business-lab course structure · Introduction to Business Management

Introduction to Business Management

A foundational understanding of business management tailored for Computer Science & AI students. It integrates classical management principles with the dynamics of the digital and AI-driven economy, enabling students to comprehend and design business models and strategies in a technological context. This page mirrors the official IE University syllabus; the interactive demos visualise its core quantitative ideas.

The course runs across five thematic modules plus a wrap-up, building from the economic foundations of the firm (M1) to strategic analysis tools (M2), the design of organizations and leadership (M3), the functional machinery of a company (M4) and finally how tech businesses scale and go global (M5). It closes with an executive masterclass, a full investor pitch and a comprehensive exam. Throughout, classical frameworks (Porter, the BCG matrix, the 7-S model) are read through the lens of AI and data — how each tool changes when software and machine learning are part of the business.

Degree
BCSAI · IE University
Code
IBM-N-CSAI.1.M.A
Area
Computer Science
Year / Semester
Year 1 · Sem 1
Sessions
30 · live in-person
Credits
6.0 ECTS · 150 h
Category
Compulsory
Language
English
Professor
Jorge Dinarés García
Contact
jdinares@faculty.ie.edu
Office hours
On request
Academic year
2025–26

Professor profile: 30+ years of IT leadership (co-founder of Oracle Ibérica; CEO of Panda Security; President EMEA & LATAM at Micro Focus), now IT & cyber-security industry expert at One to One Corporate Finance, with fifteen years teaching Strategy at IE Business School.

M1 · Foundations M2 · Strategy M3 · Organization M4 · Functions M5 · Scaling Wrap-up Glossary Bibliography

Learning objectives

What you should be able to do by the end of the course.

Methodology & assessment

IE's method is collaborative, active and applied — 150 hours total student dedication.

The professor's role is to lead and guide students toward the learning objectives through a mix of lectures, case discussions, in-class exercises, asynchronous work and group projects. The course relies heavily on the case method: you are expected to read the assigned case and materials before each session, form an opinion, and defend it in class — expect cold calling.

Learning activityWeightHours
Lectures23.3%35.0
Discussions10.0%15.0
Exercises · async · field work16.7%25.0
Group work16.7%25.0
Individual study33.3%50.0
Total100%150.0
Class participation20%
Group assignments30%
Final exam50%

A minimum of 40% on the final exam is required to pass, regardless of other components. An 80% attendance rule applies. GenAI use is not permitted unless stated by the instructor.

A · Class participation20%

Deliverable: sustained, prepared contribution to case and reading discussions across the semester. How it's evaluated on three criteria: (1) depth and quality of contribution — insight, rigorous use of case evidence, consistency and realism of argument; (2) moving peers' understanding forward — relevance, timing, clarity and a spirit of involvement; (3) frequency — clearing a threshold of contributions so quality can be judged, without sacrificing quality for "airtime". Cold calling is used; students uncomfortable speaking in class for personal or cultural reasons should tell the professor privately in the first week.

B · Group assignments30%

Deliverable: a group project — a business model (Groupwork 1, S9) and a complete business plan (Groupwork 2, S29) — each presented in class and handed in written form, plus additional group work and exercises through the term. How it's evaluated: the project asks you to apply course concepts to a practical problem; quality of analysis, application of frameworks, written deliverable and presentation all count. Detailed project briefs are provided at the start of the course.

C · Final exam50%

Deliverable: an individual exam (S30) of essay and semi-structured questions. How it's evaluated: it tests your level of study, your correct use of the tools and frameworks taught in class, and your personal elaboration and critical thinking. Pass rule: a minimum of 40% (40 points) on the exam is mandatory to pass the course regardless of the other components.

Attendance & re-sit rules. An 80% attendance rule applies — students who fall below it fail both the ordinary and extraordinary (June/July) calls and must re-enroll the next academic year. Students have four chances across two academic years to pass. The June/July re-sit is a single comprehensive exam (continuous evaluation is not carried over), graded out of a maximum of 8.0 ("notable"); a retake exam in a later year may reach 10.0. Behavior, attendance and ethics follow IE University's published codes.

Program — 5 modules · 30 sessions

The full session-by-session structure from the syllabus, with a short explanation of each topic, the core framework or definition where technical, and the assigned readings annotated. Demos from the home page are cross-referenced where relevant.

