PhD Program Courses

MGMT­810*      Survey of Accounting Thought and Practice

This course is intended to expose students to a breadth of accounting theory, models, and research dealing with normative and empirical issues in financial accounting, financial reporting, conceptual frame­works, auditing, managerial, and behavioral accounting. Emphasis will be placed on the origins of these issues and current state of the art research and corresponding paradigms.

MGMT­811*      Management Accounting Research

This seminar provides a broad overview of contemporary research in management accounting. Emphasis is placed on competing theories of the role of management accounting in organizations and society, as well as the issues and problems surrounding the implementation of management accounting techniques in practice. A background in traditional cost and management accounting techniques is assumed.

MGMT­820*     Introduction to Finance

This course studies the theoretical foundations of the financial problems faced by individuals and firms under conditions of uncertainty. Contemporary theory is examined as it related to portfolio selection by individuals, equilibrium market values of capital assets, the behaviour of capital asset prices and yields over time.

MGMT­840*   Marketing Strategy and Management

This course provides an overview of marketing strategy and management. The role of marketing within the firm is also discussed along with issues in structuring and implementing marketing programs. Marketing strategy focuses on the tools, concepts and processes that firms use to achieve competitive advantage through the creation of superior customer value. We discuss competitive and relational strategies, market dynamics, innovation and first mover advantage. Marketing management topics include branding, the marketing mix, international marketing, marketing ethics and social responsibility, and not for profit marketing.

MGMT­844*      Quantitative Research in Marketing

This course assumes students have previously taken courses in statistics and marketing research.  With this background, students in this course review classic and current papers to the extent they inform the topics of philosophy of science, causality, theory construction, theory testing, experimental design, moderation, mediation, measurement and validity.  Students are introduced to the terminology and practice of structural equation modeling.

MGMT­850*      Foundations of Organization Theory and Research

The purpose of the course is to introduce you to the process of theory building in the field of organizational behaviour.  The course examines several prominent theories in the field and explores recent evidence that assesses central claims made by the theory.  The course also provides opportunities to develop skills in theory building.

MGMT­851*      Seminar in Micro­Organizational Behaviour

The aim of this course is to examine the individual in the organization.  Topics include work stress and workplace safety, organizational commitment, trust in management, organizational justice, aggression and violence in organizations, absenteeism, attendance and withdrawal from the organization, motivation, leadership, part­time employment, young workers, and job design.  

MGMT­860*      Deterministic Operations Research Models

This course reviews and extends the student's familiarity with deterministic model formulation, solution, and applications. Topics may include linear, non­linear, and integer programming, dynamic programming, spreadsheet modelling, network and transportation models, and project management models.

MGMT­861*      Probabilistic Operations Research Models

This course reviews the formulation, solution, and application of a range of probabilistic modelling techniques. Topics may include inventory models, queueing, simulation, decision analysis, Markov models, forecasting, and stochastic dynamic programming.

MGMT­870*      Conceptual Foundations in MIS

This course surveys the major research areas in information systems, including the design, implementation, use, and management of information systems within organizations. Its purpose is to expose students to the classic Management Information Systems literature that has been influential in the development of the field and to introduce students to the breadth of the field. To do so, it explores the linkages between Management Information Systems and its various reference disciplines such as computer science, psychology, organizational theory, economics, and communication. 

MGMT­871*      Research Methods in MIS

This course examines various research methodologies and analytical techniques commonly used in the MIS field. The emphasis of the course is both on reviewing existing empirical MIS research and on students developing their own research expertise and plans. Students learn how to design, conduct, evaluate, and present good research in the MIS area.

MGMT­910*      Market­based Financial Accounting Research

This seminar focuses on current market­based research in accounting. Topics include valuation theory, studies of the usefulness of accounting information to security market participants, use of the security returns as a tool for validating accounting procedures, earnings management, and analysts’ behaviour. A background in financial accounting theory, finance, and statistics is assumed.

MGMT­911*      Social and Behavioral Dimensions of Accounting Theory and Research

The seminar focuses on theory and research concerned with behavior, judgment and decision making in accounting contexts. This research is performed within auditing, tax, managerial accounting, and related environments. Theories are applied from cognitive psychology, social psychology, organizational theory, and economics.

