BSL Courses
Business Communication English I
Business Communication English I introduces students to various business communication processes found in organizations. Objectives include communicating both internally and externally, with colleagues, clients and essential publics. The main focus will be on improving students' writing skills through activities and intercultural exchanges. Activities include: effective note-taking, writing summaries, writing minutes and various essays.
Computer Software
BSL’s course in Computer Software is a practical-oriented course in basic microcomputer applications. Students will learn to use standard business software and will be aware of its evolution into business practices. The course covers computer hardware essentials and system software fundamentals, and places an emphasis on office applications software.
Management
The primary objective of BSL’s course in Management is to learn and understand the decision processes within the key functional disciplines of a business organization. The course focuses on the role of management in planning, organizing, leading and controlling a business organization in order to achieve its desired objectives.
Microeconomics
Microeconomics examines the basic, essential elements of microeconomic theory, such as elasticity, supply and demand analysis, the classical theory of the firm, economies and diseconomies of scale. The course will provided an overview to the application of microeconomic concepts, including: real-world economic situations, such as price discrimination and industrial market structures; examination of real-world determination of agricultural prices, oil prices, wages, and producer-pricing strategies; insight into real-world, economic trends, such as ever-larger, oligopolistic firms despite the survival of small firms.
Philosophy
BSL’s course in Philosophy is designed to create awareness of the major currents of Western philosophy and an appreciation of their impact on our world and environment. Students will practice systematic presentation and discussion techniques with an audience of peers. They will learn how to use philosophical analysis for modern, managerial problem solving and will develop sound work habits and a logical thinking process.
Business Communication English II
Business Communication English II focuses on researching, organizing and composing messages for business purposes. Through activities and case studies, students communicate with one another in groups and teams to exchange ideas and write clear and concise messages. Activities include live note-taking, memos, indirect & direct messages, letters and reports.
Managing a Business
BSL’s course on Managing a Business provides a glimpse into the things managers need to do in order to run a successful business, and into understanding common examples of mismanagement. The course actively introduces a thought process for analyzing and solving problems and students will apply a systematic approach to problem and performance analysis for case studies to develop managerial decision-making skills.
QBA I Mathematics
The Business Mathematics QBAI course focuses on basic mathematical skills used in contemporary business and management education and practice. It introduces the mathematics applied in banking, finance, accounting and general business operations.
Macroeconomics
Macroeconomics examines the fundamental, macroeconomic theories including: classical theory; traditional Keynesian, Cambridge School theory; Friermaniac, Chicago School monetarism; regional economics. Such an overview of macroeconomic theory is contextual for the application of neo-Keynesian and neo-monetarist theories to explain dynamic, real world, macro-economic problems (such as inflation, unemployment, economic growth), dynamic, government macro-economic policies (such as fiscal policy, monetary policy, regional policies) and macro-economic identities such as aggregate consummation, savings and investment).
Organizational Behavior
Organizational Behavior introduces a series of three people management courses that prepare students for international management. The course explains how employees behave individually, both in groups and organizationally. It develops the basic skills to manage a team at work and aims to increase career awareness and interest in the human side of business and organizational trends.
Business Communication English III
The objective of Business Communication English III is to equip students with the verbal communication skills that are necessary for success in today’s global business world. Topics covered include presentation techniques, taking part in meetings, brainstorming and creative thinking, and time management. The emphasis in all cases will be on practicality and students will be given the opportunity to put their skills into practice.
Accounting I
The objective of Accounting I is to understand financial accounting information. Based on the theory learned, students will practice exercises in class as well as at home. Throughout the term, national and international financial and economic issues will be discussed in the class as they appear in the news.
Marketing
BSL’s course in Marketing provides a basic understanding of marketing and the operation of marketing systems. The topics covered include evaluating market opportunities; understanding buyer behavior; market segmentation and targeting; positioning for competitive advantage; development of the marketing mix; organization and control of the marketing effort.
QBA II Statistics
QBA II Statistics is a basic and practical course oriented towards statistical applications in business and management. It covers descriptive statistics, basic probability rules, probability distributions, and introductory inferential statistics, with business illustrative examples and within an on-going business statistics project.
