contents - Aiknc · Web viewMicroeconomics. Theory and Applications. 8th Edition. ( W. W. Norton & Co, 1994. Varian Hal. R. Grundzüge der Mikroökonomik. 3. Auflage. ( R. Oldenbourg

Ventspils College

CONTENTS

The Self-Assessment Report on Bachelor of Business AdministrationStudy Program

4

The history and characteristics of program design 5

The aim of the program 6

The tasks of the program 6

Structure of program 6

Form of studies 6

Duration of studies: 6

Principles of program organization 6

Volume of program 7

The main requirements of the program to be met by students 7

Assessment of the program in the perspective of national and regional

development7

Organization of study practice 9

Publicity and information about the opportunities offered by the study

program9

The number of students and the estimate for the nearest future 10

Conditions for matriculation 10

Assessment of the study work, conditions for awarding academic degree 11

The realization of the study program 11

Academic staff 11

Financing of the study program 12

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Provision of the study program’s material and informational basis 12

Methodological and organizational work for designing and ensuring the

study program13

Scientific and practical research level related to the study program 14

Collaboration with other departments of Ventspils College and external institutions

15

Comparison of the program with analogous study programs 15

Appendix 1. Comparison of credit points relevant to different subjects in study programs at Ventspils College, USF – University South Florida (USA), UNBC – University of Northern British Columbia (Canada), FHW – Fachhochschule Westküste (Germany)

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Appendix 2. Content of BBA Study program19

Appendix 3. Study Plan

Appendix 4. Bachelor of Business Administration Study program’s Course Descriptions

Appendix 5. Additional sources of information

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VENTSPILS COLLEGEDEPARTMENT OF ECONOMICS AND MANAGEMENT

THE SELF-ASSESSMENT REPORT ON

BACHELOR OF BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION

STUDY PROGRAM

Program code 443412

Program Director:Dr. Math. Asoc. Prof. Jānis Vucāns

1999

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The history and characteristics of program designThe work on the design of Bachelor of Business Administration (BBA) Study

Program was already commenced at the time when Ventspils College was in its process of establishment. In its initial phase this work was done by the specially formed think-tank under the supervision of Dr. oec. Ivars Brīvers. Other academic staff (mainly from the University of Latvia) joined the group’s work, as well as advisors from several foreign countries, the administration and lecturers from the University of Latvia based EuroFaculty among them.

After the opening of Ventspils College in September, 1997, the further development of the program was carried out by the lecturers of the Department of Economics and Management under the guidance of Associate Professor Dr. math. Andrejs Jaunzems. Since October, 1998, this work is done by the Council of Business Administration Study Program under the supervision of Associate Professor Dr. math. Janis Vucāns.

The present version of the program is the result of intensive discussions among the College lecturers and also among their foreign colleagues (particularly from Westküste Fachhochschule in Germany). The major issues of discussion were:

defining the rational division of the program content among different areas of science;

defining more rational ratio between theoretical and practical courses in the program taking into consideration the role of study practice.

The main requirements the program would have to meet were set by the founding initiator and the finance provider of Ventspils College – Ventspils City Council. The following requirements were put forward:

1) the program should be of economic orientation and the main emphasis should be laid on the role of management;

2) it should be of rather practical orientation – particularly directed towards the real economic situation and entrepreneurial environment in Ventspils and Ventspils District;

3) at the same time it should correspond to the relatively high academic standards thus allowing to the students of Ventspils College academic migration in European region and providing wider opportunities for their further education;

4) the program should attract highly qualified academic staff who understand the principles of design and realization of similar program not only in the higher educational establishments in Latvia but also in prestigious foreign universities.

This self-assessment report tries to answer the question to what extent the Department of Economics and Management has managed to carry out these – obviously not very modest – aims over the first two years while designing and putting into practice the program.

In the process of the program development we had to make several choices – whether it is going to be an academic or professional program, study program in economics or in business administration. Each of the variants had its advantages and disadvantages, but the final version which was adopted by the Ventspils College Council

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of Business Administration Study Program in October, 1998, to a certain extent was a compromise – the first program of economic orientation at Ventspils College is Bachelor of Business Administration (BBA) Study Program that provides specialization (after completing the compulsory courses in the first two academic years) in one of four more practically oriented areas:

management accounting,financial management,marketing management,logistics management.

The program should meet the following aim and tasks.

Aim of the program:To prepare management specialists so that their knowledge and skills are in line

with internationally established standards for the first academic degree in business administration.

Tasks of the program:1) to provide education that enables students to continue further studies in Master`s

Study Program in Latvia or abroad, to impart students with skills in research work;2) to provide students with a totality of theoretical knowledge and practical skills in

management, law, analysis of entrepreneurial and economic processes, and in other areas which allow graduates to successfully develop a career in business environment or government agencies thus increasing intellectual potential of Ventspils and Latvia;

3) by developing the study program on the system basis and laying emphasis on the role of management in the rational functioning of economic structures achieve a level of graduate`s skills that enables them:

a) to understand and analyze enterprise as an element of business environment;b) to understand relationship between enterprise and environment and manager’s

role in building it.At present the only possible form of studies is full-time studies.Duration of the studies: four academic years (eight semesters).Program consists of three parts:1) Compulsory (A) part comprises 98 credit points. This part includes basic

courses in the theory of economics, finances, entrepreneurship and management, as well as accounting, controlling, marketing, logistics, personnel management, strategic and operative planning, higher mathematics, statistics and econometrics, computer science for economists, law, logic, philosophy, management psychology and business ethics.

2) Semi-elective (B) part comprises 53 credit points, where at least 20 credit points (about one study semester) are allotted to specialisation subjects in student’s specialisation field, but the other credit points are to be earned by choosing electives from a definite list of courses: law, foreign languages, economics and quantitative methods of economics.

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3) Elective (C) part comprises at least 12 credit points, where courses are offered in second foreign (business) language, general psychology, history of culture, political science, political philosophy, administration sociology, key problems of modern natural sciences, history of foreign literature, etc. In this part students can also choose courses from those offered by Ventspils College based Ventspils Further Education Institute on the ground of the co-operation contract between Ventspils College and Ventspils Central Scientific Library.

The volume of the program (credit points) A part (compulsory courses) 98B part (semi-elective business courses and related courses) 53C part (elective courses) at least 12 Total 163

The content of the study program and the sequence in its realisation determine the main requirements of the BBA study program to be met by students:

to acquire the basic knowledge in management, economics, finance, entrepreneurship, accounting, marketing, logistics, statistics and higher mathematics, computer science for economists, law, philosophy and psychology that ensures realization of business administration;

to acquire extended knowledge in one of the following areas: management accounting, finance management, marketing management, logistics management;

to comprehend psychological and ethical aspects related to business administration;

to perfect command of foreign languages (English and/or German) in areas connected with management;

to acquire skills of using analytical methods, as well as quantitative methods and computers in analyses of business situations and in decision making;

to carry out independent research work (not less than in the amount of 10 weeks of full load or 10 credit points) in the chosen area of business administration and summarise the results in Bachelor paper which corresponds to the requirements for scholarly publications;

to confirm in bachelor examination the basic knowledge obtained in the period of studies.

While forming this study program the College faculty carried out a complex assessment of the study program in the perspective of national and regional development. They came to the conclusion that the Bachelor Study Program in Business Administration is of vital importance for successful economic development of Ventspils and Ventspils District. The Study Program can provide the basis for cooperation between faculty, students, partner organizations, and representatives of Ventspils businesses, formation of research units which will be able to carry out serious studies of practical character in management, analysis, and prognostication of various business structures.

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In this way the Bachelor Study Program and the possibilities of further studies in Master Study Program it provides will contribute greatly to the formation of a new generation of well-educated managers in Ventspils and other regions of Latvia. These managers:

will be competent enough in modern international business environment; will be able to think and express themselves using both classical and modern

business, economic, financial terms and conceptions; will be able to realise operational and strategic management of an enterprise; will assume professional responsibility and make responsible decisions.It is ascertained that the Latvian labour market has attracted foreign or mixed

capital enterprises and the trend is likely to continue in the nearest future, therefore there is high demand for professionals of the above-mentioned (management accounting, financial management, marketing management, logistics management) areas of specialisation who have very good knowledge of foreign languages and who have studied at acknowledged Western universities. For that reason the Bachelor Study Program in Business Administration at Ventspils College envisages that internationally competitive quality education product is produced here in Latvia.

Comparison of Ventspils College Bachelor of Business Administration Study Program with analogous programs in Latvia and abroad is given in the respective section of this Report.

It is natural that the well-educated labour force produced by Ventspils College will be offered to the businesses and agencies of Ventspils, Ventspils District, and Kurzeme Region, because in the opinion of program’s creators the above-mentioned four specialisations in business administration bachelor study program correspond to perspective demand in the labour market of Ventspils and Western part of Kurzeme.

Contacts of Ventspils College administration and lecturers with Ventspils business circles only consolidate this conviction – rapid development of financial system is expected in the nearest future, involving further improvement of financial intermediary services and development of various insurance markets. Both finance intermediaries and production, transport an transit business representatives point to acute shortage of skilful marketing specialists who could qualitatively and profitably explore potential product and service markets and help to enter them. The same could be said about logistics – specialisation which helps to find the most convenient and effective ways of transporting products and raw materials, and providing services.

Ventspils College’s interest in maintaining this program is mainly connected with the possibilities of strengthening mutually beneficial ties with Ventspils transit business complex and with other businesses operating in Latvia as well as with municipal and state administration offices. The existence of these ties creates possibilities for new academic and applied research, realisation of which is one of the basic functions of Ventspils College.

In order to strengthen the ties with the potential employers and learn about their needs and requirements the College facilitates meetings of the College administration and lecturers with potential employers, as well as tries to find the possibilities for study practice in companies located in this region.

Despite the fact that there are already reasonable results in this field (active contacts are maintained with the most important businesses in Ventspils: joint stock company

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“Ventspils Nafta”, joint stock company “Ventamonjaks”, Ventspils Free Port Authority, and others), Ventspils College should strive for tighter contacts in view of approaching graduation.

Organization of study practiceThe College encourages students to have extra practice in enterprises if it is

connected with entrepreneurial activities and management although the practice is not compulsory for the bachelor programme. The place of practice is chosen by students themselves, but it is lecturer’s duty to advise students about suitability of the place for reaching the set aims and tasks of the practice. In some cases the College acts as an intermediary in providing practice places (it mainly refers to practice possibilities in Ventspils or abroad). The College lecturers appointed by the director of study programme supervise the process of practice, as well as, help students to solve organisational and professional questions connected with practice. At the end of practice, every student should hand in to the director of study programme or to his/her authorised person the Practice Report, which later should be defended. Students receive credit points for the practice in accordance with the duration of practice, but not more than four credit points, which correspond to the practice of two months. Students can also take practice in summer when there is no study process in the College.

Publicity and information about the opportunities offered by the study program

Information about the BBA study program is available from the Head of the Council of Business Administration Study Program in Ventspils College Assoc. Prof. Jānis Vucāns (phone: 3623127, e-mail: [email protected]), from other staff members of the Department of Economics and Management, from the Department secretary Ildze Beļska (phone: 3623127, e-mail: [email protected]), from the College home page in the Internet: http://www.venta.lv. More detailed information about the specialization is available from the lecturer Inga Jansone (phone: 2628303, e-mail: [email protected]) on management accounting, from Assoc. Prof. Jānis Vucāns on finance theory, from Assoc. Prof. Ineta Geipele (phone: 3628303) on marketing management, from Assoc. Prof. Pēteris Zālīte (phone: 3628303, e-mail: [email protected]) on logistics management.

Since the establishment of the study program the secondary school leavers are informed about it through specially designed booklets. In 1999 printed posters were distributed among 200 secondary schools. In addition, every year Ventspils College provides information in regional and national newspapers. The potential applicants have always had the opportunity to meet the study program lecturers at the Ventspils College Information Days during the Easter holidays.

The applicants have used all kinds of offered informational sources.Taking into account the experience from the previous years the administration of

the College and the study program have come to the conclusion that in the advertising campaign it is more effective to use allocated resources if the target audience – the potential applicants – are addressed directly, i.e., the information is offered at schools, the College students are involved in the advertising campaign etc.

The number of students and the estimate for the nearest future

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During the first two years following the foundation of Ventspils College 70 students have been enrolled in BBA study program yearly. The same number remains in 1999 but starting with the year 2000 Ventspils College plans to enrol in this study program 120 students.

The work experience of the College and Department administration on the conception of college development has led to the conclusion that it is purposeful to increase the number of students studying in this program up to 120 in order to use the College’s potential and organize the study process as effectively as possible. Simultaneously, it will be possible to provide all four specialization areas with highly qualified lecturers.

As a result the ratio of the number of students to the number of the lecturers involved in this program would increase from 12 students per lecturer in 1999 to 16 students per lecturer in 2004. It would make a substantial reduction of costs calculated on one student.

In 2001 Ventspils College intends to open the Master’s Study Program in the respective branch of science enrolling 40 students. Assuming that approximately one third of those studying in the Bachelor’s Program may wish to continue their studies in the Master’s Program (according to the experience of other universities) it can be concluded that the number of students to be enrolled in the Bachelor’s Program (120) is reasonable also from this point of view. It should be mentioned that according to estimates it is not economical for the College to enrol in Master’s Study Program less than 40 students in one study program. It should be also mentioned that the surveys carried out by Ventspils Adult Education Centre in the businesses of Ventspils and Ventspils District show that a considerable number of people would like to study business and economics in Master’s Study Programs in their city.

Conditions for matriculationIn accordance with the matriculation regulations of Ventspils College (Appendix 3,

Vol. I, p. 79), citizens or permanent residents of the Republic of Latvia, as well as foreigners with secondary education, who successfully passed entrance examinations and competition can become students of Ventspils College. The time and content of the entrance examinations are determined by the Entrance Examination Commission.

Applying for entrance to Ventspils College and study payment from the state and Ventspils City local budget applicants for Business Administration Bachelor Study Program have to undergo competition with examinations in mathematics and foreign language. Recipients of awards in national, European, and World schoolchildren competition in economics, mathematics, computer science, physics, chemistry have got the right to be accepted in the Study Program with state budget support beyond competition.

Applicants who hand in for the entrance examination commission a certificate of successfully passed centralised final exam in foreign language are acquitted from this exam and the grade indicated in the certificate is counted as the examination in foreign language.

Applicants who have passed the competition have got the rights to enrol in the corresponding studies program up to the date, set by the commission of competition. In case, successful applicants in Business Administration Bachelor Study Program have not enrolled by the set date, the rights to enrol proceed to the applicants in turn order.

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Assessment of study work, conditions for awarding academic degreeAssessment of knowledge in separate study courses is defined by assessment

standards approved by Ventspils College– 10-grade scale. Due to that, students receive credit points for a particular subject within the range of successful estimation from 4 (almost satisfactory) up to 10 (eminent) (Appendix 3, Vol. I, p. 86). To obtain the academic degree Bachelor of Business Administration students have to satisfy all requirements of the study program successfully, including successful defence of the bachelor paper and passing bachelor examination. Possibility to defend bachelor paper and take bachelor exam is only provided for those students who have passed all required study courses and successfully fulfilled all other qualifications envisaged in the program.

The awarded academic degree – Bachelor of Business Administration – with additional entry about the acquired specialisation (specialisations) – Management Accounting, Financial Management, Marketing Management and Logistics Management – is certified by a Bachelor Diploma, issued by Ventspils College.

The realization of the study programUp to the end of the second year since Ventspils College has started its educational

work – till June, 1999 – the academic staff of following qualification has been involved in the realization of the BBA Study Program:

10 Doctors of Science (6 of them are from the Management Studies Department),9 Masters of Science (5 of them are from the Management Study Department),5 lecturers studying for Master’s degree,2 lecturers with higher education (five-year education).The following teachers has been involved the realization of BBA study program:Assoc. Prof. Ineta Geipele, Dr. oec. ;Assoc. Prof. Andrejs Jaunzems, Dr. math.; Assoc. Prof. Edgars Kassalis, Dr. oec. ;Assoc. Prof. Andris Klauss, Dr. oec. ;Assoc. Prof. Igors Šuvajevs, Dr. Phylos.;Assoc. Prof. Jānis Vucāns, Dr. math.; Assoc. Prof. Maija Baltiņa, Dr. Philol.;Assoc. Prof. Vija Sīle, Dr. Philos.;Assoc. Prof. Viesturs Reņģe, Dr. psych.;Assist Prof. Astra Skrābane, Dr. Philol.;Assist Prof. Antons Petrovskis, Master of law;Assist Prof. Pēteris Zālīte, MBA;Lecturer Ilze Balode, Master of math.;Lecturer Inga Jansone, Master of oec.;Lecturer Līga Ofkante, Master of oec.;Lecturer Ilze Ruža, MA;Lecturer Ilze Straupmane, MA;Lecturer Agnese Dubova, MEd; Lecturer Maruta Koha, MEd program student;Lecturer Dace Korna, MA program student;Junior Lecturer Diāna Pavlovska, MEd program student;Junior Lecturer Lāsma Sīle, MEd;Junior Lecturer Ieva Vizule, MEd program student;

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Junior Lecturer Gints Neimanis;Junior Lecturer Gaidis Sēja.

In the academic year 1999/2000 4 Doctors of Science and 2 Masters of Science will join the present academic staff and it is likely that the candidates for Master’s degree will have finished their studies in Master’s programs. To secure the realization of the Study Program an open competition is announced and lecturers are selected. Competitive salaries corresponding to the quality of work are guaranteed.

Financing of the Study ProgramAt present the study program is fully financed from the municipal budget of

Ventspils City .According to Directive No 384, issued on 23 July, 1997, by the Cabinet of

Ministers of the Republic of Latvia and Agreement of 1 September, 1997, between Ventspils City Council and the Cabinet of Ministers of the Republic of Latvia “Financing of Ventspils College”, it was envisaged to finance the Bachelor of Business Administration Study Program by the state budget and Ventspils City budget means starting from 1999 (the number of students financed by the budget is decided by the Ministry of Education). However, in the first half of 1999 the means from the state budget for the study program, as well as for the Ventspils College in total, are not allocated.

Provision of study program’s material and informative basisVentspils College material and informative basis is used in order to secure Bachelor

of Business Administration Study Program. Lectures (classes) take place in the premises of Ventspils College at 101 Inženieru Street, Ventspils. Students can use Ventspils Central Library and Ventspils College Library resources. A linguistics room with 12 workplaces for students and 1 place for lecturer (there are 13 tape recorders, a video recorder, Multimedia PC and satellite receiver in the room) and a computer linguistic laboratory with 12 workplaces for students ( 12 Multimedia PC with CD ROM equipment) for interactive language training and use of other programs are available for classes as well as students` individual work. Ventspils College has 3 computer rooms with appropriate hardware and software and permanent access to Internet. Ventspils College has a Web server and all students and lecturers have their own e-mail boxes. College’s computer facilities are regularly renewed by obtaining new high-powered computers, Multimedia equipment and appropriate software.

