Ivan Damyanov - Education

My academic journey began in Betriebwirtschaftslehre/Business Administration at WWU Münster, Germany, and lead me to obtaining a B.Sc. in Business & Management from the London School of Economics and Political Science.

Embracing both German and English educational background combined with a wealth of nearly 10 years' expertise in management, process development and optimisation across diverse industries such as Oil & Gas Logistics, Industrial Project Management, Finance and Accounting Services, Insurance, and Renewable Energy, I am poised to make meaningful contributions and drive innovation and success in every endeavour.

Below is an overview of the courses successfully completed during my bachelor's degree program at the LSE. It highlights the breadth and depth of the program and offers valuable insights into my academic background and qualifications. I am openly providing the syllabus in the hope of enabling potential employers, colleagues, clients or partners to better understand the areas where my expertise has been honed.

strategy [MN3119]

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Syllabus:

Basic game theory: Two-player games. Static and dynamic games and some examples. Equilibrium concepts and solution mechanisms - Nash equilibrium, dominant/dominated strategies, backward induction.

Oligopoly competition: Perfect competition and monopoly. Price competition and the Bertrand paradox. Quantity competition. Reaction functions. Bertrand versus Cournot.

Analysis of market structure: Describing market structure: C4-ratio, Herfindahl index, Lerner index and market power. Market definition – techniques and interpretation.

Collusion: Cartels and antitrust. Cartel stability and the discount factor. Market dynamics and stability of collusion.

Strategic Alliances: Portfolio test. Strategic and business partnerships. Sources of complementarity. Resource accumulation. Absorptive capacity.

Organisation design: Organisational fit, Strategy and structure, Functional organisation, Multidivisional structure, worldwide structure.

Competitive Dynamics: Competitive dynamics, Competitive action, Resource similarity, Market commonality, Awareness, motivation and capability.

Strategic asymmetries: Economies of Scale, sources and consequences. Scope Economies: Airline Hubs. Learning or experience curve. Firm strategies with EoScale/Scope/Learning. First-mover advantages. Market structure with increasing returns.

Value chain analysis and vertical relations: Double marginalisation and its remedies. Vertical foreclosure. Retailer competition and investment externalities.

Vertical integration and transaction cost: Make or Buy. Contracts. Relation-Specific Assets and Hold-Up. Economic Rents and Quasi-Rents.

Entry and entry deterrence: Structural determinants of entry. Entry barriers and exit barriers. Entry

deterrence. Identifying entrants.

MANAGEMENT SCIENCE METHODS [MN2032]

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Syllabus:

Problem structuring and problem structuring methods: problem structuring methods such as JOURNEY (Jointly Understanding, Reflecting, and Negotiating strategy) making, Soft Systems Methodology and Strategic Choice.

Network analysis: planning and control of projects via the critical path; float (slack) times, cost/time trade off, uncertain activity completion times and resource considerations.

Inventory control: problems that arise in the management of inventory (stock); Economic Order Quantity, Economic Batch Quantity, quantity discounts, probabilistic demand, Materials Requirements Planning, Just-in-Time, Optimised Production Technology and supply chain issues.

Mathematical programming: formulation: the representation of decision problems using linear models with a single objective which is to be optimised; the formulation of both linear programs and integer programs.

Linear programming: solution: the solution of linear programs; the numeric solution of two variable linear programs, sensitivity analysis and robustness.

Data envelopment analysis: assessing the relative efficiency of decision making units in organisations; input/output definitions, basic efficiency calculations, reference sets, target setting and value judgements.

Multi-criteria decision making: approaches to decision problems that involve multiple objectives; analytic hierarchy process which considers the problem of making a choice, in the presence of complete information, from a finite set of discrete alternatives; goal programming which considers, via linear programming, multi-criteria decision problems where the constraints are ‘soft’.

Decision making under uncertainty: approaches to decision problems where chance (probability) plays a key role; payoff tables; decision trees; utilities and expected value of perfect information.

FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT [AC3059]

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Syllabus:

Financial management function and environment: This chapter outlines the fundamental concepts in financial management and deals with the problems of shareholders’ wealth maximisation and agency conflicts.

Investment appraisals 1: In this chapter we begin with a revision of investment appraisal techniques. The main focus of this chapter is to examine the advantages of using the discounted cash flow technique and its application in basic investment scenarios.

Investment appraisals 2: This chapter follows on from Chapter 2 to explore the application of the discounted cash flow technique in more complex scenarios: capital rationing, price changes and inflation, and tax effect.

