Cuprins
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Prologue: Orientation to the Program
The MBA “Secrets of Life”
Chapter 1. Marketing and Product Management
Differing Schools of Thought
Customer Service and Customer Focus
The Macroenvironment
Dimensions of Buyer Perception
Participants in the Buying Process
The Rational Buyer Vis-à-Vis the Emotional Buyer
Cognitive Dissonance
Postpurchase Dissonance (Also Known as “Buyer’s Remorse”)
Dimensions of Market Segmentation
Marketing Strategies
Product Positioning
Marketing Research
The Marketing Mix
Cross-Selling
Up-Selling
Relationship-Based Selling
Factors in Marketing Analysis
The Marketing and Product Management Checklist
Chapter 2. Accounting and Finance
Financial Statements
Tax-Reduction Considerations
"Creative" Accounting
Internal Control
Other People’s Money (OPM)
Improving Cash Flow
Budgets
Time Value of Money (Discounted Cash Flow)
Investment Appraisal
More Alphabet Soup?
Key Financial Ratios
Lease Versus Buy Versus Rent
Funding
Some Tips
The Accounting and Finance Checklist
Chapter 3. Human Resources and Operations Management
Human Resources Management
Dimensions of Managerial Effectiveness
Work Versus Play
Psychological Contracts in the Workplace
Line Versus Staff
Communication
Compensation
Learning
Diversity and Discrimination
Crisis Management
Operations Management
Economies of Scale
Crossover Analysis
Break-Even Analysis
Linear Programming
Network Analysis
The Pareto Principle: 80/20 Rule
Queuing Theory
Monte Carlo Simulation
Just-in-Time (JIT) Production System
Economic Order Quantity (EOQ) and Reorder Point (ROP)
The Human Resources Management Checklist
The Operations Management Checklist
Chapter 4. Statistics
Conducting a Research Project
Basic Terminology
Key Statistical Measures
A Statistical Anecdote: What Is “Normal”?
Stories Behind the Statistics: Creative Interpretation
Regression Analysis
Time Series Analysis
Exponential Smoothing
Other Parametric Statistical Methods
Nonparametric Statistical Methods
A Reminder
The Statistics Checklist
Chapter 5. Economics
Macroeconomics
Microeconomics
The Economics Checklist
Chapter 6. Technology Management
Management Information Systems
Knowledge Management
The High-Tech Challenge to Management
Progress Through Technology?
The Technology Management Checklist
Chapter 7. Business Policy and Ethics
Formulation of Ethical Standards
Application to Specific Business Issues Contracts
Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR)
The Business Policy and Ethics Checklist
Chapter 8. Strategic Planning
Objectives, Strategies, and Tactics
Establishing Organizational Objectives
Establishing Corporate Objectives
Creating the Strategic Plan
Evaluating the Strategic Plan
Forecasting Methods
The Strategic Planning Checklist
Epilogue: Reflection, Introspection, and Enlightenment
Management Decision Making: Art or Science?
Postscript: Education and Career Pathing
You Are a Product!
Do You Really Need an MBA?
Choosing an MBA Program
Alternatives to the MBA
Recommended Reading
Organizations and Resources
Bibliography
Index