Curriculum
Today's rapidly changing and competitive global environment demands executives to adapt quickly, to perform within domestic and global teams and to bring a broad perspective to management issues relevant to sound global business decision-making processes.
Leadership and Management: Team Skills
The course will integrate leadership concepts and basic personal and interpersonal skills to ensure that candidates can deliver on leadership requirements in their organizations. Executive MBA candidates typically enter the program with several years of work experience and a rich history of development courses. Leadership and Management is therefore geared towards personal assessment, personal development and creating a common understanding of the personal and interpersonal skills needed to succeed in the program and to move to the next level of responsibility in their organizations or to shift careers if this is their objective.
A Contextual Overview
General Management: A Contextual Overview
The course explores general management and the process of strategy-making in three different settings. For start-ups and scale-ups, the course examines the entrepreneurial process from launch to exit. Strategic thinking for not-for-profits will also be discussed along with some of the management challenges involved in these organizations. For corporations, the course will examine the role of “general managers in the middle” and of executives. In addition, key macro trends that influence strategy making will be explored.
and Decisions
Financial Accounting Information and Decisions
This course focuses on the role of the accounting function external to the organization. It takes a broad view of financial accounting, encompassing a wide range of external financial and economic information, both national and international. The orientation will help students to understand what accounting can do for decision makers and how accounting and ethical choices affect decisions. Current issues in financial accounting and reporting are discussed
Strategic Information
Systems Management
Information systems (IS) and their underlying information and communication technologies (ICTs) have grown to assume a strategic role in improving business performance. This course presents a business value perspective of information systems in the context of problem-solving, decision-making, business process optimization, and transformation of businesses into knowledge-based enterprises. The objective of this course is to understand the dynamic effect of ICTs on organizational development, deliberate best practices for the strategic integration of technology in business operations, and explore socio-technical critical success factors underlying effective IS strategy formulation and successful digital transformation initiatives.
Data Analysis
This course provides an introduction to statistical data analysis for problem solving and decision-making using data. Participants apply univariate and bivariate methods to various datasets, utilize software to analyze data and interpret statistical output. Models and tools are introduced to assist participants in collecting, organizing, understanding, analyzing, presenting and communicating data.
Management Consulting
This course provides an introduction to management consulting: the five-phase consulting process and business models associated with managing a consulting practice. The course takes a broad view of consulting both internal and external to the organization to solve management problems. The course focuses on the skills and processes involved within a consulting engagement, including project planning and management; data gathering and analysis; generating findings; and reporting, presentation and feedback, to prepare candidates for the project engagements of the curriculum.
and Decisions
Managerial Accounting Information and Decisions
This course focuses on the role of the accounting function internal to the organization. It takes a broad view of managerial accounting, introducing candidates to costing systems, cost behaviour patterns, cost structures and the evaluation of product, managerial and divisional performance with accounting. The course emphasizes the strategic importance of aligning accounting systems with firm technologies and goals highlighting what accounting can do for decision-makers and how accounting choices affect decisions. Current issues in management accounting and internal reporting are discussed.
Strategic Marketing Management
This course provides an overview of the marketing process, including key concepts, tools and procedures, in the context of a technology-intensive global economy. Course delivery includes lectures, case study, project application and the insight of special guest speakers to explore the definition of marketing, the marketing concept and marketing management, and the significance of operating in a technology-intensive global economy. Candidates will analyze market opportunities, set performance goals and formulate marketing and implementation plans to meet those goals. Consideration will be given to trends and techniques like experience-based marketing, relationship marketing, online marketing management and some of the online marketing tools available
and Talent Management
Organization Design, Governance and Talent Management
In modern organizations featuring flexible organizational boundaries, increased delegation and rapid execution, organization design, internal governance, and related leadership and human resources execution are key strategic priorities that have profound implications for organizational performance. This course will build on key learnings in ADX 5333: Leadership and Management, to provide a logical sequencing of key theories and practical applications of organizational design principles for modern organizations. The course will explore linkages between the organization’s strategy and its design and how design influences talent management (onboarding, deployment and development). Principles of motivation and team management will also be addressed.
