Understanding emerging markets is key to identify new business opportunities and obtain the tools to navigate their specific characteristics. This program aims to provid e Argentinian and International MBA students with:
The program is fully taught in English by UTDT's faculty, who are recognized experts in their fields. Comprised of three intensive, consecutive modules, each lasting one week, "Business in Argentina: Understanding Emerging Markets" has a flexible design that allows participants to take as many courses as their schedules allow.
Each module comprises 33 contact hours, taught from Monday through Thursday, from 9 am to 6.30 pm. Students have 75 minutes for lunch and two short breaks during the day.
An orientation program and city tour are offered to new participants each Sunday.
Students are expected to attend at least 80% of lectures and to pass a mini test and final exam in each module.
"Financial Market Strategy"
Prof. Alejo Rodríguez Cacio, Master of Economics, University of York & Master of Finance, Universidad Torcuato Di Tella.
bioJanuary 60-09, 2025
"Social Business in Emerging Markets"
Prof. Jaquie Pels, Ph.D. in Business Administration, University of Leicester
bioJanuary 13-16, 2025
"International Business Strategies: Challenges and Opportunities in Emerging Markets"
Prof. Sebastián Auguste, Ph.D. in Economics, University of Michigan.
bioJanuary 20-23, 2025
"Operations Strategy and Emerging Markets"
Prof. Santiago Kraiselburd, Ph.D. in Business Administration, Harvard University.
bioJanuary 27-30, 2025
Only MBA and EMBA students will be accepted to this program. To apply please submit to international@utdt.edu:
Each participant must arrange and cover the costs of international and local transportation, accommodation, meals, health insurance, travel documents and personal expenses.
A list of suggested accommodations will be sent to accepted students.
Tuition per module: USD 2000 (waived for PIM partners).
Participation fee: USD 100 (will only be charged once, regardless of how many modules the student takes).
International Business Strategy at UTDT is a great course for those seeking a comprehensive understanding of the challenges and opportunities of emerging markets. I appreciated the recent business case examples that conveyed the interdependent relationship between the business, cultural, political, and economical factors when starting a business in an emerging market. In addition, the professors and staff were extremely helpful throughout the time abroad.
Derek Jett
Kellogg School of Management
at Northwestern University
USA
The entire program was a phenomenal opportunity to get informed insight into the benefits and challenges of engaging in business in emerging markets. The course Social Business in Emerging Markets offered a unique opportunity to think innovatively about how to best serve lower income consumers in a way that can better serve society as a whole. The course forced me to think differently and challenge my perspective to take on different views. I can confidently say I will take what I have learned forward with me in my career. The chance to learn from an accomplished professor and meet great classmates made it all that much better!"
Sammi Vittert
University of Michigan
Ross School of Business
USA
The course at Di Tella has been invaluable, offering a deep dive into emerging markets with practical, real-world applications. The professors expertly bridged theory and practice, equipping me with skills crucial for the international business arena. Additionally, the staff at Di Tella ensured a seamless and welcoming experience from admission to settling in. The Buenos Aires city tour was a delightful bonus, enhancing our understanding of the local culture.This program is a must for anyone aiming to excel in international markets. I wholeheartedly recommend it.
Shweta Agrawal
Goizueta Business School
Emory University
USA
I had a great experience learning about Emerging Markets at Di Tella! The professors were top notch and the staff incredibly supportive, making for an amazing Summer Camp experience!
Madeline Mulkey Ledford
Goizueta Business School
Emory University
USA
Enrolling in the Emerging Market Course at UTDT marks my initial exploration of Latin America. Guided by exceptional professors, I've gained insights into international business, frameworks, and the history of Argentina. The course delivery surpassed my expectations, and I wholeheartedly recommend it to anyone seeking to understand emerging markets.
Pamela Udumba
Kelley School of Business
Indiana University
USA
Taking the International Business Strategies: Challenges and Opportunities in Emerging Markets course was a unique experience. I did not know a lot about Argentina and I was able to learn the political and economic history which was helpful to understand the local culture and business impact. I also learned of the significant challenges companies face in emerging markets and how remarkable it is when they are successful. I highly recommend this course to anyone who is unfamiliar to international business, especially in LATAM.
Anay Wendt
Kellogg School of Management
at Northwestern University
USA
I really liked the intensive course structure, because it allowed us to earn credits and learn knowledge in a relatively short time. In my home institution (University of Calgary), we also have the one-week short program called "block week course", so I personally never feel the courses were too short. Everything was perfectly arranged. Well done UTDT!!
Benny Zhu
University of
Calgary
Canadá
Within three weeks of the application deadline, you will receive an acceptance letter.
A minimum of 10 students is required to open each module. The maximum enrollment per module is 60 students.
No. UTDT MBA students will also be joining this program.
Yes, a transcript will be issued and sent to the home institution within a month of program completion.
Each course is worth 6.1 ECTS.
