Marketing
Sub-module: Marketing Management
In this module, students will learn and apply the basic concepts, practices and principles of marketing. They will study about the role of marketing in the company and its relation with the other functions. Students will learn how effective marketing, based on an understanding of the customer and the customer’s needs, creates value for customers and, therefore, profits for the company.
Sub-module: International Marketing
In this module, students will build on the basic principles of marketing from the marketing management module and learn to apply the concepts, practices and principles of marketing in an international context.
Accounting
Sub-module: Managerial Accounting
Managerial accounting information is dedicated to internal decision makers who need to plan, control, co-ordinate and analyse where and how revenues, costs and profits are created in the company (or in part of it), as well as to compare profits according to different scenarios.
Sub-module: International Financial Accounting
This module is designed to be an introduction to accounting and financial reporting in a multi-national environment. Accounting information, in the form of financial statements is used for planning, control and decision-making. This module looks at the analysis of accounts and financial information from the point of view of the user (manager and investor) rather than the preparer (accountant) of information and emphasises the international dimension of financial reporting.
Finance and Economics
Sub-module: Economics
This module examines the underpinning economic theory necessary for a full understanding and appreciation of the growth and development of international businesses. It enables students to gain the necessary tools of economics that will enable them to analyse market conditions and competition faced by companies and aids in the development of business strategies. Additionally, they will gain an appreciation of the broader macro factors that influence the spread of global companies.
Sub-module: Corporate Finance – The Investment Decision
Amongst the most important decisions taken by managers of corporations are the selection and the financing of investment projects that maximise shareholders’ wealth. Consequently, the course addresses the basic principles of corporate finance.
Sub-module: Corporate Finance – The Financing Decision
This module covers:
- The financing resources of corporations: equity and financial debt
- Equity financing: how to raise money by issuing equity, estimation of the cost of equity (Gordon-Shapiro model, capital asset pricing model)
- Debt financing: main types of debt (bank loans, bonds, leasing), how to issue debt, calculation of the cost of debt
- The weighted average cost of capital
Business Information Systems
Sub-module: Corporate Web Communications
The internet and web-based communication provide new ways for companies to present themselves to potential and current customers. We will examine the technology, design, and management of an effective company web presence. Student will learn about technical terminology and explanation of underlying technical architecture (http, internet, multimedia, security). They will also learn to identify the potential audience of the company web-site appropriate to the nature of the business.) This module determines appropriate web-site content, providing ease of site navigation, effective use of visual components, and use of interactivity (cookies, scripting, e-commerce). It also clarifies the manager’s role in developing and maintaining a company web presence.
Sub-module: Information Systems
Information technology and systems (IT) are essential ingredients for the success of today’s inter-networked business enterprise. Business professionals must understand how to deploy, use and manage a variety of information technologies to revitalise business processes, improve managerial decision-making, and build up competitive advantage. This module introduces students to such issues and prepares them to work in environments where the information needs and organisational boundaries are ambiguous and constantly changing. Theoretical models and frameworks which support the strategic analysis and development of an organisation’s information strategy and information systems are presented, applied and analysed.
Sub-module: Business Statistics
The objective of this course is to provide students with statistical knowledge and skills necessary to meet the needs of business and real-world decision-making problems. Upon completion of this course, students are expected to understand modern descriptive and inferential statistical concepts and methods and their application to problems relevant to business practice.
Strategic Management
Student will learn and practise the art and science of strategic management. This is an ‘integrating or capstone course’ that will provide you with an opportunity to use all that you have learned and will learn in your next courses and in your professional education.
Intercultural Management and Ethics
Sub-module: Cross Cultural Communication
In order to operate successfully in today’s increasingly complex global marketplace, international managers are required to develop greater awareness and sensitivity towards the cross-cultural issues encountered when managing and communicating within a multi-cultural environment. For multi-cultural teams to succeed and to promote common goals, it is vital that they reconcile cultural dilemmas and identify synergies based upon cultural differences. This module aims to enable participants to start developing the appropriate skills in analysing, interpreting different behaviors and different working styles and communicating in an international context.
