B0141 - CYBERSECURITY AND INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS

Learning outcomes

The course will allow students to enhance their knowledge on the current dynamics of the intersection between cyberspace and international business. In particular, students will be able to: 1) Understand the fundamentals of cyberspace, cyber security and their dynamics in the field of international business; 2) Apply a multidisciplinary approach combining social science with computer science topics; 3) Achieve a specific confidence with the ability to use methods to conduct researches and analysis in the field of Cybersecurity and International Business; 4) Understand the main cyber related threats and risks against the business continuity 5) Analyze the implications for State, non-state and private actors in the cyber arena; 6) Study how cyberspace could jeopardize the international security and stability; 7) Apply the concept of public-private partnership in the field of cyber security and international business.

Course contents

• Foundations of cyberspace and cybersecurity.
• Cyberspace and the international political economy of the digital domain: markets, interdependence and the role of private actors.
• Weaponised interdependence: supply chains, infrastructure and the private sector as enabler, chokepoint and target.
• Conflict in the digital age and the Revolution in Military Affairs (RMA): the strategic, tactical and operational levels.
• Public–private partnership and multistakeholderism: cooperation and divergence of interests in cyberspace.
• Emerging and disruptive technologies and strategic digital autonomy: artificial intelligence, quantum computing, big data and the "technopolar" world order.

No prior knowledge of computer science is required. A lecture on how to write the research paper will be included.

Readings/Bibliography

Mandatory readings:

Please note that only a few chapters will be selected from the listed books. Other additional readings will be distributed during the course.

• Brantly, A. F., & Van Puyvelde, D. (2019). Cybersecurity: Politics, Governance and Conflict in Cyberspace. Polity Press. [Selected chapters]

• Taylor, M. Z. (2016). The Politics of Innovation: Why Some Countries Are Better Than Others at Science and Technology. Oxford University Press. [Selected chapters]

•  Farrell, H., & Newman, A. L. (2019). Weaponized Interdependence: How Global Economic Networks Shape State Coercion. International Security, 44(1), 42–79.

•  Bremmer, I. (2021). The Technopolar Moment: How Digital Powers Will Reshape the Global Order. Foreign Affairs, 100(6).

•  Kleinwächter, W. (2021). Cybersecurity, Internet Governance, and the Multistakeholder Approach: The Role of Non-State Actors in Internet Policy Making. Cyberstability Paper Series.

•  Martino, L. (2026). Il mondo codificato. Potere, politica e mercato. Percorsi. Il Mulino.

Recommended:

• Raj M. S. and Kiran S., “How to Cyberproof the Private Sector: The U.S. Can Harness the Market to Tackle the Cybersecurity Challenge” Foreign Affairs, January 13 2022https://www.foreignaffairs.com/articles/north-america/2022-01-13/how-cyberproof-private-sector
• Bremmer I., “The Technopolar Moment: How Digital Powers Will Reshape the Global Order” Foreign Affairs, Volume 100 • Number 6 November/December 2021 https://www.foreignaffairs.com/articles/world/2021-10-19/ian-bremmer-big-tech-global-order
• Kleinwächter W. "Cybersecurity, Internet Governance, and the Multistakeholder Approach. The Role of Non-State Actors in Internet Policy Making" Cyberstability Paper Series December 2021, https://hcss.nl/wp-content/uploads/2021/12/Kleinwaechter.pdf

 

Teaching methods

The course is delivered in blended mode: seminars and lectures are held in presence at the Bologna campus and online; students at the Forlì campus may follow entirely online. It combines lectures — with external guest speakers drawn from the cyber-business and international-politics world — with seminars, group discussion, empirical case analysis, individual assignments, a research paper and in-class group presentations.

Classes run twice a week in an interactive format, and students are expected to read the assigned materials before each session and to participate in discussion. 

Attendance is mandatory, as active participation is an integral component of the final grade. A limited number of absences may be permitted for justified and documented reasons.

Assessment methods

Assessment Methods and Grading Criteria

The final grade for attending student will be based on the following criteria:

• 25% – In-class participation and discussion
• 25% – Group presentation
• 50% – Research paper (2.500–3.500 words)
  

Assessment Methods:

In-Class Participation (25%)

As this is a seminar-based course, active participation is both required and evaluated. Students are expected to read the assigned materials in advance and come to class ready to engage in thoughtful, critical discussion. Regular contributions to seminar discussions will form the basis of this component of the grade.

Group Presentation (25%)

The final part of the course is dedicated to group presentations, where each group will select a topic distinct from their individual research paper. Presentations must combine theoretical frameworks with empirical analysis. Each group will also be assessed by two discussants from another group, rotating roles throughout the session.

The requirements for the presentation are as follows:

• A brief written summary (200–300 words) and the presentation slides (e.g., PowerPoint, or similar) must be submitted at least two days before the presentation date to both the professor and the assigned discussant group.
• The presentation must take a critical perspective, clearly articulating arguments and avoiding descriptive overviews.

The content will be assessed based on clarity, analytical depth, engagement with theoretical and empirical material, and the ability to present ideas concisely and critically.

Research Paper (50%)

The research paper is the most substantial component of the course and represents the culmination of students' analytical and theoretical engagement. Students are free to choose a topic of interest, provided it receives prior approval from the professor. The topic should relate to the themes of the course, and demonstrate critical thinking rather than descriptive summary.

Key Requirements for the research paper:

Length: 2,500–3,500 words (excluding bibliography)

Submission: At most one week before the selected exam date, with midnight as the deadline.

Style: Academic and analytical — policy recommendations and descriptive approaches are not appropriate. The paper must reflect critical engagement, not just a summary of existing knowledge.

Formatting:

-Introduction: Present the topic, main argument, and structure of the paper

-Body: Develop the argument, analysis, and evidence-based discussion

-Conclusion: Summarize findings and reflect critically on the implications

-Citation: Harvard referencing style is recommended

-No abstract is required

Papers that are purely descriptive or lacking a critical perspective will be considered insufficient and receive a failing grade.

Non-Attending Students

Non-attending students are assessed through a single research paper of 5,000 words (100%), on a topic agreed with the instructor and submitted at most seven days before the exam, following the same academic standards, analytical requirements and structure.

Ethical behavior

Students are obliged to follow the Alma Mather University of Bologna ethics code. Plagiarism will be assesed with dedicated software, and if founded it invalidates the exam as “unethical”. This behaviour will be shared with university authorities.

Use of generative Artificial Intelligence (AI): for the purposes of learning assessment, a limited, declared and non-substantial use of AI is permitted for support activities (summarising, rephrasing); substantial use of AI to carry out parts of the assessment is not permitted and will result in an immediate fail.

 Grading policy

The range of grading is between 18-30

Insufficient: knowledge of the topic is not even approximate or not correct.

18-21: elementary knowledge of the topic, and/or not always correct, partial ability to argue and elaborate

22-25: satisfactory knowledge of the subject, ability to argue and elaborate fairly solid

26-29: good or very good knowledge of the subject, good or very good ability to argue and elaborate

30: precise knowledge of the subject, ability to argue and elaborate very good

30 cum laude: precise knowledge of subject matter, very good argumentation and elaboration skills, relevant personal review of knowledge.

Teaching tools

Open Source Labs of Cyber Threat Intelligence

Office hours

See the website of Luigi Martino