Any employee can rattle off the clichés about human resources. They are the company puppets and politicians, derided as “two-faced,” “impotent,” and “short-sighted.” Impartial? Hardly! To many, HR has been weaponized – the goon squad who’ll protect the company (well, current management mostly) at any cost. Worst of all, they seem to live in a bureaucratic bubble, a cost center that barely understands the business. Who’d respect that?
That’s how human resources operates in dysfunctional cultures. In the best companies – Google, Nissan, BCG – human resources drive strategy, champion change, and empower talent. They are trusted instead of tolerated and treated as partners instead of prodigals. Such firms promote transparency, access, ownership, and fairness. In other words, they are a central part of the operation, concerned more with production over paperwork and growth instead of gamesmanship.
TAKING HR TO THE NEXT LEVEL
How can companies achieve such an end? That’s one of the themes in Preparing to Manage Human Resources, a course starting March 5th. Produced by the University of Minnesota’s Carlson School of Management, the course is a primer on what it takes to deliberately mold and motivate employees in a way that balances company goals with employee aspirations. Even more, the course looks at the nature of work itself, and how employers can tap into that innate sense that work is an extension of one’s passions and purpose.
“It is easy to dismiss work as the daily grind or as an economic activity separate from rest of one’s life that generates commodities, services, and income,” says John Budd, the course instructor who also serves as the chair of Carlson’s Department of Work and Organizations, in a 2014 interview. “This is an excessively narrow view of work. Work can be a source of personal fulfillment and psychological well-being that provides more than extrinsic monetary rewards. Work is a way to intimately care for others and to serve others through volunteering, civic service, military service and other means. On an even deeper level, work can be a source of identity by helping individuals understand who they are and where they stand in the social structure.”
The course has already been a big winner, with previous sections drawing students from over 100 countries and student satisfaction averaging 4.7 off 263 reviews. “I really enjoyed this foundation class,” writes one reviewer from October 2017. “It provide me with a deeper understand of human resources beyond just transactional duties.”
WHARTON COURSES HIGHLIGHT A BUSY MONTH
That’s just one of a full menu of online MOOCs this month. On Monday, Wharton opens another section of Building High-Performing Teams, a research-driven course on how to enhance communication and reinforce the right behaviors in a team dynamic. Similarly, the University of Virginia returns with Strategic Planning and Execution, one of Coursera’s most highly-rated MOOCs that reviewers describe as “insightful,” “relevant,” and “clear.”
By the same token, Wharton is rolling out Introduction to Marketing, one of the most attended MOOCs of all time, on March 19th. In addition, Wharton is also offering Accounting Analytics and Modeling Risk and Realities in March, with each course taught by full-time Wharton instructors who each hold the school’s top teaching award. Indeed, it is a set of courses with something for everyone, including FinTech, neuromarketing, valuation, and organizational design.
To learn more about these courses — and many more — click on the links below.
Marketing
An Introduction to Marketing / March 19 / Wharton School
Content Strategy for Professionals: Engaging Audiences / March 5 / Northwestern University
Competitive Strategy / March 19 / Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München
Marketing Mix Fundamentals / March 5 / IE Business School
An Introduction to Consumer Neuroscience and Neuromarketing / March 19 / Copenhagen Business School
Management
Preparing to Manage Human Resources / March 5 / University of Minnesota (Carlson)
Building High-Performing Teams / March 5 / Wharton School
Strategic Planning and Execution / March 5 / University of Virginia (Darden)
Designing the Organization: From Strategy to Organizational Structure / March 5 / University of Illinois
Operations Management / March 5 / University of Illinois
Finance
Innovation Strategy: Developing Your FinTech Strategy / March 5 / Copenhagen Business School
Modeling Risk and Realities / March 5 / Wharton School
Accounting Analytics / March 5 / Wharton School
Valuation: Alternative Methods / March 5 / University of Michigan (Ross)
Investment Strategies and Portfolio Analysis / March 5 / Rice University
An Introduction to Marketing
School: Wharton School
Platform: Coursera
Registration Link: REGISTER HERE
Start Date: March 19, 2018 (4 Weeks Long)
Workload: 5-6 Hours Per Week
Instructors: David Bell, Peter Fader, Barbara E. Kahn
Credentials: Professor Bell teaches Marketing Management in Wharton’s MBA and Executive MBA program. Aside from being extensively published in resources like the Journal of Consumer Researchand the Journal of Marketing, Bell is also the Academic Director for Wharton’s Advanced Management Program. Professor Fader is the Co-Director of the Wharton Customer Analytics Initiative and author of the acclaimed Customer Centricity: Focus on the Right Customers for Strategic Advantage. Before returning to Wharton, Professor Kahn served as the Dean of the School of Business Administration at the University of Miami in Coral Gables, Florida. From 1982-2006, Kahn was among the most published author of articles in the most prestigious marketing journals.
