Programme Structure

In line with GGSB's objectives of offering students a career-focused innovative education, students on the BIB, MBA, MIB and MSc Finance programmes are able to devote up to 1 year to company-based learning, either in the form of a work placement or a full-time paid internship.

The company-based learning element of the degree will be assessed as a part of the students' academic requirements, allowing students to actively apply the knowledge and skills gained as a part of their studies in the work place. This unique offer enables students to combine real world insights with academic work.
Students on these programmes will be able to devote six to 12 months of their course on an immersive company-based experience. Enhancing their understanding of real life business processes, it will also form an integral part of students' final management project.
Students will be able to work with LSBF's Careers and Corporate Division, and access the School's network of over four hundred corporate clients and partners in search for the work placement of their choice – not just in the UK, but also globally.

One such partner is Grand City Hotels, one of Europe's largest Hotel operators, based out of Germany. As a part of LSBF's partnership with Grand City Hotels, the company would guarantee qualified LSBF students and graduates with at least 1,200 jobs with Grand City Hotels and Resorts, along with 375 Accelerated Management Training programmes – offering students a unique opportunity to establish themselves within the lucrative hospitality industry in Europe.

Places on these highly sought-after programmes are strictly limited to 45 students in class.

APPLY NOW

This module will examine the basic concepts and principles of marketing and familiarise students with the role of marketing within an organisation. Students will learn how knowledge of customer needs and use of effective marketing generates profits. These concepts will then be applied from an international perspective and provide students with an understanding of the challenges that arise within international marketing environments and how to adjust basic marketing principles to remain relevant.

This module will help students gain an awareness of cross-cultural issues that arise when managing and negotiating in today's international business arena. When dealing within a multicultural environment, differences arise in attitudes towards the flow of information, decision-making, and leadership and successful managers will be those who are culturally sensitive and tolerant.

Accounting within any market is affected by international developments, and this module will be an introduction to both accounting and financial reporting in a multinational environment. Students' knowledge of accounting will be expanded with an international approach to accounting information. Factors that influence the development of accounting and reporting around the world will be introduced to students and will prepare graduates to effectively read and interpret financial statements.

The aim of this module is to familiarise students with the fundamentals of both micro and macro-economics and their relation to international trade. One of the most important decisions faced by managers of corporations is the selection and financing of investment projects. Students will be introduced to the techniques used to evaluate investments from an international perspective.

This module examines the relationship between information systems, knowledge management, and the use of business statistics to make effective decisions. The development, implementation, and management of Information Systems (IS) are increasingly complex with the internationalisation of business today. Knowledge Management is an essential concept to understand to succeed in business today and students will be introduced to identifying and implementing a knowledge management project in an organisation.

Students will learn how to assess symptoms and to deal with the root causes of a problem. The development of a framework for decision-making will be facilitated through discussions of strategic planning, management, and analysis. The module helps students practise presenting and defending solutions and executing strategic decision in uncertain situations.

This module provides introductory aspects of business law, focusing on both the English and International legal systems. The law relating to business organisations such as sole traders, partnerships, and corporations will be considered in relation to business transactions, the sale and supply of goods, consumer law, and criminal liability. The concept of recognizing a corporation as a separate corporate personality will be discussed in-depth.

The key elements that affect how effective and competitive an organisation is will be discussed within this module. The impact of technology and innovation on an organisation and the importance of strategic and structured management to ensure success will be key concepts. Students will gain an understanding of the managerial methods used by complex enterprises today to solve operational problems.

Knowledge of how organisations maintain effective and efficient performance is required to understand how to manage change in organisational practises and ensure employees are motivated throughout. Students will study cases of creative and innovative leadership and understand how these individual leaders transform a business.

The MBA is completed during the second year of studies by an in-depth management project based on a real-life business problem. Students can work during the management project, anywhere in the world.

The project is conducted under the supervision of a tutor once the participant has started an internship or a permanent professional position, and focuses on a management challenge or issue faced in the company. Alternatively, it can be based on field work in a chosen industry or business specialisation.

The objectives of the Management Project are:

1. To give students the opportunity to relate the theory learned on the program to a specific issue in the field.
2. To give students the opportunity to specialise in a particular industry sector depending on their interests and background.
3. To encourage students to develop analytical thinking and skills.
4. To develop skills in problem definition, formulating solutions and recommendations.
5. To demonstrate students' ability to evaluate the existing theory on a particular subject and to relate this theory to the object of the project.
6. To demonstrate students' abilities to draw conclusions applicable to the broader business context.
7. To demonstrate students' abilities to make recommendations and take on the role of a consultant.
8. To demonstrate students' abilities to produce a piece of academic work of a Master's degree standard.

