Program Structure

The course concerns an exploration of theoretical currents and schools of thought around the existence, interpretation, and analysis of the phenomenon of organizations. Why do organizations exist, in the form in which we know them, and not in other, alternatives? How can we understand them? How can we interpret their behavior?

There is a plethora of theories that address the above questions, theories that come mainly from the basic disciplines of economics and sociology.

In the section "Theories of Company, Organization and Management" some of the most important and influential of these theories will be discussed (indicatively: behavioral, contigency, institutional ['old' and 'new'], evolutionary, transaction cost economics, agency theory, resource-dependence). We will refer to their problems, the conceptual tools and reasoning / arguments they use to re-constitute the phenomenon of organization and organization, we will see their fields of application but also the empirical findings that verify (or reject) their basic hypotheses.

In the section "Innovation Management" students are introduced to the concept of innovation, with particular emphasis on organizational knowledge and creativity. The aim is for students to understand the nature and dynamics of organizational knowledge, the prerequisites and processes of organizational creativity, and how knowledge relates to innovation and creativity. The different forms of innovation that organisations can pursue will be explained, and students will develop frameworks for analysing how different organisational structures, processes and management methods can be used to implement and manage innovation.

Decision making is one of the most important functions of Management. As the business environment becomes more and more complex and characterized by intense competition, frequent changes, a wealth of data, high penetration of information and communication technology, businesses and public services rely on better executives in decision-making. Decision makers know how to identify, present, analyze and solve a decision problem based on decision theory. Decision-makers should be effective in using and analyzing data and be able to exploit results by directing their and companies' actions to better decisions, enhancing returns and reducing risks. The emphasis of the course will be on understanding and modeling complex business problems as they appear in modern businesses, developing the appropriate standards and using them in an effective way.

The course covers: Linear and Integral Programming, Network Problems, Multicriteria Decision Making, Decision Analysis and Simulation. All topics come with apps and case analyses. In addition, students will be exposed to appropriate software packages for use in order to solve the problems.

The aim of the course is to provide a broad understanding of the importance of Information Systems (IS) in the modern business and social environment, cultivating the necessary knowledge to analyze complex phenomena related to the development, adoption and use of new technologies but also to make appropriate business decisions related to the acquisition and use of information systems.

The emphasis in the first part of the course will be on understanding the use of information technology in organizations and the main issues associated with their effective utilization. Topics will be covered such as: the main categories of information systems (MIS, ERP, CRM, BI, etc.) and how they are applied to organizations, information resource management, the importance of information technology and its strategic role for businesses. In addition, students will use information systems - in the laboratories - for specific business scenarios.

In the second part of the course, emphasis will be placed on the analysis and development of information systems and the study of specific cases (case studies) of the use of information systems from the international literature, so that on the one hand students understand the opportunities and challenges arising from the use of information systems in practice, and to acquire a broad and in-depth knowledge of the theories used to analyse and manage these challenges

Data analysis using statistical techniques and methods is necessary in many empirical problems. The large volume of data, the variability they present, but also the uncertainty regarding the modeling of data make it necessary to make decisions based on statistical analysis and processing. The aim of the course is the presentation, development and application of basic theoretical and practical statistical concepts.  The techniques introduced and developed are a reliable approach to the analysis of empirical problems because they study and 'capture' the characteristics of the data. The aim of the course is to present and develop the appropriate statistical tools for analyzing data on empirical problems.

The course presents the theory of basic continuous and discrete distributions and their usefulness as statistical modeling tools in empirical problems and applications. The sampling distributions used in statistical inference are developed and basic probabilistic results are presented. Subsequently, basic estimation methods are introduced and developed, such as the least squares method and the maximum probability method. These methodologies are necessary in order to assess the distributional parameters as well as the parameters of statistical and econometric models. The following is the description and development of statistical inference regarding the construction of confidence intervals and the conduct of statistical hypothesis tests. The concept of covariance and correlation is introduced in order to study the relationship of two or more random variables. Finally, the simple and multiple regression model is presented and developed. Emphasis is placed on the application of the theory to empirical problems, the interpretation of results, the diagnostic testing of residues and the selection of appropriate models (model selection)

The course aims to introduce students to the techniques of analytical processing of interactive behavioral data which lead to the understanding of the needs and preferences of consumers and the prediction of their future behavior (e.g. product preferences) so that the information provided (e.g. suggestion form) is personalized, thus increasing both customer satisfaction and business sales.

