Postgraduate Courses
IMBA
HKUST Executive MBA Program
The following courses are restricted to HKUST EMBA students only. All courses are graded HP/P/LP/U/Y.
- IMBA 5001Induction Program[0 credit]DescriptionThe induction program will involve both experiential learning and multidisciplinary learning.Experiential learning is the process of learning through reflection by doing. Two days of experiential learning will engage students to various activities and reflection in such a way to develop team leadership under a team of professional coaches. Another two days are set for multidisciplinary learning. Through participation in debate, discussion, and critical evaluation and comparison of different perspectives, students will witness firsthand the synergetic advantages posed by multidisciplinary learning.Intended Learning Outcomes
On successful completion of the course, students will be able to:
- 1.Develop self awareness and team leadership through experiential learning
- 2.Develop critical thinking towards business issues through multiple disciplinary learning
- 3.Develop case learning skills and knowledge
- IMBA 5020Capstone Management Strategy and Execution[2-0-0:2]Previous Course Code(s)IMBA 502Exclusion(s)MGMT 5410DescriptionThis course combines a case study and business simulation approach to illustrate strategic management, decision making, and strategy execution in a competitive environment. The students will participate in an intensive team simulation exercise to practise the knowledge they have learned from the HKUST EMBA core modules, including accounting, economics, finance, marketing, and so on.Intended Learning Outcomes
On successful completion of the course, students will be able to:
- 1.Identify the differences between strategy formulation and execution.
- 2.Explain the relations between different tactical decisions.
- 3.Compare and contrast different analytical tools and their applications.
- 4.Compare and contrast the options available to a business in view of the global trends.
- 5.Formulate, analyze, and execute a strategy for a virtual company.
- 6.Explain how the performance of a company should be assessed and tied to the design and execution of competitive strategies.
- IMBA 5030Accounting Foundations[1-0-0:1]Previous Course Code(s)IMBA 503Exclusion(s)ACCT 5100, ACCT 5150DescriptionProvides essential foundation tools of financial accounting and analysis from a management perspective, including balance sheets, income statements, cash flow statements, accrual concepts, revenue and expense recognition, asset and liability accounting.Intended Learning Outcomes
On successful completion of the course, students will be able to:
- 1.Construct and interpret both a balance sheet and an income statement.
- 2.Construct and interpret a statement of cash flows.
- 3.Define the process of accounting and the links among the three primary financial statements.
- 4.Use standard financial statement analysis tools and interpret the outputs from those analysis tools.
- 5.Apply the financial accounting rules that exist in the following areas: Revenue recognition, Inventory, Long-term assets, Leases, Investment securities, and Fair value accounting.
- 6.Discuss accounting issues and solve accounting problems in a time-constrained group setting.
- 7.Intelligently discuss the ethical dimensions of a variety of accounting-related business problems.
- 8.Discuss the ongoing internationalization of financial accounting.
- IMBA 5040Managerial Economics[1-0-0:1]Previous Course Code(s)IMBA 504Exclusion(s)ECON 5110DescriptionThis course focuses on understanding individual economic behavior, competition, and market characteristics that are relevant to business and management.Intended Learning Outcomes
On successful completion of the course, students will be able to:
- 1.Understand consumer demand and analyze key trade-offs of different pricing strategies according to industry or market conditions.
- 2.Analyze strategic decisions and competitors’ interactions using basic game theoretic methods.
- 3.Examine the impact of asymmetric information on markets and firm decisions.
- 4.Investigate the linkage between firms’ internal organization and strategies in the market.
- IMBA 5050Marketing Strategy[1-0-0:1]Previous Course Code(s)IMBA 505Exclusion(s)MARK 5120DescriptionStrategic marketing decision making at the corporate, business, and functional levels affecting competitive advantage and long- and short-term performance of the firm. Strategic analysis, strategic planning across life cycle stages, implementation and control.Intended Learning Outcomes
On successful completion of the course, students will be able to:
- 1.Define marketing orientation, and identify and manage obstacles to a company's adopting marketing orientation and marketing innovation.
