Course Syllabus
Sustainable Development Goals
Learning objectives
This course deals with the management of business organizations which compete in international markets and spread both primary and auxiliary activities of their value chain throughout several locations around the world. The course is meant to develop skills and abilities that help understand the evolving nature of managing an international business, identify the main drivers of globalizations, and evaluate how the process of globalization creates opportunities and challenges for management practices. To accomplish these tasks, it is necessary to analyze how the political (i.e., government policy), economic (i.e., the pursuit of innovation and entrepreneurial activities), and legal (i.e., the protection of intellectual capital) systems shape the attractiveness of different countries and regions. At Alongside, it is crucial to examine how ethical, corporate social responsibility, and sustainability issues faced by international businesses affect management practices. More specifically, students will learn how to: (a) identify and choose the different strategies for competing in global market place; (b) evaluate how the organizational architecture must opportunely match to global strategy in order to improve performance; (c) compare and select the most effective modes to enter foreign markets; (d) assess how country differences, production technology, and production factor affect the choice of where to locate production activities; (e) exploit the potential of business analytics and international market research; (f) configure the marketing mix globally.
Contents
- Globalization
- National differences in political, economic, and legal systems
- Ethical, corporate social responsibility, and sustainability
- Foreign direct investment
- The strategy of international business
- The organization of international business
- Entering developed and emerging markets
- Exporting, importing, and countertrade
- Global production and supply chain management
- Global marketing and business analytics
Detailed program
1. Globalization
a. The globalization of markets
b. The globalization of production
c. The drivers of globalization
d. The changing nature of the multinational enterprise
e. The globalization debate
2. National differences and the attractiveness of doing business internationally
a. The protection of intellectual property
b. Product safety and product liability
c. Political economy and economic progress
d. The implications for management practice of national difference in political economy
3. Ethical, corporate social responsibility, and sustainability
a. Ethics and international business
b. Roots of unethical behaviour
4. Foreign direct investment (FDI)
a. FDI in the world economy
b. Benefits and costs of FDI
c. Government policy instruments and FDI
5. The strategy of international business
a. Value creation and value capture
b. Global expansion, profitability, and profit growth
c. Cost pressures and pressures for local responsiveness
d. Choosing a strategy
6. The organization of international business
a. Organizational structure
b. Control system and incentives
c. Processes
d. Organizational culture
e. Organizational change
7. Entering developed and emerging markets
a. Basic entry decisions
b. Entry modes
c. Selecting an entry mode
d. Greenfield venture or acquisition?
e. Strategic alliances
8. Exporting, importing, and countertrade
a. The promise and pitfalls of exporting
b. Improving export performance
c. Export and import financing
d. Export assistance
e. Countertrade
9. Global production and supply chain management
a. Strategy, production, and supply chain management
b. Where to produce
c. Make-or-buy decisions
d. Managing a global supply chain
10. Global marketing and business analytics
a. Globalization of markets and brands
b. Market segmentation
c. Business analytics
d. Product attributes
e. Distribution strategy
f. Communication strategy
g. Pricing strategy
h. Configuring the marketing mix
i. Product development and R&D
Teaching methods
Lecture-based classes, group-work presentations, seminars.
Assessment methods
For students regularly attending classes, the performance assessment is based on the following activities:
- Case study discussion (10% weight)
- Teamwork presentation (40% weight)
- Written exam (50% weight)
For students who do not attend classes, the performance assessment is based on a two-part exam which comprises a written test and an oral examination.
Textbooks and Reading Materials
Hill, Charles W.L. 2023. International Business: Competing in the global marketplace, 14th Edition. McGraw Hill, New York.
Semester
Second semester: from April 16th 2024 to June 6th 2024.
Teaching language
English
Sustainable Development Goals
Staff
-
Marco Corsino