Graded: Students can choose to explore course videos, discussions, and ungraded assignments for free, but they won’t be able to submit graded assignments, earn a certificate, or complete a specialization without paying a $95 fee per course.
Description: The course will be divided into three modules: Branding, customer centricity, and go-to-market strategies, with concepts taught in the context of how real companies implemented them. Each module lasts three weeks and will be led by one of the three instructors. After the module is completed, the instructors will hold an interactive discussion about the material followed by an assessment. A course syllabus is available on the Coursera link.
Review: “This excellent introduction to marketing is taught by three eminent professors from Wharton in separate modules. It is not structured as a comprehensive overview of basic marketing concepts from A to Z; rather, the course provides a focused treatment of three highly “actionable” areas, which collectively cover a solid range of practical, contemporary marketing challenges. Barbara Kahn gives a broad overview of branding principles and strategies; Peter Fader covers “customer-centric” marketing methodologies that analyze the customer base and actively exploit its heterogeneity; and David Bell describes up-to- the-minute go-to-market strategies that directly confront the challenges of competition in an online world. (His take on how traditional businesses can cope with customers who shop in person and buy online is especially compelling.) The lectures are crisp and professional, and the optional readings are all interesting and well chosen; it would be a mistake to skip them. The exams are not difficult if you’ve studied the material. Overall a valuable and highly enjoyable course.” For additional reviews, click here.
Additional Information: This course is part of a “Business Foundations” specialization, a four course series that covers marketing, financial accounting, operations, and corporate finance. To learn more about these courses and register for them, click here.
Content Strategy for Professionals: Engaging Audiences
School: Northwestern University
Platform: Coursera
Registration Link: REGISTER HERE
Start Date: March 5, 2018 (6 Weeks)
Workload: 2-4 Hours Per Week
Instructors: John Lavine and Candy Lee
Credentials: Lavine is the founder director of the media management center at Northwestern’s Medill School of Journalism, Media, and Integrated Marketing Communications. He has taught at Medill since 1989 – and served as the school’s dean from 2005-2012. He is also the president and chair of the Accrediting Council for Education in Journalism. Prior to entering academia, he spent 25 years as the publisher and editor of four daily and four weekly newspapers in Wisconsin. During that time, his editorials were also syndicated to over 250 daily newspapers.
Lee earned Medill’s Teacher of the Year Award at Medill in 2012, in just her second year at the school. Before entering academia, she served as the vice president of marketing at The Washington Post – after running two publishers and the loyalty programs for United Airlines. She holds a doctorate in organizational leadership at the University of Pennsylvania.
Graded: Students can receive a verified certificate for successfully completing the course (for $49). To do this, students “must watch the MOOC’s videos, answer the Learning Questions that accompany each video, participate in the discussion forums, develop and complete a case study, and evaluate the cases of three other MOOC participants.”
Description: Ever hear the term, “thought leader?” These writers provide content – in channels ranging from the local newspaper to Forbes – to share their expertise. The best thought leaders provide value – memorable and actionable advice that readers can apply immediately. They convey their message through a distinct voice that resonates with their audience and conveys authority. Chances are, they have an underlying strategy to increasingly engage their audience and build their brand.