- 2.Analyze markets by identifying and classifying market segments, and create markets by inventing new segments.
- 3.Examine distribution channels, diagnose bottlenecks in distribution and select among alternative distribution alternatives based on market situation and stage of development.
- 4.List alternative ways to improve sales performance and propose sales improvement programs for a company.
- 5.Calculate marketing ROI and calculate the sales revenue increase that will justify increases in marketing spending.
- 6.Calculate the profit impact of price changes and calculate the sales revenue changes necessary or acceptable subsequent to price decrease or increase.
- 7.List, select and propose for a company a variety of non-mathematical pricing techniques.
- 8.Diagnose brand strengths and weaknesses and plan branding change programs.
- 9.Describe the key force/laws underlying the digital revolution driving change for companies, industries and economies.
- 10.Distinguish between timeless principles and those that are subject to constant change.
- IMBA 5060Accounting for Decision Making and Control[1-0-0:1]Previous Course Code(s)IMBA 506Exclusion(s)ACCT 5210DescriptionThis course covers the use of accounting information in decision-making, planning, control, and performance evaluation for managers of the corporation. It also discusses the use of accounting information in valuation and credit analysis for users external to the corporation.Intended Learning Outcomes
On successful completion of the course, students will be able to:
- 1.Interpret and explain cost concepts and related terms.
- 2.Interpret cost-volume-profit analysis.
- 3.Figure a product's cost and price it.
- 4.Apply core managerial accounting information to strategic decision making.
- 5.Identify the internal budgeting process.
- 6.Construct cost management tools such as Activity-Based Costing.
- 7.Organize managerial accounting information to conduct performance evaluations.
- 8.Identify managerial accounting information as a competitive tool.
- IMBA 5070Corporate Finance[1-0-0:1]Previous Course Code(s)IMBA 507Exclusion(s)FINA 5120DescriptionExplores the strategic financial decisions an organization makes for value creation. The topics include an analysis of capital spending, capital structure, risk management, financial statement analysis and forecasting, corporate restructuring, and understanding and impact of financial institutions on financial decisions.Intended Learning Outcomes
On successful completion of the course, students will be able to:
- 1.Identify key issues and problems in the management of financial resources of a profit oriented firm.
- 2.Make use of financial tools, concepts and techniques to propose solutions/recommendations to problems identified.
- 3.Assess the impact of the various managerial decisions on corporate financial performance.
- 4.Relate financial decisions with a company's business policy and strategies.
- IMBA 5090Management of Organizations[1-0-0:1]Previous Course Code(s)IMBA 509Exclusion(s)MGMT 5230DescriptionThe course aims to give participants a thorough understanding of the strengths and weaknesses of key ideas in the development of thinking about management and leadership. We cover Scientific Management, Human Relations Management, Open Socio-technical Systems, Lawrence and Lorsch’s Contingency Theory of Organization, and the Harvard / McKinsey 7S Model. Students will leave the course understanding the relevance of all of these ideas to modern thinking about management, leadership and organization in both China and ‘the west’.Intended Learning Outcomes
On successful completion of the course, students will be able to:
- 1.Critique the strengths and weaknesses of different management models in the development of thinking about management and leadership.
- 2.Evaluate the relevance of those models to modern thinking about management, leadership and organization.
- 3.Think flexibly in action in different business situations.
- 4.Apply the most appropriate model in the development of management and leadership.
- IMBA 5100Statistical Decision Analysis[1-0-0:1]Previous Course Code(s)IMBA 510Exclusion(s)ISOM 5510DescriptionThis course introduces the applications of elementary probability theory in business decision-making under the conditions or uncertainty and explores the method of regression analysis and the use of sample data for the purpose of modeling, estimating, forecasting, and decision-making.Intended Learning Outcomes
On successful completion of the course, students will be able to:
- 1.Simplify a complex business situation in order to analyze it better and to recognize what are the most important variables and uncertainties affecting the situation.