Corporate Finance
The fundamental concepts of corporate financial management are examined to emphasize that a realistic general management perspective requires supportive data and numerical calculations. Candidates will be required to demonstrate their ability to analyze and think critically. Course content covers both sides of the balance sheet with the analysis of both investment and financing decisions. Candidates consider the cost of capital, capital budgeting, cash flow analysis, capital structure decisions including common shares and long-term debt, financial planning and control, short-term financing, working capital management, treasury management, options, derivatives and hybrid financing.
and Strategy
International Market Evaluation and Strategy
The purpose of this seminar is to begin to focus on the preparation process that will culminate with the International Consulting Project and Trip. The primary objective is to provide candidates with the tools, concepts and skills to help companies choose appropriate international markets and more specifically, to help candidates identify the most appropriate destination for the international trip. The course will also provide tools that will enable candidates to prepare background research and analysis and develop market studies for markets under review, as well as a heightened understanding of market development strategy.
Innovation and Entrepreneurship Project in Silicon Valley
The course provides a thorough practical experience so that candidates will develop a better understanding of entrepreneurship and innovation. During this field trip to Silicon Valley in California, candidates will be exposed to a series of expert presentations and company visits supporting the course objectives while solving a business problem for an Ottawa-based firm. The consulting engagement is to be completed through expert interviews in the Valley.
Summer Business Consulting Project
The Business Consulting Project (BCP) is an integral part of the curriculum of the Telfer Executive MBA. Often, this major independent consulting project that addresses a management issue on behalf of a client organization has proven to be the source of career leaps and thriving new businesses. A faculty supervisor is assigned to coach, mentor and assist the candidates in the engagement. The scope and nature of the consulting assignment is agreed upon with the client through a proposal process. The findings are delivered to the client in terms of a presentation and a formal report.
Corporate Governance and Ethics
This course provides an introduction to corporate Governance, Accountability and Ethics: Shareholder Interests – Accountability and Governance Alignment; Technology & Ethics – Security and Privacy in an Online World; Managing When Agendas Collide – Making Ethical Business Decisions; Governance & Growth – Balancing Uncertainty, Scrutiny & Transparency. Course delivery includes lectures, class discussion debate, case studies, group presentations, written assignments and presentations by distinguished guest speakers
Operations Management
Strategic issues and long-term planning in manufacturing and service operations. Concepts, problem solving and quantitative techniques commonly used in decision making and in monitoring production systems. Operational strategy, forecasting, aggregate planning, enterprise resource planning and material requirements planning, supply chain and inventory management, lean operations and quality management. Sustainability issues as they relate to operations management as well as the challenges associated with integrating new technologies.
Strategy Formulation and Implementation
This strategy course addresses how to assess the performance of a business, what determines performance, how to conduct a strategic audit and how to develop a specific course of action to deal with strategic issues. The opportunity to enhance value by aligning strategy and organizational infrastructure is analyzed. The ability to implement change to enhance competitiveness is examined. Candidates develop general management abilities by integrating prior knowledge and skills acquired in previous courses and ’pulling it all together’ in the process of strategy formulation and strategic choice.
International Corporate Financial Policy
Candidates are introduced to the management of foreign exchange risk by corporate treasurers; financial management of multinational firms; determination of a corporation’s transaction and operating exposures; use of foreign exchange derivatives, such as currency futures, options and swaps, to hedge foreign exchange risk; international portfolio and direct investments; international capital structure and cost of capital of multinational firms and capital budgeting techniques used for foreign operations.
Technology Entrepreneurship
Creating, growing, and sustaining or exiting a new firm in a technology-intensive industry. Issues important to the technology (the scope and nature of technological knowledge and intellectual property protection), financing (seed capital, venture capital, and initial public offerings), and inter-firm relationships (spin-offs, alliances and equity alliances, and acquisitions). The course is practically oriented and will draw upon local expertise to enhance its pertinence and appeal.
Digital Transformation
The disruptive forces transforming the ways in which organizations manage operations will be addressed. Business Intelligence, Artificial Intelligence, Blockchain and Robotic Process Automation will be covered.
Economics for the Global Manager
The goal of this course is to provide candidates with an interpretation and understanding of a broad range of economic concepts such as the Market Model, elasticity and pricing decisions, market structures and optimal managerial decisions, strategy and tactics in Game Theory, role of intellectual capital and Modern Growth Theory, Theory of Outsourcing, Aggregate Demand and Supply Models, IS-LM-BP model, international regulations/constraints as well as theories of productivity.
