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
MBA Programme Office
Faculty of Management and Economics, Gdańsk University of Technology
Traugutta Street 79, room 404
80-233 Gdańsk, Poland