- 2.Identify the most important techniques to analyze and make decisions.
- 3.Handle risk and uncertainty when making business decisions.
- 4.Recognize the most common flaws and biases in decision making (what is currently called "Behavioral Decision Making").
- 5.Describe the most common methodologies to make forecasts in a company.
- IMBA 5110Operations Management[1-0-0:1]Previous Course Code(s)IMBA 511Exclusion(s)ISOM 5700DescriptionThis course introduces the core concepts in operations. The two central themes we discuss in the course include how operation improvement can lead to value creation, and what key levers improve business process flows.Intended Learning Outcomes
On successful completion of the course, students will be able to:
- 1.Design an operations approach that fits company strategy.
- 2.Analyze and evaluate an operational process.
- 3.Apply principles of lean operations and supply chain management.
- IMBA 5120Managing Emerging Technologies[1-0-0:1]Previous Course Code(s)IMBA 512Exclusion(s)ISOM 5020DescriptionThis course provides a managerial overview of several cornerstone technologies, including blockchain, business analytics, and fintech, that fuel this digital transformation. We will provide students with a solid technical foundation and working knowledge of these new technologies and how they interact with each other to transform businesses. Analysis will be drawn from exemplary cases to develop guidance and insights on how to strategically utilize and manage these new technological innovations.Intended Learning Outcomes
On successful completion of the course, students will be able to:
- 1.Describe the technological foundation of blockchain and smart contract.
- 2.Compare and contrast the differences between cryptocurrency and fiat currency and physical commodity.
- 3.Compare and contrast different types of blockchains in terms of the degree of trust and decentralization and their applications.
- 4.Compare and contrast big data and general business analytics applications.
- 5.Explain the concept, and strengths and weaknesses of different analytic techniques.
- 6.Identify factors that facilitate the emergence of fintech.
- 7.Compare and contrast different fintech strategies and applications.
- IMBA 5170Business Simulation[2-0-0:2]Previous Course Code(s)IMBA 517DescriptionA computer-based business simulation where students operate as teams simulating corporate management and compete against each other (groups). The game involves group decision making on a wide range of functional areas, such as finance, marketing, manufacturing, and human resource management, to develop and implement a strategic plan in a competitive market.Intended Learning Outcomes
On successful completion of the course, students will be able to:
- 1.Evaluate and integrate the management knowledge learnt in the program in strategic planning and execution skills within a rapidly changing environment.
- 2.Recognize the linkages between decisions and financial performance.
- 3.Make full use of market data and competitive signals to adjust the strategic plan and more tightly focus business tactics.
- 4.Develop the leadership skills and teamwork capabilities, including communication, conflict management, team decision making, influence and working with people from different culture, background and characteristics.
- IMBA 5240Pricing Strategy[1-0-0:1]DescriptionStudents can learn practical tools to design pricing strategies from a marketing perspective and consider economic, strategic and psychological inputs in pricing decisions that are sustainable and generate profitable revenue streams. Through examples and case studies, it discusses the tools to assess consumer’s willingness to pay, and how this information can be used to improve pricing strategies.
- IMBA 5290Global Macroeconomics[2-0-0:2]DescriptionThe course aims to introduce the macroeconomic concepts, in particular fiscal and monetary policies and help students to understand important insight in the labour, output, money and foreign exchange market to explore the change in the macroeconomic environment.Intended Learning Outcomes
On successful completion of the course, students will be able to:
- 1.Operate business with global perspectives.
- 2.Apply cutting edge management knowledge to analyze markets.
- 3.Formulate business strategy in a global setting.
- 4.Foster a responsible attitude towards the country and world.
- IMBA 5300Innovation Management[1-0-0:1]DescriptionThe course aims to enhance students' innovation capability in the increasingly intense business competition. It will illustrate the basic concepts of innovation management, interpret the implication of innovation, highlight how to integrate internal and external resources to enhance innovation capacity and analyze the innovation modules in the post-modernization era.Intended Learning Outcomes
On successful completion of the course, students will be able to:
- 1.Formulate an effective strategy for innovation management.
