Learning objectives

The aim of the course is to analyse international business and management in a comprehensive and complete framework, presenting the challenges of globalization. The course in divided into two parts: A and B. In the first part (part A) after introducing the relevance of culture, politics, law and business ethics students will learn the main economic systems and trends. They will understand the benefits of the main regional economic integration and the importance of FDI. In the second part of the course (part B) students will understand the influence of globalization to companies and their economy at a micro level point of view. Internal processes from production to logistic, from sales and marketing to human resource management will be analysed. Students will learn and discuss about the organization and management of both multinational enterprises (MNE) and SMEs, that are the backbone of Italian economy. The course will consider the internationalization process both on the strategic and operative point of view, giving students the ability for preparing a detailed analysis on both costs and revenues. Terminology, economic and organizational theories, adequate examples and case study will be given to students (also beginners) in order to approach at the topic with a "real" holistic way. At the end of the course the student will be able: to argue about main opportunities, threats and risks associated to international business; to design and discuss potential paths for developing international business both under the strategic and operative point of view; to critically appraise the benefits deriving from internationalization for big companies and SMEs.

Prerequisites and basic notions

No prerequisites

Program

Il corso copre i seguenti topic (sia per studenti frequentanti che non frequentanti (fra parentesi sono indicati i capitoli del libro di testo da studiare): - Globalization (CH01) ; - Cross-cultural business (CH02) - Politics, law and business ethics (CH03) - Economics and emerging markets (CH04) - International trade (CH05) - Business government trade relations (CH06) - Foreign direct investments (CH07) - Regional economic integration (CH08) - International strategy and organization (CH11) - Analysing international opportunities (CH12) - Selecting and managing entry modes (CH13) - Developing and marketing products (CH14) - Managimg international operations (CH15) - Hiring and managing employees (CH16).

Bibliography

Didactic methods

Course topics will be discussed in lectures (according to the class schedule). Some guest lecturers may present cases or topics related to internationalization and global business. Students (both attending and non-attending) will find supplementary materials in a course FOLDER on the MYUNIVR platform. The TEXTBOOK must be studied in its entirety by all students, with the exception of Chapters 9 and 10. On the MYUNIVR platform, students will find: a) the textbook index, lecture slides, b) slides and supplementary materials, c) the text of the two mandatory project works; d) some open and multiple choice questions to simulate the exam, e) the timetable for the supplementary INTRODUCTION TO BUSINESS PLAN module (not mandatory). During lectures, students may be invited to discuss business cases (individually or in groups). The course will take place between October and December. On a trial basis, video lectures will be available on the TEACHING PAGES within approximately 10 days. The instructor is available for Q&As: 1. at the end of the lecture; 2. during student office hours (see the institutional page). Lectures, as well as the exam, are held in person. In particular, the importance of participating in classroom activities is emphasized, allowing for interaction with fellow instructors and participation in project work. Furthermore, as an additional service to students, these lectures will be video-recorded and made available on the Moodle portal within 15 days of the lecture. However, it is emphasized that recordings are not a substitute for classroom lectures and activities.

Learning assessment procedures

The exam language is ENGLISH. Online registration is required three days before the exam date. Without registration, you will not be able to take the exam. The first available exam dates will be in January/February. The exam will be administered via MOODLE in person in a university classroom equipped with a PC (except for exceptions). Access will be via student credentials from the portal http://esamionline.univr.it.

Evaluation criteria

The exam is designed to assess: a. the student's knowledge of the syllabus topics and b. their ability to apply models and solutions in a real-world context. Students are required to prepare two project works (preferably in groups of three students), which must be submitted via MOODLE 7 days before the exam. To take the MOODLE exam, registration is required 4 days before the exam date from your student profile (please verify your registration). ERASMUS students are invited to contact the instructor at the beginning of the course (September/October).

Criteria for the composition of the final grade

For both ATTENDING and NON-ATTENDING students, the exam consists of TWO parts: A) 2 project works that focus respectively on: A.1 Introduce some countries and present some markets (5 points), A.2 Present some MNE and FDI cases (10 points). See the course Moodle pages for more information. B) Final exam via Moodle which includes: B.1) 5 multiple choice questions (each of which awards 1 mark, no penalty for an incorrect answer) B.2. 2 open-ended questions (5 marks each). Once the project works and the final exam have been passed, the student may request an oral supplement which can change the grade by a maximum of +/- 3 marks. The maximum exam grade is 30, with 18 points being a passing grade.

Exam language

English

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