2015-2016 Calendar -

Rotman Commerce at the University of Toronto offers an innovative curriculum combining studies in management, economics, and the liberal arts for an enriched professional undergraduate experience. The program explores the role of commerce in modern society while developing skill and confidence in analysis, effective communications and decision making.

The Bachelor of Commerce degree builds on a common foundation of business and liberal arts courses. Rotman Commerce students go on to specialize in one of three programs: Accounting (either Public Accounting or Financial Reporting and Control), Finance and Economics, or Management. Each program combines courses in management and applied economics with a variety of advanced courses in the liberal arts and sciences. The balance assures graduates of a solid understanding of business and modern society along with a command of critical skills in decision-making and organizational leadership.

Rotman Commerce graduates frequently become economists, accountants, actuaries, financial analysts, marketing analysts, managers of firms and government, or proprietors of small businesses. Some commerce students elect to undertake post-graduate studies in the form of further university education: law schools and MBA programs have been particularly favoured destinations of recent graduates.

Faculty from the Rotman School of Management who teach in Rotman Commerce are listed above.

General Enquiries: Rotman Commerce Academic Program Services; Rotman Commerce, 125 St. George Street; email: rotmancommerce.info@utoronto.ca; telephone: 416.978.3339; www.rotmancommerce.utoronto.ca

Registration and Timetable Instructions for the Faculty of Arts & Science may be found at: http://www.artsci.utoronto.ca/current/course.

This is a four-year Honours program.

To qualify for a Bachelor of Commerce degree, a student must:

    (a) Complete twenty full-course equivalents, including no more than six 100-series courses;
    (b) Complete one of the Specialist programs – Accounting, Finance and Economics, or Management, (see below);
    (c) For students who began September 2010 or after: complete the Breadth Requirement for BCom students (see below)
    (d) Obtain standing (i.e., complete with a grade of 50% or more or CR) in at least six 300- or 400-series courses, including at least one 400-series course. No more than one 300+ series transfer credit may be counted towards these six. (Students participating in an approved exchange program may count ALL 300+ transfer credits from the exchange towards the required six.)
    (e) Achieve a cumulative GPA of 1.85 or more by the time of graduation.

Graduation

There are two graduation periods each year: June (degree requirements completed by the end of the Fall/Winter session) and November (degree requirements completed by the end of the Summer session). Students must request graduation using the Student Web Service or in the College Registrar’s Office as they are not automatically assessed for graduation. Graduation requests must be submitted by the deadlines specified in the Sessional Dates section of the Calendar. Prospective graduands should check Degree Explorer at the end of March/late September to see if their Subject POSts have been confirmed as completed by the relevant department(s) or program office(s). They should also check Degree Explorer at the end of May/late October for confirmation of their eligibility for graduation by the Office of the Faculty Registrar.

Prospective graduands should receive an email from the Office of Convocation providing details of the convocation ceremony in late March/mid-October. An e-mail will be sent from the Office of the Faculty Registrar in late October/late May to students who have a request for graduation confirming their eligibility.

Faculty Breadth Requirement for BCom Students

Students who commenced degree studies in the Faculty of Arts & Science in September 2010 (or later) must complete the following Breadth Requirement as part of their degree requirements. Courses in the Faculty of Arts & Science are classified into five breadth categories by subject content (see below). The purpose of the Breadth Requirement is to ensure that all students graduating with an Honours degree from the Faculty of Arts & Science have chosen courses across a broad range of subject areas in the faculty as part of their undergraduate education. The five categories are:

    1. Creative and Cultural Representations
    2. Thought, Belief, and Behaviour
    3. Society and Its Institutions
    4. Living Things and Their Environment
    5. The Physical and Mathematical Universes

Rotman Commerce students are required to fulfill specific breadth requirements in order to complete the Bachelor of Commerce degree program. The requirements are as follows:

1. At least 1.0 FCE from Category 1 (Creative and Cultural Representations).
2. At least 3.0 FCEs from the remaining categories (i.e. categories 2, 3, 4 and 5), accomplished by either:

A. Completing at least 1.0 FCE in each of any three of the four remaining categories (for example, 1.0 FCE in each of categories 2, 3 and 5)

B. Completing 1.0 FCE in each of two of the remaining categories, AND, .50 FCE in each of the other two (for example, 1.0 FCE in Category 2; .50 FCE in Category 3; .50 FCE in Category 4; and 1.0 FCE in Category 5)

Note that there is no Breadth Requirement status for MGT120H1/MGT201H1, COM110H1, RSM100Y1, and that MAT133Y1 and ECO220Y1 (and courses deemed equivalent in the program requirements in the calendar) cannot be used to satisfy the Breadth Requirement.

