Course Descriptions

MBA-GSM Course Descriptions

Prerequisite Course Descriptions:

GSM 5001  Principles of Economics (3 units)

Examines forces and factors that impact overall performance on an economic system, including government policy and business decisions. Major topics include: GNP, full employment, unemployment, inflation, stagflation, aggregate demand and supply, and multiplier effects.

GSM 5002  Financial and Managerial Accounting (3 units)

An introduction focusing on accounting information used in decision-making (from a management perspective). Students study corporate reporting using the balance sheet, income statement, statement of cash flows, and ratios used in evaluating financial performance. The course includes: problem solving, written analysis, actual company cases and addresses ethical issues.

GSM 5003  Statistics/Quantitative Analysis and Research Methods (3 units)

The course provides a basic understanding of what research can and cannot accomplish and how to effectively use research tools in management decision-making. Students learn how managers design a research project, when to commission one, and how to interpret research results.

GSM 5004  Finance (3 units)

Students learn how to obtain and use money to maximize the value of a business. Areas covered include: planning and managing equity financing, control of short term assets and liabilities, and measuring risk and value.

GSM Core Course Descriptions:

GSM 5112  Foundations of Business Communications (1.5 units)

This optional seven week course is designed as a refresher course for students whose mother language is not English. The course focuses on the fundamentals of sound grammar, structure, and written presentation of thought.

GSM 5113  Business Communications I (1.5 units)

Focusing on written communication, this course helps the student to develop sound business writing skills. Concepts emphasized include: information packaging, the strategic planning of communication, writing for the reader, visual appeal in writing, and the effective use of “headlines”.

GSM 5114  Business Communications II (1.5 units)

Focusing on business presentations, this course helps students to hone their presentations skills. Concepts emphasized include: the effective use of voice, stage presence, using media in presentations, presentation styles and types, presenting for the audience, and strategically planning a presentation.

GSM 5117  International Marketing Management (3 units)

An in-depth understanding of marketing functions are introduced, specifically focusing on providing students with experience in making marketing and business-related decisions. Attention is paid to areas of increasing importance to marketing professionals, including services and Internet marketing. Case study analysis and discussion form the basis of classroom instruction and a prime objective is to develop a sense of realism within these discussions on current business issues.

GSM 5120  Global Information Management and E-Business (3 units)

Teaches students to prepare and train current and future managers to effectively operate in a globally connected economy. An introduction to, and overview of, the principles of the connected economy and the roles that information technology and e-commerce play in it. Students develop effective strategies, utilize information technology and e-commerce to achieve their global business objectives.

GSM 5121  International Financial and Managerial Accounting (3 units)

Focuses on the financial and managerial accounting issues of international business. Topics include: fluctuating currency levels, accounting for transactions in foreign currencies, restatement of foreign subsidiary financial statements, transfer pricing, and income taxes, consolidation and disclosure problems, and managerial control and organization.

GSM 5123  Strategic Management (3 units)

This course stresses the importance of design of an organization’s strategy through establishing a clear mission and goals; identifying the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats of an organization; and relating strategic thought to the greater global environment. The formulation and implementation of a comprehensive strategic plan (integrating all business disciplines) are reviewed.

GSM 5126  Global Organizational Behavior and Human Resource Management (3 units)

Examines organizations from an organizational, group and individual perspective.  Key features of high-performance structures and employee development systems are examined.  Current topics include: analyzing organizational structure and culture, global team dynamics, using the Internet for recruiting, creating knowledge management and performance support systems, and achieving employee loyalty through non-compensation based strategies.  Special emphasis on recruiting and retaining international employees.

GSM 5140  International Corporate Finance (3 units)

Explores traditional areas of corporate finance from the perspective of a multinational company—concentrating on decision elements that are rarely encountered by purely domestic firms. Elements include multiple currencies, frequent exchange rate changes and varying rates of inflation, differing tax systems, multiple moneylenders, and political risks such as nationalization or expropriation.

