Uważam, że najważniejszą rolę na studiach EMBA odgrywa zaangażowanie studentów i wykładowców we wspólne zajęcia. Chęć dzielenia się pomysłami, doświadczeniem z różnych branż i dziedzin.

Łukasz Porawski
uczestnik studiów EMBA w Poznaniu

Meetings

Executive MBA takes 2 years to complete. Meetings are held once in a month, on average, from 3 to 9 p.m. on Fridays, from 8.30 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturdays, and from 8.30 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Sundays. The curriculum is composed of 20 modules, each comprising a minimum of 26 class hours scheduled over a single weekend. 

Language

  • up to 100% of coursework is in English.

ECTS credits

The study programme contains 61 ECTS credits. Each module is 3 ECTS credits, strategic project - 4 ECTS credits.

The teaching methods

The teaching methods used include: lectures, case studies, individual and group presentations, workshops and exercises,
simulation and computer games, personality tests, discussions, individual consultations.

Course materials

Prior to a session/meeting, the participants are provided, free of charge, with a complete package of course materials. The content is supplied by respective instructors and is specific to each course. Each pack includes:

  • a module description
  • the course leader’s career résumé

Depending on the course, the package may contain some or all of the following:

  • instructor-supplied content
  • digests
  • examples and exercises for self-study
  • case studies
  • readings in theory
  • legal acts
  • questionnaires
  • tests.

WSB University has created a collection of professional readings recommended by Polish and international instructors. Students can also use the WSB library and reading rooms as well as the Internet-based student portal called Extranet.

Extranet is the WSB Universities’ in-house communication solution – an internet-based platform that has been developed to cut down on red tape and streamline the flow of information to and from our students. Using the Extranet, students can be in 24/7 contact with their WSB University and, from wherever they are in the world, access such information as:

  • class schedules
  • tuition payment information
  • course materials
  • the library catalog
  • notifications of class rescheduling, announcements, and breaking news.

Administrative support

To make your study experience even more enjoyable and care-free, effective support from the cohort manager and the EMBA Program Office staff is available at all times:

  • Aleksandra Charyna – Executive MBA in Poznan Program Director
  • Dagmara Dziel
  • Paulina Kowalczyk.

Completion requirements

Class attendance is obligatory. Classes are designed to combine:

  • learning through direct contact with instructor-expert
  • intense cooperation with other Program participants
  • participating in in-class discussions and in group tasks
  • sharing one’s knowledge and skills with others.

Every module ends with a final written assignment, to be prepared according to the requirements and guidelines set by the instructor at the beginning of the course. Among the criteria they may evaluate are student’s involvement, individual and group presentations, group tasks reports, written case studies analyses, individual tests and written assignments.

Degree

Executive MBA program graduates receive a dual degree - a diploma issued by the WSB University in Poznań and endorsed by SBS Swiss Business School.

To earn the degree, a student must successfully complete 20 modules and a business management project. Along with the degree award certificate, a transcript is provided detailing all modules completed and grades earned along with the names of module leaders and their home institutions.

In addition, Executive MBA program graduates receive a completion certificate of a postgraduate course in business management from the WSB University in Poznan. 

STRATEGIC MANAGEMENT

This course focuses on the issues of strategic management, building on and integrating the various components of the EMBA program to develop an understanding of the strategy process. The course adopts a general management outlook rather than that of a domain expert. In its essence, strategy is centered on aligning a company’s distinctive strengths in such a way as to gain advantage over competitors. The strategist makes choices designed to create a tight fit among the internal business functions and the external environment. Strategic management tends to be broad, ambiguous, and subjective. Although some “strategic” models and techniques will be presented, it should be realized that the nature of strategy problems makes them difficult to capture, defying attempts at categorization, structuring and modeling, instead requiring creative approaches and insights. Accordingly, the course combines lectures with extensive reliance on the case study method to facilitate active and cooperative learning. The concepts and tools conveyed in this course will be subsequently applied to the Business Strategy Project.

STRATEGIC ANALYSIS

In a turbulent environment, it is not at all an easy task to strategically delineate the course of a company’s growth. A lot depends, in the first place, on whether its current strategic position is accurately defined, whether the target position reflecting the company’s aspirations is appropriately outlined and, last but not least, whether the opportunities and threats that may be encountered along the path are correctly identified. These are the questions that strategic analysis is preoccupied with, being the first stage of the strategic management process. The module primarily aims to acquaint students with selected methods of strategic analysis and the prerequisites for their effective application. This initial step, focused on the assessment of a company’s business environment, is where many organizations stray into cliché and routine. Hence, a significant part of the course is based on teamwork and is delivered in the form of workshops. Discussions held and experiences shared by representatives of diverse industries will ensure that the class stays on an objective track and that the students derive valuable insights and inspirations to take back into their professional fields.

