Enables students to become informed users of financial information by understanding the language of accounting and financial reporting. Focuses on the three major financial statements that companies prepare for use of management and external parties--the balance sheet, the income statement, and the statement of cash flows. Examines the underlying concepts that go into the preparation of these financial statements as well as specific accounting rules that apply when preparing financial statements. Also looks at approaches to analyze the financial strength and operations of an entity. Uses actual financial statements to understand how financial information is presented and to apply analysis techniques.
Designed to provide students with an understanding of the fundamental marketing concepts and their application by business and non-business organizations. The goal is to expose students to these concepts as they are used in a wide variety of settings, including consumer goods firms, manufacturing and service industries, and small and large businesses. The course gives an overview of marketing strategy issues, elements of a market (company, customers, and competition), as well as the fundamental elements of the marketing mix (product, price, placement/distribution, and promotion).
Initially, the emphasis is on understanding the challenges confronting leaders and developing skills to effectively deal with these obstacles. Beyond intelligence and technical know-how, what separates effective leaders from other team members is a set of social skills (e.g. impression management, self-awareness). This course identifies these critical leadership skills and provides ideas and tools for improving them. Then, the course considers how social intelligence skills fit the needs of managers at different stages of their careers. In early stages, managers need to achieve a good person-job fit, find mentors, and build an effective social network. At the mid-career stage, managers need to lead an effective unit with increasing complexity and responsibilities. Finally, the course examines challenges managers face at later career stages as they become partners, CFOs, CEOs, etc.
This course provides students with a rigorous foundation in capital markets and investments, emphasizing asset valuation from an applied perspective. It covers valuation techniques for financial securities, essential to portfolio management and risk management applications. Key topics include arbitrage, the term structure of interest rates, portfolio theory, diversification, equilibrium asset pricing models such as the CAPM, market efficiency and inefficiencies, performance evaluation, analysis of common pooled investment vehicles, behavioral finance, and tax-aware investment strategies. Through interactive activities, case studies, and simulations utilizing real-world market data, students will acquire analytical skills and foundational knowledge required for advanced finance courses and practical roles within the investment industry.
This course is not a traditional business law survey class. This course is an application oriented class that provides the business professional with an understanding of certain critical legal concepts that are an integral part of the decision-making process for a business enterprise to operate effectively in the United States. The purpose of this course is to provide the student with a framework that will enable the student to identify legal issues that arise in a variety circumstances during the life cycle" of the business enterprise beginning with the formation of the business enterprise through the dissolution of the business enterprise through sale or bankruptcy. This course will focus primarily on the legal regime in the United States, although the laws of other jurisdictions will be noted where appropriate. The course is highly interactive - legal principles will be imparted as students seek to identify legal issues arising in actual business situations. Daily student class participation is a significant element of the course and will account for 30% of the student grade. "
Branding has become a hot topic. Many companies realize that they need to understand the financial value of their corporate brand and its products; manage brands strategically; and deliver implementations to customers that are relevant, differentiated and powerful to build an emotional bond and loyalty.This course shows you how this can be done. It familiarizes you with best practices in branding, from iPod and the launch of the Dove Campaign for Real Beauty to successful branding initiatives in financial, pharmaceutical, consumer goods, entertainment and a wide range of other companies.We will focus on three topics: brand strategy and valuation; visual identity and experiential branding; and organizational branding issues. You will be asked to complete a couple of individual exercises and homeworks during the course and be part of a final group project. No midterm. No final.The course is unique in many ways. First, it will be fun. Second, just like the topic itself, you will learn how to combine analytical and strategic thinking with creative development of ideas and implementations. You will be exposed to lots of cases of successful and some unsuccessful branding campaigns so that you learn what to do and what not to do in your own job. You will learn about frameworks and concepts and be equipped with methodologies and tools to manage a branding project. You will meet people from the branding industry, both from within companies and from external service suppliers, such as corporate identity firms, packaging designers, advertising firms and brand agencies. Finally, you will be participating in a group project that will bring it all together, focusing on a specific company of your choice.Hope to see you in the fall. If you would like additional information on my own brand, check out www.MeetSchmitt.com."
The objectives of this course are to learn some key lessons about starting and running an entrepreneurial company, and to learn about the state of entrepreneurship in South Africa. The essence of the course will be our guest speakers, through whom we will learn not only about their personal experiences and lessons, but about entrepreneurship in general. Our guest speakers will be South African entrepreneurs from a wide variety of business sizes and backgrounds. In addition, we will have guest speakers from the local government and the leading business school. There will be a hands on project to be done with local South African entrepreneurs that will require preparation before leaving for Cape Town and a report to follow afterward.
