Stockholm School of Economics · Russia : Curriculum and Content

International Executive MBA Program Strategic Market Development

Semester 1

Module 1. Managing Organizations – an overview

This opening program module will serve as an introduction to the basics of how to manage organizations and practise good leadership as a base for the two years of study. You will be introduced to the way in which SSE Russia will present theories and practical applications during the Executive MBA program; also, you will get the first chance to work closely with your fellow program participants. With the help of a business simulation you will also be able to realize how group dynamics can have a direct impact on strategic decisions taken in a modern leadership context. This will be based on stateoftheart principles about human thinking and behavior determined in psychological research on individuals and groups.

Module 2. People in Organizations

This module takes as its starting point the premise that business results are delivered by people. A skillful approach to people in your organization is a tool to implement your business strategy and achieve a higher profit. We begin by introducing proven psychological principles of human behavior, including motivation and decision making. On the basis of this knowledge we then consider two critical leadership questions: how to make the most of the existing talent pool in the organization, and how to improve the talent pool? We answer the questions by utilizing fundamental human resource practices, like attracting potential employees, recruiting the right job candidates, retaining productive employees, and enabling employees to develop their competence and readiness for change.

Module 3. The Essence of Marketing

The purpose of this module is to formulate a unified platform for the future by means of you digesting eternal challenging core components of a marketoriented business. For example, "how come so many companies err in realizing why customers buy an offer?" and "what are delicate ways of segmentation for success?" Assuming the market orientation perspective several essential marketing issues are addressed. In this quest several strategic and tactical marketing opportunities and dilemmas are worked out and put in appropriate contexts. The module involves a major group undertaking where you compete with others in a simulated market over several days until a winner is proclaimed. An example of a business executive issue to be shouldered: What aspects of my offer will cause customer satisfaction and loyalty?

Module 4. Accounting and Financial Analysis

The purpose with the accounting and financial analysis module is to provide you with the language of business. That is, to ascertain that you are able to understand and interpret companies' accounts, and annual reports, as well as to use them to benchmark companies against each other. By understanding the language of business you will also be able to find products' and services' costs and relate them to the pricing of those products and services. Altogether this should improve your skills in managing a successful company in a highly competitive environment. The module uses an interactive approach where you will analyze annual reports and do case studies in your learning process.

Module 5. Organizations

We spend a large part of our lives in complex organizations. Therefore, knowledge of how these organizations work and how they can be managed is important to a manager. The purpose of this module is to develop your theoretical knowledge as well as your skills in designing and managing complex organizations. In the course we address questions such as how you design an efficient organizational structure, how organizational culture can be used as a management tool, how to create a learning organization and deal with organizational change. The pedagogical idea behind the module is based on readings of management theory and skills development through extensive use of case workshops and discussions, where you and your classmates are given the opportunity to learn from your reallife experiences in organizations.

Semester 2

Module 6. Market systems

If you do not understand what markets are you will not understand how to run your business. We will discuss various market`s functions by looking into aspects of macro and microeconomics of particular relevance for strategic marketing. In addition hereto you will be offered a serious insight into business law, especially in the marketing field.

An example of a business executive issue to be discussed: What is the strategic consequence of looking different from my competitors in the marketing mix?

Module 7. Strategy

In a constantly changing world it is crucial to have a clear concept of what strategy is, what strategic tools are available and how they can be used. This module provides an overview of the field of strategic management and its tools. A special focus will be placed on analytical tools used in competitive analysis of markets. An example of a business executive issue to be discussed: why is another firm in our industry more successful in choosing marketing approaches and what can be done to improve our position?

Module 8. International Business

We will explore how to enter foreign markets; how to design joint ventures, alliances, and mergers and acquisitions; what strategies work best for international business; how to conduct international negotiations; and what leadership styles work best in different countries. We will also explore how cultural and institutional differences between countries influence marketing strategies and how national culture affects the choice of marketing strategies.