In this course, learners will research their audience and learn how to better relate to them. In the process, they will “develop strategic words, pictures, graphics, and videos to convey their organization’s most important goals” (along with how to reach a broader audience through social media and mobile technologies). More important, they will learn how to craft narratives, “strategic, honest stories and information that is valued by their most important audiences. In turn that will make their enterprise stand out.”
Review: “Coming from one of the top colleges in the world in this field, I expect much. So far, I’m not disappointed. The lectures take a somewhat nonstandard approach in having many different people, talking not as sole lectures, but instead sitting at a table talking to the main presenter in the course. It is a little bit artificial, but not over the top like in an infomercial. The lectures are not highly inspiration. This may be due to this conversation format. Or the format was made to compensate for individuals who are not inspirational. I detect the midwestern earnestness typical from NU professors. So don’t expect excited, fun-loving presentations. Instead, the course is focused solely on improving the actions you take in business. That being said, the information being delivered is important, high quality and focused.” For additional reviews, click here.
Additional Note: This is the first part of a four part specialization, “Content Strategy for Professionals,” where students can earn a credential in content strategy. It requires students to meet all normal requirements for receiving a verified certificate, along with completing a final project. To learn more about this specialization and register for it, click here.
Competitive Strategy
School: Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München (LMU)
Platform: Coursera
Registration Link: REGISTER HERE
Start Date: March 19, 2019 (6 Weeks)
Workload: 2-4 Hours per Week
Instructor: Tobias Kretschmer
Credentials: Kretschmer teaches in the areas of strategy, technology, and operations at LMU, where he specializes in high tech industries. A Ph.D. in Economics, Kretschmer has previously taught at the London School of Commerce (LSC) and HEC Paris.
Graded: Students will receive a signed Certificate of Completion for finishing the course.
Description: Competitive Strategy delivers a systematic “how-to-behave” framework for various competitive and product cycle environments. Rooted in game theory and focused on real world scenarios, the course helps students understand research and design, pricing, strategic partnerships, and product launches in light of how competitors and consumers will respond. The course is taught through 8-12 minute video lectures, with students evaluated through quizzes, optional case study assignments, and a required final exam.
Review: “In a nutshell – this course was both educational and entertaining. During the course when Tobias was talking about certain topics, he would subtly (or not so subtly) change the background to the theme he was talking about. Keeping you entertained but more importantly keeping you listening!… Overall it helped me get a simple grasp on ‘game’ theory applied to businesses and the decisions they have to go through. It was an interesting insight and the time invested is so small for something so big! I would greatly recommend this for anyone interested in understanding how businesses think and learning the process to certain decisions. Plus, Tobias has a great humour when presenting the lectures.” For additional reviews, click here.
Marketing Mix Fundamentals
School: IE Business School
Platform: Coursera
Registration Link: REGISTER HERE
Start Date: March 5, 2018
Workload: Not Specified.
Instructors: Maria Teresa Aranzabal and Ramon Diaz-Bernardo
Credentials: A practitioner and an academic, Aranzabal joined IE Business School as an associate professor in 2015. Before moving to teaching, she held several roles in the retail sector, including a decade as a partner in a retail consulting firms, along with working in marketing, international development, franchising, and general management for several organizations. An MBA from the Wharton School, Aranzabal also has experience as a retail consultant at McKinsey and a senior association in M&A for Goldman Sachs. Diaz-Bernardo is an expert in the area of tourism and hotel marketing strategy who has consulted for companies ranging from Ford to AC Nielsen.
Graded: Students can choose to explore course videos, discussions, and ungraded assignments for free, but they won’t be able to submit graded assignments, earn a certificate, or complete a specialization without paying a $79 fee.
Description: Everyone has heard of the Four P’s of Marketing: Product, Price, Place and Promotion. But what do they really mean? And what tested techniques and strategies can you apply to give you an edge over your competitors. In this course, students will take a deep dive into the psychological foundations of branding and differentiation; pricing models that motivate action (and repeat business), and communication and distribution channels that help marketers reach the most receptive and lucrative customer bases.