After the end of the course, students will be able to: Analyze business data with the aim of understanding consumer behavior. Apply data analysis techniques to predict behavior. To utilize practical software tools for the analysis of behavioral data. Understand and interpret at an operational level the quantitative results of data analysis.

Basic concepts of machine learning as well as artificial intelligence with their practical applications will be analyzed while emphasis will be placed on the business interpretation of data analysis results in specific actions that a business or organization could take to utilize the findings of analytical data processing. In the course there will be a practical application in group work using data analysis tools (RapidMiner) (Business Analytics).

The use of the internet is now an integral part of everyday life for the vast majority of the population of developed countries and has transformed important parts of our entrepreneurship and personal lives. Its use in everyday activities also stems from its widespread use at a business level. Modern businesses need to take advantage of the possibilities given to them by information and communication technologies and the internet in order to be able to successfully cope with the modern business environment and modern entrepreneurs are constantly discovering new challenges and opportunities for the development of business ideas.

As part of the course, students will undertake to design and present a digital business idea that will aim to create a new or upgrade an existing business model with a choice of different models combining innovative ideas with digital technologies that will be presented in the course, or will choose to utilize new technologies to digitally transform an existing business

Production and Operations Management concerns all medium- and tactical decisions regarding the development, manufacture and distribution of products, as well as the provision of services, in the modern global and constantly evolving market economy. The modules covered by the course include: process management, product design, supply chain management/coordination, capacity planning, spatial planning and location of business units, inventory management and lean industrial systems. The course uses tools and methodologies that include mathematical modeling, optimization, game theory, economic analysis and simulation.

The aim of the course is to understand the issues of strategy in the business space and to acquire the ability to apply concepts, tools and frameworks. The course examines a set of topics, from shaping a business's strategy to implementing it.  It refers both to theories that have developed in the field and to business practices with examples from Greece and abroad. Through a critical review of the international literature in the field of strategy, participants will be able to understand the results of current research and apply their knowledge both for further research and in the business environment.

The course focuses on supply chain management for products and services and covers issues related to the planning, design, operation and evaluation of the supply chain for businesses and organizations. Particular emphasis is placed on the strategic role and modern trends in supply chain management, the examination and analysis of the main and supporting functions in supply chain management, the optimization of the level of service, and the use of quantitative methods and applications for the standardization and solution of complex supply chain management problems.

In the modern business environment, organizations have a huge amount of data referring to sales, customers, suppliers, staff, financial data, inventories, etc. Survival in an intensely competitive and uncertain environment such as the current one requires the acquisition of a competitive advantage which can be achieved by utilizing the huge amount of data for more efficient and effective decision-making. Data exploitation consists of three main stages: data management, business intelligence, and business analytics.

The course will focus on data management using a state of the art tool of SAS, the Enterprise Guide, with the aim of training in techniques for accessing data from various sources, managing and transforming it, as well as creating reports to then apply business intelligence and business analytics techniques. The SAS Enterprise Guide tools are very intuitive and highly accessible to business executives since its use is done through a graphical interface and does not require any programming.

Mathematical Programming methods and models, as well as related software platforms, have extensive applications and recently the interest in their development has been renewed due to the availability of software capable of managing optimization problems of a satisfactory scale. The course will offer a brief presentation of the main principles and methods of Mathematical Programming in order to focus mainly on the development of models for a range of applications, their coding through algebraic languages and the subsequent use and customization of software for their solution. In this way, the course will provide the full investigation and learning of a typical Operational Research approach, which is based on a description of a real problem in order to extract a mathematical modeling and a method of solving, i.e. finding the best solution. Various peculiarities of mathematical programming methods will be discussed in the context of an extensive series of modeling exercises, while deepening the main principles of the methods which, being largely independent of the problems solved, make them attractive and effective for solving multiple problems.