GSM 5146  World Cultures and International Business (3 units)

Business is reviewed as a form of cultural diffusion and creator of consumerism that can lead to modernization and cultural clashes. Students are exposed to cultural patterns and relationships between culturally distinct groups. These boundaries and challenges determine how members of a group practice economic activities, organize settlements, and set rules for men and women.

International Domain Course Descriptions:

The international domain creates the opportunity for the student to select courses from multiple domains (global regions) or to specialize in a specific region of interest. Included in the domains is the opportunity to complete all, or part, of the domain coursework in international settings/locations.

GSM 5111  Globalization: Concepts and Effects (3 units)

Has the increasing integration of the world due to economic and technological developments created an unstable world with the constant need to restructure and reconfigure? This course focuses on understanding the process of globalization and its impact on different economies, on conceptualizing globalization, reconfiguration of power, and impact of globalization on different industries and countries.

GSM 5118  Global Operations and Supply Chain Management (3 units)

Focuses on the managerial challenges in the operations of manufacturing and service industries. Provides an understanding of the functional and strategic roles of production and distribution. Distribution strategies are evaluated and costs and benefits of cooperation and coordination between different firms in the supply chain are also investigated.

GSM 5122  Managerial Economics (3 units)

The application of micro and macro economic concepts to decision-making within a firm. Students apply economic optimization, demand estimation, forecasting, production and cost estimation, and pricing principles. Students analyze determinates of important aggregate economic variables: levels of real and nominal output, employment, inflation, and economic growth to decision-making in business operations.

GSM 5130  Government/Corporate Partnership in Asia Pacific (3 units)

Methods and strategies by which businesses in Asia Pacific attempt to influence public policies. Topics include role of the Japanese government in the economy, business government relations in Japan, regulation of business, corporate political activity, and corporate governance. Explores the processes of Asia Pacific governments’ decision-making, policy implementation and impact on business interests.

GSM 5131  Diversity, Growth, and Development in Asia Pacific (3 units)

This course reviews the economic potential of the Asia Pacific region where the traditional modes of production, culture, social and political relations have been undergoing dramatic changes. Focusing on technological changes, economic linkages, and political alliances, the course studies the interrelationships between the natural environment and economic, political and cultural activities.

GSM 5133  The Business Culture of Asia Pacific (3 units)

This course focuses on cross cultural communications and negotiations in an Asia Pacific setting. Basic premise: although managers need analytical skills to discover optimal solutions to problems, a broad array of negotiation skills is needed to get these solutions accepted and implemented. Development of students’ skills is achieved through experiential learning.

GMS 5136  Labor Unions and Corporate Governance in Europe (3 units)

The affects of corporate governance and labor union power on business in Europe is reviewed. The various methods used by firms to adjust to the constraints imposed by rigid labor markets are investigated and optimal solutions discussed.

GSM 5137  European Business Practices: Impact of Culture and Language (3 units)

This course reviews varying business practices among European countries and focuses on the role of language and culture on both internal and external commerce. Three critical skill areas are reviewed (negotiation, practical research, and case analysis) in the context of this varied and dynamic region of the world.

GSM 5138  European Economic Union and the World Economy (3 units)

This course examines the theory, principles, and practices underlying international trade and economic relations within the European Union and between the region and the rest of the world. Topics include comparative advantage, protectionism versus free sustainable economies, foreign direct investment, balance of payment analysis, and dynamic trade policy.

GSM 5141 Organization and Leadership (3 units)

Examines leadership styles within the business framework of power and authority – the ethical responsibilities of leadership, strategies for team development and leading, conflict resolution and group decision-making.  Emphasizes the strategic significance of the organization’s structure and ways in which this impacts the organization’s leader, members, and internal and external relationships.

GSM 5142  Special Topics A-Z  (Asia Pacific Focus) (3 units)

This course deals with contemporary business issues relevant to Asia Pacific from an interdisciplinary and entrepreneurial perspective. Topics vary from year to year in an effort to capitalize on current trends and their impact on future business models and practices.

GSM 5145  Special Topics A-Z (European Focus) (3 units)

This course deals with contemporary business issues relevant to Europe from an interdisciplinary and entrepreneurial perspective. Topics vary from year to year in an effort to capitalize on current trends and their impact on future business models and practices.