Students and faculty enjoy services of Ventspils Central Scientific Library. There is a branch division of Ventspils Central Library in Ventspils College, its stocks in January 1999 comprised 7 000 books and 300 audio-visual materials ( audio and video cassettes, CD-ROM) dealing with enterpreneurship, economics, finance, marketing, law, philosophy, psychology, philology, translation science, literature, etc. Nearly 5000 books are in foreign languages (2970 – English, 1799 – German, 643 – Russian). Large stocks of in fiction, the humanities and technical spheres are available in Ventspils Central Library at 2 Akmeņu Street. All publications are stored in electronic catalogue and readers` service is automated. All automation is ensured by IT ALISE software.

In order to secure successful study process, library’s stocks are continuously enlarged with latest, internationally acknowledged textbooks, scientific literature and

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periodicals. Necessary textbooks, scientific and reference literature in Latvian are also acquired. The acquisition of new publications is coordinated by the Advisory Board of the library. Faculty of Ventspils College take active part in it using the latest catalogs of publishing houses and Internet possibilities.

For PE classes students can use Ventspils Olympic Sports Center at 29–1 Lielais Prospekts, a swimming pool at 1 Sarkanmuižas Dambis and sports games ground in the College’s garden.

Methodological and organizational work for designing and ensuring the program

In accordance with the resolution of College’s Senate the Management Study Programs Council has been formed in order to design bachelor program and ensure further development of this program. The Council consists of 13 people (3 seats are for student representatives, 2 seats for Ventspils employers – experts in program’s specialization areas, but 8 are for Ventspils College faculty. The Program’s Council has a chairman, a vice-chairman and a secretary. The Management Study Programs Council chairman is also Bachelor of Business Administration Study Program director.

The Council works out suggestions and decides about questions concerning the content of program, as well as choose lecturers, select study literature, software and hardware and decide about educational excursions. Ventspils College is a new college and its leading teaching staff have gained their academical experience in other universities and colleges of Latvia and foreign colleges and research institutions. The biggest part of their books, scientific works and study materials are written there. Within two academic years since the foundation of Ventspils College the number of publications and materials has increased. They are mostly meant to support methodological basis of the study program.

In classes lecturers widely use teaching aids and sets of methodological materials compiled by themselves. Teaching aid sets are gradually published in paper form and also arranged for public access in Internet. Projection facilities: overheads as well as computers are used to display study materials. In several subjects where complex computation or access to various electronic databases (statistical, legislative, etc.) is needed classes are conducted in PC classes. As to the independent work, students are also provided with Internet addresses for searching additional teaching materials.

To date, Ventspils College publishing house has published the following teaching aids that are designed for Bachelor of Business Administration study Program:

A.Klauss, Entrepreneurship. Materials of Lectures. 1998, 216 pages, ISBN-9984-648-00-1;

A.Klauss, Management theory. Graphical Materials of Lectures. Ventspils College, 1996, 66 pages, ISBN-9984-648-36-2;

J.Vucâns Tasks for independent work in numerical methods of optimisation. Ventspils College, 1999, 24 pages, ISBN -9984-648-24-9.

There are also other practically tested teaching aids which are to be published next year.

At the same time the overload resulting from simultaneous preparation of several courses has been a hindering factor for lecturers’ research work in relation to the study

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program profile. In the nearest future this work should be expanded taking into account the interests of Ventspils City businesses and institutions.

Scientific and practical research level related to the study programResearch experience has been accumulated while working on the project “Ventspils

– Place for Entrepreneurship”. Its subproject is “Factors that are affecting the choice of place of business by international investors” ( Associated Professor A.Klauss, student M.Lauva, research carried out with the assistance of Ventspils City Council). Preparatory work is being done for the subproject “Business Place Marketing” (Associated Professor A.Klauss, student E.Klausa and 2 associates from Ventspils Development Agency, research will be carried out with the financial support of Ventspils Development Agency) and “Business Place – Ventspils – Informational Systems” (students M.Lauva and R.Jansons, research will be carried out with the financial support of Ventspils City Council).

Research has been carried out in mathematical analysis of economic, financial and management models and results have been published (Associated Professor A. Jaunzems, Associated Professor J.Vucāns).

Research has been carried out on leasing as a way to achieve marketing goals and results have been published (Associated Professor I.Geipele).

Issues related to the introduction of Euro in the countries of European Community, as well as the impact of introduction of Euro on Latvian economy have been analyzed (Associated Professor E.Kassalis).

Logistics prospects in Ventspils transit business complex have been analyzed (Docent P.Zālīte). In May 1999 the conference “The Role of Transit in the Economy of Latvia” was held at SSE Riga. It was organized by Ventspils College in collaboration with Ventspils Development Agency and joint-stock company Ventspils Nafta. Among the speakers were administrators of largest Latvian ports, president of Latvian Transit Business Association, representatives of Ministry of Transportation and European Integration Bureau. Ventspils College student J. Ērglis read a paper at the conference. Students J. Ērglis and A. Zusts together with Associated Professors A. Klauss and M. Baltiņa took part in the organizational work of the conference. (for conference materials see Appendix).

In collaboration with the Institute of Mathematics and Computer Science of the University of Latvia and Millennium Institute in Washington and with the financial support of Ventspils City Council a pilot project on development and approbation of Latvian economic computerized model has been planned (Associated Professor J.Vucāns).

There are plans to join in computerization process of Ventspils and Ventspils District by forming databases that are based on Internet technologies (assistant lecturers G.Neimanis and G.Sēja, students E.Ščerbaks, J.Tihomirovs, and A.Leonovičs), working out informative scheme of logistics for Ventspils Free Port management (in cooperation with LIS – Latvian Informational Systems).

In April, 1999, Ventspils College in cooperation with Ventspils City Council and Ventspils Development Agency organized a seminar on the Internet – how to use its services in further development of Ventspils City.

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Collaboration with other departments of Ventspils College and external institutions

The BBA Study Program is basically supported by the full-time staff of the Department of Economics and Management. Language courses and some electives are organized in cooperation with the Department of Translation Studies. Starting with the academic year 1999/2000 some of the electives are planned to be delivered in cooperation with Ventspils Central Scientific Library (director I. Buņķe) based Ventspils Further Education Institute (director Dr. A. Rubenis).

A productive academic cooperation has developed with Westküste Fachhochschule in Heide, Germany. A number of times professors of this college have visited Ventspils College delivering courses in accounting (Prof. Dr. H. Hirsch) and logistics (Prof. Dr. H. Beckman) and also taking part in the design of BBA Study Program (also the Rector of the college Prof. Dr. H.-J. Block). Besides, during the winter holidays in 1998 and 1999 groups of students who speak German visited Westküste College and attended intensive course in entrepreneurship. After successfully passed tests the students were awarded certificates issued by this college.

EuroFaculty: Tartu – Riga – Vilnius has been an important partner in the design and realization of the Study Program and provided the advisory support from the very beginning. Several lecturers of the Study Program have gained the experience as participants of EuroFaculty courses, and later as the lecturers or advisors to guest lecturers (Associated Professors E. Kassalis, A. Jaunzems, J. Vucāns). In order to maintain intensive and active work during the realization of the Study Program Ventspils College invites guest lecturers from EuroFaculty to read lectures on topical subjects related to the study program (Prof. Dr. A. Saether, Assoc. Prof. A. Vanags and others).

In order to get more information about definite sectors and current trends of the market staff members participate in the work of or keep close ties with corresponding institutions, professional unions or associations (Latvia’s Securities Market Commission – Assoc. Prof. A. Klauss; Latvia’s Actuary Association – Assoc. Prof. J. Vucāns, Latvia’s Statistics Association – Assoc. Prof. A. Jaunzems and J. Vucāns, lecturer I. Balode, etc.). These contacts and the obtained information is of great help in the design of courses and in the process of finding positions for study practice.

The College looks for wider possibilities of closer cooperation with the enterprises in Ventspils and Ventspils District, state and local authorities, with banks, insurance companies etc.

Comparison of the Study Program with analogous study programs in the colleges and universities of Latvia and foreign countries

At the present moment business administration bachelor study program in Latvia is also realized in the University of Latvia (the Faculty of Economics and Management).

A certain standard of general studies courses which have to be compulsory included in the programs of business administration studies has been established in many countries and now in Latvia, too. This standardized part contains, for example, basic courses in the theory of economics, finances, entrepreneurship and management, accounting, statistics and higher mathematics, computer science for economists, law, philosophy and psychology.

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Ventspils College intends to take its specific place in the system of higher education in Latvia by forming the semi-elective (specialization) section of the program according to the existing and potential labor market demands in Latvia, in Europe and in other parts of the world.

Starting with the third year, students of the Business Administration Bachelor Study Program will have an opportunity to choose one of four directions in which he/she would like to specialize:

Management accounting, Financial management, Marketing management, Logistics management.Ventspils College was founded in 1997, therefore the first group of students will

start the third study year only in the autumn of 1999. But already now the College has worked out the program for the above-mentioned specializations and prospective teachers of the courses are being selected. All the specialization courses are formed so, that, next to mastering of special subjects, the main emphasis is put on management.

The Department of Economics and Management ensures its Business Administration Bachelor Study Program’s conformity to the international standards, keeping up close relations with foreign partners in Germany (Westküste Fachhochschule), in Ireland (Carlow Technological Institute) and in Norway ( Agder College). Ventspils College gives opportunities to the best students to study and practice for a certain period abroad. Department’s staff members make use of foreign contacts for improving professional qualifications.

The Department of Economics and Management of Ventspils College is convinced that maximum flexibility should be maintained in order to adapt to the situation if the labor market trends change. Study programs also should be formed so that undergraduates and students who have already graduated from the College could adapt to the new conditions of the labor market. Lecturers` work is directed to that, too.

To date, the Business Administration Bachelor Study Program in Ventspils College has been designed to confirm to the basic principles of programs developed in universities of Europe and universities of North America. The table in Supplement 1 shows the content of our study program (measured in credit points) in comparison with similar programs of several foreign universities.

To date, the Business Administration Bachelor Study Program in Ventspils College has been designed to confirm to the basic principles of programs developed in universities of Europe and universities of North America. The table in Supplement 1 shows the content of our study program (measured in credit points) in comparison with similar programs of several foreign universities.

The content of the Study Program is shown in appendix Nr. 2 but the plan of its realization – in appendix Nr. 3.

The Ventspils College’s Council of BBA Study Program, which has taken upon itself the function of the Self-Assessment Commission of BBA Study Program, has come to the conclusion that the comparison with similar study programs in foreign universities shows the conformity of the Ventspils College BBA Study Program to

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the international requirements put forward for such kind of academic study programs.

Director of the Program Dr.math, Assoc. Prof.Jānis Vucāns

18 June 1999

17

APPENDIX 1. COMPARISON OF CREDIT POINTS RELEVANT TO DIFFERENT SUBJECTS IN STUDY PROGRAMS AT VeA - VENTSPILS COLLEGE, USF - UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH FLORIDA (USA), UNBC – UNIVERSITY OF NORTHERN BRITISH COLUMBIA (CANADA), FHW - FACHHOCHSCHULE WESTKÜSTE (GERMANY)

No. Course Title VeA USF(ASV)

UNBC(Canada)

FHW (Germany)

Degree or qualification to be awarded BBA BA/B.Sc. BCom Dpl BW1. Principles of entrepreneurship 6 - 4 22. Management theory 4 4 - 23. Human Resources Management 3 - 4 -4. Microeconomics 6 4 8 45. Macroeconomics 4 4 8 46. Finance Theory 3 4 8 47. Principles of Accounting 2 - - -8. Finance Accounting 4 4 4 49. Taxes and Duties 1 - - 410. Management Accounting 4 4 8 411. Principles of Marketing 4 4 4 412. Principles of Logistics / Production and

Exploitation Management 4 4 4 4

13. Strategic and Operative Planning / Management Science

3 4 4 -

14. Principles of Controlling 4 - - 215. Computer Science for Economists / Information

Systems of Enterprises 8 4 4 10

16. Quantitative Methods (Analysis, Algebra, Finance Mathematics, and Principles of Optimization Theory)

8 8 8 10

17. Statistics and Econometrics 8 8 4 618. Private Law 4+5 4 4 819. Special Purpose Foreign Language / Business

English (Deutsch)14 12 - 6

20. Compulsory Human and Social Subjects 8 16 - 1021. Course Paper 4 - - 422. Bachelor Paper / Diploma Project 10 - - 423. Bachelor Examination Without

credit p.24. Elective Courses in Economics 425. Elective Courses in Quantitative Methods 426. Elective Courses in Office Work and in Labor

Security2

27. Specialization Courses in the Area of Each Specialization (including up to 4 credit points on praxis in the case of VeA)

20 24-36 20-28 18

28. Free Elective Courses 12

18

29. Other Courses - *** *** ***30. Total of Credit Points in the Program 163 160 160 154

*** - Number of missing credit points to get in total of credit points mentioned in the 30th row.

APPENDIX 2. CONTENT OF BBA STUDY PROGRAM №. Study Course Credit points Type of

Assessment Lecturer

Part A (98 credit points)Compulsory Courses in Humanities (8 credit points)

31. Logic and Rhetoric 2 Examination I.Šuvajevs32. Philosophy 2 Examination I.Šuvajevs33. Managerial Psychology 2 Examination V.Reņģe34. Managerial Ethics 2 Examination A.Klauss, M.Klausa

Compulsory Courses in Economic Theory (10 credit points)35. Microeconomics I 3 Examination A.Jaunzems36. Microeconomics II 3 Examination A.Jaunzems37. Macroeconomics 4 Examination E.Kassalis

Compulsory Courses in Business and Management Theory, and in Controlling (20 credit points)38. Entrepreneurship I 3 Examination A.Klauss39. Entrepreneurship II 3 Examination A.Klauss40. Management Theory 4 Examination A.Klauss41. Strategic and Operative Planning 3 Examination I.Geipele42. Human Resources Management 3 Examination J.Vucāns43. Controlling 4 Examination A.Klauss u.c.

Compulsory Courses in Finance and External Accounting (10 credit points)44. Principles of Finance Theory 3 Examination J.Vucāns45. Principles of Accounting 2 Test I.Jansone, L.Ofkante46. Financial Accounting 4 Examination I.Jansone, L.Ofkante47. Taxes and duties 1 Examination

Compulsory Course in Cost (Management) Accounting (4 credit points)48. Management Accounting 4 Examination I.Jansone, L.Ofkante

Compulsory Course in Marketing (4 credit points)49. Marketing 4 Examination I.Geipele

Compulsory Course in Logistics (4 credit points)50. Principles of Logistics 4 Examination R.Šķērītis

Compulsory Courses in Mathematics and Quantitative Methods (16 credit points)51. Mathematics I 4 Examination A.Jaunzems, I.Balode52. Mathematics II 4 Examination A.Jaunzems, I.Balode53. Statistics 4 Examination A.Jaunzems, I.Balode54. Econometrics 4 Examination A.Jaunzems, I.Balode

Compulsory Courses in Computer Science (8 credit points)55. Computer Science for

Economists I4 Examination U.Rozevskis

56. Computer Science for Economists II

4 Examination U.Rozevskis

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Compulsory Course in Law (4 credit points)57. Private Law 4 Examination A.Petrovskis

Bachelor examinations (10 credit points)58. Bachelor Paper 10 Defense with

mark59. Bachelor examination - Examination

20

Semi-elective courses (Part B); choice from the list of definite subjects;in total at least 53 credit points must be collected, 20 of them – from the list of specialization subjects)

Course (annual) paper (4 credit points)

1. Course paper 4 Defence with mark

Courses in Law (at least 5 credit points)

2. International Private Law 3 Examination A.Petrovskis3. Public Law 2 Examination A.Petrovskis4. Principles of the Civil Procedure

Law2 Examination A.Petrovskis

Courses in Office Work and in Labor Security (at least 2 credit points)5. Labor Security and Civil

Defence 2 Examination

6. Office work and its automation 2 Examination Foreign Languages Courses (at least 14 credit points)

7. Foreign Language (English or German) I

4 Examination Lecturers from Dept. of Translation Studies

8. Foreign Language (English or German) II


9. Foreign Language (English or German) III


10. Foreign Language (English or German) IV


Courses in Economics (at least 4 credit points)

11. Money and Banking 4 Examination E.Kassalis12. Economic Growth Theory 4 Examination J.Vucāns13. International Economic and

Finance Organizations (including questions of European economic integration)

2 Examination E.Kassalis

Courses in Quantitative Methods (at least 4 credit points)14. National counts and input –

output analysis2 Examination A.Jaunzems

15. Numerical optimization 2 Test J.Vucāns16. Applied Problems of

Optimization in Economics and Management Science

4 Examination J.Vucāns

17. Operations Research 4 Examination A.Jaunzems, I.Balode

Elective courses in chosen specialization (at least 20 credit points)See the List of Specialization Subjects

Free Elective Courses (Part C ) (at least 12 credit points, desirable – 16 credit points)

Courses from the List of Free Elective Courses offered by Ventspils College

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List of Specialization Subjects N. Logistics Management

(P.Zālīte)Marketing Management(I.Geipele)

Management Accounting(I.Jansone)

Financial Management (J.Vucāns)

1. Transport Industry and State (4, ex, P.Zālīte)

International Marketing and International Trading(4, ex, I.Geipele)

Financial Accounting II( 4 , ex, I.Jansone, L.Ofkante)

2. Introduction into Ship-ping and Ports Opera-tions (1, ex, )

Promotion Management(2, ex, )

International Accounting ( 4 , ex, I.Jansone, L.Ofkante)

Operations with Securities(3, ex, A.Klauss)

3. Logistics Management (4, ex, P.Zālīte )

Financial Analysis of Enterprise 6.sem(2, ex, )

Revision and Audit (4 , ex, I.Jansone, L.Ofkante )

Business Etiquette (2, ex,J.Bolis)

4. Introduction into Automobile Transport (1, ex, )

Marketing Planning(4, ex, )

Banking Accounting ( 2 , ex. )

Financial Mathematics (2, ex, A.Jaunzems, J.Vucāns )

5. Transport Economics (3, ex, )

Marketing Management(4, ex, )

Insurance Accounting( 2 , ex, )

Financial Analysis of Enterprise 6.sem

(2, ex, ) 6. Introduction into

Railway Transport (1, ex, )