A course’s Breadth designation can be found following the course description in the Calendar for the year in which the course is taken.

Courses count toward the Breadth Requirement as they have been classified in the Calendar of the year in which they were taken.

Students may count towards the Breadth Requirement any course which has a Breadth designation, and in which they have achieved standing, whether or not the course is used to satisfy a Subject POSt requirement, and whether or not the course was taken as CR/NCR.

Enrolment in Rotman Commerce programs is limited. Most students are admitted to first-year with a Rotman Commerce Admission Guarantee (see below for terms and conditions). Formal program enrolment takes place in second-year, provided that the conditions of the "guarantee" have been met. A number of spaces are also available in second-year for other Arts & Science students who were not admitted with the guarantee (see section on "Other Students" below for details).

First Year Rotman Commerce Students Admitted with the Rotman Commerce Guarantee:

Students admitted with the Rotman Commerce Admission Guarantee will be invited to enroll in the program after first-year, provided that the following requirements have been met:

Complete RSM100Y Introduction to Management with a final mark of at least 67%
Complete ECO100Y Introduction to Economics with a final mark of at least 67%
Complete MAT133Y Calculus and Linear Algebra for Commerce with a final mark of at least 63%, or

MAT135H1 with a final mark of at least 60% AND MAT136H1 with a final mark of at least 60%, or
MAT137Y1 with a final mark of at least 55%, or
MAT157Y1 with a final mark of at least 55%.

Accumulate a minimum of 4.0 credits

These requirements must be met within one calendar year of the student's enrolment in Arts & Science. For students beginning their studies in September, the requirements must be satisfied no later than the end of the following Summer Session.

Students may repeat any of the required courses once, in order to attain the requisite mark. The repeated course(s) must be completed within the calendar year (as per the terms of the "guarantee"); as such, the repeated course(s) must be taken during the Summer Session of first-year (i.e. a student may not extend the terms of her/his guarantee in order to attain the minimum marks).

Failure to meet any of these requirements, or failure to complete all the required courses within the calendar year (assuming full-time studies), will result in losing the admission guarantee. Note that none of the required courses may be completed using the CR/NCR option.

Part-Time Students:

Students holding the Rotman Commerce Guarantee, who have applied for and been admitted to Part-Time study, will be assessed for entry into Rotman Commerce programs at the point when they have completed 4.0 credits including the required courses (see above for Rotman Commerce Guarantee). To qualify under the Part-Time provision, students must have been enrolled in a part-time course load from the beginning of each session. They may repeat each of the required courses once in order to attain the minimum marks.

Other Students:

A number of spaces in Rotman Commerce are available to Arts & Science students who were not admitted to first-year with the Admission Guarantee. The number of spaces available is determined annually.

Applications are submitted in late-April/May of each year and admission decisions are made and communicated in late-June. All admission requirements must be completed by May 1 in order to be eligible for admission. Students who have not completed the necessary requirements (see below for specifics) by May 1 must apply for admission the following year.

Admission Requirements:

•Complete RSM100Y1 and ECO100Y1, each with a final mark of at least 67%

•Complete MAT133Y Calculus and Linear Algebra for Commerce with a final mark of at least 63%, or

•MAT135H1 with a final mark of at least 60% AND MAT136H1 with a final mark of at least 60%, or

•MAT137Y1 with a final mark of at least 55%, or

•MAT157Y1 with a final mark of at least 55%.