The course will examine the role of software systems in the modern business environment. The availability of data of all kinds, in real time, the mass networking of people and devices, and the demands of a new generation of consumers born in the digital age (digital natives) have changed the goals of software and the way it integrates into businesses and services.

The course will cover the basic features of modern software, the requirements it is called upon to meet and the ways in which it can meet them. In addition, the course is an introduction to programming using the Java language. The basic programming concepts are presented, such as source code, the translation process, algorithms, logical design and object-oriented modeling, reserved words, control commands, methods and objects, classes, constructors, basic data structures, exceptions, inheritance.

The course aims to cover all the important issues placed in the scientific field of Digital Marketing, combining the relevant theoretical background with new technologies and evolving business and consumer practices. Indicatively, the course includes the following topics: Electronic Retail and Consumer Behavior (e.g. Multichannel/Omnichannel Retail and Consumer Purchasing Behavior, Retail Store Atmosphere Design and Effects), Electronic Marketing Research (e.g. Marketing Analytics, Experiment Design), Electronic Customer Relationship Management (eCRM), Integrated Marketing Communications (e.g. Online Advertising, Social Media, Online Sales), Digital Marketing Strategic Planning (e-Marketing Plan, Marketing Mix Strategies), Special Digital Marketing Topics.

Το μάθημα αυτό εισάγει τους συμμετέχοντες στις βασικές αρχές της Διοίκησης Ολικής Ποιότητας (ΔΟΠ) και της συνεχούς βελτίωσης τόσο σε επιχειρησιακό όσο και σε προσωπικό επίπεδο (personal quality).  It emphasizes Leadership and Human Resource Management as key quality criteria that lead to improvement and analyzes in depth the role of Leaders in achieving quality and performance. It becomes clear why quality management can be the key to differentiation for an organization as well as to gaining a strategic comparative advantage.

The topics covered during the course are: the concepts of quality, the introduction to various quality standards and models, the presentation of tools to improve quality and achieve excellence as well as basic elements of quality costs. Students will learn to prioritize quality-related problems and implement quality actions.

At the end of the course, participants will become familiar with the requirements of ISO 9001, as well as the principles and criteria for applying the EFQM Excellence Model and the European Institute of Ethics (EBEN) Model for Business Ethics and Social Responsibility. In addition, they will understand the operation of basic quality tools, such as QFD Deployment (House of quality) and Six Sigma Methodology.

The objectives of the course are a) To understand the necessity of implementing quality programs, b) To familiarize themselves with the requirements of quality standards and the criteria of different quality models, c) To be able to approach quality through the analysis of case studies and good practices for the implementation of Tools and Quality Systems, d) To apply quality tools and methods on a personal level (personal quality), e) to design quality actions in real conditions

Business ethics refers to the modern organizational standards, rules and values that govern the actions and behavior of businesses, ensuring that they operate in a way that benefits both the interested groups and themselves, gaining public acceptance and corporate reputation. Indeed, the modern business environment is characterized by the challenge of businesses responding to ethical and social issues. The ethical and responsible behavior of businesses is now a "imperative" to which they are called to respond substantially, in order to operate and survive.

The course focuses on the use of technology that takes place in businesses. The use of technology is an indisputable competitive advantage for businesses.However, at the same time, there is an emerging debate about the challenges of business ethics in the age of technology, issues related to the exploitation of big data, artificial intelligence, robotics, automated systems, data privacy, etc. This highlights that the utilization of technology is not only a business issue but a social issue in general.

Managers are called upon to maintain a balance between ethics and responsibility on the one hand and the profitability resulting from the use of technology on the other. Indeed, there is a growing interest from entrepreneurs and policymakers on the boundaries between business ethics and technology. The business value and ethical aspects of technology must be interrelated concepts, although they often contradict each other and therefore the challenge lies in achieving their alignment.