The skills of negotiation will be discussed in-depth to provide students with principles, strategies, and tactics used within daily interactions in both private and public organisations. The workshop will analyse common negotiation situations that illustrate the very same concepts.

Foreign Language (optional)

Project Management: Theory and Framework

This module deals with project management methodologies as used in the industry and following project management methodology best practises. The second part of the module aims to give students an effective preparation to a career in project management using a professional approach. Students will develop their practical knowledge and ability to structure projects realistically, use effective scheduling tools, identify project risks, and implement control systems to keep on top of the project.

Project Management: Skills and Tools

Future consultants will acquire the techniques and tools used to build successful projects. Students will learn how to use analysis tools and apply them for different situations such as project requirements or process workflow re-engineering. The module covers analysis of the present state of an organisation, the identification of problems and presenting a proposal for an implemented solution.

Project Management: Case Simulation

This module teaches formal methodology to include risk management in the practise of project management. A computer-based project simulation targets project management knowledge in realistic and challenging project situations, increasing experience and maturity. In teams of five, participants lead a simulated real-life project from the idea through to delivery, making real decisions and receiving feedback.

International Financial Management

The international financial environment is increasingly complex. Multinational firms, as compared to purely domestic ones have greater opportunities in terms of diversification, scale economies, and larger cost effective financing sources. On the other hand they also face greater risks: political instability, exchange rate fluctuations, and complex fiscal regulations.

Since, multi-nationality is an increasing feature of modern business, managers of firms (be they international or domestic) must have some of the knowledge and skills required by multinational business. The rapidly increasing integration of capital markets renders this even more imperative.

This module is, therefore, intended to expose students to the concepts, techniques and instruments of international financial management.

Investment and Valuation

Students will have to apply specific approaches in investment decision under uncertainty. Starting from a traditional approach, the module will focus on the financial characteristics of uncertain investment such as flexibility of investment decisions and the use of real option pricing techniques. The module also considers the essential components of valuation criteria and their application. The module ends with a consideration of the complexities of mergers, take overs, and spin off operations. The focus will be on high tech companies.

Financing and Control

This module develops core financial skills focussing on a fundamental knowledge of financial markets. Students will cover such essentials as the effective analysis of financial statements and performance and translating this into a competitive strategy. The module also explores effective budgeting with emphasis on planning and control.

* Developed in partnership with SAS

Business Intelligence Strategy

In this module students will learn about business intelligence concepts, methods, and processes to improve business decisions. Students will learn about the intelligence value chain and how business intelligence is positioned within all levels of the organisation.

Corporate Performance Measurement

This module is designed to help students to play a critical role in answering these questions and enabling the organisation to implement and manage a dynamic performance measurement system.

Customer Intelligence

Students will explore some of the cutting edge strategies and methods of creating and exploiting customer intelligence in this module. An understanding of customer value, analysing suppliers and partners, and trends in the industry are all important factors within a competitive world.

Challenges and external context of Innovation Management

The objective of this module will be for students to learn why and how most new technologies come out new ventures and small firms, the importance of networks, and to develop skills in managing legal and ethical issues in innovation. An examination of the basics of funding for innovation in start-ups and corporate ventures will be undertaken during this module.

Dynamics and Internal context of Innovation Management

This module is highly interactive and uses a variety of methods to ensure effective learning in a practical context. Short lectures, individual readings, group interaction, exercises, and case studies prepared individually will all be used to familiarise students with the dynamics and internal context of Innovation Management. Learning how innovation irrigates the different activities of a firm and developing skills for integrating innovation and technology into existing and new business practices will be the focus for this module.

Emerging Trends in Innovation Management

This module aims to provide an understanding of the different approaches in innovation coming from emerging countries and what can be used from these new frameworks. Students will learn to recognize and identify the increasing importance of networks, clusters, innovation ecosystems, and alliances and partnerships in an open and global innovation world.

International Business Law

The objectives of this module include providing students with an in-depth knowledge of the legal aspects of international business and to examine how legislation and regulations impact international business and how the international manager can develop strategies which take foreign legislation into account. Familiarising students with legal vocabulary and fundamental concepts of international law as they pertain to business will be a major focus in this module. Students will be given the opportunity to apply legal concepts to real life situations, through both legal case analysis and problem solving.

