Executive MBA (EMBA)

EMBA 417. TEAMS. 0 Unit.

This course enables the formation of E.M.B.A. study groups and classroom learning environment by introducing participants to their adult learning styles, models of group decision-making, theories of team development and rules of engagement for effective learning teams. Prereq: E.M.B.A. students only.

EMBA 430. Health Informatics, Analytics & Decision Making. 2.5 Units.

Increasingly in today's healthcare environment, those aspiring to succeed in leadership positions are expected to know and do more than their primary discipline traditionally required. They are also expected to transform their organizations - whether they are departments or IDS's - to a higher state of quality, effectiveness, efficiency and competitiveness. To meet this expectation they must be able to harness the interrelated power of information, analytics and decision support to plan, evaluate, improve, and control their organization. This course is for executives in health care delivery, health planning, regulatory, or accrediting organizations who will be involved with, be responsible for, or oversee: The use and/or management of health or organizational information, and analytic and decision processes; The improvement / innovation of their organization's operations and decision processes; and/or The design, acquisition, implementation, and/or evaluation of health information technologies (HIT). The course is intended to develop competence and confidence in the participant's ability to understand and manage the complex information, analytics and decision environment. Prereq: E.M.B.A. candidates only.

EMBA 436. Accounting for Business Executives. 2.5 Units.

This course is an introduction to financial and managerial accounting, rather than a course in introductory accounting. This course is designed for the business professional and is intended to prepare the student to use the information prepared by accountants. It will not dwell in detail on the technical aspects of accounting or bookkeeping. In addition, this course is designed to help the student become an effective user of cost information, from the perspective of parties internal to the firm. This aspect of accounting is a compilation of techniques rather than a set of rules. Since the information is for private use, the goal is to create the most meaningful and useful data for use by managers. Assignments will be designed to develop the student's ability to analyze and interpret accounting data and to more effectively utilize accounting data in day to day business decisions. Finally, this course is intended to strengthen abilities to identify problems and opportunities, to search out and analyze desired information leading to a well-reasoned conclusion, and to perform sensitivity analysis around that conclusion, using financial information. Prereq: E.M.B.A. candidates only.

EMBA 437. Economic Analysis for Managers. 2.5 Units.

This course, which is limited to students in the Executive M.B.A. program, explores the basic elements of the economic system which the executive needs to know in order to understand how the firm interacts with the system and how economic factors affect decision making. Prereq: E.M.B.A. candidates only.

EMBA 438A. Business Statistics and Quantitative Analysis. 1.25 Unit.

In this course, students study the use of modern quantitative and business statistics to support the executive decision-making process. With the help of computer software, the models examined assist in describing and analyzing problems and suggesting possible managerial actions. The techniques discussed include tools for decision making under uncertainty including regression analysis. This course is part of a two (2) course sequence. Prereq: E.M.B.A. candidates only.

EMBA 438B. Business Statistics and Quantitative Analysis. 1.25 Unit.

In this course, students study the use of modern quantitative and business statistics to support the executive decision-making process. With the help of computer software, the models examined assist in describing and analyzing problems and suggesting possible managerial actions. The techniques discussed include tools for decision making under uncertainty including regression analysis. This course is part of a two (2) course sequence. Prereq: EMBA 438A

EMBA 439. Corporate Finance. 2.5 Units.

The central organizing principle of this course is to familiarize the class with the basics of valuation. This first course in finance introduces the tools and methods employed in valuation of projects and corporate securities. Valuation involves the determination of (i) cash flows of the firm, project or financial assets and (ii) the discount rates that are used to compute the present values of the cash flows. Asset pricing models provide the underpinnings for the development of the discount rates. The material is synthesized in capital budgeting exercises which are cost-benefit analyses of capital project cash flows to evaluate whether they are value enhancing. Prereq: E.M.B.A. candidates only.

EMBA 441. Leading Change: Self. 2.5 Units.