•Attain an average of at least 73% across the 3 qualifying courses (RSM100Y1, ECO100Y1 and MAT133Y1 (or equivalent)). Note: in the case of repeated attempts, the highest mark attained will be considered when calculating this average

•Accumulate a minimum of 4.0 credits

•Submit the Rotman Commerce Supplemental Application

Admission will be based on marks and the Rotman Commerce Supplemental Application.

Note: Meeting the minimum academic requirements does not guarantee admission to the program.

For information regarding admission to the program, contact Rotman Commerce at 416.946.0844 or rc.admissions@utoronto.ca

Additional Notes:

•Tuition Fees: Students enrolling in Rotman Commerce programs pay fees that are higher than other Arts & Science programs.

•Mathematics Note: MAT133Y1 satisfies the minimum Program requirements. Students who are likely to enroll in 200+ series MAT or CSC courses are advised to take MAT137Y1 instead, noting that MAT137Y1 is a theoretically-oriented course for mathematically-based disciplines such as Mathematics, Computer Science, and Actuarial Science.

•Maximum Term Load: Rotman Commerce students are limited to a maximum of 6.0 credits in any Fall/Winter session of their program.

Rotman Commerce Programs

(14-15 full courses or their equivalent out of 20 courses, for a BCom)

Students enrolled in the Accounting Specialist must choose one of the two streams below; either Public Accounting or Financial Reporting and Control. All students must complete items 1-5 below and then items 6 onwards for the specific stream selected. Students may not enrol in both streams.

** at least 0.5 FCE of the courses chosen in #9 and #10 above must be at the 400-series level

Note: Students must take a minimum of 10.0 RSM and 10.0 non-RSM courses. Students may enrol in only one Rotman Commerce Specialist.

Note: Students must take a minimum of 10.0 RSM and 10.0 non-RSM full course equivalents. Students may enrol in only one Rotman Commerce Specialist.

Rotman Commerce Courses

Introduction to management and its various subdisciplines-accounting, finance, marketing, organizational behaviour, operations management, and strategy. Enrolment priority is given to students entering the University with an expressed interest in studying Commerce. Other Arts & Science students will be allowed to enrol, space permitting. Non-Arts & Science students are ineligible to enrol in this course. Not eligible for CR/NCR option. Contact Rotman Commerce for details.

Introduction to financial reporting and analysis that is used by companies to organize and evaluate data in light of their organization’s goal. Emphasis is on decision-making and interpretation of financial statements and how they can be used to plan a firm’s overall business activities through the use of real-world companies. Not open to Rotman Commerce students. Not eligible for CR/NCR option. Contact Rotman Commerce for details.

Basic introduction to financial reporting and analysis. Emphasis is on decision-making and interpretation of financial statements and how they can be used to plan a firm’s overall business activities through the use of real-world companies. Coverage includes the use of accounting information to prepare a basic set of financial statements. Not eligible for CR/NCR option. Contact Rotman Commerce for details.

Foundations of financial reporting and analysis in Canada. Financial accounting topics are covered at an intermediate level, including both conceptual and technical aspects. Not eligible for CR/NCR option. Contact Rotman Commerce for details.

Covers topics such as income statement and balance sheet topics with an emphasis on quality of earnings. Not eligible for CR/NCR option. Contact Rotman Commerce for details.

Covers the conceptual and analytical foundations of management accounting and the applications of cost accounting information. Costing and control concepts are analyzed to equip students with tools for establishing costing systems, making business decisions, and evaluating management performance. Materials are designed to help students understand strategic cost management principles. Not eligible for CR/NCR option. Contact Rotman Commerce for details.

Introduces students to the Canadian legal system as it relates to business entities. The course focuses on general legal concepts, including sources of law and the court structure; business entity law (including corporate law), commercial law (contract) as well as the law of torts. Not eligible for CR/NCR option. Contact Rotman Commerce for details.

Introduction to Canadian and international financial markets. It provides an overview of the major financial institutions, their roles and some problems they face, the major types of financial securities and the mechanisms under which they are traded. It is a helpful preparation for students thinking of taking the Canadian Securities Course. Not eligible for CR/NCR option. Contact Rotman Commerce for details.

