Business Management

The main focus of this course is the accounting cycle which begins with the initial recording of business transactions in accounting books and concludes with the presentation of basic financial statements, i.e. balance sheets as well as capital and income statements. Other subjects discussed in this course include the notion of assets, liabilities, owners’ equity, classification of balance sheet items and the basic forms of business organization

The course focuses on the use and analysis of financial data for strategic decision-making in business. It develops and applies the sophisticated and advanced techniques for ratio and profitability analysis, for cost control and assessment as well as for short, long-term and seasonal forecasting. Due to the progress made in business in the area of control techniques in recent years – especially in revenue control - the course places special emphasis on this aspect of managerial responsibility.

The course provides an understanding of the basic principles of business management and of how these principles affect the successful operation of a business entity. Particular emphasis is placed on key topics such as functions of management, budgeting and goal setting, organizational structure, communication, standards of performance and control systems.

The course is a survey of the functions and operations of business organizations within their larger societal contexts. The organizational structure, the operation and financing of business firms are among the topics studied in light of the legal, social, regulatory and environmental issues affecting business.

This course introduces students to the complexities of the global marketplace and the peculiarities of doing business within dramatically different operating environments. Aspects of organizational structure, operations and financing of business firms in light of the legal, social, regulatory and environmental issues affecting business on a global scale are among the topics covered in this course.

The objective of this course is to provide the prospective business manager with the necessary conceptual background that will enable him/her to understand the legal environment in which s/he operates. The course introduces students to the areas of law and society and to general and sales contracts. Legal rights and obligations, judicial systems, law suits, criminal and tort law of contract as well as general business contracts will be discussed. The course also deals with the important issues of product/service liability, consumer law, along with an overview of partnerships, corporations, agencies and bailment.

This course is an extensive study of the ethical, moral, legal and political considerations which influence management in making its policy and operations decisions. The questions of morality and ethics relative to profit motives on one hand and societal demands on the other are discussed. Corporate responsibility with respect to employee relations, consumers, media relations and advertising, publicity, government and taxation as well as social responsibility with respect to pollution and fraudulent corporate practices are the topics that draw special attention in the course.

The course introduces those concepts and techniques of applied business research that attempt to identify major opportunities, determine levels of customer satisfaction, monitor quality service and improve employee relations and performance. Spreadsheets, database development and analysis and other computer applications are introduced and evaluated as tools of research. Students will be involved in group projects that research specific areas of business.

The course is a study of the systems and information processing function from a strategic planning perspective. The course will present and analyze those methods which are appropriate for information resource planning within the framework of overall corporate strategy. Within the context of modern technology, the course deals with information systems, strategic planning, capacity planning, facilities management, evaluation and control, data processing, staff planning and hardware and software evaluation and selection. Students will be required to use database and spreadsheet management software on personal computers

course is designed to provide key insights into the behavior of people at work and the forces responsible for bringing individuals, groups and whole organizations together within various work organizations. It examines overall organizational behavior and change; discusses those concepts and tools which are required for assessing the social processes encountered in the workplace; and evaluates the extent to which these processes influence performance in organizations. Although the primary objective of the course is an understanding of the effective management of individuals and teams, special attention will be given to system-level behavior and change.

The course deals with concepts and analytical techniques applicable to identifying and solving financial management problems. It examines principles and methods of financing business organizations and of evaluating internal control processes. The topics covered include the value of money, financial statements and legers, working capital management, capital budgeting and investment strategies.

The course provides students with the concepts, methods and technology of enterprise-resource planning. It deals with policy problems faced by business organizations and stimulates students to develop critical thinking and to provide solutions to problems requiring business-decision making. The course emphasizes the need to integrate strategic planning in the fields of marketing, finance, law and personnel management into an over-all concept of entrepreneurial decision-making.

The course deals with the process, structure, rules of order, functions and types of interpersonal and intrapersonal communication. It constitutes an introduction to the basic elements, character and vital role of the communication process and to the evolution of communication. Analysis of communication processes and a description of the various forms of applied communication are fundamental elements of the course

This course is designed for students without any substantial background in computers and management information systems. It is an introduction to computers and information systems and familiarizes students with the world of computer science. Topics covered include different operating systems: the Windows environment, Microsoft Office tools such as Word, Excel and Power Point with special emphasis on hospitality management applications. Effective use of the Internet is also a component of the course.

