Concentrations

The MBA International program is a general graduate management degree that prepares students for a range of careers while offering the possibility of concentrating in a particular business area. Comprising of eight course credits among a set of specified required and elective courses, the concentrations give students an opportunity to gain knowledge into an area of interest, thus facilitating a career switch or developing an existing specialty. With five concentrations plus the general track, students shape their academic experience to meet their personal career goals.

Business Administration (general track)

The Business Administration track prepares students for a range of demanding positions (e.g. General Management, Sales, Human Resources, Finance, etc.), as well as a career in Management Consulting. It offers the opportunity to select elective courses in any area of interest. Students that wish to deepen their knowledge in a specific field can select one of the following concentrations:

Concentration in Finance

Virtually all important business decisions have financial implications. Finance is concerned with the acquisition and allocation of resources – how a company goes about financing the assets it needs to run a business and how those assets can be put to their most effective uses. It also requires a comprehensive understanding of the corporate capital structure, the sources of capital, and, the priorities, needs, and concerns of investors (shareholders and lenders). This concentration prepares individuals for a career in the finance division of all types and sizes of companies addressing issues in financial management; corporate finance, venture capital, and corporate restructuring, as well as in management consulting.

Students in this concentration must complete 8 credits among the following courses:

The course aims to provide a good understanding of the principles of equity portfolio theory and investment management. Both theoretical and practical aspects of risk and return measurement for portfolios and individual securities are examined. In the process, the concepts of diversification, portfolio selection, construction, and evaluation are analyzed. Various equilibrium models of asset prices, against which market prices of securities are compared, are put forward. Portfolio performance evaluation is part of the course.
Under a broad definition, everything a business does may fit under the rubric of corporate finance. This course will equip students with the state-of-the-art tools, methodologies, and ideas needed in making the three basic decisions in corporate finance: Investment Decisions, Financing Decisions, and Dividend Decisions. Case studies and empirical applications with real data will be used to develop guidelines and practical skills needed to implement models for equity and debt risk, discount rates and valuation. Special importance will be given in incorporating the latest developments in corporate finance involving issues such as real options, asset-backed securitization, corporate risk management, and hybrid securities.
Value-At-Risk, Hedging, Capital Adequacy Requirements, Monte-Carlo simulation, minimum variance hedges, hedging rations and regression methods, duration and convexity, key rate duration and PVBPs-Present Value Basis Points, etc.
The course is designed to provide an introduction and comprehensive overview of concepts of Energy Economics and Policy (as well as Environmental and Resource Economics) to postgraduate students. The course introduces energy, resource, and environmental economics, as a sub-discipline of economics focusing on the interrelationships between the environment and the economy. It explains how the concept of economic efficiency in the allocation of scarce resources underpins cost-benefit analysis and decision making in energy, resource, and environmental management. Basic concepts in economic theory are first introduced, so that understanding is developed of how markets are supposed to achieve economically efficient allocations and why, when they fail to do so, the result is pollution and degradation. Understanding the failure of markets involves the key concept of the property rights regime. Much of energy, resource, and environmental economics is concerned with identifying when, and under what circumstances, failures in property rights and in markets are likely to occur and how best to correct them. The course also explores why economists attach importance to the monetary valuation of energy-related goods and services and introduces a number of techniques for doing so using various Greek, European and other International case studies. It provides a critical overview of current methods and their applications. It examines the main criticisms of the approaches that are available for non-market valuation. Finally in order to set the concepts and theories introduced in the context of current concerns relating to sustainable development the course examines the relationship between energy policy making and the concept of sustainable development. It introduces core concepts of ‘sustainability’ and considers the policy implications of applying these in energy (mainly renewable energy: solar, wind, waves, etc.) within the European and International policy framework.
Mergers and acquisitions can be considered as a dynamic vehicle for corporate expansion and growth. Corporate practice has historically seen a pattern of merger ‘waves’ in various business sectors, although results have not always justified underlying motives. The course will provide a concise theoretical and empirical background on the topic, based on applied tools, methods and techniques. Case studies and empirical applications will be employed to elaborate on theoretical issues. The objectives, process, and motives of the M&A will be discussed, the economic consequences will be evaluated and the impact on target and acquiring firms will be analyzed. Emphasis will be placed on acquisition strategies, target-picking, merger valuation, and shareholder value implications.