Please contact international@utdt.edu
Alejo Rodriguez Cacio holds a Master of Economics from York University (United Kingdom) and a Master of Finance from Universidad Torcuato Di Tella, where he serves as full-time professor as well as MBA and Executive MBA academic director. He has over 20 years of investment, business development and financial education experience. He founded and acted as General Director of InvestBA, which was distinguished by the Financial Times as one of the best three Strategies for Investment Promotion in the world.
He also occupied leadership positions at BankBoston/Bank of America and Unilever. Alejo currently serves as Business and Product Manager in Capital Markets Argentina.
Viacheslav Mishchenko is an experienced finance and technology professional with over 20 years of expertise across banking, academia, and investments. He has served as a top management executive at major Russian banks such as VTB and Sberbank, leading risk management initiatives. His area of competence is creating financial innovations and novel technologies for the banking industry. He possesses hands-on experience with digital banking, having overseen undertakings on automation, big data analytics, and similar projects.
Apart from banking, he has an active role as an investor and advisor for startups that focus on financial technology. Starting in 2020, he invested in fintech, blockchain, AI and play-to-earn ventures. In 2021, he joined a venture capital fund as a Partner to pursue startup investments full-time across emerging verticals such as fintech, martech, and edtech. Additionally, he serves as a member of investment committees in various funds. Drawing from his extensive industry experience, he offers startups valuable guidance on topics such as business models, economic analysis, and venture funding. Slava has taught courses on diverse topics including digital banking, blockchain technology, fintech, and the future of finance. He has taught these subjects at highly regarded Russian universities, including the Higher School of Economics.
Jaqueline Pels (PhD) is Full Professor of Marketing at the University Torcuato Di Tella Business School, Buenos Aires, Argentina. She is the Director of the Inclusive Business Think Tank (ENI-DiTella) as well as a Social Entrepreneur, and founder of JUNTOS. Her research interest is in the areas of inclusive business, emerging economies, marketing theory, relationship, and networking marketing as well as the Service-Dominant logic. Her publications have appeared in leading international journals including Journal of the Academy of Marketing Science, Marketing Theory, Journal of Business Research, Journal of Business and Industrial Marketing, European Journal of Marketing, Journal of Relationship Marketing, amongst others. She has served on the Editorial Boards of the Journal of Marketing, Marketing Theory, Journal of Business, and Industrial Marketing, among others.
Sebastián has an MBA from the University of Oxford, a LL.M. from Universidad Torcuato Di Tella (UTDT), a Master in Finance from Universidad Nacional de Rosario (UNR) and he is Chartered Accountant from Universidad Argentina de la Empresa (UADE). Currently he serves as Finance Director for Fresca Group in the UK. He has been Finance Director at Jupiter Group, CFO at The Fruit Farm Group, Head of Procurement at Kleppe and Head of Finance and Operations at Oster in Argentina. He has more than 20 years of experience in finance and operations leading start-ups and mature organisations, restructuring and scaling up businesses within the agri-food and consumer goods industries in Europe and Latin America. His core skills include finance reporting and storytelling, FP&A, cash optimisation, working capital and risk management, and finance transformation.
Dr. Santiago Kraiselburd is responsible for business development, knowledge creation, people development and leadership in client facing engagements on Supply Chain Management and Strategic Sourcing & Procurement. Although Santiago has focused on the Consumer Goods industry, he has also served clients in a wide arrange of industries such as Agribusiness, Airline, Automotive, Chemicals, Oil & Gas, etc. In addition to INCAE, Santiago is an Adjunct Professor at the Universidad Torcuato Di Tella (Argentina), and teaches at the Zaragoza Logistics Center (Spain), both in the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) International Logistics Program and at the Spanish Masters program.
Dr. Kraiselburd received a Doctorate in Business Administration (DBA) from Harvard University, a Masters in Business Administration (MBA) and a Masters of Science in Industrial and Systems Engineering from the University of Southern California (USC), and an Electronic Engineering degree specialized in Microprocessors from the Universidad Nacional de La Plata (Argentina). Dr. Kraiselburd has taught/led research through various appointments at the University of Chicago (USA), Harvard University (USA), IE Business School (Spain), INCAE (Costa Rica), the Instituto Tecnológico y de Estudios Superiores de Monterrey (México, the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (USA), the Universidad Nacional de La Plata (Argentina), the University of Southern California (USA), the Universidad Torcuato Di Tella (Argentina), the University of Toronto (Canada) and the University of St. Gallen (Switzerland). He has written numerous cases and articles published both in academic journals such as Production and Operations Management (POM), Manufacturing & Service Operations Management (M&SOM), International Journal of Production Economics (IJPE), Harvard Deusto Business Review and Supply Chain Quarterly.
This course is focused on learning and developing talent management and self-knowledge skills for successfully working in diverse cultural environments. Special focus is placed on Argentinian and Latin American specific traits and particular challenges.
Main objectives:
This course provides comprehensive coverage of the financial innovations that are transforming banking and finance. It begins with a conceptual foundation, exploring the role of technology in enabling financial innovation, its impact on economic growth, the evolution of digital banking, and the key technologies such as AI, blockchain, big data, and machine learning that underpin it.
