Courses required of all M.B.A. students and certain other courses spanning two or more departments are designated GSBA. GSBA core courses are numbered 510-534 and 540-551 and are offered many semesters. GSBA 560 through 574 are for Executive M.B.A. students only.
510 Accounting Concepts and Financial Reporting (3, FaSp) Information systems for public reporting and for management decision-making; theory of asset and income measurement; interpretation and uses of accounting data and financial statements; analysis of cases.
511 Managerial Economics (3, FaSm) Microeconomic theory with business applications; consumer demand, production theory, cost theory, and market theory; decision-making within the firm under different market and regulatory environments.
512ab Business, Government and Society (1-1) Interrelationships between business, government and the media. Competing ethical reasoning systems also are explored. Graded IP/CR/NC.
513 Business and its Nonmarket Environment (3) Explores the complex interrelationships between business and its socio-political environment.
514 Foundations of Business I and II (6) Introduction of business fundamentals to graduate students with non-business undergraduate degrees. Economics, finance, marketing, operations management and general management concepts are introduced with a global perspectives.
518 Accounting Control Systems (3, Sp) Accumulation and interpretation of accounting data by management; profit planning; analysis of operations; systems for control of production and distribution costs; cost and profit centers for decentralized control. Recommended preparation: GSBA 510.
521ab Corporate Finance (2-1, FaSp) a: Basic principles of corporate finance; theory and application; management of short-term and long-term assets; financial instruments and markets; financial policy applications. Graded IP. b: Continuation of a. Recommended preparation: GSBA 510.
523 Communication for Management (3, FaSp) Internal and external communication, research methods; reports for decision-making; oral presentations and briefings; strategies to assure communication; field studies.
523T Communication for Accounting Professionals (3) Communications strategy for internal audit reports, management letters, proposals; engagement team planning; oral presentations; case and field studies; critical thinking for audit communication requirements, research.
524 Applied Managerial Statistics (3, FaSp) Principles of probability theory and classical statistics applied to business decision problems; survey analysis, estimation and prediction methods, evaluation, and control techniques.
525 Politics for Global Managers (3, Irregular) The dynamic forces shaping the political environment of business. Impact of politics, cultures and world events on multinational enterprise. Case studies of political risk assessment.
526 The National and International Economy (2, FaSp) National and international political and economic forces influencing the firm; tools of macroeconomic analysis; the effects of government fiscal and monetary policies.
528 Marketing Management (3, SpSm) Marketing is treated as a managerial decision making process. Emphasis is given to understanding the concepts, tools, and techniques that comprise a comprehensive marketing strategy.
529 Strategic Formulation for Competitive Advantage (3, FaSpSm) Analyses of environments and competition, the bases of competitive strategy, strategy models, and the achievement of sustainable competitive advantage. Duplicates credit in GSBA 540ab. Recommended preparation: completion of first year courses.
530 Information Systems (2, FaSp) Business orientation to the use, importance, and management of information systems and information technologies within and between organizations. Recommended preparation: basic computer literacy.
532ab Behavior and Organizations (2-1, FaSp) a: Individual behavior (motives, cognitive process, learning), interpersonal processes (perception, communication), small group dynamics (power, productivity, and morale), and organization theory and development (culture, design). Graded IP. b: Continuation of a.
534 Operations Management (3, FaSp) Formulation, modeling, analysis, and optimization of business decision problems; survey of concepts and techniques necessary to manage the operations function of the firm. Recommended preparation: GSBA 524.
540ab Contemporary Issues in Competitive Strategy (1-2, FaSp) Introduces the role industry and competitive analysis serves in an organization. Topics covered include global competition, innovation, the use of standards, competence, and building organizational capabilities to sustain competitive advantage. Graded IP/CR/NC. Duplicates credit in GSBA 529.
543 Managerial Perspectives (3) Managerial careers, development of critical executive and managerial abilities, and the dynamics of organizational environment and systems as they impact managerial progression and growth.
548 Corporate Finance (3, FaSp) Modern theory of corporate investment and financing decisions. Recommended preparation: introductory finance course.
549 The Firm in the National and International Economy (3, Sp) The economic environment of business and international forces influencing the firm.
550 Information Management (3, Sp) General management foundations of information management within and between organizations with a strategic orientation. Recommended preparation: basic computer literacy.
557 Business and the Law: Concepts and Applications (3, FaSp) Examination of legal issues affecting business operations, including contracts, employment, product liability, white collar crime, and anti-trust law.
560 The Perspective of Top Management (2, Fa) Using cases, students are introduced to top management issues of executive leadership, environmental and strategic analysis, use of financial statements, organizational assessment and design, technology management and decision support systems. Graded CR/NC.
561 Evaluating Market Performance (9, Fa) Evaluation of the firm by the market forces that affect its success; financial accounting and reporting; competitive market analysis; external communication; microeconomics; labor, customer and financial markets, statistical and decision analysis, financial and organization measures of effectiveness.