Review: No reviews.
Additional Background: This course is part of IE Business Schools’ “Marketing Strategy” specialization, a five course series that also covers conducting market research and developing a marketing plan. To learn more about this specialization and register for it, click here.
An Introduction to Consumer Neuroscience and Neuromarketing
School: Copenhagen Business School
Platform: Coursera
Registration Link: REGISTER HERE
Start Date: March 19, 2018 (6 Weeks)
Workload: 4-6 Hours Per Week
Instructor: Thomas Zoëga Ramsøy
Credentials: Zoëga Ramsøy, who holds a Ph.D. in Neurbiology, heads the Center for Decision Neuroscience at Copenhagen Business School’s Department of Marketing (where he also serves as an assistant professor). Ranked among the top researchers and practitioners in consumer neuroscience, he studies consumer decision-making ranging from eye tracking to compulsive buying.
Graded: Students will earn a certificate for completing the course. There is a $49 fee for a certificate.
Description: This is an introductory course that draws on fields like biology, psychology, and marketing. Over six weeks, students will examine the “basic concepts of the human brain, the elements of the consumer mind…and how its insights can be applied in commercial and societal understandings of consumer behaviour.” After completing the course, students will understand what drives decisions – and the role played by emotions, memory, and learning. In addition, they will be able to answer these key questions: “How do we make decisions as consumers? What do we pay attention to, and how do our initial responses predict our final choices? To what extent are these processes unconscious and cannot be reflected in overt reports?”
Review: “Comprehensive introduction to some key areas of this field. Very good support material. Interesting, stretching assignment. In first iteration staff put an enormous effort in by re-grading all submissions after plagiarism reports.” For additional reviews, click here.
Additional Note: Although this is an introductory course, Zoëga Ramsøy recommends a series of books including Introduction to Neuromarketing & Consumer Neuroscience, Neuromarketing for Dummies, and Selected Readings in Consumer Neuroscience & Neuromarketing (2nd Edition).
Preparing to Manage Human Resources
School: University of Minnesota (Carlson)
Platform: Coursera
Registration Link: REGISTER HERE
Start Date: March 5, 2018 (4 Weeks Long)
Workload: 4-5 Hours Per Week
Instructor: John W. Budd
Credentials: An expert in human resources and management, Budd has taught at the University of Minnesota’s Carlson School of Management for over 25 years, where he currently heads the Center for Human Resources and Labor Studies. He has authored a half dozen books in the field, including the popular student textbook Labor Relations: Striking a Balance, which went into its 5th edition in 2018. His research has also been published in many of the field’s leading journals, including Industrial and Labor Relations Review, Journal of Labor Research, and Personnel Review.
Graded: To earn a passing mark, students must complete all graded assignments.
Description: Often, management is treated as a cultural endeavor. However, the most successful companies build up a structure to reinforce that culture. Leaders may model the right behaviors, but it also takes incentives and coaching to reinforce them. In other words, the success or failure of culture is often tied to strategy. That’s where human resources comes into play. The HR team is responsible for executing strategy and monitoring its success, whether it be through hiring, training, or rewarding. In the end, human resources sets the bar and establishes the practices that create a fair environment and motivated workforce.
In this course, students will examine the foundational elements of human resources, such as complying with legal requirements and managing and rewarding performance. Taught through videos and case readings, the course illustrates the best human resources in practice so students can foster clear expectations and consistent performance.
Review: “Preparing to Manage Human Resources is an information rich module, and the content delivery by Professor John Budd was just brilliant. This was an enjoyable course but also an unexpected surprise. The information I gained from this module was more than I hoped for. I would recommend to other students that you allow a few more study hours than the recommended 4-5 hour per week, if you want to make the most out of this course. This is a five star course with out a doubt.” For additional reviews, click here.
