Masters in Business Administration (MBA)

Masters in Business Administration (MBA)

Introduction:
CECOS offers Master of Business Administration program awarded by IOTA. This program prepares graduates for jobs in the real world. Graduates are well-placed to succeed in the international world of business having gained career focused knowledge and skills in business, critical thinking and communications. Possible employment opportunities for graduates of the MBA could include the following:

· General Management Career
· Business Strategy Manager
· Operations Manager
· Human Resources and Change Manager
· Management and Recruitment Consultant
· Staff Development Manager
· Brand Manager
· Marketing Manager
· Sales Manager
· International Marketing Consultant
· Advertising Executive
· Public Relations Consultant
· E-business Communications Specialist

This program provides a well structured modular approach to study. Students are given the opportunity to concentrate in a particular area of business management, leading to specialized skills and enhanced success in the job market.

This postgraduate business program offers nested qualifications so that participants can exit the course
· after first 4 units with a Graduate Certificate of Business
· after first 8 units with a Graduate Diploma of Business Administration
· or complete the 12 units and graduate with a Master of Business Administration (MBA) .
Course description
Managerial Accounting
This unit explains accounting techniques and terminology, giving participants the conceptual and practical skills to understand complex financial strategies. The unit does not assume prior knowledge of accounting and financial management and introduces the double entry bookkeeping system, trial balance, adjusting entries, the worksheet and the preparation of financial reports. The basics of strategic cash flow and financial statement analysis are also introduced with a focus on the management and practical aspects of the accounting process.
Managerial Marketing
Marketing is the planning and execution of the conception, pricing, promotion and distribution of ideas, goods and services to create exchanges that satisfy individual and organisational goals. This unit examines this process from start to finish and help students to develop a systematic approach to marketing management; from understanding the needs and wants of customers to effectively managing products, services, and markets. The main elements of product management; pricing, managing distribution channels and the promotional mix are introduced. Participants are encouraged to apply both strategic and operational principles of marketing management to their own customers, products, services and markets.
Managerial Economics
Managerial economics uses applied economic theory as a framework to formulate intelligent and rational business solutions and decisions. Microeconomic principles are applied to the analysis of internal business and external market conditions to enable informed forecasting. Macroeconomic analysis is used to explain the impact of general economic and financial environments on the business and the environment in which the business operates.
Introduction to Information Systems
Organisations use information systems to formalise their data and communication processes. In this context, information systems are conceptualised, created and managed. To be effective, practitioners require an understanding of the business use of IT. This unit provides a broad overview of the area and places a foundation of knowledge and skills for identifying and analysing the use of information systems.
Managerial Finance
Participants are provided with an understanding of the financial management of organisations, and how funds are raised and allocated within organisations. Special focus is placed on an organisation's primary financial functions, investment, financing, and strategic and risk management. The important underlying theme of this unit is that a business must add value. In examining value, participants will be introduced to the three basic ideas in finance: the time value of money, diversification and arbitrage. Management decisions regarding capital structure, the cost of capital, investment choices, short-term asset and liability management and dividend policy will be examined.
Business Research and Data Interpretation
This unit is designed to equip managers with the research methodology and skills to make effective use of data in the business workplace. Standard statistical and graphical techniques are used to analyse data using examples applicable to management, marketing, finance and economics. Students are shown how statistics and analysis of data can assist managers to make better decisions. Participants acquire the ability to collect and manage data, typically using general Excel based skills and will have an understanding of how to describe and model complex business relationships. The unit introduces sampling and inference techniques applicable to means and proportions and develop an understanding of regression modeling and forecasting.
Managing People and Change
This unit includes a module on managing people and a module on organisational change. Managing People explores the issues involved in the management of people, groups and organisations. The module discusses the role of the manager as leader and motivator and allows participants to evaluate the effectiveness and functionality of groups under their management. Issues of group and business cultures and their impact on performance are discussed.
Organisational Change explores selected theories and concepts of change management, beginning with individuals and culminating with the whole organisation. Participants in this unit will learn to identify and develop the key skills needed to lead and implement change.
Strategic Management
