The main aim of the SMP is to build the personal skills of participants in order to enable them achieve an immediate and measurable improvement in their contribution to their organisations.
Accordingly, participants receive good basic grounding in the main management disciplines and above all do a lot of work in building up their personal skills.

The SMP increases the effectiveness of executives and enhances their strategic thinking capabilities. To achieve this broad objective, the programme covers twelve core management areas; there are also five elective courses to choose from.

Around the world, the case study method has been found to be the best way of simulating real management situations. Although only a partial substitute for experience, the case method fosters a learning process similar to that provided by well-analysed experience.
SMP cases provide an exciting and absorbing manner of learning. Over a hundred and twenty cases are backed by lectures, discussions and simulations exercises to provide a well-rounded educational experience. Business games have also been introduced to increase team effectiveness. They are backed by lectures and discussions, simulation exercises and training in the use of computers, to provide a well-rounded educational experience.

This programme runs on a part-time format from April to July and is non-residential. A full time residential Senior Management Programme is run each year in the last quarter from October to November.

• Deepening the existing skills level with a view to increase corporate productivity.
• Strengthening the ability to identify and analyse everyday management problems and find appropriate solutions to them.
• Fostering understanding of the need for teamwork in management and what this mean in terms of daily efforts to be a team player.
• Enabling participants to apply a systematic approach to the consideration of the ethical dimension of business decisions.
• Deepening the spirit of responsibility and entrepreneurship in the implementation of company plans.
• Acquiring an integrated view of one's company as a whole in relation to its main markets and to the local and international economy.

SMP Participants Industry Profile
SMP participants represent a broad variety of business and industrial sectors. This wide spectrum of experience produces well-rounded and lively interaction on programme cases in both syndicate groups and full class sessions

The main pedagogical tool used in the Lagos Business School is the case study method. Instruction in SMP is centred on over 120 actual business cases taken from Nigeria and abroad. Occasional lectures, discussions, videos, business games, simulations and role-playing supplement these cases.
Group sessions are key to the SMP learning process. Syndicate groups are arranged to ensure an adequate mixture of participants from varied backgrounds and industries, maximizing their exposure and interaction.

Personal Work
Benefiting from the SMP requires a high level of dedication. Roughly 8 to 10 hours of personal study per week are needed to prepare the programme cases. Participants must be fully committed to attend the sessions of the SMP, and be free from working demands during these session days. Obtaining value from the programme is a function of how well each participant applies him/herself to reading the cases and actively participates in group discussions.

Basic Structure of the SMP

Personal Effectiveness and Working in Groups
Project Management
Communication
Teamwork
Business Games
Negotiation

Decision Making Considerations and Business Integration
Economic Analysis
Business Ethics
Analysis of Business Problems
Social-Political Environment of Business
Business Policy

Basic Management Disciplines
Management of Human Resources
Marketing
Finance
Operations
Management Information Systems
Corporate Financial Accounting

Electives
Apart from the core areas above, the following electives are offered:

• Use of Computers
• Presentation Skills
• Entrepreneurship & Organisational Creativity
• The Christian View of Business
• International Economic Environment
  

PROGRAMME DESCRIPTION

Business Policy
The Business Policy unit adopts a synthesis viewpoint and looks at the business as a whole building upon and integrating all other course areas. It studies the formulation and implementation of strategies which take into account and exploit market demands, the competitive situation, the company's competitive advantages and the social, political, economic and technological environment, in Nigeria. .

Communication
This unit lays the foundation for building interpersonal skills by reaching a thorough, practical understanding of interpersonal communication in the work place.

Financial Management
This section of the course is expected to provide participants with an understanding of the impact of actions taken in their various functional areas on a company's finances. It covers topics such as 'Working Capital Management; Investment Analysis; Financial Management of Assets and Liabilities.

Management Information Systems
This unit addresses the management issues arising from the use of computing equipment and emphasizes ways in which existing and new technologies can be deployed to support the information needs of managers. The IT unit also includes an overview of leading information technology developments.

Management of Human Resources
This course examines the basic concepts which make it possible to attain a better understanding of individual and group behaviour in organisations. Issues discussed include managing change, leadership styles, communication, motivation, group dynamics, and corporate culture and values. Others include recruitment, placement remuneration and industrial relations.

Negotiation
This unit will help participants be more aware of their own negotiation styles, their strengths and their weaknesses, and review basic negotiation strategies.

Teamwork
Through case studies participants will reach a deeper understanding of the requirements of team work and increase their ability to work effectively with others as a team.

Operations Management
This course analyses the production process from the point of view of using it as a factor of competitive advantage through the management of productivity. In order to attain that objective it studies concepts and methods which make it possible to systematically approach decisions on issues like choice and development of suppliers, capacity, productivity, organization of human resources, and technology.

Marketing
The objective of this course is to develop an understanding of the basic elements in marketing strategy such as product planning, market selection, distribution and pricing, in addition it also studies how to integrate all these elements in a coherent marketing mix.

Corporate Financial Accounting
Accounting is the language of business. Business executives, whether as preparers or users of financial statements, need the knowledge and skill in order to communicate or understand a company and it's business. This course is designed to equip the executive with knowledge and skill in Corporate Financial Accounting, Reporting & Analysis. The principal aim is to help the executive understand and use the financial statements companies produce for external users. The course content revolves around the Annual Report and Accounts ranging from the content, preparation, presentation, interpretation and use of the three financial statements and other non-financial information companies normally present in their Annual Report and Accounts.

