BSc Management (Innovation, Strategy and Entrepreneurship)

Year of entry: 2024

Course unit details:
Advanced International Business

Course unit fact file
Unit code BMAN32071
Credit rating 20
Unit level Level 3
Teaching period(s) Semester 1
Available as a free choice unit? No

Overview

Building on the year-two International Business (BMAN24312) course, this optional course introduces final-year undergraduate students to a variety of cutting-edge topics in international business research and practices. Compared to the second-year module, the materials covered in this course are more advanced in terms of the depth of the academic reading and the complexity of business cases. Theses advanced topics are organized into three interrelated parts: First, we examine how firms formulate and implement their international business strategies. In addition to classical issues such as entry model choice and joint venture management, we cover crucial marketing, entrepreneurship, and innovation issues in the global context. Second, we aim to understand how multinationals meet global socio-political challenges and develop non-market capabilities in this regard. Emphasis is placed on corporate political activities, strategic CSR, and global value chain management. We also look into the ways in which how multinationals may develop a concerted pattern of actions to tackle challenges from both business and socio-political sides. Finally, we move to the organizational and governance dimensions of business firms and investigate how these organizational structure and corporate governance issues matter for firm outcomes.

Pre/co-requisites

Unit title Unit code Requirement type Description
International Business BMAN24312 Pre-Requisite Compulsory
BMAN24312 is a Pre-Requisite for BMAN32071. Only available to students on: Mgt/Mgt Specialisms, IMABS, IM and IBFE.

Students willing to choose this optional course need to have taken the course of International Business (BMAN 24312) and passed the exam in year two at AMBS.

Aims

This course aims to provide students with an in-depth understanding of leading strategic, institutional and organizational issues facing multinational enterprises in the global business arena. On the basis of the knowledge covered in the year-two international business module, students are expected to develop a deeper and more nuanced appreciation of the multifaceted business challenges that entail an integrated knowledge base involving international business strategies, home/host and supranational institutions, and organizational/governance structures. 

Learning outcomes

•    Knowledge and understanding: Fundamental understanding of a collection of cutting-edge topics in international business research and practice. Ability to analyse delicate business strategy, institutional dynamics, and organizational/governance issues in an international environment.
•    Intellectual skills: Development of critical thinking and problem solving skills. Ability to analyse cases and make critical judgments. Ability to articulate and critically evaluate conventional wisdom to produce bespoke management tools.
•    Practical skills: Ability to analyse case studies, apply core skills developed in earlier courses, and evaluate different policy options in international management.
•    Transferrable skills and personal qualities: Realize the importance of wider societal and institutional issues related to international business and management and demonstrate the ability to reflect on self, society, and the status quo of current business practices. Work with others constructively in a group context.  

Syllabus

Part I. Formulating and Implementing International Business Strategy
1.    Course introduction/overview; Managing the internationalization process; Modes of entering foreign markets
2.    Developing and managing global strategical alliances/networks in general and international joint ventures in particular
3.    International marketing
4.    International entrepreneurship: Small and medium-sized enterprise (SME) internationalization and “born-globals”
5.    Managing global innovation

Part II. Tackling Global Socio-political Institutional Challenges
6.    Managing political risks/hazards in home and host counties and developing firm-specific political capabilities
7.    International CSR and stakeholder management
8.    Managing challenges arising from global value chains
9.    Developing corporate non-market capabilities and integrating them with extant international business strategy making and implementation

Part III. Managing and Governing Corporations across the World
10.    Managing headquarter-subsidiary relationships
11.    Corporate governance systems around the world and the diversity/convergence of corporate governance systems
12.    Internationalization of corporate boards and overseas capital market listing; Course summary

Teaching and learning methods

The course will be delivered through a series of lectures and seminars.

  • 12 weeks of 2-hour lectures
  • 6 weeks of 1-hour seminars

Employability skills

Analytical skills
The course emphasizes the improvement of students' analytical skills. Knowledge and understanding of advanced topics in international business as well as the acquired analytical skills of composing group work will have a positive impact on the student's employability and career opportunities as managers and business leaders in a globalized environment.
Innovation/creativity
Expertise in company and institutional analysis and problem solving at a theoretical, analytical and practical level, will provide students with innovative skills and strengthen their applications for positions related to foreign market entry, organizing multinational enterprises, international management, and strategy consulting.
Leadership
This course increases the student's knowledge and understanding of multinational business strategy, managing inter-firm relationships, identifying and responding to real-world business problems, tackling global grand challenges in socio-political aspects, managing and critically reflecting on inter-personal group dynamics, which are essential for a management career in a multinational company.

Assessment methods

The course is assessed through both formative and summative assessments.

This course is assessed through a group coursework (20%) and an examination (80%).

Feedback methods

Lecturer feedback on formative assessments during the seminars

Feedback on the assessment will be posted by the course co-ordinator on the course’s Blackboard page.

Recommended reading

Peng, M. W. (2013) Global Strategic Management (3rd edition), Cengage Learning

Frynas, J. G. & Mellahi, K. (2014) Global Strategic Management (3rd edition), Oxford University Press

Goergen, M. (2018) Corporate Governance: A Global Perspective (1st edition), Cengage Learning

A variety of important reading materials, in the form of journal articles and business cases, will be distributed during the course.

Study hours

Scheduled activity hours
Lectures 24
Seminars 6
Independent study hours
Independent study 170

Teaching staff

Staff member Role
Renfei Gao Unit coordinator

Additional notes

Programme Restrictions: BSc Management and Management (Specialisms), BSc International Management, BSc International Management with American Business Studies and BSc IBFE.

For Academic Year 2023/24

Updated: March 2023

Approved by: March UG Committee

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