International business management
PROF. ALFREDO D’ANGELO; PROF. IVO PEZZUTO
COURSE AIMS
The course aims to give a broad and critical understanding of the international
business environment within which firms operate, and to understand the major
international management issues facing the firms’ internationalization process.
The central objective of this course is to understand the management of
international firms.
We will examine why and how firms decide to develop operations in foreign
countries, where they go and how firms become successful once they set their
operations cross national boundaries. We will also examine how individuals
manage business activities effectively in such international firms.
The course addresses the following main questions: (1) Why do firms expand
abroad? (2) Where do firms go? (3) How do firms expand abroad? (4) Why are
some companies successful in internationalising their business activities while
others are not? (5) How does managing a large multinational enterprise (MNE)
differ from managing a small (SME) domestic firm? (6) How do managers cope
with the constraints and opportunities of managing the main firm functions they
face when managing cross-border operations?
COURSE CONTENT
INTENDED LEARNING OUTCOMES
By attending this course, students will develop critical skills in assessing the
impact of the
business environment on real-world company situations. Students will develop
both a
theoretical and practical understanding of the fundamental managerial issues
involved in
doing business within an international environment.
At the end of this course students will be able to:
– Discuss the phenomenon of globalization and its major drivers.
– Compare and critique the major theories of international business.
– Analyse the opportunities and risks to international companies in various
country.
– Markets.
– Critically evaluate the ethical dilemmas relating to global business facing
international companies.
– Justify the course of action for an international corporation seeking
international market entry, location choice and other key strategic decisions.
–
.
–
.
– Discuss the alternative ways of organising and managing a MNE.
COURSE CONTENT/SYLLABUS
The course is divided into two parts.
PART 1: Prof. Alfredo D’Angelo
Week 1 – 21/9
The concepts of globalization and the major drivers. The major theories of IB.
Government intervention and Economic Integration process - (8 hours)
Week 2 – 28/9
The Political, Legal and Economic environments. Cultural influences in IB. Ethical
considerations - (8 hours)
Week 3 – 5/10
Country evaluation and selection. Barriers, stimuli and support. Entry modes - (8
hours)
Week 4 – 12/10
International opportunity assessment. Adaptation vs standardization. International
Marketing - (8 hours)
Week 5 – 19/10
Presentation mid-term
Week 6 – 26/10
The internationalization process of the firm - (8 hours)
PART 2: Prof. Ivo Pezzuto
Week 7 – 2/11
The impact of the internationalization strategy on the firms’ functions - (8 hours)
Week 8 – 9/11
Organizational design and competences of international firms - (8 hours)
Week 9 – 16/11
Organizational design and competences of international firms (Cont.) - (4 hours)
READING LIST
Textbook
C.W. HILL, International Business. Competing in the Global Marketplace, McGraw-Hill Irwin,
2014, 10th edition.
In particular, the relevant list of contents for the two course parts is the following:
Part 1 - Prof. Alfredo D’Angelo
Chapter 1 Globalization
Chapter 2 National differences in Political Economy
Chapter 3 Political Economy and Economic Development
Chapter 4 Differences in Culture
Chapter 5 Ethics in International Business
Chapter 6 International Trade Theory
Chapter 7 The Political Economy of International Trade
Chapter 8 Foreign Direct Investment
Chapter 9 Regional Economic Integration
Chapter 15 Entry Strategy and Strategic Alliances
Chapter 16 Exporting, Importing and Coutertrade
Part 2 - Prof. Ivo Pezzuto
Chapter 13 The Strategy of International Business
Chapter 14 The Organization of International Business
Chapter 17 Global Production, Outsourcing, and Logistics
Chapter 18 Global R&D
Chapter 19 Global Human Resources Management
In addition to the textbook, a number of readings will be posted to Blackboard as an
additional support for those students who regularly attend the classes. Students are
invited to print off the readings in advance and bring them in class in order to carry out
the activities.
Exams will cover the contents of the course pack (textbook and additional readings)
material.
TEACHING METHOD
The teaching method employed is designed 1) to illustrate the content of the text books;
and 2) to provide students with complementary readings, information and examples.
Lectures and seminars are the major teaching methods used. Company case studies will
also be discussed and analysed in the light of the theoretical aspects taught in class.
The course may involve presentations by managers and/or business owners for the
purpose of better illustrating some of the issues described in the course programme and the
country focus.
Students are expected to partecipate to class and the other course activities. Students are
also strongly advised to sit the exam in the first option given by the calendar.
Timetable: Monday 17.30-20.30; Tuesday 14.20-17.30; Wednesday 8.30-10.30
ASSESSMENT METHOD
The course is assessed as follows:
– Group report (35% of the final grade)
– Group presentation (15% of the final grade)
– Individual assessment (50% of the final grade)
The group report should be around 3,000 words including the executive summary, but
excluding tables, references and appendices. The details of the assignment will be given
during the first week of the course (see Appendix 1). The groups will be formed during the
first week of the course and they cannot be changed.
Effective teamwork is characterized by:
1. Collective decision-making
Decisions are discussed and agreed by all
2. Collaboration
Members do whatever is needed to get the job done
3. Tolerance of differences
Differences are discussed and seen as a means of improved decision taking
4. Communications
Members keep each other informed
5. Mutual support
Support and acknowledgment of the work of other team members and development of
loyalty to the group
Thus working in teams imposes mutual obligations on all participants and requires that
all members work to the same shared vision.
In addition to the joint report, each student is required to submit one individual diary
(via Blackboard) with the project. The individual diary represents a peer assessment of the
contribution given by each individual student to the group work. We reserve the right to give
students who do not participate in the project a zero grade. We reserve the right to remove
disruptive students from a team and to substitute an individual project for them. The group
presentation. Teams present projects to the Examining Board and fellow students. Each team
is allowed 15 minutes for a PowerPoint presentation, followed by 10 minutes for questions.
Criteria used in assessing presentations are:
Presenters
Confidence, clarity, audibility, pace, eye contact
Observance of time limit
Clarity of audio visuals
Overall team participation
Presentation quality
Content- clarity of brief
Content – quality of analysis
Content – quality of recommendations relative to brief
Questions
Expertise in answers
Confidence level
Conciseness of answers
The individual assessment will take the form of a written exam (1.5hrs) and it will be
based on a combination of multiple choice questions, open-ended questions, a brief exercise,
and/or a small case study.
Students are strongly advised to sit the exam in the first option given by the calendar.
Key dates and deadlines
1. Week 19.10.2015 – Presentation mid-term
2. Monday 23th November 2015 – Submission of the group report
3. Wednesday 25th November 2015 – Group presentation
4. Individual assignment – TBA (Period 23/11 to 23/12)