STRATEGIC HUMAN RESOURCES MANAGEMENT

The Strategic Human Resources Management course exposes participants to the intersection between competitive strategy and international human resources management. People are now commonly seen one of the most, if not the most, important resources supporting the competitive strength of firms. Admittedly, the greatest challenges to effective people management are found in large multinational corporations operating across very different geographical, cultural and institutional environments. On completion of the course, the participants will understand the linkages between corporate strategy and human resources management (HRM), and the role of HRM in managing a global workforce. Further, the students will learn about how firms can apply HRM concepts and practices – such as performance management, talent management, or expatriation – to deploy their human capital globally, as well as how these can facilitate value creation through social architecture and change management.

PROJECT MANAGEMENT

This 26-hour course blends project management theory with the study of business cases based on actual projects run domestically and worldwide (Serbia, Germany, the United States). The module focuses on the skills of project planning and execution while at the same time highlighting effective utilization of organizational resources, including information resources. Having been introduced to the rudiments of project planning and scheduling, the students subsequently learn how to manage projects following classical approaches, Agile methodologies, and the critical chain method, as well as how to handle project risk. Their learning is immediately applied in performing teamwork assignments that involve the design of their own projects using a number of standard project management tools and drafting common project-related documents. As a result, on completion of the course the students will be able to schedule and execute projects of all types and at any level of complexity.

BUSINESS STRATEGY PROJECT

In this module, teams of participants work with a client company to develop analyses and practical recommendations related to a selected area of a company’s operations. Student teams utilize their newly acquired knowledge and skills to design novel solutions that are applicable in corporate settings. Project teams work under the supervision of a business project coach, who is both a faculty member and a business consultant with rich experience gained in an international environment. The project verifies that the students are able to incorporate their learning in a logical reasoning process and at the same time utilize it in addressing practical problems, developing viable solutions at both the strategic and operational management level. Further, the project is expected to foster their ability to effectively use analytical techniques in formulating management problems, presenting arguments, testing the validity of approaches and methods applied, and choosing the best problem solution.

DATA ANALYSIS FOR DECISION MAKING

Decision making in complex and volatile environments is today among the abilities that are seen as critical to business management. And perhaps no less important outside of business governance. This is because real world problems are becoming more and more difficult to tackle as the interconnectedness of relevant variables continues to increase. This module, in the first place, discusses modeling methods, such as decision trees or complex and systemic approaches, that can be applied to everyday situations. The course then investigates a number of approaches to visualizing complex decision problems, determining probabilities and financial results for different outcomes, as well as interpreting and ranking the outcomes. Further, specific recommendations for decision makers are formulated and offered at each step.

CORPORATE FINANCE

The module seeks to develop knowledge and skills that are key to corporate finance management. Om completion of the course the students will be able to make better decisions concerning the management of organizational operations, investments, and finances. The course is delivered through case studies and makes an extensive use of Microsoft Excel. The students learn to manage working capital, make financial plans, appraise the value of an enterprise, assess returns on corporate investments, estimate the cost of capital, or determine the viability of financial leverage.

MANAGEMENT ACCOUNTING AND CONTROL

The module offers students an insight into the latest concepts in management accounting and their applications in real business contexts. The students will learn to apply costing techniques across a variety of cost accounting systems, such as in particular job-order cost accounting, cost-plus pricing, total absorption costing, and activity-based costing. They will be able to interpret and use information generated by management accounting systems in operational decision making, particularly in areas involving high-cost items, e.g. in making “make or buy” decisions, pricing decisions, or product portfolio decisions. Further, they will be trained how to align corporate planning with the exercise of management control in different business domains, how to examine business results, and how to investigate deviations from plan.

ECONOMICS FOR EXECUTIVES

Success in business depends on how well managers handle a company’s resources in a volatile external environment. The module highlights one aspect of the external environment: the performance of the economy in which the company operates. A country’s economic performance is strongly conditional on policies that its government pursues and by the developments in global markets. Developments and uncertainties in the global economy drive fluctuations in key economic variables, such as growth rate, unemployment rate, inflation rate, interest rates, and exchange rates. The module equips students with an understanding of these variables and their impact on government policies, at the same time building an awareness of the international links that influence an economy’s performance. Following a brief introduction to economic instruments, the learning is applied to the interpretation of contemporary global developments. Once grasped, the knowledge is likely to improve each individual’s capacity to participate in national economic policy-making and support citizen involvement.

FINANCES FOR MANAGERS - FINANCIAL GAME

The PROGRESJA business simulation is an innovative and, above all, effective training tool. This form of training, through elements of competition and cooperation, motivates participants to develop new competencies. It is also a very flexible training formula which
responds to various needs of participants and helps them develop skills such as financial management, strategic thinking, effective teamwork or making conclusions based on available data. Participation in the game is a great opportunity to take on a new role in the organization and look at the company as an entirety. This allows you to better understand the processes occurring in other departments and their impact on the business situation of the company. The game itself takes about 60% of the time, the remaining part is devoted to summaries and references to real business conditions in which the participants function.
 