Module 1 — Foundations of Business

Sessions 1–2

Evolution of business models, economic systems & market structures, public vs private enterprise.

Sets the historical and economic stage: where businesses came from, the kinds of markets they compete in, and who owns them. It gives you the vocabulary — markets, competition, ownership — that every later module builds on.

By the end of this module you can
  • Place a firm in its historical era and explain how the role of business in society has shifted.
  • Distinguish the main market structures and predict how each shapes pricing and competition.
  • Compare public, private and hybrid (PPP) ownership models on efficiency and innovation.
SESSION 1
Course Introduction + History of Business

Introduce objectives, expectations and evaluation; historical overview from ancient trade to the digital economy.

  • Course overview & methodology — how the case method, participation and grading work, so you know what "prepared" means.
  • Key business eras — Pre-industrial (trade & craft), Industrial Revolution (mechanised mass production), Management Revolution (the professional manager and the modern corporation) and the Digital Age (software, platforms, AI). Each era redefined what a "business" is.
  • The role of business in society over time — from local provisioning to global value creation and its social responsibilities.
Key idea: business models are historically contingent — the same product can be a craft, a factory good, or a subscription service depending on the era's technology.
articleBain & Co — 3,000 Years of Business History in Two Minutes · fast visual tour of the eras above · bookGeoff Mann, In the Long Run We Are All Dead · Keynesianism & political economy · bookSamuelson & Nordhaus, Economics · the standard intro-economics reference
SESSION 2
Market Structures + Public vs Private Enterprises

Analyze different market structures and ownership models.

  • Market structures — perfect competition (many sellers, identical goods, price-takers), monopoly (one seller sets price), and oligopoly (a few interdependent firms). Structure determines how much pricing power a firm has.
  • Public vs private companies — trade-offs in efficiency and innovation: private firms chase profit and move fast; public bodies pursue universal access and stability.
  • Public–private partnerships (PPPs) — collaborations that share risk and capability (e.g. infrastructure, health, defence tech).
Key idea: a firm's pricing power rises as you move from perfect competition → oligopoly → monopoly; strategy is largely about moving toward the powerful end legitimately.
bookSamuelson & Nordhaus, Microeconomics (1998) · chapters on market structure · HBS caseThe Robin Hood Army (119007) · a volunteer-run "business" with no money — tests what really makes an organization work · articleInvestopedia — Public vs. Private Sector

Module 2 — Strategic Thinking & Tools

Sessions 3–10

Strategy fundamentals; SWOT, PESTEL, Porter's Five Forces; Lean Startup & Business Model Canvas; Blue Ocean & AI.

The analytical core of the course. You learn what strategy is, the standard toolkit for diagnosing a business and its environment, and the modern frameworks for designing and iterating a business model — then apply them in Groupwork 1 and the half-term exam.

By the end of this module you can
  • Define strategy and distinguish corporate, business and functional levels.
  • Run a SWOT, PESTEL and Five Forces analysis on a real company and read the results together.
  • Design a business model on the Canvas, validate it Lean-Startup style, and pursue value innovation (Blue Ocean).
  • Map a value chain and use life-cycle / portfolio (BCG) frameworks to choose growth strategies.
SESSION 3
Strategy Basics: What is Strategy?

Introduce strategic thinking and the role of strategy in business success.

  • What strategy is — a coherent set of choices about where to compete and how to win; not the same as operational effectiveness (doing the same things better).
  • Competitive advantage & positioning — a sustainable edge comes from either lower cost or differentiation that customers value and rivals can't easily copy.
  • Levels of strategy — corporate (which businesses to be in), business (how to compete in one market), functional (how each department supports the plan).
Key idea (Porter): "Strategy is choosing what not to do." A position you can't trade off against is what makes advantage defensible.
tutorialIE technical notes — What is Strategy? (STR020210), Industry Evolution (STR020221), Disruptive Change (STR020236), Strategy Archetypes (STR020235) · short video primers on the building blocks above
SESSION 4
SWOT, PESTEL & Porter's Five Forces

Learn strategic analysis frameworks for diagnosing businesses.

