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Executive MBA Course Descriptions
(Please note that
courses are listed in the order in which they appear in the curriculum
rather than by course number)
EMBA 202
–
Opening Residency,
Executive Leadership Development
The Leadership
Residency opens the GW Executive MBA program, and fulfills the dual
objectives of introducing the fundamentals of leadership development
and effective team management while accomplishing team building among
study team members meeting for the first time. The overarching goal
of this residency is to encourage participants to carefully examine
their leadership qualities as they pertain to managing others within
organizations, and to create an opportunity for introspection,
interaction, and skill development around competencies that are highly
prized in the executive realm. Some of GW's best-known faculty
collaborate in teaching this course, while using a number of
imaginative gaming methods and behavioral instruments to bring the
challenging topics of leadership and working relationships down to a
personal level for class members. Follow-on projects ask participants
to apply the knowledge and insight gained from the residency to their
own organizations, often delivering near-term on-the-job benefits.
EMBA 214 – DATA ANALYSIS AND DECISION MAKING
This course introduces concepts and methods for making complex
real-world decisions, including intelligence, design and choice.
Course content includes analyzing and synthesizing quantitative and
qualitative information while overcoming human cognitive limitations
and gaining a competitive edge through effective decision-making,
planning, quality management, and resource allocation. Students will
learn approaches useful in cases of multiple objectives, compensatory
and non-compensatory decision approaches, uncertainty and statistics,
analytical models, and both quantitative and qualitative measurement
skills.
The objectives of this
course are:
-
To develop an
understanding of the decision making process, human cognitive
limitations, and methods to overcome these limitations;
-
To develop an
ability to deal with uncertainty and multiple conflicting
objectives;
-
To analyze data in
meaningful ways;
-
To synthesize data
analysis with qualitative considerations, knowledge, and experience;
-
To develop an
ability to communicate the rationale when called on to justify a
decision; and
-
To provide students
with a practical and theoretically sound decision-making foundation
for both the EMBA program and real-world application.
EMBA 290* –
Organizational
Behavior
This course is
designed as a foundation upon which participants can better understand
the human dynamics that characterize all facets of business, industry
and organizations. Its purpose is threefold. The primary purpose is
to impart a body of knowledge about human dynamics in organizations.
This will include treatment of such concepts as decision-making,
motivation and leadership, as well as an examination of corresponding
practices such as performance appraisal, compensation and job design.
The second is to encourage students to assume a reflective posture
about this knowledge in relation to their personal and professional
lives. That is, students should actively and habitually examine how
these concepts prepare them to interact with, and adapt to, extant
circumstances, whatever they may be. The third purpose is to instill
a sense that the challenges of the modern workplace require more adept
management of the human element than ever before.
EMBA 216 - MARKETING MANAGEMENT
This course is
designed to give students a good understanding of how marketers
develop and implement marketing programs to meet with the needs of the
customer as well as fulfill business objectives. The emphasis will be
on understanding basic concepts and application of these concepts in
the form of case analysis and discussion of real-world examples.
The course focuses on
the marketing process from the viewpoint of the firm, combining the
study of market analysis, product planning, channels of distribution,
pricing and promotion and addressing approaches to marketing planning,
the impact of environmental forces and management considerations in
international markets. It also analyzes market opportunities,
researching and selecting target markets, marketing decision support
systems and designing a marketing plan.
This course has two
goals:
-
To make future
general managers aware of the important issues under taken by
marketers and to ensure that a marketing attitude pervades their
thinking; and
-
To make students
familiar with the basic elements of a marketing analysis and
planning.
EMBA 222 - FINANCIAL ACCOUNTING
This course examines the role of accounting in business decisions of
management and external parties, including analysis and interpretation
of financial statements, understanding, interpretation, and
implementation of financial accounting, and evaluation of the effects
of alternative financial reporting decisions on the reported financial
position of the firm.
At the conclusion of
this course, students will have a solid, basic understanding of the
principles of financial accounting.
EMBA 261 - HUMAN RESOURCE MANAGEMENT
This course is
designed to provide students with a broad understanding of human
resources management (HRM). The orientation taken throughout the
course is the perspective of the general and executive manager. As
such, the course focuses primarily on how HR policies and practices
affect the achievement of corporate objectives. Specific topics
investigated include: HR planning, recruitment, selection, training,
compensation, benefits, diversity, employment law, performance
appraisal, managing outside of one's own culture, issues of executive
selection and development, current personnel management practices and
procedures, and other relevant topics.
