Module name

Consumer Behaviour & New Product Development

Module code

MEBCB

Programme

MEB

Term

Term 3

ECTS credits

Academic Year

2015-16

PROFESSOR
EMAIL

DR. BEN SHENOY

[email protected]

MODULE SUMMARY
Module outline and aims
This course offers students an opportunity to reflect on two crucial aspects of management:
understanding consumers and launching new products or services. While traditionally considered
a sub-discipline of marketing, consumer behaviour actually transcends disciplinary boundaries.
Rather than approaching consumer behaviour from a theoretical point of view, this course will be
structured to enable productive thinking and problem-solving, leading to a better understanding of
the consumer as an individual and a social being, as well as of groups and communities of
consumers. This perspective is particularly productive in the context of the development and launch
of new products and services.
The consumer behaviour section of the course will draw from a range of disciplines such as
psychology, linguistics and anthropology and will seek to apply a consumer behaviour focus to
managerial decision-making. Drawing directly from this approach and taking a more managerial
perspective, the product development section of the course gives students an excellent opportunity
to explore the implications of a consumer focus on this important aspect of marketing and product
management.

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Content outline
Lect
no.
1

Title
Consumer Behaviour Intro
the meaning of consumption

Get the Job Done

Consumers and Consumer Starbucks

Value
Consumer Psychology
Aqualisa

The
Best
Way
to
Understand your Customers
Conceptual Models of How
Advertising Works to
Persuade Individuals.

Case Preparation

Communication
Persuasion

Tribes
and
online
communities
Consumer power and brand
hijacking
Introduction to New Product
Devt. What is innovation?

Reverend
Musical
Instruments
Cognac
and
the
Rappers
Braun AG

8
9

The Innovation Value Chain

Group Presentations

Toyota Prius

10

Group Presentations

6
7

Reading

and Zipcar

12 different ways for

companies to innovate,
Sloan Management Review

WHAT WILL YOU BE EXPECTED TO ACHIEVE?

On successful completion of this module, you will be expected to be able to:
Knowledge and understanding
Have an understanding of basic consumer behaviour & new product development theories:
Threshold criterion: To be able to review, internalize and apply key theories of consumer
behaviour and product development.
Assessment: This will be assessed through the class participation, group project & final exam.
Apply relevant theories of consumer behaviour and new product development:
Threshold criterion: To be able to internalize and apply theories of consumer behaviour and new
product development to real case examples and explain the implications for organizational
performance.
Assessment: This will be assessed through the class participation, group project & final exam.
Skills
Conduct an consumer behaviour and new product development analysis:
Threshold criterion: To be able to create, analyse and evaluate a new product/service in
response to perceived consumer needs.
Assessment: This will be assessed through the group project.

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Values and attitudes:

Understand the importance of cultural variability in consumer behaviour:
Threshold Descriptor: To be able to identify dimensions of consumer culture and explain
implications for marketing in a global setting.
Assessment: This will be assessed through the class participation, group project & final exam.

HOW WILL YOU LEARN?

Sessions will be divided between lectures and seminars. Lectures will offer an overview and critical
perspective of key theories and concepts. Seminars will offer students the opportunity to engage
with the material presented in the lectures, and to develop managerial skills, through case studies.
Students are expected to read the relevant course materials before each session. When a written
case is assigned for a seminar, students are expected to analyse the case beforehand.
Teaching
component

Teaching
type

Contact
hours

Self-directed
studies

Overview &
critical
perspective
of key
theories &
concepts
Develop
diagnostic
and
managerial
skills through
case studies

Lectures

15

Seminars

15

Total Student
learning hours

WHAT TYPES OF ASSESSMENT AND FEEDBACK CAN I EXPECT?

Assessments

Assessment
component

Assessment type

Weighting

Minimum
Pass/Fail?
qualifying
mark
25%
40%

Active class
Class participation
participation
Team projects Group presentation
presented in
last session
Three hour
Final exam
individual final
exam based on
case study

25%

40%

50%

40%

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Feedback on assessment
Assessment feedback will be in the form of a grade and written comments.
Assessment Regulations
The Pass mark for the module is 50%. Any minimum qualifying marks for specific assessments are
listed in the table above. The weighting of the different components can also be found above. The
Programme Specification contains information on what happens if you fail an assessment
component or the module.