The primary objective of Leading Change: Self is to learn a method for assessing your knowledge, abilities, values, and interests relevant to leadership and executive management so that you will be able to develop and implement a plan for enhancing your leadership and executive capability throughout your career and life. The enabling objectives are: (a) To systematically identify your current and desired capability (i.e., knowledge, abilities, values, and interests); (b) To develop an individualized learning agenda and plan for the next 3-5 years; and (c) To explore techniques to assist others in doing the same. This course will explore questions, such as: Who are effective leaders? How are they different than mangers? How do they think and act? What makes us want to follow them? How are leaders developed? How can people help others become effective leaders? What type of leader do I want to be? And, what can I do to become that type of leader? Prereq: E.M.B.A. candidates only.

EMBA 442. Innovation. 2.5 Units.

Organizations are under continuous pressure to be efficient and productive in order to generate (often short-term) profit. At the same time they must innovate to remain competitive in the long-term. Innovation involves the generation, development, and delivery of new products, processes, or businesses. Intrapreneurs are those who can successfully bring new ideas to fruition in established organizations. Innovation in the context of an established organization requires that intrapreneurs fundamentally understand the dynamics of innovation and innovation management. This course introduces fundamental concepts associated with innovation in the context of an established organization. Prereq: E.M.B.A. candidates only.

EMBA 443. Supply Chain Management. 2.5 Units.

Operations managers, ranging from supervisors to vice presidents, are concerned with the production of goods and services. More specifically, they are responsible for designing, running, controlling and improving the systems that accomplish production. This course is a broad-spectrum course with emphasis on techniques and information that are helpful to the practice of management in general and at any level. We will discuss commonly occurring application problems such as process analysis, inventory control, quality management, just-in-time concepts, etc. The field of operations management was originally concerned with manufacturing systems. But many of the same ideas apply, and the same trade-offs are present, in service organizations like health care, insurance, hotel-management, airlines and government related operations. Several manufacturing and non-manufacturing environments will be discussed explicitly, and the emphasis will be on the fundamentals of the operations function in an organization. Also we will explore the interface of operations management with other functional areas such as marketing, finance, accounting, etc. Prereq: E.M.B.A. candidates only.

EMBA 445. Expanding Boundaries. 2.5 Units.

This course will help you understand the keys to successful corporate development-competitive advantage in every business in which a firm is involved. In particular, the course will help the participants to understand the following: -Corporate development strategy through capabilities and leveragable capabilities -Before venturing into a new business, the firm has to have a clear understanding of the critical capabilities required for success in the new business. -Firms can increase the odds of success if they can leverage (parts of ) existing capabilities to new businesses. -Corporate development strategies-adapting to a market -Analyze the industry environment in order to select the competitive battlefield to increase the odds of success by leveraging some of your existing capabilities - sometimes also known as core competencies. This is a relatively low risk strategy. We will develop methodologies that will allow you to identify markets (segments) where your current capabilities are leveragable. -Shaping a market usually requires developing a completely new set of capabilities - very risky. We will develop concepts to understand techniques to mitigate these risks. -Acquisitions as one of the means for corporate development -Approximately half of the class sessions will be devoted to the specific case of acquisitions as a means to expand the boundaries of a firm. We will explore both how acquisitions contribute to competitive advantage and the selection process and integration of the acquired entity. Less emphasis will be placed on strict financial valuations and negotiations. Prereq: E.M.B.A. candidates only.

EMBA 446. Managing Risk and Real Options. 2.5 Units.

The course seeks to help corporate managers understand how financial design can be used to advance the goals and strategies of the firm. In the Finance course, you concentrated almost exclusively on the firm's capital expenditure decision. You studied in great detail the discounted cash flow model, NPV, how you get your cash flows, and how you discount according to risk. Now we move to the other side of the balance sheet to look at how the firm can finance these expenditures. The first part of this class provides the basic building blocks of financial engineering which begins with call and put options. The course focuses on using derivatives (calls and puts) to change a firm's risk profile with respect to equity, interest rate, foreign exchange, credit, and commodity risks. We look at capital structure decisions and securitization issues and discuss what it means to create optimal structures. Almost immediately we will tie this to our financial crisis and obtain an appreciation for financial designs that could be setup so as to enhance firm value, mitigate systemic risks, or accomplish specific sustainable goals in a global economy. The second part of the class is geared towards real options and its relationship to strategic planning. In competitive markets, no one expects to formulate a detailed long-term plan and follow it mindlessly. As soon as we start down the path, we begin learning about business conditions, competitors' actions, and so forth and we need to respond flexibly to what we learn. Unfortunately, the financial tool most widely relied on to estimate the value of strategy, DCF, assumes that we follow a predetermined plan, regardless of how events unfold. A better approach to valuation would incorporate both the uncertainty inherent in business and the active decision making required for strategy to succeed. Prereq: E.M.B.A. candidates only.