562 Management of Operations (11, Sp) Analysis of operations management and business functions; managerial accounting; finance; marketing; production; data processing and information systems; human resources management.
563 Technology and Information Systems Management (6, Sm) Impact of technology on organizations; new product development; investment decisions and capital budgeting; decision support systems, expert systems; information technology; organizational design; management of information systems.
564 Functional Strategies and Implementation (2, Sm) Developing functional strategies and interdependence to achieve organizational goals; negotiations, conflict resolution; communication strategies; organizational effectiveness; implementation and change strategies; self-assessment and individual presentations.
570 The Role of the Senior Executive (2, Fa) Introduction to strategic management; executive leadership; environmental analysis; international context; financial growth strategies; social, legal and macroeconomic issues; role of CEO with boards, media and other publics; business ethics, strategic planning project. Graded CR/NC.
571 Environmental Analysis: Establishing Competitive Advantage (9, Fa) Development of strategic planning processes; analysis of economic, social, political environment; forecasting; futures research; macroeconomics; international economics; technological developments; multinational management simulation; field projects.
572 Strategic Planning for Growth (11, Sp) Formulation and implementation of strategies in different organizational and environmental contexts; financial growth strategies; comparative management; impact of taxation; technology strategies; product development and new market strategies.
573 Managing Strategic Change and Implementation (6, Sm) Management of the strategic change process for the total organization including implementing growth strategies, use of consultants, corporate governance, implementation in a multinational environment, leadership and power, use of technology, innovation, corporate cultures, executive succession, corporate relations.
574 The Executive of the Future (2, Sm) Forecasting future environments; the role of the executive in the future, changing organizations; executive development; personal development goal setting. Graded CR/NC.
575 The Great Books (3) Exploration of the philosophical and historical underpinnings of contemporary business problems, tracing their origins to the ideas of great thinkers, e.g., Aristotle, Adam Smith, and Machiavelli.
582 Business Environment and Management Practices in the Pacific Rim (3, Irregular) Explores the social, cultural, and political environment of business and management practices in the Pacific Rim. Prerequisite: departmental approval.
583 International Business Research (3, max 6, FaSpSm) Research on international business problems faced by IBEAR participants or their sponsoring firms. Prerequisite: departmental approval.
584 International Business Consulting Project (2-3, max 6, SpSm) IBEAR team consulting projects addressing international business problems. Projects culminate in written and oral presentations to corporate clients.
585 Business Field Project (3, FaSp) Team projects solving real business problems for companies; situation analyses; research proposal composition; field research techniques; statistical analysis; oral and written presentations.
590 Directed Research (1-12, FaSpSm) Research leading to the master's degree. Maximum units which may be applied to the degree to be determined by the department. Graded CR/NC.
599 Special Topics (1-3, max 9, Irregular) Selected topics reflecting current trends and recent developments in business administration. Emphasis on cross-disciplinary inquiry.
601 Doctoral Core I (3, Fa) Basic paradigms of science; emphasis on behavioral science: attitude, decision, motivation, and communication theories, small group behavior, leadership and behavioral theory of the firm. Prerequisite: admission to doctoral program in business administration or departmental approval.
602 Doctoral Core II (3, Fa) Methodology and research perspectives of economics; contribution of the economics paradigm to accounting, management, finance, marketing, and decision sciences. Prerequisite: admission to doctoral program in business administration or departmental approval.
603 Empirical Research Methods I (3, Fa) Theory and application of linear regression model; role of substantive theory in statistical model building; model specification, estimation, diagnostic checking; the general linear hypothesis. Prerequisite: departmental approval.
604 Empirical Research Methods II (3, Sp) Design and analysis of experiments and sample surveys; randomization, blocking, confounding, replication; simple, random, stratified, multistage, and systematic sampling; problems with happenstance data; nonparametric techniques. Prerequisite: GSBA 603 or departmental approval.
605 Empirical Research Methods III (3, Fa) Multivariate methods frequently used in business research; discriminant analysis, logistic regression, multivariate ANOVA, principle components, factor analysis, canonical correlation, MDS, simultaneous equation models, log-linear models. Prerequisite: GSBA 603, GSBA 604, or departmental approval.
610 Seminar in Business Research (3, Irregular) Critical analysis of research studies in the functional areas of business; practice in formulating and conducting research; presentation of original research of publishable quality. Prerequisite: departmental approval.
790 Research (1-12) Research leading to the doctorate. Maximum units which may be applied to the degree to be determined by the department. Graded CR/NC.
794abcdz Doctoral Dissertation (2-2-2-2-0) Credit on acceptance of dissertation. Graded IP/CR/NP.
Accounting courses are listed in the School of Accounting section of this catalogue.
Produced by the USC Division of Student Affairs, Office of University Publications, May 1, 1995