INDICATIVE READING LIST

(Please dont purchase the text in advance.)
Main text:
Consumer Behaviour, A European Perspective, 3 rd Edition; by Solomon, M.; Bamossy, G.;
Askegaard, S. and Hogg, M.K.; Prentice Hall, (2006),
Other references and reading material will be distributed via the course platform or in class. All
cases must be prepared thoroughly before class.
Some useful journals:
Harvard Business Review
California Management Review
Journal of Consumer Research
MIT Sloan Management Review
Wharton Online Journal: http://knowledge.wharton.upenn.edu/
Stanford
Online
Magazine:http://www.gsb.stanford.edu/news/bmag/index.html?cmpid=main

Business

Version: 1.0
Version date: November 2014
For use from: Academic Year 2014-15

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Module name

ETHICS & CSR

Module code

MEBEC

Programme

MEB

Term

ECTS credits

Academic Year

2015-16

PROFESSOR: MISS JOANNA PAWLIK

EMAIL: [email protected]
[email protected]

MODULE SUMMARY

Module outline and aims

This module will help grasp the real impact of ethics and CSR behind the buzzwords that they
sometimes are. Both ethics and CSR indeed question the current strategies of companies by
pushing them to look ahead and imagine concrete ways of integrating these externalities.
This course thus not only provides students with an understanding of whats behind the words and
the operational implications of ethics and CSR integration, but also a critical innovative look at the
ongoing evolution of companies positioning within society.

Content outline
Why is ethics so important for organizations today? What does it cover? What are its
concrete implications (codes of conducts, charters, compliance policies, etc.)? Regarding CSR,
what are the links with ethics? Why is CSR more than a gimmick today? What are the strategic
issues of CSR and its operational implications?

WHAT WILL I BE EXPECTED TO ACHIEVE?

With this course, students will be able to address the following issues:

Understanding the role of ethics today and its implications for companies

CSR: behind the buzzword, from rhetoric to implementation

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Best CSR practices

Proactive CSR as successful business strategy

Knowledge and understanding

Ethics and compliance in todays businesses (codes of conduct, compliance policies, etc.)

The scope and relevance of CSR/sustainability in todays business world

Review of the best CSR practices

Critical evaluation and reflection on the information from the case studies

Skills
Students will develop managerial judgment and decision-making acumen through the exploration
of various decision criteria and the teaching of systematic approaches for applying those criteria in
a business setting.
While a few discussions will focus on personal choices, in most cases students will be considering
questions and issues at the level of the organization and/or the larger community.
The corporate social responsibility will be a focal point of our discussions. Students will study
instances when managers must assess the firms responsibility and determine viable courses of
action involving interaction with multiple stakeholders.
Values and attitudes:
A Holistic view of the society.
Sensibility towards environmental and social issues.
Equality and diversity in business.
Ethical decision-making.

HOW WILL I LEARN?

Developing strong skills in critical reasoning and decision-making involves:
- relevant reading of case studies,
- good deal of practice expressing ones thoughts,
- careful development of logical arguments.
In this course, student need to attend all lectures and case study workshops.
It is expected that student will read the case study in the class and discuss it with colleagues and
professor.
Participation will be graded based on student presence and contribution to the class discussions.

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Teaching
component

Teaching
type

Contact
hours

Self-directed
studies

Total Student
learning hours

12h

Lecture

12h

none

12h

3h

Workshops

3h

none

3h

WHAT TYPES OF ASSESSMENT AND FEEDBACK CAN I EXPECT?

Assessments

Assessment
component

Assessment type

Weighting

Pass/Fail?

20%

Minimum
qualifying
mark
10/100

Interactions
with professor
and
other
students
Reading and
assessing the
case study in
the class
Written
examination

Class participation

Group work

20%

10/100

yes

Final exam

60%

40/100

yes

yes

Assessment criteria
Evaluation of the participants will be based on the above components and the weights assigned to
each component as indicated.

