Facts and figures
The programme at a glance
number of ECTS
30
period
September - December or February - June
tuition fee
No tuition fee
Part of School
Programme information
What to expectAbout the programme
The integrative approach used in Business Pressure Cooker emphasises the connections between the fields of finance, accounting, marketing, operations, human resource management, strategy, and more. By starting with challenges and concepts, rather than lectures, you will develop a holistic and realistic way of doing business.
Over the course of the semester, you will work on a series of case challenges—some of them involving visits to companies. You start with a problem that you will examine in-depth over the course several weeks. In time the pressure to work quickly and efficiently will be increased; culminating in a business case that must be solved in just 24-48 hours—meaning you get better and faster with each round.
Moreover, you can choose electives from a broad range of options, for example Critical Thinking, Cross-Cultural Communication, and Elementary Dutch.
Method
The way we work at this programme:
- No central lectures, but intensive team coaching and (central) interventions by the coach whenever necessary. This is NOT a traditional programme. The students are in the lead and master their own learning process.
- We use agile consultancy principles, e.g. by helping teams pick and choose the best methods or framework for their unique situation, coaching teams to follow best practices, identifying anti-patterns and ironing these out. And last but not least, ensuring the team isn’t working to work, but is working toward developing recommendations that companies will use.
- Performance and presence in class and during team work are essential. Together with fellow students and lecturers you work towards a possible solution of business problems.
- Self-study is crucial and will be facilitated by recommendations regarding literature (books, articles, websites and videos), and each team has the possibility to reserve specific time slots for question & answer sessions.
- All activities will be executed in teams. All teams have the same problem to solve. However, only the best solutions will earn points for the prestigious Business Pressure Cooker Award.
- All activities will be executed in teams. So it is an excellent way to boost your intercultural and multidisciplinary team working skills.
Type of assessment
- Presentations
- Reports
- Portfolio
- Individual assignments
Conclusion: the programme is intense, but very rewarding and an excellent preparation for the “real” world of business.
Learning outcomes
If you have successfully completed this exchange programme then you are able to:
- Work under time pressure and in a multidisciplinary and multicultural team;
- Analyse the current position of the company and the key issues of the situation (The strategic position);
- Develop possible solutions for the business problem at hand and decide on the best one (Strategic choices);
- Construct an implementation plan, integrating operations, marketing, finance and HRM, aligned with your strategic choice (Strategy in action);
- Experience what it is like to be a manager (dealing with time pressure, coping with different personalities and cultural differences within a team, convincing others, making decisions);
- Reflect on your personal skills and your business skills.
Calendar
Block 1
Block 2
Awarding
After completing your exchange programme at Rotterdam University of Applied Sciences, you will receive a:
- Transcript of records;
- Certificate attesting to your participation in the BPC programme.
Please note: you only receive a certificate if you complete the entire programme.
Subjects
An indication of the subjects you can expectBlock 1 and 2
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Strategic Manager (8 ECTS)
Strategic Manager (8 ECTS)
Topics
- Strategic management
- Strategic planning : strategic position, strategic choices, strategy in action
- Managing the team
- Risk management and mitigation
Learning materials
- Exploring Strategy: Text and Cases, 11th edition (2017), Johnson, Scholes & Whittington
- Various cases and handouts
Learning outcomes
If you have successfully completed this course, then you are able to:
- Distinguish the company’s key issues in a given business situation.
- Make strategic decisions based on a structured analysis of the company’s internal and external position.
- Formulate strategic goals that make effective use of the company’s core values and resources.
- Formulate specific KPIs to evaluate strategic choices.
- Integrate different departmental interests into coherent and consistent implementation plans.
- Negotiate between different departmental interests, while taking the strategic goals into account.
- Advise the organisation on business model optimisation, including the impact on sustainability
-
Marketing Manager (3 ECTS)
Marketing Manager (3 ECTS)
Topics
- Marketing strategy
- Creating sustainable competitive advantage
- Value chain and value creation
- Competitor & portfolio analysis
- Customer journey
Learning materials
- Exploring Strategy: Text and Cases, 11th edition (2017), Johnson, Scholes & Whittington
- Various cases and handouts
Learning outcomes
If you have successfully completed this course, then you are able to:
- Identify company’s several product market combinations and its value propositions.
- Judge the impact of a change in strategy on the company’s marketing mix.
- Justify the choice of (new) segmentation-targeting strategy.
- Create a (new) value proposition, based on the customer’s needs and the competitors in the market.
- Outline a detailed marketing mix plan: a marketing communication plan, a (new) product development plan etc. aligned with the company’s (new) strategic goals.