  • SWOT — internal Strengths/Weaknesses and external Opportunities/Threats; a quick synthesis grid, best used to match strengths to opportunities.
  • PESTEL — scans the macro-environment along six axes: Political · Economic · Social · Technological · Environmental · Legal.
  • Porter's Five Forces — industry attractiveness from rivalry, supplier power, buyer power, threat of substitutes, threat of new entrants. The weaker these forces, the more profit the industry can sustain.
Key idea: SWOT/PESTEL describe the situation; Five Forces explains why the industry is (un)profitable — use them together, outside-in.
demoFive forces · SWOT decision (home page) · interactive versions of these grids · HBSAre Your Company's Strengths Really Weaknesses? (H054I3) · articleSmart Insights — Porter's 5 Forces · B2U — PESTEL · Mind Tools — SWOT
SESSION 5
Blue Ocean Strategy + AI & Strategic Advantage

Innovation-driven strategy and the role of AI in strategic positioning.

  • Value innovation — break the cost/differentiation trade-off by raising buyer value and lowering cost at the same time.
  • Eliminate–Reduce–Raise–Create (ERRC) grid — the practical tool: which factors to drop, dial down, dial up, or invent to open uncontested market space.
  • Red vs blue oceans — red = fight over existing demand; blue = create new demand. AI for advantage — machine learning as a data-driven moat in prediction, personalization and automation.
Example: Cirque du Soleil eliminated animals/star performers (cost down) and created theatrical artistry (value up) — a blue ocean between circus and theatre.
bookKim & Mauborgne, Blue Ocean Strategy (selected chapters) · value innovation & the ERRC grid · HBRAI-Powered Strategy: How Companies Use Machine Learning to Compete · ML as competitive weapon
SESSION 6
Business Model Canvas + Lean Startup

Understand how to design and iterate business models.

  • Business Model Canvas — one page, nine blocks: customer segments, value propositions, channels, customer relationships, revenue streams, key resources, key activities, key partnerships, cost structure.
  • Lean Startup & MVP — build the smallest thing that tests your riskiest assumption, measure, learn, repeat (the Build–Measure–Learn loop).
  • Iteration & pivoting — change one element of the model when evidence says the current bet is wrong, without abandoning the vision.
Example: Dropbox's MVP was a 3-minute demo video, not working software — it validated demand before a line of sync code was finished.
StrategyzerBusiness Model Canvas Explained · the nine blocks in detail · bookEric Ries, The Lean Startup (selected chapters) · caseDropbox MVP
SESSION 7
Value Chain & Business Process Mapping

Understand internal operations and how businesses create value.

  • Porter's Value Chain — primary activities (inbound logistics, operations, outbound logistics, marketing & sales, service) and support activities (firm infrastructure, HR, technology, procurement) that together produce margin.
  • Cost drivers & differentiation — find where in the chain you can be cheaper, or distinctively better, than rivals.
  • Business process modelling & re-engineering — map how work actually flows, then redesign it (often with software/automation) to cut waste.
Key idea: Margin = Value to buyer − Total cost of all chain activities; advantage is built activity by activity, not in the abstract.
bookPorter, Competitive Advantage (1985, Ch.1) · the original value-chain framework · HubSpotThe Straightforward Guide to Value Chain Analysis · videoPorter's Value Chain (YouTube)
SESSION 8
Product Life Cycle, BCG Matrix & Growth Strategies

Analyze products and units using life-cycle and portfolio planning frameworks.

  • Product Life Cycle (PLC) — introduction → growth → maturity → decline; each phase needs different pricing, marketing and investment.
  • BCG Growth–Share Matrix — classify units on market growth × relative share: Stars (high/high), Cash Cows (low growth/high share), Question Marks (high growth/low share), Dogs (low/low). Cash cows fund stars and question marks.
  • Growth strategies (Ansoff) — market penetration, market development, product development, diversification. Economies of scale lower unit cost as volume grows.
Key idea: manage a portfolio, not a product — milk cash cows, back the stars, fix-or-sell dogs, and bet selectively on question marks.
demoLife cycle · BCG matrix (home page) · interactive PLC & growth-share visualisers · BCGWhat Is the Growth-Share Matrix? · tutorialIE notes — Life Cycle (STR020214), Economies of Scale (STR020217)
SESSION 9 · milestone
Groupwork 1 — Business Model presentations

Present and defend a business-model proposal; peer and instructor feedback.

  • Team presentations of a Business Model Canvas built with the Module 2 toolkit.
  • Peer & instructor feedback on coherence, market logic and feasibility.
  • Reflection on the modelling process — what you'd pivot and why.
SESSION 10 · milestone
Half-Term Exam

Mid-course assessment of strategy fundamentals and the analytical toolkit from Modules 1–2.