The primary objective
of this course is to introduce the student to the important components
that underlie the human resource management function. It is designed
for students who may or may not specialize in this area, but who wish
to be successful as managers in a variety of settings. Students learn
about the roles and functions of HRM in today’s corporation.
EMBA 210 - MANAGERIAL ECONOMICS
To attain world-class status and to ensure corporate survival in
today's competitive international environment, decision makers in both
private sector and governmental organizations must understand and be
able to apply fundamental economic principles and concepts in the key
resource allocation decisions, which underlie the short-run tactics
and long-run strategies of the organization. This course examines the
role of basic microeconomic theory and the application of
microeconomic concepts in business operations.
The emphasis in this
course is on application of basic economic concepts to aid in the
resource allocation decisions that support the firm's strategic
direction. Traditional macroeconomic theory is introduced as a
foundation to understanding the underlying issues and forces that
influence this decision-making environment. The course looks at both
short-run and long-run economic decisions as they affect the ability
of the firm to achieve its goals and carry out its strategy. It also
looks at the role of the manager in integrating those strategic
decisions with overall business and corporate strategies.
The objectives of this
course are:
-
To establish a
meaningful "bridge" between traditional microeconomic theory and
practical business applications in decision-making;
-
To demonstrate how
microeconomic decision-making (on the part of consumers and
businesses) underlies the structure and performance of the economy;
-
To illustrate the
application of basic microeconomic decision-making tools and
techniques to problems of resource allocation at the firm and
industry level in both the short and long-run timeframes;
-
To develop habits of
orderly thinking and rigor in analyzing and evaluating basic
microeconomic issues encountered in most company operations; and
-
To gain an
appreciation of the complexities associated with implementing
resource allocation decisions in the dynamic organizational and
market environments that characterize many companies.
EMBA 221 - STRATEGIC MANAGEMENT & LEADERSHIP
The Strategic Management & Leadership course introduces to the
strategic management process with particular emphasis on
implementation. In addition, personal and organizational perspectives
on the effective leader and corporate executive leadership in a
turbulent and competitive environment are discussed.
Upon completion of
this course, a student is able to:
-
Outline the major
segments of the strategic management process;
-
Delineate the key
responsibilities of the strategic manager’s position in the
organization;
-
Describe the
characteristics of an effective strategic leader;
-
Define the essential
elements of a sustainable organization; and
-
Identify the
processes by which strategic leaders transform organizations in
order to become sustainable.
EMBA 220 - OPERATIONS MANAGEMENT
This
course examines management of operations in manufacturing and service
organizations. Operations Management is the administration of
processes that transform inputs (such as labor, capital and materials)
into outputs (products and services). There are mainly three
components to this managerial activity; strategic, tactical and
operational.
The objectives of this
course are:
-
To understand the
strategic, tactical, and operational issues in operations
management;
-
To examine
fundamentals of production and operations management and the
associated tools and techniques used in decision making, including
how information technology can be used in decision-making and
analysis; and
-
To consider future
challenges in the changing operations environment.
The course addresses
resource allocation, inventory management, and production planning and
control, introduces technology-related developments such as flexible
manufacturing systems and computer integrated manufacturing, and
examines strategy formulation and implementation in operations in both
manufacturing and service firms, including design of services delivery
methods.
EMBA 224 – MANAGERIAL FINANCE
The Financial
Concepts & Markets course investigates the principal problems faced by
financial managers, including financing current operations, long-term
financing, investment decisions, dividend policy, financial analysis,
and business profiles. The theory, policy and practice in financial
management as well as the role of capital formation and relationship
of public policy on level and structure of interest rates are also
addressed.
The objectives of this
course are:
-
To examine financial
decisions and constraints that face a manager as share value is
maximized and/or public policy is pursued.
-
To address
decision-making regarding investments, financing, and dividends in
the perspective of the critical constraints involving liquidity,
solvency, profitability, and social responsibility.
-
To establish a
risk-return framework for financial theory and financial analysis.
-
To evaluate the
importance of savings, investment, monetary policy and fiscal policy
on the level and structure of interest rates.
EMBA 226 – INTERNATIONAL ECONOMICS
This course discusses
the structure of the world economy, the basic analytical concepts and
current global economic developments with reference to the U.S.
economy and industries.
The course covers the global competitive framework and how nations
develop and sustain competitive advantages, with a regional focus
depending on the location of the international residency. In addition,
the course addresses the role of the multinational firm, 1992 European
Community integration plan, economic transformation of the Eastern
European nations, and internationalization of the Japanese economy.
