Executive Masters in Bus. Adm. (XMBA)

This is an archived copy of the 2014-15 guide. To access the most recent version of the guide, please visit http://guide.berkeley.edu/.

Courses

XMBA 200C Leadership Communication 2 Units

Leadership Communication is a workshop in the fundamentals of public speaking in today's business environment. Through prepared and impromptu speeches aimed at moving others to action, peer coaching, and lectures, students will sharpen their authentic and persuasive communication skills, develop critical listening skills, improve abilities to give, receive, and apply feedback, and gain confidence as public speakers.

XMBA 200P Problem Finding, Problem Solving 1 Unit

Problem Finding, Problem Solving (PFPS) teaches basic skills drawn from the fields of critical thinking, design thinking and systems thinking that support innovation. Specifically, it covers ways of collecting information to characterize a problem, framing and re-framing that problem, coming up with a range of solutions and then gathering feedback to assess those solutions. Following Confucius’s notion: "I hear and I forget. I see and I remember. I do and I understand." The class consists primarily of hands-on exercises to experiment with and learn the tools and techniques presented, applying them to the design and testing of alternative business models for start-up and other businesses.

XMBA 200Q Decision Models 1 Unit

This core course introduces students to quantitative concepts, techniques, and software with which all successful managers should be familiar. The objective of this course is to improve managerial decision making by introducing managers to optimization techniques, simulation, and project management.

XMBA 200S Data and Decisions 2 Units

The objective of this core course is to make students critical consumers of statistical analysis using available software packages. Key concepts include interpretation of regression analysis, model formation and testing, and diagnostic checking.

XMBA 201A Managerial Economics 2 Units

This course uses the tools and concepts of microeconomics to analyze decision problems within a business firm. Particular emphasis is placed on the firm's choice of policies in determining prices, inputs usage, and outputs. The effects of the state of the competitive environment on business policies are also examined.

XMBA 201B Global Economic Environment 2 Units

This core course addresses the determination of economic concepts and financial practices at work in the global economic environment. Topics include long-run productivity and growth, short-run economic fluctuations in both closed and open economies, exchange rates and the balance of payments, the natural rate of unemployment, and the causes and consequences of inflation. The instructor will draw examples from a number of countries and a variety of economies to illustrate theoretical concepts.

XMBA 202A Financial Accounting 2 Units

This course examines accounting measurements for general-purpose financial reports. An objective of the course is to provide not only a working knowledge but also a clear understanding of the contents of published financial statements.

XMBA 203 Finance 2 Units

This core course examines the wide menu of available assets, the institutional structure of U.S. and international financial markets, and the market mechanisms for trading securities. Topics include discounting, capital budgeting, historical behavior of asset returns, and diversification and portfolio theory. The course will also provide introductions to asset pricing theory for primary and derivative assets and to the principles governing corporate financial arrangements and contracting.

XMBA 204 Operations Management 2 Units

This core course provides students with an understanding of the basic issues involved in managing a manufacturing-based business and introduces them to the tools that are available to deal with these issues. Students will also learn pertinent fundamental concepts in management science that are applicable to other functional areas.

XMBA 205 Creating Effective Organizations 2 Units

This core course surveys knowledge about behavior of organizations and in organizations. The course will include study of the issues of individual behavior, group functioning, and the actions of organizations in their environments, and analysis from a number of theoretical perspectives of such problems as work motivation, task design, leadership, communication, organizational design, and innovation. The class will explore the implications for the management of organizations through examples, cases, and exercises.

XMBA 206 Marketing Organization and Management 2 Units

This core course provides an overview of the marketing system and the marketing concept, buyer behavior, market research, segmentation, marketing decision-making, marketing structures, and evaluation of marketing performance in the economy and society.

XMBA 209 Competitive and Corporate Strategy 2 Units

This is a core course designed to introduce managers to the processes involved in industry and market analysis, the development of a business strategy, competitive positioning, planning, and the implementation of an integrated business program. Students will consider competing strategies as companies aim to achieve their own goals and objectives, often at the expense of their rivals, from the perspective of a general, enterprise-level manager charged with overall responsibility for a company's performance in a variety of competitive and corporate contexts.