The course introduces students to the general concepts of ethics and social responsibility of enterprises, while emphasizing their application to technology issues.  The aim of the course is to familiarize students with identifying, critically thinking and resolving ethical issues that arise during the ever-increasing use of technology, and that they may face in the professional environment at an individual, organizational and social level.

Management Science has traditionally been in a very close relationship with modern information and communications technology. The fruitful synthesis of these different disciplines made it possible to develop advanced methods of optimization, which could not have been born without their mutual cooperation. The course "Advanced Topics in Management Science and Technology" aims to develop the required quantitative and computational skills to produce high quality solutions to problems of Management Science. Typical examples of the applications presented and treated are the routing and scheduling of a fleet of vehicles, the packaging and storage of objects, the siting of facilities, the preparation of timetables, the planning of production, as well as process problems in the shipping industry.

In the modern business environment, all kinds of organizations are "flooded" with data but are "thirsty" for learning in order to make more correct decisions, innovate, create new business models and become more efficient and effective in their operation. The means by which they can be led from data to learning and ultimately to knowledge is the application of business analytics methods, that is, the use of mathematical and statistical techniques in data, which we must say are at the heart of Artificial Intelligence.

In this course we will focus on the theory and applications of Business Analytics and we will use as decision support tools two state of the art software of SAS, the Enterprise Guide and the Enterprise Miner, with the help of which we will learn techniques of traditional statistical analysis and machine learning / data mining. There will also be a small reference and practical training in the use of SAS Visual Analytics software to apply Business Intelligence methods, i.e. exploring large amounts of data to discover trends and patterns and opportunities for further analysis, These three tools are very intuitive and highly accessible to business executives since their use is done through a graphical interface and does not require programming. The course also includes a hands-on introduction to business analytics for the use of marketing research and analytics using the open source programming language R in the R Studio environment. No prior experience in programming is required, although students should show willingness to actively participate as they will be asked to type the examples during the lectures.

The ability to complicate data analysis, automatic knowledge production and access to clear, qualitative and unified information are essential tools for every knowledge executive. As a result, Business Intelligence is recognized as one of the most important components of modern business and is characterized by high growth rates and penetration in private and public organizations. 

The aim of the course is to present the best practices used for the design, implementation and maintenance of a data warehouse, the techniques of analytical processing and multidimensional data analysis (OLAP, multi-dimensional analysis, reporting), the process of mining and automatic data mining from a data warehouse, including topics such as categorization, clustering, correlation rules,  Etc. case studies on retail, finance, telecommunications, as well as popular BI market platforms, an introduction to big data and business analytics, including topics such as big data systems, structured and unstructured data, python, R, etc.

Innovation is a crucial factor for any business activity, but also for existing businesses, industrial sectors and national and regional economies. Today, everyone is called upon to innovate as a way out of the crisis and as a means of growing towards more sustainable technologies, services and business models. Innovation has to do with 'something new' in terms of products, processes or administrative functions.

The Innovation module of the course will focus on understanding the nature of innovation and the different types of innovation, analyzing the organizational factors and conditions that can favor innovation as well as reviewing innovation processes.

Then the Entrepreneurship module of the course will focus on understanding entrepreneurship issues and acquiring knowledge and skills related to the whole cycle of the business process, from identifying the opportunity and evaluating the business model to mobilizing resources, creating the company and managing its growth.Special reference will be made to issues of social entrepreneurship and the development of social enterprises.

The course introduces and analyzes Business Processes (BP) as the basic components of modern businesses and their performance management. It consists of two main modules: a) Business Process Management (BPM): Types of business processes and their operation in the enterprise. Business process modeling techniques. It applications for the modeling and management of business processes. Understanding of business process architecture. Identification of requirements of new information systems and infrastructures. a) Principles of Business Process Performance Management: Process Performance Metrics and examples of practical case studies of business and inter-company systems. Enterprise Resource Management Systems/ERP, Customer Management/CRM, Management Information Systems/MIS, E-commerce/e-commerce and e-government, Process Management Frameworks and the Balanced Scorecard (BSC) approach/technique.