MGMT­912*      Governance of Accounting Institutions

The course examines the institutional structures which support accounting practice. Material covered may include empirical and theoretical studies of accounting regulation, standard­setting, the development of the profession and institutional influence on financial disclosure and management control.

MGMT­913*      Special Topics

Specialized topics in accounting research will be covered. The subject matter may vary from year to year depending on the interests of students and faculty.

MGMT­920*      Introduction to Finance

This course studies the theoretical foundations of the financial problems faced by individuals and firms under conditions of uncertainty. Contemporary theory is examined as it relates to portfolio selection by individuals, equilibrium market values of capital assets, the behaviour of capital asset prices and yields over time.
(Cross with ECON­870* and MGMT­820*.)

MGMT­922*      Corporate Finance

This course will develop an overall perspective on corporate financial decisions through an integrated coverage of some of the most important topics of corporate finance. Topics may include theory of the firm, capital structure, and dividend policy, corporate governance and corporate re­structuring.

MGMT­923*      Advanced Asset Pricing

This course introduces the students to various topics on asset pricing in a continuous­time setting. The first part of the course covers contingent claim analysis and derivative pricing modeling, including their applications to other areas in finance. The second part of the course covers topics in optimal portfolio and consumption problems, equilibrium and intertemporal asset pricing models. Students should have had some previous exposure to microeconomics theory and some basic courses in financial derivatives. Strong backgrounds in calculus, linear algebra, and probability theory are recommended.

MGMT­924*      Topics in Financial Economics

This is a seminar course designed to expose doctoral students in finance to aspects of the theory of finance not covered in detail in other courses in the program. Its aim is to integrate these topics into a broader understanding of the overall field of finance. As the course will be examining advanced topics in the area, it is desirable for students to have completed MGMT­920* and MGMT­921* prior to this course, but concurrent enrolment may be considered at the discretion of the instructor. Topics will vary from year to year depending on the interests and backgrounds of the students and the instructor; recent topics have included asymmet­ric information and corporate finance, economic efficiency, arbitrage pricing theory, futures and forward pricing theory and tests.

MGMT­925*      Empirical Studies

This course is intended to introduce students to a number of substantive and, in some cases, specialized topics in the broadly defined area of empirical research in finance. Topics may include characteristics of financial asset returns, tests of market efficiency and empirical tests of asset pricing models.

MGMT­938*      Channels of Distribution

The fundamental nature of marketing has always involved the study and management of the flow of goods and services from producer to consumer. Such a focus reveals that the channels of distribution perform basic functions and thereby create conflict due to the differing perspectives of channel members. Channel management attempts to ameliorate conflict in various ways such as by moving from a transactional to a relationship approach. By first reviewing these traditional materials through readings and cases, students in this course are then in a position to examine current thinking in supply chain management.(.5 credit)

MGMT­939*      Advanced Topics in Marketing

This seminar course exposes Ph.D. students in marketing to aspects of marketing not covered in detail in other courses in the program. This opportunity could be created by the presence of a visiting scholar or by the desire of current faculty to share the exploration of an emerging topic in marketing theory or practice. The aim of the course would be to integrate the topic into a broader understanding of the field of marketing.

MGMT­841*      Qualitative Research in Marketing

This seminar course surveys philosophical perspectives which inform qualitative research in marketing. Critical pluralism, interpretivism, and postmodernism are considered in the context of studies which use ethnography, naturalistic inquiry, existential­phenomenology, semiotics, structuralism, literary criticism, critical theory, post­structuralism and hermeneutics. Research is seen to be learning and speaking a particular language.

MGMT­942*      Consumer Behaviour

This course seeks to enhance students' appreciation of the interdisciplinary and varied methodological nature of the field by providing an overview of issues concerned with "consumption," in a broad sense, as well as individual level consumer behavior, information processing and consumer decision­making. Topics include sociological and cultural influences on consumers, context effects that influence how consumers interpret and respond to marketing phenomena, and psychological and psycho­social influences on consumer choice and consumer decision processes.

