The MSc. in Global Technology and Innovation Management & Entrepreneurship is a unique blend of modules. It incorporates technology & innovation management while preparing students with an entrepreneurial skill set, based on state of the art teaching and industry-partnered projects. GTIME's structure provides students with an international experience by asserting them to complete the second year of the course at one of 6 global partner universities.
Managing Operative Sales
The objective of the course is to understand the nature of operative sales in B2B markets and the key concepts used for business development in global B2B networks. After the course students understand the key characteristics of B2B markets and operative sales processes. Furthermore, students are familiar with the basic concepts and tools used in the planning, management and improvement of the operative sales processes in B2B context. Guest lecturers will be used to illustrate what development of B2B sales practices and processes mean in practice. In addition, the student papers used as course material will provide an opportunity for 'peer learning' since those papers have been written by first year master's students majoring in International Sales and Sourcing; the papers will illustrate how some 'peers with similar background' have applied business concepts and tools in their practical business development projects.
T o support business development in business networks, the course also includes elements of financial and management accounting, focusing on concepts relevant to sales professionals with the special emphasis on value creation and value capture. Thus, after the course students are able to apply contribution and full costing in simple pricing situations. The students also understand basic principles how business potential of a new offering or a new market can be quantified and are able to use that knowledge in the budgeting process. Finally, the students are able to apply financial key ratios to analyze income statement and balance sheet in order to evaluate and prioritize existing and potential customers.
Selling technology-intensive products and services requires close collaboration with customers in order to help customers solve complex problems, making sales professionals almost consultants. To support that, the course also contains exercise on face-to- face sales negotiation to enable students to evaluate their current communication skills and potential areas of improvement. Thus, after the course students understand principles of good business interaction, are able to prepare and give a short 'pitch' focusing on essential elements from the customer's point of view and are aware of areas in business communication that still need improvement.
5 ECTS
Semester 3 (compulsory)