34539 - International Management

Learning outcomes

The student is able to analyze the impact of globalization on firms strategic decisions. He is focused to customization of company's offering in different countries, and to standardized/differentiated approach to competition in different countries, to choices of reconfigure their business model on an international basis.

Course contents

This course is designed to expose students to fundamental and advanced issues in international strategy and enable them to analyze business situations from the point of view of the practicing general manager. Lectures introduce theory and apply it to real-life situations faced by companies through the analysis of a particular business case and workshops where groups of students analyse the internationalization strategy of a company of their choice.

The activities of both established firms and startups are becoming increasingly complex and geographically widespread. Fostering market expansion, reconfiguring international assets and striking a balance between local adaptation and global integration is a critical issue. General Managers are responsible for making strategic decisions that ensure the long-term success of the entire firm or a major division. Their key tasks involve identifying opportunities and threats in the competitive environment, the development and allocation of critical resources, and engaging in competitive and cooperative interactions with other organizations. To be effective, general managers need to have an in-depth understanding of the implications of global expansion for relevant functional areas such as marketing, R&D, and production.

The course will provide students with frameworks and tools to effectively handle these key issues in the context of established companies operating across national borders. At the same time, it will also provide an integrated strategy framework for young start-ups and would-be entrepreneurs facing issues of international expansion and growth. It is structured to provide grounding in the core strategic challenges facing start-ups, and offers a synthetic framework for the development and implementation of international expansion strategies in dynamic environments.

Specifically, the course will cover topics such as:

• Trade theory and the globalization debate
• Strategy identification and evaluation in global markets
• National, transnational and global governance
• International entry/expansion
• Standardization and localization
• Vertical integration and firm boundaries
• Dynamic strategy in international/global contexts
• Innovation and appropriability in global markets

Readings/Bibliography

Read carefully the course syllabus for a detailed list of essential and supplementary readings.

Teaching materials include articles, book chapters, and case studies. You must secure copies and read all essential readings before coming to class.

• Textbook: Textbook: Hill, Charles W. L. International Business, Global Edition, 11th Edition, McGraw-Hill Education (UK) Ltd., 2017; ISBN 9781260084153.

• Compatible previous editions:

1. Hill, Charles W. L. International Business, Global Edition, 10th Edition, McGraw-Hill Education (UK) Ltd., 2014; ISBN 9780077163587;
2. Hill, Charles W. L. International Business, Global Edition, 9th Edition, McGraw-Hill Education (UK) Ltd., 2012; ISBN 978-0-07-714736-5.
   

• Case Studies: check each session in the syllabus for details about specific cases.
• Journal articles will occasionally form part of the essential reading.

You can download a PDF copy of all journal articles using your library credentials. You will be able to download lecture slides in PDF format shortly after each class.

Teaching methods

The course uses a combination of lectures, case discussion seminars, and supervised student-led activities. The main pedagogical form is “problem based learning”, requiring a high degree of engagement and participation from the students.

The course will offer a tight integration of theoretical readings and case studies that will be used in class discussion to illustrate the conceptual material and analyze business situations accordingly. Journal articles will be incorporated in the readings to allow students to participate in the forefront of strategic management research. Typically, a short frontal presentation by the instructor will summarize and emphasize key aspects of the theoretical readings.

A structured discussion of an assigned case or a workshop where groups of students analyse the internationalization strategy of a company of their choice under the supervision of the instructor will follow. Students will be expected to master the theoretical readings and the details of the assigned cases to enable an effective discussion in class. Teams of students will also be expected to do presentations to be discussed in class. Each session will end with concluding remarks by the instructor.

All participants are expected to read ahead the assigned readings and to come in class prepared to critically discuss the materials. The students will be divided into groups. Each student must study the assigned materials before the class, where groups of students will present their analysis and engage in structured discussion. The goal is to facilitate students to apply the frameworks learned during lectures as well as test their analytical skills.

A tutor is assigned to this course. His name is Simone Napolitano(simone.napolitano@unibo.it) and he is responsible for coordinating the components of the integrated course and assisting students with related issues.

Assessment methods

1. Final Unseen Exam (70%)

The exam is worth 70% of your final mark for the course. The examination will last 1.5 hours. The exam paper consists of three sections as follows:

• Section A: Answer 25 multiple choice and true/false questions (0.8 marks each, altogether 20 marks). Correct answer: 0.8 marks. Wrong or no answer: 0 marks
• Section B: Answer 2 questions out of 3 (max 2.5 marks per question, altogether 5 marks)
• Section C: Answer 1 question out of 2 (5 marks)

IMPORTANT: All materials flagged as “Essential” in the syllabus will be required for the exam. Each session bloc in the syllabus contains all the information you will need to revise in preparation for the exam.

2. Group Work and Final Presentation (20%)

This assignment’s purpose is to help you think about how the theory taught on the course can be applied to a real situation and to check that you possess the knowledge and skills to obtain a solid understanding of a company’s strategy and its international presence.

• During the first session students will be allocated to groups (min 5, max 6 students per group).
• Groups will be asked to write a report analysing the international expansion strategy of a company of their choice among a list of firms pre-selected by the instructor.
• During the last lecture all groups will be asked to deliver an in class presentation of their reports. Specific guidelines and instructions including due dates are available under the following sections of the syllabus:
  • Group Assignment - Description and Instructions
  • Group Assignment - Grading Rubric

3. Class Participation (10%)

• For each class, each student is expected to prepare readings and case studies, listen closely to class discussion, and share their ideas. Class will begin and end on time. Repeated lateness will count against the class participation grade. Attendance is required and hence any absence is discouraged unless for legitimate reasons. Please inform by advance email of any that arise.
• During the first session students will be allocated to groups (min 5, max 6 students per group).
  • Your class participation grade is based on attendance and input.
  • During each Case Discussion session, the instructor will randomly select some students from each group that will be asked to lead the discussion of one of the assigned case questions until all questions have been discussed. The rest of the class will be required to join the conversation and comment on each question.
  • During each Report Development Workshop session students will work in groups under the supervision of the instructor to complete specific tasks in the development of their group assignment.
• Specific guidelines and instructions on class participation are available under the following section of the syllabus:
  • Class Participation Grading
• Clamda-IM students with an attendance waiver. Please, email me by the end of the first day of the module to confirm whether you will not attend the sessions. Specific guidelines and instructions on alternative assessment for Clamda-IM students with an attendance waiver (including information on due dates) are available under the following section of the syllabus:
  • Assessment for Clamda-IM Students with an Attendance Waiver

Office hours

See the website of Enrico Forti