Day One - October 10, 2011
Global Strategy

The remarkable economic growth that Latin America has shown in the past few years is both a magnet for foreign companies wishing to expand in the region and a driver for local companies to go global. Understanding how to manage effectively this globalization process is a critical ability to sustain competitive advantage. Through case studies of Latin American companies and role-plays, we will explore the major questions and concepts related to globalization: what are the possible benefits of globalization? When should a company go global? What is the best choice of locations when expanding abroad? How to choose between different modes of entry? How to manage the global structure?

Faculty: Paulo Prochno

Day Two - October 11, 2011
Marketing Superiority: Managing Customer Relationships

Advancements in information technology, combined with the related growth of the service sector, have caused profound changes in how firms conduct marketing strategy. This segment focuses on an approach to marketing strategy that is based on managing customer relationships. Important implications for firms include where and how to allocate marketing resources and how to organize the marketing function.

Faculty: PK Kannan and Roland Rust

Day Three - October 12, 2011
Operations Management

Operations management plans and coordinates all activities in the process of producing and delivering products and services for firms. Effective operations management is a key ingredient of success in most industries. However, achieving effective operations management can be quite challenging because operations are often complex, involving large scale and volumes. We will focus on fundamental concepts, strategies, optimization tools and techniques for firms to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of their operations. We will cover a mix of strategic “macro” level tools, such as Six Sigma and lean management, and tactical “micro” level tools, such as process analysis and management.

Faculty: Yi Xu

Day Four - October 13, 2011
Transformational Information Technology

Information technology (IT) is at the core of a transformation currently taking place in the business landscape. Understanding the forces of this transformation and how to best take advantage of them are critical to business success. Companies who understand how they, their suppliers, and their customers use IT systems know this transformation is occurring. However, to sufficiently understand the full ramifications of this transformation, it is important to learn lessons in other industries that have been disrupted. Successful companies who position themselves to ride the transformational IT wave may attain even greater success while those who try to resist or miss the transformational wave may be forever left behind. In this session, we will examine the forces of this IT transformation. Furthermore, we will discuss how companies and countries can strategically use these forces of an IT transformation going forward. This class will use lectures, cases, and team-based simulations to convey the learning objectives.

Faculty: Joseph Bailey

Day Five - October 14, 2011
Site Visits: Marriott International, Discovery Communications (Tentative)

Lead by: Janet Wagner, Academic Director