- 2.Leverage both internal and external resources for innovation.
- 3.Identify the needs of users in the post-modernization era and co-create value with them.
- 4.Facilitate the diffusion of innovation.
- IMBA 5320Creating Entrepreneurial Ideas for Future Business[2-0-0:2]DescriptionThe course is designed for executive leaders, from the perspective of entrepreneurs and corporate innovators, to help them experience and engage with the disruptive technology, and eventually prepare them to respond to this revolutionary force. It will be a mix of lectures, field study of technology companies, extensive group discussion and an entrepreneurship project.Intended Learning Outcomes
On successful completion of the course, students will be able to:
- 1.Identity how the trends in disruptive technology (AI, Big Data, Deep learning, IOT) might influence the near and long-term futures of various industries.
- 2.Evaluate how traditional business models are being impacted by disruptive technology.
- 3.Identify the threats and opportunities of this revolutionary force, and leverage the disruptive technology to transform traditional business, or innovate and create new business opportunities.
- 4.Explain how to pitch the entrepreneurial ideas toward success.
- 5.Mentor each other to create synergy for idea creation.
- IMBA 5340Investment Analysis[1-0-0:1]DescriptionAn introduction to fundamental concepts in investment analysis. The first part covers risk and return tradeoff, portfolio diversification, and modern portfolio theory including the capital asset pricing model and arbitrage pricing theory. The second part covers basic analytical tools used in analyzing fixed income securities.Intended Learning Outcomes
On successful completion of the course, students will be able to:
- 1.Identify the risk-return tradeoff, and derive the ‘correct’ price for financial assets using models such as the CAPM.
- 2.Practically apply CAPM and other models (e.g. Fama-French 3 factor model) in Excel-based applications.
- 3.Explain efficient markets, behavioral finance, and some trading strategies based on perceived violations of efficient market theory.
- IMBA 5360Strategic Value and Supply Chain Management[1-0-0:1]DescriptionSupply chain activities have been performed since the start of commercial activity. It is difficult to visualize any product that could reach a customer without logistical support. Yet it is only in recent years that firms have started focusing on supply chain management as a source of competitive advantage. There is a realization that no company can do any better than its supply chain. Our goal in this course is to understand and improve supply chain decisions to benefit the performance of the firm as well as the entire supply chain.Intended Learning Outcomes
On successful completion of the course, students will be able to:
- 1.Measure the business success and promote value creation through supply chain management.
- 2.Identify the important factors to consider when making strategic value creation decisions.
- 3.Evaluate the value created through operation, process and system improvement.
- IMBA 5390Empowering Decision by Marketing Intelligence[1-0-0:1]DescriptionThe objective of this course is to provide students with a fundamental understanding of market research methods employed by better managed firms. This course is aimed at the executive who is the ultimate user of marketing intelligence and who is responsible for determining the scope and direction of research activities on his/her behalf. The techniques of research design and deriving insights from data occupy an important role. The skills in this course will be applicable to marketing problems encountered in both consumer and business-to-business markets, profit and non-profit organizations.Intended Learning Outcomes
On successful completion of the course, students will be able to:
- 1.Evaluate market research and identify the opportunities and potential limitations of it.
- 2.Communicate and interact effectively with market research departments.
- 3.Generate insights from exploratory, descriptive and causal market research.
- 4.Understand how new technological developments (big data, social media, and physiological devices) may facilitate market research.
- IMBA 5400International Management[1-0-0:1]DescriptionThe why and the how of corporate international management will be analyzed throughout the course. In a world fixated by "globalization", the most fundamental questions for companies planning and managing their overseas growth will be examined. Successes and failures will be discussed in order to understand what management teams must do to get international growth right.Intended Learning Outcomes
On successful completion of the course, students will be able to:
- 1.Manage international growth in the era of scale insurgency.