Marketing Research (4, ex, )

Assessment of Enterprises(2, ex, )

Investments and Security Analysis

(4, ex, J.Vucāns)7. Logistics II

(3, ex, P.Zālīte)Quality Management (2, test )

Customs Questions(2 , ex, )

Introduction into Insurance(theoretical principles, law, types, praxis)

(4, ex, J.Vucāns)8. Introduction into Air

Transport(1, ex, )

Marketing Psychology (2, ex, )

Cost Accounting(4, ex, )

Specialization Seminar in Finance (2, test )

9. Service Marketing (1, test, )

Specialization Elective Courses and Commentary1. Management of

Transport Projects (2, ex, )

Semi - Elective Course: International Private Law

Computer Tools of Accounting may be taught in the course Computer Science for Economists

Semi - Elective Course: Money and Banking

2. Port Operations and Administration(2, ex, )

Semi - Elective Course: International Economic and Finance Organizations (2, test)

Semi - Elective Course:Operations Research

3. Supply Chains Management (3, ex, )

4. Semi - Elective Course:Operations Research

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APPENDIX 3. STUDY PLANN. Study courses \ Semester 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8.1. Logic and Rhetoric 22. Foreign Language I 43. Mathematics I 44. Microeconomics I 35. Entrepreneurship I 36. Free Elective Course

(Part C ; desirable – Introduction into Computer Science)

(4)

7. Statistics 48. Foreign Language II 49. Microeconomics II 310. Management Theory 411. Principles of Accounting 212. Entrepreneurship II 313. Mathematics II 414. Econometrics 415. Foreign Language III 316. Free Elective Course (Part C ; desirable –

General Psychology)2

17. Philosophy 218. Macroeconomics 419. Financial Accounting 420. Principles of Finance Theory 321. Marketing 422. Principles of Logistics 423. Foreign Language IV 324. Managerial Psychology 225. Private Law 426. Management Accounting 427. Strategic and Operative Planning 328. Course Paper 429. Free Elective Course (Part C ; desirable –

Managerial Sociology) 2

30. Computer Science for Economists I 431. Taxes and Duties 132. Elective Course in Law 333. Elective Courses in Specialization 634. Human Resources Management 335. Managerial Ethics 236. Computer Science for Economists II 437. Elective Course in Economics 438. Elective Course in Law 240. Elective Courses in Specialization 841. Free Elective Courses (Part C) 442. Controlling 443. Elective Courses in Specialty 644. Elective Courses in Quantitative

Methods 4

45. Free Elective Courses (Part C) 446. Elective Course in Office Work and in

Labor Security 2

23

47. Bachelor Paper 1048. Bachelor Examination -

163 20(24)

24 22 24 19 20 18 16

24

Appendix 4. Bachelor of Business Administration Study program’s Course Descriptions

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Course Title: Philosophy

Course is included: in part A

Aim of the course: to introduce the students to the history of philosophy and its main problems. Particular attention is paid to questions concerning the art of living: necessity to develop skills of living and speaking with oneself and the others. The course examines «the greatest» philosophical systems, the main philosophical concepts and the major philosophical findings of today.

Course Outline:1. Philosophy as a special form of life or art of living.2. Philosophical disciplines both in ancient world and modern world.3. Specific character of the language of philosophy.4. Concept «self concern» and its transformation in the course of history. 5. The practice of pleasure and the dietetic.6. Homiletic or the art of communication.7. Problems of economy and ecology.8. Spiritual exercises of Christianity.9. The art of living in the teaching of Stoa and studia humanitatis.10. The Age of Enlightenment and concept of obligation.11. Problematics corncerning freedom and responsibility.12. Great thinkers ¨ Plato, Aristotle, Epicurus, Seneca, Augustine, Thomas Aquinas,

Kant, Hegel, Nietzsche and others.

Total of Contact Hours: 32 academic hours in the third term.

Type of Assessment: examination.

Number of Credit Points: 2.

Related Subjects: 1. basic knowledge of foreign languages;2. usefulness for life (developing an ethical attitude);3. it helps to understand the problems of translation.

Author of Course Description: Dr. phil. Igors Šuvajevs.

Supervising Teacher of the Course: Dr. phil. Igors Šuvajevs.

Basic Sources:Šuvajevs I. Psihoanalīze un dzīves māklsa. Rìga, 1998.Šuvajevs I. Prelūdijas. Rìga, 1998.Scmid W. Philosophie der Lebenskunst. Frankfurt/M., 1998.Foucault M. Histoire de la sexualité. Paris, 1976 - 1984.Hadot P. Qu’est-ce que la philosophie antique? Paris, 1995.Böhme G. Einführung in die Philosophie. Frankfurt/M., 1997.

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Course Title: Managerial Psychology

Course is included in: part A

Aim of the Course: to introduce students to the foundations of Managerial psychology. To provide principles regarding work motivation, individual and group interaction in organizations, power and leadership, communication and organizational culture. To introduce the psychological aspects of personnel selection and career, organization development.

Course Outline: 1. The development of Managerial psychology. Different approaches : ,,Economical

man”, ,,Social man”, ,,Creative man”. Management`s sociopsychological functions and effectiveness.

2. Work motivation. Motivation theories : Maslow, Herzberg, McClelland. Process theories expectancy theory, equity theory.

3. Groups and their classification. Formal and informal groups. Group dynamics : development, cohesiveness, climate, conformity.

4. Power, ethics and politics in organizations. Conflicts and their solution. 5. Leadership. Trait theory. Behavioral theories : the Michigan and Ohio studies.

Situational theories : Hersey and Blanchard, Fiedler, Vroom. Transformational leadership.

6. Communicating within organization. Vertical and horizontal communications. Comunication skills : listening, convincing, feedback. The decision - making process.

7. Psychological aspects of personnel selection. Professional careers from a psychological viewpoint.

8. Organization development. Organization culture and its types. Effective teambuilding.

Total of Contact Hours: 32, including 28 lecture hours and 4 practical hours.

Type of Assessment: written examination. To be allowed to take the examination, student during the term should successfully pass two tests; assessment of these tests will be taken in to account for the final mark.

Requirements for Obtaining Credit Points: succesfull passing two mid - term tests and examination.

Number of Credit Points: 2

Course Prerequisites: General psychology

Related Subjects: the course is related to such courses as Foundations of Management, Personnel management, Organizational sociology.

Author of Course Description: Assoc. Prof. Dr. psych. Viesturs Renge

Supervising Teacher of the Course: Assoc. Prof. Dr. psych. Viesturs Renge.

Basic Sources:Forands I. Personālvadība. Rīga, 1998.Omarova S. Cilvēks dzīvo grupā. Sociālā psiholoģija. Rīga, 1996.Ivancevich J. M., Matteson M.T. Organizational Behavior and Management. Boston, 1990.Luthans F. Organizational Behavior. New York, 1995.

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Course Title: Management Ethics


Aim of the Course: to impart students with knowledge of busines culture, ethical aspects of management, to help students to obtain adequate moral competence.

Course Outline:1. Business culture.2. Essence and categories of ethics.3. Management ethics – a branch of practical ethics.4. Value systems and ethical motivation.5. Ethical duties and social responsibility of an enterprise and its manager.6. Ethical aspects of power.7. Technology of management ethics.8. Ethics of personnel management.

Total of Contact Hours: 32

Type of Assessment: exam


Course Prerequisites: knowledge of management, bussnes and philosophy.

Related Subjects: philosophy, management theory, psychology of management, personnel management.

Author of Course Description: Māra Klausa

Supervising Teacher of the Course: Māra Klausa

Basic Sources : Staffelbach Bruno. Management ß Ethik. Bern: Paul Haupt Verlag, 1994. – 477 S.Grimm Bernhard. Ethik des Fuhrens. München : Wirtschaftsverlag Langen Muller, 1994. – 347 S.De George R.T. Business Ethics – 4 th ed. – New Jersey : Prentice Hall, 1995. –591 p.

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Course Title: MICROECONOMICS I

Course is included in part A

Aim of the Course: to make students familiar with the basic concepts and principles of market economies, consumer behavior, essentials of supply and demand, equilibrium, Pareto optimality.

Course Outline:1. Consumer behavior: maximizing of utility through optimal choice of bundle, MRS

condition. Demand, consumer surplus. Decomposition of Slutsky and Hicks.2. Definition of perfect competition. Market demand. Elasticity of demand, income

elasticity, cross elasticity. Marginal revenue.3. Market supply. Producer surplus.4. Market equilibrium, Pareto efficiency of equilibrium. Government intervence in a

market: taxes, subsidies, floor price, price ceiling, rationing. Deadweight loss DWL.

5. National trade theory: export, import.6. Production: technology, production function. Short run and long run, CRS, IRS,

DRS.7. Producer behavior: maximizing of profit through optimal choice of inputs, TRS

condition; demand for factors.

Total of Contact Hours: 48, including 32 hours of lectures and 16 hours of seminars.

Type of Assessment: two midsemester examinations, final examinations.

Requirements for Obtaining Credit Points: 75% attendance, successful passing of midsemester and final examinations.


Course Prerequisites: mathematics, statistics.

Related Subjects: entrepreneurship, macroeconomics, econometrics, marketing, financial management, operations research.

Author of Course Description: Assoc. Prof. Dr. math. Andrejs Jaunzems

Supervising Teacher of the Course: Assoc. Prof. Dr. math. Andrejs Jaunzems

Basic Sources:Hal R. Varian. Intermediate Microeconomics. A Modern Approach. 4th Edition. W. W. Norton & Co, 1996.Arthur A. Thompson, John P. Formby. Economics of the Firm. 6th Edition. Prentice Hall, 1993.Edwin Mansfield. Microeconomics. Theory and Applications. 8th Edition. W. W. Norton & Co, 1994.Varian Hal. R. Grundzüge der Mikroökonomik. 3. Auflage. R. Oldenbourg Verlag, 1995.

29

Course title: MICROECONOMICS II


Aim of the course: to make students familiar with the basic concepts and principles of the economics of the firm. To develop understanding of producer behavior in a competitive market environment, essentials of supply of firm and supply of industry. To make students familiar with behavoir of monopoly and monopsony, to examine concept of oligopoly. To examine basic concepts and principles of welfare economics.

Course outlines:1. Cost minimization in the short run and in the long run. VC, FC, TC, AC, AVC, MC

curves.2. Behavior of producers: profit maximization via choosing optimal

level of output. Supply of firm. Supply of industry in the short run.3. Supply of industry in the long run. CCI, ICI, DCI.4. Monopoly. Inefficiency of monopoly, DWL. Price discrimination.5. Factor markets. Demand for factors in case of monopoly.

Monopsony.6. An outline of oligopoly.7. Welfare economics: 222. Pareto efficiency in production and distribution.

Edgeworth boxes. 1. Social welfare function. The first and the second welfare theorems.8. Externalities. Public goods.

Total of contact hours: 48, including 32 hours of lectures and 16 hours of seminars.

Type of assesment: two midsemester examinations, final examinations.

Requirements for obtaining credit points: 75% attendance, successful passing of midsemester and final examinations.

Credit points: 3

Course prerequisites: mathematics, statistics, microeconomics I.

Related subjects: entrepreneurship, macroeconomics, econometrics, marketing, financial management, operations research.

Author of course description: Assoc. Prof. Dr. math. Andrejs Jaunzems

Supervising teacher of the course: Assoc. Prof. Dr. math. Andrejs Jaunzems

Basic sources:Hal R. Varian. Intermediate Microeconomics. A Modern Approach. 4th Edition. W. W. Norton & Co, 1996.Arthur A. Thompson, John P. Formby. Economics of the Firm. 6th Edition. Prentice Hall, 1993.Edwin Mansfield. Microeconomics. Theory and Applications. 8th Edition. W. W. Norton & Co, 1994.Varian Hal. R. Grundzüge der Mikroökonomik. 3. Auflage. R. Oldenbourg Verlag, 1995.

30

Course Title: MacroeconomicsCourse is included in part A of study program

Aim of the Course: to reflect from the economic theory viewpoint the major relations hip between markets of goods, capital and labour in the open and closed economies, considering into account the influence of households, firms, government, and foreign sector on the economy in general; to promote and to develop the economic thinking of students and their understanding of real life economic situations.

Course Outlines: course is divided into 16 main themes: an introduction into macroeconomics, main macroeconomic indicators and national counts, common income and expenditure, money, interest rates, monetary and fiscal policy, macroeconomic relations, macroeconomic models, total demand and total supply, salaries, prices and employment, long term growth and productivity, consumption and savings, investments and money demand, money and banking system, stabilisation policy, dynamics of inflation and unemployment, budget deficit and society debt, variety of macroeconomic views.Total of Contact Hours: 64, including 32 hours of lectures and 32 hours of seminars. Type of Assessment: thesis on a chosen topic, written interim and final examinations Course Prerequisites : Mathematics I and II, Microeconomics I and II


Requirements for Obtaining Credit Points: successful acqusition of the course material, active participation in seminars, and positive assessment in the intermediate and final examinations.

Related Subjects: the course provides the theoretical basis for specific economic disciplines.

Author of Course Description: Assoc Prof. Dr. oec. Edgars KassalisSupervising Teacher of the Course: Assoc Prof. Dr. oec. Edgars KassalisBasic Sources: R. Dornbusch, S. Fischer, ``Macroeconomics``, 1994.N. G. Mankiw, ``Macroeconomics``, 1996.

31

Course Title: Entrepreneurship I


Aim of the Course: to impart students with basic knowledge of entrepreneurship, its functions, structures.

Course Outline:1. Economics – the foundation of mankind’s existence.2. Business essence and functions.3. Business environment.4. An enterprise and its structures.5. Corporate culture and the goals of a company.

Total of Contact Hours: 48 classes, including 32 lectures and 16 seminars.

Type of Assessment: examination (oral and written)

Requirements for Obtaining Credit Points: sufficient theoretical knowledge and ability to use it in business situation analysis.


Course Prerequisites: no conditions

Related Subjects: management theory, accounting, finance, marketing and law courses.

Author of Course Description: Dr. oec. Assoc. Prof. Andris Klauss

Supervising Teacher vof the Course: Dr. oec. Assoc. Prof. Andris Klauss

Basic Sources:Klauss A. Uzņēmējdarbība. Lekciju materiāli. – Ventspils : Ventspils College, 1998., 215 lpp..Rurāne M. Uzņēmējdarbības pamati. – R.: 1997., 184 lpp..

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Course Title: Entrepreneurship II


Aim of the Course: to impart students with knowledge of company’s structure and operation

CourseOutline: 1. Company structure.2. Company operation.3. Company financing.4. Costs and prices.5. Company payments.6. Obtaining and analysing business information.

Total of Contact Hours: 48 hours, including 32 lectures and 16 seminars.

Type of Assessment: exam (oral and written).

Requirements for Obtaining Credit Points:


Course Prerequisites: successfully passed course Entrepreneurship II

Related Subjects: management theory, courses in accounting, finance, marketing and law.


Supervising Teacher of the Course: Dr. oec. Assoc. Prof. Andris Klauss

Basic Sources: Klauss A. Uzņēmējdarbība. Lekciju materiāli. – Ventspils: Ventspils Augstskola, 1998., 215 lpp.Rurāne M. Uzņēmējdarbības pamati. –R.: 1997., 184 lpp..

33

Course Title: Management theory


Aim of the Course: to impart students with knowledge in management theory, to develop and encourage creative thinking and action in the process of evaluating and decision making in different business situations.

Course Outline:1. Management essence and functions.2. Management decisions at the enterprise.3. Organisation and organising4. Planning.5. Control and inspection.6. Principles of management.7. Concepts of management.8. Tehnology of management.9. Social aspects of management.10. Functions of personnel in enterprise.11. Moral aspects of management.


Type of Assessment: examination (oral and written)

Requirements for Obtaining Credit Points: sufficient theoretical knowledge in management.


Course Prerequisites: basic knowledge of entrepreneurship is essential

Related Subjects: entrepreneurship, planning, human resource management, financial management, management phsychology and ethics.


Supervising Teacher of the Course: Dr. oec. Assoc. Prof. Andris Klauss

Basic Sources:Cole G.A. Management: theory and practice. – London: 1996. 462 p.Praude V., Beļčikovs J. Menedžments. – R.:, Vaidelote, 1996. 410 lpp.Staehle W. Management. – München: Vahlen, 1994. 1019 S.

Head of Department Assoc. Prof. Jānis Vucāns

34

Course Title: Marketing


Aim of the Course: to teach the student to identify existing and possible problems related to enterpreneurship issues as well as to analyse causes and consequences of these problems and be able to determine independently strategic and tactical actions needed for the solution of the problems.

Course Outline: the course content is based on the theoretical and practical part. The theoretical part includes the acquisition of the basic 11 themes on marketing:introduction, customer behaviour and user market, analysis of the sector and competitors, segmentation and choice of target market, differentiation and positioning of the product, strategy of the product cycle, promotion in the market, strategic marketing planning. The practical part contains case studies evalution of business opportunities.

Number of Contact Hours: 64, including 32 hours of lectures and 32 hours of seminars.

Type of Assement: written examination, analysing a particular case.

Requirements for Obtaining Credit Points: presentation the results of the analysis of tasks included in the content of course during the semester.

Number of Credit Points:4

Course Prerequisites: ability to acquire marketing intensively and fast.

Related Subjects:Students have a preliminary knowledge in :economics of enterpreneurship, organising and planning, micro- and macroeconomics, information technology, statistics,business communications. The marketing course serves as a basis for the subjects included in C part of Marketing Management Studies Department Programme.

Author of Course Description: Dr.oec. Ineta Geipele

Supervising Teacher of the Course: Assoc. Prof. Ineta Geipele

Basic Sources:Kotler Ph. Marketing Management; Planning Implementation and Control, 8th edition, Prentice-Hall, Inc. Englewood Cliffs, New JerseyWeis, Hans Christian:Marketing/von Hans Christian Weis,- (Rhein):Kiel, 1993J. Beļčikovs, V. Praude:Mārketings/2. pPorter M.E. Wettbewerbsstrategie, Frankfurt 1983.

35

Course Title: Controlling


Aim of the Course: to introduce the students with the concepts of controlling – the modern trend of practical management

Course Outline:1. Concept, essence and tasks of controlling.2. Means and technologies of controlling.3. Controlling system in an enterprise.4. Manufacturing and controlling.5. Cost and income controlling.6. Finances and investment controlling.7. Logistics controlling.8. Marketing controlling.


Type of Assessment: examination (written)



Course Prerequisites: basic knowledge in entrepreneurship, management theory, management accounting, marketing, finances and logistics is essential.