Strategic behaviour theory provides a structured approach to business strategy formulation. This unit examines many of the most useful and proven theoretical structures and then applies them to real management problems, with an awareness of their limitations. The alignment of strategy within the organisation, organisational systems and people are studied. Several diagnostic models are used to evaluate a firm's relative strengths and weaknesses, the threats and opportunities in its external environment, and the key issues affecting its competitiveness. Analysis is used to identify possible inefficiencies and make prescriptions for change. Implementation of the recommended changes will also be discussed.
International Institutions and Political Environments
The unit is designed to expose students to the institutions and structures that are integral to international trade, finance and law. At a global or macro level, the unit examines the role of international institutions such as the International Monetary Fund, World Bank and World Trade Organisation, in terms of their structure, purpose and power in international trade. There will be discussion of whose interests they serve, and to what degree they attenuate or enhance the power of sovereign states. From a micro perspective the unit examines the institutions that can be utilised to facilitate international trade including governmental, political, economic, legal, regulatory, media and cultural. Case studies are used to facilitate discussion of effective utilisation of institutions to overcome challenges and barriers to trade and to fully develop opportunities arising from international trade.
Business Project
Participants will apply their acquired knowledge to a project, based on their own work environment. An evaluation of the business will include business strategy, marketing and marketing strategy, management of people and change, processes, financial indicators and IT aspects. The report will cover all of the areas with a primary focus on one of these aspects. Participants will submit a report and presentation that demonstrates their understanding and application of the concepts.
International Marketing
The trend towards globalisation impacts on business decision making and corporate and marketing strategy. This unit focuses on how organisational marketing processes are impacted by the internationalisation of business. The initial module focuses on international environmental factors such as economic and financial sectors, social and cultural elements of the world market environment and the political-legal environment. The second module specifically examines international marketing research issues, in particular highlighting the specific research procedures appropriate when examining foreign markets. The third module examines issues relevant to product (or service), pricing, promotion and distribution in an international context. The final module of the course outlines the development of competitive international marketing strategies. Participants will learn procedures to develop successful marketing plans for international markets with an awareness of, and ability to, identify likely pitfalls.
Customers and Customer Relations
This unit is focused on understanding customers and the importance of building and maintaining customer relationships in adding value to all levels of an enterprise. Elementary consumer behaviour will be introduced and discussed with relevance to business outcomes. The consumer behaviour component examines the external and internal factors that influence people's behaviour in buying situations, integrating theories from psychology, sociology and economics. Issues in measuring and implementing customer relationship management strategies are discussed with some emphasis on implementation of customer satisfaction measurement.
International Management
In a globalised business environment, managers must have an understanding of the issues relating to doing business across and within various cultures. This applies to people within organisations and to customer groups. This unit explores the cultural issues that are relevant between different organisations but in particular in different countries. It also examines the legal and economic factors that vary between countries and can impact on business success. Case studies are used to examine effective methods of bridging the cultural divide and promoting effective management.
Operations and Process Management
Operations and Process Management is a unit that will explore the issues involved in practical operation of business processes. The operations module of the unit will discuss value chains, logistic and allocation decisions and techniques and approaches that result in more efficient outcomes for the organisation. The process management module develops tools for understanding business processes and means of measuring and analysing outcomes of those processes. Concepts such as TQM and process re-engineering are discussed. Participants are encouraged to apply process measurement techniques to evaluate their own business processes and if possible implement process improvements.
International Trade, Markets and Prices
This unit examines international trade from both a theoretical and practical perspective.
Economic inter-dependency of nations, analysis of protectionist policies and the international institutions involved in trade are examined in depth The unit examines the nature and theoretical foundations of international trade and the significance of geographic, social, technical and political influences. We review traditional and recent models of the behaviour of firms in the international marketplace including the theory of comparative advantage and neo-classical theories of trade. The role of exchange rates in facilitation and as a consequence of trade and factor movements is examined with some emphasis on exchange rate determination. Above all, the unit seeks to give participants a good understanding of major trade issues and how globalisation impacts on current trading policies.
