the first four modules, this ‘developmental’ model Specialisation Track in Business in Emerging
will enable students to develop an enhanced sense Markets, Entrepreneurship, Finance and Accounting,
of themselves as a manager and as a leader, a International Business, Leadership, and Marketing.
deeper awareness of the cross-functional nature
of organisations, and an appreciation for the
dependencies on and interactions between their
Thematic Threads
organisation and the global business environment. By
the fifth module, students apply their learning to the A set of key thematic “threads” are woven
problems and opportunities of leading and managing throughout the programme’s curriculum. These
through disruptive change, of strategically aligning threads are consistent with MBA industry trends,
organisations for the future, and of appreciating and as well as global market and organisational trends.
managing an organisation’s “triple bottom line”. Rather than teach these topics in isolation, this
One means of facilitating student development programme recognises the importance these
throughout the programme is with the utilisation themes play in today’s business environment.
of ePortfolios. With an ePortfolio, students will With this in mind, the University of Liverpool’s
capture their development as a manager and online MBA ensures that these key thematic
a leader whilst also acting as a useful tool for threads cut across all the modules offered.
graduating students to display the results of their
MBA studies to current and potential employers. Globalisation
One of the key innovations of this MBA programme is
the integration of deep, experiential learning. As well Many organisations operate in a fully globalised
as the classic dissertation – the cornerstone of the business environment. To be effective, managers
UK university system – students of this programme must be able to critically evaluate the challenges and
have the option of opting to undertake a consultancy opportunities of globalisation as well as compare
project in which they will apply, integrate, and extend and contrast strategic options. With this thread
what they have learned throughout the programme running throughout the programme, students gain
to a relevant issue in their own organisation. an understanding of the importance intercultural
To further enhance the contemporary nature awareness plays within organisations to capitalise
of this MBA and in keeping with the latest on the opportunities created by globalisation.
technology, eBooks (or printed texts when eBooks
are unavailable) will be offered to all students, for Innovation and Disruptive Change
all modules, included as part of the programme’s
tuition fees. The University of Liverpool and Laureate Innovation is a ‘mindset’, and the goal of the
Online Education believe that the more accessible programme is to develop managers with a bias
the programme is – being able to download the towards innovation. Throughout the programme,
latest version of books onto a compatible device, students will learn what it means to be an
being able to carry your ‘virtual’ books with you effective leader who can foster innovation, and
anywhere in the world, having books available in how successful businesses function as a result.
time for modules – the richer the learning experience Furthermore, for organisations to succeed in an
will be for students managing in a world where environment of disruptive change, they must foster
having knowledge at your fingertips is key. a climate of creativity– students will therefore
Students following the general MBA track can understand that in the face of risk and mistakes
tailor their programme to their individual needs. made, it is important that individuals and teams
Any three electives can be chosen from any of learn from these mistakes and can turn them
the pre-defined Specialisation Tracks offered. around to deliver truly innovative solutions.
Students also have the opportunity to focus
on a specific area by following a pre-defined
Master of Business Administration 3 / 14
The MBA with a specialisation in International The European Foundation for Management
Business delves deep into the realities and Development (EFMD), an organisation that
opportunities associated with business in an has proven its commitment to international
international context. Real world business experiences business with EQUIS Accreditation, has now
and scenarios will be studied, perspectives developed an accreditation dedicated to
beyond the students’ own cultural horizon will be raising the standards of technology-enhanced
explored, and the aptitude to manage and align learning programmes worldwide.
diverse, international teams will be acquired. In 2007, EFMD awarded accreditation
for teChnology-Enhanced Learning (CEL
Leadership Accreditation) to the University of Liverpool’s
Online MBA programme delivered in
The MBA with a specialisation track in Leadership partnership with Laureate Online Education.
covers both basic and advanced leadership concepts The University of Liverpool’s online MBA
and techniques. Students opting for this track programme, with specialisations in Finance
will develop knowledge and the skills required & Accounting, Marketing, Entrepreneurship,
for successful leadership in a global context with International Business, Business in Emerging
emphasis on the unique nature of leading across Markets and Leadership, is delivered fully online,
cultures, political boundaries, and legal environments. and has a student body from over 175 countries.
