Courses September 2016 entry

MSc Business Analysis and Strategic Management

All taught course units are 15 credits.

Semester 1

Building Strategic Capabilities in Different Business Systems

Laszlo Czaban
This course examines how firms and markets are organised differently across the world such
that companies in varied business systems develop distinctive capabilities and strategies. It
explains why these differences have developed and how they are likely to change and the
reasons for trade-offs in internationalisation. The course will enable you to understand how
different kinds of capabilities result in different kinds of competitive strategies and how these
affect firm behaviours.

Analysing Companies: Business Models, Narrative and Numbers

Julie Froud
Concepts of business models are introduced as a way of understanding opportunities and
constraints faced by companies in delivering financial performance. You are introduced to
literatures on shareholder value and financialisation about how capital market pressure for
financial results, which originated in the US and UK and is now widespread and has an
impact upon strategic choices open to management. The course provides practical exercises
on firms and business sectors which both test understanding and require you to apply
concepts and demonstrate skills with company-based case material.

Organisational Design and Strategy: International Contexts

Matthew Allen
The course adopts an inclusive view of organisations, considering both public and private
organisations. The course challenges you to consider the interrelationships between
individual, group, organisational and societal process that impact upon organizations and their
abilities to achieve their strategic objectives. It will examine these issues from an international
perspective. You learn to analyse and reflect upon organisation theory and practice;
understand, diagnose, and respond to current and emergent organizational needs and
problems; and engage with a variety of theoretical constructs by assessing case examples to
investigate organisational factors that influence the ability of organisations to realise their
goals.

Business Models: Theory and Practice

Richard Phillips
With a focus on private sector companies, you carry out an in-depth analysis on the ways in
which companies attempt to make a profit. This involves the assessment of a wide range of
strategic and operational issues to enhance your understanding of business. You learn how to
analyse and reflect on the ways in which businesses add value; understand, diagnose and
put forward your recommendations to current and emergent challenges that face companies;
and assess case examples to analyse a wide range of issues, problems and conflicts that
arise when companies try to implement various business models.
Semester 2

Strategic Management of the Multinational Firm across Divergent Institutional Systems

Laszlo Czaban
This course examines how firms and markets are organised differently across the world and
why multinational companies from different home environments behave distinctly differently. It
explores how these differences are a result of different capabilities and competitive strategies
and how international firms manage activities across different institutional frameworks. The
course will help you understand how different kinds of internationalising companies develop
distinctive capabilities through operating in contrasting kinds of society (institutional arbitrage).

Plus three option units from:

Asian Management Systems

Xiaoke Zhang
This module aims to help you develop a comprehensive and balanced understanding of the
evolution of business structures and management practices and their impact on the ability of
the firm to develop organisational capabilities and innovative competences. In the first place,
the module provides an interdisciplinary account of variations, continuities and changes in the
institutional structures that shape management systems and practices and govern innovation
patterns. Furthermore, it develops theoretical propositions concerning the primary causes of
these variations, continuities and changes. Finally, this module explores the causal pathways
through which the changing institutional structures governing management systems have
shaped and reshaped innovation strategies and trajectories across the national, sectoral and
firm levels of analysis.

Business Environment and Strategy in China

Jiajia Liu
This course analyses the role of Chinas business practices and competition strategy, and
how they are shaped by Chinas business environment and institutions. The course explores
the development of Chinese businesses as a result of the growing strength of the private
sector, the entry of MNCs in China, and the global competition that the Chinese industries are
increasingly facing. It outlines major sources of competition, changes and types of business
strategies, using a selection of Chinese industries and firms as examples. The course raises
your awareness of the likely impact of elements of business strategy on Chinas environment
and sustainability of long term development economically, socially as well as ecologically.