Feedback on assessment
The individual grade is available 3 weeks after the exam.
The students can ask the professor comments about his grade.
All information and contact via Blackboard platform.

Assessment Regulations
The Pass mark for the module is 50%. Any minimum qualifying marks for specific assessments
are listed in the table above. The weighting of the different components can also be found
above. The Programme Specification contains information on what happens if you fail an
assessment component or the module.

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INDICATIVE READING LIST

Crane, A. and Matten, D. (2007). Business Ethics: Managing Corporate Citizenship and
Sustainability in the Age of Globalization, 2nd ed., Oxford University Press: Oxford.
Porter, M. E., and M. R. Kramer. (2006). Strategy and Society: The Link Between Competitive
Advantage and Corporate Social Responsibility, Harvard Business Review, vol. 84, n12 p. 78-92.
Porter, M. E., and M. R. Kramer. (2011). Creating Shared Value , Harvard Business Review, vol.
89, n 1/2, p. 62-77.
Zadek, S. (2007). The Civil Corporation. Earthscan
Version: 1
Version date: February 2016
For use from: 2015-16

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Module name

European Business Environment

Module code

MEBBE

Programme

Master in European Business

Term

ECTS credits

Academic Year

2015/16

PROFESSOR VICKY PRYCE

EMAIL
[email protected]

MODULE SUMMARY

Module outline and aims:

What is important to know when doing business inside the European Union or with it? To what extent
has the E.U. created a specific regulatory environment for companies? What is the impact of the
Internal market on European economy and competitiveness? What have been the main challenges
and what comes next in its development?

Content outline
The background to the EUs existence, its institutional framework; the importance of the region in
the world economy, the functioning of the internal market , how the single market in goods and
services is developing, what are the main Treaties defining the EU, to what extent are they being
challenged by threats from countries to leave or by many more countries joining, what have been
its successes and failures, the Eurozone crisis, the UK referendum, the threats of Grexit and
Brexit ; how to do business in/with Europe; the role of lobbying in the EU.

WHAT WILL I BE EXPECTED TO ACHIEVE?

On successful completion of this module, you will be expected to be able to: understand the
institutional, regulatory and economic framework in the E.U. so as to assess the issues that need
to be considered by businesses operating in the E.U.
Knowledge and understanding
With this course students will be able to: Understand the concept of the EU, its size and influence,
the progress that has been made and the institutional and decision-making mechanisms within it;

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understand the specificities of the European business environment, from a cultural, social, political,
economic and business perspective;
Skills
Be aware of the key factors to be taken into account when doing business with/within the E.U
Values and attitudes:
better understanding of the ethical, business, diversity and professional values across the EU

HOW WILL I LEARN?

It is based on a series of individual sessions using examples that help students see the links between
the E.U. political framework and the emergence of a specific environment for businesses. Questions
such as the role and influence of lobbies, the free circulation principle, the issues of standards and
harmonization, innovation and competitiveness are raised, through lectures, cases, interactive
discussions and some group work.

Teaching
component

Teaching
type

Contact
hours

Self-directed
studies

Total Student
learning hours

15 hours

WHAT TYPES OF ASSESSMENT AND FEEDBACK CAN I EXPECT?

Assessments

Assessment
component

Assessment type

Weighting

WRITTEN
EXAM

100%

Minimum
qualifying
mark
50%

INDICATIVE READING LIST

1. A SAGE Publications book: Doing Business in Europe: Gabriele Suder,
second edition, 2011,Paperback & eBook, ISBN : 9781446273661,
www.uk.sagepub.com/booksProdDesc.nav?prodId=Book235103
2. Greekonomics: The Euro crisis and why politicians don't get it , Vicky Pryce,
Biteback Publishing, Paperback edition, 2013

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3. Unhappy Union: How the Euro crisis- and Europe - can be fixed, John
Peet and Anton la Guardia, The Economist , 2014

For use from: 2015/16

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Module name

Financial Strategy

Module code

MEBFS

Programme

MEB

Term

ECTS credits

Academic Year

2015-2016

PROFESSOR
Dr Terence Tse
S33
EMAIL
[email protected]

