Year-Two Course Descriptions

Term 5

Interpreting the Economic Environment. Studies the structure and operation of the economy, including an introduction to macroeconomic theory. Topics include national income, employment, inflation, and the rate of economic growth. International economics and the economic impact of globalization are examined. The application of monetary and fiscal policies in solving economic problems is considered in depth.

Ethical and Legal Environment of Business. Provides a system for analyzing ethical dilemmas that can arise in business and reviews important legal parameters for business decision-making—including the costs of and alternatives to litigation, product liability, human resources law, Sarbanes Oxley, and SEC requirements for business and managers. Emphasizes spotting potential ethical and legal issues and discussing potential solutions.

Term 6

Information Technology & Business Strategy. Focuses on current issues and trends surrounding the management of information and related technologies. The course centers on the management of information as a resource and on the identification of opportunities to exploit its potential for competitive advantage, as well as ways to avoid the potential problem of strategic jeopardy by mismanaging the information resource. The course addresses the question: why and how should these new technologies be leveraged to shape and support strategic and entrepreneurial initiatives in the global competitive landscape?

Managing People in a Global Environment. Emphasizes improving productivity, quality of life, and profit through effective management of people in domestic and international markets. Topics include employment law, attracting and retaining top talent, succession planning, performance management, compensation and benefits, negotiation of salary determination and employment contracts, employee relations, ethics, and procedural justice.

Term 7

Financial Strategy and Valuation. Emphasizes financial decision-making and the formulation of financial strategies that will maintain and enhance business values. Topics include performing financial analyses, preparing financial plans, managing growth, making financing mix (debt and equity) decisions, estimating the cost of financial capital, conducting capital project analyses, and estimating the value of businesses using discounted cash flow and multiples-based methods. Business valuations are conducted for initial public offering, acquisition, buyout, and sale purposes. Case studies, involving both domestic and international business settings, provide the primary learning vehicle.

Innovative Business Strategies for New Markets. Focuses on the general manager’s role in defining the mission for the business, evaluating opportunities and threats in competitive markets, developing strategies for achieving competitive advantage, and designing the appropriate organizational configuration for strategy execution. Emphasizes the financial, marketing, and organizational strategies needed for new ventures, whether in new or existing companies.

Term 8

International Markets and Management. Examines issues relevant to international business management. Provides an introduction to the field of international business and international management, including such topics as globalization, international business environment, strategies for entering foreign markets and related success factors, starting and managing international operations, and international trade. International management topics include the cultural impact of international business, intercultural communications, managing in international environments, and international business ethics. International business cases are used throughout the course.

The Global Business Experience. Integrates theory and practice through an examination of the global business environment. Students choose topics related to an area of interest and examine their chosen topics on site by participating in a nine-day international business experience.

International Business Trip. The international business trip provides students firsthand experience with how business is organized and managed outside the U.S. During the trip, the class as a group will visit a diverse set of companies, tour factory operations, and interact directly with senior managers at meetings arranged by the program. Students also will divide into small groups centered on specific topics they choose to explore in more depth during the trip. These small groups will have the unique experience of selecting and arranging meetings with the companies and organizations they will visit.