Bachelor 2020/2021

Fundamentals of International Business and Management

Type: Elective course (Management)

Area of studies: Management

Delivered by: School of World Economy

Where: Faculty of Economics, Management, and Business Informatics

When: 3 year, 1, 2 module

Mode of studies: offline

Instructors: Karina A. Alenina, Nataliya Stanislavovna Karpova, Мордвинцев Алексей Сергеевич

Language: English

ECTS credits: 4

Contact hours: 48

Course Syllabus

Abstract

The course "Fundamentals of International Business and Management" provides understanding of the phenomenon of international business in global economic and political contexts. It presents a broad view of modern trends and changes in world economy, international markets and technologies, explores shifts in world trade, competition and transformation of globalization. It gives understanding of the most important market players, forms and formats of corporate development, ways of growth and progress. The course highlights the basic theoretical foundations and approaches, as well as major practical instruments of international management. It overviews corporate structures, processes and procedures focused on effective execution of international business activities. Special emphasis is done on management of international companies in view of technological changes and the transition to the Industry 4.0; it focuses on new requirements for corporate social responsibility, cross-cultural management, sustainable development and leadership competencies. The course combines lectures and seminars, research projects, round table discussions with business practitioners, as well as blended learning based on video-lectures of distinguished management theoreticians, business cases and video-interviews of business-leaders. Students acquire the skills of analytical work, data search and interpretation, formation and presentation of their own judgments, conducting scientific debates. The course is open for regulated assignment to foreign exchange students.

Learning Objectives

• To make overview of business environment, as well as main actors, stakeholders and mo-tives of company international activities.
• To introduce basic theoretical approaches and principles, the founders and key followers of management theory
• To understand core principles, ideas and instruments of international management.
• To give understanding of basic management functions
• To make overview of corporate structures, processes and procedures originating activities in global environment
• To emphasize the role of leaders and talents in making business client-centric, socially re-sponsible and sustainable
• Build up and stimulate an interest to the course and knowledge-formation process. Stimu-late self-work (cabinet and field studies) for in-depth understanding of the course material
• Provide an advice on the search in Internet of the most reliable, respectful and knowledge-based websites,web-pages and video-recourses
• Coach and consult students in research projects
• Motivate for excellent results of research projects and its presentations in-class

Expected Learning Outcomes

• Has enhanced problem-solving skills in management by offered set of analytical tools (i.e., theories, frameworks, concepts, and techniques).
• Interpret basic management functions, as well as structures, processes and procedures