Students receive an introduction to the basic concepts, theories, and methods of contemporary marketing. The course offers a comprehensive framework to develop successful marketing efforts and allows students to create a marketing plan. Specific topics examined: market research, consumer behaviour, segmentation, product policy, pricing, distribution, communications, sales, and direct marketing. Not eligible for CR/NCR option. Contact Rotman Commerce for details.

This course employs the case method of instruction to develop the skills required of marketing managers. Students will learn to diagnose marketing problems and develop, present, and defend their recommendations. They will also gain experience analyzing marketing situations, identifying market opportunities, developing marketing strategies, and designing the marketing mix. Not eligible for CR/NCR option. Contact Rotman Commerce for details.

Theoretical ideas and practical applications concerning the behaviour of individuals and groups in organizations. We explore relevant topics for management: motivation, personality, perception, decision-making, groups, and negotiation. Not eligible for CR/NCR option. Contact Rotman Commerce for details.

Introduction to the management of business processes that convert inputs (labor, material, equipment) into outputs (goods and services) for internal and external markets. Topics include aggregate planning, inventory processes, supply chain management and service operations management. Presents modern quantitative and computing tools necessary for in-depth operational design and analysis. Not eligible for CR/NCR option. Contact Rotman Commerce for details.

The areas of concentration depend on the instructor teaching the course. (Offered only during the summer session through the Summer Abroad Program). Not eligible for CR/NCR option. Contact Rotman Commerce for details.

Topics and Issues in Management. Content in any given year will depend on the instructor. Consult the Rotman Commerce Portal for course description and prerequisites. Enrolment is restricted to 3rd and 4th year Rotman Commerce students. Not eligible for CR/NCR option. Contact Rotman Commerce for details.

Covers broader areas in financial reporting, drawing upon regulatory documents and corporate communications. Topics include corporate reporting quality, employee future benefits, employee compensation disclosure and analysis, income tax accounting, narrative reporting. Emphasis on the context of financial reporting including an organization’s ‘tone at the top’ and the adoption of international standards. Not eligible for CR/NCR option. Contact Rotman Commerce for details.

This course covers accounting issues and practices relating to long-term investments, consolidations, foreign transactions and foreign investments. International accounting issues are also introduced. Not eligible for CR/NCR option. Contact Rotman Commerce for details.

The course focuses on making managerial decisions based on cost information. The relationship between strategy and costing systems is explored as are the economic characteristics which form the context for business decisions. Not eligible for CR/NCR option. Contact Rotman Commerce for details.

This course introduces students to the concepts and theory underlying audit practice. Practical examples are used to help students develop skills in exercising professional judgment. Not eligible for CR/NCR option. Contact Rotman Commerce for details.

This course emphasises the fundamentals of the Canadian tax system. Included are topics, such as, residence of corporations and individuals, effective tax rates for corporations and individuals, business income, integration, capital gains and losses, to name a few. A key objective of this course is to assist students in learning to read, interpret and apply provisions of the Income Tax Act to practical problems and cases. Not eligible for CR/NCR option. Contact Rotman Commerce for details.

This course canvasses several areas of law that impact a business entity. Topics dealt with include agency law, employment law, the Personal Property Security Act and the rights of the secured creditor, bankruptcy law, relevant consumer protection legislation, intellectual property and other specific legal topics. Not eligible for CR/NCR option. Contact Rotman Commerce for details.

This course helps students use, develop, and manage computer-based systems. The first half covers the basic features of hardware, software, communications, and databases. The second half examines how users, businesses, the economy, and society are affected by the development of this technology. No previous background in computing is assumed. Not eligible for CR/NCR option. Contact Rotman Commerce for details.

This course explores the reasons for financial distress and introduces options for managers, creditors, lenders, and directors of firms in financial distress. The use of financial ratios to predict solvency problems is covered as well as strategies both for restructuring companies having financial difficulties and for negotiation with creditors. Not eligible for CR/NCR option. Contact Rotman Commerce for details.

This course provides an introduction to financial theories and analytical tools for making investment decisions and for understanding how prices are determined for stocks and bonds. The course covers a broad range of topics including asset allocation, technical analysis, fundamental analysis, anomalies, and bond portfolio management. Not eligible for CR/NCR option. Contact Rotman Commerce for details.