Additional Note: This course is part of a five course specialization called “Human Resource Management: HR for People Managers.” To learn more about these courses and register for them,
Building High-Performing Teams
School: University of Pennsylvania / Wharton
Platform: Coursera
Registration Link: REGISTER HERE
Start Date: March 5, 2018 (5 Weeks Long)
Workload: 2-4 Hours Per Week
Instructors: Aviva Legatt and Derek Newberry
Credentials: A consultant with Wharton Executive Education, Dr. Legatt also teaches a graduate level course, Effective Collaboration for a Changing Global Workplace, at Penn. A former the senior associate director or special programs and admissions for the Wharton undergraduate program, she is also a consultant and speaker on college and MBA admissions. Newberry is a business anthropologist and Fortune 500 consultant who is a columnist for Entrepreneur magazine in his spare time. He is also a lecturer at Penn on organizational dynamics.
Graded: To earn a passing mark, students must complete all graded assignments.
Description: One may be the loneliest number, but it is sure easier to manage. Teams may increase productivity and bring more diverse perspectives and well-rounded solutions, but they come with a unique set of challenges as well. Every team member must play a role — and embrace it. They must also share the same vision and goals. Of course, there is always the risk of miscommunication and interpersonal communication that can distract teams from the real mission. This course, which is grounded in decades of research, examines what separates successful teams from dysfunctional ones. More than identifying the ailments, it provides strategies for reinforcing and rewarding the right behaviors and building a cohesive unit founded on shared mission and mutual respect.
Review: “Very good framework to understand and build teams but also with very actionable tools in a day-by-day job reality.” For additional reviews, click here.
Additional Note: This course is part of Penn’s “Culture-Driven Team Building” specialization, which includes courses on how to build high-performing teams and cultivating continuous learning. To learn more about these courses and register for them, click here.
Strategic Planning and Execution
School: University of Virginia (Darden
Platform: Coursera
Registration Link: REGISTER HERE
Start Date: March 5, 2018
Workload: 2-5 Hours Per Week
Grades: Students can choose to explore course videos, discussions, and ungraded assignments for free, but they won’t be able to submit graded assignments, earn a certificate, or complete a specialization without paying a $79 fee.
Instructors: Michael Lenox and Jared Harris
Credentials: Professor Lenox is responsible for teaching the core MBA strategy course at Darden, where he also serves as Associate Dean and Director of the Batten Institute For Entrepreneurship and Innovation. He also serves as President of the Alliance For Research on Corporate Sustainability (ARCS) and made the list of Poets and Quants’ “Top 40 Under 40” professors.
A faculty member at Darden since 2006, Harris teaches first year ethics and strategy courses in the MBA program. His research, which focuses on ethics, corporate governance, and entrepreneurship, has been published in academic journals ranging from the Strategic Management Journal to Corporate Reputation Review (as well as cited in national outlets like the New York Times and the Washington Post). He holds a Ph.D. from the University of Minnesota.
Description: In this course, students will learn “how to organize and implement a successful strategy setting process, how to conduct strategy research, how to ensure that annual planning and budgeting support the organization’s strategy, and how to manage the organization’s board of directors, senior managers, and line employees to ensure that everyone’s efforts are aligned with the organization’s strategy.”
Review: “I recently completed the Strategic Planning and Execution course by the University of Virginia, Darden Business School. The content was clearly presented and relevant. The case studies helped me relate the concepts to real world businesses, environment and challenges. I would highly recommend this course to anyone with an interest in strategic analysis, formulation and strategy execution.” For additional reviews, click here.
Additional Notes: This is the fourth of a five course specialization from the University of Virginia called “Business Strategy.” To learn more about this specialization and register for it, click here.
Designing the Organization: From Strategy to Organizational Structure
School: University of Illinois
Platform: Coursera
Registration Link: REGISTER HERE
Start Date: March 5, 2018 (4 Weeks Long)
Workload: 5-7 Hours Per Week
Instructor: Huseyin Leblebici
Credentials: Leblebici is a professor of business administration at the University of Illinois, where he teaches courses in organizational behavior since 1982. During his tenure, he has also headed the school’s Office of Business Innovation and Entrepreneurship and served interim head of the business administration department. His research has also been published in distinguished academic journals like the Strategic Management Journal and Annals in Social Responsibility.
