MBA First Year Courses 2012-2013
Analysis of Business Problems FIRST TERM This course, offered in the first term, is intended to develop a student s basic ability to think about complex real-world business problems. At the same time it serves as an introduction to the use of the case method. An examination is made of the different stages involved in making decisions and implementing them; defining the problem(s), establishing the criteria (both quantitative and qualitative), designing alternative solutions, and making a decision based on both objective criteria and the ease of successful implementation of the solution chosen. Decision Analysis Analysis of Business Problems Decision Analysis Students are trained to develop a rigorous and clear methodology to cope with decisions in situations of uncertainty. For this purpose, tools and concepts such as decision trees, measurement of uncertainty by means of probability, and attitudes towards risk are explained in detail. Financial Accounting Financial Accounting Capital Markets Marketing Management Managing People in Organizations This course presents the concepts and procedures used in accounting to support financial decision making. It first studies the main financial statements (balance sheet, income statement and cash flow statement) and their interrelationships, then analyzes in detail the key accounts in them,and finally shows how useful information about a company can be extracted from the financial statements. 2 MBA Program - IESE Business School
Capital Markets Managing People in Organizations Capital Markets is the 1st course in the Investment Curriculum at IESE. A half credit course, it focuses on the foundations of the financial markets. Capital Markets intents to be an introductory course to the most important investment products, their behaviors as well as their environment. No previous knowledge is assumed. Although a necessity for the people who want to work in Sales and Trading, Corporate Finance, M&A, Research etc., the course targets the MBA community at large. As all of you will hopefully at some stage have to make investment decisions, this course will be a must for all of you. Marketing Management Marketing Management aims to develop an understanding of the basic elements of marketing strategy. Product planning, market selection, distribution, pricing, and promotion are studied in conjunction with analysis of the internal and external environments, to illustrate how these elements are integrated into a consistent, competitive marketing mix. This course has a double focus: people and the organization. Behavior of the individual is analyzed within various frameworks such as work groups, the component elements of the organization, sources of authority, management styles, leadership, hierarchical communication, inter-functional relationships, structural systems, and organizational cultures. The objective of the Spanish Business courses is to ensure that participants can fluently engage in various business situations with a special emphasis on verbal communication. Both the methodology as well as the materials used are geared to facilitate the active participation of the students, who are responsible for their own learning process. The student practices the communication situations presented in the classroom to ensure he/she can use the same learning tools with ease and confidence outside the classroom. MBA Program - IESE Business School 3
Managerial Accounting second TERM Managerial Accounting In the Managerial Accounting course -once we have seen and understood what we want cost information for- we explore ways in which such information is to be gathered, accumulated, and presented in order to serve that fundamental purpose: To help make decisions. Students learn how cost systems are designed and how to measure the cost of the resources consumed in performing the organization s significant activities. This course also covers the basic concepts of planning, directing and controlling an organization s operations. Students are exposed to budgets and the budgeting process: how to prepare them and how to compare actual results incurred with those specified in the budget. Variance analysis and management by exception are covered in detail. Basic concepts of management control are also introduced, even though this topic is covered in detail in an elective second year course. Marketing Planning and Implementation Operational Finance Operations Management Managerial Communications Marketing Planning and Implementation Builds upon the concepts introduced in Marketing Management, with continued practice in the application of basic principles. In addition, more complex topics such as sales force management and marketing research are discussed, often within the context of group projects or simulations. Quantitative Methods for Management Competitive Strategy Operational Finance This course introduces concepts, techniques, and policies relating to the firm s everyday financial activities. It principally covers the management of shortterm expenditure (accounts payable and receivable, inventory). It also explores how this 4 MBA Program - IESE Business School