Related Subjects: students’ competence is developed using the latest scientific and practical notions and consolidating the knowledge acquired in the previous study courses

Author of Course Description: Dr.oec.Assoc.Prof. Andris Klauss

Supervising Teachers of the Course: Andris Klauss, Inga Jansone, Ineta Geipele, Pēteris Zālīte, Jānis Vucāns.

Basic Sources:Horvath P. Controlling. – München : Vahlen, 1996., 890 S.Reichmann Th. Controlling mit Kennzahlen und Managementberichten. – München : Vahlen, 1997., 678 S.Šīrenbeks H. Modernais banku kontrolings. – R.: Zinātne, 1998., 147 lpp..

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Course Title: Principles of Finance TheoryCourse is included in part A of study program Aim of the Course: 1. to familiarize students with the concepts of finance and financial system, as well

as with the finance of the enterprise: with its structure and with corresponding basic concepts;

2. to give students a possibility to acquire the basic methods of the financial analysis of an enterprise;

3. to familiarize students with different forms of financing.

Course Outlines:1. What is Finance? (definition, financial decisions of households

and firms, forms of business organisation, the problem of owners and managers, goal of financial management, role of the finance specialist in a corporation).

2. Financial System (flow of funds, functions of a financial system, financial innovation and the”invisible hand”, financial markets, financial market rates, financial intermediaries, financial infrastructure and its regulation).

3. Financial Market Rates (interest rates, rates of return on risky assets, market indexes and market indexing, rates of return in historical perspective, inflation and real interest rates, interest rate equalisation, fundamental determinants of rates of return).

4. Financial Intermediaries (banks, other depository savings institutions, insurance companies, pension and retirement funds, mutual funds, investment banks, venture capital firms, asset managing firms, information services).

5. Financial Infrastructure and Regulation (rules for trading, accounting systems). 6. Governmental and Quasi-Governmental Organisations (central

banks, special-purpose intermediaries, regional and world organisations).

7. Analysis of the Financial Activity of an Enterprise on the Basis of Various Financial Statements (financial statements [balance sheet, income statement, cash-flow statement], market values versus book values, accounting versus economic measures of income, returns to shareholders versus return on equity, analysis using financial ratios, limitations of ratio analysis).

8. Planning of the Finance and Capital of the Enterprise.9. Sources of the Financing of the Enterprise (internal versus

external financing, equity financing, debt financing). 10. Forms of Debt Financing (secured debt, long-term leases,

pension liabilities).

37

11. Valuation of Financial Assets (basic principles of financial assets valuation, valuation of known cash flows [bonds], valuation of common stocks).

Total of Contact Hours: 64 , including 32 hours of lectures and 32 hours of seminars. Type of Assessment: written final examination; to get the admision to the final examination during the semester student must successfully pass the intermediate examination, the assessment of which is taken into account for the final mark.Course Prerequisites: elementary algebraNumber of Credit Points: 4Requirements for Obtaining Credit Points: to get the positive assessment in the intermediate and final examinations. Related Subjects: by the course content it must be made in accordance with the following study courses: Finance Mathematics, Financial Accounting, Macroeconomics, Operations with Securities; the course makes the basis for the Financial Management and other Finance specialisation study courses. Author of Course Description: Assoc. Prof. Dr. math. Jānis VucānsSupervising Teacher of the Course: Assoc. Prof. Dr. math. Jānis VucānsBasic Sources: Zvi Bodie and Robert C.Merton, Finance, Prentice Hall, 1998.Marita Rurāne, Uzņēmuma finansu vadība, Turības Mācību centrs, 1997.В.В.Ковалев, Финансовый анализ, Финансы и статистика (2-е изд.), Москва,1997.

38

Course Title: Principles of Accounting


Aim of the Course: to get understanding of the basic principles, tasks, reglamentation of accounting. To understand the methods of summarising the information and the flow of information from the original documents to the reports.

Course Outline:1. Accountancy as the means and the system of accumulating the economic

information.2. Accountancy, its essence, its role and tasks.3. Cycles of economical transactions and the two blocks of the accounting system .4. Means of production and relations of production as an object of accounting.5. Balance sheet.6. Business operations, their impact on the balance-sheet items.7. Restrictions of information of the balance sheet and profit and loss statement.8. Accountancy accounts and dual record.9. Accountancy documentation.10. Inventory, its tasks and organization.11. Financial statements.

Total of Contact Hours: 32 (lectures and practical assignments)

Type of Assessment: successfully passed all the tests and home assignments and the final test

Requirements for Obtaining Credit Points: successful assessment in all the tests, 80% attendance of calsses.


Course Prerequisites: completed course in Entrepreneurship

Related Subjects: coordinated with courses in Entrepreneurship, Microeconomics, Macroeconomics, Management Economic Theory, Taxes and Duties

Author of Course Description: lecturer, m. oec. Inga Jansone; lecturer, m. oec. Liga Ofkante

Supervising Teacher of the Course: lecturer, m. oec. Inga Jansone; lecturer, m. oec. Liga Ofkante

Basic Sources:Jānis Benze, Finansu Grāmatvedība, Auditorfirma “Grāmatvedis”, 1995.Bornhofen, Busch, Buchfūrung 1, “Gabler”, 1997.М. И. Кутер, Бухгалтерский Учет: основы теории, Экспертное Бюро М, 1997Likums par grāmatvedībuLikums Par uzņēmumu gada pārskatiem.

39

Course Title: Financial Accounting I


Aim of the Course: to acquire the organization and principles of financial accounting, to acquire skills of processing, filing and controlling of financial accounting information . To acquire the methods of preparing the financial statements

Course Outline:1. Principles and concepts of accountancy. Evaluation of balance-sheet items.2. Long-term investments. Intangibles. Fixxed assests. Leasing. Long-term financial

investments.3. Current assets. Capital reserves. Debtors. Payment period costs. Securities. Cash. 4. Own capital5. Accruals, the clasification.6. Debtors. Accured revenue. 7. The accounting of receipts and expenditures of business operation8. Accounting of receipts and expenditures of social infrastructure.9. Accounting of different receipts and expenditures. Accounting of extra receipts

and expenditures.10. Profit and loss statement. 11. The drawing of the annual financial statement. The calculation of profit and loss.

The balance-sheet. Cash-flow statement. The attachments to the financial statement.

12. The analysis of the economic activity indicators.

Total of Contact Hours: 64 classes, including lectures and seminars

Type of Assessment: an examination

Requirements for Obtaining Credit Points: successfully passed tests and home tasks, 80% attendance of classes


Course Prerequisites: a completed course in accountancy

Related Subjects: coordinated with such courses as: Enterpreneurship, Financial accontancy II, Taxes and Duties, Theory of Finance, International Accounting, Securities Transactions

Author of Course Description: lecturer, m. oec. Inga Jansone, lecturer, m. oec. Līga Ofkante

Supervising Teacher of the Course: lecturer, m. oec. Inga Jansone, lecturer, m. oec. Līga Ofkante

Basic Sources:Jānis Benze, Finansu Grāmatvedība, “Grāmatvedis”, 1995Gottfried Bahr, Wolf F. Fisher – Winkelmann, Buchfurung and Jahresabschlu, “Gabler”, 1996J. Watts. Accounting in the Business Environment, 1996L. Chadwick The Essence of Financial Accounting

40

Course Title: Accounting Management


Aim of the Course: to get the basic knowledge in basic categories and content of the management accounting. To understand the importance of information in the decision making

Course Outline:1. Costs, their types, essence, classification.The mechanism and principles of prime

cost and price making. Cost classification and characteristics. Cost distribution, distribution bases. Crucial point analysis.

2. Essence of relevant costs and their role in decision making.The most important costs for decision making. Assessment of resources needed for decision implementation. Solutions of particular problems.Decisions enforced by limiting factors. Evaluation of sector performance.Decision making in uncertain circumstances.

3. Assessment of investment projects.Net discount income, inner profitability rate, maturity, accountancy profit margin.Calculation of increment of investment value, discounting.

4. Budget, planning, its implementation and control.Company budget planning. Budget control. Cash planning.

Total of Contact Hours: 64, lectures and seminars.

Type of Assessment: examination; successfully passed tests and home assignments; the assessment of the examination is based on the average mark of all tests, the last two (theory and exercises) tests are of greatest importance.

Requirements for Obtaining Credit Points: successfully passed tests and the examination, attendance of at least 80 % of total contact hours.


Course Prerequisites: completed courses in Accounting, Finance Accounting.

Related Subjects: related to the courses – Entreperneurship, Finance Accounting, Finance Theory, Controlling.

Author of Course Description: lecturer, m. oec. Inga Jansone, lecturer, m. oec. Līga Ofkante.

Supervising Teacher of the Course: lecturer, m. oec. Inga Jansone, lecturer, m. oec. Līga Ofkante.

Basic Sources:Jānis Benze, Izmaksu uzskaite un pašizmaksas kalkulācija, Auditorfirma “Grāmatvedis”, 1996.EU PHARE, Grāmatvedības metodiskā padome, BPP, Ernst&Young, Vadības grāmatvedība, 1.,2.,3.,4. Daļa, 1995.g.Drury J. Management and Cost Accounting. 4th. EdInt. Thomson Business Press, 1996.T.Lucey, Management Accounting, 1996. g.

41

Course Title : Business logistics


Aim of the Course: To introduce students to operations management and the flow of materials and goods from the raw material stage to the final consumer.

Course Outline :1. Introduction to logistics – definition – objectives – relationship to technology and

marketing.2. Logistics functions – principal issues – internal control – setting objectives.3. Production and competition – production strategies – production life cycles –

physical distribution – manufacturing location.4. Service levels – guarantees – delivery times – distribution alternatives – service

levels and costs – distribution centres.5. Logistics choices for different products – product life cycle alternatives – product

value and mass – unearned income concepts – risk – packaging.6. Warehousing and storage – materials storage – finished goods storage – storage

requirements – organizing warehousing.7. Inventory management – terminology – order quantities – reordering levels – JIT

– economic order quantities.

Total of Contact Hours : 64, of which 32 lectures and 32 practical work.

Type of Assessment : examination and course assignments.

Requirements for Obtaining Credit Points: successful completion of first three terms of business studies.


Author of Course Description: Raitis Šķērītis

Supervising Teacher of the Course: Raitis Šķērītis

Basic Sources:J. J. Coyle, The Management of Business Logistics, West Publishing, 1992.J.J. Coyle, Transportation, West Publishing, 1990.R.H. Ballou, Business Logistics Management: Planning, Organizing, and Controlling the Supply Chain, Prentice Hall, 1998.Course Handouts.

42

Course Title: MATHEMATICS I


Aim of the Course: to make students familiar with the basic concepts, principles, and methods of mathematics as instruments for building and investigation of economic models; to give students training in practical investigation and analysing economic models. To put special emphasis on interaction between mathematics and microeconomics and synchronizing matter and form in both subjects.

Course Outline:1. Sets, functions, relations. Sets R, R2, R3, ... , Rn. The geometric meaning of R, R2,

R3, ... , Rn .2. The concept of limit. Continuity of function.3. The derivative and elasticity of a function of one variable, its geometric and

economic interpretations and applications. Taylor's formula containing first and second derivatives. Investigation of functions using derivatives.

4. Antiderivative, indefinite integrals; economic applications.5. Partial differentiation, partial elasticities. Taylor's formula containing gradient and

hessian.6. Unconstrained optimization.7. Optimization with equality constraints. Lagrange multiplier method.8. Integral sum and integral; geometric meaning and microeconomic applications.

Improper integrals.





Course Prerequisites: basic mathematics.

Related Subjects: microeconomics, macroeconomics, statistics, econometrics, financial mathematics, operations research.



Basic Literature:Ian Jacques. Mathematics for Economics and Business. 2nd Edition. Addison-Wesley, 1995.Chiang, Alpha C. Fundamental Methods of Mathematical Economics. 3rd Edition. McGraw-Hill, 1984.Jürgen Tietze. Einfürung in die angewandte Wirtschaftsmathematik. 6. Auflage. Verlag Vieweg, 1995.Андрей Яунземс. Математика для экономических наук. Общий курс. Rīga: Latvijas Universitāte, 1993.

43

Course Title: MATHEMATICS II


Aim of the Course: to make students familiar with the basic concepts and methods of financial mathematics. To provide students with concepts, methods and applications of linear algebra and basic concepts of linear programming. To give students training in practical investigation and analysing economic models. To put special emphasis on interaction between mathematics and microeconomics and synchronizing matter and form in both subjects.

Course Outline:1. Basic elements of financial mathematics related to simple and compound interest

shemes. Continual financial processes.2. Elements of geometry in Euclidean space Rn: straight line, hyperplane. Convex

set, convex and concave functions. Lin- span, aff-span, cone-span, conv-span of given vector set.

3. Linear dependence and linear independence of vectors. Rank of matrix.4. Linear equation sistems, linear inequation systems.5. Economic matrix models: input-output model, matrix as production function of

the firm.6. Determinant. An outline of eigenvalues and eigenvectors of matrix.7. Elements of linear programming. Concept of resource shadow prices.Total of Contact Hours: 64, including 32 hours of lectures and 32 hours of seminars.Type of Assessment: two midsemester examinations, final examinations.Requirements for Obtaining Credit Points: 75% attendance, successful passing of midsemester and final examinations.Number of Credit Points: 4Course Prerequisites: mathematics I, statistics, microeconomics I.Related Subjects: microeconomics, macroeconomics, statistics, econometrics, financial mathematics, operations research. Author of Course Description: Assoc. Prof. Dr. math. Andrejs JaunzemsSupervising Teacher of the Course: Assoc. Prof. Dr. math. Andrejs JaunzemsBasic Literature:Ian Jacques. Mathematics for Economics and Business. 2nd Edition. Addison-Wesley, 1995.Chiang, Alpha C. Fundamental Methods of Mathematical Economics. 3rd Edition. McGraw-Hill, 1984.Jürgen Tietze. Einfürung in die angewandte Wirtschaftsmathematik. 6. Auflage. Verlag Vieweg, 1995.Андрей Яунземс. Математика для экономических наук. Общий курс. Rīga: Latvijas Universitāte, 1993.A. Adams, D.Bloomfield, P. Booth, P.England. Investment Mathematics and Statistics. Graham & Trotman, 1993.

44

Course Title: STATISTICS


Aim of the Course: to make students familiar with the basic concepts, principles, and methods of descriptive statistics and analytical statistics, with basic ideas of measuring and reducing risk; to give students training in practical calculations using EXCEL.

Course Outline:1. Collecting and presentation of statistical data.2. Price and quantity indices (Laspeyres, Paashe, Fisher, Lowe, Marshall-

Edgeworth). Lorenz curve, Gini index.3. Basic concepts of probability theory. Random variables and distributions. The

binomial, Poisson and normal or Gaussian distribution of random variables, and their applications.

4. Multivariate distributions. Conditional distributions. Properties of expected value and variance. Theoretical basis of reducing of risk through diversification. Prediction: regression, correlation, covariance; error of prediction.

5. Random sampling and sampling distributions. Point and interval estimations of populations parameters. Testing hypotheses.





Course Prerequisites: basic mathematics.

Related Subjects: microeconomics, macroeconomics, econometrics, financial mathematics, operations research.



Basic Literature:Edwin Mansfield. Statistics for Business and Economics. 5th Edition. W. W. Norton & Co, 1994.Edwin Mansfield. Statistics for Business and Economics. Problems, Exercices, and Case Studies. 5th Edition. W. W. Norton & Co, 1994.Paul Newbold. Statistics for Business & Economics. 4th Edition. Prentice Hall, 1995.Günter Bamberg, Franz Baur. Statistik. 9. Auflage R. Oldenbourg Verlag, 1996.Krastiņš Oļģerts. Statistika un ekonometrija. Mācību grāmata augstskolām. Rīga: Latvijas statistika. 1998.

45

Course Title: ECONOMETRICS


Aim of the Course: to make students familiar with quantitative economic methods and empirical verification of economic relationships. To give students training in estimation multiple linear regression models, testing statistical significance of coefficients, testing linear hypotheses related to coefficients of regression model, interpreting economic meaning of statistical inference.

Course Outline:1. Linear regression: assumptions of the model, its interpretation.2. Ordinary least squares OLS method. Point and interval estimating the parameters.

Gauss-Markov theorem.3. Prediction with linear regression.4. Generalized least squares method GLS. Testing of linear hypothese R = r.5. Alternative functional forms.6. Dummy or binary independent variables.7. Various applications. ESL - Econometrics Software Library.8. An outline of heteroscedasticity, autocorrelation (Durbin-Watson

test), multicollinearity.


Type of Assessment: one midsemester examination, econometrics course paper, final examinations.

Requirements for Obtaining Credit Points: 75% attendance, successful defence of course paper, successful passing of midsemester and final examinations.


Course Prerequisites: mathematics, statistics, microeconomics.

Related Subjects: financial management, marketing research, logistics, macroeconomics, operations research, writing course paper and Bachelor paper.



Basic Sources:Ramu Ramanathan. Introductory Econometrics with Applications. 4th Edition. The Dryden Press, 1998.Christopher Dougherty. Introduction to Econometrics. Oxford University Press, 1992. Maddala G. S. Introduction to Econometrics. 2nd Edition. Prentice Hall, 1992.Jürgen Bortz. Statistik für Sozialwissenschaftler. 4. Auflage. Springer-Verlag, 1993.Я. Р. Магнус, П. К. Катышев, А. А. Пересецкий. Эконометрика. Начальный курс. Академия народного хозяйства. Москва, "Дело", 1998.

46

Course Title: Computer Science for Economists I (Desktop data base management systems)


Aim of the Course: to give knowledge about the technology of data base management systems (DBMS) and to develop practical skills to use functionality of DBMS in solving economical problems.

Course Outlines:1. Relational data base management systems.2. Components of DBMS: tables, queries, forms, reports, e.t.c.3. Table design.4. Data sorting and filtering.5. Types of queries.6. Forms design.7. Reports design.8. SQL expressions.9. Data exchange with other systems.10. Completing the developed system.Total of Contact Hours: 64 , including 32 hours of lectures and 32 hours of laboratory

works. Type of Assessment: examination.Course Prerequisites: Number of Credit Points: 4Requirements for Obtaining Credit Points: to get positive assessment about the work during the semester, and to get positive assessment in examination. Related Subjects: Computer Science for Economists II, MathematicsI and II, Operations Research, Numerical Methods of Optimization Author of Course Description: Assoc. Prof. Dr. oec. Uldis RozevskisSupervising Teacher of the Course: Assoc. Prof. Dr. oec. Uldis RozevskisBasic Sources: J. Nāgelis, MS Access ikvienam. Datorzinību centrs, 1997.Effektivanaja rabota s Microsoft Access 2" , 1998.R.Jennings, "Access TM 95".