Sociology
BSL’s course in Sociology will combine a humanistic concern for the quality and diversity of human life with a commitment to the empirical analysis of culture and society. The course covers the basic tools and concepts of sociology that lead to a better understanding of the reciprocal roles and responsibilities of business in society and in our environment.
Business Communication English IV
Business Communication English IV provides an active presentation and a global survey of the potential of the Internet in business communication, enterprise promotion and e-business/e-commerce development, at present and in the future. HTML essentials and Web authoring software are used to develop a website or a web store.
Accounting II
The objective of this course is to understand financial accounting information. Based on the theory learned, students will practice exercises in class as well as at home. Students will learn how to report financial results as well as understanding the accounting for merchandising activities, inventories and the cost of goods sold.
QBA III Management Science
QBA III Management Science provides an introduction to several management science quantitative models to improve business and management problem-solving and decision-making skills. The course includes statistical regression/correlation models, calculus based optimization models, queuing models and other non-statistics based models.
Industrial Marketing
BSL’s course in Industrial Marketing gives an understanding of the role of marketing in the business-to-business (B2B) selling process. The individual tasks of the industrial marketing manager are examined together with the overall coordination of other functions in a company, required to focus on the customer. Comparisons are made with the tasks performed by marketers of consumer goods.
Psychology
BSL’s course in Psychology will provide an introduction to, and an overview of, the concepts, practices and research in psychology that have direct implications for our everyday lives. Students will develop an awareness of the individual, social and cultural dimensions of the contemporary world.
Business Law
BSL’s course in Business Law presents the legal environment of business (legal systems, constitutional freedoms, role of State, extra-contractual liabilities, i.e. torts and product liability). The core part of the course describes legal instruments of business: formation and fulfillment of contracts in general; it focuses then on the international sale of goods and licensing (trademarks and patents), and deals finally with agency and corporation.
Corporate Finance
BSL’s course in Corporate Finance introduces the principles of finance and the responsibilities of the corporate finance function. It provides a basic understanding of the determinants of corporate financial policy and current developments in finance. Topics covered include financial analysis and planning, the time value of money, security valuation, capital budgeting, short and long-term financing, working capital management, investments, and money/capital markets. Value maximization and risk/return tradeoffs in financial decision making are employed as integrative concepts in case studies.
Integrated Business Management
Integrated Business Management provides students with an opportunity to apply the principal concepts and skills learned in each of the functional areas of business situations. The course focus is on viewing the business organization as an integrated entity, transcending the traditional boundaries of vertical hierarchies, horizontal functions and regional operations.
Database Management
Database Management provides an introduction to the database environment available for modern business management purposes. The course starts with universal flat file databases then covers relational database design models (normalized design and E-R design) with practical applications using database management software. In addition, the course introduces elements of Data Warehouses and Data Mining.
QBA IV Decision Analysis
BSL’s course in QBA IV Decision Analysis gives and overview of quantitative/management science models applied to both the decision-making process and the business decision analysis. The course includes non-probabilistic and probabilistic models, i.e. forecasting, optimization decision-theory and simulation models.
Ethics
BSL’s course in Ethics is designed to examine the ethical issues in the context of business theory and practice. The primary focus of this course is on the examination of ideas and perspectives in the field of business ethics. Students will develop the capacity for moral questioning and decision making that will be helpful in their professional and civic lives. The course draws on a wide body of literature including humanities, management theory and social sciences.
Global Environment
BSL’s course in Global Environment studies the economic, political, and cultural dimensions of globalization and examines the institutions and forces active in shaping it. Various motivations for businesses to expand their operations internationally are analyzed. The challenges introduced by the existence of a multitude of cultures are identified and debated. The role of major international institutions and NGOs, including the World Bank, the IMF and the WTO, and their importance in global business activities is emphasized. The advantage and disadvantages of regional economic integration are discussed. Class review of current events and case studies are used to exemplify the underlying concepts.
Strategic Management
Strategic Management is designed to understand the fundamentals of strategic analysis related to the market environment. It explores the issues of defining corporate missions, objectives and goals. The focus is on the analysis of a firm's external and internal environment to identify and create competitive advantages. Students will learn the strategic management process and techniques for identifying opportunities and threats. They will make a strategic choice for competitive advantage through functional level strategies and will design an organizational structure, a control system and a mechanism for implementing the strategy.