An introduction to capital market theory explaining how financial securities are priced. Topics covered include the time and risk value of money, the use of discounted cash flow techniques, efficient set theory, asset pricing and market efficiency. Not eligible for CR/NCR option. Contact Rotman Commerce for details.

Application and development of the ideas in RSM332H1 to corporate finance problems such as determining the weighted average cost of capital, project evaluation, corporate financing decisions, working capital management and initial public offerings. Not eligible for CR/NCR option. Contact Rotman Commerce for details.

Beginning with an exploration of integrative thinking and the tools associated with it, this course asks students to apply integrative thinking to complex problems that span traditional disciplines. Throughout the course, students will learn practical tools aimed at helping integrate between models, build new models and create new value. Not eligible for CR/NCR option. Contact Rotman Commerce for details.

This course aims to introduce logically disciplined approaches to decision making under uncertainty. Managers are continually barraged with information that may be unreliable. They must choose courses of action in the face of many uncertainties. How can we define and assess the "optimality" of their decisions in a consistent manner? By building upon the answers to these questions, the course will consider the problem of rational choice when the outcome is determined by the actions of, and interactions between, multiple individuals. Not eligible for CR/NCR option. Contact Rotman Commerce for details.

Marketing research is studied from the perspective of the marketing manager. The course focuses on the initiation, design, and interpretation of research as an aid to marketing decision making. Case studies and projects are used to provide students with some practical research experiences. Not eligible for CR/NCR option. Contact Rotman Commerce for details.

Formulating successful marketing strategies requires an understanding of consumers’ cultures, motivations, cognitions, and emotions. Students will learn how to use theoretical perspectives from psychology, economics, anthropology, and other disciplines to generate predictions about consumers, interpret consumer reactions to marketing stimuli, and develop rigorous skills in marketing analysis. Not eligible for CR/NCR option. Contact Rotman Commerce for details.

Human resource management is studied from the perspective of the manager/practitioner. The course focuses on decisions about when and whom to hire, how much to pay, what training to offer, and how to evaluate employees. Class exercises and projects are used to provide students with some practical experience with these topics. Not eligible for CR/NCR option. Contact Rotman Commerce for details.

Globalization increasingly intertwines the Canadian and world economies. Understanding how firms can successfully link with worldwide suppliers and markets is central to growth. Supply chain management issues covered include: advanced inventory and production models; supply contracts; the bullwhip effect; vendor-managed inventories; distribution strategies; third-party logistics; product variety; current information technology. Not eligible for CR/NCR option. Contact Rotman Commerce for details.

Introduces core ideas, concepts and models in the area of Strategic Management. Addresses the following questions: Why does firm performance vary across industries, and across firms within a given industry? What types of competitive strategies can managers pursue? When are different types of strategies more or less likely to be successful? Enrolment is restricted to 3rd or 4th year Rotman Commerce students. Not eligible for CR/NCR option. Contact Rotman Commerce for details.

This course provides students with the opportunity to hone the critical skills of effective presentation, decisiveness and business acumen with a focus on learning-by-doing. Students will analyze and recommend solutions to business problems and develop abilities to present and defend recommendations in an impactful and effective manner. Not eligible for CR/NCR option. Contact Rotman Commerce for details.

The areas of concentration depend on the instructor teaching the course. (Offered only during the summer through the Woodsworth Summer Abroad Program). Not eligible for CR/NCR option. Contact Rotman Commerce for details.

Open when a faculty member is willing and able to supervise. Students must obtain the approval of the Director of Rotman Commerce and the supervising faculty member before enrolling. Enrolment is restricted to 4th year Rotman Commerce students. Consult the Rotman Commerce Office for details. Not eligible for CR/NCR option. Contact Rotman Commerce for details.

Topics and issues in Management. Content in any given year will depend on the instructor. Consult the Rotman Commerce Portal for course description and prerequisites. Enrolment is restricted to 4th year Rotman Commerce students. Not eligible for CR/NCR option. Contact Rotman Commerce for details.

