Exec MBA Intl: Trium (XTR1-GB)

This course builds on strategy material covered in previous TRIUM modules, and addresses key questions including: 1. How attractive is the market for the product or service in which the firm competes? 2. What net advantage does the firm have relative to its competitors? 3. What factors are likely to impact the performance of the firm and the market in which the firm competes over time?

The course on Data, Analytics, and Strategy seeks to explore how data can (and cannot) be used to make significant strategic decisions within organizations. We seek to build on your introductory coursework on finance, accounting, and strategy in a way that links these core business concepts both to each other, and to the broad idea of analytical data-driven decision-making. The first part of the course places analytics in an organizational context. Students will use both exercises and hands-on analysis to develop an understanding of what analytics can and cannot do. We will also explore the three primary organizational impediments to realizing improvement from analytics investments – asking poor questions, not understanding how to take action based on analytical output, and designing organizations in ways that prohibit effective use of analytics.

This course introduces students to digital currencies, blockchains, and related topics in the FinTech area, perhaps the most significant innovation in the financial world since the advent of double-entry bookkeeping centuries ago. The technology appears to represent an existential challenge for major parts of the finance industry. The course will consist of five major lecture topics: 1. Digital currencies and cryptographic tokens explained 2. Blockchains, consensus and the mining process 3. Forks, attacks, and dispute resolution on blockchains 4. Stablecoins and central bank digital currency 5. Smart contracts, Ethereum, ICOs and NFTs

The goal of this class is to discuss the new business models that have been enabled by Internet-based digital media and advertising technologies, and to analyze the impact these technologies and business models have on industries, firms and people. We will inform our discussions with insights from data and conceptual frameworks that can guide us. To recognize how businesses can successfully leverage these technologies, we will therefore go beyond the technology itself and investigate some key questions. A few examples (these are just illustrative and by no means comprehensive) are as follows: 1. How are businesses adopting different kinds of digital media? 2. What are the key technologies in AI and Blockchain that are being used by firms in programmatic marketing and digital advertising? How is Blockchain being used in programmatic marketing and the ad-tech ecosystem? 3. What role are search engines playing in digital marketing? What are the metrics for measuring ROI in sponsored search engine advertising 4. What are the different experimental methods used for measurement and causal analyses in the digital world? What frameworks are deployed today for digital marketing and digital attribution analyses? 5. How are mobile technologies enabling newer kinds of predictive analytics for better targeting of consumers? What are the key effectiveness metrics used by firms these days to measure the performance of mobile marketing? 6. What is the economic value of textual information in online markets? How can we monetize user- generated content on the Internet using Artificial Intelligence? What are the big data analytics used these days in this space for mining unstructured data? 7. What are the key metrics used by firms these days to measure customer engagement in social media? What kinds of data analytics are these engagement metrics enabling? These are just some examples of questions we will address through lectures. Lectures will be complemented by formal discussion of case studies from Harvard Business School, Kellogg, and other similar sources.

The objective of the course is to provide the simplest possible introduction to the key concepts of Probability of Default and Loss Given Default, their historical evolution, and how they combine to form the measure of “credit spread” which is the single-most useful “barometer” to gauge the state of credit markets. We will apply the tools by studying signs of market stress during the COVID-19 crisis and how Fed interventions alleviated the market turmoil in that period. Along the way, we will study the ongoing concerns around corporate bond markets given the Quantitative Easing by central banks both pre-COVID and post-COVID. Finally, we will also cover briefly whether climate risk is being priced in bond markets or not. The overall goal is to help students use credit markets to understand contemporary economic issues, go from the “micro” (markets) to “macro” (overall financial sector and the global economy).

Sustainability

A major focus for the Paris Module is on Marketing. We cover the major concepts, analytical frameworks and methodologies required to assess the marketing environment and competitive situation of a firm, to formulate a strategy based on the components of segmentation, targeting and positioning, and to implement this strategy through product planning, pricing and distribution. The second part of our Financial Accounting training examines how accounting information can be most productively used by managers, in particular by those with international responsibilities. The Corporate Strategy course looks at how firms can achieve sustainable and profitable growth, whether from competitive advantage within the firm’s core business, or from seeking expansion beyond the boundaries of its current activities. And the Mergers, Acquisitions and Alliances session takes you through the whole process of a deal to provide you with a real world understanding of mergers and acquisitions in an international setting.

The final TRIUM module covers several themes that relate to the managerial challenge of Making it Happen. Leadership is a key focus of this module. Global leadership development and the concepts and challenges studied throughout the program set the foundation for the Capstone leadership course, which incorporates aspects of leading for change, behavioural strategy and strategy implementation. Supply Chain Management and Operations are fundamental to enabling businesses to deliver on their value proposition and during the final presentations of the Capstone course, student teams will present the plans to implement the business ideas they developed throughout the program.

The principal emphasis of this module is upon the interaction between economics and politics, or political economy. Public policy, both at domestic and international levels, continues to be highly important for economic performance and, in many parts of the world, for political and social stability. A secondary theme in this module, continued throughout the TRIUM program, is Leadership, including the identification and development of the leadership skills necessary to thrive in contemporary business. At TRIUM, we believe business leaders need to develop a nuanced and sophisticated understanding of the global political, social and economic environment for sustained business success in the 21st century – even if the business in question is almost entirely domestically focused.