-
Human Resource Manager (2 ECTS)
Human Resource Manager (2 ECTS)
Topics
- Strategic workforce planning
- Organisational growth
- Internal analysis : Mc Kinsey 7 S Framework
- Mergers, Acquisitions & Restructuring
- Change management
Learning materials
- Exploring Strategy: Text and Cases, 11th edition (2017), Johnson, Scholes & Whittington
- Various cases and handouts
Learning outcomes
If you have successfully completed this course, then you are able to:
- Explain how employees create value for the company and its customers.
- Judge the impact of a change in strategy on Human Resource Management.
- Assemble an effective team for a specific business task.
- Translate the new strategy into requirements for staff.
-
Operations and IT Manager (2 ECTS)
Operations and IT Manager (2 ECTS)
Topics
- Business Process Engineering
- Supply chain
- Value chain
- Make or buy decisions
- Automation, robotization and digitalisation
Learning materials
- Exploring Strategy: Text and Cases, 11th edition (2017), Johnson, Scholes & Whittington
- Various cases and handouts
Learning outcomes
If you have successfully completed this course, then you are able to:
- Identify and map the operations process of the company to show the value creation process of the company for its customers.
- Judge the impact of a change in strategy on the company’s operations process.
- Decide on the best solution for operations while taking the company’s costs and social responsibilities into account.
- Redesign the operations process to align with a new strategy, realizing the new company’s operations objectives.
- Include the use of automation and digitalisation in the company’s strategy.
-
Finance Manager (3 ECTS)
Finance Manager (3 ECTS)
Topics
- Financial ratios (calculation and interpretation)
- Balance sheet and Income Statement
- Forecasting
- Investment decisions
- Scenario planning
- Cash flow management
- Business plan
- Risk management
Learning materials/book list
- Exploring Strategy: Text and Cases, 11th edition (2017), Johnson, Scholes & Whittington
- Various cases and handouts
Learning outcomes
If you have successfully completed this course, then you are able to:
- Explain the financial position of the company in terms of capital inflow and outflow.
- Evaluate the impact of a change in strategy on capital inflow and outflow.
- Capital budgeting: determining which projects the company should pursue based on their merits.
- Evaluate the various options to finance a particular newly identified investment opportunity.
- Develop a solid financial plan for the company or project
-
Business Manager Skills (6 ECTS)
Business Manager Skills (6 ECTS)
Topics
- Critical thinking
- Decision making
- Bridging theories and praxis
- Building arguments and convincing others
- Managing time
- Performing under pressure
- Working in international and multidisciplinary teams
Learning materials/book list
- Workshops and handouts
Learning outcomes
If you have successfully completed this course, then you are able to develop and reflect on the following business skills:
- Critical thinking
- Bridging theories and praxis
- Building arguments and convincing others
- Decision making
- Managing time
- Performing under pressure
- Working in international and multidisciplinary teams
And you are able to describe and reflect development on the following skills:
- Innovation driven
- Explore driven
- Interactive learning
- Knowledge acquisition and knowledge sharing
- Collaborative working
-
Cross-Cultural Communication - Elective (2 ECTS)
Cross-Cultural Communication - Elective (2 ECTS)
Elective (choose 3 out of 6)
This elective is offered in block 1.
Topics
- Introduction to Dutch culture
- Intrapersonal and interpersonal awareness
- Introduction to basic concepts of Cross-cultural communication: the dimensions of Hofstede and the model of Richard D. Lewis
- Doing business with a global mindset (based on the personal profile test in the book of Solomon and Schell)
- Non-verbal communication
- Doing Business in China
Learning materials
- Jacobs, A., Cross-Cultural Communication, Noordhoff Uitgevers, ISBN 9789001807771
- Solomon & Schell: Managing across cultures, The seven keys to doing Business with a global mindset, Mcgraw-Hill Education Europe, ISBN 9780071605854
These books are recommended but not required.
Learning outcomes
If you have successfully completed this course, then you are able to:
- Apply core-concepts of the relevant theory to cross-cultural situations.
- Review complex and often problematic cross-cultural business situations.
- Describe and analyse problems in multi-cultural situations in terms to be understood by all relevant participants.
- Analyse and reflect on his/her own communication style.
- Reflect on her/his own attitudes and biases.
- Communicate solutions to people from different cultural backgrounds continue gaining knowledge and insight into the essence of intercultural (personal) communication.
-
Elementary Dutch - Elective (2 ECTS)
Elementary Dutch - Elective (2 ECTS)
Elective (choose 3 out of 6)
This elective is recommended not mandatory. Only for exchange students – except from Belgium. The elective is offered in block 1.