Elective/Specialisation Modules
PROGRAMME STRUCTURE
Students are required to follow two, non-credit -- Advanced Concepts of eBusiness (15 credits)
bearing, modules (Student Readiness Orientation and -- dvanced Managerial Accounting (15 credits)
A
Foundations for Academic Success) that will prepare -- Business Finance (15 credits)
them for their online learning experience. For more -- Business in Emerging Markets (15 credits)
information about these modules – full module -- Business Leadership (15 credits)
descriptions including their duration, as well as the -- Consumer Behaviour (15 credits)
additional student support services available – please -- Entrepreneurship (15 credits)
read the Centre for Student Success document. -- Entrepreneurship in Emerging Markets (15 credits)
The MBA programme then comprises eight modules -- Financial Reporting (15 credits)
(15 credits per module) - five core modules and -- Financing the Entrepreneurial
three elective, - culminating in a dissertation or Organisation (15 credits)
consultancy project (worth 60 credit points). The -- Global Leadership (15 credits)
first module is nine weeks in length and each -- Human Resource Management (15 credits)
subsequent module is eight weeks. Modules are -- International Business (15 credits)
sequenced in an order that is best suited to the -- International Finance (15 credits)
students’ development in the programme. -- Investment Strategies (15 credits)
-- Marketing in a Global Environment (15 credits)
Preparatory Modules -- Marketing Research (15 credits)
-- Operations Management (15 credits)
-- Student Readiness Orientation (0 credit) -- Organisational Learning (15 credits)
-- Foundations for Academic Success (0 credit) -- Services Marketing (15 credits)
-- Social Entrepreneurship (15 credits)
Core Modules
Programme Duration
-- eing a Leader (15 credits)
B
-- The Organisation in Strategic Context (15 credits) The programme takes on average 30 months
-- Finance and Accounting for Managers (15 credits) to complete. However, since students
-- Market Perspectives (15 credits) progress at their own pace, they may choose
-- Innovation and Change (15 credits) to complete their studies in as little as 24
-- Dissertation or Consultancy Project (60 credits) months or spread them over 60 months.
6 / 14 Master of Business Administration
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PREPARATORY MODULES
s
represents the Specialisation Modules available for the applicable represents mandatory modules.
track. For all tracks students must select a minimum of 2 Specialisation
Modules. It is recommened that the remaining Elective Module is also
chosen from the available Specialisation Modules.
Master of Business Administration 7 / 14
Aim: To equip students with the technical skills Aim: To gain a better understanding of oneself
necessary to successfully study online, aided by within the context of their organisation,
inspirational testimonials from current students as well as the complex environment in
and alumni, in a rich multimedia environment. which their organisations exists.
In this module, students will grasp the basic This module sets the personal and organisational
technical information and knowledge needed to context for the remainder of the programme and
successfully participate in an online curriculum. begins the trajectory of the students’ leadership
They will learn how to use the online classroom development. Students will ask challenging
to get assignments, interact with instructors questions such as: what are my strengths and
and other students, and submit work. In this weaknesses? How do I operate as a manager/leader?
introduction students will gain a clear idea of What are the values that shape my behaviour?
what is expected from them as they participate
in an online classroom. Finally the orientation By the end of this module, students will be able to:
ensures students have an overview of the rules -- Demonstrate a high level of self awareness
regarding quotation and citation – essential to any -- Apply feedback and knowledge gained from
postgraduate study, whether online or campus-based. diagnostic instruments to improve their practice
-- Explain the nature of ‘Masters level’
Foundations for Academic Success learning and the role of critical reflection
within the learning paradigm
Aim: To provide students with a deeper insight -- Differentiate between management
into the requirements for successful participation and leadership, and apply theories
in the postgraduate programme, and to give of both in their future learning
them the opportunity to put some of the -- Continue their development as effective learners
essential skills and techniques learned during the
Student Readiness Orientation into practice. The Organisation in Strategic Context
As well as providing a foundation for academic
success, this module will ease students into the Aim: To develop an understanding of the
credit-bearing modules – ensuring they are fully myriad of challenges today’s organisations face,
prepared to succeed on their programme of study. including the need to design organisations that
Assignments focus on the practical application of are capable of coping with disruptive change,
writing and critical thinking skills. By the end of the and how management can deal with challenges
module, students will be able to demonstrate their in a strategic rather than a reactive fashion.
ability to evaluate scholarly resources, and define This module has two major components.