Investment appraisals 3: This chapter illustrates the application of the discounted cash flow technique in further complex scenarios: replacement decision, project deferment and sensitivity analysis.

Risk and return: We formally examine the concept and measurement of risk and return in this chapter. We also look at the necessary conditions for risk diversification, Portfolio Theory and the Two Fund Separation Theorem. Asset Pricing Models are discussed and practical considerations in estimating beta will be covered. Empirical evidence for and against the Asset Pricing Models will also be illustrated.

Portfolio theory and capital assets pricing model: This chapter introduces more formally the Portfolio Theory and discusses the derivation of the Capital Assets Pricing Model.

Practical consideration of the capital assets pricing model and alternative asset pricing model: Following on from Chapter 6 we examine the techniques for estimating betas and their conceptual and practical considerations. We also introduce an Alternative Pricing Model based on the Arbitrage Pricing Model.

Capital market efficiency: This chapter discusses the concepts and implications of market efficiency and the mechanism of equity and debt issuance.

Sources of finance – Equity: In this chapter we focus on how companies raise funds from the stock and bond markets, and discuss the advantages and disadvantages of this financing method.

Sources of finance – Debt: In this chapter we focus on how companies raise funds from the bond markets, and discuss the advantages and disadvantages of this financing method.

Capital structure 1: This chapter introduces the arguments of Modigliani and Miller on capital structure, and discuss the implication of the Trade-off Theory.

Capital structure 2: This chapter critically reviews the existing leading theories of capital structure. Specifically, signalling effect, agency cost of equity and debt, and the Pecking Order Theory will be examined. We will also evaluate the practical considerations of capital structure decisions made by corporate managers.

Dividend policy: This chapter aims to explore how the amount of dividend paid by corporations would affect their market values. The tax, signalling and agency effects of dividend will be discussed.

Cost of capital and capital investments: In this chapter we discuss how the cost of capital can be adjusted when firms are financed with a mixture of debt and equity.

Valuation of business: We introduce the valuation of equity, debt, convertibles and warrants in this chapter.

Mergers: This chapter focuses on the theory and motives of mergers and acquisitions. The determination of merger value and the defensive tactics against merger threats will also be covered. The empirical evidence of using financial ratios to predict mergers and acquisitions will be discussed.

Financial planning: This chapter focuses on the importance of careful financial planning and examines and evaluates the approaches to and methods of financial planning.

Working capital management: The importance of managing working capital will be discussed in this chapter.

Risk management – concepts and instruments for risk hedging: This chapter provides an introduction to risk management, including: the concepts of risk management and the use of derivatives in hedging.

Risk management – applications: This chapter discusses the techniques commonly used in risk hedging

MANAGEMENT ACCOUNTING [AC2097]

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Syllabus:

Management accounting and its strategic context: In this chapter the role of management accounting in supporting management decision making and the impact of the changingbusiness environment are discussed. There is also revision of cost terms and concepts covered in AC1025.

Full absorption costing methods: In this chapter we explore the theory and practice of allocating and absorbing costs to cost objects (products, services and cost centres) and how the costs obtained should be interpreted and used.

Inventory and process costing and capacity management: This chapter covers the purpose of and calculations needed to ascertain the cost per unit of processed products using both FIFO and weighted average methods. It also looks at methods of dealing with losses in process. The chapter finishes by introducing capacity management which is explored in detail in later chapters.

Activity-based costing (ABC): This chapter discusses the changed business environment which requires more accurate measurement of the costs of inputs and explains the calculation of activity-based costs.

Activity-based management (ABM): This chapter discusses the extended use of ABC techniques for managerial decision making and activity-based budgeting (ABB).

Cost-volume-profit analysis: This chapter revises break-even analysis as studied in AC1025 and covers break-even analysis where there are several products. It also looks at using contribution analysis for decision making and operating leverage.

Application of cost-volume-profit analysis: This chapter looks at techniques available to determine cost behaviour. It also focuses on the impact of the learning curve on product/service costs.

Relevant information in decision making: This chapter revises the concepts of sunk cost, opportunity cost, already controlled and not yet controlled cost. It illustrates how to identify the appropriate cost for different decisions including outsourcing. It discusses some of the potential longer term impacts of short-term decisions.

Decision making with constraints and uncertainty: This chapter looks at the financially optimal use of constrained factors including the use of linear programming, shadow prices and throughput accounting. It also covers several methods of dealing with uncertainty including probability analysis, decision trees, maximin, maximax and regret criteria.

