This course covers the foundations of financial decision making and of global financial markets using a case based approach. The theoretical guideline of the course is inspired by both paradigms, neoclassical economics as well as behavioral economics. The teaching style will be a combination of classical class teaching and case studies which are solved and presented by groups of students.

To top

This course offers an introduction into Corporate Finance. It is primarily designed for students not familiar with the Corporate Finance tools, but also targets former finance students who want to refresh their knowledge in the topics covered. It will first give an overview of corporate financing, then we will focus in more detail on capital structure theories, debt policy, payout policy, and mergers & acquisitions. The course will apply some of the tools to real case studies.

To top

In this course, conflicts of interest within the firm will be analyzed and mechanisms to mitigate these problems will be discussed. Since corporate governance mechanisms vary around the world, the course will cover the main taxonomies of corporate governance systems developed by financial economists and legal scholars. In addition, the relationship between firm value and corporate governance practices and investor protection will be discussed.

We will critically assess the empirical evidence on the importance and effectiveness of various corporate governance devices. Special emphasis will be on ownership structures and large shareholder monitoring, shareholder activism, executive compensation, the board of directors, and current reforms in corporate governance (SOX and German Corporate Governance Code).

To top

Corporations have to ask from time to time whether their strategies and structures are still appropriate. Such initiators of strategic change can be stimulated from inside, i.e. by losses or liquidity problems, or from outside, i.e. by events and behavior of competitors.

The course Corporate Restructuring Strategy offers a taxonomy of corporate crisis and develops concepts and approaches how to deal with corporate crisis. These approaches concern possible reactions to corporate crisis (crisis-reactive strategies). Complementary to crisis-reactive strategies a particular focus will be given to approaches of corporate growth as after-crisis proactive strategies.

To top

Information provided by cost accounting is crucial for making rational decisions and controlling activities. Therefore, it is fundamental for understanding management in modern corporations. The course offers a comprehensive introduction to the basics of cost accounting. More precisely, it will provide an overview of essential concepts and tools of cost accounting. Students’ understanding will be deepened by giving practical examples.

To top

This course provides a comprehensive introduction to financial accounting. It is explored to understand the accounting techniques, the legal environment for accounting in Germany, the institutional and conceptual framework of accounting and, finally, the accounting for specific issues such as intangibles, inventories or financial instruments. The participants should gain a deeper knowledge about the corporate communication process expressed in financial statements. Aspects of financial statement analysis are also discussed to understand the impact of financial data on external contract partners.

To top

This course covers the foundations of financial decision-making. The theoretical guideline of the course is inspired by paradigms, neoclassical economics as well as behavioral economics. The teaching style will be a combination of classical classroom teaching and assignments. In particular the following content is mediated: In the first part of the lecture the valuation of assets is discussed; especially discounting and present value mathematics is considered. A particular asset class is bonds as they are issued for instance by governments. The valuation and risk assessment of bonds will be the second part of the lecture. The next session covers the efficiency of capital markets. It demonstrates how markets process information and how prices reflect information. The last part of the lecture introduces a rather recent development in financial theory: behavioral finance. This session helps to explain deviations from the efficient market hypothesis postulated by the neoclassical approach. Behavioral biases are highlighted by in-class experiments and solutions are presented on how to take irrationality into account.

To top

Investment Banks have three key resources to work with, (i) people, (ii) capital, and (iii) reputation. The leadership of an investment bank will therefore have to put particular emphasis on (i) human resource management to attract and retain the best individuals for the respective jobs, on (ii) risk management to preserve the capital of the bank, and (iii) compliance to protect its reputation. The course focuses on these three aspects of leadership by laying a theoretical foundation, translating those for the practical challenges and illustrating those by way of case studies. A basic understanding of stochastics and labor law are required for the course.

To top

The fundamental objective of this course is to help you develop managerial leadership skills. This course introduces you to the fundamentals of managing organizations at three levels: individual level, team level, organizational level. Using important models and concepts of organization management science, you will analyze human behavior in organizational settings as well as organizational processes and systems.

To top

Intellectual property (IP, especially patents and trade marks) has become a major driver of competitive advantage in many industries. Students will learn how to manage IP strategically in order to maximize its impact on innovation and business performance. The course has a strong emphasis on integrating IP with innovation management. 

The course further illustrates how information from patent data can be used for multiple strategic planning purposes; e.g. competitor monitoring, R&D management, external acquisition of technological know-how, human resource management in R&D and the external commercialization of technological knowledge. 

The course will include group work projects and comprehensive case study material on best practices in IP management in various industrial settings.

To top

Strategic sourcing

The old saying “a penny saved is a penny earned” (Benjamin Franklin) is as up-to-date as ever. The increasing value percentage of purchased goods, the opening up of global markets and the growing necessity to collaborate with suppliers already in the early phases of new product development underline supply management’s enormous leverage effect on overall company success. Supply management has thus become a key element in order to achieve competitive advantages. This part of the course will provide you with in-depth knowledge on supply management essentials and selected concepts from this field, e.g. strategic aspects of supply management and recent developments. You will be able to manage the triangle of “cost out, value in, managing risk” from a purchasing perspective – this is also useful for you if you pursue a career in marketing as you understand the “other side”. Future consultants and general managers will be able to see the enormous impacts on company results.

Logistics

Excellence in supply chain management has proven to be a key competitive edge for such firms as Dell, Walmart and Rio Tinto. In this part of the course, we will study three major aspects of supply chain management (SCM): firstly, strategic issues in SCM and the emergence of the Third Party logistics provider (3PL) business model. In this context, we will explore ways to quantify managerial flexibility inherent in production and logistics networks. Secondly, due to increasing levels of volatility, agility and responsiveness of supply chains have become top priority on corporate agendas. We provide a tool set to identify enablers of agility and determine the value of flexibility. Thirdly, sustainability of supply chains: issues in measuring, managing and communicating the carbon footprint will be explored.

To top

The lecture on Wealth Management introduces students to one of the banking sectors with increasing importance, the holistic advice for very wealthy private clients.

The focus will lie on:

1) a general introduction to Wealth Management

2) the description of different capital market and financial instruments

3) the specific needs of wealthy private clients

4) case examples that portrait various aspects of the daily life of an international Wealth Manager

To top