Dealership Executive MBA

The Dealership 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 working professionals aligned with the retail automotive industry the opportunity to further develop the skills needed to compete in the ever-changing automotive marketplace. Leaders from any undergraduate discipline 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. When possible, these site residencies will be coordinated with topical industry events. 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.

Learn more about the:

• Required Curriculum
• Course Descriptions

The period of time between each site visit will be 10 to 12 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 Corporate and Specialty Programs
The DeVos Graduate School of Management
Northwood University
4000 Whiting Drive
Midland, MI  48640-2398
Phone: 989.837.4325

Required Curriculum

COURSE	COURSE TITLE	ONSITE/ONLINE	CREDITS
Fall I: Sept. 8-Dec. 19, 2008 (Onsite: Oct. 12-18, 2008-Midland, MI)
MBA 701	Individual Drivers of Behavior		3 credits
MBA 703	Macro Economics and Trade		3 credits
Winter I: Jan. 5-April 17, 2009 (ONLINE)
MBA 707	Public Policy and the Legal Environment		2 credits
MBA 715	Advanced Sales and Marketing		2 credits
Summer I: May 4-Aug. 14, 2009 (Onsite: May 3-10, 2009-Midland, MI)
MBA 731	Group Drivers of Behavior		3 credits
MBA 716	Micro and Managerial Finance		3 credits
Fall II: Sept. 14-Dec. 25, 2009 (Onsite: Oct. 11-17, 2009-Midland, MI)
MBA 723	Managerial Finance		3 credits
MBA 730	Line of Business Strategy and Marketing		3 credits
Winter II: Jan. 4-April 16, 2010 (ONLINE)
MBA 720	Advanced Dealership Operations		2 credits
MBA 717	Introduction to Capstone Project Research		2 credits
Summer II:May 3-Aug. 13, 2010 (Onsite: May 16-22, 2010-Midland, MI)
MBA 733	Corporate Financial Management		3 credits
MBA 735	Corporate Strategy		3 credits
Fall III: Sept. 13-Dec. 24, 2010 (Onsite: Oct. 10-16, 2010-Midland, MI)
MBA 741	Change Management		3 credits
MBA 761	Integrative Management		3 credits
Winter III: Jan. 3-April 15, 2011 (Independent Study)
MBA 773	Capstone Project		4 credits

Total Credits: 42
Program Cost:

• $25,500 (includes tuition, books, fees)
• $10,000 (includes lodging, meals, and transportation - five onsite visits)
  

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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 a retail automotive firms’ success. 

MBA 703: Macro Economics 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 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 sales growth and innovation.

MBA 707: Public Policy and the Legal Environment (ONLINE)

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, dealerships and allied organizations associated with the retail automotive 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 business growth In addition; focus will be directed toward automotive 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 (ONLINE)

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 retail automotive firm. Areas of investigation include new and used cars 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 retail automotive 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 retail automotive dealership/organization.   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 dealership 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 retail automotive firm; the strategic interaction of business within the retail automotive and related industries; the purchasing and consumption behavior of individual customers, and groups of customers; and the influence of public policy on automotive market outcomes.  Development of an understanding of the language of economics and a strong economic intuition with topics including retail automotive 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 financial management and control, and introduce students to the concept of value-based management associated with the retail automotive sector.  Specific topics include financial analysis of dealership operations, cost accounting, time value of money, capital budgeting and structure, working capital management, long-term financing, and managing dealership 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 retail automotive marketplace.  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 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 (ONLINE)

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 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 Dealership Operations (ONLINE)

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 dealership planning process.  Concepts, techniques, and management tools related to the four major decision responsibilities of operations management including dealership 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 dealership 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 focus of this course is to serve as the capstone management and behavior course, which focuses on developing the skills for a leader to effectively design, staff, and operate a dynamic and profitable automotive organization.  Emphasis is also placed on developing the ability to analyze the ethical implications and tradeoffs of managerial decisions associated with the retail automotive sector.  Human resource management issues are also explored regarding talent acquisition, training, coaching and management.   In addition, attention is paid to how organizations adjust to change and remain resilient, power and effective leadership, building and leading global teams, managing cultural diversity, building trust and communication, as well as organizational resource allocation.

MBA 761: Integrative Management

3 credits
The focus of this course is on the development of the student’s ability to synthesize, integrate, and implement concepts and skills across the spectrum of managerial and leadership roles and responsibilities.  The uniqueness of this course is the expectation that the student will implement the skills ascertained from all previous modules.  The focus will help students identify, prioritize, and analyze comprehensive business issues found in complex, integrative case studies.  Emphasis will be placed upon the leader’s ability to implement and take action in relation to recommendations identified in cases studies.  Additionally, issues pertaining to automotive organizational design, change management, and the long-term sustainability of the firm will be explored.  Finally, through individualized consultation, each student will receive guidance on the implementation of the skills acquired in the program to their work 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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