MBUS632-12S1 (C) Semester One 2012
International Business

Description

This course introduces you to the major contemporary issues and debates concerning developing and implementing strategy in an increasingly global environment. The IB paper is important to everyone with a sense of adventure and curiosity about the wider business world: not only those aiming to work overseas in large corporates, but also those in smaller and domestic organisations - since all economies and businesses are globally interconnected. The format will be as interactive and applied as possible with formal lecture input, videos and cases; and informal discussion and debate. Presentations will enhance the transferable skills developed in MBUS624 and the applied emphasis will enable you to link course themes and issues to the practitioner world.

This is a core course within the Master of Business Management programme. It assumes knowledge from MBM Year 1 courses, particularly MBUS624 Business Strategy. MBUS632 is an integrating course bringing together and applying cross-functional management knowledge in a global context.

Learning Outcomes

Course Aim. As part of the MBM core, the course aims to explore the spatial strategic dimension of organisations, particularly how and why organisations strategise within a rapidly changing world of physical and virtual globalisation.

Learning Outcomes & Transferable Skills. On successful completion of the course, you will be able to:
1. Recognise and appraise contemporary international, supra-national and global economic, political and socio-cultural impacts upon organizations of various sizes and types. You will be assessed on your cognitive abilities to describe, interpret and evaluate these during group presentations, weekly quizzes and Parts 1 and 2 of a formal written test. (A,C)
2. Diagnose spatial strategic situations, evaluate strategic choices and develop and screen viable strategic options to anticipate and respond to spatial impacts. Achievement of these skills will be demonstrated and verified during presentations, where you will be expected to create strategy solutions and defend your arguments. Further evidence of achievement of these skills will be sought by the use of applied questions relating to an international business case during both parts of the written test. (A,B,C,D)
3. Synthesise, judge and critique conventional approaches to International Business. This is enhanced through a special study category: Additional Reading consists of texts and Internet sites through which you can explore organisational strategy-making beyond the basic level and integrate research skills by uncovering written and electronic sources of secondary strategy data. Evidence of engagement in this study category will be assessed during the presentations and test. (B)
4. Extend transferable relationship, communication and presentation skills including team working, group leadership, structuring presentations, providing supporting material, managing the presentation process and demonstrating creativity via in-class presentations. These will be evaluated through timely formal written feedback on presentations from the lecturer. (D)

Legend
A Knowledge and Understanding
B Intellectual Skills: Analysis/Sythesis/Evaluation
C Discipline Specific Skills: Application of Knowledge; Application of Theories/Models; Problem solving
D Transferable Skills: Application of numbers; Information handling; personal development; Teamworking; Reasoning; Decision-making

Pre-requisites

Restrictions

For further information see Master in Business Administration Programme.