Graded: Students can choose to explore course videos, discussions, and ungraded assignments for free, but they won’t be able to submit graded assignments, earn a certificate, or complete a specialization without paying a $79 fee.
Description: An organization’s design is an expression of its mission, priorities, and constraints. Even more, it is both a reflection and result of its choices and culture. In this course, Leblebici will help students “develop a conceptual process model that links business models, external and internal contingencies, and organizational design. Second, [they] will focus on the fundamental principles of organization design and what alternative design choices are available for managers. Finally, [they] will apply these concepts and ideas to organizational situations to develop the critical insights and decision making skills to build effective organizations. In the process, students will understand the fundamentals that govern the organizational design and use these principles and factors to “design the coordination, control, and performance measurement systems to manage an organization.”
Review: “Professor Leblebici is incredible teacher, and the Courses’ materials are so powerful, and very important to learn how to implement them almost in any type of business!” For additional reviews, click here.
Additional Background: This course is the third part of a “Strategic Leadership and Management” specialization, a six course series that includes a capstone project. It covers the foundations and applications of leadership (two courses that are available on March 16), organizational design, and business and corporate strategy. To learn more about these courses and register for them, click here.
Operations Management
School: University of Illinois
Platform: Coursera
Registration Link: REGISTER HERE
Start Date: March 5, 2018 (4 Weeks Long)
Workload: 6-8 Hours Per Week
Instructor: Gopesh Anand
Credentials: Anand is an award-winning teacher who is currently the associate professor of business administration at the University of Illinois’ College of Business. Holding a Ph.D. in operations management from Ohio State, Anand has been named among the “List of Excellent of Teachers” at the school for the past six consecutive years, along with being named the school’s MBA Professor of the Year in 2011. His research interests include operations strategy and continuous improvement and his recent work has been published by Production and Operations Management and the International Journal of Operations and Production Management.
Graded: Students can choose to explore course videos, discussions, and ungraded assignments for free, but they won’t be able to submit graded assignments, earn a certificate, or complete a specialization without paying a $79 fee for each course.
Description: These days, operations is considered to be a competitive differentiator in enhancing customer experience and reducing costs. But it isn’t a one-size-fits-all endeavor. And it requires operations professionals to closely partner with marketing and finance to execute company strategy. In this course, students will learn the tools for establishing processes, reducing bottlenecks, establishing quality control, and managing suppliers and delivery chains. In addition, they will study frameworks and metrics for evaluating capacity, lead time, and inventory management. The course will be taught through readings, video lectures, and quizzes.
Review: No reviews.
Additional Note: This course is part of a seven course specialization (“Value Chain Management”) from the University of Illinois. To learn more about these courses and register for them, click here.
Innovation Strategy: Developing Your FinTech Strategy
School: Copenhagen Business School
Platform: Coursera
Registration Link: REGISTER HERE
Start Date: March 5, 2018
Workload: Not Specified
Instructors: Jonas Hedman and Stefan Henningsson
Credentials: Hedman is an associate professor at Copenhagen Business School, where his research interests include cashless payments, FinTech, and eSports. His most recent research has been published by the Journal of Information Technology, International Journal of Bank Marketing, and Electronic Commerce Research and Applications.
Henningsson is also an associate professor at the school, where he teaches courses on digital transformation and digital business.
Graded: To earn a passing mark, students must complete all graded assignments
Description: FinTech is disrupting traditional banking. From bitcoin to blockchain, banking has become more mobile and accessible. Now, some platforms enable investors to trade stocks without fees or purchase items using cryptocurrencies instead of cash or credit. How do these technologies work – and how can their models offer a competitive advantage? That’s the premise behind this course, which looks closely at the technical, operational, and commercial aspects of the digital technology so students can capitalize on innovation in this space.
Review: No reviews.
Additional Note: This course is the third part of a four course specialization called “Digital Transformation in Financial Services.” To learn more about these courses and register for them, click here.