Module 3 — Organizational Design, Leadership & Governance

Sessions 11–15

Corporate governance, strategy implementation & the 7-S model, structures, culture & responsible AI, leadership.

Strategy only matters if it is implemented. This module moves from "what to do" to "how to organize and lead to actually do it" — governance at the top, structure and culture in the middle, and motivation and decision-making at the human level.

By the end of this module you can
  • Explain corporate governance and the board–CEO–shareholder relationship.
  • Use the 7-S model and a balanced scorecard to align and measure strategy execution.
  • Choose an organizational structure and read a company's culture (incl. Hofstede's dimensions).
  • Apply leadership styles and motivation theories, and weigh rational vs intuitive decisions — including responsible-AI concerns.
SESSION 11
Governance, Board & CEO Roles

Fundamentals of corporate governance and how board/CEO relationships shape strategic direction and accountability.

  • Corporate governance fundamentals — the system of rules and incentives by which a company is directed and held accountable to its owners.
  • Responsibilities of the Board — set strategy direction, hire/oversee the CEO, ensure controls and ethics.
  • CEO–Board–shareholder relationship — the agency problem: aligning managers' incentives with owners' interests.
Key idea: good governance separates oversight (board) from execution (management) so neither captures the other.
PwCThe Governance Divide — Boards and Investors in a Shifting World (2017 Directors Survey) · board–investor expectation gaps · HBRRole of Boards in Startups · optional short reading
SESSION 12
Strategy Implementation, Strategic Direction & the 7-S Model

Translate strategy into action by aligning purpose, leadership, systems and structure.

  • Strategic direction — defining purpose, vision, values and goals that give the organization a north star.
  • McKinsey 7-S — align seven elements: Strategy · Structure · Systems · Shared values · Style · Staff · Skills. The "hard" three plus four "soft" elements must reinforce each other.
  • Strategic management in dynamic environments — and measuring it with a Balanced Scorecard (financial, customer, internal-process, learning perspectives).
Key idea: most strategies fail in execution, not formulation — misalignment among the 7 S's is the usual culprit.
HBSThe Balanced Scorecard: Measures That Drive Performance (R0507Q) · balancing financial & non-financial metrics · McKinseyThe 7-S Framework: A Tool for Strategy Execution · SmartSheetDefinitive Guide to Business Decision-Making
SESSION 13
Organizational Structures

Understand how organizations are structured to align strategy and execution.

  • Functional (grouped by skill — efficient, but siloed), divisional (by product/region — accountable, but duplicative), matrix (dual reporting — flexible, but ambiguous).
  • Team-based & networked organizations — flatter, project-driven forms common in tech and platform firms.
  • Trade-offs — every structure optimises something (speed, control, cost) at the expense of another.
Key idea: "structure follows strategy" — the right org chart is the one that makes your chosen way of winning easy to execute.
HBSNote on Organizational Structure (491083) · classic technical note comparing the structural forms above
SESSION 14
Ethics, Culture & Responsible AI

Cultural and ethical responsibilities in global and tech-intensive environments.

  • Organizational culture & Hofstede's 6-D model — culture as "the way we do things here", compared across nations on dimensions like power distance, individualism and uncertainty avoidance.
  • Ethics in management & leadership — doing right by stakeholders, not only what's legal.
  • Responsible AI — managing bias, transparency and accountability in systems that make or inform decisions.
Key idea: for an AI/CS audience, "responsible AI" is a management problem as much as a technical one — who is accountable when a model is wrong?
HofstedeThe 6-D Model of National Culture · articleModels of Intercultural Communication (SAGE Open, 2015) · cross-cultural identity & acculturation · WEFResponsible AI: Principles for AI Development
SESSION 15
Leadership, Motivation & Decision-Making

The human side of management and effective leadership.

  • Leadership styles & effectiveness — situational fit matters more than one "best" style.
  • Motivation theories — Maslow (needs hierarchy), Herzberg (hygiene vs motivators), McClelland (achievement, affiliation, power).
  • Rational vs intuitive decision-making — when to analyse exhaustively and when expert intuition is faster and good enough.
Key idea (Herzberg): fixing "hygiene" factors (pay, conditions) removes dissatisfaction but doesn't motivate — real motivation comes from achievement and growth.
HBSThe Coherence Premium (R1006F) · aligning capabilities with strategy · HBS caseIrizar in 2005 (706424) · a worker-cooperative led without traditional hierarchy

Module 4 — Functional Areas of Business

Sessions 16–22

Marketing, sales, R&D, finance, HR, legal and IT/MIS — and how AI & analytics transform each function.

