This pillar creates a coherent and solid base for further progress into the entire MBA Programme. It develops and fosters a substantive, contextual and critical understanding of the nature and effect of principles relating to key areas such as economics and law, and finance and accounting: the fundamentals for strategic decision-making. It consists of five modules that combine theoretical knowledge with practical approaches to analysing problems. The Foundations pillar also highlights the role of values and ethics, which are essential in leading contemporary business organisations, and covers the important field of corporate social responsibility, which is becoming an important competitive advantage in customer and employment markets.

Modules

• Introduction to Academic Standards
• Business Economics
• Business Law
• Financial Accounting
• Management Accounting for Enhanced Decision-Making and Control

Competences and learning outcomes

 

• Become acquainted with the fundamental standards of academic activity
• Think critically and make decisions based on complex information
• Maximise resources for the benefit of organisations and society
• Know and understand organisations and their stakeholders
• Integrate functional knowledge and apply strategic management skills at a senior level in changing business environments
• Operate effectively in cross-cultural settings
• Analyse complex data and understand the financial implications of managerial decision-making
•  Understand the mechanism of the modern market economy and the importance of global trends for business
• Analyse complex financial data and evaluate firm risks, managerial decisions, the firm’s strategic orientation, and its overall operating performance
• Creating new mind-sets with respect to the perception of law in the business environment

This approach enables students to understand their managerial talents, apply continuous professional development, and acquire leadership skills while taking responsibility for their own personal development. The pillar of People Management and Self-Development guides participants in how to turn the competencies of a group of people into a highly productive and performing work team, how to resolve conflicts, and how to use collaborative and inspirational communication to implement business strategies. The compilation of subjects aims to foster and facilitate team spirit and establish an organisational culture that engages people, develops human capital and strengthens business relationships, where the objectives of the organisation and the individual are realised.

This dimension enables the broadening of knowledge and cognitive gains, develops personal competencies, and fosters soft skills associated with communication, presentation, interpersonal problem-solving, negotiations and people-oriented leadership.

Modules

• Team Building
• Managerial Talent Diagnosis
• Business Communication
• Business Negotiations and Conflict Resolution
• Human Capital Management
• Presentation Skills
• Pitching Session

Competences and learning outcomes

• Lead themselves and others in the achievement of organisational goals, contributing effectively to a team environment
• Think critically and make decisions based on complex information
• Maximise resources for the benefit of organisations and society
• Operate effectively in cross-cultural settings, understanding the importance of globalisation
• Understand the complexities of business ethics in a global environment and act with integrity

In today’s competitive global marketplace, operational excellence is one of three essentials for success and the key to global business competitiveness; the other two are customer intimacy and product leadership. The Operational Excellence pillar focuses on the efficient application and implementation of strategic goals and objectives throughout an organisation. It establishes the importance of change management and continuous improvement implementation, to leverage operations and to achieve business growth and maximise the value an organisation creates and delivers. In such an approach, stream value management, lean process improvement and project management methods, traditional and agile, are vital steps toward achieving Operational Excellence. The Operational Excellence pillar also highlights the importance of talent transfer to create a flow of expected value to the customer through efficient processes. The Operational Excellence pillar aims to develop business-minded operational experts who can enhance value for a business, by supporting operational change.

Modules

• PM mindset guidance
•  Lean Management and Value Stream
• Creativity, Innovations and Entrepreneurship
• Strategic Project Management and Analysis: PRINCE2™ Agile – Foundation
• Agile PM – Foundation
• Operational excellence applications

Competences and learning outcomes

• Lead themselves and others in the achievement of organisational goals, and contribut effectively to a team environment
• Think critically and make decisions based on complex information
• Maximise resources for the benefit of organisations and society
• Know and understand organisations and their stakeholders
• Integrate functional knowledge and apply strategic management skills at a senior level in changing business environments
• Operate effectively in cross-cultural settings and understand the importance of globalisation
• Understand the complexities of business ethics in a global environment and act with integrity
• Analyse complex data and understand the financial implications of managerial decision-making
• Enhance their careers and their commitment to lifelong learning

The outcome of this theme is recognising the essence of strategic thinking and the application of the latest strategic insights and approaches, in addition to the practical tools used in organisations. The compilation of subjects within the domain cover why strategy matters in helping organisations gain and retain a competitive advantage in today’s marketplace. The main goal of the Strategic Thinking Pillar is to develop students’ mindsets by delivering effective strategic foundations for a sound decision-making.