Concentration in Marketing and Strategy

This concentration investigates the fundamental approaches to understanding markets, competitors, and portfolios of product offerings. It is of interest to students who are interested in pursuing a marketing career in the manufacturing and the service sectors, and to those interested in product and brand management. It is also relevant for those pursuing a management consulting career.

Students in this concentration must complete 8 credits among the following courses:

In this course the students become familiar with the main methodologies of market research for the introduction of a new product or service. The central topics are: The new product/service development process and the need for market research, approaches to sales forecasts, methodologies for desk and qualitative research (idea generation, personal interviews, focus groups….), and quantitative market research methodologies (sampling, questionnaire building, and data analysis). The students will choose a methodology that fits best with their new business/product/ service idea and will apply it in order to gather field data on their idea. The course is evaluated on the students’ presentations on their field research.
This course follows a multidisciplinary approach to examine and analyze the consumer as a decision-maker. Its main goal is to understand how fundamental consumer behavior concepts and principles can be used in marketing decision-making and strategic marketing actions. Topics covered include consumer decision-making models and information processing, consumer perceptions, loyalty and involvement, attitude measurement and change, consumer analysis and research, demo-psychographic research, interpersonal and social influences, buyer behavior, and strategic implications on market segmentation, product positioning and marketing communications.
The course will present how the concept of marketing can be applied in the case of business-to-business (B2B) markets. Contrary to traditional business-to-consumer (B2C) exchanges, the course aims to describe the fundamental aspects of marketing strategy in the case of B2B exchanges. In particular, the key characteristics of the B2B markets along with the concept of organizational buying behavior will be presented. Also, the marketing strategy (i.e., segmentation, targeting, positioning, 4Ps) in B2B markets will be described. Emphasis will be also placed on B2B services, customer relationship management issues and key account management techniques. Also, the course is designed to teach students how to develop marketing plans for companies seeking opportunities outside their home country. Students will learn to adapt extant product, price, promotion, and distribution strategies to the needs of consumers of the target country. Special emphasis will be placed on the cultural, economic, and political environmental aspects of international marketing.
The purpose of the course is to provide a geopolitical insight on business decisions. The world has vastly changed in the last 30 years. The fall of communism in Europe and Deng’s “four modernizations” in China lead many to believe that western capitalism had finally triumphed, in tandem with democratic liberalism. The extraordinary success of modern globalization is a direct consequence of these two historic events. The purpose of the course is to clarify i) the forces that shape the geopolitical world; ii) the interplay between geopolitics and business; iii) the increasing role of proprietary technology in the balance of powers.
Topaz Management Simulation is a sophisticated software-based program that reflects the competitive, ever-changing marketplace. Topaz Management Simulation places teams into a real-life business setting. They run a virtual company for five business quarters and compete for market excellence. The simulation exercise lets teams learn and gain experience by making true-to-life business decisions. Teams tackle market analysis, strategy formulation and implementation, and they benefit from the immediate consequences of their actions.
Mergers and acquisitions can be considered as a dynamic vehicle for corporate expansion and growth. Corporate practice has historically seen a pattern of merger ‘waves’ in various business sectors, although results have not always justified underlying motives. The course will provide a concise theoretical and empirical background on the topic, based on applied tools, methods and techniques. Case studies and empirical applications will be employed to elaborate on the theoretical issues. The objectives, process and motives of the M&A will be discussed, the economic consequences will be evaluated and the impact on target and acquiring firms will be analyzed. Emphasis will be placed on acquisition strategies, target-picking, merger valuation and shareholder value implications.

Concentration in International Business

International trade and worldwide foreign direct investment have constantly been increasing in recent years. Similarly, expanding abroad is a feasible route to growth and success for Greek firms nowadays. The examination of modern business and management should not occur within the boundaries of a narrow domestic market but in an open international marketplace in which competitive interactions, networking patterns and customer demands are shaped in a larger than ever interconnected ‘global village’. Indeed business has never been more international!

Upon completion of this concentration, students will be well-prepared to work in internationalized small and large firms; understand and manage their international activities; formulate their international strategy; appreciate and deal with the increased complexity that internationalized firms face; effectively administer relationships with key stakeholders in the international marketplace.

