for a start-up company or a new venture within a larger corporation. Prerequisites: MBA 6103 or MBA 6104 or MBA 6105 or MBAI 5007 or MBA 614 or MBAI 5001
(Elective for Entrepreneurship concentration.) (Elective for International Business concentration.) In today's competitive world of business and technology, getting the correct product(s) to market in time successfully has become a matter of survival. The purpose of this course is to develop an understanding and working knowledge of the new product development and management process. This course will focus on issues involved in selecting, researching and developing, and positioning/marketing new products. Cases of successful new products developed in the medical, biotech, IT, telecom, materials, and consumer fields will be used to illustrate the management processes and issues discussed in class.
(Elective for Entrepreneurship concentration.) Want to take any product or service, make it better and more profitable? Want to get noticed and fast-tracked as a creative innovator at work? Want to learn and apply the practical tool-kit for accomplishing this? Investigation of innovation in the corporate setting and the personal creative process, with an emphasis on understanding the role innovation plays in corporate success. Students practice methods for sharpening one's own innovative and creative skills through lectures and personal exercises designed to build both information content and a repertoire of specific techniques. Prerequisites: MBA 614 or MBA 6103 or MBA 6104 or MBAI 5007 or MBAI 5001 or MBA 6105
(Elective for Entrepreneurship concentration.) The course will provide students a practical understanding of how Intellectual Property (IP) is identified, managed, protected and exploited in the commercial setting. The course will cover: patent protection, trademark and copyright protection, managing an IP audit, employment issues relating to IP, IP related agreements (including distribution, licensing, and assignment), technology transfer issues, and litigation.
(Elective for Entrepreneurship concentration.) Small Business Entrepreneurship is an applied course designed to give you the tools and planning skills to start and operate a small business. This course builds on the knowledge of marketing, sales, organizational behavior, finance and business plan development and focuses on the nuts and bolts of getting a small business off the ground. Legal company creation, site selection, protection, hiring of personnel, customers and anticipation of problems are addressed. A final report of the detailed tasks and timeline of starting the business from conception to beginning of sales will provide you with a roadmap and checklist to follow to increase the chances of a successful business. You will be working individually and in teams of generally 3 people. Prerequisites: MBA 614 or MBA 6103 or MBA 6104 or MBAI 5007 or MBAI 5001 or MBA 6105
(Required for Entrepreneurship Concentration) Corporate entrepreneurship and developing new business is a daunting task to many established companies. This is because the organizational capabilities and processes required for new business innovation are drastically different from, and sometimes, even in conflict with those required for established business. Many companies tried but failed while others succeeded. This course is to share with you the lessons and effective practices of many companies that tried various innovation and growth strategies. In particular, the course will focus on following topics: -How to generate new business ideas in the strategic context of a company, and funnel internal and external (open innovation) business ideas to a company's commercialization process. -How to use different funding systems, appropriate organizational structures/homes to manage new business innovation projects. -Managing the milestones and evolutions of new business innovation projects. -Managing the relationships between new business venture projects and existing businesses. -How to fold new business projects back to the core business infrastructure of a company. -How to create and manage robust innovation programs, including budgeting, monitoring and resource allocation among multiple innovation projects. -How to develop and manage talents required for new business projects. -How to become successful entrepreneurs to advance your careers in corporate environments.
(Required for Entrepreneurship Concentration.) Internet Business Applications provides an introduction to performing business and entrepreneurial activities through online services. This includes developing prototype ecommerce systems that utilize content management systems, collaboration tools, web services, online advertising and analytics.
(Elective for Entrepreneurship concentration.) Want to create "game-changing" innovations for targeted Bay Area companies, while personally meeting, pitching, and networking with top Corporate Execs and Entrepreneurs? Want to learn how to revitalize a business model, expand opportunities, and organize and lead change structures as part of your own decision-making? Participants will have the opportunity for a "hands on" working weekend with a targeted Bay Area company that must revitalize its core strengths and business model with disciplined, successful innovation. They will pitch their changes and innovations live to an invited panel of Bay Area Entrepreneurs and Corporate Managers with designated time for reviews and networking with those Panelists.
'Silicon Valley Immersion' is an experiential learning course where students will attend Silicon Valley conferences, visit Silicon Valley firms, and learn from Silicon Valley leaders in structured and unstructured formats. From these experiences and with guidance from their professor, students will craft a white paper that references their unique experiences and related research to provide an analysis on emerging opportunities and trends for a chosen industry (or across industries) on new venture development, corporate innovation, and career invention. Students will present the key findings of their analysis to a panel of Bay Area executives, investors, and technologists.
Elective for Entrepreneurship Concentration
Special Topics: Entrepreneurship Elective for Entrepreneurship Concentration
(Elective for International Business concentration.) You will learn about the political economy that is the underpinning of Japanese business. You will discover the economic policies and social conditions that made a country the size of California with no natural resources into the world's 2nd largest economy. The course examines the events and policies leading to Japan's economic downturn in the 1990s. You will also learn the `how to's of conducting business with the Japanese. Prerequisites: MBA 611 or MBA 6102 or MBA 6111 or MBAI 5004
(Elective for International Business concentration.) This course identifies major clusters of global events and applies frameworks to analyze the implications for corporate performance. It examines how global trends affect the strengths, weaknesses, threats, and opportunities of international firms and how companies can leverage on these developments to achieve strategic advantage. Prerequisites: MBA 614 or MBA 6103 or MBA 6104 or MBAI 5007 or MBAI 5001 or MBA 6105
(Elective for International Business concentration.) Outsourcing has altered the way business is done nowadays. Cheaper labor, more skilled expertise, freer cash flow, a more flexible working environment and the more effective use of labor have made outsourcing a global phenomenon. Today businesses from all across the globe are outsourcing work by getting specialists to work at more affordable rates so companies can be more competitive. This course uses economic and management theories as well as real world cases to explore the socio-economic impact of outsourcing and offshoring practices that companies employ to improve business outcomes.