Topics
- Basic Dutch grammar
- Dutch pronunciation
- Dutch alphabet, spelling
- Counting in Dutch
- Basic vocabulary, phrases and sentences related to themes in daily life such as getting acquainted, leisure time, weather, grocery shopping and asking for directions/ giving basic information
Learning materials
- Dutch For Dummies – Margreet Kwakernaak
- Handouts to be distributed in class
Learning outcomes
If you have successfully completed this course, then you are able to:
- Understand short sentences and frequently used expressions that are related to (a few areas in) daily life.
- Communicate in simple everyday situations; he/she can use simple words to describe aspects of his/her own background, his/her immediate surroundings and needs and desires.
-
What about big data? - Elective (2 ECTS)
What about big data? - Elective (2 ECTS)
Elective (choose 3 out of 6)
This elective is offered in block 1.
Topics
- Introduction on Big Data (What is it, how to support the company’s strategies or management decisions, what is the effect on the client’s behavior, examples).
- What are the strengths & opportunities and what are the weaknesses & threats in the Big Data market, what are latest developments.
- How to ensure Big Data quality and what about the analysis itself (introduction of an example); What roles do we see, Governance & Risk Management (Datamanagement). How to ensure privacy for citizens and what challenges do we see for global companies; security on the internet.
Learning materials
As this course is primarily an introduction course, meant to familiarise yourself with the underlying topics, anything you can find yourself on these subjects and bring into the course will be welcomed. You will be asked for input regularly.
Learning outcomes
If you have successfully completed this course, then you are able to:
- Describe the role of (Big) DATA within the company’s strategy.
- Make the business case for Big Data in terms of Return on Investment.
- Assess Data Management in terms of chances instead of problems.
- Discuss the impact of Big Data on matters of privacy.
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Critical Thinking - Elective (2 ECTS)
Critical Thinking - Elective (2 ECTS)
Elective (choose 3 out of 6)
This elective is offered in block 2.
Topics
- Introduction to Critical Thinking in Business
- Defining argumentative claims
- Identifying parts of argument in paragraphs, short essays, visuals, and short videos
- Mapping short arguments
- Logical Fallacies and appeals in argument
- Evaluating short arguments
- Class debate
Learning materials
Powerpoints and assignments.
Learning outcomes
If you have successfully completed this course, then you are able to:
- Identify arguments versus facts and opinions.
- Identify the parts of argument (claims, reasons, evidence, objection, refutation).
- Visualise complex arguments using argument maps.
- Identify and understand logical fallacies.
- Evaluate complex written arguments.
- Participate in a debate using theories of argumentation and evaluation.
Create effective arguments in favour of a particular position
-
Presentations and Negotiations -Elective (2 ECTS)
Presentations and Negotiations -Elective (2 ECTS)
Elective (choose 3 out of 6)
This elective is offered in block 2.
Topics
- How to structure a convincing presentation?
- How to prepare a negotiation?
- Presentation, negotiation and debating tactics
- Body language
- Reflection and feedback
Much attention will be paid to practical assignments and reflection on own skills. Guest speakers from companies will participate in the workshops and share their experiences in international negotiations.
Learning materials
Articles and videos are distributed via Moodle
Learning outcomes
If you have successfully completed this course, then you are able to:
- Describe presentation and negotiation requirements in (international) business situations.
- Apply presentation and negotiation techniques.
- Analyse and reflect on his/her own presentation style.
- Behave professionally and effectively in presentation and negotiation.
- Demonstrate his/her (business) presentation and negotiation skills within “real life” cross-cultural (business) situations.
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Stock Market Game - Elective (2 ECTS)
Stock Market Game - Elective (2 ECTS)
Elective (choose 3 out of 6)
This elective is offered in block 2.
Topics
- Assets
- (starting up) the competition
- economic influences on the market
- risk and return
- attitude towards risks
- financial analysis
- stock picking and investment strategies
- company management
Learning materials
Syllabus: The Stock Market Game (optional)
Learning outcomes
If you have successfully completed this course, then you are able to:
- Control an investment portfolio by interpreting (economic) news for selecting stock.
- Justify his investments on the stock exchange by written report.
- Draw up an investor profile and reflect on his own profile.
- Draw up a written analysis of an annual report of a company listed on the FTSE100 by using factors like: return, dividend, financial risks, emotional risks, customer profile, standard deviation, correlation, investment funds etc.
- Evaluate whether or not it was wise to invest in this company.
- Work under time pressure.
- Take decisions.
- Present and explain why he/she has chosen certain investment tools.
Practical matters
What you need to knowLocation Kralingse Zoom
Where you can find us
Kralingse Zoom
Kralingse Zoom 91
3063 ND Rotterdam