Business Administration

This is an introductory course providing a study of theories, concepts and components of the urban built environment. Discussions cover the urbanization process, development of urban forms and structures, land policy and development constraints, national development and the land use planning process, the role of government in the planning process, the property development process, and the roles and functions of parties involved in real estate as well as urban development.

The course addresses the key questions which challenge all entrepreneurs: how much money can and should be raised; when should it be raised and from whom; what is a reasonable valuation of the company; and how should funding, and exit decisions be structured? The course uses case studies, with a particular focus on technology-based businesses. Students follow the founding history of a software unicorn from its early steps to exit. It examines a fast-growing on-demand food delivery start-up that is seeking an investor to cover its increasing need for working capital, and explores the information and context needed to value Peloton, the subscription-based fitness company whose stock price dropped after its IPO. The course also considers the investor’s viewpoint, in order to understand their motivations and incentives to avoid financing pitfalls and successfully negotiate the best financing outcome for a venture.

This course provides a study of the basic laws and general methods of management activities. Through learning the basic functions of management, the development history of management theory, the comparison of Chinese and foreign management concepts, management and organization design, management types and methods, and management innovation, students can understand the historical evolution process of management theory and the development trend of management practice. At then end, students master the basic laws and general methods of management activities. This course gives students a preliminary understanding of all aspects of management such as business operations, organizational behavior, and general management, and provide students with opportunities to improve their skills in solving management problems. It also provides training opportunities for students to improve their decision-making ability under limited time and incomplete information.

This course examines the stakes of microfinance development in developing countries, as well as in Europe. It analyzes the links between financial inclusion and poverty reduction. The course addresses specific needs of targeted populations, the specifics of financial and non-financial services offered to these populations, and the challenges of the stakeholders who gravitate towards microfinance institutions (public donors, investment funds, regulators, rating agencies). Issues of social performance and impact are analyzed to identify best practices and discuss controversial issues.

This course provides students with the necessary sensitivity when applying theoretical models. The traditional model of the homo economicus is ubiquitous in microeconomic theory. Economic agents are assumed to be rational utility maximizers with self-regarding preferences and unlimited processing capacities. Common sense and the results of economic experiments show that this is not always the case. Often people behave differently than predicted by theory. This course deals with the following problem statements: 1) When does microeconomic theory apply and when does it lose its predictive power? 2) If it does not apply, what concepts and models can be used to either extend or substitute the current theory to describe human behavior? Specifically, students discuss the following issues: non-expected utility theory; inter-temporal choice; social preferences; reciprocity; levels of analytical reasoning; the role of mistakes; mental accounting; heuristics; and neuroeconomics.

This course focuses on the study of corporations. Topics include: the structure of productivity and human relations, the business environment, business as a cultural project, and the management of human resources. It provides an introduction to how corporations are set up in France, including an explanation of multiple cultural differences that happen in the French business world compared to the rest of the world.

The first half of this course gives students an integrated view of three important asset classes: fixed income securities, stocks, and derivatives. Through rigorous engagement with the course material, students learn key concepts of risk, return, diversification, portfolio theory, market efficiency theory, and the Capital Asset Pricing Model (CAPM). Students also learn about derivative instruments like forwards, futures, options and swaps, and their practical application in trading. The second half of the course focuses on corporate finance and allows students to build strategic thinking skills in this area. Students learn how firms analyze and decide which investment opportunities they should pursue, as well as the different options for raising the necessary funds to finance those investments.