Module 3

People, Strategy and Entrepreneurship

 

 

Course 10: BUSINESS AND CORPORATE STRATEGY

Learning Objectives

Corporate strategies are explored across industries and across borders.

Topics include: the analysis of the firm's external environment, i.e. industry analysis and competitor analysis, the identification of the sources of competitive advantage for the firm and the formulation of competitive strategies, and the implementation of corporate strategy in large and multinational companies

Teaching Methods

Case discussions, practical examples and relevant theory.

Assessment

Paper

Course Texts

The new strategic Management, Sanchez R, Heene A 2004, John Wiley & Sons : Chichester

Professors

Alain Vas - Professor Alain Vas is currently Dean of the Louvain School of Management,UCL. He holds the KBL-CBC Research Chair in Change Management at the Louvain School of Management, UCL. He has a Ph.D. in Management Sciences at Paris XII University and a Master in Strategy and Management at HEC-ParisX-Essec (France). He is co-founder of the Center for Research in Entrepreneurial Change and Innovative Strategies, UCL. More information

Aimé Heene - Prof. dr. Aimé Heene holds a Ph.D. in educational sciences and an MBA from Ghent University (Belgium). He is a full professor at Ghent University, faculty of Economics and Business Administration, Department of Management, Innovation, and Entrepreneurship. More information

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Course 11: INNOVATION, PERSPECTIVES AND ETHICS IN BUSINESS

Learning Objectives

To think "out of the box" is often not enough to innovate.

One has also to create "new boxes", new representations of the world. The same can be said to manage ethical challenges, to resolve ethical dilemmas or to lead a team facing adaptive challenges.

This course aims at:

  1. stimulating students' capacity to develop or adopt new representations of the world
  2. investigating how conflicting representations can help innovate
  3. manage ethical and adaptive challenges in a rapidly changing environment.

Teaching Methods

Through case studies and class interactions, frameworks and specific approaches will be investigated for such a purpose.

Assessment

Paper

Course Texts

Several documents to be distributed in class

Professors

Laurent Ledoux - Head of Public Banking for BNP Paribas Fortis & Manager of Philosophie & Management association, Belgium. Laurent has an MBA (Solvay Business School, Belgium) and a Bachelor degree in economics (KUL, Leuven). Lecturer at UBI (in Belgium & Serbia) & UCL (IEMBA). Member of the Board & Manager at Philosophie & Management. More information

Luc de Brabandere - Vice president in the Paris office of The Boston Consulting Group, an international strategy and management consulting firm. He is the author or coauthor of books and a number of regular columns, and is one of Europe's best-selling authors on business innovation. Luc de Brabandere is known to his contemporaries by his philosophy contrary to the classic designs of the usual topics that it addresses. More information

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Course 12: ENTREPRENEURSHIP

Learning Objectives

Entrepreneurs are today seen as the drivers of the European economy and their activities are crucial for innovation.

The course covers the importance of entrepreneurship for European competitiveness, the specifi cities of entrepreneurial ventures (economic, human, financial, organizational, etc. ) and the development of extra or intra-preneurial skills within the frame of the funding process, growth strategies, business plan building, etc.

We will discuss the assessment of entrepreneurial business opportunities from the point of view of a prospective corporate or independent entrepreneur, helping him/her to decide whether and how to best capture such opportunities.

  1. Better apprehend and understand the key challenges and success factors of launching an innovative venture.
  2. Apply some relevant frameworks in order to assess and/or improve the strategic, business model, organizational and financial aspects of a new venture.
  3. Be better prepared to negotiate with prospective partners or investors.

What is the most difficult thing to do if you want to create a new organization or develop new projects? We will address this point and:

  1. understand the importance of the business plan for an entrepreneur.
  2. explain the process and the content of a business plan.

Teaching Methods

  • Critical analysis of available methodologies and tools, and their implementation – confrontations
  • Participants implication – business contexts
  • Professional approach - confidentiality

Assessment

Paper

Course Texts

Developing Innovative organizations, Benoit Gailly, Palgrave Macmillan

Professors

Benoit Gailly - Benoit Gailly has a Master and a PhD in Applied Sciences from the Université catholique de Louvain, European Master in Society, Science and Technology from Roskilde University and MBA from INSEAD. Teaches innovation management and strategy at Master and Executive level in the Center for Research in Entrepreneurial Change and Innovative Strategies (CRECIS). Program Director of the Executive Master in Innovation Management. More information

Frank Janssen - Frank Janssen is the holder of the Brederode Chair in Entrepreneurship at the Université catholique de Louvain (UCL) in Belgium, where he also is the academic coordinator of the interdisciplinary program in entrepreneurship (CPME) and the Vice-Dean for International Affairs of the Louvain School of Management. More information

Paul Belleflamme - Master in Economics (FUNDP, Namur), Master of Arts (Columbia University, New York City), Phd in Economy (FUNDP, Namur), Post Graduate Certificate in academic practice (Queen Mary University, London). More information

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Course 13: HUMAN RESOURCE MANAGEMENT

Learning Objectives

Today the "human resource" is viewed as a strategic company asset developing a long-term competitive advantage.

Based on the latest research in the field, such as Dave Ulrich's HR model, this course covers organizational structures, proactive personnel planning (including talent portfolio management), state-of-the-art performance enhancement, pay and benefits, and skills management.

Teaching Methods

Surveys, cases studies, personality questionnaire, various models, check-lists etc.

Assessment

Paper

Course Texts

Dave ULRICH, Human Resource Champions

Professor

Jean-Marc Benker - Head of the Belgian & Luxembourg JMB Profiling. He started his career in various finance roles (International Trade and Planning & Control) in a Germany based SME as well as at Siemens. He joined a large LSE-quoted staffing firm in 1994 and left in 2007 as Managing Director Belgium & Luxembourg in order to co-found Profiler Consulting. More information

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Course 14: LEADERSHIP, COACHING AND MANAGING

Learning Objectives

What is the biggest immediate contribution each of you could make in your workplace to deliver: a better return on assets or a better operating results?

Better ROA demands a better return from the most important assets... your people! How ? You can improve the performance of your people immediately by coaching the people who work for you!

Coaching people, leading your organisation and managing yourself are 3 essential points.

We will be providing tools and tips to:

  1. develop caoching skills,
  2. self awareness when you are the difficult person, or help managing others when the situation is difficult,
  3. self defense mechanisms,
  4. handling irrational mechanism in the workplace,
  5. understanding organizational culture and implementing organizational change,
  6. crisis management , communication, problem solving and decision making,
  7. anticipation,
  8. risk assessment,
  9. core leadership activities
  10. the ABC of managing yourself, etc.

Teaching Methods

Interactive teaching which will include practical examples, workshops, case studies, movies, questionnaire and relevant theory.

Assessment

Paper

Course Texts

To be defined

Professors

Chris Start - Chris Start is a former P&G Vice President with extensive international business, general management, strategic planning and marketing experience. Now working as a Non-Executive Director, independent Business and Marketing Consultant, Business School lecturer and Executive Coach & Mentor. Based in Brussels and working with a wide variety of clients across Europe, and beyond. More information

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