course descriptions
Foundation Courses
GMAN 301: Financial Accounting
This course focuses on the concepts and principles that underlie corporate financial statements prepared for external users, including the balance sheet, income statement and cash flow statement.
GMAN 302: Managerial Accounting
This course examines the internal use of accounting as a management tool. Emphasis is on cost concepts and analysis of cost variances. Topics include cost-volume-profit analysis, process and activity-based costing, cost allocation, budgeting and performance measures.
GMAN 303: Managerial Economics
An examination of concepts and analytical techniques from both micro and macro economics that are relevant to the management of business organizations. Topics include consumer behavior, production and cost, market structures and market failure, fiscal and monetary policy, and international trade and finance.
GMAN 304: Quantitative Methods
This course introduces analytical methods for data analysis to support managerial decision making. Topics include basic statistics, sampling and statistical inference, and linear regression models.
GMAN 305: Operations Management
This course focuses on quantitative and qualitative models for managing operations. Topics include decision models, forecasting techniques and time series analysis, process analysis, waiting line management, linear programming, statistical control, aggregate planning, supply chain management and project management.
GMAN 306: Management Communication
This course is designed to evaluate and sharpen the writing and speaking skills of MBA students. Students will be introduced to argumentation as an advanced form of communication that is crucial for effective managerial performance. The emphasis is on the manager’s use of language as a tool to identify issues, solve problems and communicate policy.
GMAN 307: Legal Aspects of Business
This course introduces the student to the legal framework for business and to the significant legal issues involved in the conduct of business. Topics include the legal system, the forms of business, the corporation in law, shareholders’ rights and liabilities, intellectual property, competitive torts and unfair competition, antitrust law, contract law and negotiation, and various areas of conduct in which law shapes managerial behavior.
Core Courses
GMAN 311: Organizational Behavior and Management
Centered in the behavioral sciences, this course provides a theory-based study of managerial and organizational processes, and provides students with multiple perspectives from which behavior in work settings can be analyzed. Problems of motivation and commitment, leadership, job satisfaction, group and team dynamics, and organizational design are addressed.
GMAN 312: Managerial Finance
A broad survey of basic corporate finance that covers decision-making strategies in areas of investment, financing and dividend policy. Topics include asset valuation, risk analysis, financial statement analysis, financial planning, capital budgeting, asset management, short- and long-term financing, the cost of capital and capital structure.
GMAN 313: Marketing Management
This course provides a survey of the issues, concepts and models central to the analysis of marketing choices and the management of marketing activities. Topics include market measurement and segmentation, consumer and organizational buying behavior, marketing mix analysis and management, marketing research, product management, marketing strategy, and public policy and ethical considerations in marketing.
GMAN 314: International Business
This course focuses on the international environment of business and the strategic choices facing firms engaged in international business operations. Topics include the structure and competitive dynamics of international industries, trade and trade theory, forms of transnational and multinational business, global competition and global strategies, balancing local demands and global integration, the role of culture and government in international business, international financial and currency markets, and the management issues in multinational firms.
GMAN 315: Ethical and Social Aspects of Business
This course examines the relationship between business and its social setting. Topics include the non-market environments of business, issues of ethics and social responsibility in market systems, relation between social trends and politics, comparative market systems, regulation and externalities, and issues in corporate governance.
GMAN 316: Industry Analysis
This course focuses on the analysis of competitive environments. Topics include the structural analysis of industry, competitor analysis, industry evolution and industry types, the impact of technological change on industries, and the role of government in shaping industry structure and outcomes. Includes analysis of e-commerce business models and hypercompetitive markets. The emphasis is on understanding the implications of industry competition for the strategy of the firm.
GMAN 317: Business Strategy
An integrative course that focuses on concepts and models useful in the formulation, analysis, and implementation of business unit and corporate strategy. In addition to helping students integrate the knowledge gained in previous courses into a unified perspective on the overall management of the firm,this course provides a framework for formulating corporate objectives, assessing market opportunities, developing long-range strategies, and coordinating the activities of the total business enterprise.
GMAN 318: New Business Development
An examination of the entrepreneurial process. The development of a business plan is a centerpiece of the course. Topics include the assessment and development of a business model, market assessment, funding strategies, legal aspects of new enterprise development, and organizational issues in new business development.
Finance Concentration
GMAN 321: Advanced Financial Management
This course explores in-depth topics in corporate finance that were introduced in Managerial Finance. The analysis of mergers and acquisitions is central to the course, with an emphasis on techniques of valuation. The course also focuses on leasing.
GMAN 322: Investments and Financial Markets
This course is designed to provide an overview of the financial markets and investment vehicles available to the financial manager. Topics include the banking system, bank and non-bank financial institutions, and the market behavior of financial intermediaries. The emphasis of the course is on portfolio optimization and the analysis of a variety of financial instruments, including equity, debt and options.