The course consists of a thorough discussion of the elementary concepts of economics and provides a set of microeconomic tools for critical and rational applications to managerial business decisions. Topics in this area include the basic concepts of microeconomic theory and fundamentals such as demand and supply, consumer behavior, the production process and short-run costs. The role of households and firms in price determination is discussed and different market models are thoroughly analyzed. Finally, basic principles of public finances, international and growth economics are discussed.

The course consists of a thorough discussion of the fundamental concepts of macroeconomics and provides a set of tools for critical and rational thinking about important issues in the aggregate economy. Basic topics in this area include the determination of national income, unemployment, interest rates, inflation and the general price level. The roles of government in policymaking are thoroughly analyzed and the effectiveness of monetary and fiscal policies is discussed. Finally, basic principles of international economics and economic growth are prudently discussed.

The focus of this course is paragraph, summary and report writing. Students are required to produce cohesive and coherent written materials in all these forms of writing.

This course aims to introduce students to the customs of academic writing for research purposes, and to comprehensively practice these customs through the analysis and writing of essays and research papers, as well as through compiling notes on the various elements of research writing for future reference. In conjunction with this, an intensive vocabulary course focusing on mastering the Academic Word List will be administered.

The course involves a consideration of the operational and strategic issues that apply to the management of human resources in business. Traditional, current and emerging human resource management practices are discussed, evaluated and compared. Practical and realistic approaches to human resource management with special emphasis on selection, placement, training, motivation policies and the well-being and working conditions of employees are among the topics covered extensively in the course. The relationship between organizational structure and employee behavior is employed as the basic framework of analysis in this course.

The course is designed to establish a framework for the analysis of issues and problems relating to labor relations. It discusses the role of management, labor unions and other workers’ organizations in society and provides an understanding of the grievance mediation and arbitration procedures employed in resolving problems of industrial conflict. The course also provides an in-depth analysis of the emerging role of unions in the public sector and examines the legal, social and economic implications from the exercise of their economic bargaining power.

The course emphasizes the greater reliance on teams for regular work and for special projects in the emerging “flattened” work organizations. It analyzes the theories and skills required of an effective team leader as well as the structures and processes of an effective team. It describes ways and means of handling conflict and turning it into a win-win rather than win-lose proposition. The course also deals with how teams can manage time and resources.

The course presents the legal aspects of human resource management and focuses on the integration and incorporation of the law into strategic management decision making. It explores the extent to which the law affects the performance and operation of a business entity and how a business firm can best comply with the law and yet still pursue its strategic goals. The interface of human resource management and the law regulating employment draws special attention in this course and solutions satisfying both legal and managerial goals are presented. Ethical issues relating to workforce are addressed throughout the course.

The course analyzes the recruitment process and identifies the various methods and strategies available to an organization for recruiting - before it considers employing outside recruitment. It defines selection; explains how environmental factors affect the selection process; and provides a full description of this process by placing special emphasis on the tools of and the criteria for selection, including reference checks and background investigation. The course also covers job orientation and the assignment of individuals to specific jobs. This entails a discussion of the technical expertise and the resources required to implement and manage an optimal placement program.

The course provides students with the concepts, methods and technology of enterprise-resource planning. It deals with policy problems faced by business organizations and stimulates students to develop critical thinking and to provide solutions to problems requiring business-decision making. The course emphasizes the need to integrate strategic planning in the fields of marketing, finance, law and personnel management into an over-all concept of entrepreneurial decision-making.

This course is designed to analyze the nature and role of health and safety in the workplace and to examine the legal requirements for Occupational Health and Safety. It explains the importance of health and safety programs in business operations with emphasis on the merits of several wellness programs and their contributions to the well-being of the staff as well as to the productivity of the organization. The issue of stress and the importance of stress management in the workplace is analyzed, as is the related issue of employee burnout. The course will also address several recent health concerns related to the workplace, such as smoking, the use of drugs, and the control of communicable diseases.

