Logistics play a central role in any economy, transcending all areas of business. In Germany alone, more than 10 per cent of economic output is attributed to transport and logistics. In fact, this is one of the fastest-moving sectors in the country. In November 2009, the School of International Business and Entrepreneurship (SIBE) launches its Master of Science degree program in international management, with a focus on global logistics.
Delving into projects that aim to grow business, students will confront the types of challenges common to an industry striving to bring about change and innovation. The projects up-and-coming logistics managers carry out range from cutting freight costs to restructuring logistical units, deploying IT solutions and telematics applications, overhauling a company’s entire logistics setup, and more.
Beyond pure “logistics” projects, students can look at interdisciplinary issues such as planning and executing product launches, designing and introducing KPI systems or benchmarks connected to a specific logistics issue. Students acquire the necessary project skills as part of their studies, which focus strongly on actual practice and knowledge transfer.
Today’s civil servants need to know how to work with citizens and customers – and they need to be able to think and act like businesspeople. A work environment that embraces change and lays the foundation for employees to grow is key to helping administrative professionals stay flexible. Being open to change also translates into quality and cost-efficiency in the long run, both for the government and its citizens.
To tackle the challenges of public management, the Academy of Public Administration has created two bachelors degree programs: Employee Management in Government Agencies as well as Financial Management and Review at the Local Government Level. Both programs launch in October 2009 and are geared to the next generation of specialists and senior managers keen to understand what it takes to play an active role in effecting change within government bodies.
The courses will be of special interest to employees in the middle to upper echelons of civil service, middle managers in government agencies or public corporations and agencies, public-owned companies and NPOs. The “Financial Management and Review at the Local Government Level” program teaches students everything they need to know about twenty-first century budgets and finance. They also learn the fundamentals of auditing and financial management. The “Employee Management in Government Agencies” program provides detailed insights into managing personnel, from reforms in employment terms to employee information systems, team-building, and conflict management.
The School of Governance, Risk & Compliance (School GRC) is now offering a oneyear certified training to help students learn more about compliance. On completion of their studies, participants can be officially called Certified Compliance Experts (CCEs).
This part-time course involves 35 days of attendance, during which students can share ideas with and learn from industry experts. After completion, students can also continue with the MBA by specializing in Governance, Risk, Compliance & Fraud Management (parts of the training course counts towards the MBA program). “The participants really appreciate the flexibility,” explains Birgit Galley, Director of the School GRC. “This is because most employees responsible for compliance within companies have to follow very rigid career paths.”
Each round of the certified training course starts in October. As it is interdisciplinary in nature, specialists and senior managers at companies and in public administration are encouraged to attend as well as external consultants and experts from a number of backgrounds, such as auditing, fraud management, and compliance.
As part of its degree program, the Steinbeis Business Academy (SBA) offers a variety of specialist seminars to other interested parties. The focus for the second half of 2009: health care.
The idea for the seminars stems from the complexity of the German health care system and the changes it is undergoing. The first SBA seminar, at its site in Kuppenheim in November, looks at a topical issue: quality according to Sections 114-117 of Germany’s long-term insurance law (part of the country’s larger Social Security Code). The series in November will also address “Financial Streams in Health Care” and “Steering Instruments in Health Care”. “Project Management” – an issue that many can relate to – is also scheduled. Seminars will be held in Kuppenheim, Berlin and Stuttgart.
In association with Gallup, the Steinbeis Center of Management and Technology (SCMT) is launching its Executive MBA Global Leadership degree program, targeted at students in full-time employment. Gallup is one of the world’s largest and oldest polling, market research and management consulting companies. In the past 70 years, Gallup has developed a unique insight into human nature and behavior. It also boasts an unrivaled understanding of the interplay between economics and psychology.
This joint MBA program helps students hone their leadership skills and find ways to drive business growth. As well as conventional general management topics, the program centers on three main areas: Behavioral Economics, Lean Thinking and HumanSigma®.
Half of the lectures are held at SCMT partner universities outside Germany, in places such as Washington and Princeton. Guest lecturers include Prof. Daniel Kahnemann, a Nobel Laureate in Economics for 2002.