International Business Management Program

The following curriculum is essentially focused on key issues in Management, while stressing practical business skills. All courses are taking the international key concepts into account, and are aimed at ensuring that the student envisions business in a thoroughly global way.

Course descriptions:

• Fall Trimester: October - December
  
  
  • Managerial Accounting:
    This decision-making course emphasizes the use of managerial accounting concepts and techniques in a wide variety of organizational settings and functions.
  
  
  • Lobbying, Advocacy and Negotiation Skills:
    This course on Lobbying examines how influencing the legislative environment is an integral part of business strategies today - from intelligence gathering and issue management to strategic planning, stakeholder approaches, internal and external communication, and campaign planning. This is a case study based course where students focus on practices and tactics of lobbying in the context of the European Union.
  
  
  • Green Business Opportunities:
    While introducing the basics of Environmental Economics in a business context, this course is a first contact with environmental entrepreneurship, 21^st century style. With a practical overview of renewable energy types and their markets, the business opportunities within the Kyoto Protocol and most popular Feed-In-Tariff based business models, students should feel comfortable turning environmental barriers into profitable business operation.
  
  
  • International Marketing:
    Analysis of marketing problems from a managerial point of view. Topics covered include marketing systems, competitive policies and strategies, demand analysis, and distribution structures.
  
  
  • European Law / International Law:
    The historical development, basis, and role of law in modern society, with special reference to the role and application of legal principle in modern industry. Law is studied as one of the dynamics of society and as a major determinant of managerial action. 
    
    

• Winter Trimester: January - March
  
  
  • Financial Management:
    A survey of decision-making techniques in the financial management fields. The role of financial planning and the acquisition and utilization of funds is stressed along with analytical concepts for evaluating decisions.
  
  
  • Economics for Business:
    This course covers a broad spectrum of microeconomic and macroeconomic issues and will specifically relate them to how they impact on SME and international corporations. Topics will include: national income determination; the level of employment; inflation; price determination, and market structures.
  
  
  • Business Communication and Negotiation Skills:
    Successful communication is frequently a causal factor in organizational effectiveness. This course examines the sensitive nature of the communication process and specifically looks at 'presentation skills' and how they can be improved. This course is constructed so as students have the opportunity to analyze and improve their own communication skills as individuals and part of a team.
    or
    Production Management & Control:
    An analysis of inputs, processes, and outputs of the production system. Specific emphasis is given to the problems of design and control of products and processes.
  
  
  • Intercultural Business Communication:
    This course examines the communication element in a variety of intercultural situations. Through lectures by guest speakers, case studies, readings, presentations, students learn to think creatively about communication as a vital element for being effective in any economic environment.
  
  
  • Project Management and Knowledge Systems:
    The course is discussing the methods of how present dynamic Business Environment has to be managed with New Project Management which taking into account the Knowledge Management Systems to locate and make possible the interaction among the Knowledge workers as well automating the sharing of knowledge with the purpose to Achieve Objectives of Corporate Project programs. 
    
    

• Spring Trimester: March/April - June
  
  
  • Organizational Behavior:
    Study of key factors that influence performance and attitudes, and their relationship to level of analysis. Application of theory to the solution of common organizational problems, using case studies.
  
  
  • Leadership Development in Turbulent Times:
    It is hardly news that we live in a fast changing and complex world, and one consequence in the new work setting is the "professionalization" and expertise among many people. A coaching and facilitating leadership style has shown to be highly effective during these conditions. Many leaders are aware of this by now, but most still struggle with applying these styles and fully take advantage of the potential of their people. Another essential competency we will examine is the ability to constructively work with and deal with the natural conflicts within the organisation. The course aims through highly practical and interactive ways to train the participants in the skill in becoming effective coaching and facilitating leaders as well as dealing more constructively with the conflicts within their organisations.
  
  
  • Business Plan Development and Coaching:
    This entrepreneurship course is practical and based on a Business Plan that the students write in teams. Week after week, students present their progresses. The Professor, a serial entrepreneur, coaches the students and explains the following concepts: innovation, USP, the structure of a business plan, cost efficient marketing communications, marketing strategies, financing, financial projections, company valuation.
    At the end of the course, students present their business plan in front of a professional jury.
    Three entrepreneurs are also invited as guest speakers. Their testimony illustrates the class and helps the students evaluating the pro’s and con’s of an entrepreneurial life.
  
  
  • Human Resources Management:
    This course focuses on effective management of a firm's human resources. Major topics include leadership, motivation, behavior, teamwork, employee influence systems, evaluation.
  
  
  • Global Business Management:
    Comprehensive investigation of the management role, including functions such as planning, organizing, directing, staffing, and control. Identification and discussion of pertinent policies and management issues through case analyses (international context).