MMM095-Multinational Enterprise Strategy and Performance

Module Provider: International Business and Strategy
Number of credits: 20 [10 ECTS credits]
Level:7
Terms in which taught: Spring term module
Pre-requisites:
Non-modular pre-requisites:
Co-requisites: MMM001 International Strategic Management
Modules excluded:
Current from: 2023/4

Module Convenor: Dr Quyen Nguyen
Email: t.k.q.nguyen@henley.ac.uk

Type of module:

Summary module description:

This module is designed to provide students with an understanding of international business strategy and the implications of such a strategy on the financial performance of the multinational enterprise (MNE).

Students who plan to enrol for this module are advised that having prior fundamental understanding of accounting and/or financial management is beneficial for their study of this module, otherwise they are recommended to take MMM031 – Financial Management in the Autumn term.

Aims:

This module examines  international business strategy and financial performance of the MNE

Specifically, this module helps students understand the following topics:

• What does globalization and regionalization mean for today’s managers?


• How can you best extend your knowledge of how multinational enterprises function?


• How can you turn the messages from the academic literature into effective business strategies within an MNE?


• How can you measure the financial performance of the MNE?

Assessable learning outcomes:

On completion of this module, students should be able to:

• Understand the nature of globalization and regionalization and the prominent role of MNEs.


• Understand the interaction between the internal firm factors of the MNEs and relevant external country environment factors.


• Understand seven central themes for successful international business strategies and unifies them into a clear framework that can be applied to real world businesses worldwide.


• Analyse the strategic issues facing MNEs in a logical and disciplined manner.


• Analyse the relationship between international business strategy and financial performance of the MNE.

Additional outcomes:

Students will learn to work collaboratively with other team members and independently under pressure of restricted time frames and make their own decisions on the organisation of their work. In addition, in-class, teamwork and independent learning activities will help students to develop transferable skills (commercial awareness, critical thinking, analytical analysis, integration skills and communication skills), which are important for their future employment and professional development.

Outline content:

Core textbook

Alain Verbeke and I.H. Ian Lee (2022). International Business Strategy, Third Edition. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.

1. Conceptual foundation of international business strategy: seven concepts and one unifying framework. 


2. Implications of international business strategy for MNE performance - Part 1: Review of financial analysis.


3. Implications of international business strategyfor MNE performance - Part 2: The relationship between the degree of internationalization, firm-specific advantages (FSAs) and performance  Practical application exercise.


4. Workshop on seven concepts and one unifying framework.


5. The critical role of firm-specific advantages (FSAs).


6. The nature of home country specific advantages and the problems with host country specific advantages.


7. Workshop on location-specific advantages.


8. Combining firm-specific advantages and location-specific advantages.


9. Workshop on MNE subsidiary roles.


10. Introduction to international financial management in the MNE: Part 1.


11. Introduction to international financial management in the MNE - Part 2: Foreign exchange management, global cash management and the role of MNE global/ regional treasury centre.


12. Workshop of practical application exercise on international financial management in the MNE subsidiary.

Global context:

The lectures and workshops will use a wide range of examples of real-world firms across the broad triad of North America, Europe, and Asia Pacific for classroom illustration purposes, which aim to help students understand the module materials.

Brief description of teaching and learning methods:

Detailed guidance on the main topics of the syllabus and key references are provided in sessions of lectures. Students are required to do a significant amount of reading of the textbook, journal articles, chapters of books, statistical sources and websites of firms, national and international organisations.

Lectures: Lecture Attendance is compulsory.

Workshops: Workshop attendance is compulsory. The primary objectives of workshops are to help you to app ly theoretical concepts and frameworks to analyse real world firms using the case study method (practical applications).

Summative assessment- Examinations:

Summative assessment- Coursework and in-class tests:

A team assignment is a piece of collective teamwork of maximum 3,000 words in total (+10% variation is already included in the maximum word limit) answering ALL eight questions, worth 40% of the overall assessment weighting, submitted in Week 7 of the Spring term (between February 19 and February 23, 2024)

An individual assignment is a piece of individual work of maximum 1,500 words in total (+10% variation is already included in the maximum word limit) answering ALL four questions, worth 60% of the overall assessment weighting, submitted in Week 3 of the Summer term (between April 29 and May 3, 2024).

Any paper exceeding the maximum word limit will be penalized and marked down.

Relative percentage of coursework

Coursework has a 100% weight in the overall assessment

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

Assessment requirements for a pass:

A weighted average mark of 50%.

Reassessment arrangements:

Reassessment is an individual essay. The mark is capped at 50. The submission date will be the university re-sit period.

Additional Costs (specified where applicable):

Last updated: 30 March 2023