162 the tools necessary to analyze and evaluate corporate financial policies. Cases and applied research in the form of outside readings will assist students to focus on key issues. The purpose of the course is to assist current and prospective managers in making better investment and financing decisions. The course addresses (1) the investment decision (capital budgeting) as well as (2) the financing decision. Class discussion and cases will focus on capital budgeting and specifically on the establishment of goals, development of strategy, identification of investment opportunities, evaluation of projects, implementation of projects, and the monitoring processes. Shareholder wealth maximization is the standard for determining why one decision is "better" than another. The ethical considerations of wealth maximization will also be addressed. Prerequisite: MBA 6020 and 6041; or equivalent coursework in accounting and statistics. MBA 6140. Marketing Management (3) This course centers on creating customer value profitability in competitive markets. In an integrative fashion, it covers analyzing customer needs and preferences; estimating market potential; assessing market opportunities and threats in view of the focal company's and its competitors' resources and capabilities; developing market and marketing strategies; making astute product, pricing, distribution, and promotion decisions; and measuring marketing performance. Pedagogical vehicles include lectures, reading assignments, and case-based discussions and reports. MBA 6150. Logistics/Operations Management (3) "Manufacturing of the future will be required to meet customer- driven demand instantaneously." The future is now! The requirements for faster response, more customer input, and greater product variety have not diminished, but instead have escalated. This course builds upon basic production and operations management knowledge to meet the needs of customers generated in today's global market. It is designed to enhance the student's understanding of how to analyze problems related to design, planning, control, and improvement of manufacturing and service operations. Topics include, but are not limited to, supply chain management, materials management, production planning and control, scheduling, capacity and facilities planning, manufacturing strategy, and global operations. Prerequisite: MBA 6041 or equivalent coursework in statistics. MBA 6160. Applications of Decision Models (3) This course presents a rigorous treatment of quantitative decisionmaking with emphasis on data collection, analysis, and model building. This course emphasizes experience in structuring realistic business problems, collecting data, developing an appropriate model for analysis, and interpreting and defending results. A number of cases are employed. Prerequisite: MBA 6041 or equivalent coursework in statistics. MBA 6170. Corporate Communications (3) The focus of this course is to develop an integrated corporate communications program in organizations which will provide effective communication both to internal and external stakeholders. A coherent corporate communication strategy will link the overall organizational strategy to its varied communication practices. Among the topics to be discussed are corporate image and identity, corporate advertising and advocacy, media relations, marketing, communication, financial communication, community relations, corporate philanthropy, government affairs and crisis communication. These sub-functions have a direct bearing on how the corporation will be perceived by its most important constituencies. Finally, the critical communication component, employee communications, will be analyzed. Attention will be given to effective communication internally through various methods, such as meetings, programs and publications. MBA 6180. Strategic Management (3) This course takes a broad view of the entire organization. In some instances, the organization will have one line of business. In other 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 imperfecdy competitive. We are concerned with the strategic behavior of firms under different industry structures 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 WEBER STATE UNIVERSITY 2004-2005 CATALOG