Change Management
The purpose of this course is to develop skills in the effective conceptualization, planning, implementation and evaluation of change interventions in human systems. Behavioural science frameworks are introduced to explain and guide the practice of change in the organization. The systemic nature of change and intervention practice, including the generation and management of resistance to change, will be analyzed. Organizational change processes at the individual, team and organizational level and human system intervention efforts are considered. The importance of context is emphasized with cases of cross-cultural change, knowledge-based organizations, socio-technical change processes and system vs. cultural change analyses
Principles of Negotiations for the Global Manager
This course aims to develop the aptitudes, intuitions and understandings of the strategies essential to successful negotiations. A thorough analysis of the nature of negotiation, distributive and integrative bargaining, ethical issues, planning and preparation, intercultural differences, bargaining style and personality are considered. The role of power, strategy and tactics is considered, including coalition behaviour, communication, persuasion, conflict resolution and multi-party negotiation.
Multinational Corporations and Strategies
The main emphasis in the course is on the internationalization process. Candidates will develop a model to help them decide the best way for a company to enter a foreign market. The development and application of this model occurs concurrently as candidates progress with the substantive content of the course and as they engage with a client company in preparation for the international project and trip. Strategies being used by multinational and transnational corporations, organizational and management leadership and the coordination of issues that arise from instituting strategies globally are considered. Implementation is a constant focus throughout this module.
Leadership Lecture Series
This seminar is a series of lectures by eminent Canadians, from the public, private and civic/ not-for-profit sectors, who have had an opportunity to play a key role in the governance of Canadian organizations. Expert lecturers discuss their success, failures and leadership style in regard to the issue, all the while examining the organization’s interest and the interest of the Canadian public. Cumulatively, lectures provide a 360-degree perspective of a topical management issue.
International Business Consulting
Examine the challenges of management in the global economy by conducting a major consulting project in an international destination. Identify approaches for market entry into foreign markets and establish a foundation of business for your client to continue to manage post-project. Develop market entry strategies, channel development strategies or strategic alliances for the organizations they represent abroad.
Leadership and Management: Team Skills
The course will integrate leadership concepts and basic personal and interpersonal skills to ensure that candidates can deliver on leadership requirements in their organizations. Executive MBA candidates typically enter the program with several years of work experience and a rich history of development courses. Leadership and Management is therefore geared towards personal assessment, personal development and creating a common understanding of the personal and interpersonal skills needed to succeed in the program and to move to the next level of responsibility in their organizations or to shift careers if this is their objective.
A Contextual Overview
General Management: A Contextual Overview
The course explores general management and the process of strategy-making in three different settings. For start-ups and scale-ups, the course examines the entrepreneurial process from launch to exit. Strategic thinking for not-for-profits will also be discussed along with some of the management challenges involved in these organizations. For corporations, the course will examine the role of “general managers in the middle” and of executives. In addition, key macro trends that influence strategy making will be explored.
and Decisions
Financial Accounting Information and Decisions
This course focuses on the role of the accounting function external to the organization. It takes a broad view of financial accounting, encompassing a wide range of external financial and economic information, both national and international. The orientation will help students to understand what accounting can do for decision makers and how accounting and ethical choices affect decisions. Current issues in financial accounting and reporting are discussed
Strategic Information
Systems Management
Information systems (IS) and their underlying information and communication technologies (ICTs) have grown to assume a strategic role in improving business performance. This course presents a business value perspective of information systems in the context of problem-solving, decision-making, business process optimization, and transformation of businesses into knowledge-based enterprises. The objective of this course is to understand the dynamic effect of ICTs on organizational development, deliberate best practices for the strategic integration of technology in business operations, and explore socio-technical critical success factors underlying effective IS strategy formulation and successful digital transformation initiatives.
Data Analysis
This course provides an introduction to statistical data analysis for problem solving and decision-making using data. Participants apply univariate and bivariate methods to various datasets, utilize software to analyze data and interpret statistical output. Models and tools are introduced to assist participants in collecting, organizing, understanding, analyzing, presenting and communicating data.
Management Consulting
This course provides an introduction to management consulting: the five-phase consulting process and business models associated with managing a consulting practice. The course takes a broad view of consulting both internal and external to the organization to solve management problems. The course focuses on the skills and processes involved within a consulting engagement, including project planning and management; data gathering and analysis; generating findings; and reporting, presentation and feedback, to prepare candidates for the project engagements of the curriculum.
and Decisions
Managerial Accounting Information and Decisions
This course focuses on the role of the accounting function internal to the organization. It takes a broad view of managerial accounting, introducing candidates to costing systems, cost behaviour patterns, cost structures and the evaluation of product, managerial and divisional performance with accounting. The course emphasizes the strategic importance of aligning accounting systems with firm technologies and goals highlighting what accounting can do for decision-makers and how accounting choices affect decisions. Current issues in management accounting and internal reporting are discussed.