GMAN 323: International Finance
This course explores the issues and financial techniques that are important for firms with international operations. Topics include the foreign exchange markets, and the management of transaction, operating, interest rate and translation exposures. The course also focuses on international sources of capital, the cost of capital and capital budgeting in an international context, political risk, and import/export financing.
Marketing Concentration
GMAN 341: Marketing Research
This course explores both quantitative and qualitative approaches to understanding markets and customers. Topics include the use of secondary information and databases, inter-views and focus groups, and survey research and test marketing. The framing of research issues in the context of new product development is a central concern of the course.
GMAN 342: Strategic Marketing Planning
This course explores the key issues of marketing management and planning with an emphasis on formulating and implementing marketing strategy. Topics include situation analysis, setting marketing objectives, target marketing, marketing strategy and implementation. The development of a marketing plan is central to the course.
GMAN 343: International Marketing
This course deals with the distinctive issues and problems involved in the marketing of goods and services in foreign or international markets. Topics include the evaluation of foreign market opportunities, market entry strategies, the social, political and cultural considerations in international marketing, international product design issues and marketing mix strategies.
International Management Concentration
Students must GMAN 353 and any two of the following three courses: GMAN 341 (Marketing Research), GMAN 323 (International Finance) or GMAN 343 (Internatonal Marketing).
GMAN 353: International Management
This course focuses on the international context of business, the international business operations that firms are engaged in, and considers the broader strategic issues faced in international markets. Topcis include: the regulatory framework (local, state, nation, interrational); the interaction between business and government; structure and competitive dynamics of international industries or companies; global competition and global strategies; social and cultural differences in different regions. This class will be offered on campus with international students to focus on American business and internationally with a major focus on the businesses and context in the countries visited.
Sport Management Concentration
Students must GMAN 371 and any two of the following three courses: GMAN 372, GMAN 373, or GMAN 374. Some students may also be able to take GMAN 379.
GMAN 371: The Management of Sport Organizations
This course provides a detailed understanding of the application of the general principles of management to the industry and the management of sports organizations. It provides an overview of the sports industry, the issues encountered by managers of sport organizations and how management techniques can be applied to effectively address these issues. Topics covered will include: the study of the organization, planning and operations of sports leagues, franchises and teams; service management in sports organizations; sports marketing and public relations; management of contracts, concessions, events and operations; management of revenue acquisition and funding; team administration and franchise management; human resource/legal issues relating to outsourcing labor and the use of volunteer labor; and organizational design/leadership issues arising from collective bargaining/agency representation in professional sports.
GMAN 372: Media and Public Relations in Sport Business
This course focuses on understanding and managing the relations between players, sports organizations and media organizations. It builds on the content of GMAN 313 (Marketing Management) and GMAN 306 (Management Communication). Topics include: historical perspectives on influence of mass media on sport; the role of media on the planning and staging of major sport spectacles; the role of cable and satellite television; sports as entertainment business; media rights, legal frameworks and media rights fees negotiation; sponsorship, advertising and ticket sales; challenges of emerging technologies; selection of sponsors and negotiation of sponsorship contracts at the event, team and player levels; understanding sports audiences; ticket distribution; managing ream and player images in the media; communication with the media: objectives, means and performance measurement.
GMAN 373: Sport Economics
This course builds on GMAN 303 (Managerial Economics) and GMAN 316 (Industry Analysis) and focuses on a deeper understanding of the economics of teams and sports. Topics include: understanding the economics of teams, including sponsorship, advertising and ticket sales; understanding the economics of specific types of sports; economic aspects related to franchising, media rights and merchandising; labor-management relations and collective bargaining; wage determination; financing of teams and sports venues (including stadiums).
GMAN 374: Planning/Staging Major International Events
This course focuses upon the political and organizational dynamics required to bid upon, plan and stage major international events (Olympics, World Cup, World Championships). The course uses these mega-events to demonstrate that strategic planning for all spectator events is similar regardless of size, scope and visibility. This is an interactive course with students developing, with faculty guidance, a major event strategic plan as part of the class. Topics include: the political processes to gain event approval; the security and risk issues involved; financial analysis and budget planning; global marketing; human resource needs including temporary staff; meeting the needs of and managing mass media; understanding spectator needs and providing high quality services; transportation and parking requirements; medical and safety regulations; designing temporary and long term facilities to host major events.
GMAN 379: Honors Internship
This experiential course, under the supervision of a faculty member, places selected students in mid to executive level internships with Bay Area Sport organizations. Students must apply for acceptance into this course. Prior work experience, professional interest and academic standing will be taken into consideration for selection/internship placement. The internships will be designed to challenge students through specific projects or responsibilities to demonstrate much of the content covered in the MBA coursework. Depending upon the organization, these may be either paid or non-paid part-time professional positions. To satisfy academic course requirements, students must develop a reading list appropriate to the specific experience, work a minimum of 160 hours on-site, maintain a weekly log, meet bi-weekly with course advisor, and write a final paper summarizing the experience.