47

Course Title: Computer Science for Economists II ( Using IT in company)

Course is included in part A of study program

Aim of the Course: to give necessary knowledge about using and maintaining information technology in company and to develop practical skills to choose applied packages for company’s information systems, to organise tenders for packages, development, implementation and maintenance of information systems.

Course Outlines:1. Information technology in company.2. The life cycle of information systems.3. Quality of information systems.4. Information systems security.5. Tender for the information system.6. Projects of information systems.7. Data models and algorithms of processes.8. Management of information systems implementation.9. Tools for information systems design and presentation.10. Business modelling and reengineering.Total of Contact Hours: 64 , including 32 hours of lectures and 32 hours of laboratory works. Type of Assessment: examination.Course Prerequisites: Computer Science for Economists I, Mathematics.Number of Credit Points: 4Requirements for Obtaining Credit Points: to get positive assessment about the work during the semester, and to get positive assessment in examination. Related Subjects: Computer Science for Economists I, Mathematics, Numerical Methods of Optimization Author of Course Description: Assoc. Prof. Dr. oec. Uldis RozevskisSupervising Teacher of the Course: Assoc. Prof. Dr. oec. Uldis RozevskisBasic Sources: Description of GRADE .Description of VISIO Professional 5.0.Microsoft PowerPoint, Microsoft Word.

48

Course Title: Private law

Course is includeded in part A

Aim of the Course: to introduce students to private law as the set of laws which regulates the terms of private property, to describe its differences from public law and the importance of private law for Latvia as a country with transitional economy.

Course Outline:1. The concept of private law, its place in the legal system of Latvia.2. The status of physical person and legal person.3. Civil law. General and specific norms.4. Protection of real property rights5. Commercial law.6. Labour law.7. Social law.8. Civil procedural law.

Total of Contact Hours: 32(48), including 16(32) hours lectures and 16 hours for practical exercises.

Type of Assessment: oral examination; before the examination, students have to write 4 tests and 4 practical works successfully during semester; the grades of these tasks will be taken into account in the final examination.

Requirements for Obtaining Credit Points: positive evaluation of tests, practical works and examination.


Course Prerequisites: Business course I, II.

Related Subjects: course material is harmonised with other law courses as well as with courses on Business course I,II. ,etc.

Author of Course Description: docent, mag.jur.A.Petrovskis

Supervising Teacher of the Course: docent, mag.jur.A.Petrovskis

Basic Sources::Bērnems S.Dž. Līgumu sastādīšana. Ceļvedis saistību tiesību principu praktiskai lietošanai. Rīga,1995.Sinaiskis V. Latvijas civiltiesību apskats. Lietu tiesības. Saistību tiesība.Rīga,1995. Civillikuma komentāri.Joksts O. Saistību tiesības saimnieciskajos darījumos, Rīga, 1999.

49

Course Title: International private law

Course is included in part B

Aim of the Course : to introduce students to the international private law aimed at harmonizing different private law codes of different countries.

Course Outline:1. The concept of international private law.2. Physical person and legal person(companies). States and international

organization.3. Conflicts of Laws.4. Property.5. Contracts.6. International trade law.7. International transport law.8. International financial transactions.9. International arbitration and adjudication.

Total of Contact Hours: 32(48), including 16(32) hours of lectures and 16 hours for practical exercises.

Type of Assessment: oral examination; before the examination, students have to write 4 tests and 4 practical works successfully during the semester; the grades of these tasks will be taken into account in the final examination.



Course Prerequisites: Private law




Basic Sources:J.Bojārs, Starptautiskās privāttiesības, Zvaigzne ABC, Rīga, 1998.Dokumentu krājums. Mūsdienu starptautiskās un tirdzniecības tiesības. Starptautiskais civilprocess, AGB, Rīga, 1998.www.resourses

50

Course Title: Public law

Course is includeded in part B

Aim of the Course: to introduce students to the public law, regulating the status of Latvian state and its institution and the relationship between them and private person; making clear the differences between the public law and the private law.

Course Outline:1. The concept of Public Law.2. Constitutional Law3. Administrative Law.4. Finance Law.5. Customs Law.6. Tax Law.7. Environmental Law.8. Criminal Law and Criminal proceeding.

Total of Contact Hours: 32, including 16 hours of lectures and 16 hours for practical exercises.

Type of Assessment: oral examination; before the examination, students have to write 4 tests and 4 practical works successfully during semester; the grades for these tasks will be taken into account in the final examination.



Course Prerequisites: Private law




Basic Sources:Juridisko terminu vārdnīca.,Nordic,1999.Juridiski terminoloģiskā skaidrojošā vārdnīca,LPA,Rīga,1999.LR likumi un normatīvie akti, NAIS.

51

Course Title: Principles of the Civil procedure Law

Course is includeded in part B or C.

Aim of the Course: to make the students aware of the Civil Procedure Law of the Republic of Latvia – a branch of law, which provides for the procedures of the civil trial in the courts of the Republic of Latvia; the execution of verdicts; activities of the court, court bailiffs and participants in the trial.

Course Outline:1. Concept of the Civil Procedure Law, Principles of the Civil Procedure2. Quality of being a person in contemplation of the civil procedure law, legal

capacity to sue. Participants in the civil trial.3. Evidence and proof.4. Proceedings in a court of a first instance: Ordinary proceeding. Special

proceeding. Execution of obligations by the means of court.5. Taking an appeal from a judgement or a court decision. Appeal. Separate action.6. Proceedings in a appellate court 7. Creation of arbitration and its work in Latvia.8. Execution of a judgement.

Total of Contact Hours: 32, including 16 hours of lectures and 16 hours for practical exercises.

Type of Assessment: oral examination; before the examination, students have to write 4 tests and 4 practical works successfully during semester; the grades of these tasks will be taken into account in the final examination.



Course Prerequisites: Private law and Public law.


Author of Course Description: docent, mag.jur. Antons Petrovskis

Supervising Teacher of the Course: docent, mag.jur. Antons Petrovskis

Basic Sources:Juridisko terminu vārdnīca.,Nordic,1999.Juridiski terminoloģiskā skaidrojošā vārdnīca,LPA,Rīga,1999.LR likumi un normatīvie akti, NAIS.

52

Course Title: An introduction into Business English


Aim of the Course: facilitate the communicative and writing skills, reading, listening comprehension, acquisition of lexical-grammatical structures studying the topics listed in the course content.

Course Outline:1. Three sectors of economy. My future profession.2. Business meetings, appointments.3. Foundation of a company. Company structure.4. Management and cultural diversity.5. Carrying out a research, data collecting, giving a presentation.6. Work and motivation.7. Office equipment.

Total of Contact Hours: 4 classes a week in the term 1

Type of Assessment: test

Requirements for Obtaining Credit Points: attendance makes at least 70% of total contact hours, successfully passed me-term tests and a final test

Number of Credit Points : 4

Course Prerequisites: successfully acquired course in English at the level of secondary school

Related Subjects: related to main problems of all special subjects. The acquired skills are essential for the course “An introduction into the terminology of speciality”

Author of Course Description: Lāsma Sīle

Supervising Teacher of the Course: Lāsma Sīle

Basic Sources:MacKenzie I. English for Business Studies – CUP, 1997 – 176 p.Lannon M., Tullis G., Trappe T. Insights into Business – Longman, 1997 – 160 p.Collin P.H. Dictionary of Business. Peter Collin Publishing, 1997 – 160 p.The terminology of economics, management and office work/ ed. V. Skujiņa, Rīga: LZA Latviešu valodas institūts, 1995 – 911 p.

53

Course Title: An introduction into the terminology of speciality


Aim of the Course: facilitate the communicative and writing skills, reading, listening comprehension, acquisition of lexical-grammatical structures studying the topics listed in the course content.

Course Outline:1. Recruitment. Applying for a job, CV.2. Labour relations. Trade unions.3. Production. Products and quality. Retailing.4. Marketing and market research.5. Promotional tools. Advertising.

Total of Contact Hours: 4 classes a week in the term 2

Type of Assessment : examination

Requirements for Obtaining Credit Points: attendance makes at least 70% of total contact hours, successfully passed mid-term tests and the examination


Course Prerequisites: successfully passed examination in course “An introduction into Business English”

Related Subjects: related to main problems of all special subjects



Basic Sources:MacKenzie I. English for Business Studies – CUP, 1997 – 176 p.Lannon M., Tullis G., Trappe T. Insights into Business – Longman, 1997 – 160 p.Collin P.H. Dictionary of Business. Peter Collin Publishing, 1997 – 160 p.The terminology of economics, management and office work/ ed. V. Skujiņa, Rīga: LZA Latviešu valodas institūts, 1995 – 911 p.Oxford Dictionary of Business English for Learners of English, - OUP, 1996

54

Course Title: Business English


Aim of the Course : facilitating the skills of reading, listening, speaking and writing and

acquisition of lexical – grammatical structures studying the topics listed in the course content.

Course Outline : 1. The economic infrastructure.2. Management style, cultural differences and business ethics.3. Work and motivation.4. Labour relations.5. Production and products.6. Marketing and advertising.7. Accounting and financial statements.8. Banking.9. Market structure and competition.10. Efficiency and employment.11. The role of government, central banking, taxation and exchange rates.12. The business cycle.13. International trade.14. Economics and ecology.

Total of Contact Hours : 4 classes in the terms 3 and 4.

Type of Assessment : examination

Requirements for Obtaining Credit Points : successfully passed mid – term tests and the examination.


Course Prerequisites : a pass mark for the course.

Related Subjects : related to all special subjects.

Author of Course Description : Ieva Vizule, Ilze Straupmane

Supervising Teacher of the Course : Ieva Vizule, Ilze Straupmane

Basic Sources : Ian MacKenzie, English for Business Studies, CUP, 1997.

55

Kursbezeichnung: Allgemeine Kommunikation und Verständigung

Kurszugehörigkeit: Teil B

Kursziel: Das Ziel des Kurses ist,die Fertigkeiten der allgemeinen Kommunikation zu erwerben, die lexikalisch - grammatischen Strukturen zu vermitteln, die mit den im Kurs angegebenen Themen verbunden sind.

Kursinhalt:Der Kurs beinhaltet das didaktische Sprachmaterial ( Lexik, Grammatik ), das der Kommunikation in mehreren wichtigen Bereichen des Alltags enschspricht und dessen Aneingnung die Entfaltung der kommunikativen Fähigkeiten der Studierenden in Deutsch garantiert. Zusätzlich wird die erforderliche Information über Urlaub, Reisen, Bekanntschaft, aktuelle Nachrichten und Diskussionen deutschsprachiger Menschen in Lettland und in der Welt vermittelt

Gesamtzahl der Unterrichtsstunden: 4 Stunden wöchentlich im 1. Semester

Art der Prüfung: Zwischenprüfung

Kurspunkte: Kurspunkte werden erteilt: nach erfolgreicher Teilnahme am Unterricht und für die Zwischenprüfung

Zahl der Kurspunkte: 4

Verbindung mit anderen Kursen: Der Lehrstoff ist zum Teil mit der Prolematik derin diesem Semester angebotenen Fächern verbunden

Ausarbeitung der Kursbeschreibung: Dace Korna

Verantwortlicher Kursleiter: Dace Korna

Kursliteratur:C. Wisemann-Unternehmen DeutschWirtschaft A-Z Themen Neu 4Materialien-und Aufgabensammlung des verantwortlichen Lehrers1.Grundwortschatz Deutsch Übungen und Tests, bearbeitet von Prof. H. Oehler Klettbuch, München 19722.Dreyer; Schmitt Lehr – und Übungsbuch der deutschen Grammatik Verlag für Deutsch, Ismaning 19853.C.Wiseman- Unternehmen Deutsch, Klett Edition Deutsch GmbH, München 19954.Fachsprache Deutsch-Betriebswirtschaft. Lese und - Arbeitsbuch; Hueber Verlag München: 19965.Zeitungen, Zeitschriften ( “Wirtschaftswoche”, “Focus”, “Der Spiegel” )6.Materialien und Aufgabensammlung des verantwortlichen Lehrers

56

Kursbezeichnung: Einführung in die Fachterminologie


Kursziel: Das Ziel des Kurses ist, deutsche Fachtexte mittleren Schwierigkeitsgrades zu verstehen und zu analysieren, die lexikalisch-grammatischen Strukturen zu vermitteln, die mit den im Kurs angegebenen Themen aus dem Bereich Wirtschaft verbunden sind. Adäquates sprachliches Verhalten.

Kursinhalt:

Der Kurs beinhaltet das didaktische Sprachmaterial ( Lexik, Grammatik ), das der Kommunikation in mehreren wichtigen Bereichen der Unternehmenstätigkeit enschspricht und dessen Aneingnung die Entfaltung der kommunikativen Fähigkeiten der Studierenden in Deutsch garantiert. Zusätzlich wird die erforderliche Information über den Firmenaufbau, Standort und Personal, Bürotechnik und Komunikationsmittel, Arten der Werbung vermittelt. Analyse von aktuellen Tatsachen der Marktforschung.


Art der Prüfung: Prüfung

Kurspunkte: Kurspunktewerden erteilt: - nach erfolgreicher Teilnahme am Unterricht- für die Prüfung


Verbindung mit anderen Kursen: Der Lehrstoff ist mit der Problematik und Thematik der in diesem Semester angebotenen Fächern verbunden.



Kursliteratur: 1.Grundwortschatz Deutsch Übungen und Tests, bearbeitet von Prof. H. Oehler Klettbuch, München 19722.Dreyer; Schmitt Lehr – und Übungsbuch der deutschen Grammatik Verlag für Deutsch, Ismaning 19853.C.Wiseman- Unternehmen Deutsch, Klett Edition Deutsch GmbH, München 19954.Wirtschaftsdeutsch von A – Z, R.Buhlmann, E. Leimbacher 1995 Langescheidt KG, Berlin und München 5.Fachsprache Deutsch-Betriebswirtschaft. Lese und - Arbeitsbuch; Hueber Verlag München: 19966.Zeitungen, Zeitschriften ( “Wirtschaftswoche”, “Focus”, “der Spiegel” )7.Materialien und Aufgabensammlung des verantwortlichen Lehrers

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Kursbezeichnung: Die angewandte Verhandlungssprache und Geschäftskorrespondenz


Kursziel: Das Ziel des Kurses ist, die lexikalisch - grammatischen Strukturen zu vermitteln, die Fertigkeiten der Geschäftsdiskussion zu erwerben. Die Fachtexte mit Hilfe des Wörterbuchs zu lesen.

Kursinhalt: Der Kurs beinhaltet das didaktische Sprachmaterial ( Lexik, Grammatik ), das der Kommunikation in mehreren wichtigen Bereichen der Unternehmenstätigkeit enschspricht und dessen Aneingnung die Entfaltung der kommunikativen Fähigkeiten der Studierenden in Deutsch garantiert. Zusätzlich wird die erforderliche Information über Kostenrechnungssysteme, Bilanz, Kostenrechnung, Logistik, Marketing vermittelt und diverse Geschäftsunterlagen übersetzt.


Art der Prüfung: Prüfung

Kurspunkte:Kurspunkte werden erteilt: nach erfolgreicher Teilnahme am Unterrichtfür die Prüfung


Verbindung mit anderen Kursen: Die ausgewählten Themen und Lehrstoff ist mit der Problematik der in diesem Semester angebotenen Fächern verbunden, insbesondere Logistik, Kostenrechnung, Marketing



Kursliteratur:1.Grundwortschatz Deutsch Übungen und Tests, bearbeitet von Prof. H. Oehler Klettbuch, München 19722.Dreyer; Schmitt Lehr – und Übungsbuch der deutschen Grammatik Verlag für Deutsch, Ismaning 19853.Wirtschaft – auf Deutsch Verl. Klett Edition Deutsch GmbH, München 19914.Zeitungen, Zeitschriften ( “Wirtschaftswoche”, “Focus”, “Der Spiegel” )5.Materialien und Aufgabensammlung des verantwortlichen Lehrers

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Kursbezeichnung: Wirtschaftsdeutsch


Kursziel: Das Ziel des Kurses ist, die lexikalisch-grammatischen Strukturen zu vermitteln, die mit den im Kurs angegebenen Themen aus dem Bereich der Wirtschaft und Geschäftsleben verbunden sind. Adäquates sprachliches Verhalten, Orientierung in diversen Geschäftssituationen.

Kursinhalt: Der Kurs beinhaltet das didaktische Sprachmaterial ( Lexik, Grammatik ), das der Kommunikation in mehreren wichtigen Bereichen der Unternehmenstätigkeit enschspricht und dessen Aneingnung die Entfaltung der kommunikativen Fähigkeiten der Studierenden in Deutsch garantiert. Zusätzlich wird die erforderliche Information über den Produktionsablauf, Messen, Import, Export, Banken, Telekomunikationen und Handelsverträge vermittelt, die für die Studien der Fachliteratur, der Zeitschriften erforderlich sind.

Gesamtzahl der Unterrichtsstunden: 4 Stunden wöchentlich im 4.Semester

Art der Prüfung: che Prüfung

Kurspunkte: Kurspunkte werden erteilt: nach erfolgreicher Teilnahme am Unterricht und für die Prüfung


Verbindung mit anderen Kursen: Wirtschaftsdeutsch ist zum Teil mit der Problematik der in diesem Semester angebotenen Fächer verbunden.



Kursliteratur:1.Grundwortschatz Deutsch Übungen und Tests, bearbeitet von Prof. H. Oehler Klettbuch, München 19722.Dreyer; Schmitt Lehr – und Übungsbuch der deutschen Grammatik Verlag für Deutsch, Ismaning 19853.Wirtschaft – auf Deutsch Verl. Klett Edition Deutsch GmbH, München 19914.Fachsprache Deutsch – Betriebswirtschaft. Lese - und Arbeitsbuch Hueber *Verlag M München: 19965.Zeitungen, Zeitschriften ( “Wirtschaftswoche”, “Focus”, “der Spiegel” )6.Materialien und Aufgabensammlung des verantwortlichen Lehrers

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Course Title: Money and Banking

Course is included in part B of study program (elective course in Economics)

Aim of the Course: to give the knowledge in the macroeconomic aspect of money and finance theory, to introduce students to international financial systems and institutions, banking system and international economics in the global perspective through practical examples, focusing on the development of tendencies of Latvian banking system in its movement towards the European Union.