GLOBAL MARKETING

In this module students are furnished with marketing tools and insights they need to become effective business builders. This means engaging with the creative aspects of marketing while maintaining the analytical rigor that executives and entrepreneurs require to be able to assess performance and support investment. For those who already work in the capacity of marketing decision makers, the course will revisit the core concepts from a contemporary perspective, enabling them to further refine their thinking and sharpen their impact. Those who are new to marketing or simply are not marketing professionals will be exposed to ideas and concepts that are sure to come in handy at some point in their leadership roles. The course will ensure that they have the knowledge prerequisites to make them effective in making marketing decisions and in planning their marketing expenditures. The module shows marketing as a major driver of sales growth, and hence of enterprise value. The students will come to appreciate the fact that marketing, although it does encompass selling and advertising, too, is primarily concerned with the broader task of delivering on promises to customers by providing them with just the kind of products and services that best match their needs and expectations. Finally, the course demonstrates that the contribution of marketing efforts is measurable and should be measured at all times; it explores both standard and non-standard measurement tools.

OPERATIONS MANAGEMENT

Operations management concerns primarily the delivery of goods and services to the customer. On the one hand, it seeks to offer value to customers by providing them with superior products and services that are delivered in a timely fashion and that meet their diverse needs and requirements. On the other hand, it has to perform as cost-efficiently as possible. If these two functions are successfully performed in conjunction – i.e. customer value is provided in an efficient manner – operations can support long-term business goals. Operations management originates in the physical manufacturing environment, but is just as relevant in any other context: e.g. service delivery, public services, healthcare, knowledge/expert work, etc., where adherence to operations management principles can also bring multiple benefits. As a pre-course assignment, prior to the start of the module, the students analyze the operations of their own organizations. The actual course begins by looking at strategy issues and at how operations contribute to the “big picture”. Then it explores operations from three perspectives: that of operations network structures, focusing on positioning in the value chain (“make or buy” decisions, location decisions, roles within an operations network); that of operations management (with two aspects: processes and flows, the former focusing on Sales and Operations Planning, and the latter focusing on flows of materials and services, the value stream, flow efficiency, and the theory of constraints); and that of operations improvement (with Lean Thinking as a framework).

CROSS-CULTURAL MANAGEMENT

The impact of globalization and the rapidly changing business environment require managers and leaders to be effective and comfortable in developing and implementing ways to successfully perform in global markets and across national cultures. It also entails an ability to understand the impact of individual and cultural diversity on business models, strategies, as well as on customer preferences and employee performance. Successful leaders and managers will increasingly have to be capable of adapting their management and leadership styles to get the most of the people they lead and to capitalize on the opportunities that different cultures and global markets offer.

INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS

The module provides an overview of key issues, opportunities and challenges in international business. We shall assess globalisation and the consequent changes in firms’ operating environment, and analyse the needs to adjust firms’ strategies due to these changes. The module covers key concepts and principles of conducting business in the international dimension, including issues in various functions, such as marketing. Attention is paid to two topical themes: the potential changes in regional economic blocks and the management of international strategic partnerships. Purpose of the module is to a) present the most important forces affecting    international business today, b) evaluate various international strategies, and c) present the ways to organize, coordinate and control international activities.

Main contents: global business environment, internationalization and globalization of firms and industries, competitiveness, cultures, economic integration, international marketing and HRM.

ENTERPRENEURSHIP AND CORPORATE VENTURING

This course introduces students to the basic activities required to successfully manage an entrepreneurial enterprise. Topics include generating entrepreneurial ideas, assessing the potential of new ventures, developing business plans, attracting capital, and taking a business public. In addition, legal issues associated with new ventures will be discussed.

CAPSTONE MODULE – BUSINESS SIMULATION

The course sets out to present a number of state-of-the-art analytical methods, techniques and tools supporting business decision making. The innovative delivery mode based on a computerized market simulation will account for speedy transfer of knowledge into skills as well as for immediate implementation of learning in real business settings. The curriculum is plotted across four areas: strategic management, marketing management, sales management, and finance. The module is designed to emphasize the interrelationships between processes taking place in a enterprise. Its comprehensive, integrative approach to business management allows for a summation of learning in the MBA program and validates the actual benefits derived by the students.

MANAGEMENT COMMUNICATION

The module is focused on key communication strategies and skills that can be employed in managerial communications in a global workplace. While providing an introduction into the underlying theories of communication strategy, it proposes decision-making frameworks and analytical tools that can be applied to effectively plan, design and convey management messages. The module is highly interactive and task-oriented. The pre-course readings and assignments, case studies, and individual and team presentations will allow the students to practice the key concepts and theories outlined in the course. Peer and trainer feedback will give each student a clear picture of their personal communication behaviors, and an indication of what they can do to enhance their individual communication skills and habits.