Modeling Risk and Realities
School: Wharton School
Platform: Coursera
Registration Link: REGISTER HERE
Start Date: March 5, 2018
Workload: Not Specified
Instructors: Sergei Savin and Senthil Veeraraghavan
Credentials: Veeraraghaven and Savin are associate professors of operations, information, and decisions at the University of Pennsylvania’s Wharton School. Veeraraghaven, who earned the Wharton Excellence in Teaching Awards in 2013 and 2014, teaches operations strategy course to MBAs and holds a Ph.D. from Carnegie Mellon. Savin teaches the core Business Analytics to MBAs who also took home a Wharton Excellence in Teaching Award in 2010. His research has been published by academic journals like Management Science and Operations Management. Gans is the Anheuser Busch Professor of Management Science at Wharton, where he teaches courses on business analytics and service operations to MBAs.
Graded: Students can choose to explore course videos, discussions, and ungraded assignments for free, but they won’t be able to submit graded assignments, earn a certificate, or complete a specialization without paying a $119 fee.
Description: ‘Garbage in, garbage out.’ That’s the mantra for anyone who builds a financial model. Making sense of the long-term isn’t easy. There are so many variables and unknowns that create ambiguity and risk. As a result, it is crucial for analysts to set precise outcomes and hash out the right parameters, developing a model that’s flexible enough to accommodate change and transparent enough to be readily understood.
In this course, students will “learn the methods for creating predictive models for identifying optimal choices; and how those choices change in response to changes in the model’s assumptions. [They’ll] also learn the basics of the measurement and management of risk. By the end of this course, [they’ll] be able to build their own models with their own data, so that they can begin making data-informed decisions.”
Review: “Good practical examples of the concepts. In general, seems to me that the courses of the specializations do not fit together well. At times, basic things mentioned elsewhere are repeated, some others are not explained sufficiently.” For additional reviews, click here.
Additional Background: This course is the first part of a “Business and Financial Modeling” specialization, a five course series that covers portfolio and risk management, long-term investing, and understanding financial markets. To learn more about these courses and register for them, click here.
Accounting Analytics
School: Wharton School
Platform: Coursera
Registration Link: REGISTER HERE
Start Date: March 5, 2018
Workload: Not Specified
Grades: Students can choose to explore course videos, discussions, and ungraded assignments for free, but they won’t be able to submit graded assignments, earn a certificate, or complete a specialization without paying a $95 fee.
Instructors: Brian Bushee
Credentials: An instructor in Wharton’s Executive Education program, Professor Bushee also teaches the Introductory Financial Accounting course in the MBA program and Wharton’s Seminar for Business Journalists. As a teacher, he has won Wharton’s Excellence in Teaching Award, along with the Helen Kardon Moss Anvil Award for being the faculty member “who has exemplified outstanding teaching quality during the last year.” Before teaching, Bushee worked in the private sector for CoreStates Financial Corporation and Coopers and Lybrand LLP.
A long time member of the Wharton faculty, Ittner is the EY Professor of Accounting, where he teaches the Management Accounting MBA course, along with executive education and doctoral courses. A Ph.D. himself, Ittner’s research, which focuses on performance measurement and cost management, has appeared in the Harvard Business Review along with academic outlets like the Journal of Accounting and Economics, Marketing Science, and the Journal of Management Accounting Research. In his spare time, Ittner is an editor with several academic journals. He has earned several teaching awards during his tenure, including MBA Core Teaching Excellence Awards in 2009, 2010, and 2012.
Description: Think big data is just for marketing and operations? Think again. In reality, analytics offers accounting and finance with new ways of identifying patterns and key nuggets of information that aren’t readily apparent on the balance sheet. It also provides an alternative model for forecasting and integrating financial data with other metrics. In this course, students will apply big data frameworks to accounting to inform “consumer behavior predictions, [operations optimization], corporate strategy, [and] risk management.”
Review: “A very useful course for people who are interested in doing more with accounting data. I have completed the course and I found it very useful to my area of work. Course Materials are quite technical though but I am sure people with an Accounting or Finance background will not struggle to appreciate the content.” For additional reviews, click here.