International Trade Law
This unit discusses the potential legal issues of conducting international business. When organisations are expanding into global markets, the legal environment may be different and unfamiliar. Business managers need to understand the regulations that apply in those markets to reduce the risk of doing business in foreign markets. In particular, we examine the differences in trade law, marketing law, patent law, credit law and employment law. In terms of trade law, this unit examines the nature of agreements between agents (buyers and sellers) in different countries and law relating to transit of goods between nations.
Credit law issues are examined, involving payments and financing. Employment law highlights the differences in treatment of employees, discrimination laws, entitlements and agreements between organisations and employees in various countries. The advent of the global virtual economy has highlighted the need to understand the issues of law in the online environment. The unit will examine protection and security online for both the organisation and customers. Finally, the unit examines issues related to disputes that go beyond domestic boundaries.
International Accounting and Taxation
This unit provides an overview for the manager of the differences in accounting and taxation accounting in an international context. The accounting section of the unit will examine issues in financial and management accounting. Financial accounting issues are the different corporate reporting requirements and approaches to accounting policy formulation, regulation and disclosure practices in various nations. The unit will examine the interpretation of balance sheets from various nations including various interpretations of trademark amortisation, treatment of abnormal items and intangibles. The trend towards internationalisation of accounting standards is discussed. The management accounting module will discuss issues and problems facing international companies in organising and managing their global operations including transfer pricing, and in designing and implementing management planning and control systems. The unit will also deal with international taxation law and how taxation considerations affect organisational accounting.
International Finance
In a globalised environment managers need to understand tools of international financial management. This unit will provide students with tools necessary for effective financial decision making by business enterprises in a global context. The unit will initially consider the environment of international financial management, international financial markets, global flow of funds, the determination of exchange rates and how they interact with interest rates and other financial prices. The unit will examine how exchange rate and interest rate changes impact on the decisions of corporate and institutional managers. The next section of the unit will examine capital budgeting and financing decisions of multinational organisations with discussion of mechanisms that facilitate such financing decisions. The next section of the unit examines measurement of exchange rate risks, and hedging strategies for currency risks associated with international trade, overseas investments and foreign borrowing through a range of derivatives such as currency futures, options and swaps.
Information Systems Project Management
In many areas of Information Systems practice resources have to be deployed efficiently and effectively to pursue defined outcomes. Projects, and hence project management, have become the standard practice for such endeavours. Information Systems practitioners play a number of roles within projects and require skills to operate successfully within a project environment, as well as to lead and manage projects successfully. Participants gain an appreciation of the nature and operation of projects, the difficulties in producing 'successful' projects, and the tools and techniques of project management. Further they will appreciate how their own behaviour and attitudes contributes to project outcomes as a basis for improving their own project-oriented practise.
E-Commerce
The continually evolving world of E-Commerce affects the way business is done.
E-commerce changes the set of business risks and opportunities impacting an enterprise and must be effectively managed to achieve useful outcomes for the business.
It is one of the areas in which there is a major overlap between IT management and business management. It also presents some interesting and challenging issues in a highly dynamic and rapidly evolving environment. It is the aim of this unit to develop in participants an appreciation of this important but challenging area. Entry Requirements

• Academic pre-requisites: A recognised* Bachelors Degree or a combination of academic qualifications and appropriate work experience.

International Students:

• English Language Proficiency: IELTS score of 6.5 (Academic) or TOEFL 550 or Cambridge.
• Academic pre-requisites: A recognised* Bachelors Degree or a combination of academic qualifications and appropriate work experience.

In general, students who do not have a recognised Bachelors Degree will need the following qualifications and experience (AQF refers to the Australian Qualification Framework):

• AQF equivalent Advanced Diploma plus four years work experience, or
• AQF Diploma plus eight years work experience, or
• AQF Higher School Certificate plus 10 years work experience, or
• AQF School Certificate plus 12 years work experience.
• Recognition of qualifications will be at the discretion of the Academic Program Director responsible for academic affairs.

Awarding Body
Institute of Technology (IOTA), Australia