A tour of the firm's functional machinery — what each department does, the key tools and metrics it uses, and how data, analytics and AI are reshaping it. The recurring theme: every function is becoming data-driven, and they only create value when aligned with strategy and with each other.

By the end of this module you can
  • Describe the role and core metrics of marketing, sales, R&D, finance, HR, legal and IT/MIS.
  • Read a basic income statement, balance sheet and cash flow, and compute a break-even point.
  • Explain how analytics/AI and systems (CRM, ERP, MIS) transform each function.
  • Identify the main legal/IP/data risks a tech business faces.
SESSION 16
Marketing: Digital Channels & Data

Modern marketing practices and how digital tools transform engagement.

  • Marketing's role in value creation — understanding and shaping demand, not just promotion.
  • Digital channels — SEO, content, email and social, measured by funnel and engagement metrics.
  • Segmentation, targeting & personalization (STP) — divide the market, pick segments, tailor the offer; AI pushes this toward one-to-one personalization.
Key idea (Kotler 4.0): marketing has moved from broadcast to connected — the customer journey is now a loop of advocacy, not a one-way funnel.
bookPhilip Kotler, Marketing 4.0: Moving from Traditional to Digital (2016) · the digital marketing playbook · ForbesThe Future of Marketing is Personalization · refAmerican Marketing Association
SESSION 17
Sales: Funnels, CRM & KPIs

Explore the sales process and managing it with technology.

  • B2B vs B2C — longer, multi-stakeholder, relationship sales vs shorter, higher-volume consumer sales.
  • Sales funnel & KPIs — awareness → interest → decision → action; track conversion rate, pipeline, win rate, average deal size and sales cycle length.
  • CRM & sales automation — systems (e.g. Salesforce) that record relationships and automate follow-up.
Key idea: a funnel is a conversion math problem — customers = leads × conversion rate; improving any stage's rate compounds downstream.
caseSalesforce and the Evolution of CRM · how CRM became a platform · HubSpotSales Metrics That Matter
SESSION 18
R&D: Innovation Processes in Tech

How businesses manage research and development.

  • Stages of innovation — ideation → prototyping → testing, with structured gates between them.
  • Open innovation & collaboration — sourcing ideas from outside (partners, users, academia), not only in-house.
  • Tech trends in R&D — AI and software shorten cycles and enable rapid experimentation (Industry 4.0, smart agents).
Key idea (IDEO): innovation is a discipline, not luck — fast, cheap prototypes "fail early" so the expensive build is the right one.
HBRHow Companies Accelerate Innovation · bookKelley & Littman, The Art of Innovation (IDEO) · design-driven innovation method · bookHoffmann, Smart Agents for Industry 4.0
SESSION 19
Finance: Basics, Budgeting & Profitability

Financial decision-making within organizations.

  • Three statements — income statement (profit over a period), balance sheet (assets = liabilities + equity at a point in time), cash flow (cash in/out).
  • Budgeting & variance analysis — plan vs actual, and explaining the gap.
  • Profitability & break-even — the volume at which revenue covers all costs: BEP = Fixed costs ÷ (Price − Variable cost per unit).
Key idea: profit is an opinion, cash is a fact — a profitable firm can still fail if it runs out of cash.
demoBreak-even · Cost curves (home page) · interactive break-even & cost visualisers · bookAbascal & Aguirreamalloa, Finance for Managers (2012)
SESSION 20
HR: People Analytics & Talent Strategy

The evolving role of HR in talent development and analytics.

  • Recruitment, onboarding & retention — the talent lifecycle and the cost of losing good people.
  • Employee experience & performance evaluation — engagement as a driver of output.
  • HR analytics & predictive modeling — using data to forecast attrition, hiring needs and performance.
Key idea: "people analytics" reframes HR from an administrative cost centre into a data-driven, strategic function.
HBSIs HR the Most Analytics-Driven Function? (H04WQI) · HBS caseTwo Brothers, Two Methods: "Happiness Index" vs "Data & Analytics" (SCM102) · intuition vs data in managing people · bookCamille Fournier, The Manager's Path · managing technical teams
SESSION 21
Legal Aspects: IP, Data & Compliance

Legal and regulatory issues affecting businesses, especially in tech.

