MMD005-Strategy and International Business

Module Provider: International Business and Strategy
Number of credits: 10 [5 ECTS credits]
Level:NA
Terms in which taught: Autumn term module
Pre-requisites:
Non-modular pre-requisites:
Co-requisites:
Modules excluded:
Current from: 2019/0

Email: alain.verbeke@henley.ac.uk

Type of module:

Summary module description:
This course is intended for doctoral and post-doctoral researchers. This is an advanced course focused on the theory of the multinational enterprise (MNE), and its implications for international strategic management.

Aims:
The course has three main goals:
First, it provides a critical overview of influential international business strategy literature with a focus on both conceptual and practical managerial insights. This overview should help PhD students to gain a better understanding of the complexity and the challenges associated with managing a large multinational network.

Second, it aims to prepare PhD students for a professional career, doing work in academia that is relevant to the practice of management, by focusing primarily on the dynamic components of international business strategy and the change processes associated with such strategy.

Third, the course aims to develop some practical skills, namely through preparing and making presentations, and being actively involved in class discussion.

Assessable learning outcomes:

At the end of this course, class participants will:

1. Have identified and evaluated major international business and strategy frameworks and explore their strengths and limitations.

2. Have developed a working knowledge of fundamental principles of advanced international business strategy.

3. Have identified and discussed real-world, managerial examples of concepts and issues presented in the course.

4. Have applied (international) strategic management principles to issues facing large multinationals to recommend solutions.

And for the students formally registered to earn a course credit: Have effectively communicated solutions to strategic management issues, both verbally and in writing.

Additional outcomes:

Each presentation, whether by the instructor or the participants, will be followed by a class discussion.

Outline content:

The course consists of a number of sessions. During each session there will be a lecture with class discussion. Each class participant will also have the opportunity to present his/ her own PhD research outline and should prepare 10-15 minutes, max. 10 slide presentation for this purpose. 

The course will address the following topics:

• Theories of the MNE

• MNE Governance

• Location and the MNE

• The Management of a Federation

• Global versus Regional Strategies and Competitiveness

• Cooperative Arrangements in International Business

• MNEs and Environmental Strategy

• Dynamics of international business strategy

Brief description of teaching and learning methods:

During the sessions there will be a mix of presentations by the course instructor (this should cover approximately 70% of the time in class) and presentations by participants.

In the table below, the guided independent hours are broken down as follows:

Summative assessment- Examinations:

Summative assessment- Coursework and in-class tests:

Participants registered for formal class credit will be assessed on the basis of a 5,000 words essay. Written assessment can be submitted up to three months after the end of the time in class, and the assessment process will be completed within one month of submission.

Formative assessment methods:

Penalties for late submission:

Penalties for late submission on this module are in accordance with the University policy. Please refer to page 5 of the Postgraduate Guide to Assessment for further information: http://www.reading.ac.uk/internal/exams/student/exa-guidePG.aspx 

The Module Convenor will apply the following penalties for work submitted late, in accordance with the University policy, where the piece of work is submitted up to one calendar week after the original deadline (or any formally agreed extension to the deadline): 10% of the total marks available for the piece of work will be deducted from the mark for each working day (or part thereof) following the deadline up to a total of five working days; where the piece of work is submitted more than five working days after the original deadline (or any formally agreed extension to the deadline): a mark of zero will be recorded.

The University policy statement on penalties for late submission can be found at: http://www.reading.ac.uk/web/FILES/qualitysupport/penaltiesforlatesubmission.pdf

You are strongly advised to ensure that coursework is submitted by the relevant deadline. You should note that it is advisable to submit work in an unfinished state rather than to fail to submit any work.

Assessment requirements for a pass:

A minimum mark of 50%

Reassessment arrangements:

Additional Costs (specified where applicable):
1) Required text books:
2) Specialist equipment or materials:
3) Specialist clothing, footwear or headgear:
4) Printing and binding:
5) Computers and devices with a particular specification:
6) Travel, accommodation and subsistence:

Last updated: 5 August 2019