MBiotech Core Business

BTC2000HF - Effective Management Practices (formerly Organizational Skills)

This course (Summer-Fall, First Year) introduces students to the basic skills and concepts needed to become an effective member of an organization. It focuses on (1) team working skills, (2) understanding interpersonal differences and motivation, (3) decision-making and conflict, and (4) written and oral communications. This course will be used to define and organise groups of students who will work in teams to complete the subsequent laboratory modules. It provides the first opportunity for a team approach to problem solving and will provide a realistic preview of the work place.

BTC2010HF - Fundamentals of Managerial Concepts

This foundational course introduces a number of the critical managerial concepts required to operate successfully in today’s biotechnologically-focussed organisations. Topics covered include financial statement analysis, financial management, marketing management, as well as some aspects of organisational behaviour and strategic management. Theory and application are combined through the use of readings, case studies and a group project.

BTC2020HF - Science, Technology, Organizations and Society

This course will examine the economic and business environment in which the biotechnology industry operates. Setting the industry in the context of the development of technologically-based industries, issues to be covered will include the role of government regulation, business strategy, and intellectual property rights. The growth and structure of the industry will be examined, together with the key strategic issues firms face. Business concepts which concern innovation processes will be introduced, including industry analysis, competition policy, licensing, as well as financing innovation. The course will include group assignments, in which teams of students will study a specific issue concerning the impact of biotechnology or a case study and detail the commercial consequences in an oral presentation or debate.

BTC2030HS - Management of Technological Innovation

This is a course in innovation and entrepreneurship, intended in a very broad way. The overall philosophy of the course is that having a good idea, which could possibly create value, is often not enough unless you are able to capture at least part of the created value and deliver it to your customers. Therefore a good idea also requires innovations in the organizational form, the way we compete, how we obtain financial resources, and so on. All of these themes need to be analyzed in order to understand how an idea can be successful in the market. In addition, these challenges are for the most part common to established firms as well. Thus we will stress these similarities but also study the differences between developing a new idea in a stand-alone company and in an established firm. The course is case and discussion based. Teams will prepare, as their final assignment, a business plan either for a new venture or to create a new strategic business unit within a larger organization, in the bio-pharmaceutical or medical sector.