The principal emphasis of this module is upon the interaction between economics and politics, or political economy. Public policy, both at domestic and international levels, continues to be highly important for economic performance and, in many parts of the world, for political and social stability. A secondary theme in this module, continued throughout the TRIUM program, is Leadership, including the identification and development of the leadership skills necessary to thrive in contemporary business. At TRIUM, we believe business leaders need to develop a nuanced and sophisticated understanding of the global political, social and economic environment for sustained business success in the 21st century – even if the business in question is almost entirely domestically focused.

The objective of this course is to provide the fundamentals of each approach to valuation, together with limitations and caveats on the use of each, as well as extended examples of the application of each. At the end of the course, students should be able to: - Value any kind of firm in any market, using discounted cash flow models (small and large, private and public) - Value a firm using multiples and comparable firms, - Analyze and critique the use of multiples in valuation, - Value “problem” firms, such as financially troubled firms and startup firms, - Estimate the effect on value of a restructuring a firm

Corporate Finance

A major focus for the Paris Module is on Marketing. We cover the major concepts, analytical frameworks and methodologies required to assess the marketing environment and competitive situation of a firm, to formulate a strategy based on the components of segmentation, targeting and positioning, and to implement this strategy through product planning, pricing and distribution. The second part of our Financial Accounting training examines how accounting information can be most productively used by managers, in particular by those with international responsibilities. The Corporate Strategy course looks at how firms can achieve sustainable and profitable growth, whether from competitive advantage within the firm’s core business, or from seeking expansion beyond the boundaries of its current activities. And the Mergers, Acquisitions and Alliances session takes you through the whole process of a deal to provide you with a real world understanding of mergers and acquisitions in an international setting.

The final TRIUM module covers several themes that relate to the managerial challenge of Making it Happen. Leadership is a key focus of this module. Global leadership development and the concepts and challenges studied throughout the program set the foundation for the Capstone leadership course, which incorporates aspects of leading for change, behavioural strategy and strategy implementation. Supply Chain Management and Operations are fundamental to enabling businesses to deliver on their value proposition and during the final presentations of the Capstone course, student teams will present the plans to implement the business ideas they developed throughout the program.

The TRIUM leadership stream is built around three pillars: state of the art academic frameworks, in depth experience sharing, and applied leadership in action, all of which are integrated across the six TRIUM modules and supported by personalized one-to-one leadership coaching. - Leadership frameworks: Classroom sessions look at different aspects of what leadership means today. With the help of leadership assessment tools, your leadership style and context will be evaluated. We look at individual values, strengths, preferred outcomes, flexibility and actions, highlighting how each of these affects organizational success. During the time you will spend with our leadership coaches, you will have the opportunity to address your own leadership challenges and work on your personal leadership growth plan. - Experience sharing: TRIUM gives you the chance to learn from a diverse cohort of leaders with a high level of seniority from across the globe. The value of the peer-to-peer learning opportunities from sharing the experiences of your classmates cannot be underestimated. You will also learn from a number of high-profile guest speakers, representing a wide range of industries and backgrounds, who will expose you to a variety of different leadership challenges, and illustrate how each leader approached them, sharing insights into what works, and what doesn’t. - Leadership in action: The Capstone Project is a real-world application of your leadership abilities, where you have the opportunity to apply and practice new learnings in a live business setting. Working in a non-hierarchical environment, your leadership skills will be put to the test as you collaborate with a smart and diverse group of your peers through the formation and development of a concept for a new business idea, the strategic development or restructuring of an existing firm, NGO or social enterprise.

This module is designed around an exploration of China within the broader Asian political and business context. We explore key political-economic and geo-strategic trends and how they impact on the business environment in the region. We will look at some of the specific applications of these broader issues, in the fields of risk management, climate change and environmental management. Entrepreneurship is a key theme in this module: we will hear from entrepreneurs and investors in the region, attend local business meetings, and consider the implications for MNCs entering into a state-capitalist environment.

The TRIUM Capstone Project is an opportunity to apply your program learning to a real-life strategic opportunity, such as launching a start-up or social venture, or restructuring an existing business environment. You and your classmates will propose projects and create self-formed teams to develop a business idea from inception to launch over the course of the TRIUM program. You will leverage the resources of our TRIUM program and faculty, your classmates and alumni connections to apply your classroom learning in the real world. You’ll get the intellectual space, resources and mandate to strike out in a new and innovative direction: the opportunity to take your vision, expertise and experience, and solve a business challenge or identify a strategic opportunity to create something new.

This module focuses on the disruptive nature of technological change for global business leaders in the digital era. We look at the revolutionary changes taking place through technology and innovation and how these can equate to great opportunities and challenges for entrepreneurs and businesses. You will explore and learn how technology has been used to solve problems that could not be solved before, and how business leaders can be the first to develop new strategies to adapt to major global, societal and transformative mega trends. In addition, we look at options for financing new technology ventures, both in Silicon Valley and across the globe.