Theory and practice of pricing: This chapter looks at various aspects of the pricing decision and reviews different ways in which cost supports the pricing decision.

Principles of accounting [AC1025]

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Syllabus:

This course is designed to introduce you to accounting and financial management. Traditionally concerned with measuring, recording and reporting financial transactions and events, modern accounting provides a broad range of information for a wide variety of users. Financial accounting and reporting is primarily concerned with the needs of users outside the business, such as shareholders, regulators and creditors. In contrast, management accounting and financial management is concerned with the needs of users who are internal to the business, such as directors, managers, and employees.

The course is arranged in two sections. The first section introduces and explains financial accounting concepts and conventions, and provides a grounding in double-entry bookkeeping and the preparation of the primary financial statements. The second section introduces a range of applications and techniques for planning, decision-making and control.

Section 1 Financial accounting

Accounting harmonisation and International Financial Reporting Standards. Accounting concepts and conventions: their nature, purposes and limitations. How to prepare and interpret financial statements: ‘Statement of Financial Position’, income statement and statement of cash flows. Analysis and interpretation of financial statements.

Section 2 Management accounting and financial management

Cost behaviour, marginal and total absorption costing for inventory. Cost-volume-profit analysis. Introduction to budgetary planning and control, including standard costs, targets, and variance analysis. Making capital investment decisions.

Organisation theory [MN3127]

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Syllabus:

Introduction

• Attempts to define organisations of differing types and differing objectives. Normative and positive theories.

• Division of labour, specialisation, productivity, economies of scale and the problem of co-ordination (motivations/incentives and information).

• Markets and organisations as alternative coordinating mechanisms. Contrasting market and employment contracts (incentives, risk sharing and information assets).

• The market organisational contractual continuum. Competitive markets, ‘real’ markets, long term contracts (fixed cost to cost plus), joint ventures, alliances, informal networks, franchising etc.

• Coordination and role of: motivation/incentives, communication/ information/knowledge, bargaining power and authority, culture/ norms/trust/commitment, democratic process.

• Introduction to the nature of Hierarchical organisations.

• Vertical boundaries (make-buy).

• Horizontal boundaries (Divisional, conglomerates etc).

• Hierarchical structures (size, span, depth).

• Ownership/governance.

Theories of boundaries:

• Transaction costs; assumptions, bounded rationality, opportunism, incomplete contracts; transactional characteristics, asset specificity, uncertainty, complexity, frequency. Team production and externalities.

• Property rights theory.

• Monopoly power, information knowledge and rents, competitive advantage.

• Role of managerial objectives/motivation.

• Role of legislation (national variations).

• Ideology.

The evolution of organisations

• Evolution of contracts.

• Evolution of organisational types: peer groups, multifunctional; multi-divisional, conglomerates, Alliances, networks, long term (relational), contacting. Centralised v decentralised organisation (discretion).

Studying organisations

• Organisation, group and individual levels of study and their inter-relationship.

• Contribution of statistical models and case studies.

• Contribution of elementary game theory (one-shot and repeated).

• Contribution of network (graph theoretic) models.

• Critical theories of organisation. Organisations as contractually coordinated mechanisms.

• Taylor, standardisation, rationalisation and scientific management; “Fordism”.

• Theories and critiques of bureaucracy.

• Centralisation, decentralisation and discretion/incomplete contracts.

• Organisation as an algorithm.

• Control loss, coordination loss.

Organisations as Incentive/ Motivationally coordinated mechanisms.

• Introduction to principal agent theory.

• Team production and externalities.

• Psychological models of motivation: Human relations; Human resource management; Group and team context (production); Motivational reactions to organisational design.

Organisations as authority/ power/coordinated mechanisms

• Nature of power. Authority and influence.

• Bargaining power.

• Sources of power.

• Power and participation/decentralisation.

Organisations as Information/ Knowledge distributively coordinated mechanisms

• Coordination and information (games).

• Theory of teams.

• Hidden information/action.

• Demand for information and participation.

Organisations as ‘Culturally’ coordinated mechanisms

• Nature of culture.

• Trust, leadership, sacrifice and commitment.

• Social capital.

• Corporate culture/ambient cultures.

• National business systems.

Determinants of hierarchal structures (shape).

• Contingency theory.

• Population ecology/institutional theory.

• Hierarchy (or hybrid organisation) as an optimal mechanism – given operating environment - for

combining: rules/contracts, incentives, authority, information, culture.

Corporate Governance

• Ownership and control; participation and organisational democracy.

introduction to economics [EC1002]