470 Course Descriptions 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. Additional foundation course work in economics may be required prior to course registration as per department advisement and student's program of study requirements. Prerequisite: MBA 6040, or equivalent course in economics. MBA 6430 - International Marketing (3) The course provides foundational knowledge and practical application of international marketing principles and practices so as to prepare participants for entry-level marketing positions in the global context. MBA 6440 - Strategic Leadership (3) This course will expose students to the strategic nature of leadership. Students will evaluate and discuss key principles and frameworks of leadership through the case method. Students will study leadership styles, situational leadership, personal leadership, and power & influence, as they relate to strategy. MBA 6450 - Leadership Through People Skills (3) This course will provide a highly applied introduction to the interpersonal dynamics of leading and motivating others. Emphasis will be placed on the development and acquisition of key behaviors, skills, techniques and mental models for influencing others through sound people skills. By means of hands-on application, role-playing and "learning-by-doing" activities, students will learn to listen for understanding and insight; gain commitment rather than compliance; manage conflict; adapt their style to different people; apply influence skills in all directions; and develop insights into their impact on others. 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. Course work in finance may be required prior to course registration as per department advisement and student's program of study requirements. Prerequisite: MBA 6130. 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. 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 learn 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 6050 & MBA 6051, or equivalent courses in statistics. MBA 6560 - Business/Market Planning Using Online Resources (3) In this hands-on project-oriented course, students learn 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. MBA 6580 - Project Management (3) This course is a study of topics involved with managing projects. It examines the roles and skills of the project manager and the project office. Students will study the phases of the project life cycle, specifically the activities, requirements, methodologies, and tools common in project management. MBA 6590 - Strategic Business Tax Planning (3) This course examines tax strategy and planning topics related to making important business decisions. The course addresses business formations, operations, terminations, reorganizations, acquisitions, and divisions. The course also covers tax issues related to multi-state and multi-national business transactions. Unique issues related to executive compensation, partnerships, limited liability companies, S corporations and C corporations are also addressed. Prerequisite: MBA 6010 or equivalent course in business law; MBA 6020 or equivalent courses in accounting. MBA 6630 - Networking & Information Systems (3) F This course covers the role of networking technology in information systems. Through hands-on and conceptual knowledge, students will learn how data communications Weber State University 2012-2013 Catalog