The main objective of the course is to introduce basic concepts and techniques related to the operational analysis of work systems involved in and supported by information systems (and technologies). Students will understand how different types of business processes and technologies, within a specific human, work and organizational context, can be studied and analyzed in order to identify and identify potential for improvements and innovations with the aim of their implementation and application.

The course of Human and Team Management studies the behavior of people in the workplace, with particular emphasis on new managers, i.e. those who will be called upon to manage a working group for the first time. This knowledge is necessary not only for every executive who manages a team, but also for every employee, as long as it is related to their personal and professional development. In this course, the most modern and scientifically documented theoretical approaches to the study of Human Resource Management and Organizational Behavior / Psychology will be developed.

The course aims to make students understand the critical role of effective management of their partners and effective human resource management in general. Also, understand organizational behavior and, accordingly, be able to more effectively manage themselves and others in the workplace. Also, to understand the basic functions of HRM for the success of modern organizations. Finally, to recognize basic concepts and critical theories of organizational behavior and development.

The aim of the course is the analysis of transport systems and the design of distribution systems in the context of the supply chain. The course is divided into two main thematic units. The first section presents the main functional characteristics of transport systems and alternative freight transport services. The second section includes the presentation of alternative models for the organization of physical distribution/transport systems in the context of the supply chain and the analysis of transportation and distribution problems related to the planning and planning of the distribution and transportation of products and services.

Personal and Professional Skills Development is recognized as the most important success factor for effective Transition and Performance in a Job Position in a Company or Organization in the difficult labor market we are experiencing today. 

The aim of the Course is the development of personal and professional skills, such as Leadership Skills in the workplace and more broadly in working groups, Skills for the activation of the ability to Continuous Learning, self-improvement and self-presentation, The Skills of Cooperation and adaptation of cooperative behavior to different environments, Skills of Managing and Resolving Disputes and Negotiation in the workplace, Skills of Flexible Participation in Innovation and Entrepreneurship Teams - practicing critical thinking and Skills of Stress Management in the workplace.

The course examines the theory, algorithms and applications of combinatorial optimization, with emphasis on flows, paths and matches in graphs and networks. Specifically, it presents algorithms for problems of shorter paths, maximum flow, minimum cost flow, maximum size or maximum weight matching and, finally, stable matching and stable flows. In addition to solving such problems with adapted combinatorial algorithms, the course examines the formatting of various applications and problems of Management Science as problems of flow, paths and matches in graphs.

In addition, the course introduces general methods of solving problems of combinatorial optimization which are modeled through Integer Programming, such as 'Branch and Dam' and 'Branch and Section' methods. Finally, the course discusses software implementation issues for the above methods with or without existing platforms (such as CPLEX, Gurobi).

The course has a twofold purpose: on the one hand to analyze the most important technologies and practices of electronic payments (such as e-banking, e-invoicing, etc.) highlighting the importance of utilizing digital payment systems both at the level of the company and at the level of the national economy and on the other hand to introduce students to the emerging area of virtual currencies, such as Bitcoin,  and blockchain technologies.

The first part of the course will analyze the technologies and electronic payment systems (e-banking, contactless payments, etc.) that can be used by businesses (B2B) and consumers (B2C) in order to reduce operating costs, cash management costs, transparency, etc. In addition, complementary digital services that are necessary for the integrated management of electronic transactions (e-invoicing, electronic fee) will be presented, while an analysis will be made of how an organization's internal processes should be redesigned to achieve maximum operational benefit.Emphasis will be placed on B2C electronic transactions through e-banking systems and the factors influencing the success of these services will be discussed.

The second part of the course will provide an in-depth understanding of decentralized digital currencies, such as Bitcoin and the business applications of blockchains. Specifically, the course will present the principles by which digital currencies operate and provide students with practical examples of business innovations based on blockchain technology. The potential impact of digital currencies and blockchain technology on the banking, financial and legal industry, as well as on regulatory systems, will also be discussed, looking at digital currency in the context of innovation and growth.