Course Outlines: Course is divided into 16 main themes: 1. An overview on the financial system in macroeconomic context and on the

development of money concept. 2. Interest rates, their values and dynamics.3. Assets demand theory and risks. 4. Demand and supply of credit resources. 5. Currencies market, short and long term currency courses.6. Banking institutions and their management.7. Non-banking financial intermediary institutions. 8. Deterministic factors of money supply and dynamics of money basis.9. Money theory: different conceptions of total demand. 10. Keynesian theory and ISLM model.11. Analysis of total demand and supply. 12. Rational previsions and theory of effective capital market. 13. Aims of monetary politics and their realisation, instruments of monetary politics. 14. International financial system and monetary politics.15. From Bretonwood to European Economical and Monetary Union. 16. Financial system of Latvia, its development tendencies.

Total of Contact Hours: 64 , including 32 hours of lectures and 32 hours of seminars.

Type of Assessment: thesis on a chosen topic, written interim and final examinations

Course Prerequisites : Macroeconomics, Finance Theory


Requirements for Obtaining Credit Points: successful acquisition of the course material, active participation in seminars, and positive assessment in the interim and final examinations.

Related Subjects: course forms the theoretical basis for specific economic disciplines; in accordance with study courses in Macroeconomics, Finance Theory, Finance Mathematics and Operations with Securities.

Author of Course Description: Assoc Prof. Dr. oec. Edgars Kassalis

Supervising Teacher of the Course: Assoc Prof. Dr. oec. Edgars Kassalis

Basic Sources: Frederic S. Mishkin, The Economics of Money, Banking and Financial Markets, Addison Wesley Longman, 5th edition, 1997.Taeho Kim, International Money & Banking, Routlegde, 1993.The International Monetary System, edited by P.B.Kenen and F.Papadia, Cambridge University Press, 1994.

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Course Title : Securities transactions

Course is included in part B (for specialization in finances)

Aim of the Course : to imopart students with basic knowledge of forms of securities, securities market and transactions.

Course Outline :1. Economical necessity, essence and classification of securities.2. Concepts of securities market.3. Securities transactions.4. Economic characterisation of securities.5. Emission of securities and public trading.6. Creation, management and ensuring of securities portfolio.7. Securities market of Latvia: structure, regulation, development.

Total of Contact Hours : 32

Type of Assessment : examination (written and oral)


Course Prerequisites : knowledge in entrepreneurship, basics of financial theory and finance mathematics.

Related Subjects: entrepreneurship, management theory, basics of finance theory, finance mathematics, finance management in finance markets.

Author of Course Description : Dr.oec.Assoc.Prof. Andris Klauss

Supervising Teacher of the Course : Dr.oec.Assoc.Prof. Andris Klauss

Basic Sourses :Klauss A. Vērtspapīru darījumi. Skaidrojošā vārdnīca. – R.: Valsts akciju sabiedrība “Privatizācijas aģentūra”, 1996., 116.lpp.Likums “Par vērtspapīriem”. – Latvijas vēstnesis, 1995.g.12.septembris.Likums “Par akciju sabiedrībām”.

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Course Title: FINANCIAL MATHEMATICS


Aim of the Course: to make students familiar with the instruments of quantitative financial analysis necessary for construction and analysing wide spectrum of financial operations. To give students training in practical calculations using EXCEL.

Course Outline:1. Cash flow. Net present value NPV, internal rate of return IRR, modified internal

rate of return MIRR, financial management rate of return FMRR. Equivalence of cash flows, conversion of contracts.

2. Annuities with baloons; accumulation acounts, amortization acounts, pension funds, lease, valuation of fixed income securities.

3. Concept of leverage.4. Investments in foreign currency.5. Dividend policy, growth and valuation of shares; Miller-Modigliani paradox.6. Valuation of fixed income securities: notes, bonds. Volatility,

duration.7. Portfolio immunisation.


Type of Assessment: one midsemester examination, final examinations.



Course Prerequisites: mathematics, statistics, microeconomics.

Related Subjects: cycle of courses provident for speciality of financial management.



Basic Sources:Andrew Adams, Della Bloomfield, Philip Booth, Peter England. Investment Mathematics and Statistics. Graham & Trotman, 1993.William F. Sharpe, Gordon J. Alexander, Jeffery V. Bailey. Investments. 5th Edition. Prentice Hall, 1995.Lutz Kruschwitz. Investitionsrechnung. 5. Auflage. Walter de Gruyter Verlag, 1993.Первозванский А. А., Первозванская Т. Н. Финансовый рынок: расчеты и риск. Москва, 1994.Четыркин Е. М. Методы финансовых и коммерческих расчетов. Москва, 1996.

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Course Title: Investments and Securities Analysis (Financial Management)

Course is included in part B (elective course for Finance specialization)

Aim of the Course: to acquaint students with the basic principles and methods of financial management, as well as with the main principles of formation and management of the Portfolios of Securities by using the relevant knowledge from Mathematics, Statistics and General Finance Theory.

Course Outline:1. The role of the financial market. Return, risk, attitude towards risk (riskophobes

and riskophyles individuals). Measurement of return and risk. Effects of diversification. Effects of correlation. Choice of the portfolio in the “three securities space”. Model of Markowitz. Tobin’s Model. Market Model. Diagonal or Sharpe model. Capital Asset Pricing Model - CAPM. Capital Market Line - CML. Security Market Line - SML.

2. Performance evaluation. Performance indexes. Performance decomposition. Calculation of return via weighted rates of return (time weighted and $ weighted).

3. Options theory. Terminology, limits of evaluation, parity relation. Put and Call options of European and American type. Closed portfolio (with warranty) and binomial model. Portfolio in continuous media and Black-Schole model. Evaluation methods for options based on common stocks with or without dividends. Options of American type and their premature realisation.

4. Standardised fixed duration contracts. General definitions. Evaluation via arbitrage, keeping expenditures, intermediate return. Futures. Correction of the value of securities depending on their quality. Creation of synthetic assets. Economic evaluation via CAPM.

Total of Contact Hours: 64 , including 32 hours of lectures and 32 hours of seminars.

Type of Assessment: written final examination; to get admission to the final examination during the semester students must successfully pass the intermediate examination, the assesment of which is taken into account for the final mark.

Requirements for Obtaining Credit Points: to get the positive assesment in the intermediate and final examinations.


Course Prerequisites: Finance Theory, Financial Mathematics, Mathematics I and II, Statistics, Microeconomics.

Related Subjects: by the course content it must be made in accordance with the following study courses: Mathematics, Statistics, Finance Theory, Financial Mathematics, Microeconomics, Operations with Securities; the course makes the basis for the other Finance specialisation study courses.

Author of Course Description: Assoc. Prof. Dr. math. Jānis Vucāns

Supervising Teacher of the Course: Assoc. Prof. Dr. math. Jānis Vucāns

Basic Sources: R.Cobbaut, Théorie Financiere, Economica, Paris, 1994.R.Gibson, Option valuation: Analyzing and pricing Standartized Option Contracts, McGraw Hill, 1991

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W.Sharpe, G.Alexander, J.Bailey, Investments, Englewood Cliffs: Prentice Hall, 1995.E.J.Elton, M.J.Gruber, Modern Portfolio Theory and Investment Analysis, J.Wiley & Sons, Inc., New-York, 1995.

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Course Title: Microeconomics of Insurance

Course is included in part B (elective course in Finance specialization)

Aim of the Course: to acquaint students with the economic and mathematical basis of the insurance theory.

Course Outline:Introduction. What is “Microeconomics of Insurance ?”1. General principles of insurance

1.1. Fundamental mechanism of the individual’s insurance 1.2. Other forms of insurance

2. Decision making theory 2.1. Restrictions in using the criteria of actual expected value 2.2. Paradox of St-Petersburg2.3. The Bernulli principle and the Fon Neuman - Morgenshtern axiomatic 2.4. Attitude to risk: definitions, measures 2.5. The risk of the random variable 2.6. Application: individual’s attitude to savings 2.7. Critical notes about the applicability of the Bernulli principle

3. How is the demand of insurance formed?3.1. The Mossen model of unique risk 3.2. The optimal form of the insurance contract 3.3. Self-insurance and its influence on insurance 3.4. Non-insurable risks and their influence on the insurance model

4. Life insurance - capitalization4.1. Two periods model, basic assumptions and results 4.2. The economic basis of lifetime rent 4.3. General model4.4. Borch’s paradox4.5. Specification of model by taking into account fiscal aspects

5. Analysis of tariffing 5.1. The role of the intermediaries in the insurance business 5.2. The composition of the insurance costs 5.3. The microeconomic investigations of tariffing

6. Insurance market 6.1. The market equilibrium model 6.2. The role of the Mutual Insurance Companies in the automobile

insurance market 6.3. The problem of the information assymetrie in the insurance market

7. Problems on the automobile insurance 7.1. A priori and a posteriori systems of tarification and corresponding

models 7.2. The experience collected in some countries in the domain of

automobile insurance 8. Systems of social insurance; the role of the State in the regulation of insurance

market

Total of Contact Hours : 64 hours.

Type of Assessment: a written examination

Requirements for Obtaining Credit Points: During the semester students must solve a number of problems, assigned by the teacher for independent solving; they must present these solutions to the teacher by the indicated deadlinein. Students must independently prepare the analysis of some insurance problem. During the seminar they must explain the obtained results. At the examination student must be able to demonstrate the knowledge of the basic concepts and properties of insurance and its microeconomic theory, explained during the lectures, and the ability to use them to formulate and to solve different insurance problems.

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Course Prerequisites: Statistics, Microeconomics I and II.

Related Subjects: by the course content it must be made in accordance with the study courses in Statistics and Financial Mathematics.



Basic Sources:D.Henriet, J.-Ch. Rochet, Microeconomie de l’assurance, Economica, Paris, 1991.P.Petauton, Théorie et pratique de l’assurance-vie, Dunod, Paris, 1996.V.V.Shahov, Strahovanie (Insurance - in Russian), Ed. company JuNITI, 1997.

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Course Title: OPERATIONS RESEARCH


Aim of the Course: to make students familiar with the basic concepts, principles and methods of operations research as an instrument for decision making in management; to give students training in practical construction and investigation of models.

Course Outline:1. Basic concepts of operations research. Types of optimization problems.2. Network planning, CPM, PERT.3. Inventory management models.4. Linear programming, the simplex algorithm. Sensitivity analysis.5. Duality in the linear and quadratic optimization. 6. Concept of integer programming. Binar variables, modelling of logical

expressions.7. Various examples of linear programming, optimization and sensitivity analysis

using SOLVER.8. Decision making in case of uncertainity.9. Zero-sum matrix games. Solution through linear optimization.10. An outline of gradients method in nonlinear programming.11. An outline of dynamic optimization.


Type of Assessment: one midsemester examinations, operations research course paper, final examinations.

Requirements for Obtaining Credit Points: 75% attendance, successful defence of course paper, successful passing of midsemester and final examinations.


Course Prerequisites: mathematics, microeconomics, statistics, econometrics.

Related Subjects: marketing research, financial management, logistics.



Basic Sources:Hamdy A. Taha. Operations Research. An Introduction. 6th Edition. Prentice Hall, 1996.M. Eddowes, R. Stansfield. Decision Making Techniques. 2nd Edition. Longman, 1991.Tomas Gal. Grundlagen des Operations Research I, II, III. 3. Auflage. Springer-Verlag. 1991.Андрей Яунземс. Линейное оптимальное планирование. Рига: Латвийский университет, 1990.

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Course Title: NATIONAL ACCOUNTS AND INPUT-OUTPUT ANALYSIS


Aim of the Course: to make students familiar with the structure and contents of the national accounts system established in 1993, puting special emphasis on supply, demand and analytical symmetric input-output tables, and mathematical models constructed using these tables. To give students theoretical knowledge for practical investigation and analysis of supply, demand and input-output tables.

Course Outline:1. Concept of the national accounts system 1993.2. Supply table, demand table, analytical symmetric input-output table.3. Mathematical models related to supply, demand and input-output tables. Input-

output model.4. Investigation of mathematical models: production, investment, energy industry,

structure of demand, structure of exports, imports and exports, employment, prices and costs, structure of value added. Sensitivity analysis.

5. Development of input-output model: input-output model with substitutable technologies (Samuelson's theorem), input-output-environment model, dynamic input-output model.


Type of Assessment: one midsemester examination, final examinations.



Course Prerequisites: mathematics, statistics, macroeconomics, operations research.

Related Subjects: marketing research, logistics.



Basic Sources:Richard Stone. Input-Output and National Accounts. Organisation for European Economic Co-operation. 1959.William Peterson (Editor). Advances in Input-Output Analysis: Technology, Planning, and Development. Oxford University Press, 1991.Система национальных счетов 1993. Комиссия Европейских сообществ. Международный валютный фонд. Организация экономического сотрудничества и развития. Организация Объединенных Наций и Всемирный банк. 1998.

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Course Title : Applied Problems of Optimization in Economics and Management Science

Course is included in part B (elective course in quantitative methods)

Aim of the Course: to acquaint students with applied situations from economics, management science and relevant spheres, which can be described in terms of the problems of dynamic optimization; to familirize students with the basic metods of modelling, solution, and post-solution analysis of such problems.

Course Outline:The material of the lecture course, being mathematical by applied methods of investigation, relates, from the point of view of its content, to different spheres of the social activity (economics, finances, management science etc.). Different problems of dynamic optimization, referring to Calculus of Variations and Optimal Control Theory, as well as the analytical methods of their solution are considered. The Content of the course is following.1. Introduction. 2. From statistic to dinamic optimization. Classical Calculus of Variations. 3. The simplest problem of classical Calculus of Variations. 4. Discount factor.5. Economic applications of the simplest problem of classical Calculus of

Variations. 6. Generalizations of the simplest problem of classical Calculus of

Variations. 7. Necessary conditions of extrema for an other problem of Calculus of

Variations: for problems with different types of boundary conditions; Lagrange’s problem.

8. Different applications of Calculus of Variations. [ Optimal economic growth with a non-fixed amount of final capital; Minimization of the road construction expenses; Optimal waste disposal; Optimal education and balanced growth; Micro foundations of macro models; Optimal capital accumulation in multisectoral production; Optimization of the extraction process of the natural resources; Optimal economic growth (neo-classical model)].

9. Introduction into Optimal Control Theory. Pontryagin’s Maximum principle. Optimal phasing of deregulation for economic process.

10. Dynamic programming. Problem of optimal distribution of resources. Salesman’s problem.

Total of Contact Hours: 64

Type of Assessment: written examination

Requirements for Obtaining Credit Points: During the semester students must solve a number of problems, assigned by the teacher for independent solving; they must present these solutions to the teacher by the indicated deadlinein. Students must independently prepare the analysis of some dynamic optimization problem. During the seminar they must explain the obtained results. At the examination student must be able to demonstrate the knowledge of the basic concepts and properties of dynamic optimization, and must be able to apply them for situations from economics, management, and relevant spheres.


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Course Prerequisites: Mathematics I and II, , Microeconomics I and II.

Related Subjects: course forms the mathematical basis for the Economic Growth Theory.



Basic Sources: 1. Jānis Vucāns, Optimizācijas lietišķās problēmas ekonomikā un vadības zinātnē

(Applied Problems of Optimization in Economics and Management Science), Lecture Notes, University of Latvia and Ventspils College, 1999.

2. Atle Seierstad and Knut Sydsaeter, Optimal Control Theory with Economic Applications, North-Holland, Amsterdam - New-York - Oxford - Tokyo, 1987.

3. Pierre N.V.Tu, Introductory Optimization Dynamics: Optimal Control Theory with Economic and Management Science Applications, Springer-Verlag, Berlin - Heidelberg - New-York - Tokyo, 1984.

4. Jean-Pierre Aubin, Optima and Equilibra: An Introduction to Nonlinear Analysis, Springer-Verlag, Berlin - Heidelberg - New-York - London - Paris - Tokyo - Hong Kong - Barcelona etc., 1993.

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Course Title: Numerical Methods of OptimizationCourse is included in part B of study program (elective course in quantitative methods)Aim of the Course: to give the students practical skills in solving economic problems of numerical optimization Course Outline: This is the practical course in numerical optimization. The content of the course has little changes from year to year according to the interests of students. Every week students have two academic hours of lectures and two hours of laboratory works in which they must solve (generally by computer) individual exercises. The most part of them are taken from the humans practical life. The aim of the lectures is to familiarise students with the methods of solution of such optimization problems.

At the 1999./2000 academic year the problems to solve at the laboratory hours will correspond to the following themes:

1. Textual exercises that are reducible to the extremal problem for the functions of a single or several variables.

2. Numerical finding of the global extrema for oscillating functions. 3. Numerical minimization of the unimodal functions. 4. Numerical finding of the minimal value of the single variable function in the

given finite interval by the methods of broken lines, tangents and parabolas. 5. Construction of the linear programming problems and their solution by the

program package TORA or by some equivalent package.6. Construction of the transportation type problems and their solution by the

program package TORA. 7. Matrix games with mixed strategies and their equivalence with the problems of

linear programming. Solution of such problems by the program package TORA. 8. Finding of the extremal values of the two variable functions by the geometrical

or some other method. 9. Numerical finding of the extremal values of the two variable functions by the

gradient method. 10. Applications of dynamic programming principle.11. Optimization problems in Portfolio Analysis.

Total of Contact Hours: 64 hours, of which 32 of lectures, and 32 hours of laboratory works



During the semester students must solve by computer the optimization problems of different types.

To pass the examination every student must solve and present to teacher the package of problems distributed for individual solution. These problems forms the content of the approximately 10 laboratory works.

Number of Credit Points: 4 credits

Course Prerequisites: Mathematics I and II.

Related Subjects: Financial Management, Strategic and Operative Planning, Operations Research


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Supervising Teacher of the Course: Assoc. Prof. Dr. math. Jānis Vucāns Basic Sources:1. Р.Габасов, Ф.М.Кириллова. Методы оптимизации. БГУ, Минск 1975.2. Ф.П.Васильев. Численные методы решения экстремальных задач. Наука, М.,

1980.3. Н.Н.Мойсеев, Ю.П.Иванилов, Е.М.Столярова. Методы оптимизации. Наука,

М., 1978.4. D.Kļaviņš. Lineārās programmēšanas uzdevumi piemēros, “Zvaigzne”, 1998.5. W.F.Sharp, G.J.Alexander, J.V.Bailey, Investments, Englewood Cliffs: Prentice

Hall International Inc., 1995.

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Course Title : Financial Accounting II

Course is included in part: part B

Aim of the Course: to obtain basic knowledge in tab transactions in book-keeping at budget institutions, to get acquainted with special balance-sheets used at enterprises, their tasks and differences in preparation, to get insight into the essence of the reports of holding companies, to acquire the principles of preparing the balance-sheet and annual reports of concerns.