Additional Note: This is the second part of Wharton’s “Business Analytics” specialization, which includes courses on customer, accounting, and people analytics. To learn more about these courses and register for them, click here.
Valuation: Alternative Methods
School: University of Michigan (Ross)
Platform: Coursera
Registration Link: REGISTER HERE
Start Date: March 5, 2018 (6 Weeks Long)
Workload: 5-10 Hours Per Week
Grades: Students can choose to explore course videos, discussions, and ungraded assignments for free, but they won’t be able to submit graded assignments, earn a certificate, or complete a specialization without paying a $79 fee.
Instructors: Gautam Kaul and Qin Lei
Credentials: Professor Kaul has won five Excellence in Teaching awards at Ross, along with earning the Victor L. Bernard Leadership in Teaching Award in 2009. He is widely published in financial journals and teaches a variety of introductory and advanced courses, including Corporate Finance, Investment and Financial Institutions, and Sustainable Enterprise. Lei, a Ph.D. holder from the University of Michigan, joined the University of Michigan staff in 2013 after earning the MBA Outstanding Teaching Award at Southern Methodist University in 2012. He currently teaching courses in applied investment management, options and futures, and capital markets. His most recent research has been published by the Journal of Financial Markets and the Journal of Industrial Economics.
Description: There are two key factors in any financial decision-making: Time value of money and risk and return. However, there are far more factors than simply looking at long-term impact and whether the possible rewards are offset by the risk. In this course, student will study other real world variables that comprise valuation, particularly tax laws and regulations. By the end of this course, according to Kaul, students will be able to “conduct analysis of most projects and companies.” Along with reviewing the fundamentals of time value and risk and return, the course will examine the effects of areas like leveraging and bankruptcy on valuation. The course will be taught through videos, with students evaluated through mandatory exercises and a final test.
Review: “It is really challenging course and I spend really a lot of time to make quizes. But I liked lector and his way of presenting the material. Now I’m sure that after this course I understand valuation better than ever before!” For additional reviews, click here.
Additional Note: This course is the third part of an “Introduction to Finance: Valuation and Investing” specialization, a four course series that includes a capstone project. To learn more about these courses and register for them, click here.
Investment Strategies and Portfolio Analysis
School: Rice University
Platform: Coursera
Registration Link: REGISTER HERE
Start Date: March 5, 2018 (4 Weeks Long)
Workload: Not Specified
Instructor: Arzu Ozoguz
Credentials: Ozoguz is a visiting assistant professor to Rice. Holding a Ph.D. in INSEAD, she has previously taught at the University of Texas-Dallas, the University of North Carolina, and Queen’s University. Her interests include information economics and international finance, with her recent research being published in the Journal of Financial Economics.
Graded: To earn a passing mark, students must complete all graded assignments.
Description: Every investor is looking to turn a profit. Question is, what short-term tactics or long-term strategies work in maximizing return and minimizing risk? There are many ways to approach investing. Some investors pin their hopes on recent perform, while others hold their investments and weather the market highs and lows. Of course, you’ll find plenty of investors who tie themselves to indexes to spread their risk. Indeed, every strategy carries merits. Hot industries and companies can help investors make a killing before a quick exit. Consistent returns aren’t as sexy, but they can yield a pretty cushy living over time. Who wouldn’t want to say they were among the first investors in the next Apple?
What will work best for you? That’s exactly what this is course is designed to help you figure out. In particular, according to Ozoguz, you’ll learn the best practices for measuring and evaluating portfolios, including style and attribution analyses. In addition, students will compare and contrast strategies in various contexts to gain a better understanding of what works and when. In addition, the course will examine emerging investment trends and market innovations.
Review: “Concise and visualized speech, greatly impressive. Combined with the practice and quizzes, it deeper my understanding in analysis on investment strategies and how to evaluate performance of a certain portfolio. I would recommend this course to my friends without hesitation.” For additional reviews, click here.
Additional Note: This is the fourth course in a five course specialization from Rice University called “Investment and Portfolio Management.” To learn more about these courses and register for them, click here.
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