EMBA 449. Contemporary Issues in Management. 2.5 Units.

This course is intended to address the contemporary issues in management to be decided by faculty and student interest. With the current global economic crisis, this year the course will focus on International Finance and Economics. In subsequent years, the topics will evolve as the global business climate changes. Prereq: E.M.B.A. candidates only.

EMBA 450. Managerial Marketing. 2.5 Units.

This course is designed with three overarching objectives. The first is an emphasis on decision making in a broad range of market contexts. The second objective builds on the notion that decision making is dynamic; that is, market situations demand not just one good decision but a series of them as a situation unfolds (providing new and varied information for each subsequent decision). Integrating concepts from a number of the courses that you are taking concurrently into decision-making about markets is a final objective. Prereq: E.M.B.A. candidates only.

EMBA 451. Business Model Design. 2.5 Units.

In most companies the process of designing business models is an ad hoc process and in my opinion an inefficient process. In this course you will learn a systematic but iterative process to do this. We will expose you to some broad categories of business models and internalize the basic logic of how to make money in each of these categories. The first step is to recognize which of these categories is most applicable to your business. The second step is to customize these broad patterns to the specifics of the business at hand. This seems easy because everything is in English and there are no hard formulas to figure out. However, unless you discipline yourself to systematically go through a structured process (there are other equally valid processes than the ones you'll be exposed to) it is very easy to fall into the ad hoc trap. You will internalize this process by applying it over a wide range of business situations that will give you confidence in its applicability to any business opportunity. After the completion of this course you should be quickly able to draw the outline of a business model for any business opportunity that you're considering. Prereq: E.M.B.A. candidates only.

EMBA 458. Healthcare Financial Management. 2.5 Units.

This course will consider basic financial concepts, techniques, and strategies for institutions and companies in the U.S. health care delivery system. Note that this may differ from the influences one would find in a different country since the payment system and ownership structures vary widely around the world. These basics include relevant factors in the economic, medical, and financial environment that shape an intelligent financial decision. Therefore, although the course is directed towards financial management decisions in health delivery organizations, it may also be useful for those who supply the industry (equipment, drugs and services), purchase services from it (employers, third party administrators, health plans) or finance these (insurance, banking, investors). Public policy and the structure of the industry also play an important role in the course. However, the general approach is from the point of view of a decision-maker in a health care organizational setting dealing with issues with important economic or financial dimensions. Prereq: E.M.B.A. candidates only.

EMBA 459. Health Economics and Strategy. 2.5 Units.

The central goal of this course is for students to master essential economic concepts and their application to critical issues in the U.S. healthcare economy. After taking this course, students should be able to: 1. Understand basic microeconomic theory as it applies to firm and consumer behavior in healthcare and health insurance markets. 2. Understand the role of market forces (including market failures) and public policy in determining the price and allocation of medical services. 3. Understand the underlying causes of "changing market conditions" and the challenges and opportunities they create for healthcare organizations. 4. Converse fluently and accurately about the economic forces at play in the healthcare economy. Prereq: E.M.B.A. candidates only.

EMBA 464. Legal Environment. 2.5 Units.

This course provides a brief overview of the legal system that managers face, with an emphasis on contracts, corporate law, property rights and the modern regulatory apparatus of government. Contracts include full coverage of the Uniform Commercial Code. Corporate law is the capstone of the consideration of other forms of business organizations such as partnerships. Regulatory areas include employment law and environmental law. Property coverage includes modern struggles over intellectual ownership claims (patents, copyrights, etc.). Prereq: E.M.B.A. candidates only.

EMBA 472. Leading Change: The Organization. 2.5 Units.