(Elective for International Business concentration.) This course is designed for students who have the ambition and aspiration to develop a career related to globalization of Chinese business. The phenomenon of Chinese outbound foreign direct investment has become a defining feature of China's current economic development and the 21st century global economy. China is the engine of global economic growth. The rate of globalization of Chinese business continues in defiance of the economic crisis. There is an increasing demand of businesses looking for graduates who combine sound management skills with a good understanding of the Chinese business and culture. This course will provide an overview of the trends and patterns of globalization of Chinese business, explore the opportunities and challenges facing Chinese firms expanding internationally, introduce you to the strategic management of Chinese multinational firms, and engage you in the strategic choices that Chinese multinational firms face in the global environment through case studies, company-based research projects and industry guest speakers.
(Elective for International Business concentration.) This course will examine the practice of organization development and change in international and global settings. Students will analyze traditional organization development and change theories and practices with special emphasis on the challenges of applying these practices in unique societal cultures. Students will also learn specific tools to improve the capability and effectiveness of organizations in countries and cultures outside the U.S.
(Elective for International Business concentration.) This course is designed for students who wish to prepare themselves for negotiating with people from other cultures. In the contemporary global business environment, negotiators who understand how culture affects negotiating processes and outcomes have a distinct advantage at the bargaining table. The purpose of this course is to help you understand the theory and the process of negotiation. In this course, you will study other cultures as well as your own to become more familiar with how individuals from those cultures approach business relationships in general and learn to use interpersonal communication and influence skills as well as analytical tools to become effective negotiators in particular. Contemporary cultural theory provides the framework for students to analyze their own cultural assumptions about the negotiation process and to circumvent cross-cultural differences at the negotiating table. In this short course, you'll observe differences in how negotiation is done in various cultures and learn to decode cultural behavior during negotiation by understanding the cultural dimensions and cross-cultural communication styles.
(Required for International Business concentration.) Two week academic global immersion course. Students visit selected corporations and organizations, and complete research projects.
(International Business elective) Import-export management examines the distinctive issues, current relevant principles, concepts and problems involved in international trade. The goal of the course takes a managerial perspective to assist the student in understanding the basic principles of import-export management and to learn the operational mechanism of trade. Special emphasis will be on practical aspects of export management, and the use of export marketing strategies to achieve a sustainable competitive advantage in international markets. The course objective is to expose the student to the basic elements of international trade in the challenging global economy of the 21st century. Learning Objectives: At the completion of this course, the student will: Apply the basic terms, facts, concepts and theories of import-export management; Demonstrate a thorough understanding of the export-import business environment; Be able to research and identify foreign markets for export of U.S. made products; Be able to prepare and present an export-oriented business plan; Demonstrate a commitment to details and accurate work; Improve proactive managerial discussion skills supported by measurable factual knowledge of the subject matter; Develop ability to work productively with others on assigned group projects and distinguish between hard facts and general opinions.
Starting from the last half of the twentieth century, many barriers to international trade and investment have been falling and waves of firms have been pursuing global strategies to gain competitive advantages. To create successful global strategies, managers need to understand the nature of global industries and the dynamics of global competition. This course addresses the most challenging tasks faced by multinational companies, how to create competitive advantages during globalization and the resulting needs for globally integrated strategies. Specifically, the course will cover following key topics: Leveraging Resources and Capabilities in global competition, Impact of Institutions, Cultures and Ethics on global strategies, Managing Global competitive moves and dynamics, Growing and Internalizing the firms, Managing global strategic alliances and networks Diversification, Merger and Acquisition in global competition, Corporate governance and organizing models of various multinational corporations, Global Strategy and its implications for corporate social responsibilities. This course will extensively use cases to illustrate how companies build and operate multinational corporations, develop and execute global strategies and deal with global competition. Prerequisites: MBA 619 or MBA 6114 or MBAI 5008
This course will cover both statutory environmental financial reporting and voluntary environmental disclosures. Companies are required to report loss contingencies, contingent liabilities, asset retirement obligations, and impaired assets in their financial statements and accompanying footnotes. Voluntary disclosure includes triple bottom line reporting (economic, environmental, and human rights) under the Global Reporting Initiative. In addition to learning the relevant accounting standards and laws, companies' external reports will be analyzed to explore the real-world implementation of environmental disclosure. Prerequisites: MBA 6109 or MBAI 5002
This course is an introduction to both financial and managerial accounting concepts as currently practiced in American business. The emphasis is on how environmental issues are reflected in the annual report and in internal decision-making.
This course is offered in conjunction with the Working with Entrepreneurs: USF MBA Fellowship program. Designed for eager, creative risk-takers, students will work side-by-side with entrepreneurs in new venture environments based here or in emerging countries. At the completion of the program students will be prepared to work in the high risk, high growth arenas of new product launch and new venture creation and will be prepared to enter different industries of the Bay Area and Global economy. Students will be selected on a competitive basis. Prerequisite: MBA 614