Strategic Marketing Management
This course provides an overview of the marketing process, including key concepts, tools and procedures, in the context of a technology-intensive global economy. Course delivery includes lectures, case study, project application and the insight of special guest speakers to explore the definition of marketing, the marketing concept and marketing management, and the significance of operating in a technology-intensive global economy. Candidates will analyze market opportunities, set performance goals and formulate marketing and implementation plans to meet those goals. Consideration will be given to trends and techniques like experience-based marketing, relationship marketing, online marketing management and some of the online marketing tools available
Human Resource Management
Understanding the strategic importance of human resources and their impact on organizational performance; acquisition of skills related to employee selection, performance evaluation and managing individual and team performance. Differentiate recognition strategies which foster equity and workplace performance. Differentiate features of human resource management in an international context. This course will be delivered as a core course. Those in the CPL concentration will participate the first six weeks of ADX 5332 and receive credit for ADX 5132.
Corporate Finance
The fundamental concepts of corporate financial management are examined to emphasize that a realistic general management perspective requires supportive data and numerical calculations. Candidates will be required to demonstrate their ability to analyze and think critically. Course content covers both sides of the balance sheet with the analysis of both investment and financing decisions. Candidates consider the cost of capital, capital budgeting, cash flow analysis, capital structure decisions including common shares and long-term debt, financial planning and control, short-term financing, working capital management, treasury management, options, derivatives and hybrid financing.
Systems Thinking
Managers of complex programs deal with “wicked problems” whose resolution requires holistic approaches, sophisticated thinking and pluralist methodologies. This unit provides foundational knowledge related to systems methodologies and their underpinning epistemologies that enable project managers to solve complex program problems in context. Models and tools are introduced for students to differentiate between reductionist and holistic approaches to problem solving; achieve creative organizational learning and navigate non-linearity from chaos through to equilibrium across orders of complexity.
Acquisitions Strategies
Acquisition strategies examines how various procurement methodologies, financing strategies, and ownership mechanisms best deliver value for money, deal with the risks and opportunities across the complete lifecycle and how this links to the acquisition business case. The unit also captures the need to deal with industry development objectives, the importance of robust cost estimation, and risk sharing strategies within a suitable governance framework.
Managing for Innovation
Innovation is a key to economic development, competitive advantage and organizational performance. Through their field trip to organizations within North America and respective projects, candidates will gain familiarity with concepts and tools to foster innovation in complex project environments. Successful implementation requires interaction between many different areas of expertise within organisations, and increasingly across organizational boundaries. Students will be able to determine the characteristics of innovative environments and the corresponding methods, techniques and concepts.
Summer Business Consulting Project
The Business Consulting Project (BCP) is an integral part of the curriculum of the Telfer Executive MBA. Often, this major independent consulting project that addresses a management issue on behalf of a client organization has proven to be the source of career leaps and thriving new businesses. A faculty supervisor is assigned to coach, mentor and assist the candidates in the engagement. The scope and nature of the consulting assignment is agreed upon with the client through a proposal process. The findings are delivered to the client in terms of a presentation and a formal report.
Corporate Governance and Ethics
This course provides an introduction to corporate Governance, Accountability and Ethics: Shareholder Interests – Accountability and Governance Alignment; Technology & Ethics – Security and Privacy in an Online World; Managing When Agendas Collide – Making Ethical Business Decisions; Governance & Growth – Balancing Uncertainty, Scrutiny & Transparency. Course delivery includes lectures, class discussion debate, case studies, group presentations, written assignments and presentations by distinguished guest speakers
Operations Management
Strategic issues and long-term planning in manufacturing and service operations. Concepts, problem solving and quantitative techniques commonly used in decision making and in monitoring production systems. Operational strategy, forecasting, aggregate planning, enterprise resource planning and material requirements planning, supply chain and inventory management, lean operations and quality management. Sustainability issues as they relate to operations management as well as the challenges associated with integrating new technologies.
Strategy Formulation
Develop the skills and competencies to drive an analysis for strategy development. Describe the value chain of the organization in order to identify potential sources of competitive advantage as well as product and market selection, which characterize the group strategy. Integration within the global perspective of strategic management, diverse functional knowledge bases.
Those in the CPL concentration will participate the first six weeks of ADX 5360 and receive credit for ADX 5161.