The objectives of this
course are:
-
To develop an
understanding of the evolving structure of the global economy and of
how nations and industries/firms compete;
-
To develop the
skills to analyze key global economic and business developments; and
-
To explore the
various economic and business conditions and developments in
selected countries/regions.
EMBA 240 – SUMMER INTERNATIONAL RESIDENCY,
INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS STRATEGY, PRACTICE AND THE
MULTINATIONAL CORPORATION
The International Residency explores the changing nature of the
international environment and its impact on strategy in both domestic
and foreign multinational corporations. The course examines
international business finance, marketing and market-entry strategies
of firms competing in international markets, and product policies, and
addresses diverse economic, cultural, political and regulatory aspects
that may influence market conditions. There is an emphasis on
international business negotiations as well as Residency-specific
cases. This course is held abroad.
The objectives of this
course are:
-
To become familiar
with the dimensions and opportunities of the global economy;
-
To become
knowledgeable about the implications of various exchange rate
arrangements;
-
To appreciate the
opportunities and risks of international business, especially
foreign exchange risk; and
-
To evaluate foreign
direct investment and the attendant economic, financial, and
political risks.
EMBA 254 - MANAGERIAL ACCOUNTING
This course prepares managers to use appropriately internal financial
information to make resource allocation decisions and exercise
management control.
The objectives of this
course are:
-
To develop an
appreciation of the strategic importance of cost data collection and
analysis in successful management;
-
To develop an
understanding of the cost accumulation process so that students can
communicate effectively with the controller and other management
accountants; and
-
To master specific
techniques for using cost data in (1) product and customer analysis,
(2) decision-making, and (3) planning, control, and performance.
EMBA 262 - INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY STRATEGY
This course teaches future COO/CEOs how to strategically use
information management (IM) principles and new technology to meet
their company’s critical goals and objectives. The course addresses
information systems requirements and multimedia database approaches to
handling data for effective management decision-making in business.
The course goes beyond
traditional IM courses and attempts to integrate concepts from other
business disciplines with IM planning and management techniques.
Emphasis on how the internet has changed business and B2B and B2C
theory is highlighted. Teams analyze current case situations covering
IM problems of real companies.
EMBA 212 – CORPORATE POLITICAL STRATEGY
This course examines current political, legal, economic, social and
ethical forces acting on business, addressing legislative and
regulatory actions and economic, tax and trade policy making in
discussing the interaction of the market system and the public policy
process. The course examines the past quarter century evolving
relationship of business and government in American society, including
both the expansion and contraction of federal and state regulation and
the corresponding increase in the political activities of business and
the emergence of a Washington DC business-government affairs
community.
The objectives of this
course are:
-
To describe the
political, legal, economic, social, and ethical environments in
which business operates;
-
To examine the
interaction of the market system and the public policy process in
the development of law and regulation;
-
To analyze specific
contemporary issues faced by business in relationship to its various
external and internal stakeholders; and
-
To enhance
managerial skills in dealing with issues arising from the corporate
external environment.
EMBA 250 - FINANCIAL STRATEGY
In this course, students apply concepts from the accounting and
finance courses already taken to real-life situations described in
case studies, learning to analyze financial statements, make financial
statement forecasts, determine how much outside financing is required
to support a business plan, determine whether to raise money with a
debt or equity offering, analyze a lease, value a business, launch an
IPO, make a takeover raid, analyze merger/acquisition opportunities,
and engineer a recovery from bankruptcy. Computer spreadsheet modeling
is used, when needed, as an aid to the analysis.
Other topics covered
include:
-
Decisions made by
financial managers about working capital, fixed assets, and sources
of financing in the context of world-wide business operations;
-
Securities markets
from the dual viewpoints of the company as a user of capital and
investors as suppliers of capital; and
-
The relationship of
risk and return and the value of securities.
EMBA 230 - MANAGEMENT OF TECHNOLOGY & INNOVATION
This course addresses
business, technological, economic, and political factors that
influence the development of new technical products, processes, and
services. The course focuses on competitiveness of firms in global
markets, emerging technologies and the birth of new industries,
including new opportunities provided by the Internet and e-business,
and management concepts and practices useful in enhancing corporate
innovation, from conceiving to marketing new technical products. In
addition, corporate venture divisions, organizational alternatives,
and new management approaches are all discussed. A competitive
simulation is played among competitor firms in a technical market.