Course Outline:1. The accounting of revenue.2. Long-term contracts.3. The accrued taxes.4. The accounting at budget institutions.5. Special balance sheets (the balance-sheet of founding, the balance-sheet of

merger, the balance-sheet of diversification, the balance-sheet of recovery, the balance-sheet of liquidation, the balance-sheet of tenders).

6. Holding companies, their financial statements.7. The annual report of a concern, the balance-sheet of concern.

Total of Contact Hours: 64, lectures and practical assignments

Type of Assessment: an examination

Requirements for Obtaining Credit Points: successfully passed tests, 80% attendance of classes.


Course Prerequisites: completed courses in Accounting, Financial Accounting I

Related Subjects: related to courses in Entrepreneurship, Financial Accounting I, Taxes and Duties, Financial Theory, Foreign Accounting, SecuritiesTransactions.

Author of Course Description: lecturer, m.oec. Inga Jansone, lecturer, m.oec. Līga Ofkante

Supervising Teacher of the Course: lecturer, m.oec. Inga Jansone, lecturer, m.oec. Līga Ofkante

Basic Sources:Jānis Benze, Finansu Grāmatvedība, Auditorfirma “Grāmatvedis”, 1995.Budžeta iestāžu grāmatvedība, LR Normatīvie akti, KIF Biznesa komplekss, Rīga 1998.Starptautiskie grāmatvedības standarti, Latvijas banka, 1998.g.Ieteikumi grāmatvežiem, Zvērinātu revidentu konsultāciju birojs, Rīga 1996.g.

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Course Title: International Accounting StandardsCourse is included in part BAim of the Course: to get acquainted with basic approaches, principles, procedures of preparing financial statements in foreign countries; to get an insight into the use of unified principles in drawing financial reports; to get acquainted with the international accounting standards, to be able to use these standards according to the legislative requirements of the Republic of Latvia.Course Outline: 1. The basic principles of drawing financial statements.2. Disclosure of accounting policies.3. Reserves.4. Depreciation accounting.5. Information to be disclosed in Financial statements.6. Cash flow statements.7. Net profit or loss for the period, Fundamental errors and changes in accounting

policies8. Research and development costs.9. Contingencies and events occuring after the balance sheet date.10. Construction contracts.11. Accounting for taxes on Income.12. Presentation of current assets and current liabilities.13. Reporting financial information by segment.14. Information reflecting the effects of changing prices.15. Property, plant, equipment.16. Accounting for leases.17. Revenue.18. Retirement Benefit Costs.19. Accounting for government grants and disclosure of government assistance.20. The effect of changes in foreign exchange rates.21. Business combinations.22. Borrowing costs.23. Financial reporting of interests in joint ventures.24. Accounting for investments.25. Accounting and reporting by retirement benefit plans.26. Cosolidated financial statements and accounting for investments in subsidiaries.27. Related party disclosures.28. Financial reporting in hyperinflationary economies.29. Disclosures in the financial statements of banks and similar financial institutions30. Financial reporting of interests in joint ventures.31. Financial instruments: disclosure and presentation.

Total of Contact Hours: 64 hours, lectures, seminars.

Type of Assessment: an oral examination; two successfully passed tests, the assessment of the tests will be taken into account in the examination.

Requirements for Obtaining Credit Points: successful assessment of two tests, 80% attendance of classes, if the attendance is lower than 80%, extra questions about the material of unattended seminars should be answered


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Course Prerequisites: acquired material Financial accounting.

Related Subjects: is co-ordinated with courses Financial accounting I, Financial accounting II.

Author of Course Description: lecturer, m. oec. Inga Jansonsone, lecturer, m. oec. Līga Ofkante

Supervising Teacher of the Course: lecturer, m. oec. Inga Jansone, lecturer, m. oec.Līga Ofkante

Basic Sources:Starptautiskie prāmatvedības standarti, Latvijas banka, 1998.g.

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Course Title: Inspection and Audit


Aim of the Course: to get acquainted with the role of audit in the preparation and control of financial statements. To get a notion about the essence, basic principles of audit, the methodology and strategy of the audit. To get acquainted with the criteria for estimating of the risk of audit and with the reports of auditors.

Course Outline:Its introduction into audit – the concept and essence of audit. The operation of audit and regulation of it. The methodology and standards of audit.The common technology of audit – the initial stage of the auditing. The strategy of the auditing. The technology of audit. Fraud and error. Ending the audit. The conclusion of audit.The methodology of audit – the basic methods of financial statements audit financial statements. The control of accuracy in the preparation of financial statements and balance-sheet.The financial analysis of audit – the basis of financial analysis. The analysis of the company’s financial situation.

Total of Contact Hours: 64, lectures - seminars.

Type of Assessment: an examination (oral); at least two successfully passed tests; the results of the tests are taken into account in the examination

Requirements for Obtaining Credit Points: successful assessment in two tests, 80% attendance of classes; if attendance is less than 80%, there are additional questions at the examination


Course Prerequisites: completed courses in Finance Accounting, International Accounting.

Related Subjects: has to be coordinated with courses Finance accounting, Foreign accounting.

Author of Course Description: lecturer, m.oec. Inga Jansone, lecturer, m. oec. Līga Ofkante.

Supervising Teacher of the Course: lecturer, m.oec. Inga Jansone, lecturer, m. oec. Līga Ofkante.

Basic Sources: A.H.Millichamp, Auditing, 7th Edition, London, 1996.Ievads auditā, ACCA, LU, 1994.Starptautiskie revīzijas standarti, Latvijas Banka, 1998.g.Grāmatvedības un audita pamati starptautisko standartu skatījumā, Moore Stephen, LU, Rīga 1994.g.

.

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Course Title: Enterprise Valuation


Aim of the Course: to acquire basic knowledge in determination of enterprise value, in the principles of its price formation and in the basic principles of determinig the value of enterprise parts. To understand the influence of environment and information on the value of an enterprise and its parts.

Course Outline: 1. Opportunities and risks in enterprises valued.2. Reasons and occasions of enterprise valuation.3. The value of economic gain in market economy.4. Valuation methods(assets net value, statistics of comparative transactions,

discounting of cash income).5. Enterprise valuation and exchange value, including substance value.6. Enterprise valuation and income value. Capitalization rate.7. Transaction value (market value, liquidation value).8. Cash flow method in value determination.9. Enterprise valuation and potential analyse.10. Enterprise valuation, enterprise in the past and at present. Portfolio analysis. Profit

and cash flow. Forecasting.11. Outer factor influence on the value. Total value.

Total of Contact Hours: 64, lectures – seminars.

Type of Assessment: an examination (oral)

Requirements for Obtaining Credit Points: tests and examination passed successfully


Course Prerequisites: knowledge in Finance Accounting, International Accounting and Finance Theory.

Related Subjects: coordinated with Finance Accounting, International Accounting, Securities Transactions and Finance Theory courses.

Author of Course Description: lecturer, M.oec. Inga Jansone, lecturer, M.oec. Liga Ofkante.

Supervising Teacher of the Course: lecturer, M.oec. Inga Jansone

Basic Sources:Baltruma D., Freibergs J., Kā novērtēt īpašumu, Invest-Rīga, 1996.

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Course Title: Cost Accouting


Aim of the Course:to obtain basic knowledge about costs as the basic category of management accounting; to comprehend principles of classification of costs; to acquire principles and methods of prime costs calculation, the system of price fixing.

Course Outline:1. Tasks of cost accounting.2. General concepts of costs and return calculation.3. Tasks and types of calculated costs.4. Dissociation of results of fundamental activities and general results of an

enterprise.5. Classification of costs in prime costs.6. Cost accounting by location of the costs.7. Recording the costs in cost accounting. Integrated and divided accounting.8. Types of costs. Material costs, personnel costs, other significant basic costs.9. Full calculation of costs. Principles of overall production costs accounting,

methods of calculation. Statistically tabular cost accounting. Methods of secondary costs distribution.

10. Cost bearers.11. Influence of production structure on the choice of calculation method.12. Control of costs. Control of direct costs, control of overheads, reports of cost

controll.13. Partial calculation of costs. Fixed and variable costs. Accounting and

mathematical methods of cost distribution. Types of partial cost calculation.

Total of Contact Hours: 64, lectures and practical assignments

Type of Assessment: an examination; successfully passed all tests and home tasks; the assessment of the examination is based on the average assessment of all tests; the last two tests are of greatest importance (theory and exercises).

Requirements for Obtaining Credit Points: successfully passed tests and examination.


Course Prerequisites: acquired courses in Accounting, Financial Accounting, Management Accounting

Related Subjects: Co-ordinated with courses: Entrepreneurship, Financial Accounting, Theory of Finance, Management Accounting, Controlling.

Author of Course Description: lecturer, m.oec. Inga Jansone, lecturer, m. oec. Līga Ofkante

Supervising Teacher of the Course: lecturer, m.oec. Inga Jansone, lecturer, m. oec. Līga Ofkante

Basic Sources:Jānis Benze, Izmaksu uzskaite un pašizmaksas kalkulācija, Auditorfirma “Grāmatvedis”, 1996.EU PHARE, Grāmatvedības metodiskā padome, BPP, Ernst&Young, Vadības grāmatvedība, 1.,2.,3.,4. Daļa, 1995.

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Drury J. Management and Cost Accounting. 4th Ed. Int. Thomson Business Press, 1996.T. Lucey, Management Accounting, 1996.

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Course Title: TRANSPORT POLICY


Aim of the Course: To introduce students to trade relations in the Baltic Sea region and Europe, the role of transport in developing such relations, transport policy in Latvia, the Baltics and Europe, and a more detailed overview of the transport industry in Latvia.

Course Outline:1. Trade flows in the Baltic region and Europe2. Review of the role of transport in the supply chain3. Introduction to the basic characteristics of the transport industry in Latvia, the

Baltic region and Europe4. Introduction to the issues in corporate and public policy decisions in

transportation5. Roles of government and business in the Latvian economy including effects of

public policy on the business environment and the transport industry6. Influence of the European Union 7. Business and government decision-making processes8. Ethical foundations of government, business and personal decision-making.

Total of Contact Hours: 64, of which 32 lectures and 32 practical work

Type of Assessment: examination and course assignments


Course Prerequisites: Introduction to Logistics

Author of Course Description: P. Zalite

Supervising Teacher of the Course: P. Zalite

Basic Sources:Kenneth Button, Transport Policy – Ways into Europe’s Future, Bertelsman Stiftung, 1992Kenneth Button, Europäische Verkehrspolitik – Wege in die Zukunft, Bertelsman Stiftung, 1992Christian Gerondeau, Transport in Europe, Artech House, 1997European Conference of Ministers of Transport, Transport Infrastructure in Central and Eastern European Countries, ECMT Paris, 1995J.J. Coyle, Transportation, West Publishing, 1990

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Course Title: The organisation and functions of th EU

Course is included in part C

Aim of the Course: to teach students to understand the essence and organisation of the EU , to know its functions, which will form the students general knowledge about the EU. Getting to know the EU better, each student will have a correct understanding about the possibilities of Latvia’s successful integration in this union.

Course Outline: content of the course is based on the theoretical and practical part. The theoretical part is aimed at acquisition of European Union’s (EU) formation, a review of such treaties as the Treaties of Rome, Maastricht and Amsterdam, EU politics , the essence of EU institutions, EU legislative basis, EU integration process, the relations between the EU and CEEC, the EU-Latvia Association Agreement, as well as advantages and disadvantages Latvia will have after joining the EU. The practical part will include tests, exercises and tasks about the EU.


Type of Assessment: written examination.

Requirements for Obtaining Credit Points: presentation of the exercises and tasks included in the content of course during the semester.


Course Prerequisites: desire to acquire the organisation and functions of the EU intensively and fast.

Related Subjects: students have a preliminary knowledge in :enterpreneurship, organising and planning; micro- and macroeconomics, information technology, international marketing and international trade, business communication, foreign languages. The course is included in the C part of the business administration study Programme.

Author of Course Description: Dr.oec. Ineta Geipele

Supervising Teacher of the Course: Jānis Pildavs

Basic Sources:Kotler Ph. Marketing :e. Einf./Ph. Kotler; G. Armstrong. Aus d. Amerikan. ubers. von Peter Linnert.- Wien:Service, Fachverl. an d. Wirtscaftsuniv., 1998

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Course Title: Marketing Research


Aim of the Course: to teach the student how to gain a better knowledge of the market possibilities, to learn how to tackle marketing problems, by studying customers, middlemen and data about sales volumes and prices.

Course Outline: the course content is based on the theoretical and practical part. The theoretical part contains following sections:the content of and trends of marketing research; the informative systems of marketing, marketing research process; marketing research including the market research sales research, product research, advertising research and price analysis; expert assessments; forecasting in marketing research. The practical part includes analysis of situations (case study) with aim of teaching students to use analytical skills in the assessment of business opportunities.


Type of Assessment: written examination, analysing a particular situation.



Course Prerequisites: ability to acquire marketing research intensively and fast.

Related Subjects: students have a preliminary knowledge in :enterpreneurship, organising and planning; micro- and macroeconomics, information technology, marketing, statistics,business communications, marketing. The marketing research course is to be integrated in the international marketing and international trade, marketing planning, marketing management.

Author of Course Description: Assoc. Prof. Dr.oec. Ineta Geipele

Supervising Teacher of the Course: Assoc. Prof. Dr.oec. Ineta Geipele

Basic Sources:Burns Alvin C., Bush Roland F. Marketing Research. New Jersey, Prentice Hall, 1995.Kotler Ph. Marketing Management; Planing Implementation and Control, 8th edition, Prentice-Hall, Inc. Englewood Cliffs, New JerseyWeis, Hans Christian:Marketing/von Hans Christian Weis,- (Rhein):Kiel, 1993J. Beļčikovs, V. Praude:Mārketings/2. pГолубков Е.П. Маркетинговые исследования:теория, методология, практика. – М.:Финпресс, 1998.

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Course Title: Marketing Management


Aim of the Course: to teach the student management competence, to use analytical approach in marketing management, to find optimum economic solutions in the conditions of limited resources and in developing marketing thinking to identify and apply strategic, tactical and administrative aspects of marketing.

Course Outline: the course contents is based on the theoretical and practical part. The theoretical part contains following sections:introduction, marketing management principles, analysis of marketing possibilities, developing market strategy , planning of marketing programmes, organisation, implementation assessment and control of marketing activity. The practical part contains analysis of real life situations in order to develop students’ abilities to analyse, understand and tackle marketing management problems.


Type of Assessment: written examination, analysing a particular case.



Course Prerequisites: ability to acquire marketing management intensively and fast.

Related Subjects: students have a preliminary knowledge in :enterpreneurship, micro- and macroeconomics, information technology, statistics,business communications, marketing, management psychology, personnel management, international marketing and international trade, market promotion management, marketing planning. The marketing management course serves as a basis for Bachelor`s work in the specialisation part of Marketing Management Studies Department.



Basic Sources:Ansoff H.I. Strategic Issue Management, Working Paper, European Institute for Advanced Studies in Management, Brussels 1979Kotler Ph. Marketing Management; Planning Implementation and Control, 8th edition, Prentice-Hall, Inc. Englewood Cliffs, New JerseyWeis, Hans Christian:Marketing/von Hans Christian Weis,- (Rhein):Kiel, 1993J. Beļčikovs, V. Praude:Mārketings/2. pPorter M.E. Wettbewerbsstrategie, Frankfurt 1983.

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Course Title: Marketing Planning


Aim of the Course: to teach the student to identify and assess marketing problems, to develop students ability to determine marketing goals, to develop marketing strategies, plans, to estimate marketing budget, develop and introduce a marketing planning system, to train students ability to perform and monitor marketing activities.

Course Outline: the course content is based on the theoretical and practical part. The following 11 parts are included in the theoretical part:introduction, elements of marketing planning process, problems of developing and introducing marketing planning systems, marketing audit, setting of goals and strategy, plan of distribution, marketing information and forecasts, organisation of marketing. The goal of the practical part is to teach students how to use the acquired analytical skills in the process of developing and introducing marketing planning systems. Particular tasks and analysis of situations is provided.



Requirements for Obtaining Credit Points: the presentation of case studies during the term


Course Prerequisites: ability to acquire marketing planning intensively and fast.

Related Subjects: students have a preliminary knowledge in :enterpreneurship, organisation and planning, micro- and macroeconomics, information technology, statistics,business communications. Acquisition of marketing planning system serves as a basis for Bachelor`s work in the specialisation part of Marketing Management Studies Department.



Basic Sources:Kotler Ph. Marketing Management; Planning Implementation and Control, 8th edition, Prentice-Hall, Inc. Englewood Cliffs, New JerseyMalcolm H. B. McDonald. Marketing Plans, Heinemann Ltd., LondonJ. Beļčikovs, V. Praude:Mārketings/2. pPorter M.E. Wettbewerbsstrategie, Frankfurt 1983.

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Course Title: Marketing Psychology


Aim of the Course: to teach the student to understand the role of the consumer and the customer in marketing, to understand and analyse issues associated with the pattern of the consumer behaviour in the market, to be able to design more effective marketing strategies using tools and concepts provided by the course.

Course Outline: the course content is based on the theoretical and practical part. The following parts are included in the theoretical part:significance of consumer analysis, its model, application; pecularities of emotional and cognitive sphere and their behaviour of consumers, knowledge and personal interest in the product, discovery, attention and comprehension, attitudes and purposes of consumer decision making; concepts of behaviour for understanding the consumer, developing the classic and the operand conditions of action, vicariar learning, spreading of innovations, analysis of consumer behaviour:essence and role of the environmental aspect; aspects of culture and crosscultures; influence of subculture and a social stratum of referent groups and the family. The practical part contains exercises, case studies, simulation games.



Requirements for Obtaining Credit Points: presentation the results of the analysis of tasks included in the content of course during the semester, taking part in simulation games during the semester.


Course Prerequisites: ability to acquire psychology of marketing intensively and fast.

Related Subjects: students have a preliminary knowledge in :business, micro- and macroeconomics, information technology, statistics,business communications, marketing, , international marketing, management of marketing communication. The marketing management course serves as a basis for Bachelor`s work in the specialisation part of Marketing Management Studies Department.


Supervising Teacher of the Course:. Assoc. Prof. Dr.oec. Ineta Geipele

Basic Sources:Peter J.& Olson J. Understanding Consumer Behaviour. IRWIN, Burridge, 3, USA.

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Course Title: Promotion Management


Aim of the Course: to teach students to comprehend the increasing importance of tendencies in market within the marketing complex, to define strategies of the tendencies in the market, to define and apply corresponding elements of tendencies in the market for each particular product.