MODULE SUMMARY
Module outline and aims
This course develops further the basic concepts covered in fundamentals of finance. The first part
of the course is devoted to the analysis of risk and return in financial markets. The students are
introduced to the Portfolio Theory and the CAPM. This course also explores the relationship between
capital structure, risk and shareholder value in order to develop an intuition for the Modigliani/Miller
theorems.
Furthermore, the basics of company valuation and derivatives will be introduced. Given that the
London campus uniquely has a trading room, participants of this course will have a rare opportunity
to experience what it is like to be a trader as well as to learn the basics of trading and the underlying
market mechanisms.
Content outline

Risk and return

Portfolio theory
CAPM
Cost of capital
Dividend policy
Capital structure
Firm valuation
Options
Financial markets and liquidity
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WHAT WILL I BE EXPECTED TO ACHIEVE?

On successful completion of this module, you will be expected to be able to:

Understand the more advanced theories of finance

Develop a deeper understanding of the main financing instruments

Apply basic analytical valuation techniques to various financial decision situations

Knowledge and understanding

Think critically both theoretically and strategically about business and be able to apply theories
to financial decisions

Deepen the understanding of key finance theories

Skills

Evaluate financial decisions and make appropriate decisions

Achieve goals in teams

Values and attitudes:

Be able to express themselves in an articulated fashion

HOW WILL I LEARN?

Teaching
component

Teaching
type

Contact
hours

Self-directed
studies

Total Student
learning hours

Lectures

30

30

60

WHAT TYPES OF ASSESSMENT AND FEEDBACK CAN I EXPECT?

Assessments
Assessment
component

Assessment type

Weighting

Final
exam Written exam
covering
all
topics

100%

Minimum
qualifying
mark
50%

Assessment criteria
Written final exam: Students need to be able to provide the correct answers

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Feedback on assessment
Written final exam: Students can access their exam scripts following the current policy of the School

Assessment Regulations
The Pass mark for the module is 50%. Any minimum qualifying marks for specific assessments are
listed in the table above. The weighting of the different components can also be found above. The
Programme Specification contains information on what happens if you fail an assessment
component or the module.
INDICATIVE READING LIST
All corporate finance textbooks cover all the topics in the course. Therefore, you can choose the
textbook that suits you best. Here are 2 potentials. While [1] has been considered the bible in
corporate finance, [2] is the new kid on the block.
[1] Richard Brealey, Steward Myers and Franklin Allen (2006) Corporate Finance, 8th edition,
McGraw Hill
[2] Jonathan Berk and Peter DeMarzo (2011) Corporate Finance, global edition, Pearson

Version: 1
Version date: February 2016
For use from: 2015-2016

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Management Accounting
MEB /London
(15 hours)
Emmanuel Zilberberg
I)

Content and objectives

Management accounting has a double dimension which attest his two names: cost accounting and
managerial accounting.
The costing dimension consists in restating the financial accounting expenses using an analytical
perspective, to trace and allocate them by cost objects. Among those costs objects are the products
and services offered by a company. Many companies are trying to calculate a full cost for their
products and services, which implies to share the common costs (i.e. indirect costs) between the
different cost objects.
Management accounting in its managerial dimension strives to anticipate the costs and contribute
to the budgeting and planning of profit. Another role is to identify and quantify the invisible elements,
such as lost opportunities in order to help decision making. Any decision can be reduced to trying
to define and quantify the opportunities that are sacrificed to benefit from the opportunities allowed
by the proposed decision.
A third dimension, more strategic, is also to be considered. It consists in understanding how costs
structures are interrelated to volumes and prices in order to define relevant strategies. This implies
to clarify the concepts of economies of scale, often misleading when they encourage the volume at
any price.
It is important to reconsider the role of fixed costs in a business including their ambivalence.
When they are perceived as a threat to the company's balance which fears of not breaking even,
they may encourage outsourcing in order to transform fixed costs into variable costs.
Their beneficial role is less often understood. Fixed costs by leveraging the growth of the contribution
margin are a multiplier of operational performance (EBIT / Sales). Marginal pricing, i.e. selling just
above marginal cost, often equal to the variable cost, explicitly relies on operating leverage (i.e.
taking advantage of total fixed costs being fixed). Marginal pricing is a means to take advantage of
unused capacity to increase sales volumes and profit...in risk of triggering price wars.
This course is not oriented towards calculation but focuses mostly on the strategic dimension of the
discipline. It aims at developing a critical thinking by questioning any cost calculation which always
represents an opinion about how resources are consumed by a cost object. It wants to help you
integrating the cost concepts in your (strategic) thinking and facilitate your dialog with management
accountants.