Through the use of examples and specific applications, the course introduces students to the complex world of marketing management. It provides them with vivid illustrations of many of the major decisions made by marketing managers in their efforts to balance objectives and resources with opportunities and needs. Consumer behavior and consumer satisfaction; market segmentation; targeting and positioning; product pricing; communication and promotion along with principles of electronic marketing and the use of marketing information systems for strategic marketing planning and decision making are among the topics covered in this course.

This course presents a thorough exploration of the complex processes by which consumers and organizations obtain, consume and dispose of products and services. The fundamental elements of consumer behavior within the general framework of the behavioral sciences are discussed and analyzed. Some of the questions addressed in the course are; What determines buying behavior? What is the nature of the consumer’s decision making process? How are marketing strategies affected by the knowledge of consumer needs? How can consumers’ attitudes and behavior be influenced?

The course emphasizes marketing research as a means of providing marketing decision makers with vital information. The basic objective of the course is to provide students, as prospective marketing managers, with a thorough understanding of the best methods, techniques and dimensions of marketing research which will allow them, in turn, to make effective marketing decisions.

The course examines and analyses the methods, techniques and philosophies of modern advertising communications. It covers the fundamental principles of sales promotion theory and applies these principles to real world phenomena through a series of selected case studies. Topics of special interest include customer loyalty, applied psychology in advertising and promotion, customer care and customer service as well as advertising strategies and sales promotion models and methodologies.

The course is designed to enable students to relate theoretical marketing concepts to practical retail sales management and to acquaint them with the practical problems marketing and retail sales managers face within the modern business environment. The organization of retail outlets, retailing concepts and channels of distribution are analyzed. Market management principles are applied to individual aspects of retailing including pricing techniques, gross margins, markdowns, discounts, inventory control and promotions.

The course examines the recent developments of the Internet and World Wide Web and makes an assessment of how digital technology is used in advancing business objectives. It explores the opportunities and challenges offered by the Internet and provides an understanding of how e-commerce affects the strategic options available to entrepreneurs in transforming an e-business idea into a viable business opportunity. It focuses on the competitive challenges and opportunities raised by the Internet in the areas of pricing, distribution and product marketing as well as on the evolving trends in the use of digital technologies in promotion and meeting sales objectives.

The course draws together the marketing knowledge acquired in the introductory marketing courses and applies it to a variety of marketing situations. Case studies are used extensively and students apply their knowledge in developing comprehensive marketing strategies which include: environment assessment, sales forecasting, advertising techniques and strategies, as well as target marketing and budgeting. Behavioral models are also introduced and utilized in relation to strategic marketing applications.

In this course students are introduced to complexities of the rapidly expanding opportunities of marketing internationally. Some of topics discussed are cultural differences, social patterns, economic and legal environments and channels of distribution in different international settings. Product attributes, pricing policies and promotional strategies are also discussed with the context of international marketing.

This course serves to prepare students for other courses in their core curriculum and to provide a basis for making decisions that they will encounter after graduation. Topics include: basic mathematical concepts, laws of exponents, solving equations, graphing, modeling with linear, quadratic, exponential and logarithmic functions, products, factors, elements of coordinate geometry, trigonometry, basic mathematics of finance and probability theory.

The aim of this course is to provide students with a thorough and comprehensive introduction to the discipline of psychology. Among the issues examined are personality and personality development, the basic learning process, abnormal behaviour and adjustment, motivation and social thinking.

The course deals with the collection, classification, presentation and use of statistical data in solving problems and making informed decisions. The topics covered include descriptive statistics, probability estimation and hypothesis testing, simple and multiple regression analysis and contingency tables. Correlation, analysis of variance and decision making under uncertainty are also covered.

This course provides an understanding of the scope of organizational training programs and analyzes the phases of the systems approach to training. It identifies the various types of training methods; the most effective use of each method; and the preconditions necessary for effective learning. The course also presents the various phases of career–development and considers the type of organizational climate that is conducive to successful career–development programs. In addition, the course provides an analysis of organizational change and the possibilities for human resource development within the context of that change.