Aftermarket Executive MBA
The Aftermarket Executive MBA Program was developed with input from key industry leaders and will utilize pertinent case studies across all areas of academic disciplines. This innovative program affords professionals aligned with the aftermarket industry the opportunity to further develop the skills needed to compete in the ever-changing motor vehicle aftermarket. Leaders from any undergraduate discipline will gain an edge over the competition and become part of a diverse, global network through their DeVos experience.
The program will feature two learning environments. There will be five, one week face-to-face classroom sessions held at state-of-the-art facilities in Midland, Mich. Each site residency will require students to focus on assigned readings and cases, and participate in defined simulations. Forums on topics critical to the industry will also be scheduled.
The Aftermarket Executive MBA Program serves executives employed by organizations that provide all products and services for the light and heavy duty aftermarket including replacement parts manufacturing, accessories, chemicals, appearance products, service, repair, and tools and equipment. The Automotive Aftermarket Executive MBA also benefits leaders working for captive and institutional lenders as well as traditional, retail, and programmed distribution.
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The period of time between each site visit will be 12 to 16 weeks. During this time, directed study will continue via use of the Internet and Northwood University's Blackboard online education platform.
The weeks between residencies will require that students work on assigned tasks, solve cases individually and as teams, and engage in dialogue with DeVos faculty members. All materials and links to cases, general business cases, and publications will be available online through Blackboard.Candidates can apply online.
Contact Information
Matthew Bennett
Director of Admissions
The DeVos Graduate School of Management
Northwood University
4000 Whiting Drive
Midland, MI 48640-2398
Phone: 989.837.4325
Required Curriculum
| COURSE | COURSE TITLE | CREDITS |
|---|---|---|
| MBA 701 | Individual Drivers of Behavior | 3 credits |
| MBA 703 | Macro Economics and Trade | 3 credits |
| MBA 708 | Public Policy and the Legal Environment | 2 credits |
| MBA 715 | Advanced Sales and Marketing | 2 credits |
| MBA 723 | Managerial Finance | 3 credits |
| MBA 730 | Line of Business Strategy and Marketing | 3 credits |
| MBA 731 | Group Drivers of Behavior | 3 credits |
| MBA 733 | Corporate Financial Management | 3 credits |
| MBA 720 | Advanced Aftermarket Operations & Logistics | 2 credits |
| MBA 679 | Management and Leadership Simulation | 3 credits |
| MBA 735 | Corporate Strategy | 3 credits |
| MBA 716 | Micro and Managerial Economics | 3 credits |
| MBA 741 | Change Management | 3 credits |
| MBA 717 | Introduction to Capstone Project Research | 2 credits |
| MBA 773 | Capstone Project (Independent Study) | 4 credits |
Total Credits: 42
Total Program Cost: $37,275 (excludes airfare)
Program costs based on 2009-2010 academic year.
Course Descriptions
MBA 701: Individual Drivers of Behavior | 3 credits
The focus of the course is to develop the capabilities to observe and affect individual and group behaviors necessary to be successful in the retail automotive sector. The course will assist students in recognizing the personal and organizational influencers of leadership behavior which include personal frames of reference, motivation, ethics, values, affiliations, leadership styles and norms. Students will further explore the leadership characteristics necessary to be successful as a retail automotive executive and gain the competencies needed to see and project the implications of leadership behavior on the automotive aftermarket firms' success.
MBA 703: Macroeconomics and Trade | 3 credits
This course develops a framework to analyze the external economic environment and to understand the major factors that cause macroeconomic changes for dealerships and related organizations. The effects of monetary, fiscal and trade policies in the U.S. will be examined with an awareness of the interdependency between world economies. Specifically, trade policies of automotive aftermarket import/export nations, gains from trade, as well as trade negotiations/agreements will be explored. Emphasis is also placed on free trade and common market areas, exchange rate impacts, primary current trade issues, economic growth and comparative economic systems relative to automotive aftermarket sales growth and innovation.
MBA 708: Public Policy and the Legal Environment | 2 credits
The focus of this course will be the study of both the short-term and long-term economic consequences of public policies as they relate to individuals, aftermarket stores, and allied organizations associated with the automotive aftermarket industry. Particular attention will be paid to the development of regulatory bodies, understanding economic consequences of public policies as well as the legal environment and its implications on automotive aftermarket business growth. In addition, focus will be directed toward automotive aftermarket industry contracts and sales, as well as period after sales, bailments, negotiable instruments, agency, partnerships, corporations, insurance, and real estate.
MBA 715: Advanced Sales and Marketing | 2 credits
The focus of this course is to investigate and achieve a sustainable marketing differentiation by managing the sales and marketing function within the automotive aftermarket firm. Areas of investigation include product and service sales techniques, market assessment and trend analysis, best practices in sales and marketing, building customer loyalty and retention, as well as identifying and capitalizing on emerging trends, and managing technology and innovative tools associated with the marketing mix (product, place, price and promotion) as it pertains to the automotive aftermarket industry.
MBA 731: Group Drivers of Behavior | 3 credits
The focus of this course builds upon the knowledge and skills developed in MBA 701. The student will explore the organizational influencers of behavior that drive success within a automotive aftermarket firm. The course employs a conceptual framework to integrate these into the mix of personal and emergent influencers that can optimize and drive the behavior of individual employees in the firm to maximize commitment, loyalty and productivity in the organization and beyond. Central to the course is the acquisition of the leadership and management skills necessary to affect individual behavior to improve organizational performance.
