EXC 3630 Managing International Operations

APPLIES TO ACADEMIC YEAR 2015/2016

EXC 3630 Managing International Operations


Responsible for the course
Rolv Petter Amdam

Department
Department of Strategy

Term
According to study plan

ECTS Credits
7,5

Language of instruction
English

Introduction
Multinational enterprises are key actors in international business, and this course will focus on strategy and management of multinational enterprises. This entails looking at how multinationals expand internationally, how they manage and coordinate activities across borders, and leadership and management challenges of complex, multinational organizations.


Learning outcome
Acquired Knowledge
Students will be able to define and apply knowledge about:

  • The specific challenges of managing multinational companies
  • How to coordinate and integrate activities across countries
  • How multinational companies respond to the challenges and opportunities of national differences across countries they operate in
Acquired Skills
  • Ability to apply theory to analyse real-life cases of international operations
  • Ability to evaluate multinational firms' strategies and management processes.

Reflection
  • Awareness of ethical dilemmas in managing international business activities

Prerequisites
General knowledge of business administration subjects.

Compulsory reading
Books:
Gooderham, Paul, Birgitte Grøgaard, Odd Nordhaug, eds. 2013. International management : theory and practice. Edward Elgar

Other:
Classroom handouts, article collection and lecture notes. Published on It’s learning


Recommended reading

Course outline
The course covers various aspects of strategy, management and operations of multinational enterprises. The sessions are based on on a combination of textbook chapters, journal articles, teaching cases and class discussion to analyse and understand multinational firms. Topics include:
  • Introduction: the Multinational Company (MNC)
  • Foreign operating modes
  • Strategy and structure of MNCs
  • Managing risk in international business
  • Cultural and institutional differences
  • International human resource management
  • Employees and industrial relations
  • Global production networks
  • Knowledge sharing in MNCs
  • Social and environmental responsibilities in MNCs

Computer-based tools
Word, Powerpoint, itslearning, internet

Learning process and workload
The course comprises 39 hours of classroom teaching. The course will be a combination of lectures, case analysis, class discussions and student presentations.

Participation in class in required. For several lectures we will use cases to apply theoretical perspectives in practice. Active student participation is generally expected. Student will also be asked to present and discuss given assignment questions on a current topic related to various lectures.

Students will submit two written assignments; an individual essay and a term paper written in groups of up to three students. The term paper will collect data and analyse a specific aspect of international operations of one multinational enterprise.

Recommended use of hours:

Activity
Use of hours
Classroom participation / lectures
39
Preparation for case discussion and student presentation
30
Individual reading and class preparation
30
Individual essay
30
Group term paper
71
Total recommended use of hours
200



    Examination
    This is a course with continuous assessment (several exam components) and one final exam code. Each exam component is graded by using points on a scale from 0-100. The components will be weighted together according to the information in the course description in order to calculate the final letter grade for the examination code (course). Students who fail to participate in one/some/all exam elements will get a lower grade or may fail the course.

    The final grade in the course will be based on the following components and weightings:
    - Student participation, including presentations and contribution to case discussions 40 %
    - Individual essay 20 %
    - Group term paper 40 %

    Specific information regarding student evaluation beyond the information given in the course description will be provided in class. This information may be relevant for requirements for term papers or other hand-ins, and/or where class participation can be one for several elements of the overall evaluation.
    Examination code(s)
    EXC 36301 - Process evaluation, counts 100% of the grade in the course EXC 3630 Managing International Operations 7.5 credits.

    Examination support materials
    All supoort materials are allowed.

    Re-sit examination
    A re-sit examination is offered the next time course is offered.
    At re-sit it will be required that the entire evaluation process is conducted again, and that students who do not achieve points in one or more exam components will get a lower grade or fail the course. Previously conducted examination components will not be part of the assessment for a new character.

    Additional information

    Semesters

    Translations