  • Intellectual property — patents (inventions), trademarks (brand), copyright (creative/code works); can you even patent a business model?
  • Data protection & privacy (GDPR) — legal basis, consent, data-subject rights — critical for any data/AI business.
  • Compliance & risk management — building processes so the firm stays within the rules.
Key idea: for a software/AI firm, IP and data are often the core asset — protecting and lawfully using them is strategy, not paperwork.
HBS caseAxiom — Law Redefined (IN1127) · disrupting legal services · HBSCan You Patent Your Business Model? (F00401) · bookDutfield & Suthersanen, Global Intellectual Property Law (2015)
SESSION 22
IT & MIS: Enabling Business with Tech

The strategic role of information systems in business management.

  • Management Information Systems (MIS) — structure and goals: turning raw data into decisions for managers.
  • IT as enabler — automation, integration (ERP) and analytics across the whole value chain.
  • Digital infrastructure & transformation — re-platforming the business around software and data.
Key idea: IT/MIS is the connective tissue of Module 4 — it's what lets marketing, sales, finance and HR share one source of truth.
bookLaudon & Brabston, Management Information Systems: Managing the Digital Firm (2005) · the standard MIS text · refInformation Technology Industry Council (ITIC)

Module 5 — Digital Transformation & Globalization

Sessions 23–26

Scaling tech businesses, platform & SaaS economics, the gig economy, internationalization and the investor pitch.

How modern tech firms grow: the economics of scaling and SaaS, platform and gig-economy models, and going international — then how to package it all into a business plan and pitch it to investors. This module feeds directly into Groupwork 2.

By the end of this module you can
  • Distinguish growth from scaling and reason about SaaS unit economics and product-market fit.
  • Compare platform, subscription and gig-economy business models.
  • Choose an international entry mode given risk and resources.
  • Structure and deliver a persuasive investor pitch.
SESSION 23
Scaling Businesses (SaaS, Product-Market Fit)

How startups and tech firms manage rapid growth.

  • Growth vs scaling — growth adds revenue and cost proportionally; scaling adds revenue much faster than cost.
  • SaaS unit economics — the customer lifecycle measured by CAC (acquisition cost), LTV (lifetime value), churn and MRR; a healthy SaaS aims for LTV/CAC > 3.
  • Product-market fit — the point where the market pulls the product out of you; scale only after it's reached.
Key idea: scaling before product-market fit just makes you lose money faster — fit first, then pour fuel on the fire.
demoSaaS growth (home page) · interactive MRR/churn model · bookCroll & Yoskovitz, Lean Analytics (Metrics That Matter) · articleTechCrunch — Growth vs. Scaling
SESSION 24
Platforms, Subscriptions & the Gig Economy

New business models and how technology enables decentralized participation.

  • Subscription & SaaS models — recurring revenue and the shift from owning to accessing.
  • Platform / network-effects models — value rises as more participants join both sides of a marketplace.
  • The gig economy — flexibility and scalability for firms, with labour and regulatory challenges.
Key idea: platforms win on network effects — the product gets more valuable to each user as the user base grows, creating winner-take-most dynamics.
caseUber / Airbnb / Spotify business-model comparison · DeloitteThe Rise of the Platform Economy · ForbesServices Are Eating Software
SESSION 25
Internationalization & Global Strategy

How businesses scale globally and tailor strategy for international markets.

  • Entry modes — exporting (low commitment/risk) → franchising → joint ventures → wholly-owned subsidiaries (high commitment/control).
  • Risk & complexity — currency, regulation, culture and coordination costs rise with commitment.
  • Positioning abroad — how much to standardise globally vs adapt locally ("asset-light" vs heavy presence).
Key idea: entry mode is a trade-off between control and risk/commitment — pick the lightest mode that still secures your advantage.
tutorialIE note — Internationalization Strategies (STR020233) · BCGWhen Asset Light Is Right · when to expand without owning assets
SESSION 26
Business Plan & Pitching Skills Workshop

Structure a compelling business plan and communicate it through a professional investor pitch.