MBA 716: Micro and Managerial Economics | 3 credits
This course focuses on microeconomic concepts relevant to managerial decision-making in the automotive aftermarket firm; the strategic interaction of business within the retail automotive aftermarket and related industries; the purchasing and consumption behavior of individual customers, and groups of customers; and the influence of public policy on automotive aftermarket outcomes. Development of an understanding of the language of economics and a strong economic intuition with topics including automotive parts and service supply and demand analysis, consumer demand theory, sales and revenue forecasting, productions and cost analysis, market structure, risk analysis and regulatory theory.
MBA 723: Managerial Finance | 3 credits
The focus of this course is to review tools and concepts and provide executive level understanding of the financial techniques concerning automotive aftermarket financial management and control, and introduce students to the concept of value-based management associated with the automotive aftermarket sector. Specific topics include financial analysis of aftermarket operations, cost accounting, time value of money, capital budgeting and structure, working capital management, long-term financing, and managing store profitability.
MBA 730: Line of Business Strategy and Marketing | 3 credits
The primary focus of this course is on achieving sustainable strategic differentiation in the automotive aftermarket sector. This requires the simultaneous evaluation and management of the dealership's internal (processes, structures, resources) and external (competitors, suppliers, other stakeholders) environment in an effort to satisfy the selected primary customer needs. The secondary focus of this module is on achieving sustainable marketing differentiation by managing the marketing function within the automotive aftermarket firm. Areas of investigation include internal and external market assessment; customer needs; market segmentation; setting marketing objectives; identifying and capitalizing on emerging trends, and managing technology and innovative tools associated with the marketing mix (product, place, price and promotion) as it pertains to the retail automotive industry.
MBA 717: Introduction to Capstone Project Research | 2 credits
An introduction to the capstone project required of the program of study, students will explore, identify and submit sample project proposals regarding a relevant and timely issue with respect to their dealership or automotive aftermarket related firm. Students will be exposed to various academic and professional research vehicles and will produce a written action proposal that succinctly and effectively: 1) Describes their organizational problem/issue, 2) Describes the costs and limitations imposed by this problem, 3) Describes why this problem exists and remains unresolved, 4) Describes the course of action required to effectively resolve this problem, 5) Demonstrates the cost (and/or resources required) to fix the problem, 6) Demonstrates the benefits to be gained by solving the problem, 7) Outlines the goals of the change program, 8) Describes the change program necessary to resolve the problem.
MBA 720: Advanced Aftermarket Operations and Logistics | 2 credits
This course provides students with a broad conceptual framework for evaluating operations management practices and understanding the major decisions involved in the automotive aftermarket planning process. Concepts, techniques, and management tools related to the four major decision responsibilities of operations management including store process, quality, capacity, and inventory, are studied and discussed. Emphasis is placed on developing the skills to identify problems, evaluate alternative actions and to justify and defend decisions and recommendations in order to find and fix problems across the store as an entity. Specific topics covered include: a problem solving framework, decision criteria, root cause analysis, relevant costs, and process analysis. Specific operations and logistics techniques covered include: classical statistics, decision theory, regression, and simulation.
MBA 733: Corporate Financial Management | 3 credits
The focus of this course is on the application of executive level financial skills, analytical and conceptual, essential for managerial decision-making, including valuing business strategies for the automotive retail organization. Overall emphasis is on Value Based Management. Specific topic areas include financial forecasting, cost of capital, capital budgeting, mergers and acquisitions, and valuation, including international financial valuation.
MBA 735: Corporate Strategy | 3 credits
Building on line-of-business strategy, this course develops the student's ability to anticipate, evaluate, and respond to stakeholders expectations within a corporate strategy perspective. This requires that the student develop the ability to simultaneously evaluate and manage the organization's internal and external environment. Corporate strategy tasks include: creating and articulating vision, determining shareholder expectations, choosing lines of business in which to operate, establishing boundaries, identifying capabilities and core competencies, acquiring and allocating resources, and managing inter-line of business activity fits and activities, thus building sustainable growth, and increasing shareholder value for the automotive organization.
MBA 741: Change Management | 3 credits
The purpose of this course is to serve as the capstone management and behavior course, which focuses on developing the skills to effectively operate a dynamic and successful organization. The primary emphasis will be placed on organizational structure and culture, as well as managing the changes that impact organizational life. Students will also develop a greater understanding of how to analyze the ethical implications and tradeoffs of managerial decisions, manage culture diversity in employee, customer, and vendor relationships, and build trust and cohesiveness in the organization.
MBA 679: Management and Leadership Simulation | 3 credits
The module is a team-based, five-day intensive business simulation held on campus. The student is required to implement their leadership and management learnings in a dynamic and complex business environment.
MBA 773: Capstone Project (INDEPENDENT STUDY) | 4 credits
Students will build upon the introductory skill sets obtained through MBA 717 in their effort to find and fix a critical managerial or business problem that exists, unresolved, in their current organization. The problem must be one that is inter-functional in nature, and extend beyond the student's immediate horizontal and vertical responsibility. This course is an individualized tutorial between a student and a designated faculty member. The capstone project must be approved by a supervisor two levels above that which the student reports to as well as a DeVos Graduate School faculty advisor. The final project must demonstrate a minimum EBIT benefit of $75,000 and should be designed into the project scope.
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