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EXC 3630 Managing International Operations

EXC 3630 Managing International Operations

Course code: 
EXC 3630
Department: 
Strategy and Entrepreneurship
Credits: 
7.5
Course coordinator: 
Birgitte Grøgaard
Course name in Norwegian: 
Managing International Operations
Product category: 
Bachelor
Portfolio: 
BBA - Specialisation in International Business
Semester: 
2021 Autumn
Active status: 
Active
Level of study: 
Bachelor
Teaching language: 
English
Course type: 
One semester
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 outcomes - 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.
Learning outcomes - Skills
  • Ability to apply theory to analyse real-life cases of international operations.
  • Ability to evaluate multinational firms' strategies and management processes.
General Competence
  • Awareness of ethical dilemmas in managing international business activities.
Course content

The course covers various aspects of strategy, management and operations of multinational enterprises. The sessions are based 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
Teaching and learning activities

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. 

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. 

Computer-based tools: Word, Powerpoint, itslearning, internet.

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. You will find detailed information about the point system and the cut off points with reference to the letter grades when the course start.

At re-sit all exam components must, as a main rule, be retaken during next scheduled course.

Software tools
No specified computer-based tools are required.
Additional information

.

Qualifications

Two years of college education in economics and business administration, marketing or equivalent is required for taking the course. 

Covid-19

Due to the Covid-19 pandemic, there may be deviations in teaching and learning activities as well as exams, compared with what is described in this course description.

Teaching

Information about what is taught on campus and other digital forms will be presented with the lecture plan before the start of the course each semester.

Required prerequisite knowledge

General knowledge of business administration subjects.

Exam categoryWeightInvigilationDurationGroupingComment exam
Exam category:
Activity
Form of assessment:
Presentation and discussion
Exam code:
EXC36301
Grading scale:
Point scale
Grading rules:
Internal examiner
Resit:
All components must, as a main rule, be retaken during next scheduled course
40No -Individual Student participation, including presentations and contribution to case discussions.
Exam category:
Submission
Form of assessment:
Written submission
Exam code:
EXC36301
Grading scale:
Point scale
Grading rules:
Internal and external examiner
Resit:
All components must, as a main rule, be retaken during next scheduled course
20No1 Month(s)Individual
Exam category:
Submission
Form of assessment:
Written submission
Exam code:
EXC36301
Grading scale:
Point scale
Grading rules:
Internal and external examiner
Resit:
All components must, as a main rule, be retaken during next scheduled course
40No1 Semester(s)Group (1 - 3)
Exams:
Exam category:Activity
Form of assessment:Presentation and discussion
Weight:40
Invigilation:No
Grouping (size):Individual
Duration: -
Comment:Student participation, including presentations and contribution to case discussions.
Exam code:EXC36301
Grading scale:Point scale
Resit:All components must, as a main rule, be retaken during next scheduled course
Exam category:Submission
Form of assessment:Written submission
Weight:20
Invigilation:No
Grouping (size):Individual
Duration:1 Month(s)
Comment:
Exam code:EXC36301
Grading scale:Point scale
Resit:All components must, as a main rule, be retaken during next scheduled course
Exam category:Submission
Form of assessment:Written submission
Weight:40
Invigilation:No
Grouping (size):Group (1-3)
Duration:1 Semester(s)
Comment:
Exam code:EXC36301
Grading scale:Point scale
Resit:All components must, as a main rule, be retaken during next scheduled course
Type of Assessment: 
Continuous assessment
Grading scale: 
ECTS
Total weight: 
100
Student workload
ActivityDurationComment
Teaching
39 Hour(s)
Student's own work with learning resources
30 Hour(s)
Preparation for case discussion and student presentation.
Prepare for teaching
30 Hour(s)
Submission(s)
30 Hour(s)
Group work / Assignments
71 Hour(s)
Group term paper.
Sum workload: 
200

A course of 1 ECTS credit corresponds to a workload of 26-30 hours. Therefore a course of 7,5 ECTS credit corresponds to a workload of at least 200 hours.