Students following the International Business concentration must complete 8 credits among the following courses:

The impact of globalization has considerably increased the exchanges between countries as well as the culture impacts in many ways and particularly on the negotiation processes across borders. Belief and behavior differ between cultures in such a way that bargaining means many different things to different people from different cultures. To augment his/her capabilities a business negotiator needs to learn how to observe, analyze, develop solid mutually beneficial relationships to travel the road to success. This course is designed to provide the participant with a framework of the negotiation process and basic tools in order to help him/her understand and manage negotiations successfully. It is constructed so as to balance conceptual framework, case studies, use of video and constructive dialogue drawing on the knowledge, experience, and insights from the participants.
The course is intended to provide students with an overview of the different Global Sustainability Strategies, corporate and nonprofit perspectives, legislation, related risks, and opportunities. It aims at providing a better understanding of the individual elements and criteria necessary for the development and implementation of comprehensive global sustainability strategies and Reporting addressing the different needs of stakeholders. The course takes a strategic perspective on organizations’ Sustainability and the building of competitive advantage in highly competitive environments.
The purpose of the course is to provide a geopolitical insight on business decisions. The world has vastly changed in the last 30 years. The fall of communism in Europe and Deng’s “four modernizations” in China lead many to believe that western capitalism had finally triumphed, in tandem with democratic liberalism. The extraordinary success of modern globalization is a direct consequence of these two historic events. The purpose of the course is to clarify i) the forces that shape the geopolitical world; ii) the interplay between geopolitics and business; iii) the increasing role of proprietary technology in the balance of powers.
The objective of this course is to introduce basic concepts and tools used in modern Supply Chain Management. The course covers topics related to supply chain planning, design, and operations. Special emphasis is placed on the strategic role of Supply Chain Management and the optimization of the customer level of service. Issues regarding the modeling of strategic, tactical, and operational decisions and the introduction of advanced technologies in Supply Chain Management are also discussed.
The course will present how the concept of marketing can be applied in the case of business-to-business (B2B) markets. Contrary to traditional business-to-consumer (B2C) exchanges, the course aims to describe the fundamental aspects of marketing strategy in the case of B2B exchanges. In particular, the key characteristics of the B2B markets along with the concept of organizational buying behavior will be presented. Also, the marketing strategy (i.e., segmentation, targeting, positioning, 4Ps) in B2B markets will be described. Emphasis will be also placed on B2B services, customer relationship management issues and key account management techniques. Also, the course is designed to teach students how to develop marketing plans for companies seeking opportunities outside their home country. Students will learn to adapt extant product, price, promotion, and distribution strategies to the needs of consumers of the target country. Special emphasis will be placed on the cultural, economic, and political environmental aspects of international marketing.
Mergers and acquisitions can be considered as a dynamic vehicle for corporate expansion and growth. Corporate practice has historically seen a pattern of merger ‘waves’ in various business sectors, although results have not always justified underlying motives. The course will provide a concise theoretical and empirical background on the topic, based on applied tools, methods and techniques. Case studies and empirical applications will be employed to elaborate on the theoretical issues. The objectives, process and motives of the M&A will be discussed, the economic consequences will be evaluated and the impact on target and acquiring firms will be analyzed. Emphasis will be placed on acquisition strategies, target-picking, merger valuation and shareholder value implications.

Concentration in Innovation and Entrepreneurship

While their contributions have been underestimated in the past, entrepreneurs are now largely recognized as the force that drives a nation’s economy. “They are the ones who shift resources out of an area of lower productivity and into one of higher return and value. They are the pioneers who convert ideas into products; dreams into reality. They are what makes an economy dynamic as opposed to static” says Prof. Tom Schwarz, who teaches entrepreneurship in the Program.

In the midst of the economic crisis, globalization and technology continue to provide the opportunity to small companies to compete effectively with large firms in delivering world-class products and services. Today, speed, agility, and a true entrepreneurial mindset are necessary resources, not only in smaller firms but in large ones as well.

Taking the above into consideration, as well as the long and successful entrepreneurship tradition of Greece, the students of this concentration are provided with solid theoretical, methodological and applied knowledge in the area of entrepreneurship. More specifically, they develop their ability to initiate, develop and lead entrepreneurial ventures, learn how to use tools and methods for managing business creation and growth, learn how to maximize the positive returns of creativity, innovation, and new venture development, and develop understanding of the economic and social conditions of entrepreneurship and innovation.

