Curriculum

The course revolves around understanding how one may go about making effective pricing decisions while keeping in mind these factors. To achieve this objective, we will learn appropriate concepts, methods, and explore new approaches for formulating pricing strategy and pricing tactics. Upon completion of this course, participants will gain a solid understanding of current pricing practices in technology, manufacturing and service industries, learn state-of-the-art frameworks for analyzing pricing decisions, and master the essential techniques for making profitable pricing decisions. The course will use a combination of lectures, case discussions, and exercises. Assignments will be in the form of readings from the text, case preparation for class discussion, problem sets, and case write ups.

This course develops tools for deciding which investments a firm should make (capital budgeting and valuation) and how these investments should be financed (financial structure). We will start with evaluating investments and capital budgeting. We will consider in-depth the standard discounted cash flow (DCF) approach, which involves (I) forecasting the expected future cash flows of an investment and (ii) discounting these cash flows at a rate commensurate with their risk. Understanding and quantifying risks will be discussed in detail. We will also discuss valuation of securities and capital structure, decisions and provide a basic understanding of capital markets.

This course examines the use of financial techniques to increase firm valuation and emphasises the linkage between strategy and finance and operational implications of financing and investment decisions made by senior management. We will bring real-world and academic experience to the classroom to review the latest techniques for analysing and valuing financial decisions. Specifically, the course will cover, among other subjects, techniques, and concepts related to real options and mergers & acquisitions decisions for strategic value creation. Through lectures, cases, discussions, and a review of current research results, we explore important questions and help find farsighted answers as to what investments we should make, what should be divested, and the impact financing strategy can have on value creation.

Examines some of the basic principles of managing the production of goods or services and studies some useful tools. The course emphasises on tools and principles that is equally useful in service and manufacturing sectors. We will look into many aspects of operations management, including supply chain management, project management, quality/process improvement, decision sciences and doing business globally. It also provides quantitative techniques which can be used to solve real world problems.

In this course, we focus on understanding a firm's supply chain strategy and design. In particular, we focus on designing and managing various aspects of a supply chain and coordination to achieve specific outcomes aligned with the supply chain strategy. Based on several practical examples, we also discuss tools and techniques to design and manage product and service supply networks.

In this course, we will understand the process by which consumers and firms make decisions and the way in which they interact in markets.  We will shed light on strategic behavior of firms and the role of incentives within organizations.  These microeconomic concepts will form the underpinnings for our understanding of the macroeconomy.  As Michael E. Porter, the author of several books on competitive strategy, recently wrote, "... the sophistication with which companies compete is strongly influenced by the quality of the national business environment in which they operate.  The business environment has much to do with the types of strategies that are feasible and the efficiency with which firms can operate." 

These issues include, but are not limited to, pricing, evolving market structures, and competitive forces at the firm and the national level.  

Examines the theory and practice of creating and managing different types of strategic alliances, such as mergers and acquisitions, joint ventures, licensing agreements, buyer-supplier partnerships, and consortia. Takes a wide view of the process of forming alliances and focuses on the negotiation and evolution of the alliance. It will give you the tools needed to overcome many of the obstacles inherent in new-market expansion or new-product development, and you will learn how to establish a global strategic position with limited time and resources. This course will help you identify key qualities to look for in alliance partners and will give you the tools to manage an alliance once it is formed. This course also defines how firms become strong strategic partners.

The goal of the course is first to illustrate the different decision biases and then present a systematic/quantitative approach to making decisions, which are grounded in business facts and data.  We begin by reviewing the role of "intuition" in decision-making.  Next, we uncover some of the biases that stem from such intuition-based approaches. Then we discuss some effective interventions that can reduce the impact of these biases on decisions, both at the individual level and in group decision making.

Following that, we develop a framework for rational decision-making using the notion of utility functions. We discuss how the notion of "risk" is effectively captured using utility functions and how different decision-makers may have different attitudes towards risk, which guides their choices.  We introduce prospect theory, which helps explain observed behavior and rationalizes a variety of seemingly non-rational choice behavior.

Finally, we explore how analytic models can be used to support managerial decision-making under uncertainty. Decision analysis (deciding how to make sequential decisions over time in the presence of uncertainty) and simulation (modeling the business environment on a computer) are two practical tools in this context. We demonstrate their use in a spreadsheet environment.

The programme will focus on skills to implement effective negotiation strategy and reach more satisfactory outcomes. It will examine how strategic alliances, global competition, licensing agreements, and the use of teams have all changed the face of negotiations today - and how managers who stay on top of these changes get results. During the program, you will plan, negotiate, receive feedback, and discuss negotiation strategy in a collaborative learning environment. Working one-on-one and in teams, you will negotiate deals, resolve disputes, make decisions in competitive environments, and receive specific feedback regarding your negotiating strengths. This program will teach you how to use negotiation strategy to prepare for and carry out successful negotiations within your company and across corporate and cultural boundaries