MBA 2423 Multinational Financial Management

MBA 2423 Multinational Financial Management

Course code: 
MBA 2423
Department: 
Strategy and Entrepreneurship
Credits: 
4
Course coordinator: 
Heidi Wiig
Zhang Xiaorong
Course name in Norwegian: 
Multinational Financial Management
Product category: 
Executive
Portfolio: 
MBA China
Semester: 
2018 Autumn
Active status: 
Active
Level of study: 
Master
Teaching language: 
English
Course type: 
One semester
Introduction

The objective of this course is to provide students with an overall understanding of how firms should manage the global financial issues in a dynamic world. It explains why fundamental theories in international economics can be translated into the competitive edges for multinational firms in both the product market and the financial market, and thereby affect their global investment, financing and risk management decisions.

The course has a strong China background. It focuses on the RMB exchange rate reform and how multinational firms (both foreign-invested firms in China and Chinese overseas investments) should incorporate RMB foreign exchange risk management in investment decisions (which market to entry) and financing decisions (which market to borrow).  Although students are required to have fundamental knowledge in Macroeconomics (GDP and inflation), Microeconomics (Opportunity cost, market competition) and Corporate Finance (NPV, discount rate, cost of capital, etc.), they are encouraged to present their analytical skills rather than quantitative calculations.

Learning outcomes - Knowledge
  • Knowledge of exchange rate regimes, the impossible triangle in international economics and the history of RMB exchange rate reform
  • Understanding of the Purchasing Power Parity and Interest Rate Parity and how they respectively affect multinational firms’ global competitiveness and cost of capital
  • Being aware of the operational and investment arrangements for MNCs to reduce global  tax burden
Learning outcomes - Skills
  • Ability to identify currency over/undervaluation based on simple PPP
  • Ability to design foreign exchange risk hedging plans for accounts receivable/payable
  • Ability to incorporate FX risk and political risk in overseas investment NPV assessment
Learning Outcome - Reflection
  • Respect for the market competition, corporate governance and business ethnics in a global environment
Course content

Day 1. Lecture

  • What is Special in Multinational Financial Management
  • International Monetary System and the “Impossible Trinity”
  • Chinese Yuan Exchange Rate Regime in the “Impossible Trinity”
  • Purchasing Power Parity and Interest Rate Parity
  • Foreign Exchange Markets and Quotes
     

    Day 2: Lecture and Classroom Case Discussion

  • Classroom Discussion of Case 1
  • RMB Offshore Markets and RMB Internationalization
  • Definition and Categories of Foriegn Exchange Exposure
  • Measuring and Managing Transaction Exposure
  • Measuring Economic Exposure
     

    Day 3: Lecture and Classroom Case Discussion

  • Classroom Discussion of Case 2
  • Overview of Global Financing: Bond and Equity Markets
  • Techniques: Interest Rate swaps and Currency Swaps
  • Overseas Listing Chinese Firms:  VIE Structure and the Delisting Wave
  • FDI, Modes of Entry and the Chinses Characteristics
  • Mentoring Group Presentations
     

    Day 4. Lecture and Group Presentations

  • Multinational Capital Budgeting
  • Business Ethnics for MNCs: Transfer Pricing and Tax Inversion
  • Student Group Presentations
Learning process and requirements to students

1 ECTS credit corresponds to a workload of 26-30 hours.

The course is 4 days and consists of lectures, classroom case discussions and group presentations, in total 32 hours. The group presentation is to analyze one real company on one specific issue relating to its global investment, financing, operating or risk management.

This is a course with continuous assessment (several exam components) and one final exam code. Each exam component will be graded using points on a scale  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 course. Students who fail to participate in one/some/all exam components will get a lower grade or may fail the course. Candidates may be called in for an oral hearing as a verification/control of written assignments.

Specific information regarding the points system and the mapping scale 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.

Specific Information regarding any aspect of student evaluation will be provided in class. It is the student's responsibility to obtain this information. Please note that whilst attendance is not compulsory, it is the student's responsibility to obtain any information provided in class that is not included on the course homepage/it's learning or text book. Homepages and/or it's learning are not designed for the purpose of students who choose not to attend class.

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

Software tools
No specified computer-based tools are required.
Qualifications

Granted admission to the BI-Fudan MBA programme. Please consult our student regulations.

Assessments
Assessments
Exam category: 
Activity
Form of assessment: 
Class participation
Weight: 
20
Grouping: 
Individual
Comment: 
Individual classroom attendance and participation, counting 20% of the total grade.
Exam code: 
MBA 24231
Grading scale: 
China
Resit: 
All components must, as a main rule, be retaken during next scheduled course
Exam category: 
Submission
Form of assessment: 
Written submission
Weight: 
30
Grouping: 
Group (1 - 8)
Duration: 
1 Semester(s)
Comment: 
Case analysis or class presentation in groups, counts 30% of the total grade.
Exam code: 
MBA 24231
Grading scale: 
China
Resit: 
All components must, as a main rule, be retaken during next scheduled course
Exam category: 
Submission
Form of assessment: 
Written submission
Invigilation
Weight: 
50
Grouping: 
Individual
Support materials: 
  • All printed and handwritten support materials
  • Simple calculator
Duration: 
2 Hour(s)
Comment: 
Written exam, counts 50% of the total grade.
Exam code: 
MBA 24231
Grading scale: 
China
Resit: 
All components must, as a main rule, be retaken during next scheduled course
Exam organisation: 
Continuous assessment
Grading scale: 
ECTS
Total weight: 
100
Sum workload: 
0

A course of 1 ECTS credit corresponds to a workload of 26-30 hours. Therefore a course of 4 ECTS credit corresponds to a workload of at least 110 hours.