Inside a company

Aim

The purpose of this course is to provide participants with an introduction on how a company works in practice, not to explain theoretical business concepts or economic theories.  Participants will learn that there are many different types of companies, which offers different possibilities for an interesting career.  They will have a basic understanding of how a company operates: what is the role of the various departments and what are the main processes a company uses to implement its business objectives. They will understand that a nice job title can impress friends but it is foremost a business card and needs a reality check! Career development and personal objectives in a company, what is it all about? The “value” of a degree: does a PhD degree automatically results in a senior function and is the job choice limited to the specifics of the PhD degree? Finally the participants will have the opportunity to ask questions to someone who has been active for many years in a responsible position in a Fast Moving Consumer Goods company.

Content of the course

• How are companies structured?
  • Explanation on different types of companies: local or multinational, listed or private, marketing & sales or operations focused, international or Belgian, affiliate or head office -> how this affects organization, functioning, employment, etc.
  • Explanation of matrix as most common type of company structure  -> structured by business units or geographical area or by product category or by activity ( production / sales) or by department ( legal / sales) etc.
• How does a company operate?
  • Explanation of the most commonly used processes: planning , finance & budget, marketing & sales 
  • Decision making process: what is the role of various departments / functions.
• Job titles:
  • Provide participants examples of titles used in various companies and explain what their role / job is. What is the correlation between title ( e.g. vice president) – function (e.g. sales) – job ( the real activity) - grade (salary)
  • Job title and recruitment, hierarchy, function
• HR what is it all about?
  • Talent management or career development
  • Personal objectives?
  • Degree / certificate
  • Local or international career?
• How to look for a job
  • A job in line with your degree?
  • Working in a major or smaller company ?
  • How to identify: job sites, company sites, headhunters, …
  • What to ask during recruitment interviews.

Date and location:

​Teacher:

Paul Broeckx

Language of the course:

English

Docop-points:

0,7 points

Registration:

Via Sisa Self Service. Log in with your student account. Registration is possible as from 8 January 2025 and after you've been (re-)enrolled as a PhD student for 2024-2025.