Semester 3

Module 9. Assets Management of Customer Behaviour

Successful marketing is based on thorough customer analysis, interpretation and innovative use of marketing skills. In this module key characteristics of buying and purchasing are revised and put into the frame of how to be effectively managed. The concepts of attitude, satisfaction and loyalty are scrutinized and operationally put in use in the key customer asset management approach.

Module 10. Valuecreation in Business Networks

"No company is an island" is the main message of this module: to create user value, firms never act in isolation, but interact with component suppliers, complementors, distributors, etc in longterm business relationships forming business networks. This module provides tools to understand and analyze these networks in order to sustain a company's strategy and development. Some of the key managerial issues faced are: which relationships do we need to improve or terminate? Which obstacles and opportunities does the network create for us?

Module 11. Marketing Communications

To be seen, heard and talked of in a competitive market means to exist in the eyes, ears and brains of the customers. But communication is difficult since our ability to predict how customers will perceive our message is subject to factors out of our control. This module will look into communication campaigns and questions such as: What are the main sources for marketing communication success and how can we go about to avoid mistakes?

Module 12. Marketing Research

Markets appear as mysteries but some of this ambiguity can be shouldered aside by marketing research. In the module we discuss methods for obtaining data, how to become a sophisticated buyer of marketing data and which overall market information is of most use to us. A crucial part is how to turn such data to meaningful information for the company's executives with the help of answers to the questions: What is "nice to know" and what is "need to know".

Semester 4

Module 13. Leading People in Organizations

You are constantly facing the challenge of leading and influencing others. This module focuses on the art and science of leadership. You will be introduced to fundamental psychological principles that help you better understand and predict other people. We will also review effective models of leadership and discuss important leaders in various domains. Through practical exercises you will improve your decisionmaking capability and ability to negotiate. To sharpen your persuasive appeal, you are put in situations where you have the chance to develop your rhetorical skills. This final module in the human area is based largely on problembased and experiential learning. To help you grow and develop effective personal strategies, we will provide personal feedback on your performance throughout the module.

Module 14. Strategic Business Planning

The only sure thing we know about the future of business is that it is uncertain. Such uncertainty can be divided in two parts that constitute the main pillars of this module. First, we look into socalled "measurable uncertainty" with marketing strategy and tactical decisions including pricing and investment analysis as found in management accounting. Second, we go further since we believe that creative imagination of "nonmeasurable uncertainty" is even more conducive for our future business success. Issues covered, e.g., are: which tradeoffs do I have to make between shortterm and longterm considerations in my strategic business planning? This is also the module wherein you will be given the chance to work out and defend your own strategic business plan thus mirroring the particular strategic challenges that you are facing.

Module 15. The Experience of learning

The specific features of this last module are a function of the desires expressed during the twoyear learning process. But we will most likely spend some time summarizing the program insights by letting them come alive in an indepth scrutiny of a successful role model, whereby you will stand the challenge to analyze an outstanding company. Since this module is most likely to unfold abroad, the venue at hand will be decisive for the particular way in which it will be designed. An example of a business executive issue to be shouldered: Which are the key benchmark learning points to make from the role model company at hand – how could I use these insights in my own everyday reality?

Executive Master Thesis

The program also entails an Executive Master Thesis (EMT) which will present its author's deeper understanding of some aspects of management, his or her analytical skills as well as a critical way of thinking. The EMT builds on the knowledge gained in the course but "stretches" and "deepens" it through systematically collecting and analyzing data. Topics covered are, as a rule, highly relevant for the author's company, both academically and practically.

The EMT work will start in the first semester by choosing the topic. During the coming semester working papers will be handed in, and the final EMT will be presented at the end of the last semester. During the process the school will organize meetings with tutors as well as give special seminars covering different methodology aspects.

Examination and Graduation

The program will be examined step by step through assignments between/during modules and special exams at the end of each semester. The results of these exams results and from the EMT will jointly make up the final grades received on completing the program.

The program ends with a graduation ceremony when all who have successfully fulfilled the requirements will get a diploma from the Stockholm School of Economics as a confirmation of the Executive MBA exam.

Minor alterations of the programs are possible at the Dean`s discretion.