the role that proper citation and referencing plays The first is ‘macro’ in nature and focuses on
in academic integrity. Students will be competent at organisational level issues and problems, such
doing basic searches in the University of Liverpool as how an organisation should be designed
and what strategy it should follow. The second
8 / 14 Master of Business Administration
part of the module focuses on individual and By the end of this module, students will be able to:
group issues such as how to evaluate and reward -- Conduct cash-flow and option–based
people, use teams effectively, and make effective valuation of real assets focusing on the
decisions. The linkage between these two module long-term impact for all stakeholders
components helps the students’ understanding of -- Demonstrate how capital structure, payout,
organisations from a stakeholder perspective. and compensation policies, as well as
the market for corporate control affect
By the end of this module, students will be able to: firm value and managerial actions
-- Analyse the relationships between -- Recognise the impact of agency conflicts
strategic challenges and organisational and information asymmetries on firm
design and effectiveness performance and devise effective controls
-- Evaluate a stakeholder approach to -- Demonstrate an understanding of causality and
understanding organisational context causal links within an organisation’s value chain
-- Examine the impact of intercultural -- Design a performance measurement system
diversity on organisational structures -- Identify and mitigate potential risks
-- Appraise effective methods of -- Prepare an operational budget(s), analyse
structuring organisations that can risks and opportunities for organisational
lead through disruptive change success and stakeholder engagement
-- Explore useful strategies for
creating and leading teams Market Perspectives
-- Construct an approach to designing
resilient and sustainable organisations Aim: To gain a brief and critical introduction to
macroeconomic trends both from an individual
Finance and Accounting for Managers national as well as global perspective; and
understand how organisations define their
Aim: To develop an awareness and understanding value offering within a wider context.
of the financial side of the organisation, covering Having placed the organisation in its
corporate finance and managerial accounting. macroeconomic context, this module will focus
In the first part of this module, students will on how organisations define their value offering
gain an understanding of corporate finance as in a way which is ethically, environmentally, and
they acquire the knowledge to apply finance socially responsible, and how they capture that
theory and principles to the analysis of important value through their market proposition both
business problems. The latter part of the module locally and globally. This module is designed to
covers managerial accounting. In this portion of enhance the student’s capacity to formulate and
the module, students will integrate fundamental professionally implement an integrated combination
managerial accounting topics with strategic analysis. of marketing variables and successfully carry out
The focus throughout the module is on the an organisation’s strategy in its target market.
information used for internal decision making
purposes and is designed for the leader who will be By the end of this module, students will be able to:
using, rather than producing, financial information. -- Conceptualise key national and
global macroeconomic trends
-- Take strategic decisions based on insights
from macroeconomic trends
Master of Business Administration 9 / 14
Aim: To provide a theoretical and practical Aim: This module explores the intricacies of
approach to understanding issues affecting launching or expanding micro and small businesses
leadership in the workplace. within a developing economy by providing the
Students will analyse the theories and techniques student with an appreciation of the specific
of leadership and/or follower-ship, and their risks and barriers that confront entrepreneurs
practical application. The module deals with a in a diverse range of emerging markets.
range of management and leadership theories, and This module will teach students how to become
encourages students to be mindful of their own proficient in researching, analysing and preparing an
practice in the context of the theoretical debates. operationally viable business plan for an emerging
small market based business enterprise. This skill will
Consumer Behaviour stem from an in-depth study of the similarities and
differences in launching an entrepreneurial business
Aim: To provide an understanding of in an emerging market setting, from an indigenous
the many complex factors that influence perspective, as compared with a developed country.
consumer purchasing behaviour. The students’ ability to comprehend the theory
This module explains how to evaluate and analyse and application of alternate entry strategies in
the cultural, social, personal, and psychological diverse emerging market settings will be of the
factors that affect customer behaviour. The utmost importance at the end of their study.
students will come to understand the importance
Master of Business Administration 11 / 14
Aim: To give students an understanding Aim: The objective of this module is to examine the
of the functions of regulatory financial global context of leadership and to differentiate and
reporting for organisations and of issues in define the concept and practice of global leadership.
corporate governance and capital markets. Students can expect to increase their intercultural
This module provides an understanding of the role understanding and to develop global leadership
of Financial Reporting from the standpoint of a competencies enabling them to understand
user rather than a technical expert. Students will be the nature of leadership in a global context.
introduced to regulatory reporting requirements, Understanding the global context is becoming
corporate governance, and international accounting increasingly important for leaders in a wide range
standards, enabling them to understand and use the of organisations. This module examines global
Annual Reports from their own and other companies. leadership from the perspective of both the
organisation and the individual. This includes topics
Financing the Entrepreneurial Organisation such as ethics, intercultural competencies and leading
virtual global teams. The theory and practice of
Aim: To provide a clear understanding of the global change and innovation is a key element of
processes applicable to the entrepreneur on a the module which has a focus on understanding the
global scale as well as examine how financial complex nature of leadership and the global context.
tools and techniques can be enhanced to
match the risk, innovation and variability that Human Resource Management
define the entrepreneurial environment.
