UW114BKK
Shaping Tomorrow’s Business Leader
Faculty
Pierre-Pascal Urbon
Chairman INSTAGRID / Board Member VAMO
Course length
Duration
Total hours
Credits
Language
Course type
Fee for single course
Fee for degree students
Skills you’ll learn
Overview
Designed for students aiming to understand business challenges, the seminar provides essential frameworks for navigating today’s evolving global landscape—whether in a corporation or a startup. The real-world case studies from fast-changing industries offer valuable insights, equipping students with practical guidance applicable at every stage of their academic journey. As "the future isn’t what it used to be," the course also explores emerging trends shaping business strategy in the coming years.
This course provides students with a structured approach to achieving optimal negotiation results. Traditional negotiation is often seen as either soft or hard bargaining, but the Harvard Method offers a third approach—resolving disputes through fact-based arguments rather than positional bargaining. Through theoretical insights, interactive exercises, and feedback, students will develop practical negotiation skills.
Additionally, the course explores distribution models, equipping students with strategies to maximise value in a competitive marketplace. It examines the foundation for sales success and how the sales compensation plan drives behaviour.
Learning highlights
- Understand the negotiation stages and differentiate between position and interests.
- Recognise negotiation games (gambits) - they are the icing on the cake.
- Understand the key elements of strategy and the strategy process.
- Understand the tools to determine the attractiveness of an industry.
- Understand the framework of strategic options and how M&A works.
- Appreciate the future trends in the global economy.
- Real-world insights into sales channels, and sales management.
Course outline
15 classes
Negotiation Boogie-Woogie
Discover the negotiation techniques of argumentation, power and creativity. First exercise to demonstrate the difference in interests and positions and to clarify the consequences of a partnership-based approach. Reflection on the exercise with the group.
Harvard Approach
Input and interactive discussion on the win-lose and win-win strategy dimensions. Presentation of the information and concession matrix as a planning tool as well as input on the different roles in the negotiating team. Practical exercise on “active listening” in groups of two. Discussion of the experience in the plenum.
Integrative Negotiation
Input on the steps of integrative negotiation, analysis of the negotiation corridor and how to conduct a complete negotiation. Several exercises in groups of up to 5 to separate emotion, information, hope, criticism and realistic testing.
Conflict Escalation Dynamics / Power Tower
Input on how to address conflicts constructively and the psychological nature of conflict dynamics and escalation. Explanations of game theory, social dilemmas and negotiation gambits. Group exercise on the role of trust and distrust.
Input on the power of body language as well as emotions and needs. Role play in the plenary session with debriefing and feedback. Written feedback from your "Guardian Angel" on behaviour during the different group exercises.
Sales Mastery
An explanation of typical distribution structures - from direct sales to multi-tier distribution. Building and leveraging distribution partnerships. Understanding the various roles within the direct sales team. An exploration of why sales compensation is a key determinant of sales success.
Strategic management
Why is strategy development crucial for long-term success and competitiveness? This course will cover the key elements of strategy, essential strategy processes, and strategic management, including a case study and group presentations of key findings.
Market Analysis
An introduction to the Harvard framework for identifying the drivers of profitability within an industry, along with a discussion on its advantages and limitations. This course will also cover the tools used to assess competitive intensity.
Market Analysis
A workshop on competitive analysis, where students will apply previously learned concepts such as Porter's Five Forces and industrial economics to a real-world company case. The session will conclude with group presentations in a plenary discussion.
Competitive Advantage I
An explanation of the distinction between critical mass and economies of scale, along with methods for determining the point of critical mass. The session will also explore network effects in achieving critical mass and discuss strategies for jumpstarting this process.
Competitive Advantage II
An overview of methods for identifying company-specific competitive advantages and managing strategic business units. The course will analyse competitive advantages based on time and size through practical examples, while also providing a thorough understanding of the customer value proposition concept.
Strategic options
An analysis of core strategic options, such as cost leadership and differentiation, for effectively positioning a company against competitors. The session will showcase use cases for both offensive and defensive strategies, followed by a group discussion of case studies on cost leadership and the blue ocean strategy.
M&A
An exploration of the mechanisms driving portfolio development for growth and diversification. The course will outline the M&A process and highlight potential pitfalls. Students will analyse the motives and objectives of a real-world M&A case, with each group presenting their key findings.
Case Study SMA Solar
A group workshop focused on analysing SMA Solar's strategy to maintain its global market leadership, followed by a presentation of key findings in a plenary session.
Case Study KOMSA
A group workshop dedicated to analyzing KOMSA's strategy for entering the Device as a Service segment in Germany, with a presentation of key findings in a plenary session.
Future trends
Gain an understanding of the key trends in the global economy and discuss how these trends can be incorporated into strategic development. Students feedback on the course Transform Business Future.
Course materials
Books
Methodology
Students will learn through a combination of interactive lectures, hands-on workshops, and real-world case studies. The course includes group exercises, class discussions, and a focus on tools for strategic analysis and decision-making. It provides students with guidance and direction for their own strategic work. Additionally, students will explore both direct and indirect sales strategies, as well as incentive systems for direct sales forces. We will also develop essential negotiation skills. Students will receive feedback from the group.
Grading
Pierre-Pascal Urbon is a passionate strategist and entrepreneur who has been shaping companies in the areas of renewable energies and telecommunications for over 20 years. His path began in M&A advisory, where he developed a deep understanding of strategic relationships and complex ECM and M&A transactions and from then on sharpened his nose for corporate development.
At SMA Solar, he put his strategic expertise into practice in an impressive way. He led the company's international expansion, building a strong network of sales companies in over 20 countries and laying the foundation for global growth that can still be felt today. With a clear vision and a keen sense of market changes, he successfully took the group public, relied on strategic alliances and targeted acquisitions in Europe, the USA and China, which raised the company to a completely new level of success.
See full profileApply for this course
Shaping Tomorrow’s Business Leader
by Pierre-Pascal Urbon
Total hours
45 Hours
Dates
Jun 30 - Jul 18, 2025
Fee for single course
€1500
Fee for degree students
€750
How to secure your spot
Complete the form below to kickstart your application
Schedule your Harbour.Space interview
If successful, get ready to join us on campus
FAQ
Will I receive a certificate after completion?
Yes. Upon completion of the course, you will receive a certificate signed by the director of the program your course belonged to.
Do I need a visa?
This depends on your case. Please check with the Spanish or Thai consulate in your country of residence about visa requirements. We will do our part to provide you with the necessary documents, such as the Certificate of Enrollment.
Can I get a discount?
Yes. The easiest way to enroll in a course at a discounted price is to register for multiple courses. Registering for multiple courses will reduce the cost per individual course. Please ask the Admissions Office for more information about the other kinds of discounts we offer and what you can do to receive one.