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Climate science informs us that global emissions of greenhouse gas emissions must be rapidly and dramatically reduced if humanity is to avoid catastrophic climate change. After three centuries of rising emissions, the entire global economy must now decarbonize in the coming three decades. Fortunately, most of the technologies and investment capital necessary to reduce and eventually eliminate emissions exist or are in development, but the urgency to implement those solutions is critical.
This course provides an overview of climate change, its effects on business, and how businesses can (and should) respond. The course covers emissions sources and their impact on climate change, followed by an exploration of the policy landscape, including current legislation, carbon markets, and climate justice. The course then evaluates current and evolving mitigation technologies, reviews the tools of climate finance, and considers strategies for reducing emissions to net zero. Finally, the course introduces the role of businesses in addressing climate change, including net-zero goals, actions they can take to mitigate their impact, and the perspectives of shareholders.
Throughout the course, the business case for climate action is emphasized, highlighting the economic benefits of taking action to address climate change.
Tunisia, the birthplace of the Arab Spring, was a crossroads of many civilizations from its indigenous Berber population to the Phoenicians who founded Carthage in 814 BC, to the Romans who destroyed Carthage in 146 BC after three Punic wars, to the Arabs introducing Islam and Arabic in the 7th century, to the Turkish Ottomans who ruled Tunisia from 1574 to 1881, and more recently to the French who occupied Tunisia from 1881 to 1956. This melting pot of more than 3000-year history is what distinguishes Tunisia from other countries in the Middle East and North Africa. Because of its free trade agreements with Europe and several countries in Africa and the Middle East, Tunisia can potentially become a gateway to a market of more than a billion people. As Tunisia is still going through profound political changes following the initial upheaval of the Arab Spring in 2011, there are many questions that await. Will Tunisia transition to a stable democracy? Will it be able to create a business environment that is attractive to investors? If so, what investment opportunities exist in Tunisia? What are the risks involved and the future challenges? And, how best to enter such a market? The course will explore these questions with a focus on the entrepreneurship ecosystem and doing business in Tunisia. The course project involves working closely with start-ups from Africa. The project provides a truly immersive, multicultural experience where students will partner, mentor, coach, and interact with young entrepreneurs, both online and offline. Travel to Tunis will take place prior the class meetings, October 12-18, 2025. A predeparture meeting will take place on Tuesday, September 30 12:30-2:00pm to prepare students for the pre travel assignment and week of travel. This class will follow the A term add/drop period. No program fee refunds will be given after the add/drop period has closed. Upon return from Tunisia, the class will meet for 6 weeks during the fall B term; students will continue to work on their projects during this time as well. Global Immersion Program classes bridge classroom lessons and business practices in another country. These three credit classes combine half a term in New York with a one week visit to the country of focus where students will meet with business executives and government officials while working on team projects. The 2025-2026 Global Immersion Program mandatory fee for all classes is $2100 and provides students with double occupancy lodging, ground transportation and some meals. It does
This immersive course explores the dynamic tech landscape of Africa, with a special focus on Nairobi, Kenya. Known as "Silicon Savannah," Nairobi has emerged as a leading hub for innovation, startups, and technological advancement on the continent. The city is renowned for its vibrant tech ecosystem, which includes pioneering initiatives like M-Pesa, the revolutionary mobile money transfer service that has transformed financial inclusion across Africa. Throughout the course, we will delve into various facets of the African tech scene. We will learn about the historical evolution of technology in Africa and how Nairobi has become a pivotal center for tech innovation. The course will cover a broad spectrum of sectors where technology is making a significant impact, such as financial technology (FinTech), agriculture technology (AgriTech), healthcare technology (HealthTech), and educational technology (EdTech). The class will compose of a mixture of lectures that provide theoretical foundations and case studies and guest lectures from industry leaders. The in-country portion will have visits to tech hubs, startups, and multinational companies. M-Pesa will not only serves as a case study in the transformative power of mobile technology but also illustrates how African solutions can lead the way in global tech innovation. The course also aims to address the unique challenges faced by tech startups in Africa, such as regulatory hurdles, infrastructure limitations, and cultural factors affecting tech adoption. The class will allow students to identify and analyze these challenges while exploring the abundant opportunities within the African tech market. Ultimately, the course seeks to critically evaluate the impact of technology on economic and social development in Africa, fostering a deep understanding of how innovative solutions are driving progress across the continent. Please note this class will meet in the A term, and travel to Kenya will take place during December 6-13, 2025. A predeparture meeting will be held on November 20 during the lunch break. The 2025-2026 Global Immersion Program mandatory fee for all classes is $2100 and provides students with double occupancy lodging, ground transportation and some meals. It does not cover roundtrip international airfare. Attendance both in New York and in-country and regular participation are a crucial part of the learning experience and as such attendance is mandatory. Students who miss the first class meeting may be removed from the course. No program fee refunds
