Global MBA (English)

The Global MBA from OBS Business School has been ranked as one of the best in Spain in the 2015 Online MBA Ranking by Mundo Posgrado. Furthermore, both the Global MBA and the Executive MBA from OBS have been selected as the best online MBAs in the 2015 Iberoamerican Training Ranking for 100% online courses.
The Online Global MBA in Spanish from OBS Business School focuses on developing the leadership skills and abilities needed to manage global businesses. What sets this programme apart is that it provides its participants with all the tools they need to successfully manage companies with a high rate of internationalisation and innovation, in different kinds of management positions – management control or senior management – and whatever the size of the organisation. With the innovative philosophy of the programme, OBS aims to provide a vision of the starting point for the future of global business management.
Furthermore, the programme offers its participants a new and pioneering Professional Skills Development Programme, developed OBS and delivered by recognised professionals and experts in Human Resources.
In the field of business management and administration, a higher education certificate in Management is absolutely crucial. This has been shown by a study published by the Executive MBA Council, which stated that the salaries of MBA participants rose by 11.4% between the beginning and end of their programmes.

The programme is divided into five modules:

• Fundamentals: Strategic marketing from an international perspective; Management accounting; Business strategy and organisational design.
• Advanced: Global Supply Chain Management; Talent Management and Staff Leadership; Information Systems and Business Intelligence; Corporate finance administration; Import and Export management: Investment Assessment.
• Globalisation: Global Business environment; Global Marketing; Global Finance; Cross-cultural Management; International legal framework.
• Developing Leadership Skills: Sustainable leadership for global business; Cross-cultural Negotiations; Ethics and Corporate Social Responsibility; International entrepreneurial initiative.
• Business Plan: Developing strategic global plans; Drawing up Business Plans.

Core Subjects

Strategic marketing from a global perspective

The online MBA is designed to provide students with the basics of the marketing mix. In other words, strategies for marketing management, segmentation, targeting and positioning. These are developed alongside the necessary tools for conducting quantitative analyses from the standpoint of a marketing director; the ability to conduct analyses of consumers, competitors and distribution channels and the framework for identifying the similarities and differences between international and national marketing. The aim is for the student to be able to apply these marketing strategies successfully to international markets.

Management Accounting

The aim of this course is to introduce the student to the implementation and investigation of accounting books and the use of accounting information as a management tool for knowledge and decision making. The main topics dealt with in the online MBA are concepts for management accounting, the accounting cycle, individual assets and liabilities, interpreting financial statements and the ethical questions raised by financial information.

Business Strategy and Organisational Design

This module covers a series of basic and technical elements related to analysing the competitive advantage of global institutions. It deals with themes that are of both classical and contemporary importance, such as industry analysis, the core competence of institutions, upper management and corporate governance teams, the scope of product and market decisions and value chain analysis.

Emphasis is placed on the analytical tools for understanding complex issues regarding strategy. It also deals with organisations as macro-institutions. We study the design and organisation of institutions and how they react to environmental forces and internal power struggles.

Advanced Modules

Global Supply Chain Management

This course provides a general overview of the design, control and improvement of industrial production processes and services production systems. The topics covered include operations strategy, process selection, value stream analysis, quality management, lean manufacturing and supply chain management.

Talent Management and Staff Leadership

The aim of this course is to develop managers and professionals who can contribute to the success of an organisation by connecting talent with human resources and the strategy of the organisation. In this respect, the course offers the students a general overview of the most important topics, theories and practices in the field of Human Capital Management.

Information Systems Business Intelligence

This course explores the main problems in the area of multifunctional information management in complex organisations. The topics covered include planning, designing, acquiring, evaluating and financing information systems and technology, as well as the structural components of Business Intelligence.  The students will come to understand the opposing perspectives of the customer/end-user and the information system administrator with the opportunity of working together to improve competitive advantages through efficient information management. During the course we will explore the field of Business Intelligence, its concepts, tools and use in business.

Cooperative Finance Administration

The aim of this course is to provide students with a broad overview of the basic concepts of financial management. The topics covered include evaluating financial results, asset assessment, capital budget, risks and returns in the context of capital asset assessment models, capital structure theory, dividends policy, financial planning and budgeting in the short and long term, planning and financial projection. This course introduces students to the financial responsibilities within a business and the methods that are required to fulfil them efficiently.  

Import and Export Management

This course provides in-depth coverage of the techniques and procedures needed to successfully carry out import and export transactions. The topics covered include the language of international commerce, Incoterms, payment conditions, barriers to trade, export licences, prices, order management, insurance, international collection and international shipping. The requirements for documents for import and export transactions will be dealt with in detail.

We will also study importation and customs clearance procedures and the effect they have on the procurement of foreign products and international purchasing.

Investment Assessment

The aim of this course is to introduce students to the latest advances in the field of investment analysis and management. This course focuses on determining the fundamental value of various securities and the function of these securities when setting effective and optimum investment strategies. The course also places emphasis on the role of derivative securities in businesses and financial risk management.

