International business strategy

Convenor: Dr Soo Hee Lee
Assessment: An essay of 2500 words (25%) and a 2 hour exam (75%). The coursework deadline is in 30th March 2012 (Absolute Cut-Off deadline – 20th April 2012)

Aims

This module focuses on the strategic challenges confronting firms which compete in the global economy. The aim of the module is to provide students with a thorough understanding of the key strategic issues confronting managers of multinational corporations, both within the business enterprise and in the global marketplace.

Learning objectives

By the end of this module students will be able:

• to identify and understand the key issues in international business strategy;
• to use the conceptual and analytical tools of strategic management and economics to the greater understanding of international business strategy;
• to appreciate alternative patterns of strategies, structures and operations, appropriate in different international contexts and changing market conditions;
• to address the management of the greater complexity that accompanies international operations; and
• to analyse case studies of strategies in business organisations in the context of the relevant concepts and theories.

Content

Subjects covered include: exploring and exploiting national differences, leveraging resources and capabilities across national borders, the internationalisation process and foreign market entry, the formulation of international strategies, global innovation strategies, organising and structuring multinationals, international joint ventures and strategic alliances, innovation and learning in multinationals.

Background reading

• Peng, M.W. (2009), Global Strategic Management, 2nd ed. South-Western Cengage Learning, International Edition.
• Bartlett, C.A. and Ghoshal, S. and Beamish (2008), Transnational Management. Text, Cases and Readings in Cross-Border Management, fifth edition, McGraw-Hill.