Course Outline: the course is based on the theoretical and practical part. The theoretical part includes the following basic themes of complex:introduction, sales and management, advertising, sales promotion, direct marketing, development of public relations. In the practical part the analysis of real life situations is used to develop students’ ability to analyse, understand and solve complicated questions in the process of product’s movement in the market, applying logical thinking in cases when there is insufficient information and conflicting elements.


Type of Assessment: written examination, analysing the particular case.

Requirements for Obtaining Credit Points: presentation of the exercises and tasks included in the content of course during the semester.


Course Prerequisites: presentation of case analyses during the semester.

Related Subjects: students have a preliminary knowledge in :enterpreneurship, organising and planning; micro- and macroeconomics, information technology, marketing, business communication, management psychology and personnel management. The acquisition of communication tools serves as a basis for Bachelor’s work Marketing Management in the specialisation part.



Basic Sources:Kotler Ph. Marketing Management; Planning Implementation and Control, 8th edition, Prentice-Hall, Inc. Englewood Cliffs, New JerseyRachman D. Marketing Today, The Dryden Press, 1994Rachman D. Marketing Today, The Dryden Press, 1994Smith P.R. Marketing Communications- A n Integration Approach, Kogan Page, 1996Weis, Hans Christian:Marketing/von Hans Christian Weis,- (Rhein):Kiel, 1993J. Beļčikovs, V. Praude:Mārketings/2. p

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Course Title: International Marketing and International Trading


Aim of the Course: to teach students management, analysis and decisionmaking when independently solving problems connected with matters related to international marketing environment, to identify the place of marketing subjects within that environment, to assess the pecularities of Latvia’s internal market and international markets. In the course on international trade each student must have knowledge of different aspects of foreign trade in enterpreneurship, taking into consideration pecularities of import and export in Latvia.

Course Outline: content of the course is based on the theoretical and practical part. The theoretical part includes the acquisition of 6 basic themes in international marketing:introduction, market research and analysis of data in international marketing, the environment of international marketing, strategic planning of marketing, marketing complex, action plans and control. The course on international Trade in the theoretical part envisages acquisition of 9 basic themes:introduction, the essence of international trade, the trade of Latvia in the global economy, its trading partners, trading policy, organisation of international tradin, the global financial environment, currency rates, regulations of supply and transportation in the international trading. In the practical part attention is focused on the analysis of marketing environment in export countries and exploring Latvian foreign trade areas.


Type of Assessment: written final examination, analysing a particular case.

Requirements for Obtaining Credit Points: presentation of the analysis of the results of tasks included in the content of course during the semester.


Course Prerequisites: desire to acquire the international marketing and international trade intensively and fast.

Related Subjects: students have a preliminary knowledge in :enterpreneurship, organising and planning; micro- and macroeconomics, information technology, marketing, strategic and operative planning, statistics and business communication, foreign languages.



Basic Sources:Libermanis E. Starptautiskie ekonomiskie sakari un Latvija.-R.:Kamene, 1997Ūdris Z., Sēle A. , Gustsons V. Pamatzināšanas starptautiskajā tirdzniecībā.-R.:Jāņa sēta, 1994Kaktiņš J. INCOTERMS—1990// Palīgs biznesā.-R.:Asja, 1993Kotler Ph. Marketing Management.-Prentice-Hall International (UK) Ltd., 1997Terpstra V., Sarathy R. International marketing (International edition).-The Dryden Press, 1994.

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Course Title: Strategic and operative planning


Aim of the Course: to help students to strategic management and strategic planning, to analyse the macro environment of an organisation, to study the weak and strong points of an enterprise, analysing strategical alternatives, to choose an optimal one; to make strategic planning at the level of an enterprise and at the functional level using matrix methods; to be able to give recommendations for an effective usage of the strategy; to understand the importance and essence of operative planning in the process of enterprise management—to tackle issues connected with material, projects and quality.

Course Outline: the course content is based on the theoretical and practical part. The theoretical part includes the acquisition of the essence and importance of strategic and operative planning, the process of both types of planning, levels of strategic planning, product output planning, material needs planning, network planning, systems of reserve management, operative personnel planning; capital, financial and financing needs; inter relations among the plans and usage of successful plans and strategies. The practical part includes solution of tasks relevant to the mentioned themes.



Requirements for Obtaining Credit Points:solution of the tasks included in the content of course during the semester.


Course Prerequisites: ability to acquire strategic and operative planning.

Related Subjects: students have a preliminary knowledge in :enterpreneurship, planning; micro- and macroeconomics, information technology, finance mathematics.Lectures in strategic and operative planning serve as a basis for subjects included in part C programme of Management Studies Department.



Basic Sources:Everett E. Adam, Jr., and Ronald J. Elbert, Production and Operations Management :Concepts, Models, and Behaviour, 3rd ed. Englewood Cliffs, N.J., Prentice-Hall, 1986.Michaell H.Mescon, Michael Albert, Franklin Khedouri. Management. Harper&Row, Publishers New York, 1993.Praude V., Beļčikovs J. Menedžments.-R., Vaidelote, 1996

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Course Title: Quality Management


Aim of the Course: to teach students to understand systems of quality management in an enterprise, the main function, quality systems, to use quality management techniques, to have knowledge of ISO standards, to identify problems related to the environment.

Course Outline: the course content is based on the theoretical and practical part. The theoretical part includes the following basic principles of quality management, concepts, definitions, levels, affecting factors, characterisition of quality systems, total quality management system and quality bonuses, essence of standards, ISO standards and their essence. The practical part includes tasks, case studies and simulation games.

Number of Contact Hours: 32, including 16 lectures and 16 seminars.

Type of Assessment : written examination.

Requirements for Obtaining Credit Points: presentation of the tasks and case studies included in the content of course, participation in simulation games during the semester.


Course Prerequisites: desire to acquire quality management intensively and fast.

Related Subjects: students have a preliminary knowledge in :enterpreneurship, planning; micro- and macroeconomics, information technology, statistics, marketing, business communication,international marketing and trade. The Quality Management course is incorporated in the C part of the Business Study administration Programme.

Author of Course Description: Assoc.Prof. Dr.oec. Ineta Geipele

Supervising Teacher of the Course: Jānis Pildavs

Basic Sources:Richard L. Daft. Management.John S. Oakland. Total Quality Management.Mike Dillon & Chris Griffith. How to Haccp.ISO 9000 Quality Management Systems. ISO.

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Course Title: Computer teaching (training)Course is included in: C partAim of the Course: To build up students, knowledge and relevant skills of working with it and software. Course Outline:1. General skills in work with Windows NT. 2. The Internet service, observer programmes, the InternetExplorer.2. E-mail and MS Outlook 97.3. Text editor MS WORD 8.0.4. Spreadsheets MS EXCEL 8.0.Total of Contact Hours: 64 (practical classes)Type of Assessment: continuous – assessment – based test.Requirements for Obtaining Credit Points: skilful use of software.Number of Credit Points: 4Course Prerequisites: not needed.Related Subjects: skills and abilities acquired are necessary in the further study process in statistics, econometry, computer accounting, information technology of economics .Author of Course Description: Gints NeimanisSupervising Teacher of the Course: assistant Gints Neimanis, assistant Gaidis SējaBasic Sources:Katrin Sataki . Microsoft Windows95 for everyone. Teaching aid. Riga: ComputerL/ Riga, 1995. - 146 pp.Laila Niedrīte. Microsoft Excel 5.0 for specialists. Teaching aid. Riga: ComputerLand/Riga 1995.- 176 pp/Teaching materials of lecturers.Resources to be found in the Internet.

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Course Title : General Psychology


Aim of the Course: to introduce students to the foundations of the science of psychology, to provide principles regarding the methodology of psychology, psychological processes, to provide understanding of the possibilities of self – analysis and psychological characteri sation of people.

Course Outline:1. Psyche and human behavior as the object of psychology.

Methods and methodology of psychological research.2. Sientific schools of psychology. Behaviorism, psychonalysis,

cognitive psychology, humanistic psychology. The branches of applied psychology.

3. Psychological processes: sensations, perception, attention, thinking, memory, imagination, emotions. Abilities and intelligence.

4. Individual typology. Types of temperament. K. Jung`s psychological types. Types of character.

5. Personality, it`s formation and development trough childhood, adolescence and adulthood.

6. Psychological characteristics of the personality : self – esteem, level of aspirations, locus of control.

7. The hierarchy of personality needs. Values and interests.8. Communication and social groups.

Total of Contact Hours : 32, including 24 lecture hours and 8 practical hours.

Type of Assessment : written examination; to be allowed to take final examination, student during the term should successufully pass two preliminary tests and final examination.

Requirements for Obtaining Credit Points : successful passing two preliminary tests and final examination.


Author of Course Description : Assoc. Prof. Dr. psych. Viesturs Reņģe

Supervising Teacher of the Course : Assoc. Prof. Dr. psych. Viesturs Reņģe

Basic Sources:Godfrua Ž. Čto takoje psihologija ? T.1. Maskava, 1996 (kr. val.).Reņģe V. Personība. Personības psiholoģiskās teorijas. Rīga, 1999.Vorobjovs A. Psiholoģijas pamati. Rīga, 1996.

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Vuorinens R., Tunāla E., Mikonens V. Psiholoģijas pamati. Psihe – garīgā pasaule. Rīga, 1998.

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CourseTitle: Introduction to Political Philosophy


Aim of the Course: course is intended: to acquaint students with the the relations between political philosophy,

political theory, and political science, to clear the role op political philosophy in the history of philosophy and in the context of contemporary philosophical thinking;

to acquaint students with the main definitions of politics; to introduce students in the main ideological and theoretical approaches of the contemporary

political thinking: liberalism, conservatism, socialism, marxism, feminism, anarchism, feminism, ecologism, multiculturalism etc.

to discuss with students the main problems and theories of the contemporary political philosophy: state, political obligation, rights, common interest and democracy, power, authority and legitimacy, freedom and tolerance.

Course Outline:1. The importamce of political philosophy, its relations with political theory

and political science. The concept of politics and its interpretations in philosophy.

2. The main ideological and theoretical approaches of the contemporary political thinking: liberalism, conservatism, socialism, marxism, feminism, anarchism, feminism, ecologism, multiculturalism, analytical philosophy, critical theory, posmodernism, communitarianism etc.

3. The state. Citizenship. Obligations and rights. Justification of political obligation. The concepts of "original position". Nation and state.

4. Power, authority, legitimacy. Power and coercion.5. Law and order. "Natural law" and law positivism. Justification of the civil

disobedience.6. Democracy, representation and public interest. Types of democracy.

Dilemmas of democracy.7. Negative and postive freedom. Freedom and democracy. Freedom and

tolerance. The necessity and borders of tolerance.8. Equality and justice.Total of Contact Hours:

contact hours - 16 lectures (32 academic hours); students’ independent studies of literature - 32 hours preparation of the essay - 15 hours

Type of Assessment: written exsaminationRequirements for Obtaining Credit Points: To get a positive evaluation, student has to write an essay and pass final written test, concerning content of the course and required readings.Number of Credit Points: 2Author of Course Description: Assoc. Prof. Dr.phil. Juris RozenvaldsSupervising Teacher of the Course: Assoc. Prof. Dr.phil. Juris RozenvaldsBasic Sources:

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Andrew Heywood. Political Ideas and Concepts. Macmillan, 1994.Jonathan Wolff. An Introduction to Political Philosophy. Oxford University Press, 1996.

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Course Title: The History of Culture


Aim of the Course: To provide students with general knowledge of the history of culture and to give them a better understanding of the contemporary cultural phenomena.

Course Outline:1. Introduction to the history of culture.2. The nature, structure and functions of the culture.3. The culture of China as a basis of Asian culture.4. The culture of India.5. The culture of Japan.6. The culture of ancient world (part I).7. The culture of ancient world (part II).8. Etruscan and roman culture.9. Christianity and medieval culture.10. Renaissance in Italy and outside of Italy.11. Catholicism and protestantism.12. Culture of Europe (16th – 17th century).13. The 18th century: rococo and the birth of modern wold.14. The 19th century: pluralism of style.15. Modernist project.16. 20th century culture and postmodernism.

Total of Contact Hours: in the form of lectures : 2 ac. hours in a week(1 term).

Type of Assessment: a graded test

Requirements for Obtaining Credit Points: assigned papers


Author of Course Description:. Assoc. Prof. Dr. phil Vija Sīle

Supervising Teacher of the Course: Assoc. Prof. Dr. phil. Vija Sīle

Basic Sources:Klīve, A.A.(1999), Ticības ceļos, Zinātne.Klīve, A.A.(1998), Gudrības ceļos, Zinātne.Klīve, A.A.(1999), Rīcības ceļos, Zinātne.Pothorn, H.(1997), A Guide to Architectural Styles, Phaidon.Grosmane, E.(1995), Gotika, Latvijas Enciklopēdija.

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Course Title : An introduction into Business French


Aim of the Course: develop the communicative and writing skills, reading, listening comprehension,acquisition of lexical - grammatical structures studying the topics listed inthe course content.

Course Outline:1. Acquaintance2. Business meetings, appointments.3. Business meeting’s planning.4. Office equipment.5. Hotel’s reservation 6. Hotel and living.7. Menus and restaurants.

Total of Contact Hours: 2 classes a week in the term 1.


Requirements for Obtaining Credit Points: attendance makes at least 70% of total contact hours, successfully passed me - term tests and a final test.


Course Prerequisites: the intention to acquire French intensively and effectively.

Related Subjects: related to main problems of all special subjects.

Author of Course Description: Astra Skrābane

Supervising Teacher of the Course: Astra Skrābane

Basic Sources:S.Truscott - M.Mitchell, B.Tauzin. Le francais a grande vitesse. Cours intensif pour debutants. Hachette, F.L.E.K.Lidena, A.Soldena, B.Šatons. Pique-nique 1. Franču valodas kurss iesācējiem. Zvaigzne ABCH.Kalve. Latviešu - franču sarunvārdnīca. Jumava

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Course Title : Principles of Business English (English as SFL)


Aim of the Course: to form and develop the vocabulary and language skills in business and general English in order to be able to communicate in different situations . To introduce the students with the language and style of business correspondence. To strengthen the use and appropriate choice of grammatical functions.

Course Outline:1. Personality profile – employee’s personal and professional qualities.2. In the office, job responsibilities.3. FOREIGN CONTACTS, INTRODUCING YOURSELF TO OTHER PEOPLE. 4. COMPANY PROFILES. ORGANISATIONS. CURRENT ACTIVITIES. 5. COMPANY HISTORY, ACHIEVEMENTS, EXPERIENCE. 6. TELEPHONING. TRANSFERRING AND REQUESTING INFORMATION. 7. MEETINGS. MAKING SUGGESTIONS, ASKING FOR OPINIONS. GIVING A SHORT

PRESENTATION. 8. BUSINESS CORRESPONDENCE: THE LETTER OF APPLICATION, CV, INVITATIONS,

ARRANGEMENTS, PLANS. Total of Contact Hours : 2 classes a week in the terms 1 and 2

Type of Assessment : test - after the 1st term examination – after the 2nd term

Requirements for Obtaining Credit Points: attendance makes at least 75% of total contact hours, successfully passed mid - term tests, the final test and the examination.


Course Prerequisites: the students have reached a lower – intermediate level of English.

Related Subjects: related to main problems of all special subjects

Author of Course Description: Maruta Koha

Supervising Teacher of the Course: Maruta Koha

Basic Sources:V. Hollet, Business Objectives, OUP, 1997 (stud. Book & Workbook)V. Hollet, Meeting Objectives, Oxford English Video, Video Guide & Activity Book, 1995A. Littlejohn, Company to Company: A New Approach to Business Correspondence in English, CUP, 1998Murphy R. English Grammar in Use – CUP, 1997 – 350p.

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Course Title: Business English I and II (English as SFL)


Aim of the Course: to form and develop the vocabulary and language skills in business and general English in order to be able to communicate in different situations. To introduce the students with the language and style of business correspondence. To strengthen the use and appropriate choose of grammatical functions.

Course Outline:1. Product description. Launching a new product.2. Reporting on company’s progress. Writing a report.3. Promotional tools. Advertising.4. Financial results. Balance sheet. Describing changes. Causes and results.5. Business news.6. Employment. Motivation. Management styles.7. Planning ahead. Drawing a schedule.8. Business trip. Cultural differences.9. Sharing the experience. Reporting on achievements.10. Problem solving. Reaching a compromise.

Total of Contact Hours : 2 classes a week in terms 3 and 4

Type of Assessment : test - after the 3rd term ,examination – after the 4th term

Requirements for Obtaining Credit Points: attendance makes at least 70% of total contact hours, successfully passed mid - term tests, the final test and the examination.


Course Prerequisites: the students have successfully passed the examination after the 2nd term mid – term tests.

Related Subjects: related to main problems of all special subjects.



Basic Sources:V. Hollet, Business Objectives, OUP, 1997 (stud. Book & Workbook)V. Hollet, Meeting Objectives, Oxford English Video, Video Guide & Activity Book, 1995A. Littlejohn, Company to Company: A New Approach to Business Correspondence in English, CUP, 1998Canter J., Hollett B. and others. Crteating Opportunities. Activity Book and Video Guide. – OUP, 1995

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Additional sources of information

Ventspils College official responsible for accreditationDeputy Rector Assoc. Prof. Māra Leitāne– tel.(+371) 3628303, e-mail: [email protected]

Information on the Department of Economics and Management –Head of the Department Assoc. Prof. Jānis Vucāns tel. (+371) 36 23127, e-mail: [email protected]

Information on the Department of Translation Studies –Head of the Department Asoc. Prof. Jānis Sīlistel. (+371)36 23052,e-mail: [email protected]

Information on research and methodological work–Assoc. Prof. Māra Leitāne Assoc. Prof. Jānis Sīlis Assoc. Prof. Jānis Vucāns

Information on study organization –HEAD OF STUDY UNIT AIJA GAILE

tel.(+371)36 23096e-mail: [email protected]

Information on external relations and promotional activities –EXTERNAL RELATIONS COORDINATOR DOCENT ASTRA SKRĀBANE

tel. (+371)36 23096e-mail: [email protected]

Information on Students Self-GovernmentStud Mārtiņš Lauva. e-mail: [email protected]

Information on the College Library –LIBRARIAN DACE KREICBERGA

tel. 36 23802 e-mail: [email protected]

Information on computer facilities and computerization –HEAD OF DISTANCE-LEARNING AND COMPUTER SCIENCE SECTOR GINTS NEIMANIS

tel. (+371)36 23096e-mail: [email protected]

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Documents

contents - Aiknc · Web viewMicroeconomics. Theory and Applications. 8th Edition. ( W. W. Norton & Co, 1994. Varian Hal. R. Grundzüge der Mikroökonomik. 3. Auflage. ( R. Oldenbourg