The first day of the course are designed as introduction lectures providing fundamental tools and skills essential for the consecutive modules and assignments.

After this introduction, students (organised in four teams of five) have to combine their knowledge of various economic fields and compete in diverse challenges occurring in the life cycle of a corporation.

Each of the modules consists of two parts:

• First, there will be a full session of theoretical input and the initial setting of the respective assignment.

• Second, student teams will have to apply those inputs to the given challenge and defend it in various ways in another session.

Students will also have the possibility to review their team members, so that free-riding can be avoided.

Modules will cover an intergrated performance measurement tool for an incumbent company, a challenge for an existing young company, a multidimensional quantitative scenario analysis for a real stock exchange-listed corporation, and a restructuring challenge.

In addition, students will master assignments which have to be prepared in between the core modules.

More detailed information will be provided during the introductory session.

After completing this course students will have the ability to:

• Deal with theoretical frameworks of various economic fields
• understand fundamental terms and issues in advanced business planning
• link and integrate business administration knowledge with challenges in a company life cycle
• cope with ambiguity
• structure complex and ill-defined problems
• have the ability to evaluate the market environment and react in different business situations
• justify their business decisions in front of a experienced jury

Apart from that, completing this course will contribute to students ability to:

• efficiently work and communicate in a team
• improve their oral and written communication and presentation skills
• learn to give and receive constructive feedback

Participants should be present at all modules.

The course will combine various learning methods to deliver the different topics to the students. These will include readings, open class discussions, team work, individual team coachings and presentations in front of practitioners, as well as field trips.

The final grade of the course will depend on:

• 40% Group performance in the modules I - III
• 40% Assignments I - IV
• 10% Exam about introduction lectures
• 10% Peer review

In-class participation, participation in team meeting sessions and peer reviews will be used for individual up- and downgrading.

Fundamentals courses of the first semester.

Michael König, michael.koenig@wu.ac.at 

Andreas Gfrerer, gandreas@wu.ac.at

Students will be provided with a compendium of articles, case materials and slides during the introduction lectures and the consecutive assignments.