Master of Business Administration (MBA)

The Elective offers a synopsis and amplification of the different leadership elements offered in the MBA curriculum so far. By the end of the class, students should be able to:

• Understand the necessity of leading dual transformations
• Understand the dichotomously different leadership styles required for Dual Transformations
• Reflect on their own journey as Ambidextrous Leaders
• Review and update their development plan as future leaders in either of the 5 leadership capabilities (Strategy, Execution, People, Stakeholders, Self).

Speaking in public is, for many, a nerve-wracking experience. There is much to think about – you must not only get the content right, but you must also engage and inspire your audience so that they want to listen to – and will remember – what you have to say. This involves having the confidence to harness your voice, body and personality to maximum effect. 

Following on from the sessions with Dramatic Resources earlier this year, this Presenting with Impact elective programme explores how the actor’s toolkit can help overcome nerves and create impact when communicating in public and under pressure. It offers participants the opportunity to rehearse new behaviours for more effective communication in both formal situations to large audiences, and in smaller meetings with clients and colleagues. 

*Capacity is limited to 25 MBAs. 

The first part of the Finance curriculum covered key topics in Financial Management and Corporate Finance: Diversification, Capital Structure, Dividend Policy and Market Microstructure. In the second part of the course, you have mastered Valuation and Sustainable Finance.  

Our summer sessions will present you with some advanced finance topics, and particularly the role of primary markets, financial restructuring, and valuation of M&A deals.   

This elective will provide you with a deep analysis primary and secondary financial markets. Whether you are pursuing an investment banking, consulting, or general management career, you must master the art of project and company financial management. 

The mini course will also provide you with a good understanding of the investment banking industry by covering M&A deals and Initial Public offerings. The sessions are structured as a combination of lectures, case studies, and simulations. 

International strategy is a 4-session course that focuses on the issues that arise when companies operate across national borders.  

The importance of multinational companies and the economic interdependence of countries have increased radically in recent years. At the same time, the cross-border environment in which multinational companies conduct their international operations remains far from homogenous, especially nowadays.  

This course provides students with a solid foundation of the theory and practice of international strategy. It gives them the opportunity to familiarise with the key notions and principles of competing across borders. Furthermore, it prompts them to think systematically about the critical dimensions of the international business environment in which multinational companies operate and how these dimensions impact their strategic decision-making processes. 

By the end of this course students will be expected to: 

• Analyse the international business environment of a company that conducts business across countries.
• Understand the key principles underlying the internationalization of a company and the related creation of value across national borders.
• Assess the different factors impacting strategic decision-making processes associated with a company’s international operations.
• Understand the organizational challenges associated with a company’s international presence.

I’ve often stated that society needs entrepreneurs, as without them we stagnate.  Inertia takes over and we do not make progress on the problems and needs around us.  You can replace the word “entrepreneur” with “innovation”, wherever it comes from:  startups, research labs, large corporates, academia, and you and me.  We are all capable of innovating, and innovation needs to occur all around us, not just in R&D or product creation, but also in finance, HR, supply chain, marketing, etc.  Everywhere. 

In this elective, we’ll explore innovation at large iconic corporations such as Apple and Amazon, trying to understand the culture and mechanisms that keep them innovating. We’ll also look at what governments do, as well as startups and specialized firms like IDEO.  We’ll level up your skills, increase your interest in experimentation, reduce your fear of failure, and provide you with a lens to see where you should attempt to bring innovation into your next role.  Is it through the features and functionality of your product or complementary products and services bundled with it?  Should the innovation be in the user experience?  Might it be on how you extract value from the customer, or how you deliver your product to them?  And more. 

This elective will be a mix of lectures, hands-on exercises, guest speakers, a company visit and introspection on your part.  Join this elective if you wish to expand your understanding of innovation (and don’t mind being a bit uncomfortable).  Do not choose this elective expecting a simple recipe. 

Power and office politics: two forces that we know are present and important in the workplace. And many of us have some degree of discomfort and reservation with them. In this 4-session elective, we dive into these topics, learning about the psychological instrumentality of them for the workplace. You will receive the knowledge necessary to make an informed decision about your desire and willingness to “play the game”. And if you do want to engage, you will receive tools to reflect on and be successful in harnessing power, turning power into leadership, and navigating office politics, as well as putting a personal touch on them in a way that allows you to own your choice and subsequent behaviour. 

This elective course is the logical follow-up of the core marketing class, targeted at students interested in pursuing a career in B2B.  

 The traditional B2B Marketing model still in use today originated in the early 60s and was by large a “by-product” of the B2C world. It was designed for a) individual firms who sought to sell b) products c) TO customers d) within a supply-chain e) in a mostly physical world.   

 By contrast, throughout this class we will work on a new “B4B” model, which seeks to develop a: a) phygital b) ecosystem aiming at selling c) outcomes d) FOR customers.