Brazil is the largest national economy in Latin America, and the world's tenth largest. It is one of the world's leading producers and exporters of food, it has become self-sufficient in energy thanks to the development of ethanol and deep-sea drilling and has a sizeable and well-developed consumer market. It is also a stable and peaceful democracy. However, it is a complex economy with large inequalities and systemic deficiencies in infrastructure, education, and basic services. After a spurt of healthy and resilient growth for more than a decade, the economy is facing serious headwind lately. Most of Brazil’s problems, however, are self-inflicted and can be corrected. The purpose of the Global Immersion Program is to understand the sources and the challenges impacting current and future growth in the Brazilian economy, identify business opportunities that appear as the country grows and, through your research towards the final project, gain in-depth knowledge and become an “expert” in an aspect of Brazilian business and economics that particularly interests you. Global Immersion Program classes bridge classroom lessons and business practices in another country. These three credit classes meet for half a term in New York prior to a one week visit to the country of focus where students will meet with business executives and government officials while working on team projects. Upon return from the travel portion of the class, students will have a wrap up meeting at Columbia Business School. The course consists of six 1.5-hour sessions in New York during the first six weeks of Fall 2025 semester before traveling to Brazil. There will be a follow-up post-visit class for 2 hrs on a Friday in the B term.. We will be visiting companies and meeting with business leaders in Sao Paulo and Rio de Janeiro. Attendance and regular participation both in New York and Brazil are a crucial part of the learning experience and as such attendance is mandatory. Students who miss the first class meeting may be removed from the course. No program fee refunds will be given after the add/drop period has closed. Travel to Brazil will take place October 12-18, 2025 to Sao Paulo and Rio de Janeiro. The 2024-2025 Global Immersion Program mandatory fee for all classes is $2100 and provides students with double occupancy lodging, ground transportation and some meals. It does not cover roundtrip international airfare. Attendance both in New York and in-country and regular participation are a crucial part of the learn
This course provides an opportunity to learn about family enterprise, the predominant form of business worldwide, along with stakeholdership, sustainability, and innovation, through theory and practice that goes far beyond a typical class experience. Students will delve into the driving forces behind these timely issues, with specific focus on the Nordic region as a leader in each area. After a series of classroom sessions in NYC, students will travel to Sweden and Denmark, countries that are not only major players in the Nordics but also vibrant economies, innovative business environments, leaders in social enterprise, and consistent (positive) outliers on global "happiness" ratings. Other unique regional issues include current challenges caused by immigration shifts, transition from the Nordic model, and strong governance norms. English language fluency and relative openness and transparency about family and business provide an open window into personal experience and insights not always available elsewhere. Through site visits with principals, business executives, and experts at start-ups, foundations, and family businesses, students will have a chance to ask questions and compare notes on doing business, being family, and leading innovation with a sustainable focus in another part of the world. There is no better way to learn about family enterprise innovative business models than at the source. The trip will also provide an opportunity for students to travel with their peers and exchange ideas about the cross-cultural experience as it is happening. For this course, the Nordic region is defined as Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Sweden, and Norway. There will be six 90-minute sessions on campus during the A term, followed by a weeklong trip October 12 - 17, 2025, and a de-brief session after the trip. Course objectives are: • Increase understanding of the global role and importance of family enterprises through in-depth focus on the Nordic region. • Experience "behind the scenes" looks and engage in open discussions with family principals, owners and next generation members • Learn about cutting edge innovation and sustainable social enterprise, including in the family office context. •Explore stakeholdership in the region that was at the forefront of developing this vision of business. • Provide point of comparison to cultures in which students live and work. • Examine aspects of ownership and governance, including the Nordic industrial foundation. Global Immersion Program classes
