Curriculum

Given the ongoing development of e-business models and the increasing use and power of the internet and social networks, this course investigates the opportunities for financial services firms in these fields. Besides understanding the digital economy and how this leads to a changing marketing approach, this course also investigates how bankers and insurers can modify their business model to benefit optimally from the E-commerce potential.

The MBA-FSI offers participants an introduction to the securities and investment industry with an overview of its main products and markets. A substantial part of this course discusses the main product types and essential concepts an investment manager has to take into account.

Through MERCURSIM-INVESTMENTS, a simulation of financial markets and instruments, the course depicts a realistic financial market where asset managers (participants) place major asset allocation decisions in a competitive setting. Developed by Stachanov Consulting, MERCURSIM-INVESTMENTS uses real market data and real economic conditions to allow participants to experience the challenges of asset management.

Participants are grouped into ‘asset management teams’ with each team managing their own selection of financial assets: equity, bonds, and derivatives. Teams will make decisions regarding the structure of its portfolio within a real economic environment. The ultimate goal is to maximise the Net Asset Value (NAV).

The course on Cross-Cultural Management is designed to get participants equipped with the knowledge and skills necessary to interact effectively with members of other cultures, specifically in the context of international business. Participants develop an appreciation of the impact on both personal and work behaviour of living and working in another culture. Being taught in China, this leads to an increasing familiarity with the types of issues and situations which managers often confront when working across cultures.

One of the critical success factors is the human resources part of the business. Insurance companies, banks and other financial firms are already witnessing that the competitive struggle in today’s market environment is more and more the result of intellectual limitations. As such, talent management will be a core topic dealt with during this course. The corporate strategy, structure and culture will influence the HRM. It is therefore of utmost importance to dedicate sufficient attention to the development of a strategic and integrated human resources management model for financial firms. Running a global financial firm will entail substantial challenges for this HRM.

Furthermore, this course also deals with leadership issues and executive decision making. We’ll define what makes a great leader and what it takes to become one. In order to allow executives to make better decisions, cases are studied and frameworks are provided to overcome some biases that tend to present themselves when making important decisions.  

Innovation Management not only concerns designing, developing and bringing new products/services to the market, it also encompasses the renewal of business models and changing the rules of competition. This course on innovation delivers insights into how innovation management can be a source of growth and profitability for a company, by understanding the behaviour of innovative organisations and their culture. Further attention is given to how to generate the necessary entrepreneurship and designing the different roles in the innovation process. By making use of practical cases from the banking and insurance industries, a direct translation into financial services innovation takes place.