Topics and issues in Management. Content in any given year will depend on the instructor. Consult the Rotman Commerce Portal for course description and prerequisites. Enrolment is restricted to 3rd and 4th year Rotman Commerce students. Not eligible for CR/NCR option. Contact Rotman Commerce for details.

This course considers the processes and systems, many accounting-based, by which key managers allegedly ensure that resources are acquired and used effectively and efficiently in the accomplishment of an organization’s goals. Not eligible for CR/NCR option. Contact Rotman Commerce for details.

The course focuses on the reasoning and evidence theory underlying audit decision making. Coverage includes professional judgment, statistical auditing, audit of accounting estimates, framework for assurance engagements, and responsibilities to detect fraud. Not eligible for CR/NCR option. Contact Rotman Commerce for details.

This course is designed to give the student an understanding of more complex issues of Canadian income tax law and tax planning. Included are topics, such as, computation of taxes, corporate reorganizations, business acquisitions and divestitures, partnerships, joint ventures and trusts, to name a few. The two course sequence (RSM324H1 and RSM424H1) has been designed to provide coverage of the tax content required by the professional accounting bodies. Not eligible for CR/NCR option. Contact Rotman Commerce for details.

This course guides students to learn financial reporting theory and critically evaluate the research findings in accounting. It covers a broad range of topics such as information and measurement perspectives of accounting, agency theory and its implications and the role of network in management control. Not eligible for CR/NCR option. Contact Rotman Commerce for details.

This is a capstone case course stressing the pervasive competencies and critical thinking skills required from Rotman Commerce graduates, professional accountants and advisors. The course integrates the technical and practical knowledge obtained in previous courses by applying this knowledge to case type situations. Aimed at students seeking an accounting designation. Enrolment is restricted to 4th year Rotman Commerce students. Not eligible for CR/NCR option. Contact Rotman Commerce for details.

This course investigates strategies and procedures used to audit computerized accounting systems based upon their special control characteristics. Special attention is devoted to computerized statistical procedures. Not eligible for CR/NCR option. Contact Rotman Commerce for details.

Covers financial analysis of firms in the financial services industries: accounting and disclosure rules for financial instruments. Gives an in-depth understanding of how financial reports provide fairly accurate information about the risks and performance of banks and other financial services firms. Not eligible for CR/NCR option. Contact Rotman Commerce for details.

This course is of interest to those pursuing a career where one needs to analyze financial statements "intelligently". This obviously includes those interested in finance related professions such as Investment Banking, Research and Investment Management. Students interested in consulting and marketing will also find this course useful because of its approach that focuses on business analysis with tie-ins to corporate strategy. This is a capstone course for students completing the Financial Reporting and Control stream in the Accounting Specialist. Not eligible for CR/NCR option. Contact Rotman Commerce for details.

Describes important fixed income securities and markets. The course emphasizes traditional bond and term structure concepts crucial to understand the securities traded in these markets. Students are required to work in the Rotman Financial Research & Trading Lab to solve the assigned problems using real time data. Not eligible for CR/NCR option. Contact Rotman Commerce for details.

This course examines the ways in which risks are quantified and managed by financial institutions. The principal risks considered include market risk, credit risk and operational risk. The course also covers the evolution of bank regulation and the regulatory limits on risk taking. Not eligible for CR/NCR option. Contact Rotman Commerce for details.

Applying fundamental finance ideas developed in RSM332H1 and RSM333H1 to real-life problems. The course will focus on business valuation and financial decisions in practical situations, on the assumption that students are already familiar with basic concepts from previous finance courses. Not eligible for CR/NCR option. Contact Rotman Commerce for details.

This course will use finance theory applied with Excel applications to understand potential returns and risks inherent in particular investment/trading strategies. Learning-by-doing will be facilitated by simulation-based Rotman Interactive Trader cases focused on particular risks. This training will be analogous to using a flight simulator for learning to fly. Not eligible for CR/NCR option. Contact Rotman Commerce for details.

This course covers the analysis of derivative instruments such as forwards, futures, swaps and options. By the end of the course, students will have good knowledge of how these contracts work, how they are used and how they are priced. Not eligible for CR/NCR option. Contact Rotman Commerce for details.