After successful completion of the concentration, students will be well prepared to start their own business, to work in start-up and spin-off organizations, or to take on a leadership role in business development projects. The philosophy of the concentration is built on the triplet “ideas – business – value” that provides the foundation for an entrepreneurial mindset.

This concentration is addressed to those working in or planning to start their own business, as well as to students working or planning to work in any firm or industry where innovation, rapid new product and service development, and entrepreneurial thinking are keys to competitive success.

Students following the Innovation & Entrepreneurship concentration must complete 8 credits among the following courses:

Today’s high performing businesses must have the ability to constantly innovate, leverage, create and manage technology. The first module of the course provides an introductory overview of what creativity and innovation are, of how creativity and innovation can be managed and enhanced in organizations, and how various tools and methods can be used in order to enhance creativity. The second module provides an in-depth analysis of the role of technology as a contemporary strategic imperative and the impact of innovative activities on corporate strategy and especially international strategies. Special emphasis is placed on the developments in the internal and external environment of firms, the innovation strategy, the R&D process itself and the management of knowledge workers. Overall, the course will help students understand what it is that makes innovative firms different from “ordinary” firms and familiarize them with the contemporary managerial challenges towards the effective leveraging of creativity, innovation, and technology.
In this course the students become familiar with the main methodologies of market research for the introduction of a new product or service. The central topics are: The new product/service development process and the need for market research, approaches to sales forecasts, methodologies for desk and qualitative research (idea generation, personal interviews, focus groups….), and quantitative market research methodologies (sampling, questionnaire building, and data analysis). The students will choose a methodology that fits best with their new business/product/ service idea and will apply it in order to gather field data on their idea. The course is evaluated on the students’ presentations on their field research.
The course focuses on the entrepreneurial process related to sustainable energy. It provides students with insights and advanced skills in all aspects of sustainable energy including upstream/exploration, generation/distribution, waste management, energy efficiency and monitoring. After being introduced to the reality of the entrepreneur and the central issues related to the preparation of an entrepreneurial project, the students will have the opportunity to specialize in the energy sector. The students will work on the financial, marketing and managerial aspects of developing a business plan within the energy sector with the help of market experts who will bring their experience to the course. By the end of the course, students will have gained useful and technical knowledge in the areas of sustainable energy and business; they will have prepared their own business plan and will be adept at communicating and presenting it to an audience.
The course develops leadership skills for business transformation in a context of constant and discontinuous change. Driven largely by technology, but not only, exponential transformation refers to the ever-increasing speed of change that managers and leaders are faced with today. Exponential organizations are companies that grow at a much higher rate than comparable companies in their industry. They might also be companies that create new industries. The course will highlight the pivoting effect of tech-driven young firms and delve into how the dynamics of technology affect the business landscape, the economy and other pressing challenges such as climate change and geopolitical conflicts. In addition, disruption challenges and their impact in traditional industries and companies will be analyzed. Students will deepdive in transformations and their effect in various domains, use exponential canvas and tools and design leadership approaches and technology strategies to navigate through disruptions.
The purpose of the course is to provide a geopolitical insight on business decisions. The world has vastly changed in the last 30 years. The fall of communism in Europe and Deng’s “four modernizations” in China lead many to believe that western capitalism had finally triumphed, in tandem with democratic liberalism. The extraordinary success of modern globalization is a direct consequence of these two historic events. The purpose of the course is to clarify i) the forces that shape the geopolitical world; ii) the interplay between geopolitics and business; iii) the increasing role of proprietary technology in the balance of powers.
The course will present how the concept of marketing can be applied in the case of business-to-business (B2B) markets. Contrary to traditional business-to-consumer (B2C) exchanges, the course aims to describe the fundamental aspects of marketing strategy in the case of B2B exchanges. In particular, the key characteristics of the B2B markets along with the concept of organizational buying behavior will be presented. Also, the marketing strategy (i.e., segmentation, targeting, positioning, 4Ps) in B2B markets will be described. Emphasis will be also placed on B2B services, customer relationship management issues and key account management techniques. Also, the course is designed to teach students how to develop marketing plans for companies seeking opportunities outside their home country. Students will learn to adapt extant product, price, promotion, and distribution strategies to the needs of consumers of the target country. Special emphasis will be placed on the cultural, economic, and political environmental aspects of international marketing.

