RESEARCH PROPOSAL/PLAN IN CHINA

Branch of Research: MBA

1.0 PREAMBLE

MBA programme content

The Lancaster full-time MBA combines academic taught modules with three action-based consultancy
interventions, one in each term of the programme. These are complemented by two key strands
focusing on personal development: the Mindful Manager and the MBA Career Management
Programme, both running throughout the full year.

2.0 CORE MODULES

2.1 First Term

The core modules in the first two terms of the Lancaster MBA give you the building blocks for your later
elective and project work.

These first term modules provide essential knowledge and skills in areas which may be entirely new to
you, or a welcome refresher in more familiar areas.

Accounting – provides the fundamental principles of financial accounting to enable you to analyse
published financial statements, including balance sheets, profit and loss accounts, funds flows and
group accounts.
Analysing Business Decisions – an introduction to various commonly used tools of statistical analysis
and modelling which can be used to help support management decision-making and to forecast likely
outcomes.

Finance – takes a practical look at the basics of corporate financial management. It covers issues such
as cash budgeting and financial planning, stakeholder value, investment appraisal, raising capital, risks
and returns, capital structures, leasing analysis, mergers and acquisitions and the management of
working capital.

Marketing – the marketing framework as a way of discovering and meeting customer needs. Introduces
consumer behaviour, marketing research, products, distribution channels, promotion, pricing decisions
and marketing programming.

Operations and Process Management – shows how properly managed operations can be a source of
competitive advantage. This module covers issues relevant to both manufacturing and service
companies, including their strategic impact.

Organisational Behaviour and its Applications – factors underlying people's behaviour in organisations
based on research into organisations drawn from the fields of psychology, sociology and anthropology.

The Mindful Manager – focuses on the process of management and aims to build the skills, self-
awareness and teamwork competence needed to perform effectively as a manager at the most senior
levels.

New Venture Challenge – over a ten-week period you will work in a team with a start-up company to
produce a business plan for the company, researching the market, developing a marketing strategy and
considering how the business might be organised and financed in the future. It allows you to take an
early integrated view of all aspects of business, practise project management skills and understand the
particular challenges facing small businesses.

2.2 Second Term

The core modules in the second term take an increasingly strategic focus. The Mindful Manager
module is continued throughout this term.

Strategic Management – strategy is at the core of any MBA, and this module takes both an analytical
and practical perspective on strategy development.

Managing IT in Organisations – provides a broad but critical introduction to IT and its relevance to
modern organisations, looking at how IT can be used to support and create strategic choices.

Business Economics – serves as an introduction to the economist's view of competitive and co-
operative behaviour. You will be introduced to consumption and production theory, market forces, the
dynamics of business growth and multinational enterprises.

Global Society and Responsible Management – explores the ethical, social, developmental and
ecological implications of international management strategies.
The Consultancy Challenge – in this four-week module you are introduced to various consultancy skills
and conceptual thinking tools. You then work in teams on client-based projects, analysing a problem
situation faced by the organisation and making recommendations as to how that situation could be
managed. 

Leading Change – requires you to re-examine the recommendations made to your client in your
Consultancy Challenge report and to understand how implementation might follow.

International Business in Context – here you leave Lancaster and the UK on an intensive one-week
study tour to an unfamiliar emerging economy, where you can experience for yourself the challenges
and opportunities such economies present for businesses. (Costs for the visit are included within the
programme fee.)

3.0 MBA ELECTIVES

The MBA elective programme is where the two different modes of MBA study at Lancaster – the Full-
time and the Executive MBA – converge.* Mixing with participants from the other programme will
provide you with a richer experience and help you to further extend your networking.

MBA electives are condensed modules, each comprising 24 hours of teaching. You choose which
electives you wish to study, enabling you to mix and match elective courses to suit your interests.**

The subjects offered reflect some of the key areas of expertise within LUMS, and allow you to build a
specialism, for example, in finance, marketing or strategy.

Full-time MBA

Full-time MBA students undertake three assessed electives during their programme. There may also be
opportunities to attend a limited number of additional electives on a non-assessed basis.

Executive MBA

Executive MBA students undertake two assessed electives and may undertake a maximum of another
two non-assessed electives.