International Business

International business and management has considerable impact on modern enterprises operating in an increasingly global economy. Companies face a wide range of choices regarding markets, locations for key activities, investment and ownership modes, and organization and processes for managing across borders. This course provides students the necessary frameworks to understand the key challenges of international management and work effectively in today's global environment. The aim of the course is to provide students with an extended coverage of alternative theories and perspectives on firms' internationalization, a thorough understanding of the key strategic and organizational issues confronting managers of multinational corporations, and theoretical concepts on foreign subsidiaries and headquarter-subsidiary relationships. It is designed to familiarize students with the institutional, cultural, and economic environments that affect international businesses and management, showing how managers develop different responses to external pressures.

After the course, the participant should:

• understand the economic, financial, organizational and political factors affecting international businesses,
• know basic strategic and operational choices in international management, 
• understand and appreciate differences between managing domestic and international businesses, and
• explain and give examples of alternative strategies, structures and operations of multinational corporations, appropriate in different international contexts, changing markets and political conditions.

In presence

The course is taught by combining lectures, cases, and independent study of a textbook. The course combines a strong focus on concepts with an orientation towards application. By using mini cases and examples to situate concepts discussed, students can experience the application of the abstract concepts of strategy in concrete management situations. I expect a very high degree of student preparation and participation. Students should come to class prepared to discuss the assigned material.

24h take home exam (open book).