Digital Technologies, Development and Emerging Markets

Chris Westrup
The aim of this course is to use theoretical approaches and case studies to assess the
importance and implications of digital technologies in development both South and North.
The course seeks to understand issues of policy and political economy that are central to
understanding how ICTs are made to work in these settings and will use a number of case
studies of different technologies to provide a context for discussion. Continuing innovation in
social media and the rapid spread of mobiles make this area highly relevant to analyses of
development, aspects of international business and the nature of emerging markets.

Global Business Strategy

Saleema Kauser
The aim of this module is to broaden your understanding of the strategic challenges and
scenarios facing international organizations. Through a combination of lectures, readings and
case analysis you will develop the ability to identify, analyse and discuss strategic challenges
that international companies face.

Global Politics and Global Business

Xiaoke Zhang
More formally, the course aims to examine exactly what is the connection between global
politics and global business. It looks at some of the most important factors, institutions and
processes and studies the political environment of business.
International Human Resource Management
Miguel Martinez Lucio / David Beale
This course begins by assessing the changing international business context with a particular
focus on patterns of trade and foreign direct investment associated with developed and less
developed countries. The aim is to describe the regulatory (privatisation, liberalisation),
economic and institutional environment underpinning the recent rise of multinational company
investment and the changing character of the international division of labour. Against this
context, the course takes stock of some core themes of international HR, including
international HR practices of knowledge management, staffing, pay and reward, employee
representation and corporate social responsibility. Detailed study of multinationals operations
in developed and less developed country contexts highlights the influence of business
strategy, cultural and institutional effects on their HR policies. The course concludes with a
consideration of the prospects of internationalisation for both workers and firms in less
developed countries.

Technology, Innovation Management and Business Strategy

Andrew James
This elective focuses on the management dilemmas posed by technological innovation and
the tools & techniques that can be used to tackle those dilemmas. The elective considers
how, by successfully harnessing innovation, global businesses can open-up new markets and
develop new ways to serve existing customers. The elective also considers how the rapid
pace of technological change can also threaten established businesses and undermine
existing business models, how new entrants into global markets can leverage these
opportunities to establish themselves in an industry and how established businesses can
respond.

The Management of International Organisational Change

Paula Hyde
You review current ideas and practices on the what, why and how of managing change in
contemporary organisations and social systems. In particular, you examine issues and
dilemmas facing those managing change.

Instead of one of these option units, you can choose one unit from outside the course to
complement your studies. Your choice of option unit will need to be approved by the course
director, and is subject to availability. Students have opted to study units in marketing, supply
chain management, corporate finance, mergers and acquisitions.

Summer research period

Client-facing group project with an external organisation / Dissertation (60 credits)

The client-facing project gives you the opportunity to apply what you have learned in the taught part of
the course and the outcome is presented as a research report/dissertation. This experiential learning
enhances and improves your skills and overall employability.

Alliance MBS Postgraduate Careers Service provides specialist support when you are applying for
projects and with interview preparation. Projects start at the beginning of June and may be carried out
individually or as a group.

The project is offered if you do not have any unit marks below 40%, and not more than one unit mark
between 40-49% in semester 1. If you dont meet these criteria you will be offered a project related to an
external client, with no direct contact with the client. For those working on group projects, a group report
and an individual report will be produced (both 6,000 words).

Alternatively, you may undertake an academic dissertation of 12,000 words.

Recent project reports include:

Exploring the strategic expansion of the volunteer tourism industry into the academic market
An in-depth analysis of the wholesale market and changing trends towards online shopping
Strategic positioning in relation to the offshore wind turbine market in northern Europe
Identification of venture capitalist acquisition targets in the UK software industry
Project clients have included:
ASDA, AstraZeneca, BAE Systems, BASF, British Red Cross, Colt, Co-operative Financial Services,
Deloitte, Greater Manchester Chamber of Commerce, ICI, Inventya, Kelloggs, Tax Assist

If you have any queries about a course, please contact us, by telephone:
+44 (0)161 306 1339 or by email: pg@mbs.ac.uk

Note: This document is prepared in advance of the academic year to which it relates, and
some modules and tutors may change before the course begins in September 2016.