Operations Management
Looking at an international competitive environment, BSL’s course in Operations Management takes a systematic approach to the wide role and scope of the Operations Management function in both Production and Service organizations. It covers production/service processes, performance indicators, MRP and ERP essentials, Quality Management and TQM approach and practice, emphasizing value adding concepts.
Multicultural Management
BSL’s course in Multicultural Management explores how four types of culture - national, ethnic, corporate and industrial - affect the way we manage. Using the cultural experience of the class, and a series of major international case studies, the course establishes the difference between static and adaptable factors. These skills help to manage effectively in different countries, regions and industries, to manage international staff working at home and abroad, and to work with other companies as customers, suppliers, joint partners, and acquisitionists.
Advertising and Promotion
BSL’s course in Advertising and Promotion provides an introduction to advertising as a strategic marketing and communications tool. Topics discussed include the marketing communications plan, creative strategy development, development of creative concepts for strategic print and television advertising as well as the creation of websites, sales promotions and other forms of advertising. The course also analyzes the role of public relations and how it supports advertising campaigns.
International Trade and Finance
BSL’s course in International Trade and Finance is designed to provide students with an overview of the theory of international trade. The course examines contemporary trade issues including the trade barriers controversy, the current account, international factor movements, commercial policy, foreign exchange, national monetary systems and jurisdictions, the open economy, the World Trade Organization (WTO), the European Union (EU), and free trade areas. Current events are used to illustrate underlying theories.
Strategies of Global Industries
Strategies of Global Industries examines the structure of global industries, the strategies followed by companies within a given industry to achieve competitive advantage in global markets, and the influence of the industry environment. Country selection, global marketing, sourcing, manufacturing and hedging strategies are discussed within this context and the importance of the home-base is highlighted. Contemporary issues in global competition are presented and debated.
Strategies of Global Business
Strategies of Global Business is designed to provide students with an understanding of how firms gain and sustain the competitive advantage in a global environment. The course examines the strategic, organizational and managerial challenges faced by companies operating in contemporary global markets. Students will explore the intricacies and challenges in the light of a firm's competencies and sources of competitive advantages.
Global Human Resource Development
BSL’s course in Global Human Resource Development provides an international and practical approach to the full range of HR techniques, for what is truly the hard side of management: people, as the most important factor of all in business success or failure. The course examines the roles of HR managers and HRD specialists. Students will learn how companies find staff, select, promote, expatriate, and motivate employees. In addition the course will explore how to clarify jobs and standards, agree to targets, delegate, appraise, train, develop and compensate personnel. Students will discover strategies for organization and management development, international acquisitions and joint ventures, negotiations and industrial relations.
Entrepreneurship and Leadership
The objective of Entrepreneurship and Leadership is to provide students with the skills required to effectively organize, develop, create and manage their own business. Students will be able to assess their personal qualifications for a career as entrepreneurs. The course will familiarize students with the information required to establish a new business venture and will present the unique management issues which confront entrepreneurs in starting and operating new business ventures.
Management Economics
In BSL’s course in Management Economics, the real-world, international economics debate, laissez faire versus interventionism, is examined in detail through the application of international, economic theory. Smithsonian Free Market and Marxist central planning models are used to demonstrate real-world, mixed economies. Economic rationales for nationalization and privatization are used to explain worldwide privatization; especially debt-for-equity swap programs in emerging economies. International trade theory is applied to real-world free trade versus protectionism.
Global Marketing
BSL’s course in Global Marketing analyzes marketing problems in an international context. The course will identify the additional dimensions of the marketing variables in international marketing operations. It will describe the rapidly evolving international socioeconomic, political and competitive environment and explain the integration of marketing in the other corporate strategies for successful global marketing.
Global Operations
Within the framework of interdependent Global Operations, the Management-by-Projects approach is re-emerging. In this context, a modern project management perspective and a dedicated PM software will be introduced and used. References to multidisciplinary management areas and multicultural business environments will be integrated.
Marketing Strategy
Marketing Strategy examines the strategic implications of each of the activities within the total process of marketing, including strategy formulation, planning, programming and implementation. The emphasis is on developing the marketing communications strategy through the efficient use of the marketing mix.