- 2.Plan and assess a company’s international growth plan for likelihood of success.
- 3.Connect the actions of growth with the talent and organization models.
- IMBA 5420Management of Sustainability[1-0-0:1]DescriptionThe course will help business executives understand the growing importance of sustainability in the global business environment, and will cover various topics relating to innovation for sustainability, concepts of environment, social and governance (ESG), and the implication of climate change policies to business.Intended Learning Outcomes
On successful completion of the course, students will be able to:
- 1.Recognize the change in corporate sentiments from shareholder to stakeholder focus.
- 2.Describe the UN Sustainable Development Goals (UNSDGs), sustainability as a concept and how it can guide business strategy.
- 3.Assess the importance of climate change and its impact on businesses and industries.
- 4.Evaluate Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) disclosure for companies.
- 5.Identify governments redirecting capital towards sustainable projects (Green Finance).
- 6.Identify geopolitical factors with respect to climate change, and Sino-US conflicts.
- IMBA 5430Digital Transformation[1-0-0:1]Previous Course Code(s)IMBA 6900CDescriptionThis course is focused on the topic of digital leadership. The objectives of this course are set as the following. First, to understand the basics of the changes led by the digital force. Second, to understand the unique nature of the digital force. Third, to master the force. Last but not the least is to take the learning into students’ own organizations.Intended Learning Outcomes
On successful completion of the course, students will be able to:
- 1.Develop deep understanding of the digital transformation.
- 2.Develop high level understanding of the digital technologies.
- 3.Apply digital transformation methodology.
- 4.Understand the linkage between business strategy and digital transformation.
- 5.Understand the linkage between innovation and digital transformation.
- IMBA 5460Innovative Thinking[1-0-0:1]DescriptionThis course focuses on using structured creativity templates to “think inside the box”. It provides best-practice tools for rapid creativity leading to valuable ideas and innovative solutions. It aims to develop the students’ understanding of creativity and innovation.Intended Learning Outcomes
On successful completion of the course, students will be able to:
- 1.Understand the Structured Creativity methodology and process, based on shared repeatable patters for the generation of creative ideas.
- 2.Learn the process of rapid product and service development using the Closed World and Function Follows Form approach - the approach for identifying and breaking Functional Fixedness and Structural Fixedness.
- 3.Learn to apply the main thinking tools and templates of Structured Creativity to rapidly identify and create new products, services, processes, and tools.
- 4.Learn and apply cutting edge digital technology for the rapid creation of innovative ideas based on the Structured Creativity approach.
- IMBA 5480Performance Management[1-0-0:1]DescriptionThis course focuses on theories, strategies, practices, and ongoing issues in the management of employee performance, developing employee potential, supporting professional growth and career development in organizations. It provides an overview and analysis of human resource practices and systems dealing with performance management, talent management, training and development, coaching and compensation.Intended Learning Outcomes
On successful completion of the course, students will be able to:
- 1.Learn how to choose the right performance metrics.
- 2.Learn about the pros and cons of different performance appraisal methods.
- 3.Learn how to choose the right benchmarking company.
- 4.Learn about the considerations factor for compensation design.
- 5.Understand the relationship between incentives and risk.
- IMBA 5510Digital and Social Media Strategy[1-0-0:1]DescriptionThis course will prepare executives for opportunities and challenges in a technology-driven economy, and focus on how firms can use digital and social media to effectively connect with consumers. We will discuss how firms can develop holistic digital and social media strategies and optimize campaign budget across different digital channels and tools,execute viral strategies, engage customers through social media and mobile technologies, and enhance performances of their digital campaign activities.Intended Learning Outcomes
On successful completion of the course, students will be able to:
- 1.Understand key considerations and challenges in digital and social media campaigns.
- 2.Know how to develop holistic digital and social media campaign strategy.
- 3.Develop strategies for viral campaigns on social media.
- 4.Know how to engage customers in a mobile-driven economy.
