MBA 2400 International Business

APPLIES TO ACADEMIC YEAR 2014/2015

MBA 2400 International Business


Responsible for the course
Randi Lunnan

Department
Department of Strategy and Logistics

Term
According to study plan

ECTS Credits
4

Language of instruction
English

Introduction


    Learning outcome
    The objectives of the course are to provide the students with managerial knowledge and analytical skills that are important when companies do international business. The course will start with an overview trade theories, deregulation of markets and the globalization of business. The students should understand the role of industrial clusters, the economics of location and the drivers of international business at the various levels. The concept of industrial competitiveness is central in the course. The economic role of China and India will be emphasized.

    The students are taught to analyze the internationalization strategies of business companies, both as international companies are entering the Chinese market and investing in China and as Chinese companies are entering foreign markets and investing abroad. At the end of the course the students should be able to analyze international business cases and to master a range of internationalization strategies that can be applied in modern business. Corporate social responsibility is discussed. The course also covers the organization and management of multinational corporations, and the students should be able to evaluate appropriate structural solutions.

    The course in international business combines theories of business strategy and theories of organization and management, and the students are trained in analyzing real life business cases to prepare for managerial careers in international companies.

    Prerequisites
    Bachelor degree or equivalent, 4 years work experience, managerial experience and good written and oral knowledge of the English language. Please confirm our Student regulations.

    Compulsory reading
    Books:
    Peng, Mike W.. 2010. Global business. 2nd ed. South Western Cengage Learning. 600 pages

    Collection of articles:
    Randi Lunnan. 2013. Oppdaterte artikler, for eksempel fra Harvard Business Review, California Management Review, Sloan + 4 cases

    Recommended reading

    Course outline
    Module Schedule

    Day 1: The international Business Context

    Day 2: International Markets and Strategies

    Day 3: Becoming International: Modes and Mixes

    Day 4: Managing the global organization

    The students are assigned into groups that are asked to prepare case analyses to be presented in Power Point format in class the next day and to be handed in for feedback.

    The students are expected to draw actively on their own business experience and to contribute in class with internationalization cases from their own corporate experience.

    Computer-based tools
    None

    Learning process and workload
    The course is conducted as a teaching module, where students have classes all day for four subsequent days, a total of 32 hours.

    Coursework requirements
    The students are divided into groups and each group must submit 4 cases (power points) one week before the course starts. Students continue to work on the cases, and must hand in a revised case analysis one week after the course ends.

    Examination
    The students will be evaluated by the following elements:
    - Class participation (individual) 20%
    - Group work (Group) 10%
    - Assignment (Individual) 70%.


    This is a course with continuous assessment (several exam elements) and one final exam code. Each exam element will be graded using points on a scale (e.g. 0-100). The elements will be weighted together according to the information in the course description in order to calculate the final letter grade for the course.

    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 of several elements of the overall evaluation


    Examination code(s)
    MBA 24001 - Continuous assessment; accounts for 100 % to pass the course MBA 2400, 4 ECTS credits


    The course is part of a full MBA and all evaluations must be passed in order to obtain a certificate for the degree.


    Examination support materials


    Re-sit examination
    Re-takes are only possible at the next time a course will be held. When course evaluation consists of class participation or continuous assessment, the whole course must be re-evaluated when a student wants to retake a exam. Retake examinations entail an extra examination fee.

    Additional information