Some of the questions that we examine include: What have been the main sources of growth for the UAE? What are the initiatives the government has taken to diversify the economy away from oil and to promote growth? What drives the dynamism of the UAE’s business environment and where do future opportunities lie? What role does the UAE play in global business, and how is this role evolving? How does the UAE collaborate (and compete) with Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and its other Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) neighbors? What role might the UAE play in students' post-CBS careers and personal lives? The course will consider the UAE’s business landscape from three lenses: (1) enterprises focused on the UAE, (2) UAE-based enterprises serving the GCC and MENA region, and (3) global investors and businesses based in the UAE. To what extent is business in the UAE unique, and to what extent is it the same as business elsewhere? The group will be based in Dubai with day trips to Abu Dhabi and other emirates. During our week in the UAE, we plan to visit key institutions that help shape the business and financial environment in the country. During our on-campus sessions before we travel, we have guest practitioners share their expert perspectives on the UAE and the broader GCC region. Travel to Dubai and Abu Dhabi will take place October 11-18, 2025. The 2025-2026 Global Immersion Program mandatory fee for all classes is $2100 and provides students with double occupancy lodging, ground transportation and some meals. It does not cover roundtrip international airfare. Attendance both in New York and in-country and regular participation are a crucial part of the learning experience and as such attendance is mandatory. Students who miss the first class meeting may be removed from the course. No program fee refunds will be given after the add/drop period has closed. Please visit the Chazen Institute website to learn more about the Global Immersion Program, and visit the Global Immersion Policies page to review policies affecting these courses. Only second year students may participate in Global Immersion Program fall courses; please note exams scheduled during this week may be rescheduled and papers due during that week are expected to be turned in by their due date. Please note all international travel involves risk. We do not control the cities and companies we visit. We try our best to plan a safe trip with positive experience. However, if your tolerance for risk or uncertainties is low, GIP is not for you.
The Independent Study is available to students who would like to explore a significant research problem related to their professional needs; the nature and extent of this independent study are determined by the student and a faculty sponsor. In certain instances, professional work at an internship or other engagement may be appropriate for academic credit through the Independent Study; this should also be determined with the guidance of a faculty member.For the Independent Study, students are required to meet with the faculty sponsor a minimum of two times: once, for an initial planning discussion, and again in the middle of the semester to confirm that the project is on track. The student must provide written confirmation of this second meeting, signed by the faculty sponsor, to the Office of Student Affairs. Students are expected to commit to the original project plan approved by the faculty sponsor; any change to the topic or scope of the project must be agreed to by the professor prior to the midpoint of the semester. Students who fail to obtain this approval risk not receiving academic credit for the course.The student may register for an independent study only once in a term; the course may be taken for either 1.5 or 3 credits. The independent study is designed to be independent of the classroom experience; it may not be used asa means of adding a seat to a course with a full capacity.No more than six credits of Independent Study will be counted toward the MBA degree. (For dual degree students, the maximum number of independent study credits is 3.) The number of allowable Independent Study credits may be lower if the student has also taken B9002 Field Studies or cross-registered. For details, follow the degree requirements links at the bottom of the screen.Students should bring a completed Independent Study Application form, signed by the faculty sponsor, to the Office of Student Affairs prior to registration for the course.
The Independent Study is available to students who would like to explore a significant research problem related to their professional needs; the nature and extent of this independent study are determined by the student and a faculty sponsor. In certain instances, professional work at an internship or other engagement may be appropriate for academic credit through the Independent Study; this should also be determined with the guidance of a faculty member.For the Independent Study, students are required to meet with the faculty sponsor a minimum of two times: once, for an initial planning discussion, and again in the middle of the semester to confirm that the project is on track. The student must provide written confirmation of this second meeting, signed by the faculty sponsor, to the Office of Student Affairs. Students are expected to commit to the original project plan approved by the faculty sponsor; any change to the topic or scope of the project must be agreed to by the professor prior to the midpoint of the semester. Students who fail to obtain this approval risk not receiving academic credit for the course.The student may register for an independent study only once in a term; the course may be taken for either 1.5 or 3 credits. The independent study is designed to be independent of the classroom experience; it may not be used asa means of adding a seat to a course with a full capacity.No more than six credits of Independent Study will be counted toward the MBA degree. (For dual degree students, the maximum number of independent study credits is 3.) The number of allowable Independent Study credits may be lower if the student has also taken B9002 Field Studies or cross-registered. For details, follow the degree requirements links at the bottom of the screen.Students should bring a completed Independent Study Application form, signed by the faculty sponsor, to the Office of Student Affairs prior to registration for the course.