Mini MBA: Strategic Management Programme
May 6 – 10 and May 19 – 23 | 09:00 – 17:00
EUR 4900 + VAT
SSE Riga, Strēlnieku street 4a, Riga
Module #1: Competition
Asynchronous online, self-paced
Module #2: Finance Fundamentals
Asynchronous online, self-paced
Module #3: Finance Management
May 6 – 8 (May 8 until 12:30)
Anete Pajuste, at SSE Riga
Module #4: Leadership
May 8 (from 13:30) – May 10
Peter Zashev, at SSE Riga
Module #6: Marketing
May 19 – 21 (May 21 until 12:30)
John Branch, at SSE Riga
Module #5: Strategy
May 21 (from 13:30) – May 23
David Wernick, at SSE Riga
Graduation ceremony
May 23, 16:30 – 18:00
The programme is implemented in cooperation with the William Davidson Institute at the University of Michigan. Learning takes place using the ExtendEd Learning Portal and on-site at SSE Riga.
Take your career to the next level with this transformational learning experience. The Mini MBA Programme features six modules that equip you with a cross-functional approach to business. They present both strategic management principles and the most recent theoretical developments. You will have the opportunity to explore real situations faced by yourself and fellow participants within your own businesses.
Context
The Mini MBA programme opens the door to state-of-the-art thinking about the fundamentals of business and management. Participants will develop a new mindset and will have an advanced toolbox at their disposal to promote organizational success.
Benefits
You can expect:
- Access to world-class professors who will share global best practices
- Lively discussions around global management trends
- Opportunities to explore the challenges that you face every day in your business
- Tools and techniques to improve leadership and managerial skills
- Time to take a pause from your daily work and recharge, reflect and refine your career path
- Valuable lessons from peers who come from different industries, thereby sparking creative new ideas
- Cutting-edge pedagogy, designed for mid-career professionals
- A professional peer network that benefits you long after the programme ends
A co-branded graduation certificate from the William Davidson Institute at the University of Michigan and SSE Riga
Format
The Mini MBA Programme offers a dynamic, 21st Century community of learning:
- Ample opportunity to interact and learn from both our world-class instructors and your peers
- Access to key materials and a learning community before, during and after the formal program through our ExtendEd learning portal
- Interactive sessions in which participants discuss situations in their own business environments
Content
The Mini MBA programme consists of six modules:
Module 1: Competition
This module introduces the economic foundations of competition in market-based economies, by explaining how companies win or lose in a competitive environment. You will be able to pinpoint your company’s competitive position in the market, and identify strategic options to maintain or change this position.
Module 2: Finance Fundamentals
This module covers basic topics of managerial finance including financial statements, time value of money, capital budgeting, business valuation, debt and equity financing. You will learn how to read financial statements and gain an understanding of how financial decisions are made at your company.
Module 3: Finance Management
This module explores the finance side of the business, how operations are tied to provide proper return to investors and to increase company value for the owners. You will be able to see the financial impacts of your business decisions.
Module 4: Leadership
This module explores important models of human performance and how they can be applied to different organizational context to enhance your managerial effectiveness. Mixing state-of-the-art knowledge and frameworks with practical examples, hints and tools, you will be able to generate energy and commitment among people and to channel this towards strategic organizational goals in an ethical and responsible way.
Module 5: Marketing
This module explores the fundamentals of marketing and develops a framework for creating a go-to-market strategy and its corresponding marketing tactics. You will be able to select the appropriate tools, analysis and logic for taking a product to market.
Module 6: Strategy
The Strategy module aims to cover core concepts and frameworks essential for strategic decision-making. It includes topics such as competitive advantage, SWOT and PESTEL analysis, Porter's Five Forces, Value Chain, VRIO Framework, and Generic Business Strategies. Additionally, it delves into advanced strategies like Blue Ocean Strategy, Disruptive Innovation, CSR, and Stakeholder analysis. The module also addresses global strategy considerations, utilizing frameworks like the CAGE Framework and VUCA framework (Volatility, Uncertainty, Complexity, and Ambiguity) for understanding geopolitical impacts. Finally, emerging issues such as the role of AI and the importance of policies addressing ESG & DEI concerns are discussed to provide a comprehensive understanding of contemporary strategic challenges.