Course Contents

• International business and the evolution of the global business environment
  1. Environment of International Business. 2. Key trends of Changes in the World Economy. 3. Key Drivers of Globalization. 1) International Trade 2) International Investments 3) Technological Changes 4) Social Aspects of Globalization.
• Main Actors of International Business
  1. The place and role of international business in the formation and transformation of global economy. 2. International business as a type of business. Participants and stakeholders (stakeholders) of international business. 3. Scales and Types of International Companies. 4. Perspectives for TNCs (MNCs), SMEs, Born-global Companies. 5. Technological changes and breakthrough technologies. Transition to Economy 4.0: impact on the composition, activities and industry structure of international companies.
• Challenges of International business environment
  1. World Trade Changes. Threats of New Protectionism. The State Capitalism. 2. Financial globalization: from the free movement of capital to the financing of the world economy. Financialization of World Economy. 3. Technological Changes. The globalization of technology. Information as a factor of pro-duction. Global digitalization and monetization of information. The revolution of virtual platforms. 4. Transition to Economy 4.0 and the new technological order. 5. International Competition: Fight for New Leadership. Challenges of Globalization and Glocalization. 6. Instability and Inequality. VUKA-phenomenon.
• Forms of growth and progress of international companies
  1. International business as a driver of internationalization of production and formation of the global economy. 2. Goals and strategies for entering foreign markets. 3. The role, dynamics and trends of foreign direct investment (FDI). The index of transna-tionality. 4. Models of Growth. Models of organic and inorganic growth. 5. The main waves of mergers and acquisitions. Modes and efficiency of M&A. 6. Strategic alliances. 7. Mobile factors of development. Background and role of outsourcing. New forms of mo-bile adaptation to the dynamics of the market environment. 8. Essential factors of sustainable development. 9. Challenges and limits for growth. State capitalism and growth.
• The World of International Company. Motivation and goals. Essence of Management.
  1. Philosophy, mission and vision. Goals and objectives of international companies. 2. Resources and competencies. 3. Leadership and corporate culture. 4. Organizations and structures. Processes and procedures. 5. Essence of Management of international companies. Definitions and Understanding. 6. The main functions of management.
• Management functions
  1. Marketing as an integrating function of management of international companies. 2. Production Management. International Product Life Cycle. New Product Develop-ment. 3. R&D management. 4. Supply chain management and logistics. 5. Talent management in international companies. 6. Financial management. 7. Information management. 8. Security and compliance issues (compliance). 9. Managing International Reputation. Corporate Culture. Corporate Governance. Cor-porate Social Responsibility. Corporate Global Citizenship. 10. Evolution of Management.
• Organizational Design
  1. Understanding Goals and Structures of Organizations. 2. Processes and Procedures. 3. Strategy and Efficiency as Basis for Organizational Design. 4. Key types of Structures. 5. Factors of formation of flexible forms of management. Matrix vs. Agile. 6. Evolution of Organizations. 7. Life cycle of organizations.
• Management Thinking in XX century
  1. Evolution of Management Concepts and Practices. 2. Prerequisites for Management Thinking. 3. Theories and Theoreticians. 4. Gurus of Management. Input to International Management Transformations.
• Management Thinking in XXI century
  1. Essential Management Ideas of XXI century. 2. Key challenges for management science and practice.
• Marketing as an integrating function of management of international companies
  1. Management of international markets and clients. Customer-oriented approach. 2. The main trends of consumption in the modern world. The theory of generations. 3. The system of marketing functions of an international company. 4. Features of international marketing. Export marketing. Multinational marketing. Global marketing. 5. Digital marketing in the practice of international companies. 6. The main strategies of international marketing. Case studies of the world's leading companies.
• Digital marketing in the practice of international companies.
  Case analysis
• Innovative activities of international companies. Competition and competitiveness of international companies
  1. Business and development of national innovation systems. Models of foreign countries. 2. Models of national innovation systems (NIS) of the studied countries - China, Japan, Ko-rea and other countries. 3. Features of the Russian NIS. 4. The ratio of business and government support of business innovation. 5. Business and development of national innovation systems. Models of foreign countries. 6. Models of national innovation systems (NIS) of the studied countries – USA, Germany, China, Japan and other countries. 7. Corporate R&D systems of international companies. Case studies of the leading compa-nies of the studied countries. 8. Factors of maintaining competitive advantages in the Economy 4.0. Case studies of the leading companies of the studied countries.
• Peculiarities of doing business in different countries and regions
  1. Models of management of companies in the studied countries: East versus West or con-vergence. 2. Case studies of the leading companies of the studied countries.
• International business in the context of global imbalances and the transformation of globali-zation. The future of international business
  1. Dynamics of inequality. Slowing growth of international trade and the world economy af-ter the financial and economic crisis of 2008-2009 2. Global, regional, intra-country inequality. Theory of Simon Kuznets and Thomas Piketty. 3. Instability of the economic and political environment. The phenomenon of VUCA and "black swans". 4. Systemic crisis of globalization. Transformation of production factors. Financing and so-cial problems: inequality and employment. 5. The crisis, global trade and new protectionism. Reshoring and regional chains of value added creation. The immigration crisis. 6. State capitalism in the new economic model. "Trilemma of globalization" by D. Rodrik. Business-society-state relations in the information age. 7. Prerequisites for a new globalization. 8. Problems and opportunities of the Russian business in the world economy.

Assessment Elements

• Посещаемость и активность на парах
• Презентации
• Письменный экзамен

Interim Assessment

• Interim assessment (2 module)
  0.58 * Посещаемость и активность на парах + 0.42 * Презентации

Bibliography

Recommended Core Bibliography

• Deresky, H. (2016). International Management: Managing Across Borders and Cultures, Text and Cases, Global Edition. [N.p.]: Pearson. Retrieved from http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&site=eds-live&db=edsebk&AN=1419482

Recommended Additional Bibliography

• Cole, B. M., & Chandler, D. (2019). A Model of Competitive Impression Management: Edison versus Westinghouse in the War of the Currents. Administrative Science Quarterly, 64(4), 1020–1063. https://doi.org/10.1177/0001839218821439