II) Instructional Design and Evaluation

A part of the course is conducted online in order to devote more time to interaction and a little less
time to transmission.
The online course uses the Blackboard platform (LMS) which contains the course documents, some
multiple choice questions exercises and other questionnaires which require your analysis of some
calculations you made or that I provide. Those questionnaires also include texts and / or videos
which I want you to decrypt thanks to questions I provide.
You will receive feedback on those exercises showing how the whole class positions, enabling a
rich discussion during the face to face session.
In class, we will use an Audience Response System (clickers) which collects all the community
responses. This will stimulate the debate by making visible the inaudible because everyone will
now be able to answer when a question is asked. I will encourage discussion among peers (peer
discussion), which is a way to capitalize on the community and enhance the concepts appropriation.
The questions are not graded and you will get an annotated Excel file gathering all your answers.
This will help you to prepare the final exam.

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III)

Grading

The examination consists of a one-hour multiple choice (100 % of the final grade) The Pass
mark for the module is 50%.
IV) Outline
I) Introduction to costs concepts
II) Profit planning and fixed / variable costs classification
III) Break-even point and operating leverage
IV) Cost Allocation I
V) Cost Allocation I
V) Bibliography
Courses textbook: Management Accounting for Decision Makers, 7th Edition.
http://www.maaw.info/ : MAAW represents an ongoing project to systematically categorize
management and accounting literature from the past 100+ years. The site is freely accessible to
anyone on the web and particularly useful to students, researchers, and practitioners interested in
accounting.
Some additional resources such as videos will be available on the platform.

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MEB 2015/2016
Management Control
Prof. Ph. Zarlowski

I.

Learning objectives

This course offers an introduction to Management control. It is aimed at managers who, whatever
their responsibilities, will have to understand, and participate to, the performance management
process of their organizations.
Once they have completed the course, students should be able to:
Define the performance goals of an organization, identify its performance dimensions
and construct its performance model;
Understand the basic construction principles and main practical uses of measurement
systems and tools: responsibility accounting and responsibility centers, budgets, and
dashboards;
Know how to construct relevant KPIs to manage the performance objectives of an
organization;
Know how to review and monitor performance results, notably through the analysis of
variances between actual and budgeted sales, costs and margins.
Participants should be able to distinguish the different performance concepts introduced in the
course, understand the role of the various management control tools, apply the methods presented,
and discuss the rationale behind them and some of their limits.

II.

Programme

Session 1

Financial performance measures

Session 2

Responsibility accounting

Session 3

Performance models and dashboards

Session 4

Variance analysis

Session 5

Budgeting

III.

Methods

The pedagogy for this course combines the didactic presentation of definitions, principles and
techniques and more interactive and inductive methods based on the completion of exercises, case
studies and in-class discussion of techniques, principles and examples. The course material also
includes a set of slides and the relevant chapters in the course textbook (see reference below).

IV.

Grading
Grading will be based on:
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The completion of self-administered questionnaires before, during and between the

course sessions (20% of the total grade);
- A final, closed-book exam (80% of the total grade).
The Pass mark for the module is 50%.

Lecturer

Philippe Zarlowski, ESCP Europe professor in the Management control (CPO) department
Contact: [email protected]

References
Saulpic O., Giraud F., Zarlowski P., Lorain M-A., Morals J., Fundamentals of management control:
Techniques and principles (Coord. Giraud F., Zarlowski P.), Pearson Education France, Paris, 2011

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