Faculty
Competition & Marketing
John Branch, Ross School of Business at the University of Michigan
PhD, University of Cambridge
John Branch teaches marketing and international business courses at the undergraduate, MBA, and executive levels at the Stephen M. Ross School of Business at the University of Michigan (USA). He has also served as Director of Educational Outreach at the University’s William Davidson Institute, which focuses on business in emerging economies. Professor Branch has also served as an adjunct or visiting professor at more than 50 business schools throughout the world and was a visiting scholar at Queen Elizabeth House of the University of Oxford and at the Kellogg School of Management of Northwestern University. He has conducted management training in numerous international companies including British American Tobacco, British Telecom, Mercedes Benz, Oracle, Coca-Cola, Michelin, Ericsson, and Nestlé.
“Teaching in the Mini MBA programme is a highlight of my academic year. The participants are hungry to learn the latest advancements in marketing, and the unique challenges which they face in the everyday are fascinating.”
Financial Management
Anete Pajuste, Stockholm School of Economics in Riga
PhD, Stockholm School of Economics (Sweden)
Anete Pajuste teaches finance and accounting at the undergraduate and executive levels at the Stockholm School of Economics in Riga. She has extensive experience and training in participant-centered learning methods such as cases and experiential learning. Her articles have appeared in journals including the Journal of Corporate Finance, the Oxford Review of Economic Policy and the Journal of Banking and Finance. She is a research member of the European Corporate Governance Institute (ECGI). Professor Pajuste serves as a consultant on firm valuation, cost accounting, investment management and financial planning issues and shares her practical knowledge from investing in equities, index funds and real estate.
"The Mini MBA programme attracts diverse and enthusiastic participants that are eager to learn and share their experiences and everyday business challenges. I very much enjoy working with people that are engaged in class discussions and practical tasks. At the end of this module, I am happy to see that many participants start to believe that Finance is fun!"
Leadership
Peter Zashev, Hanken School of Economics
PhD, Hanken School of Economics
Peter Zashev He holds a PhD in Economics and Business Administration from the Hanken School of Economics. He has more than 18 years of experience in executive education as lecturer and programme director. He has worked with the management of big companies across Europe and mainly in the Nordic countries, the Baltic States and Russia. As high-energy speaker, he engages audiences with his natural storytelling ability. His thought-provoking messages leave audiences with valuable information to take back to the office and immediately put into practice. His academic interests include leadership and management, international business strategy and entrepreneurship, and cross-cultural communications.
“Great leadership is not a final destination – it is a journey! In any journey the role and input of your guide can make a big difference – where to look for, what to look at, what to try and what to avoid! For me being a trusted guide on your way to better leadership is both an honor and a privilege!”
Strategy
David Wernick, College of Business, Florida International University
PhD Flordia International University
David Wernick is a Teaching Professor in the Department of International Business at Florida International University (FIU), and brings a wealth of expertise to his role, with a focus on global strategy, innovation, and sustainable enterprise. An accomplished teacher and case writer, Dr. Wernick has garnered awards for his instructional excellence and contributions to international business scholarship. With a diverse background that includes serving as a senior analyst at a Miami-based international security consultancy and as director of communications for the Americas Society and Council of the Americas in New York, he infuses his teaching with real-world insights. At FIU’s College of Business, Dr. Wernick imparts his knowledge across various business and management courses at the undergraduate, MBA, and executive levels, enriching students' learning experiences with his multidisciplinary perspective and practical industry experience.
Participant profile
Our participants:
- Come from a wide variety of organisations and industries
- Understand core business functions and are ready to adopt new perspectives on these functions.
- Have 5 or more years of managerial experience
Instruction is in English and participants should be sufficiently fluent in order to contribute to discussions and group work.
Participation fee
4900 EUR + VAT
The price includes access to all training materials, catering, books, cases, tools, and models.
Receive a 10% discount on the participation fee if you have participated in any of our open programmes during the past 12 months.
Teeter Scholarships available
Managers of small, regional companies and non-governmental organizations may apply for a Teeter Scholarship, which is awarded on a competitive basis.
3 scholarships are offered – 1 full scholarship and 2 scholarships covering 50% of the participation fee.
Teeter Scholarships are provided to selected participants to attend executive education programs offered by the William Davidson Institute. The scholarships are named to honor the memory of Robert M. Teeter, an advisor to U.S. presidents from 1968-1992 and a board member at the William Davidson Institute.
Please download the application form here
Please submit your application by April 9, 2025.