expenditure affects the firm s working capital and working capital requirements. Operations Management This course concentrates on achieving the basic understanding needed to allow diagnosis and evaluation of the operating system. This is done by describing the Business Activity Sequence (BAS) of the firm and its basic operating variables (capacities, throughput, processes and procedures, planning and programming, conflict resolution and human resources). Managerial Communications This course is designed to reinforce students existing communication skills. Students analyze cases, deliver presentations and speeches, write reports, and explore the issues businesses face in communicating internally with employees and externally with the diverse public. It places strong emphasis on presentation and interpersonal skills and introduces a general theoretical framework for business communications. Quantitative Methods for Management Several very different techniques have been developed recently to deal with the increasing number of complex forecasting problems that appear in today s companies. This course provides the tools needed to decide which model is best suited to a given case and how to use it effectively. The techniques studied will be those most used in practice (chronological series, Delphi method, multiple regression, Box-Jenkins, etc.). Competitive Strategy The objective of this course is to push students to think strategically in different situations. The course will introduce students to a coherent framework of Value Creation and Value Capture and related concepts that are used to analyze the competitive environment of a firm and its internal strengths and weaknesses. It is expected that after this course students will be able to deal with the basic strategy concepts introduced. Nevertheless, they remain tools, which should aid students in becoming better strategic thinkers. The ultimate objective is to formulate a clear strategy for a business that will shape the future environment of the firm and aid the firm with its strategic decisionmaking in this future. The objective of the Spanish Business courses is to ensure that participants can fluently engage in various business situations with a special emphasis on verbal communication. Both the methodology as well as the materials used are geared to facilitate the active participation of the students, who are responsible for their own learning process. The student practices the communication situations presented in the classroom to ensure he/she can use the same learning tools with ease and confidence outside the classroom. MBA Program - IESE Business School 5
Leading Organizations: Systems, Values & Ethics THird TERM This course is focused on leadership processes within organizations, their key components and mechanisms. How to carry out personal and structural change processes and the economic and social responsibilities of managers and of the company will be discussed. Global Economics Leading Organizations: Systems, Values & Ethics Global Economics Transforming Organizations and Markets With ICT s Operations Management Fundamentals of Entrepreneurial Management Corporate Finance The objective of this course is to provide a conceptual framework for understanding the international economy from a managerial point of view. Using different countries economic policies, political and institutional analysis is developed conjointly with a study of economics. The case method is used to apply this knowledge. A series of cases analyzes the economic situation in various countries within the context of the international economy. Transforming Organizations and Markets With ICT s New computer and telecommunication infrastructures, globalization and deregulation are changing the nature of competition in information-based industries such as the media, banking, education, distribution, insurance, computers, consumer electronics and telecommunications. Companies in different industries are now competing with each other in a process known as industry convergence. Furthermore, the impact of this process extends beyond the scope of information industries. It affects fundamental aspects of our society such as basic customer and employee expectations. This course aims to provide a conceptual framework used to analyze and understand the convergence process for specific management decisions (both inside and outside the organization). The course also analyzes new industries such as the Internet, electronic commerce and other virtual industries emerging through this transformation process. 6 MBA Program - IESE Business School
Operations Management Corporate Finance This course concentrates on achieving the basic understanding needed to allow diagnosis and evaluation of the operating system. This is done by describing the Business Activity Sequence (BAS) of the firm and its basic operating variables (capacities, throughput, processes and procedures, planning and programming, conflict resolution and human resources). The main objective of this course is to provide a comprehensive introduction to the main principles of corporate finance. Topics covered include risk, the rate of return, analysis of sources and cost of internal and external funding, capital structure, and dividend policy. The course will answer two questions: what the cost of money is and where to obtain funds for the company. Fundamentals of Entrepreneurial Management The course provides the basis of the entrepreneurial approach to management, essential to any business activity today. In an integrative, action-oriented course, students will acquire the mindset and skills of entrepreneurial management. Main elements are the identification and evaluation of business opportunities, the conception of business models and the identification factors for successful implementation. The course uses a series of practical academic frameworks jointly with innovative tools, cases and exercises with the aim of allowing students to deploy an entrepreneurial approach in any business situation. The objective of the Spanish Business courses is to ensure that participants can fluently engage in various business situations with a special emphasis on verbal communication. Both the methodology as well as the materials used are geared to facilitate the active participation of the students, who are responsible for their own learning process. The student practices the communication situations presented in the classroom to ensure he/she can use the same learning tools with ease and confidence outside the classroom. MBA Program - IESE Business School 7
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