PwC Mini MBA

Corporate & Business Strategy

This module explores the concept of industry sectors and various methods for their analysis using practical examples. It uses the PESTEL framework (Politics, Economics, Social, Technology, Environment, and Legal) to examine business environments at national and international levels. The module transitions to concepts such as competition, competitive environment, and sector profitability, primarily using the Five Forces framework.

Key areas covered include entry barriers, switching costs for customers when changing brands, suppliers, or products, the bargaining power of suppliers and buyers, and the role of international organizations and governments in business sectors and competition.

Topics:

• Business sectors and types of business sector
• Evolution and mobility within different business sectors
• Business environment analysis on national and international levels (PESTEL)
• Competitive environment analysis (Five Forces theory)
• National competitive advantage (Porter's Diamond Theory of National Advantage)
• Forecasting

The module also focuses on strategy development. The primary objective is to analyze the competitive landscape and make strategic decisions based on the firm’s competencies and insights. This includes examining cost structures, differentiation from competitors, and forming strategic groups. The module covers strategic clocks and hybrid strategies, from classic models, such as the BCG Matrix to the product life cycle. It also emphasizes analyzing KPIs and the value chain.

Topics:

• How companies compete with each other
• Cost vs. differentiation
• Niche market strategies
• Strategic clocks
• Strategic group positioning
• BCG Matrix
• Product life cycle
• Critical success factors and KPIs
• Value chain analysis
• Resources and competencies

An integral part of this module is Business Process Mapping, which begins with an introduction to 21st century business practices and how companies have been transformed significantly since the late 20th century. This transformation is largely driven by technological advancements, the internet, interactivity, speed, virtual structures, and other factors.

The module covers the three levels of strategy—corporate, business, and functional—and the objectives each of these levels serves. It includes practical examples from well-known organizations to illustrate these concepts.

Innovation & Creative Thinking

The main objective of this module is to stimulate participants and make them think differently, learning the techniques required to think creatively towards  innovation; it helps participants believe that they can challenge the status quo at their organisation with ideas, and add more value by doing things better.

This can be achieved by helping participants understand that innovation is a necessary requirement for competitive advantage, not an option.

Creative thinking is a skill and there are techniques to develop this skill that  will be delivered in this workshop. This module also covers the importance of  capabilities and Business Intelligence as areas where innovation can be found.

Participants will be inspired:

• By thinking differently
• By learning techniques to think differently that can be applied daily
• By understanding how to generate ideas
• By understanding how to overcome  obstacles in their own areas
• By becoming supportive of innovation and “changes”  in general with their teams
• By making them understand how to screen ideas & implement them

Topics:

• Why innovate?
• Understanding innovation
• Challenges for innovating in the 21st century – the age of acceleration
• Innovation as a competitive advantage
• Obstacles towards innovating (exercise 1)
• Recognising and avoiding mental blocks and mindsets
• De-brief –  The critical success factors for innovation
• Culture & sharing
• Theoretical approaches – models
• The link between creative thinking & innovation

− Capabilities-based innovation

− From problem to solution

− Systematic inventive thinking

− In-class facilitation –  company focus

• Sharing ideas and collaborating
• Avoiding quick judgement
• Main takeaways

Operational Agility : Strategies for Efficiency 

The "Operational Agility: Strategies for Efficiency" module is a natural progression from the “Corporate and Business Strategy” module, designed to equip Mini-MBA participants with the requisite knowledge, skills, and tools essential for steering and overseeing high-performing, adaptable operations across diverse business landscapes.

This module explores in depth the day-to-day operational management and process optimisation within a business context. It delineates the distinction between strategic planning, product design, resource management, and quality enhancement, emphasizing the pivotal role of operations management in executing strategic objectives and ensuring organisational effectiveness.

It is dedicated to imparting practical insights and actionable strategies for crafting and implementing operations plans. Participants will gain a comprehensive understanding of how to translate strategic vision into operational reality.

By emphasizing the integration of operational tactics with strategic objectives, this module empowers participants to navigate the complexities of modern business environments with agility and proficiency, fostering a culture of continuous improvement and operational excellence.

Marketing in the Digital Age

Market positioning, combining off-line and on-line marketing tactics; social  media for businesses, the importance of content & video and finding the right  balance; Customer Relationship Management through software systems &  automation.

Marketing involves identifying the customer’s needs and wants and satisfying them through the appropriate “marketing mix”. Together with an analysis of the external environment (from a marketing viewpoint), customers and competitors, these will be the focus of this module. In addition, it should be noted that areas such as branding, internet marketing, marketing through social media and other concepts and ideas will be explored.