ORGANIZATIONAL BEHAVIOR

“The soft stuff is the hard stuff,” said Jack Welsh, the former CEO of GE. “Soft stuff” stands for human skills, as opposed to “hard stuff” that is associated with quantifiable organizational functions, such as operations, manufacturing, finance, etc. The Organizational Behavior course is focused on coping with the “soft stuff.” More specifically, OB concerns the ability to influence four types of human actions critical to the success of any enterprise: productivity, absenteeism, turnover (employee attrition), and organizational citizenship behaviors (OCBs). Influencing these begins with self-awareness – an understanding of our own values, biases, behavioral tendencies, and attitudes.

LEADERSHIP AND CHANGE MANAGEMENT

Leadership is at the same time personal and collective effort. More specifically, leadership is about utilizing personal capabilities to influence, mobilize, motivate, and inspire others in collective settings such as teams and organizations. The goal of this course is to help the students grasp the basic theory of leadership as well as to identify and further develop their own leadership capabilities and skills. One of the key leadership abilities covered in this module is understanding and managing change. The course features a number of opportunities to learn and identify key leadership skills and potentials through self-assessment and through training exercises, its principal deliverable being a personal “Leadership Profile.” The Profile is intended not only as a piece of meaningful project work, but it is also supposed to provide a thorough and in-depth underpinning document that will guide long-term individual efforts at developing a personal leadership style.

MANAGING FOR CREATIVITY

The module aims to provide students with an increased understanding of creativity and innovation management as an inclusive strategic process, and to develop the leadership skills that will aid them in them carrying the process on from generation and conceptualization (the fuzzy front-end) to successful commercialization (optimization and implementation). The course covers the methods that effective organizations adopt in striving to streamline routines as well as to tackle disruptions to routine – by institutionalizing the ongoing conceptualization of new problems and opportunities, and by implementing new ideas and solutions into products, technologies, and procedures.

SERVICE BUSINESS & DESIGN

Designed to provide a set of effective tools for optimizing service operations, the module starts at the foundations with outlining the three-stage model of service consumption. To stress service quality as a key objective, the module dwells on concepts such as the Gap Model, Servqual, blueprinting, and the Critical Incident Technique. Further, the course covers essential Web-based tools for service quality measurement. Considering the general failure-proneness of service encounters, effective service recovery strategies are discussed next. Subsequently, the course brings up self-service technologies and artificial intelligence as major drivers of service innovation. Given the increasing prominence of technology for service delivery, the participants will also identify co-creation as an emerging trend in service innovation management. In line with the notion that services should provide customers with real problem solutions, the module then highlights customer value creation as a major strategic goal. In addition, customer centricity is introduced as an organizational precondition for the delivery of customer value. The module closes with a group ideation session on developing customer-centric service offerings.

Cooperation with Aalto University, Finland


Aalto Univesrity brings together participants from all of the hubs in the Aalto University Executive Education network. During a week’s stay in Helsinki or Singapore, the students complete one course module, meet local business leaders, and make lots of new 
business contacts. 
 

Cooperation with Franklin University, USA

We cooperate with Franklin University USA. Thanks this cooperation program participants can also take part in the MBA Study Tour to USA. The tour usually lasts 10 days and combines academic components with business practice. A study tour, with a tailor-made and curriculum-aligned itinerary, is organized every year for the benefit of students in MBA programs across the WSB Group. The students are hosted by Franklin University, USA, the Group’s strategic partner, attending lectures, meetings and workshops held on-campus while at the same time paying visits to assorted US companies. 

 

Off-campus module

The initial meeting is dedicated to induction and integration, and is therefore held off-campus. The WSB University covers all organizational expenses including meals and accommodation.

Networking

Networking with students and alumni of MBA programs is an unquestionable benefit of studying for the Executive MBA degree in Poznań. MBA programs in WSB University in Poznań has already been completed by managers from such companies as e.g.: Bank Zachodni WBK SA, GlaxoSmithKline Pharmaceuticals SA, Hewlett-Packard sp. z o.o., Johnson&Johnson sp. z o.o., Kraft Foods Polska sp. z o.o., NIVEA Polska, Philips Lighting Poland, PKO BP SA, Siemens sp. z o.o., Unilever Polska SA, Volkswagen Motor Polska sp. z o.o., Wrigley Poland sp. z o.o.

Graduation ceremony

Each year, the University holds an Executive MBA graduation ceremony. Attended by the schools’ authorities, instructors and honorable guests, the ceremony builds a pleasant and sublime atmosphere in which to confer the prestigious MBA degree on all successful graduates. 

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Informator MBA Poznań 2023