MA in International Business & Policy (MIBP)

This course provides an overview of the financial reporting process as well as an introduction to sustainability reporting. After completing the course, you should be able to: (1) understand the difference between cash-based and accrual-based accounting systems, (2) appreciate the interrelation between the balance sheet, income statement, statement of owners’ equity, and statement of cash flows, (3) prepare, read, and interpret basic financial statements (4) conduct basic financial statement analysis (5) understand the financial reporting regulatory environment in the US and globally (6) understand basic budgeting & cash flow management (7) understand transfer pricing & its tax implications

The course objective is to facilitate an understanding of the financial reporting process (including the sustainability requirements) and the importance of financial reporting for well-functioning capital markets. The course prepares students for subsequent MSB courses that presume a basic understanding of how to use financial data. Interviewers for post-graduation positions in all functional areas assume familiarity with and a working knowledge of financial data and financial statements.

Negotiations are often viewed as tactical exercises that happen at the negotiation table, where participants devote their efforts to using power and persuasion to convince the other side to say YES. However, research shows that this approach leads to 80% of executives consistently leaving around 20% of value on the negotiation table; and the worst part is that they are not even aware of it. It does not need to be this way! At its core, a negotiation is a problem that requires a solution. However, finding an optimal solution calls for a fundamental change in the negotiation mindset, where negotiators shift from the need to persuade to the need to understand the problem and problem-solve it together. The objective of this course is to provide participants with a new integrated approach to engage in any negotiation (from simple to complex). They will learn that to maximize value in negotiations, they must go beyond the simple tactical (power & persuasion) approach. Understand that negotiations are, in fact, three-dimensional (3D) problems composed of three different yet highly integrated dimensions (strategic, creative, and tactical) and that to be effective negotiators, they must recognize this architecture and learn to play in these dimensions simultaneously. Changing people’s negotiation mindset requires tools and processes that go beyond what is taught in traditional negotiation courses. In this course, participants will be introduced to The Negotiation Canvas®, a powerful visual tool that incorporates all three dimensions of negotiation into one-page. This tool helps participants go beyond the traditional negotiation approach of power and persuasion, which is often hardwired in people's brains, and build new mental pathways to navigate the 3D architecture of the negotiation process effectively – allowing participants to rewire their brains! Finally, when different interests and opinions are mixed with strong emotions, we find ourselves in a conflict situation. Learning to navigate these emotionally charged situations and engage in these difficult conversations productively is very important. In these situations, trust is at a minimum, and it is difficult to communicate; lowering the temperature and de-escalating the conflict is required to negotiate effectively. In this course, we will learn techniques to manage emotions (yours and theirs) and acquire conflict resolution strategies that can be applied depending on the situation.

As we continue our journey to become expert negotiators, we embark on our next chapter. The reality is that we live in a complex global world, and our current business environment requires us to face difficult negotiation situations that demand the design of strategic solutions in multi-cultural and multi-party environments. Situations like these require that we expand our negotiation toolbox and acquire additional skills that will allow us to structure and execute complex negotiations effectively, whether dealing with commercial partners, governments, or coalitions of diverse stakeholders.

We often negotiate across cultures, and culture strongly influences how people make decisions. Two elements are at the heart of this decision-making process: how people communicate and how people build trust, and they differ significantly across cultures. An effective negotiator must be able to adapt their style and approach accordingly, in this course you will learn about these differences and best practices to negotiate across cultures.

Complex strategic negotiations often involve multiple parties with conflicting interests where we must find common ground to reach sustainable agreements. Students will learn how to build and manage coalitions, navigate shifting alliances, and leverage the dynamics of power to achieve advantageous outcomes.

In multilateral settings, where coalition-building and agenda-shaping are essential, it is critical that we learn how to effectively influence others. Although we like to believe our decisions are rational, they are often shaped by unconscious subjective perceptions. Relying solely on persuasion using ‘logical’ arguments can fall short in negotiations. True success lies in the ability to influence. This class will explore practical neuroscience-based strategies to tap into the unconscious mind and enhance your ability to influence other’s decision-making process.

Finally, we will wrap up the course exploring how to manage conflict, but this time we'll take it to the next level, exploring how to do this in complex multi-party and multi-culture environments. By the end of the course, students will have developed the confidence and expertise needed to navigate the intricate landscape of international negotiations, equipped with a comprehensive set of strategies and tools to thrive in today’s interconnected world.

The regional and current topics courses focus on current events and/or the conditions in a particular region related to business, economics, policy, and the social or political climate.

This course deals with the theory and practice of international macroeconomics and finance. Concepts of balance of payments and exchange rates are developed, followed by macroeconomic tools in an open economy. Balance of payments adjustments will be analyzed under fixed and flexible exchange rate systems. Macroeconomic topics -- such as inflation, growth, unemployment, the roles of monetary and fiscal policies -- will be discussed using examples from developed and/or developing countries.

Companies are increasingly facing several new and urgent challenges affecting their operations and business models. The rising cost and scarcity of some raw materials is requiring firms to invest in operational efficiency and recapturing value post-use. Geographical disparities in water, climate and energy risks are inducing firms to proactively redesign their supply chains and operations. The global nature of supply chains, including presence in countries with weak regulation and institutions, requires firms to undertake a new approach to supplier management, and safeguard its reputation and access to resources. On the other hand, these challenges also represent opportunities for product differentiation, innovation, and eco-entrepreneurship. Responding to environmental considerations may provide firms with ways to do well while doing good.

This course takes a holistic view of the interaction of operations and business models with the natural environment. There are many reasons why an organization would care about the interaction of their business with the environment. These include purely business-focused motivations such as potential cost reductions, liability or risk concerns, and ethical ones such as personal or institutional desire for stewardship. In this course, we will mostly utilize a business-oriented perspective by focusing on voluntary or economically-motivated sustainability considerations and initiatives. The course will cover various tools and frameworks that can aid managerial decision making in this context, and will introduce a broad range of environmental issues. We will focus mostly on the environmental dimension of sustainability, but also discuss the social dimension when relevant. Current issues such as global warming, e-waste, and social responsibility will be discussed in the context of a number of cases.

Energy plays a critical role in a country’s economic policies, domestic development and prosperity. Yet this course moves beyond a traditional understanding of energy security as a function of supply, demand and price to provide a highly topical and policy-focused exploration of the complex global environment where geopolitics and energy security intersect. In these terms, the primary objective of the course is to examine the ways that states across the international system – primarily energy producers but also consumers – conceive of and use energy as a strategic instrument at home and abroad in the service of their national priorities in an increasingly unstable geostrategic environment where the norms that have underpinned the post-1945 international systems are being eroded.

In doing so, this course will specifically examine: 1. The political economy of energy at a time of rapid technological change, profound transformation in the energy markets and a growing global climate crisis. 2. The use of energy as an instrument of foreign policy used to navigate an increasingly challenging geopolitical landscape. 3. The geopolitical opportunities and challenges faced by producers participating in the fourth energy transition and the move to renewables. 4. The threats to critical infrastructure and the global supply chain in a highly interconnected world increasingly defined by geopolitical insecurity. 5. The implications for energy security of rising geopolitical competition over critical minerals.