Participants in this course will be challenged to enhance their leadership capacity by assessing and analyzing the knowledge, abilities, values and interests relevant to executives. The course will also explore the art of reading and understanding organizations in ways that help us imagine, design, and develop organization excellence. Prereq: E.M.B.A. candidates only.

EMBA 473. Leading Change: Teams. 2.5 Units.

Sustainability of effective leadership is necessary for adaptive, resilient organizations and for the health and functioning of the leader. Chronic stress results in diminished cognitive functioning, as well as poor health and a contagion of negative mood in organizations. The latest advances in social neuroscience and endocrinology will be used to develop an understanding how someone in a leadership position can renew themselves and mitigate the ravages of chronic stress. The short course will focus on how to coach others toward renewal and sustainability. Prereq: E.M.B.A. candidates only.

EMBA 475. Managing in a Global Economy. 3 Units.

This course is designed to present first-hand issues in international management. It accomplishes this by means of readings, a written assignment and, most importantly, an international trip designed to witness different management cultures, styles and environments for business in the international community. Faculty responsibility rests with the Faculty Director of the E.M.B.A. Program as well as a "Resident -Faculty" specific to each field trip. Such faculty are drawn from the Weatherhead community and vary by the design and destination of the trip. In addition, the course is staffed by an administrative assistant from the complement of Dively CMDR staff. Occasionally and where appropriate, there is also "in-tourist" assistance in some of our foreign locations Prereq: E.M.B.A. candidates only.

EMBA 476. Corporate Governance and Dialogues in Healthcare. 2.5 Units.

The course incorporates insights from leaders in a number of dialogue sessions and is grounded in the following themes: -The role of the board of directors; -Leadership in healthcare organizations; -The CEO relationship to the firm's principal stakeholders (shareholders, board of directors, employees, customers) and the CEO's responsibility to give back (time and money) to the community; -CEO role in developing and maintaining the organization's vision, values and corporate culture. Prereq: E.M.B.A. candidates only.

EMBA 478A. Leading Design in Organization. 1.25 Unit.

This course explores the ideas and methods of design as a new approach to management practices that is well suited to the changing environment that organizations face in contemporary culture and the emerging economic environment in the United States and abroad. It is a studio course as well as a seminar, because it is designed around a project that each student brings to the EMBA program, a project that is grounded in the issues and operations of the student's organization or in the kind of organization that the student wishes to explore. In addition to the yearlong project, the course will also include important readings in management and organizational literature that are relevant to the new direction of strategic thinking. Finally, the course will draw on the expertise of other faculty at the Weatherhead School of Management who will be called upon to share their practical expertise and theoretical knowledge in the development and execution of the student's management design project, whether in the area of vision and strategy, new product development of goods and services, operations, organizational design and configuration, or related topics. This is the first part of a two semester course. Prereq: E.M.B.A. candidates only.

EMBA 478B. Leading Design in Organizations. 1.25 Unit.

This course explores the ideas and methods of design as a new approach to management practices that is well suited to the changing environment that organizations face in contemporary culture and the emerging economic environment in the United States and abroad. It is a studio course as well as a seminar, because it is designed around a project that each student brings to the EMBA program, a project that is grounded in the issues and operations of the student's organization or in the kind of organization that the student wishes to explore. In addition to the yearlong project, the course will also include important readings in management and organizational literature that are relevant to the new direction of strategic thinking. Finally, the course will draw on the expertise of other faculty at the Weatherhead School of Management who will be called upon to share their practical expertise and theoretical knowledge in the development and execution of the student's management design project, whether in the area of vision and strategy, new product development of goods and services, operations, organizational design and configuration, or related topics. This is the second part of a two semester course. Prereq: E.M.B.A. candidates only.

EMBA 479. Leading Change: Society. 2.5 Units.

This course explores a proposition: that business, the motor of our society has the opportunity to be a new creative force on the planet, a force that could contribute to the well being of many. Our exploration and search is for "business as an agent of world benefit" and the questions are many: what does it look like, where is it happening, what are the market, societal and leadership enablers, and what are the results? Prereq: E.M.B.A. candidates only.