There is a dominant move in the market towards visualisation (videos) and content marketing and these will be explored along with other important trends. Participants should be able to use various marketing tools and theories in real life examples.

Topics:

• The process of marketing
• Marketing research
• Market positioning
• Customer segmentation
• Marketing mix (7 Ps) – special emphasis on price & distribution
• Branding (brand prism)
• Internet marketing
• Viral marketing
• 6 I’s theory
• CRMs and their benefits
• Adding value & loyalty and CSR
• Marketing & social media

The Enabled Organisation

This module explores the link between organisational structure and management effectiveness. It addresses key topics like complexity and change, and looks at the management skills needed to respond intelligently. It is based on the idea that more traditional management styles (that place an emphasis on command and control) are becoming less suited to a business environment where talent is mobile, innovation is essential and connection is everywhere. 

The module will challenge participants to explore the impact of change on themselves and on the people they manage. It will also look at the  importance of differentiating between  ‘performance’ and ‘contribution’ when  giving feedback and creating a more engaged workforce. 

The module will also identify and rehearse a set of skills (including coaching skills) that are aimed at helping staff cope with, and respond positively to, the changes they are facing.

Topics:

• The changing world of work
• The impact of organisational structure on our response to change
• Simplification and subsidiarity
• 5 Trends that need to be addressed
• The impact of change on staff
• The role that ‘Mindsets’ play in efficiency…and incompetence
• Management skills for a nimble organisation
• Coaching
• Communicating change effectively

Leadership in the 21st century

High-quality leadership is the hallmark of successful organisations. Some people have a natural talent for the role but good leadership can be learned through training, coaching and practice. The quality of the leadership in place through the ranks of an organisation will in large part determine the success of that organisation in the long term. It is therefore essential that anyone entrusted with a position and responsibility for leading people fully understands and appreciates what this leadership role requires of them in practice.

In this module, the emphasis is placed upon the leader as a person and on efforts to understand individuals and to create an environment where differences, new ideas, curiosity and innovation are encouraged and cultivated. Various dimensions of leadership will be analysed, with reflection  on the rapidly changing business environment and people’s needs.

Topics:

• Leadership challenges in the modern business environment
• Role modelling –  cultivating and embracing followers
• Leadership theories
• Understanding individuals
• Understanding conflict
• Team dynamics
• Leadership during the change
• The leader as motivator and visionary
• 5th level leadership
• Situational leadership

Accounting Basics  & Financial Management

This module attempts to provide the basic principles of Accounting & Finance as it includes the areas that people involved in business should be aware of, mainly at an understanding level (not necessarily synthesis).

It covers areas such as budgets, analysis of financial statements the concepts of assets, capital, profit, revenues, margin, dividends, cash flows and other items (see below).

Topics:

• Strategy and financial strategy
• The role of finance in modern companies
• Accounting and the accounting cycle
• Understanding financial statements:

− Income statement

− Balance sheet

− Cash flow

International financial reporting standards

Financial decisions

Vertical and trendline financial analysis

Ratio analysis:

− Profitability indicators

− Working capital indicators and management

− Liquidity indicators

• Investment Appraisals and time value of money
• Budgets, controlling budgets & understanding variances

Project Management in Everyday Business 

This module has been designed to provide understanding of the importance of project management methodology and approach in everyday business. The goal of the module is to help participants develop a unified approach towards project management challenges. It is also designed to help reduce the stress  associated with project management, and to increase the chances that the project will be completed on time, within budget to the required quality. In addition, through practical exercises, participants will learn about the most important project management tools and techniques and to compare theoretical models with their previous experience.

During the module we will focus on how to:

• Initiate, plan, execute, monitor and control, and close a project
• Understand and manage stakeholder requirements and expectations
• Manage a project in line with organisational strategy
• Understand the processes necessary for the successful completion of a project

Topics:

Introduction to project management – creating common language

• Roles and responsibilities
• Common challenges
• Working with project constraints

Project life cycle

• Initiating
• Planning
• Executing
• Monitoring and controlling
• Closing

Linking it All Together - Preparing a business plan or a business analysis plan

Through this module, the programme puts the pieces of the puzzle together. It is common knowledge that many programmes do not link modules  effectively, and many participants fail to understand when, how and where each module affects and is affected.

With the use of a business analysis map all participants will be able to understand  the logic behind the programme and the logic behind the organisation. The balanced scorecard will also be examined in attempting to evaluate the performance of organisations and finally a special section on how to be entrepreneurial will be delivered.

Cases will be introduced as base for a Harvard Case Study Assessment Paper.