The course deals extensively with blockchain and cryptocurrencies, analyzing their technical underpinnings, applications in banking, and the future landscape of digital payments. Similarly, it dives deep into AI and big data, examining use cases and decision-making roles in financial institutions. Regulatory, ethical, and cybersecurity issues are also discussed to provide a holistic perspective.
Real-world case studies are used throughout the curriculum, highlighting examples of digital transformation successes and failures. The course synthesizes conceptual knowledge with practical insights into the implementation of digital banking strategies and fintech solutions. Students develop skills in analyzing the impact of disruptive innovations on traditional banking, and formulating strategic responses to digital challenges.
Cutting-edge topics such as decentralized finance (DeFi), embedded finance, neobanks, digital assets, and open banking APIs are explored to equip students to lead at the forefront of financial innovation. Readings, multimedia resources, projects, and assessments aim to foster the hard and soft skills critical to thriving in an increasingly dematerialized, dynamic, and data-driven financial system.
Overall, the curriculum provides a multidimensional preparation that enables students to critically evaluate financial innovation, demonstrate technological literacy, and strategically navigate the digital future of banking.
Since the 2008 financial crisis, Emerging Markets' growth projections surpass those of Developed Markets. The Covid-19 pandemic and the current Ukrainian-Russian war do not revert the tendency; in short, Emerging Markets will be key markets in the future. Growth in Emerging markets is driven by the 60-70% of the population that belongs to what has been labeled as Low-Income Consumers (LIC). Unfortunately, current marketing strategies have been created for Developed Markets and have as targets the middle and upper socioeconomic levels. As a result, LICs are largely an unattended market by major multinational corporations & associated brands. In our course, we will explore strategies that aim at capturing this opportunity. Strategies that have the dual aim of doing good while doing well. We will learn how to develop Social Businesses that are economically robust and have a social impact, improving the lives of the underserved LIC.
The uncertainty of the economic and political environment and the speed of change in an inflationary environment has made a perfect storm for business leaders around the world. Managing a company in a high inflationary economy is a great opportunity for finance leaders to shine and to influence other stakeholders to understand how the organization must respond to unknown challenges.
During the course you will see how a business is affected by inflation, how financial information gets distorted, which initiatives could be implemented to mitigate the impact, and what reporting needs to be prepared to inform timely decisions. In this regard, we will walk through the entire planning process to reflect on why financial planning matters, how to build a robust planning culture, which are the common pitfalls, and how a business plan contributes to the successful execution of the strategy.
We will review the demand and supply planning to understand the key drivers that underpins those processes. We will learn about cost management in order to have a transparent view of the profitability, product mix and cost structure to identify any unsustainable business line. We will also focus on inventory management and how to capture value through pricing strategies.
Furthermore, we will grasp the time value of money and free cash flow frameworks as well as how to manage working capital effectively. To stay ahead of reality and reduce surprises during uncertain and volatile times we will utilise scenario planning to model the impact of changes in cash flows across, pricing, income and costs. We will ‘think the unthinkable’. Through risk management we will learn how to create a risk register and define when to accept, mitigate or transfer a risk.
Finally, with financial analysis tools such as price, volume and cost variances, gross margin analysis, and KPIs, we will figure out how to translate figures into insights which will lead to recommendations and then cascade to concrete action plans. Last but not least, we will learn how to select the right data and define the narrative to tell a simple and compelling finance story.
Operations Strategy in Emerging Markets is aimed at broadening your understanding of operating challenges well beyond topics covered in core courses, and of specific challenges that arise when operating in developing economies in general and LatAm in particular. Looking at businesses ranging from heavy manufacturing to biotechnology, and covering many of the main industries in the region, the course focuses on the value created and captured by different operating strategies. You will acquire frameworks that enable you to map and analyze the demands of different competitive environments, and become familiar with the menu of potential operating strategies. You will learn how these strategies must be designed to fit with the particular requirements of various competitive environments, as well as your company's competitive strategy.
You will develop the ability to identify and frame complex strategic issues in operations, design operating strategies that address those issues, and take effective action to achieve the full potential of the decisions. The course will expose you to a range of concepts, tools, and techniques for addressing issues such as the design, management and evolution of operating networks, the selection and implementation of new technologies, and the creation of operating systems that effectively connect operations with customers, distribution channels, and suppliers while preparing for competitor’s reactions. The course gives special emphasis to providing you with the tools you will need to participate effectively in these decisions early in your career, especially on global assignments.
Important: this course follows the case method of teaching. As most of you may know, the case method of teaching is based on the idea that you, as a group, will discover the issues and learn from the ideas of others in the class. There will be no lectures, and, therefore, it is essential that you come to class prepared to share your insights and analysis with others. Since the courses schedule is intense, there will not be enough time to read all the assigned materials during the week of class when we will meet. Therefore, it is essential that you read all the assigned materials before arriving to Argentina.