Globalisation Modules

Global Business Environment

Working in international trade requires a great level of skill when analysing the main macroeconomic forces at play (culture, politics, law and economics). Knowledge and interpretation of the development of economic integration processes and the role of the government in international trade will allow executives to identify the main challenges and business opportunities at all times.

Global Marketing

The aim of this course is to show students the complexity of strategic marketing decisions in the global market. The topics covered include global consumer markets; the global cultural, legal, political and economic context; the marketing mix; consumer behaviour; and global market research.

Global Finance

The aim of this course is to introduce students to the study of multinational financial management. The course covers the foreign exchange market, international portfolio management and financial management for multinational businesses, with an emphasis on the use of derivative instruments and operational strategies for covering all types of risk. The topics covered include the international context and financial markets; setting exchange rates; currency derivatives; international arbitrage and the theory of interest rate parity; the relationship between inflation, interest rates and exchange rates; management of risk type; multinational capital budget analysis; and global capital structure analysis.

Cross-cultural Management

This course has been designed to develop global business leaders. It covers the main management issues that businesses have to face when working internationally. The contents include the current international context, the effects of globalisation on business management, the cultural dimension of international management and cultural communication and leadership.

International Legal Framework

This course is focused on studying the relationship between the law and the business of an organisation from an international perspective. The main focus is on trade, drawing up agreements, problems with sales agreements, insurance and guarantees sales agreements, appropriate forms of business organisations, such as sole-proprietorships, companies, limited liability companies and corporations. The course introduces students to the basic legal knowledge that a person without a background in law requires in order to understand the legal problems that executives face. Students will come to understand the danger that they may face with problems such as corporate structural changes, mergers and acquisitions, changes in work responsibilities, civil rights considerations and violations, harassment problems, compulsory retirement, etc.  

Developing Leadership Skills Modules

Sustainable Leadership for Global Businesses

This course provides the students with practical knowledge of the factors, both external and internal, that influence how effective leadership is. The topics covered include the achievements of leaders, the characteristics of leaders, cross-cultural leadership and leadership when managing changes and the relation between leaders and followers.

Cross-Cultural Negotiations

We present the main negotiation and conflict resolution techniques in an international context, with the aim of developing an understanding of the steps taken during the cross-cultural negotiation process, as well as the ability to form strategies that will allow us to apply this to specific situations.

Ethics and Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR)

The aim of this course is to introduce students to the ethics and morals of business management and the business as a social system. The topics covered include the difference between ethics and morals, the moral basis of the market and sustainability. Similarly, we will stress the competitive advantage that organisations gain from understanding the importance of CSR.  

International Entrepreneurship Initiative

This course provides the students with the tools they need to fully understand the entrepreneurial process. The course is focused on recognising and seeking out business opportunities, evaluating the viability of new projects and learning to manage growing businesses.

Business Plan Modules

Developing Global Strategic Plans

A full and well-developed business plan is the reference framework for a global business and an essential tool for the global entrepreneur. The process for drawing up a business plan offers an in-depth look into the complex interdependence of the functional elements of a business: marketing, finance, management, leadership and operational systems.

Drawing Up a Business Plan

For the final project of the Master's course, students will be required to draw up a Business Plan as a practical application of the knowledge they have acquired over the course of the programme. This can be done through an existing business or a new undertaking. The work is done under the supervision of the academic department and follows a plan of partial submissions, which will allow development to be monitored. The Business Plan is a group project, carried out in teams.

Others

• Skills Development Programme

The Online Global MBA from OBS Business School has an interdisciplinary module aimed at developing the leadership skills that are worked on throughout the whole course, in which analytical and evaluative habits are progressed, alongside improving personal leadership skills for taking on new responsibilities and creating strategies to achieve goals.

Over the course of the programme, the students will have the opportunity to interact during various online sessions with leaders from businesses such as Parques Warner, Interbrand, Piaggio and IMS Health, among others.

• Meeting with Executives

Apart from looking at case studies for each of the modules, and the personal experience of the international teachers, professionals and top-level working executives, students will also have meetings with executives working in the international sphere through webinars that take place throughout the course.

Through this, the speakers will share their experience with entrepreneurship, innovation, change management and internationalisation.

Up until now, we have organised meetings with executives from, among others, IBM, Google, Privalia and Inditex. We bring together the reality of entrepreneurship and the academic sphere, constantly reflecting on possibilities for improvement, which tends to be of great value to the students and speakers. This is all about learning from experience with the aim of transforming and improving one's own experiences.

The main aim of our admissions process is to ensure that the candidates are suited to the course. All students must be able to take full advantage of this learning experience, through a context in which it is possible to develop lasting connections with fellow students, teachers and the alumni.

The stages of the admissions process are as follows:

• 1. Prerequisites for admission
• 2. Application
• 3. Personal interview
• 4. Cover letter
• 5. Admissions Committee Evaluations
• 6. Enrolment