- Docente: Paola Giuri
- Credits: 6
- SSD: SECS-P/08
- Language: English
- Teaching Mode: In-person learning (entirely or partially)
- Campus: Rimini
- Corso: Second cycle degree programme (LM) in Business Administration and Management (cod. 8842)
Learning outcomes
The course provides concepts and tools for the strategic analysis of business decisions in service organizations. In particular the course focuses on corporate strategy in general and international strategies of services firms - globalization of markets and the attractiveness of foreign markets, and different entry modes in international markets. It also examines the geographical distribution of activities in multinational service firms.
The course also provides the analytical tools and concepts for effectively preparing a business plan for service organizations. Laboratory activities also examine the objectives and structure of the business plan, including the marketing plan and competitive strategy, the operations, organizational structure and the financial plan of the new service activity. Students will actively participate and be trained to the preparation of business plans.
Course contents
The course is composed of three modules.
Module 1 –International business
Module I will cover the following topics:
Globalization, export, FDIs in service and manufacturing activities
International trade theory
Strategy and organization of international business
Entry modes in international markets
Global production, outsourcing: make or buy decisions
Global marketing and R&D
International business in emerging countries
Module 2 – Business plan I
This part of the course will provide students with knowledge of the meaning, use and structure of a business plan, adopting a dedicated approach to service industries. In particular, students will cover a set of market and industry analyses supporting the modelling and projection of economic values, to reach a comprehensive estimate of the economic viability and profitability of a project, a new business unit or a new business idea in the service industries.
Examples from the logistics, transportation, ICT and other service industries will support students in practicing with field analytics, benchmarks and specific use of financial modelling to reach an informed understanding of return on investment analysis.
The course will cover:
- The meaning and use of a business plan
- Market, industry and business model analyses
- Modelling volumes and defining assumptions
- Projecting a Profit & Loss (P&L) statement.
- A quick view into the Cash Flow and Balance sheet statements
- Financing activities
- Estimating ROI, ROE and NPV of a project or a business with the DCF model
Module 3 – Business plan II
Business plan experiences in manufacturing and service companies
Business plan for international business
Export planning and the role of the export manager
Discussion of project works
Readings/Bibliography
Hill C.W.L. (2009). International business, McGraw Hill. Chapters 1, 2, 5, 12-14, 16, 17.
Readings
Bartlett, Christopher A., and Sumantra Ghoshal. "Managing Across Borders: New Organizational Responses." MIT Sloan Management Review. October 15, 1987.
Bartlett, Christopher A., and Sumantra Ghoshal. "What is a Global Manager?" Harvard Business Review, August 2003.
Hill, C. H., Hwang, P. and Kim, W. (1990), An Eclectic Theory of the Choice of International Entry Mode, Strategic Management Journal, Vol. 11, 117-128
Levitt, T. "The Globalization of Markets." Harvard Business Review, May–June 1983.
Mihir A. Desai, The Decentering of the Global Firm, World Economy, 32, 2009, pp. 1271-1290
O'Donnell, S., (2000), Managing Foreign Subsidiary: Agents of Headquarters, or an Interdependent Network? Strategic Management Journal, 21,6, 525-548.
Porter, M. "Competing Across Locations: Enhancing Competitive Advantage through Global Strategy." In On Competition. Harvard Business School Press, 1998. ISBN: 9780875847955.
Santos, J., Y. Doz, and P. Williamson. "Is Your Innovation Process Global?" MIT Sloan Management Review 45, no. 4 (2004).
Szulanski, Gabriel, and Sidney Winter. "Getting it Right the Second Time." Harvard Business Review, January 2002.
A syllabus with case studies and additional readings will be available at the beginning course.
Teaching methods
Lectures, seminars, case studies developed with the active participation of the students and presentation and discussion of case studies by the students.
Participation in teams to project works in collaboration with business companies.
Assessment methods
Final written exam. The mark will also consider the participation of students to project works, case studies, lab activities on business plan and presentations during the lectures.
Office hours
See the website of Paola Giuri