Cost and Management Accounting
This course focuses on the financial and non-financial reports/ information produced by companies for internal use by their executives in decision making, planning, directing and controlling their business. Essentially the course is divided into two segments: Uses of Revenue and Cost Reports/Information, and Design of Cost Systems. Always the central theme is that the cost and management accounting function exists within a business primarily to facilitate the development and implementation of the business strategy. The principal aim is to provide participants with knowledge and understanding of their costs and revenue, and how to manage them to create sustainable competitive advantage.

Business Ethics
The objectives of this course are to expose the participants to the ethical principles and norms applicable in those business situations which pose more special ethical challenges and to acquaint them with commonly held standards of ethical behaviour in such situations. A special emphasis is put on the ethical responsibilities of the individual manager.

Analysis of Business Problems
This course is intended to sharpen participants' basic ability to think about complex real-world business problems. It also serves as an introduction to the case method. An examination is made of the different stages involved in making decisions and implementing them: defining the problems, establishing the criteria (both quantitative and qualitative), designing the alternative solutions, and making a decision based on both objective criteria and the ease of successful implementation of the chosen solution.

Social & Political Environment of Business
A clear understanding of the environment of the firm, especially of the political economic milieu, the relationship between government, business and society, and trends in national strategy within the context of international political economy trends, is an imperative for the strategically-minded general manager. This unit is designed to help managers identify abroad range of stakeholders in the environment of the firm with a view to enhancing the capacity for managing relationships with these stakeholders.

Economics
The rising tendency for economic considerations to dominate managerial decisions places greater demands of economic literacy on all business executives. The course is designed to enable advanced managers be capable of assessing the actual and expected levels of risks in their business environment and relate them to business plans.

Control
Participants will look at the development and use of financial and other quantitative data as an aid to business decision making. Major topic areas include financial reporting, cost accounting and budgetary and control systems

Use of Computers
During the SMP, a short course is presented giving participants knowledge and hands-on skills to work in this area. Afterwards, the computer laboratory of the School is at their disposal for the preparation of their weekly work.

Guest Discussant
Also, one session is dedicated to a guest discussant, usually from industry, on a topic considered to be of greatest value at the time of the programme

In a Lighter Mood ...
Two activities of a social and family nature are scheduled during the programme to familiarize SMP spouses with the School and with each other. These include the SMP Family Case & Dinner and the Graduation Ceremony at the culmination of the This interaction naturally tends to foster a stronger family motive in the life of participants and also helps familiarize the families of members of the Alumni Association of LBS with other's activities.

An SMP Certificate will be awarded to participants with minimum of 80% attendance
and after full payment of the fees.

Firm bookings for the SMP are made by submission of the application form along with the deposit. Applications will then be acknowledged and a personal interview with each candidate will be held with the programme Coordinator before the booking is confirmed.

Downloadable forms can be obtained from our Application Centre

"The SMP has been very beneficial to me at work by improving my approach to solving problems and making decisions. The case method taught me how to go about analyzing management issues and enabled me to benefit from the experience of others who are drawn from a variety of industries."
- Larry Umunna,
Product Manager - Roche Nigeria Limited, (SMP-1)

"The SMP at LBS is a well-balanced and articulated programme, and the LBS a well focused institution. LBS is not just a business school. LBS provides its participants with all the needed tools for making a big success out of managing a business. It is a must for every forward-looking organisation. The SMP more than anything else was an all embracing programme which encompassed all it takes to be a successful manager."
- Isaac Bode -Tunji, Manufacturing Coordinator -Dunlop Nigeria Plc. (SMP-2).

"The skills and talents of an engineer (usually on a short leash because of the strong pull of professionalism) are often lost to the non-technical functions in the firm. For me, the SMP gave a tremendous scope and stretch to that leash. For example, for the first time in my career, I now realise that even though I sell no commodity or service to the public, I do have internal customers, and satisfying them should always be my goal,"
- Ita Stephen, Staff Engineer, Mobil Producing Nigeria (SMP-2)

"In reality LBS SMP has sharpened my internal drives to making good decisions in the attainment of both the organisational and personal goals. The teaching methods are fantastic and the facilitators roles are of inestimable values to the school in particular, and the society at large. They are forces to reckon with in the provision of vehicles to meeting the challenges of the changing business environment."
- Niyi Oyeyipo, Glaxo Wellcome Nigeria Plc (SMP-4)

"I am glad to note that the Programme exceeded my expectations. The courses, diverse initially, blended well. The teaching method challenged the creativity of participants, guided by the good experience and high | standards of the facilitators, the quiet professional environment, friendly and helpful staff together with excellent catering services. I am now well equipped to handle the challenges of the present hostile and difficult operating environment. The timing of this programme could not have been better."
- Ante Okwong, Diamond Bank Ltd. (SMP-4)

1. Chief Executive Programme - designed for Executive Directors and members of the Executive Management Team of multinationals and big companies (i.e. people reporting to the Managing Director). The programme is run once a year on part-time format from February to July and is non-residential.

2. Advanced Management Programme - designed for Executive Directors and members of the Executive Management Team of multinationals and big companies (i.e. people reporting to the Managing Director). The programme is run once a year on part-time format from February to July and is non-residential.

3. Owners Managers Programme - Participants of the Owners Managers Programme are CEOs of small or medium size companies who want to transform their businesses. The programme is run twice yearly on a part-time format from March - July and September - November.