International Financial Management

The international financial environment is increasingly complex. Multinational firms, as opposed to purely domestic ones, have greater opportunities in terms of diversification, scale economies, and larger cost effective financing sources. On the other hand, they also face greater risks such as political instability, exchange rate fluctuations, and complex fiscal regulations. Since multi-nationality is an increasing feature of modern business, managers of firms must have some of the knowledge and skills required by multinational business. This module is intended to expose students to the concepts, techniques, and instruments of international financial management.

Business in the Global Environment

This module will provide students with an understanding of the general environment of international business in the context of globalisation and the emergence of "the new economy" including the parts played by government and international institutions, world monetary and trade systems, global ethics, cultural diversity, and political risk. The module covers key changes in the global economy such as increasing regional integration and the rise of bilateral trade agreements and the interruption of multilateral trade liberalisation. The return to economic nationalism as a response to the recent global crisis will also be examined.

The Management Consultant: Process and Tools

Students will be introduced to the human factors which impact the performance of a management consultant and will identify their own personal skills. The module will analyse the whole consulting process from a methodology viewpoint so that students will m aster the process through different stages. At the end of the module, students will have an overview of the range of tools available to a management consultant and the knowledge base to use them effectively.

Corporate Business Process for Consultants

This module aims to deal with the current issues facing companies in today's fast moving environment. The module will examine a wide range of modern global business processes, challenges, and opportunities from both the consultant's and manager's perspectives. Students will be provided with a learning platform to integrate and practise the skills and knowledge learned in the other modules in this specialisation. At the end of this module, students will understand the business processes which will ensure the growth and success of an organisation and contribute to its competitiveness.

Developing Consulting Expertise

The module will first examine a number of different topics which are often part of consulting assignments today and which will help the students to acquire not only skills, but also the values necessary to contribute to the success of a consultant. The second part of this module will look at the commercial environment in which these skills will be utilised, focussing on the challenges facing consulting firms and individual consultants and on how to run a successful consulting practice in today's environment.

Entrepreneurship

This module is designed to meet the future needs of all types of individuals in that it recognises that tomorrow's organisations, irrespective of size, will require employees that are both innovative and creative (entrepreneurs), as well as those wishing to emulate the growing number of people who wish to start up their own business. Whilst focusing predominantly on the highly heterogeneous small and medium enterprise sector, the module will also consider enterprise within wider organisational contexts, including the social enterprise sector. Students will gain an understanding of the dynamic nature of entrepreneurship and its interrelationship with both the national and the global economy.

Small and Family Business Management

This module is designed to provide the student with a working knowledge of the essential principles and practices of small business management. Students will analyse a range of complex and interacting challenges that face any new and growing business, relating to legal frameworks, marketing, finance, business operations, and human resources. The module will also examine the issues in family businesses relating to the role of the family in management and decision-making, and to continuity and succession planning.

New Venture Business Planning

This module is designed to help students to appreciate the role of business planning for the new venture and for established smaller businesses. Students will learn how to structure a successful business plan, particularly how to put forward a clear business model. Business planning is a transferable skill, and the skills learned in developing a robust business case should be of benefit to students wishing to return to corporate life, as well as to those wishing to start or manage a small business.

Strategic Planning and Marketing Planning

This module focuses on the strategic impact of marketing on company operations and on company results. The aim is for participants to develop a marketing plan in direct relation to corporate strategy to ensure that the whole company is able to contribute directly to the success of new initiatives. Topics such as the strategic marketing planning process, marketing objectives and strategies, barriers to planning, and why marketing plans fail will be discussed.

Market Research

The next module is a course in advanced market research under the supervision of an expert practitioner, building on the basic market research tools introduced in the core course on Marketing. Students will be familiarised with data generation, analysing data, approaches to market segmentation, and using research data to implement a marketing strategy.

E-Marketing

The fast-changing electronic media environment and its impact on marketing is the focus of this module. Areas covered within this module include website communication, online consumer behaviour, growth in e-retailing, and customer relationship management. In addition to the impact of social networking tools, the consumer online buying process and website design and function will be explored. Other notable topics covered are viral marketing, search marketing, search engine optimisation, e-mail marketing, blogging, and internet advertising.