GSM 5148 Global Branding (3 units)

Increasingly, firms are realizing the importance of their brands, which are closely associated with their products or services.  Despite this recognition, relatively little attention has been paid to branding in MBA programs.  This course attempts to address this oversight.  Specifically, Global Branding is an advanced MBA elective that addresses important branding decisions faced by companies.  The course’s basic objectives are to increase understanding of the important issues in evaluating, planning and executing brand strategies; to offer models and theoretical constructs and other tools to make better branding decisions; to provide a forum for students to apply these brand concepts. Particular emphasis is placed on understanding psychological principles as well as different perceptions of brand issues across geographies and cultures.  The end-result is designed to help students improve their managerial acumen with respect to brands.  Lastly, this course is designed to be flexible and relevant to any type of organization (public vs. private, small vs. large, U.S. vs. International).

GSM 5150 Leading Change and Organizational Development (3 units)

Organizational change is among the most challenging processes in business.  The course explores both the rational and creative processes of change leadership.  Participants examine change examples from business, governments, and society as models for managing change.  Topics studied include why organizations change, the types of organizational changes, models for organizational diagnosis, situations where change is resisted, implementing change, and the impact vision has on change leadership.  Strategies and techniques for communicating change and skills for implementing change in organizations will be practiced.

GSM 5151 Building and Leading Teams for International Business (3 units)

Organizations around the world depend upon team-based work to achieve shared goals.  Stages of group development, principles of collaborative organizations, building team relationships for synergistic decision making and high performing work teams and evaluating team performance will be studied.  Studies will examine and practice strategies and tactics for team leaders in the team building process.  Techniques for planning and facilitating participative team meetings, collaborating among distance teams, motivating team members, and techniques for overcoming team dysfunctions will be studied and experienced.

GSM 5152 Multinational Corporations (3 units)

Understanding the working of global business is impossible without a good understanding of the operations of multinational corporations (MNCs); more than that, understanding the international economic environment is increasingly more important for anyone in the business sector. In this course the various types of MNCs, their various strategies, their competitive advantages and the special difficulties they face, are discussed; risk diversification, internalization, international transfer pricing, and foreign direct investment are thoroughly covered; international networks, the international financial environment, and international financial crises, along with the dangers and opportunities to MNCs, are analyzed.

Semester Study Abroad Course Descriptions:

Students spend a full semester studying at one of our exchange partner universities. Usually completed during the second year of study, the semester study abroad program is designed to allow students to complete the international domain requirements in a truly international setting.

Students who cannot spend a full semester abroad may elect to participate in up to three (3) Executive Study Abroad trips (GSM 5200), earning up to nine (9) credit hours (substitutes for the international domain courses).

ESA is an intense 9-10 day program that exposes the participant to multiple cultures and global business topics. Sample trip combinations already completed or in design include: Zurich, Lausanne and Geneva, Switzerland; Santiago, Chile and Buenos Aires, Argentina; and London, England and Dublin, Ireland; Sydney, Australia and Auckland, New Zealand; Rome and Florence, Italy.

GSM 5210  Spanish for Business (3 units)

This course is designed to provide beginning Spanish learners with the many unique business terms in the Spanish language. Students practice day to day conversational Spanish in business specific settings. By course completion, the student will be comfortable with basic business discussions conducted in Spanish.

GSM 5211  French for Business (3 units)

This course is designed to provide beginning French learners with the many unique business terms in the French language. Students practice day to day conversational French in business specific settings. By course completion, the student will be comfortable with basic business discussions conducted in French.

GSM 5212  German for Business (3 units)

This course is designed to provide beginning German learners with the many unique business terms in the German language. Students practice day to day conversational German in business specific settings. By course completion, the student will be comfortable with basic business discussions conducted in German.

GSM Capstone Course Description

GSM 5135  Capstone: Project Management/Corporate Research/Internship (3 units)

The capstone experience allows students to integrate knowledge and skill learned in the classroom and is an applied study. Successful completion of the capstone demonstrates expertise in all the business disciplines.