The Pragmatic MBA for Scientific and Technical Executives
1st Edition
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Description
This primer enables professionals with technical expertise to collaborate with their business-side colleagues. Emphasizing brevity and clarity, it gives technical staff answers to their most pressing questions about economics, finance, marketing, strategic decision-making, accounting, management, and related subjects. It does not offer condensed 1st year MBA courses; instead, it presents streamlined concepts and insights that are easy enough to be accessible and challenging enough to hold one's interest. Its examples from pharma, IT, aircraft/navigation, and other industries highlight problems that technical professionals face daily. Written by "one of them," its credibility makes it more useful than Internet resources. Because it concentrates on pragmatic (as opposed to academic) approaches to business, it empowers technical staff to stay with the conversation--and take it to a higher level.
Bertrand C. Liang, MD, PhD, MBA, is Managing Director of LCC Ventures and Executive Director of Pfenex, Inc. He is trained in molecular biology and genetics (PhD) and is a clinician (MD) with subspecialty training in neurology and oncology, and serves as a Visiting University Professor at Liaoning He University, Shenyang, China.
Key Features
- Creates frameworks and builds concepts enabling technical staff to work with their business colleagues
- Delivers content for pragmatic, immediate use, not condensed presentations of subjects from first year MBA curriculum
- Extends readers' grasp by posting additional resources at a freely-available website
Readership
Professionals in technical industries, especially pharma, IT, and aircraft/navigation, 1st year MBA students with technical backgrounds, and participants in executive MBA courses, especially those from technical industries.
Table of Contents
Dedication
Preface
Foreword
Chapter 1. Marketing
Introduction
Market Segmentation
The Marketing Mix
General References and Websites Related to Marketing
Chapter 2. Economics
Introduction
Markets
Gross Domestic Product
Inflation
Exchange Rates
Innovation and Economics
General References and Websites in Economics
Chapter 3. Corporate Strategy
Introduction
Business Portfolio Model
Five Forces Model
Resource-Based View of the Firm
Delta Model
General References and Websites in Strategy
Chapter 4. Management and Leadership
Introduction
Team Structure
Team Construction
Leadership Dynamics
Motivation
Change Management
General References and Websites on Leadership and Management
Chapter 5. Portfolio Management
Introduction
Common Traits
Considerations in Portfolio Management
Models for Portfolio Management
General References in Portfolio Management
Chapter 6. Finance and Accounting
Introduction
Financial Statements
Ratios
Discounted Cash Flow
General References and Websites in Finance
Chapter 7. Product Development
Introduction
Product Life Cycle
Disruption (Disruptive Innovation)
Adoption and Diffusion
Discontinuities in the Product Life Cycle
Dominant Design
General References and Websites in Product Development
Chapter 8. Operations
Introduction
Total Quality Management
Variability
Continuous Improvement
Supply Chain Coordination: Information Sharing
General References and Websites on Operations
Chapter 9. Business Law
Introduction
Contracts
Torts
Intellectual Property
Employment Law
General References and Websites with Articles on the Law
Web Based Supporting Resources
Educational Videos
Podcasts
Index
Details
- No. of pages:
- 176
- Language:
- English
- Copyright:
- © Academic Press 2013
- Published:
- 25th October 2012
- Imprint:
- Academic Press
- Hardcover ISBN:
- 9780123979322
- eBook ISBN:
- 9780123984890
About the Author
Bertrand Liang
Bert Liang is trained in molecular biology and genetics (Ph.D.) and is a clinician (M.D.) with subspecialty training in both neurology and oncology. He possesses an MBA as well as corporate experience (currently Executive Director of Pfenex Inc.) and has more than 50 publications in both scientific and business subjects.
Affiliations and Expertise
M.B.A., M.D., Ph.D. Chief Executive Officer, Pfenex, Inc., San Diego, CA., USA
Reviews
"If you're a scientist or engineer with typical technical training, you probably have not learned much about business. And, if you are now working for a technical business, you may be very confused about some of your company's business decisions. The Pragmatic MBA for Scientific and Technical Executives will introduce you to key business topics, and help you understand how your business colleagues think about the challenges facing your business. As you advance from a technical role to one of increasing responsibility within your company, this book can be an important part of your continuing education. Keep this book on your shelf - I think it's one that you'll return to again and again."
--Molly B. Schmidt, Keck Graduate Institute of Applied Life Sciences
The book has a practical approach and is easy to read. I found it very interesting and will be using it in my student courses as lecturer at the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Zurich (ETH Zurich) and the National University of Singapore (NUS)."
--Gunter Festel, Festel Capital
"The Pragmatic MBA is the perfect Rosetta Stone for technical managers who want to take part in and shape the businesses around them."
--Michael Hough, Advance Medical, Inc.