164 cases, the organization may be a large diversified corporation with many lines of business. We will examine the strategic issues facing diversified corporations including: vertical integration, diversification into related and unrelated businesses, and operating synergies. Prerequisites: MBA 6130, 6140, 6150 and 6410. MBA 6210. Management Accounting and Control (3) This course is designed to introduce the student to the concepts and procedures of managerial accounting through readings and case studies. The course emphasizes the use of accounting data in the decision-making process by internal decision-makers (e.g., management), rather than external decision-makers (e.g., stockholders, investors, creditors, and regulatory bodies). The course topics include cost terms and concepts, job-order costing, activity- based costing, quality management, cost behavior, cost-volume- profit analysis, profit planning, relevant costs, capital budgeting, cost allocation, and pricing. Prerequisite: MBA 6020 or equivalent coursework in accounting. MBA 6310. Information Technology in the Enterprise (3) Information technology from an enterprise perspective with an orientation toward the management of technology for competitive/strategic advantage. Managers will be increasingly responsible for making decisions with respect to implementing new technology. This course will provide the background knowledge to enable managers in traditional business units to function as full participants in decisions involving the purchase and application of technology to create a business advantage. MBA 6410. Global Macroeconomic Conditions (3) This course will focus on the impact of global macroeconomic conditions on firm decision-making. To review and analyze current macroeconomic topics, a theoretical framework is developed, from the start showing the linkages among national economies. This framework is used to analyze and forecast business cycles, interest rates, exchange rates, causes of trade deficits, short- and long-term consequences of fiscal and monetary policy decisions, and the globalization of financial markets. Examples from different countries are used to enhance knowledge of the world economy. Prerequisite: MBA 6040 or equivalent coursework in economics. MBA 6420. The Economics of Industry (3) This course will focus on the behavior of the individual firm in different market settings, competitive and imperfectly competitive. We are concerned with the strategic behavior of firms under different industry stmctures as they struggle with the pressures of competition. Students will study how differing levels of the firm's market power impacts pricing and output policies, product differentiation, and barriers to entry. In addition, the student will learn the basics of game theory and use it to analyze the strategic behavior of firms. Topics will include different types of pricing strategies including price discrimination, pricing of product lines, predatory pricing, peak load pricing, and entry deterrence. Issues of non-price competition such as research and development, information, externalities, moral hazard, and firm structure will also be discussed. The course includes both supplemental readings designed to illustrate real- world applications of the theoretical principles developed as well as in-class experiments in strategic behavior designed to illustrate certain theoretical conclusions. Prerequisite: MBA 6040 or equivalent coursework in economics. MBA 6510. Investment Analysis and Portfolio Management (3) This course engages class participants in a detailed study of the practices, techniques, policies and applications of theory in investments. Emphasis will be on an understanding of security markets, analysis, asset allocation, portfolio management and evaluation. Students will examine and apply investment tools and evaluate financial policies. Cases and applied research in the form of outside readings will assist students to focus on key issues and current topics. Prerequisite: MBA 6130 Financial Management. MBA 6520. International Business Field Studies (3) This course integrates international travel and site visits with the study of international business topics. Through readings, assignments, discussions, and visits to important business and cultural sites in the destination countries, the course builds understanding and competence in international business practices and managing across cultures. This course entails travel expenses beyond regular tuition and may be repeated when offered to a different world region. MBA 6530. E-Business (3) The Internet has become an important influence in the world. Business on the internet, in terms of operations, marketing, security, etc., has increased concomitantly in influence. This course will provide a foundation for understanding the possibilities and potential pitfalls for doing e-business. Recommended: MBA 6140 Marketing Strategy and MBA 6150 Logistics/Operations Management. MBA 6540. Negotiations (3) The purpose of this course is to provide opportunities for class participants to develop their negotiating abilities for use in organizational and other settings. The course is premised on the assumption that negotiating concepts are best learned through practice which is grounded in rigorous analysis and reflection. While theoretical principles and concepts from various reference disciplines (such as social psychology, sociology, and economics) will be presented through lectures and readings, this course will focus primarily on improving practical skills. Class participants will not only leam to enhance their individual abilities in dyadic and group situations, but also to analyze contexts for the most effective application of these skills. MBA 6550. Managing and Improving Quality (3) This course examines how organizations can gain competitive advantage by improving the quality and productivity of their business processes, manufactured goods and service outputs. Customer- focused approaches for designing, controlling and improving processes are emphasized, together with other concepts and approaches of quality management. Specific topics include process analysis, problem-solving methods, variability and statistical process control, performance measurement, and quality management systems. Guest lectures from industry professionals, experiential learning exercises and cases from manufacturing and service industries will assist students in understanding key issues and current topics. Prerequisite: MBA 6041 or equivalent coursework in statistics. MBA 6560. Business/Market Planning Using Online Resources (3) In this hands-on project-oriented course, students leam to (1) develop and write effective business/marketing plans and (2) use online resources to gather pertinent market, competitor, and environmental information. Students may develop a business/ marketing plan for an existing business or for a potential start-up of interest to them. Alternatively, they may write a business/marketing plan and conduct requisite research and data analyses for a business suggested by the course instructor. Learning is facilitated primarily via practical discovery exercises, an extensive term project, and coaching. Although lectures and reading assignments serve to convey essential background knowledge, especially during the first half of the course, much class time is devoted to working on plans in teams under the instructor's guidance. Prerequisite: MBA 6140 or equivalent. Weber State University 2006-2007 Catalog