XMBA 217 Topics in Economic Analysis and Policy 1 - 3 Units

Advanced study in the field of economic analysis and policy. Topics will vary from year to year and will be announced at the beginning of each semester.

XMBA 233 Investments 2 Units

This course will examine four different types of asset markets: equity markets, fixed income markets, futures markets, and options markets. It will focus on the valuation of assets in these markets, the empirical evidence on asset valuation models, and strategies that can be employed to achieve various investment goals.

XMBA 236E Mergers and Acquisitions: A Focus on Creating Value 2 Units

Survey of the day-to-day practices and techniques used in change of control transaction. Topics include valuation, financing, deal structuring, tax and accounting considerations, agreements, closing documents, practices used in management buyouts, divestitures, hostile takeovers, and takeover defenses. Also covers distinctions in technology M&A, detecting corruption in cross border transaction attempts, and betting on deals through risk arbitrage. Blend of lecture, case study, and guest lectures.

XMBA 247 Topics in Operations and Information Technology Management 1 - 3 Units

Advanced study in the field of manufacturing and operations. Topics will vary from year to year and will be announced at the beginning of each semester.

XMBA 252 Managerial Negotiations 2 Units

A study of the negotiations process, including negotiations among buyers and sellers, managers and subordinates, company units, companies and organizational agencies, and management and labor. Both two-party and multi-party relations are covered. Course work includes readings, lectures, and discussion of case material and simulations of real negotiations. A key focus of this course is the role of third parties in resolving disputes.

XMBA 255 Leadership 2 Units

In this advanced elective course, students analyze recent literature and developments related to such topics as organization development, environmental determinants of organization structure and decision-making behavior, management of professionals, management in temporary structures, cross-cultural studies of management organizations, and industrial relation systems and practices.

XMBA 257 Special Topics in the Management of Organizations 1 - 3 Units

Analysis of recent literature and developments related to such topics as organization development, environmental determinants of organization structure and decision-making behavior, management of professionals and management in temporary structures, cross-cultural studies of management organizations, and industrial relations.

XMBA 264 High Technology Marketing 2 Units

High technology refers to that class of products and services which is subject to technological change at a pace significantly faster than for most goods in the economy. Under such circumstances, the marketing task faced by the high technology firm differs in some ways from the usual. The purpose of this advanced elective course is to explore these differences.

XMBA 273 Dynamic Capabilities 2 - 3 Units

This is a course in strategic management. It draws on a variety of disciplines and integrates them in the fashion that will generate key insights into how technology can be developed and managed.
This course will help students acquire and practice concepts and skills that are relevant to management in a technologically dynamic environment. It provides frameworks for intellectual capital management in the private sector.
This course is aimed at those interested in working for either large
or small firms in technologically progressive industries, as well as those wishing to understand how mature industries can create and respond to innovation.

XMBA 290H Haas@Work 3 Units

The primary objective of this course and the associated innovation consulting projects is for students to learn and apply the approaches, skills, and behaviors required to successfully initiate and drive innovation in a complex organization. Students taking the course will use concepts and tools from several other Haas courses, including Economic Analysis for Business Decisions, Strategic Leadership, Leading People, Finance, and Problem Finding Problem Solving. As important, the student teams are expected to deliver the highest quality work and deliverables, genuine insights, innovative solutions, and real value on mission-critical client projects.

XMBA 290T Topics in Innovation and Design 1 - 3 Units

Advanced study in the fields of innovation and design. Topics will vary from year to year and will be announced at the beginning of each semester.

XMBA 290V Corporate Strategy in Telecommunications and Media 3 Units

This course is intended for students who wish to gain better understanding of one of the most important issues facing management today--designing, implementing, and managing telecommunication and distributed computer systems. The following topics are covered: a survey of networking technologies; the selection, design, and management of telecommunication systems; strategies for distributed data processing; office automation; and management of personal computers in organizations.

XMBA 291C Active Communicating 1 Unit

This course develops the basic building blocks of impactful communication--e.g., concentration, energy, voice, physical expressiveness, spontaneity, listening, awareness, and presence--by drawing upon expertise from theater arts. Active, participatory exercises allow for the development and embodiment of effective communication skills. Class readings, lectures, and discussions address participants' specific workplace applications.