International financial markets, exchange rates, forward markets, interest rate parity. International dimensions of investment, including both portfolio and foreign direct investment. International dimensions of corporate finance, including valuation and the cost of capital of foreign investments. Not eligible for CR/NCR option. Contact Rotman Commerce for details.

What motivates consumers, investors, employees, and managers? In this highly interdisciplinary course, we will examine topics such as the role of emotions in decision-making, “irrational” patterns of how people think about products, money, or investments, and how expectations shape perceptions. Enrolment is restricted to 3rd and 4th year Rotman Commerce students. Not eligible for CR/NCR option. Contact Rotman Commerce for details.

Approaches pricing decision as an intersection of economics and psychology. Using product categories as diverse as financial services, healthcare, industrial products and consumer packaged goods, students study dynamic pricing, value pricing, price customization, price bundling and multi-part tariffs, menu costs and price stickiness, sales promotions, and pricing in two-sided markets. Enrolment is restricted to 3rd and 4th year Rotman Commerce students. Not eligible for CR/NCR option. Contact Rotman Commerce for details.

Prerequisite: RSM250H1
Exclusion: RSM351H
Distribution Requirement Status: This is a Social Science course
Breadth Requirement: Society and its Institutions (3)

The course is designed to introduce students to tools used in marketing analytics. Companies have been collecting vast databases to aid them in making sound marketing decisions. Examples include retail scanner panel data which keeps track of customers’ purchase histories, loyalty-program data monitoring purchasing under different promotional environments, social network and online shopping history data. The course uses several marketing data sources to illustrate how to use statistical marketing models to evaluate the impacts of marketing-mix, and manage customer lifetime value.

This course covers how marketers communicate with customers - knowledge that is useful to students both as a manager and a consumer. The course will introduce the foundation knowledge of marketing communications as well as new trends in non-traditional media including sponsorships, social media, and digital marketing.

Students will assume the role of senior marketing managers responsible for the design, implementation, and evaluation of branding strategies. Brands represent valuable assets that must be created, sustained, leveraged, and defended. This course will use case analysis and a group project to reinforce successful decision making and communication skills. Enrolment is restricted to 3rd and 4th year Rotman Commerce students. Not eligible for CR/NCR option. Contact Rotman Commerce for details.

Prerequisite: RSM251H1/(RSM392H1, RSM250H1)
Distribution Requirement Status: This is a Social Science course
Breadth Requirement: Society and its Institutions (3)

RSM459H1 Business Design (formerly RSM412H1)[24L]

What are the principles and practices that drive innovation in organizations? Create breakthrough solutions and businesses? This course teaches students how to identify customer needs, prototype new solutions and design business strategies to create competitive advantage. Students will apply the learning in real time and on real world challenges.

Students learn to recognize, understand, analyze, and practice essential concepts in negotiations required for understanding more complex relations within and between organizations. The main objective is to learn how to analyze the critical factors of a negotiation situation and then to be able to prescribe a course of action. Enrolment is restricted to 3rd and 4th year Rotman Commerce students. Not eligible for CR/NCR option. Contact Rotman Commerce for details.

This course introduces students to the impact of globalization on managing people. Understanding how organizational behaviour and human resource management processes work in the international context is essential for business success. This course helps students to develop a better understanding of how effective people management can create a competitive advantage in the international context. Enrolment is restricted to 3rd and 4th year Rotman Commerce students. Not eligible for CR/NCR option. Contact Rotman Commerce for details.

One of the most critical skills in leadership is the ability to manage social relationships. The purpose of this course is to introduce you to the science of social intelligence so that you are knowledgeable and confident about how to handle interpersonal issues when you enter the business world. Enrolment is restricted to 3rd and 4th year Rotman Commerce students. Not eligible for CR/NCR option. Contact Rotman Commerce for details.

Organization theory is an evidence-based approach that allows managers to analyze and design organizations more effectively. Focusing on organizations as social systems, the course emphasizes practical implications in topics that are essential to business success, including strategy implementation, organizational structure and culture, change management, globalization, and the organizational sources of enduring competitive advantage. Enrolment is restricted to 3rd and 4th year Rotman Commerce students. Not eligible for CR/NCR option. Contact Rotman Commerce for details.