The aim of the course is to familiarize yourself with the basic Business Analytics tools with some of the most popular technologies used for this purpose, which are based on the Python language.

The course includes a brief introduction to the language and then familiarization with the tools of data processing and shaping, statistical processing, visualization, forecasting and machine learning.

Students are evaluated with a paper they submit, and it concerns the solution of a business analytics problem with the tools that will have been presented.

Inventory Control refers to a number of different models and approaches of solutions that are applied when implementing inventory management systems and applications in practice.

The course covers areas such as: demand forecasting, order quantities/batch levels, security stock and reordering levels, JIT systems and KANBAN policies, material and resource management systems (MRP/MRPII), multi-level node reserve chains, coordinated material replenishments, and scheduling of operations.

The course gives the student the impetus and knowledge to identify, standardize and solve problems of inventory management, demand forecasting or time and quantitative production planning, as well as to apply models and solutions to real industrial or commercial companies.

The effects of Information Technologies on organizations, economies and social structures are imperative, exponentially continuous and growing, transformative and radical. The resulting changes require new frameworks of understanding and conceptual tools, as well as new methods and practices of operational management. Thus, Information Systems, as socio-technical systems and structures, which prevailed in the 80s, evolved and were transformed into Information Systems for the Management of Enterprise Resources (ERPs) and recently into Digital Platforms.

Google, Facebook, android, Microsoft windows, video game consoles, payment cards, the SAP ERP business ecosystem, as well as fuel-cell technologies and human genomics are some of the digital platforms that specialize in business environments of different economic sectors (industry digital platforms). The course deals with research on digital platforms in various fields such as technology strategy, product development, information systems and industrial economics.

The main objective of the course is to understand the relationships and correlations between digital platforms and the systems in which they are integrated, as well as the impacts/impacts on organizations, businesses and economic sectors, as digital platforms now play an important and decisive role.

Both Project Managers have strategic value for businesses. The course "Project and Program Management" will present the basic framework of knowledge and skills that enables a Project Manager to carry out successfully, safely and efficiently any type of project.

The course will be based on the globally accepted framework of the Project Management Institute (PMI) Standards and is aligned with the syllabus of the most popular PMI certifications (Project Management Professional cerification & Certified Associate in Project Management). A project is defined as an attempt of temporary duration to achieve a product, service or result that has unique characteristics. Project Management is the targeted application of knowledge, skills and methodologies in the project's actions in order to achieve the agreed objectives.

Designing easy-to-use digital services, i.e. services that are effective, efficient and responsive to their users, is one of the most critical factors for their success in today's competitive environment of the digital economy. For example, innovative companies that have emerged in the global market as pioneers, such as Uber, base much of their success on specific design principles, which meet requirements of usability, zero moment of truth, and effective response to that need.

In the context of the course, the concept of User Experience (UX) and the parameters to be taken into account when designing modern services will be analyzed. In the course there will be practical workshops related to the understanding of design thinking while emphasis will be placed on identifying emotions that lead to an improved user experience. Practical examples of how this experience can be improved and evaluated (in a measurable way) will be presented, thus leading to increased user engagement with the service.

The aim of this course is the practical learning of the basic tools of digital marketing. Their application will be carried out in examples of companies operating in the tourism industry.

More specifically, students will be trained in tools such as SEO, SEM / Google Ads, M-marketing, Google Analytics, Similar web / Google Trends / Consumer Barometer and Digital Strategy Design.

The aim of the course is the analysis and planning/design of transport systems. The course is divided into two main thematic units. The first section presents the basic functional characteristics of transport systems, highlights the relationships of transport with the economic and social environment, and analyzes the characteristics of supply and demand for transport services. The second section includes the analysis and modeling of the most important management decisions of alternative means of transport (road, sea, air). Particular emphasis will be placed on problems of planning/planning of freight transport services.