  • Plan components — opportunity, execution, financials and risk.
  • Formats — executive summary, full plan, and pitch deck (the right artefact for the right audience).
  • Persuasive pitch — an 11-slide model, storytelling and a clear call to action.
  • Workshop — teams refine and practise a 2-minute elevator pitch / key slides, with in-class mini-pitch and peer feedback.
Key idea (Kawasaki): a pitch sells the meeting, not the company — make them want to learn more, don't dump every detail.
Sequoia10-Slide Pitch Deck Template · the canonical deck structure · videoGuy Kawasaki — The Art of the Pitch · HBSCreate an Effective Presentation

Final Wrap-up

Sessions 27–30

Industry masterclass, course closure, final group presentations and the final exam.

The synthesis stretch: a guest executive shows how AI creates competitive advantage in practice, the course is tied together, teams deliver their full business plans, and the comprehensive final exam is sat.

SESSION 27
Masterclass — How technology & AI create competitive advantage

Learn from an executive how their company uses technology and AI for competitive advantage.

  • A real-world case from industry tying together strategy (M2), execution (M3), functions (M4) and scaling (M5) — seen through the AI lens that runs across the whole course.
SESSION 28
Course Wrap-Up

Consolidate the course's frameworks and connect them into a single mental model of the firm.

SESSION 29 · milestone
Groupwork 2 — Business Plan presentations

Teams present a complete business plan with pitching, peer reviews and feedback (counts toward group-assignment grade).

SESSION 30 · milestone
Final Exam

Comprehensive individual exam — essay and semi-structured questions; min. 40% required to pass the course.

Key concepts — glossary

Core terms that recur across the course, defined briefly. Use this as a revision checklist.

Business model
How a firm creates, delivers and captures value — often mapped on the nine-block Business Model Canvas. (S6)
Strategy
A coherent set of choices about where to compete and how to win; explicitly includes what not to do. (S3)
Competitive advantage
A sustainable edge over rivals, built on lower cost or valued differentiation that is hard to copy. (S3, S7)
Market structure
The competitive shape of a market — perfect competition, monopoly or oligopoly — which sets a firm's pricing power. (S2)
SWOT
A synthesis grid of internal Strengths/Weaknesses and external Opportunities/Threats. (S4)
PESTEL
Macro-environment scan across Political, Economic, Social, Technological, Environmental and Legal factors. (S4)
Porter's Five Forces
Industry attractiveness from rivalry, supplier power, buyer power, substitutes and new entrants. (S4)
Value chain
The set of primary and support activities through which a firm creates margin. (S7)
Blue Ocean / value innovation
Creating uncontested market space by raising buyer value and lowering cost together (ERRC grid). (S5)
Lean Startup / MVP
Validate a business idea via Build–Measure–Learn loops and a minimum viable product before scaling. (S6)
Product Life Cycle
The arc of a product through introduction, growth, maturity and decline, each needing different tactics. (S8)
BCG matrix
Portfolio map (growth × share) sorting units into Stars, Cash Cows, Question Marks and Dogs. (S8)
Economies of scale
Falling unit cost as production volume rises — a key cost-advantage source. (S8)
Corporate governance
The system of rules and incentives directing a company and holding management accountable to owners. (S11)
McKinsey 7-S
Alignment model of Strategy, Structure, Systems, Shared values, Style, Staff and Skills for execution. (S12)
Balanced Scorecard
Performance system balancing financial, customer, internal-process and learning measures. (S12)
Organizational structure
How work is grouped — functional, divisional, matrix, team-based or networked. (S13)
Responsible AI
Managing bias, transparency and accountability in AI-driven decisions. (S14)
Break-even point
Sales volume where revenue equals total cost: fixed costs ÷ (price − variable cost per unit). (S19)
CRM
Customer Relationship Management systems that record relationships and automate the sales funnel. (S17)
Segmentation, targeting, positioning
Divide the market, pick segments, and tailor the offer (STP) — increasingly AI-personalised. (S16)
SaaS unit economics
Health of a subscription business via CAC, LTV, churn and MRR (target LTV/CAC > 3). (S23)
Product-market fit
The point where a market strongly pulls the product, signalling it's safe to scale. (S23)
Network effects
Value of a platform grows as more users join, driving winner-take-most outcomes. (S24)
Entry mode
How a firm enters a foreign market — exporting, franchising, JV or subsidiary — trading control vs risk. (S25)
Pitch deck
Concise investor presentation (≈10–11 slides) that sells the next meeting, not every detail. (S26)

Annotated bibliography

The course's named books, cases, technical notes and articles, each with a one-line note on what it covers and the sessions it supports.