This course is designed to introduce you to the fundamental principles of incentives and motivation, which are essential tools for managers. The course takes an interdisciplinary approach and you will be exposed to theories on these topics from a variety of different disciplines – behavioral decision-making, economics, organizational behavior, and psychology. Enrolment is restricted to 3rd and 4th year Rotman Commerce students. Not eligible for CR/NCR option. Contact Rotman Commerce for details.

The course presents quantitative methods of modeling business and other systems in order to objectively evaluate available alternatives and select the ‘best’ one with respect to pre-defined criteria. Topics include: Decision Analysis, Linear Programming, Integer Programming, Network Methods, Simulation and Waiting Line Models. Enrolment is restricted to 3rd and 4th year Rotman Commerce students. Not eligible for CR/NCR option. Contact Rotman Commerce for details.

Application of the analytic framework of international trade, foreign investment and exchange rate economics to management of business. Special topics include the industrial effects of trade liberalization, the role of the World Trade Organization, foreign exchange risk management, competition policy and international taxation. Not eligible for CR/NCR option. Contact Rotman Commerce for details.

Explores the issue of outsourcing, broadly defined: which activities should a firm do “in house” and which should it take outside? Using a combination of cases and economic analysis, it develops a framework for determining the “best” organizational structure. Not eligible for CR/NCR option. Contact Rotman Commerce for details.

Applies game-theoretic reasoning to analyze business strategy problems, focusing specifically on pricing, advertising, product positioning, product introduction, and relationships with upstream and downstream firms. Not eligible for CR/NCR option. Contact Rotman Commerce for details.

This course uses economic methods to analyze real estate markets. Topics covered include the determinants of real estate values, the location decisions of households and firms, land use, urban growth and agglomeration, behavioural real estate economics and real options. Not eligible for CR/NCR option. Contact Rotman Commerce for details.

Real estate assets account for about one-third of the value of all capital assets in the world. This course provides an understanding of real estate investment, valuation and liabilities along with the public policy associated with home ownership, using modern finance and economic tools. Not eligible for CR/NCR option. Contact Rotman Commerce for details.

Focuses on developing an understanding of the fundamentals of doing business in an international environment. Based on the application of management theory (trade theory, modes of entry, foreign direct investment, theory of the multinational) to the strategic management problems of organizing business in the international arena. Not eligible for CR/NCR option. Contact Rotman Commerce for details.

This course exposes students to the intersection of global political economy and investment strategies, with particular emphasis on current global economic trends. The last 15 years have seen a dramatic expansion in the geographic scope for private equity investments, and in the risk involved in such investments. RSM491H1 will teach students to think through the issues facing executives, investors and policy makers considering investments. Not eligible for CR/NCR option. Contact Rotman Commerce for details.

Cooperation to create economic value is a central feature of markets: from sophisticated coordination in strategic alliances to simple acts of agreement between buyers and sellers. This course goes beyond Porter's Five Forces to develop a rigorous understanding of the connections between value creation, competition and firm performance. Not eligible for CR/NCR option.

Introduces essentials of starting a new business: how to evaluate new opportunities, craft strategy, obtain resources, manage growth, and distribute ownership. Applies concepts from strategic management to challenges facing new/small businesses. Examines the role of entrepreneurs in spurring technological innovation and economic growth, and the effect of government policy on entrepreneurial activity. Not eligible for CR/NCR option. Contact Rotman Commerce for details.

Teaches about technological evolution and how evolutionary stages impact firms’ strategic choices. Important issues in technological evolution are technological discontinuities, standards wars, dominant designs and patenting. Important strategic decisions concern innovation management, product versus process focus and intellectual property strategies. Project oriented coursework based on patent and business data bases. Not eligible for CR/NCR option. Contact Rotman Commerce for details.

This course examines the management consultant's role and how the consulting industry serves to enhance effectiveness of client organizations. Future management advisors will learn skills necessary to support successful consulting business models and how to professionally engage clients to assist in generating competitive advantage through design/implementation of innovative approaches. Not eligible for CR/NCR option. Contact Rotman Commerce for details.