Digital Transformation
The disruptive forces transforming the ways in which organizations manage operations will be addressed. Business Intelligence, Artificial Intelligence, Blockchain and Robotic Process Automation will be covered.
and of Project Team systems
Organizational Behaviour of Project Teams
Project teams are key to project, program and portfolio success. This course will examine intra and inter-team interdependencies, processes, emergent states, and how these relate to team and systems of teams’ effectiveness. Design plans will be introduced to monitor the adaptive capacity of teams and systems over time. Interpersonal and practitioner skills will be honed to manage collaboration at individual, team and multi-team levels.
Implementation of Complex Projects
Exploration of differences between project, program and portfolio management. Implementation science and practice applied to complex projects, programs and portfolios.
Problem Solving in Complex Environments
Project or program leadership in chaotic and complex environments raises a whole set of new and different challenges. This course examines complex projects and programs from the point of view of creative problem solving processes, opportunity identification and implementation, and entrepreneurial thinking at the individual, team, and larger system levels. The course focuses ultimately on the shift in leader mindset from challenges representing problems to problems representing opportunities. Students will learn to map the system of complex project/program environments and strategize to meet the interests of the associated stakeholders; and use Socio-Technical System (STS) tools and techniques to identify technical and social opportunities for system improvements and increased program success.
Economics for the Global Manager
The goal of this course is to provide candidates with an interpretation and understanding of a broad range of economic concepts such as the Market Model, elasticity and pricing decisions, market structures and optimal managerial decisions, strategy and tactics in Game Theory, role of intellectual capital and Modern Growth Theory, Theory of Outsourcing, Aggregate Demand and Supply Models, IS-LM-BP model, international regulations/constraints as well as theories of productivity.
Change Management
The purpose of this course is to develop skills in the effective conceptualization, planning, implementation and evaluation of change interventions in human systems. Behavioural science frameworks are introduced to explain and guide the practice of change in the organization. The systemic nature of change and intervention practice, including the generation and management of resistance to change, will be analyzed. Organizational change processes at the individual, team and organizational level and human system intervention efforts are considered. The importance of context is emphasized with cases of cross-cultural change, knowledge-based organizations, socio-technical change processes and system vs. cultural change analyses
Principles of Negotiations for the Global Manager
This course aims to develop the aptitudes, intuitions and understandings of the strategies essential to successful negotiations. A thorough analysis of the nature of negotiation, distributive and integrative bargaining, ethical issues, planning and preparation, intercultural differences, bargaining style and personality are considered. The role of power, strategy and tactics is considered, including coalition behaviour, communication, persuasion, conflict resolution and multi-party negotiation.
Leadership Lecture Series
This seminar is a series of lectures by eminent Canadians, from the public, private and civic/ not-for-profit sectors, who have had an opportunity to play a key role in the governance of Canadian organizations. Expert lecturers discuss their success, failures and leadership style in regard to the issue, all the while examining the organization’s interest and the interest of the Canadian public. Cumulatively, lectures provide a 360-degree perspective of a topical management issue.
Strategically Managing Risk
Complex program leaders learn to balance and act upon the risks that threaten success while exploiting opportunities emerging from uncertainty. An infamous but perennial feature of many complex programs is unwarranted optimism that underestimates cost and schedule challenges while overestimating benefits. This course goes beyond classic reductionist risk mitigation by applying systemic thinking and advanced risk analytics with a focus on realizing value and by considering the incentives, penalties and opportunities associated with risk transfer and insurance. Exposure to generally accepted risk management practices including international risk management standards and frameworks will be provided.
Methods and Implementation
Business Planning and Cases: Methods and Implementation
This course focuses on planning for new projects or for substantial changes to existing projects using a business case approach. The material will address gap analysis, definition of expected outcomes benefits realization, and creation of cost-benefit models to support the proposed project. In addition, the use of management control systems as well as formative and summative evaluation models will be introduced. The participant is enabled to clearly articulate a business case in support of enhanced decision making and approval processes.
Financial Analysis and Decision Making
Financial planning and decision-making competencies are examined to include analysis of the financial position of contractors or alliance partners, advanced cost estimation techniques, life-cycle costing, investment appraisal, and application of value for money criteria. Tools for project financing to raise and maintain the flow of project capital, budget and cash flow management over the project life and selection of mechanisms to protect against foreign exchange rate or inflation fluctuations, are presented. Participants analyse reallocations and contingency related to program financial performance, foreign exchange and inflation; as well as differentiate between the value of money and value for money.
International Study Tour
In recognition of the international nature of most complex projects, attention is given to managing across borders and cultures with multiple stakeholders. This course offers a rich learning opportunity to analyse a broad range of international projects and programs at various stages of their life cycles, through on-site visits, as well as to leverage the experience and glean best practices from world-class project leaders and managers.