XMBA 291L Leader as Coach 1 Unit

This course focuses on the art and science of coaching including theory and practice. The curriculum will cover theory and practice for three aspects of the coaching process – knowledge-based (information and skills), motivation-based (inspiration and passion), and strategy-based (communication and integration). The curriculum will focus on primary coaching skills, tools, processes and behaviors that a coach uses. In addition, participants will learn facilitation skills as the preferred methodology in achieving successful coaching programs. Course participants will have the opportunity to utilize this material in practice coaching sessions with supervision and feedback from peers and the instructor.

XMBA 291S Storytelling for Leadership 1 Unit

This course provides students with personal leadership development through the ability to tell "Who Am I" leadership journey stories, for use in the business context. For leaders, whose job it is to manage change, the approach to storytelling facilitates learning and is a vehicle to assist others in overcoming obstacles, generating enthusiasm and team work, sharing knowledge and ultimately leading to build trust and connection. This course give strategies, skills and practices for the three elements of telling powerful leadership stories: Story Content, Story Structure and Story Delivery. The course is highly interactive.

XMBA 291T Topics in Managerial Communications 1 - 3 Units

This course will provide the student with specialized knowledge in some area of managerial communications. Topics include multimedia business presentations, personal leadership development, diversity management, and making meetings work. Topics will vary from semester to semester.

XMBA 292P Strategic and Sustainable Business Solutions 1 - 3 Units

This course explores the concept and practice of corporate sustainability (CS) and corporate social responsibility (CSR) through a series of lectures, guest speakers, and live consulting projects focused on CS and CSR challenges facing actual companies. The course provides the tools and experiences that sustainable management practitioners can utilize as a part of their value-creating strategies. Viewing CS and CSR from a corporate strategy perspective enables students to understand how considerations of social impact can, in fact, support core business objectives, core competencies, and bottom-line profits.

XMBA 293 Individual Supervised Study for Graduate Students 1 - 6 Units

Individually supervised study of subjects not available to the student in the regular schedule, approved by faculty adviser as appropriate for the student's program.

XMBA 295A Entrepreneurship and Innovation 2 Units

The development of creative marketing strategies for new ventures, as well as the resolution of specific marketing problems in smaller companies which provide innovative goods and services. Emphasis is on decision making under conditions of weak data, inadequate resources, emerging markets, and rapidly changing environments.

XMBA 295D New Venture Finance 2 Units

This is a course about financing new entrepreneurial ventures, emphasizing those that have the possibility of creating a national or international impact or both. It will take two perspectives--the entrepreneur's and the investor's--and it will place a special focus on the venture capital process, including how they are formed and managed, accessing the public markets, mergers, and strategic alliances.

XMBA 295F Customer and Business Development in High-Tech Enterprise 2 Units

This course is about how to successfully organize sales, marketing, and business development in a startup. For the purpose of this course, a "startup" can either be a new venture, or an existing company entering a new market. Both must solve a common set of issues: Where is our market? Who are our customers? How do we build the right team? How do we scale sales? These issues are at the heart of the "Customer Development" process covered in this course.

XMBA 295T Special Topics in Entrepreneurship 1 - 3 Units

Advanced study in the field of entrepreneurship. Topics will vary from year to year and will be announced at the beginning of each semester.

XMBA 296 Special Topics in Business Administration 1 - 3 Units

Advanced study in various fields of business administration. Topics will vary from year to year and will be announced at the beginning of each semester.

XMBA 298A International Business 2 Units

Course will focus on the challenges, opportunities, and risks of doing business in emerging market economies. The course is designed to enhance students' ability to start, manage, lead, and invest in companies operating in emerging markets and to respond to new competitors from emerging markets. Emerging markets are home to nearly 80% of the world's population and are expected to account for half of global GDP growth over the next 25 years.

XMBA 298C International Field Seminar 3 Units

This required course entails an experimental study of an international business topic undertaken during a one-week field study session abroad. The course includes a combination of lectures and site visits.

Back to Top