The Strategic Thinking pillar integrates the importance of leadership in strategy implementation and the significance of the human impact on organisational changes. It highlights the need for talent management and personal development in the strategic realm.

Modules

• Strategic Leadership
• Strategic Management
• Marketing and Business Model
• Risk Management
• Change Management in Digital Transformation

Competences and learning outcomes

• Lead themselves and others to achieve organisational goals and contribute effectively to a team environment
• Think critically and make decisions based on complex information
• Maximise resources for the benefit of organisations and society
• Know and understand organisations and their stakeholders
• Integrate functional knowledge and apply strategic management skills at a senior level for changing business environments
• Operate effectively in cross-cultural settings, understanding the importance of globalisation
• Understand the complexities of business ethics in a global environment and act with integrity
• Analyse complex data, understanding the financial implications of managerial decision-making
• Enhance their careers and their commitment to lifelong learning

The international dimension to the above, including political risk and contemporary processes of regionalisation, emerging markets, global governance and globalisation

Modules

• Business Negotiations and Conflict Resolution
• Business Law
• Accounting for Management Decisions
• Business Strategy
• Marketing and Business Model
• Creativity, Innovations & Entrepreneurship
• Strategic Programme Management - MSP™
• Applications – aligning MSP, Prince2, MoP, P3O and Change Management with Business Strategy Planning and Implementation context

Further contemporary and pervasive issues, such as creativity, enterprise, innovation, e-commerce, and knowledge management

Modules

• Managerial Talent Diagnosis
• Business Economics
• Accounting for Management Decisions
• Business Strategy
• Marketing and Business Model
• Creativity, Innovations & Entrepreneurship
• Change Management and Digital Transformation
• Strategic HR Management
• Strategic Programme Management - MSP™
• Applications – aligning MSP, Prince2, MoP, P3O and Change Management with Business Strategy Planning and Implementation context

An understanding of the impact of sustainability, ethics and risk management on business decisions and performance, and on society as a whole

Modules

• Business Law
• Accounting for Management Decisions
• Strategic Leadership and Personal Development
• Business Strategy
• Marketing and Business Model
• Risk management in Projects
• Creativity, Innovations & Entrepreneurship
• Change Management and Digital Transformation
• Strategic Programme Management - MSP™
• Strategic Project Management and Analysis- PRINCE2™
• Management of Portfolios-MOP™
• Lean, Value Stream, Operational Excellence and Transition to Business Excellence
• Applications – aligning MSP, Prince2, MoP, P3O and Change Management with Business Strategy Planning and Implementation context

Leadership and entrepreneurship

Modules

• Team Building
• Managerial Talent Diagnosis
• Business Negotiations and Conflict Resolution
• Coaching
• Presentation skills
• Effective Business Communication
• Strategic Leadership and Personal Development
• Marketing and Business Model
• Change Management and Digital Transformation
• Strategic HR Management
• Strategic Programme Management - MSP™
• Lean, Value Stream, Operational Excellence and Transition to Business Excellence
• Applications – aligning MSP, Prince2, MoP, P3O and Change Management with Business Strategy Planning and Implementation context

Business policy and strategy

Modules

• Accounting for Management Decisions
• Strategic Leadership and Personal Development
• Business Strategy
• Marketing and Business Model
• Risk management in Projects
• Creativity, Innovations & Entrepreneurship
• Change Management and Digital Transformation
• Strategic HR Management
• Strategic Programme Management - MSP™
• Management of Portfolios-MOP™
• Lean, Value Stream, Operational Excellence and Transition to Business Excellence
• Applications – aligning MSP, Prince2, MoP, P3O and Change Management with Business Strategy Planning and Implementation context

Explicit coverage of the ability to respond to and manage change

Modules

• Business Law
• Strategic Finance Accounting
• Accounting for Management Decisions
• Strategic Leadership and Personal Development
• Business Strategy
• Risk management in Projects
• Creativity, Innovations & Entrepreneurship
• Change Management and Digital Transformation
• Strategic HR Management
• Strategic Programme Management - MSP™
• Applications – aligning MSP, Prince2, MoP, P3O and Change Management with Business Strategy Planning and Implementation context