MGMT­946*      Marketing Philosophy, Theory and History

Since the formal inception of the discipline in the early 1900s, marketing has changed and evolved. A number of questions have marked this evolution: What is the nature and scope of marketing? Is marketing an art or a science? What criteria should be used to judge the contributions of marketing as a discipline? This course will provide an overview of challenges posed by these questions. It will also trace the growth of the discipline and its responses to changes in the business environment.

MGMT­947*      Special Topics in Marketing

This seminar is designed to provide marketing graduate students with a deep exposure to specific topics in marketing as a way of stimulating both an understanding of and critical thinking about that topic.

MGMT­948*      Services Marketing

In this seminar, participants will be exposed to the literature on the marketing of services. Participants are expected to: develop an understanding of the major issues involved in services marketing and in services marketing research; develop an ability to summarise and critically evaluate the current literature, and extend the current literature. Each participant is expected to contribute to seminar discussions, prepare critiques of selected articles, lead a class discussion in one session and prepare and present a paper.

MGMT­949*      Marketing Models

Marketing researchers and practitioners can draw on recent scientific, computer, and statistical developments for improving marketing decision effectiveness. This course examines the more promising developments in these areas that assist researchers and managers in understanding critical issues in the use of choice models and causal models of marketing phenomena.

MGMT­952*      Advanced Topics in Organization Theory

This course analyses the development of, and contemporary directions in, the field of organization theory, with particular focus upon the relevance of organization theory to issues of economy and society. Drawing upon traditional and contemporary social theory as a backdrop, topics covered include scientific management, the human relations school, the Carnegie school, contingency analysis, labour process theory, resource dependence theory, the economic analysis of organizations, institutional theory, organizational demographics, and others.

MGMT­953*      Seminar in Meso­Organizational Behaviour and Human Resources

This course introduces students to meso organizational behaviour and human resources, which is concerned with the study of organizational phenomena that occur simultaneously across more than one level of analysis. Meso OB/HR includes research and theory that cross the individual, group, unit, organizational, and/or national levels of analysis. Students will learn about multilevel theory and methodologies. The course will also provide coverage of numerous OB/HR topics that span levels such as person­environment fit, socially shared cognition and affect, group and organizational climates, group diversity, emergent group processes, HR practices and organizational performance, and societal culture influences on organizations.

MGMT­956*      Seminar on Conflict and Negotiation

This course introduces theoretical perspectives as an empirical research on conflict and negotiation, with particular emphasis on psychological approaches. The selection of topics will vary, but examples of areas likely to be covered include: negotiation analysis, economic approaches, information processing approaches, social processes approaches, the social context of negotiation, group negotiations, negotiating teams and inter­group negotiation, social roles, relationships between parties, communication theory, technology (e.g., negotiating at a distance), and third­party intervention.

MGMT­962*      Stochastic Processes and Applications

This course provides a review of probability models and introduction to applied stochastic processes that are important in business settings. Topics may include Poisson processes, Markov chains, birth and death processes, random walk problems, elementary renewal theory, general; Markov processes, Brownian motion, and queuing theory. STAT­855* may be substituted for this course.

MGMT­963*      Mathematical Programming

This is a seminar designed to permit students to become familiar with the more advanced topics in mathematical programming. Topics covered will include: optimization theory, linear and non­linear programming, network theory, integer programming, and current research topics from the literature.

MGMT­964*      Seminar in Advanced Topics in Operation Research

This seminar will focus on topics of current interest in the field. Subjects may include combinatorial optimization methods, computational complexity, decision theory, operations management, revenue management, or others. The intention of the seminar is to bring students to the leading edge of research in the field, and extensive use of current journals will be made.

MGMT­965*      Analysis of Supply Chains

In this course, we will explore modern analytical approaches to optimization in production and supply chain systems. Topics may include production and inventory control, process control, location analysis, and analysis of supply chains, including game-theoretic approaches.

MGMT­972*      Advanced Topics in the Design, Development and Implementation of Information Systems

This seminar course will broadly investigate the management of the system development process, including analysis, design and implementation. Topics may include development methodologies, system and project planning, requirements analysis, prototyping, design methodologies and implementation issues.