Sub-module: International Negotiation
The objectives of this module are to develop the understanding of the main concepts of negotiation as well as the participants’ basic negotiation skills. The international dimension will be covered through readings, exercises, preparation and role play of an international negotiation case in a cross-cultural group.
Sub-module: Business Ethics
This module aims at making the students aware of the growing importance of ethics in today’s business world. It provides guidelines to address ethical issues and dilemmas. It establishes clear links between business ethics, C.S.R. (Corporate Social Responsibility) & S.R.I. (Socially Responsible Investment). It intends to help them realise that very often, over the middle or long term, business with ethics can generate the biggest R.O.I (Return On Investment). Lastly, it will also lead them to understand that there can be no real business with ethics without strong personal leadership skills and values, especially in a multi-cultural context.
Managing Technology
The objective of this module is to analyse the interplay and relationships between management and technology within the full spectrum of the corporation: strategy, organisations and people.
Managing People in International Organisations
Sub-module: International Human Resource Management
- HRM and International HRM - the differences
- IHRM – strategy and application
- Cross cultural differences in HRM
- HRM in the International Firm
- HRM in joint ventures / mergers
The objective of this module is to understand the HRM issues and problems linked to the internationalisation of business (including expatriation and repatriation).
Sub-module: Organisational Behaviour
This course aims at developing participants’ knowledge of how organisations function on individual, group and organisational levels. Students will learn how to combine concepts and models of analysis on different levels to enhance their understanding of organisational phenomena. They will develop an understanding of the most important managerial approaches towards motivating employees, managing groups and teams, and analysing work organisation.
International Business Law
This course covers the following topics:
- the legal environment of international business
- international sales and trade
- the regulation of the international marketplace
International Financial Management
The international financial environment is increasingly complex. Multi-national firms, as compared to purely domestic ones, have greater opportunities in terms of diversification, scale economies, and larger cost effective financing sources. On the other hand, they also face greater risks: political instability, exchange rate fluctuations, and complex fiscal regulations. Since multinationality is an increasing feature of modern business, managers of firms (international or domestic) must have some of the knowledge and skills required by multi-national business. The rapidly increasing integration of capital markets renders this even more imperative. This course is, therefore, intended to expose students to the concepts, techniques and instruments of international financial management.
International Business
Sub-module: Introduction to International Business
The objective of this module is to introduce the semester of international business modules, which are: International Business, Business in Emerging Economies, Global Trade Relations, International Operations and Supply Chain. Through lectures and discussions, the module aims to improve the student's ability to follow key factors in the international environment and to become intelligent consumers of academic articles, economic data and the business news on an international level.
Sub-module: Business Operations in Emerging Economies
With the global spread of business operations, the emerging market economies are of key importance for international businesses. These economies offer many opportunities for expansion in terms of low cost locations, resources and new markets. However, these economies also present special challenges for global companies arising from the nature of the rapid economic transformations. This part of the module examines the strategies available to global companies for successful operation within emerging economies and also of companies from emerging economies in global markets.
Global Trade Environment
Sub-module: Global Trade Relations
This course presents the international trading environment and the relations between developed and emerging economies at a macro-economic level. There will be a focus on regional trade blocs, a major and fast-evolving influence on international trade activity. Different levels of government interventionism, the contrast between open and closed trade policies and monetary issues are also explored.
The overall aim is to provide an international perspective as a complement to the other sub-module, ‘Business Operations in Emerging Economies’, which will examine operational or micro-economic questions in a number of countries.
Sub-module: International Logistics and Supply Chain Management
The focus will be on a practical and operational approach to manufacturing and services supply chain management, including operations and logistics management. Students will learn about the basic concepts of operations and supply chain and examine the compelling need for an integrated product strategy, manufacturing strategy and supply chain strategy.
Foreign Language - French
The International Management Project
At the end of the classroom sessions, each student is required to complete a project under the guidance of a tutor from the Management Development Institute of Singapore (MDIS). The project should be 25 000 – 30 000 words long and involve both library and field research. The project investigates a particular research question which should be business oriented and international in context.