Concentration in Technology, Logistics and Operations

In this concentration, students delve into the parallel fields of IT/IS, Logistics, and Operations Management with common denominator the importance of technology as a business enabler and creator of competitive advantage. After successful completion of the major, students will be well qualified to pursue careers in technology-driven businesses, to take responsibilities of operational nature, and make well-grounded decisions that impact the infrastructure of their organizations including customer and supplier relationships.

Students following the Technology, Logistics and Operations concentration must complete 8 credits among the following courses:

The objective of this course is to introduce basic concepts and tools used in modern Supply Chain Management. The course covers topics related to supply chain planning, design, and operations. Special emphasis is placed on the strategic role of Supply Chain Management and the optimization of the customer level of service. Issues regarding the modeling of strategic, tactical, and operational decisions and the introduction of advanced technologies in Supply Chain Management are also discussed.
The use of data in modern data-rich business environments has been identified as one of the most crucial parameters in successful decision making. Data collection, processing and analysis are present in any daily activity: financial transactions, call records, smart phones, wearable devices. Terms like business intelligence, big data, business analytics, machine learning, GDPR, are in the epicenter of any business unit of an organization. This course introduces iMBA students to data management concepts, modern data analysis methods and data visualization techniques. These skills are necessary in our data-driven economy.
The aim of the course is to introduce students to network analysis and its applications in business, society and the digital economy. Network analysis includes techniques and methods for the analysis and visualization of complex problems with the aim of finding information found in the connections of the entities that make up the network. The course will provide students with an in-depth understanding of the opportunities, challenges and threats arising from online social networking media in terms of business and society at large, as well as how the digital economy underpins its existence in online networks (blockchain ). It will, based on case studies, introduce students to the social and ethical issues that often arise in making information publicly available in online social networks for business purposes and/or other types of analysis. Finally, students will be introduced to the concepts of crowd wisdom and social learning, exploring the conditions under which convergence of public opinion can occur in online social networks.
The course introduces the students to the main areas and transformations in the current wave of digitalization. It presents trends and developments across business sectors and discusses strategic directions for various digitalization challenges. Specific themes include the creation of digital value, development of digital infrastructure, delivering IT applications, and the digitalization of product management, work management, and operations.
The course is intended to provide students with an overview of the different Global Sustainability Strategies, corporate and nonprofit perspectives, legislation, related risks, and opportunities. It aims at providing a better understanding of the individual elements and criteria necessary for the development and implementation of comprehensive global sustainability strategies and Reporting addressing the different needs of stakeholders. The course takes a strategic perspective on organizations’ Sustainability and the building of competitive advantage in highly competitive environments.
The course develops leadership skills for business transformation in a context of constant and discontinuous change. Driven largely by technology, but not only, exponential transformation refers to the ever-increasing speed of change that managers and leaders are faced with today. Exponential organizations are companies that grow at a much higher rate than comparable companies in their industry. They might also be companies that create new industries. The course will highlight the pivoting effect of tech-driven young firms and delve into how the dynamics of technology affect the business landscape, the economy and other pressing challenges such as climate change and geopolitical conflicts. In addition, disruption challenges and their impact in traditional industries and companies will be analyzed. Students will deepdive in transformations and their effect in various domains, use exponential canvas and tools and design leadership approaches and technology strategies to navigate through disruptions.
The course focuses on the entrepreneurial process related to sustainable energy. It provides students with insights and advanced skills in all aspects of sustainable energy including upstream/exploration, generation/distribution, waste management, energy efficiency and monitoring. After being introduced to the reality of the entrepreneur and the central issues related to the preparation of an entrepreneurial project, the students will have the opportunity to specialize in the energy sector. The students will work on the financial, marketing and managerial aspects of developing a business plan within the energy sector with the help of market experts who will bring their experience to the course. By the end of the course, students will have gained useful and technical knowledge in the areas of sustainable energy and business; they will have prepared their own business plan and will be adept at communicating and presenting it to an audience.
Current Distinctions & Awards
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