- 5.Conduct analysis to support digital/social media campaign strategies and activities.
- IMBA 5530Data-Driven Decision Making[1-0-0:1]DescriptionIn the past decade, unprecedented amount of data become available to corporations and governments. Data are having a profound impact on businesses, markets, and societies. The course covers the most essential topics of using data and quantitative techniques to make sound decisions and using cases to discuss the entire life cycle of data-driven decision making.Intended Learning Outcomes
On successful completion of the course, students will be able to:
- 1.Define hypothesis testing.
- 2.Identify each stage of data analytics.
- 3.Identify common bias in data analytics.
- 4.Describe the difference between correlation and causality.
- 5.Communicate with data and incorporate data in storytelling.
- IMBA 6100Global Field Trip Study[2-0-0:2]DescriptionThis course aims to provide students with an opportunity to explore the global business environment. It is delivered in a variety of ways including: partnerships with world-class institutions; collaboration with leading companies; dialogues with local corporate and community leaders. The course may be repeated for credits if the visiting country and theme of the trips are different each time.Intended Learning Outcomes
On successful completion of the course, students will be able to:
- 1.Increase exposure to cultural diversity in a global business context.
- 2.Develop insightful views on the global business landscape.
- 3.Discuss the best practices of innovations and entrepreneurial management globally.
- IMBA 6900Special Topics[0.5-2 credit(s)]Previous Course Code(s)IMBA 690DescriptionCoherent collection of topics selected from the business management. A student may repeat the course for credit if the topics studied are different each time.Intended Learning Outcomes
On successful completion of the course, students will be able to:
- 1.Demonstrate capability to understand concepts and theories on the special topics.
- 2.Apply knowledge gained from class to analyse real life issues and develop problem solving skills.
- 3.Analyse and predict the outcome of strategic interactions among individual and/or firm.
- IMBA 6920Project on Current Issues[1-2 credit(s)]Previous Course Code(s)IMBA 692Prerequisite(s)IMBA 6910 (prior to 2022-23)DescriptionThe project aims to help students integrate what they have learnt from the latest topics/issues in the business world and reflect those learning in their own business. Guided by a faculty member of the corresponding topics, the students will have a more thorough analysis of the latest topics/issues which can help with their companies' future planning and strategy.Intended Learning Outcomes
On successful completion of the course, students will be able to:
- 1.Gain a strong comprehension on the current issues in the business world; discover the interrelations between theories and their applications.
- 2.Realize constructively the importance of the current issues; make decisions based on in-depth reflection, critisim, and assessment.
- 3.Assess the opportunities and threats to their own business and develop their companies' future planning and strategy.
- 4.Make use of the information they learnt to examine the latest issues in the business world and develop their problem solving skills.
- IMBA 6970Independent Study[1-2 credit(s)]Previous Course Code(s)IMBA 697DescriptionStudy of selected business issues under the supervision of a faculty member. (Special permission from the Academic Director is required for IEMBA students to take this course.) The course may be repeated for credit.Intended Learning Outcomes
On successful completion of the course, students will be able to:
- 1.Describe and apply key concepts and terminology to the analysis on the selected business issues.
- 2.Critically evaluate and synthesize various theories in the selected business issues.
- 3.Apply analytic strategies, procedures, and techniques to the selected business issues and produce quality project.
- IMBA 6980Research Project[1-2 credit(s)]Previous Course Code(s)IMBA 698DescriptionAn independent research project on a business topic carried out under the supervision of a faculty member. The course may be repeated for credit.Intended Learning Outcomes
On successful completion of the course, students will be able to:
- 1.Demonstrate capability to make integrative linkages among various subjects as well as between learning and real-life work experience.
- 2.Demonstrate an understanding of relevant literature in the selected topic area.
- 3.Analyse basic research data in a systematic way and to a professional standard.
- 4.Identify and discuss a topic in its wider context, sustain argument, and present conclusions related to policy and practice implications in business and management.
