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Executive MBA in Leadership
Curriculum
Unlike traditional MBA and EMBA programs with their traditional courses in economics, finance, management, and accounting, Bradley University’s EMBA focuses on issues that managers and executives identified as the most pressing problems they faced. The program takes an issue-oriented, problem-solving approach to business. Business issues are addressed from an interdisciplinary perspective. Each issue is approached with insights gained from various business disciplines. Accounting, marketing, management, and finance are integrated throughout the curriculum.
One of the most unique aspects of our program, and a rarity in other programs in the nation, is the individual leadership coaching you will receive for the entire 15 months of the program. Faculty and staff will work one-on-one with participants to assess leadership skills. Participants will receive individual coaching from faculty and staff according to their personal development plan for the entire length of the program.
An issues based curriculum relevant to today’s pressing problems
The Leadership Challenge – Exploration of the characteristics and themes of successful leadership. In-depth analysis of the strengths and developmental needs of participants through 360-degree feedback. Important interpersonal skill foundations in communication, conflict resolution, and trust building are emphasized. One-on-one coaching between participants and staff.
Scanning the Environment – Uncertainty in business planning caused by the external environment. Utilization of a conceptual model to organize and frame the discussions of the macroenvironment in which the firm operates.
External Economic Environment – Provided a broad overview of the economic environment in which business firms and consumers carry out their individual economic activities. Review the institutional structure, the social goals, and implicit values of the market system and how they establish the parameters within which choices are made. Overview of how and why business cycles occur. How economic policy, both monetary and fiscal, have impacted the business cycle.
Managing Technology – Management issues related to providing information technology resources. Impact of product and process-related technologies on development and execution of organizational strategies.
Cost Management – Analysis of the nature of cost. Techniques for accumulation of costs incurred in production and assignment of those costs to products. Methods for reduction and management of non-value-added costs.
Competition and Pricing – Elasticity measurement of market response to price, income, and other influences on competitive structure from commodities to monopoly; pricing strategies based on competitive environment; price, output, and product development for competition among few firms; the techniques of Cournot, Stackelberg, and Von Neumann.
Creating and Maintaining Customer Satisfaction – Customer-based topics, including effective and efficient product delivery, identifying customer segments that can be served by the firm, offering customer value, and building brand and corporate loyalty.
Communication Workshop – Communication skills, both verbal and written, will be strengthened and learned through practice. Interpersonal and written communication skills and media interviews receive primary emphasis.
Attracting and Developing Talent – Expose students to the challenges of attracting talent and provide advice on how to develop talent within an organization. Complexities of recruiting in difficult labor markets. Continuous improvement mechanisms to stimulate ongoing talent development.
Building Employee Commitment – Key themes and practical approaches for enhancing motivation and building high levels of commitment and continuing dedication throughout the workforce. Financial and intrinsic reward systems are emphasized, as are the keys to developing a culture of involvement and credibility.
Dealing with Problem People – Approaches, skills, and strategies for understanding and addressing difficult and problem people in the organization. Application of course materials and learning to on-the-job situations. Examines both human resource and legal ramifications of dealing with problem people.
Team Building – Design, introduction, development, and leadership of cross-disciplinary teams, including virtual teams. The course provides leaders with the background, perspective, and skill to help teams reach their performance potential. Participants receive feedback regarding their on-the-job approach to teams. Areas of need are identified and participant-specific skills and actions are emphasized. Approaches to team rewards and team compensation are studied.
Acquiring Capital and Making Investment Decisions – Planning and strategies involved in identifying value-enhancing capital projects. Interpreting cash flow figures, identifying risk factors, and employing risk analysis techniques. Strategies for acquiring capital and understanding the impact of capital structure on firm value.
Global Environment and Issues – Provide an understanding of the forces shaping the international economy. Provide frameworks and guidelines for gathering, sorting, and assessing complex global and regional information to contribute to understanding organizations’ strategies and tactics. Emphasis on leadership issues and diverse cultures.
Developing Strategy – Provide an effective planning framework to integrate strategies with different functional areas. All of the functional areas will be integrated within the strategic planning framework. Emphasis on strategic planning as an ongoing, fluid process that evolves over time and adapts to environmental changes.
Performance Measurement and Control - Techniques for creation of profit plans and monitoring of success. Design and use of broad-based performance measures such as the balanced scorecard. Identification and control of risks that threaten the attainment of objectives.
Strategic Positioning and Maximizing Performance – Expose managers to factors that impact different performance measures and provide strategies that maximize performance. Achieve balance at many different levels; incremental/radical strategies, flexibility/control, resources/capabilities, and growth/continuous improvement.
Leading Successful Change – Background, insights, and skills in how to effectively challenge the status quo, create new directions, and lead organizations to embrace and successfully implement needed change. Examination of the forces for change and dynamics of resistance. Participants examine their personal style of change and apply change management strategies to their respective organizations.
EMBA Topics – Topics of general interest which may vary each time course is offered.