This module will help students to determine how Aim: To provide students with an
to identify, compare and secure entrepreneurial understanding of the principal themes
financing and funding on a global level while of Human Resource Management.
gaining proficient analytic insight into the objectives This module covers the principal themes and latest
of various financial and funding providers. practices in Human Resource Management, giving
Students will learn how to prepare a financial plan, students the ability to evaluate the impact of a
determine the costs of capital and evaluate an variety of HR strategies and approaches on the
early stage business proposal from the perspective achievement of organisational goals. Students will
of both the entrepreneur and the investor. An develop a thorough understanding of a range of
examination of non-traditional sources of finance models for the delivery of HR in organisations, and
to meet the growth and operational needs of the be able to choose and apply them in practice.
entrepreneurial firm is also well represented during
this module. Students will also become adept at International Business
applying alternate methods of business valuation
and evaluating the risk-return link between Aim: This module enables students to understand
entrepreneurship, innovation, and wealth creation. theories and practice of international business
The know-how to establish the reciprocal in the context of intense globalisation, offering
relation between ethical behaviour, social students an introduction to how institutions,
responsibility and entrepreneurial strategy will organisations and cultures shape the unique nature
also be covered by the end of this module. of regional markets and business practices.
This module will enable students to understand
theories and practice of international business
12 / 14 Master of Business Administration
in the context of intense globalisation. Students gain insight into the processes involved in
are introduced to models of international successful investment selection and portfolio
business, international trade theory, and management for the individual and the firm.
regional economic integration. Students will
also study the entry of business entities into Marketing in a Global Environment
foreign markets including the scope for financial
decisions and ethical business practice. Aim: To build upon the basic marketing knowledge
gained in the core modules by introducing more
International Finance advanced issues relating to a global context.
This module investigates advanced management
Aim: The objective of this module is to examine concepts in the areas of market segmentation,
the organisational structure of international multiple market channels, competitive intelligence,
finance from a corporate perspective by gaining integrated marketing, and eBusiness.
a practical understanding of how trends in In particular, this module introduces students
the balance of trade, payments, and global to marketing concepts used by domestic and
demand for commodities affect organisations foreign companies seeking to market products
that are linked through a global economy. globally. This module also provides an in-depth
If students want to explain how the global market experience of the process of developing effective
phenomena impacts corporate financial decisions, marketing plans, strategies, and tactics in terms
analysis, tax management, the consolidation of of theoretical as well as ‘real life’ perspectives.
financial statements and operating options, then look
no further than this module. Students will acquire Marketing Research
the skills to understand global risk considerations
and demonstrate the ability to effectively mitigate Aim: To provide students with techniques for
or hedge global risk. How trade organisations and conducting marketing research, then analysing and
associations affect global commerce to include an applying the resultant data as a decision-making tool.
individual country’s trade, labour, and environmental An overview of the methods by which marketing
policies will also be fully explained in this module. data is obtained. Students will master a range
of market research techniques, then discover
Investment Strategies how best to collect, analyse and use the
data. The module also addresses issues such
Aim: To gain familiarity with the potential and uses as data mining, data privacy and ethics.
of contemporary investment theories and techniques It is not necessary to have an advanced
and critically evaluate and apply the appropriate knowledge of statistics to take this module.
techniques within the global business environment.
This module serves as an introduction to global Operations Management
investment strategies, providing students with
an understanding of security and portfolio Aim: To provide an understanding of the theoretical
analysis as well as the global nature of financial foundations and practical applications of
markets. Students will develop an understanding operations management processes and operations
of the methodologies used to analyse securities, management concepts in the business world.
industries, and markets, as well as the theories In this module students will learn the two primary
involved in securities and portfolio performance functions of this discipline, namely, the design of
analysis. With this module students will also the operations processes, and the operation of
Master of Business Administration 13 / 14
Services Marketing