The objectives of this
course are:
-
To increase
awareness of issues of technology innovation for both general
managers and technical managers within business, government and
non-profit organizations, with the goal of promoting more effective
management;
-
To provide a window
on newly emerging business areas such as Internet-based businesses;
-
To better understand
how to achieve competitive advantage, both locally and globally,
through technology innovation, R&D and technology planning, methods
for identifying opportunities in technical markets, and the
management of risks faced in these activities; and
-
To consider the
influence of national policy on the practice of innovation in the US
and internationally.
EMBA 290* – EXECUTIVE COMMUNICATION
This course is
currently being developed.
EMBA 264 - MARKETING STRATEGY
This
course focuses mainly on applying knowledge gained in the Marketing
Management course, as well as students' relevant experience, to the
solution of actual marketing problems. A major component of the
course is an analysis of cases drawn from various marketing situations
in real organizations. In addition, time is provided for a limited
amount of lecture material, classroom discussion of material other
than cases and when appropriate, and current events particularly as
they relate to the case/lecture material.
The course explores
complex marketing problems regarding policy and operational decisions,
examines creative marketing strategy in the perspective of
environmental forces and business functions, as well as the marketing
research process, and emphasizes marketing of intangibles and new and
existing services, including service product decisions and service
product planning.
EMBA 257 – ENTREPRENEURSHIP & NEW VENTURE CREATION
This course covers the theory, history and practice of
entrepreneurship and small business management, including essentials
of planning a new business venture, sources of financing (venture
capital, angels, SBA/SBIR, etc.), evaluation of alternative new
business ventures, and analysis of business functions needed to get
started. The course studies strategic alliances, business incubators,
international entrepreneurship, intra-preneurs, "net-preneurs," and
electronic commerce ventures.
Also addressed is how
the nature and dynamics of disruptive technologies, discontinuous
innovations, e-business value-chain models, and the power of
technological learning provide the conceptual infrastructure for the
formation and success of new ventures in the post-new economy.
The objectives of this
course are:
-
To understand the
process and techniques for starting a new business venture;
-
To understand the
concepts of venture strategies;
-
To examine how
venture opportunities arise and how to choose a business idea to
start up a company; and
-
To develop a
business plan.
EMBA 266 - BUSINESS LAW
Business Law examines the legal environment in which business
executives operate, with particular attention to the liability of
corporations and their managers and agents for contracts, torts, and
crimes. In the process, students learn strategies for avoiding legal
nightmares.
While the focus is on
U.S. national law, the laws customarily found in most states, there
will be appropriate attention paid to international transactions as
well as the laws of Virginia, Maryland, and the District of Columbia.
EMBA 267 – ETHICS & CORPORATE GOVERNANCE
This course is
currently being developed.
EMBA 268 – NEGOTIATIONS
In the last few
decades, negotiation has moved from the industrial relations arena to
the forefront of managerial interest. Negotiation, bargaining, and
mediation traditionally refer to the arbitration of disputes between
labor and management. However, scholars and practitioners now
recognize that these skills operate in virtually every management
function, including strategy formulation, mergers and acquisitions,
purchasing, sales, and many others. Negotiation is a common mechanism
for resolving differences between and allocating resources among
exchange partners such as superiors, colleagues, corporate entities
and even nations. Broadly viewed, these are social decision-making
processes involving interdependent parties who do not share identical
preferences, and in this way are essential elements of the business
enterprise.
The purpose of this
course is threefold. The first is to explore the major concepts and
theories of negotiation, as well as the dynamics of interpersonal and
intergroup conflict and its resolution. This will entail material
about the structural (e.g., parties, positions, interest) and
process-oriented (cognitive, interactional) dynamics that are
necessary for a sound critical background. The second objective is to
develop skills relevant to a broad range of applied contexts. This
involves direct training in identifying crucial elements of a
negotiation situation and implementing appropriate resolution
strategies. The third objective is to encourage participants to
assume a “reflective” posture about negotiations specifically and
social influence broadly. That is, what distinguishes extraordinary
from mediocre practitioners is the extent to which they habitually
examine experiences of failure, surprise and frustration, and develop
a rich and complex mental framework to seamlessly apply past lessons
to current circumstances.
EMBA 270 –
Closing
residency, STRATEGY FORMULATION &
IMPLEMENTATION
This course develops approaches to formulating strategies that enable
organizations to adapt to changing social, technological, economic,
and political conditions. The course addresses strategic management
from the general manager's perspective as well as evaluation and
control of strategy in various types of organizations.
Through live case
studies, students learn to:
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Diagnose problem
situations facing firms,
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Resolve managerial
decisions,
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Propose problem
solutions, and
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Devise action plans
to implement these solutions.
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