MGMT­973*      Advanced Topics in the Management of Information Systems

This course will examine current theoretical and empirical research on the management of information technology and information systems. It will focus on providing a normative understanding of how information technology can best be deployed in an organization. Topics may include examining the structure and organization of the IS function, the relationship of IT and firm level strategy, and an examination of alternative tools and techniques for the development of IT architecture. Specific topics will vary as a function of student and faculty interest.

MGMT­974*      Advanced Topics in the Evaluation of Information Systems

This course examines current research on the impact of information technology on individual, group and organizational performance. It focuses on developing an understanding of how information technology (IT) changes both the processes and outcomes of work within an organization. At the individual level, topics include the impact of IT on employee work and productivity, the determinants of IT usage, and the influence of IT on decision­making. At the group level, topics include the influence of IT on group communication, social processes, and productivity in face­to­face and distributed settings. At the organizational level, topics involving the evaluation of IT investments and their impact on firm performance are examined. A variety of research perspectives drawing on methods from psychology, organization theory, strategy, economics, sociology and other disciplines are examined.

MGMT­975*      Special Topics in MIS

Specialized topics in MIS research will be covered. The subject matter may vary from year to year depending on the interests of students and faculty.

MGMT­981*      Advanced Topics in Managerial Economics

This is a seminar course. The specific topics covered may vary from year to year but will be representative of the major areas in which economics informs managerial decision­making. Recent publications and research studies are used both to draw together the theoretical knowledge acquired in earlier courses and to focus the student's attention on the application of this knowledge to business situations.

MGMT­882*      Economics of Organizations

This course discusses elements of the economics of organizational design and decision processes. Using concepts and techniques from applied microeconomics, it provides an analysis of organizational form, structure, and boundaries. Examples are drawn from the literature to illustrate the theoretical concepts and to demonstrate how they can be used to predict organizational performance and aid in changing organizations effectively.

MGMT­885*      Managerial Economics and Policy Seminar

This is a seminar course in which recent publications and studies will be used to highlight various key issues in managerial economics and policy. The specific topics covered may vary from year to year but will be representative of the major areas in which economics informs managerial decision­making.

MGMT­986*      International Trade and Factor Flows

This course provides a graduate level introduction to international economics with an emphasis on tools useful to managers and policy makers. Topics will be drawn from the theory of international trade, capital flows, foreign direct investment, migration, and technology flows. The course will cover both key theories in international economics and important empirical applications.

MGMT­987*      International Economic Policy and Global Management

This course examines the making of international economic policy from both normative and positive perspectives. Special attention will be given to the strategic implications of international borders for policy makers and managers. Topics include: optimal trade policy, political economy of protection, dispute resolution under NAFTA and the WTO, design of the international financial architecture, exchange rate regimes, skill­focused migration policy, and the international absorption and protection of technological knowledge.

ECON­810**     Microeconomic Theory

This course provides an in depth review of theories of demand, production, general equilibrium, market failures and welfare economics. In addition, selected topics in decision theory and game theory will be covered.

ECON­811*      Advanced Microeconomic Theory I

This course provides a brief review of demand and production, general equilibrium and welfare economics. Topics such as core equivalence and efficient provision of public goods may be considered in depth. In addition, the course provides a substantial introduction to cooperative and non­cooperative game theory and its applications. Intended for Ph.D. students.

ECON­813*      Advanced Microeconomic Theory II

This course provides in depth coverage of current topics in microeconomic theory. Topics will be drawn from: general equilibrium with and without uncertainty; non­cooperative games; equilibrium concepts and refinements; applications of game theory to principal agent models and models of screening and signaling; correlated equilibrium; repeated games; cooperative games, bargaining, auctions, common knowledge, implementation, evolutionary games and theories of learning. Intended for Ph.D. students.

ECON­815*      Macroeconomic Theory

The first half of this course discusses the computation of aggregate variables and introduces students to dynamic models of long­run growth: the Solow model, the neoclassical growth model, overlapping generations models, and endogenous growth models. These are used to study long­run policy issues and the determinants of cross­country differences in per capita income and growth. The second half of the course introduces the student to real business cycle models and to the micro­foundations of models of nominal rigidities and non­market clearing. These are used to study the nature of short­run fluctuations and to evaluate macroeconomic policies related to stabilization, inflation, unemployment and the public debt.