Skip to Main Content

International Business Management: Course outline (MGT-532)

Course description

This course provides the manager's perspective in the fields of international payments, international trade, and the analyzation of investments. Emphasis is given to the materials and concepts that illuminate the strategies, structure, practices, and effects of multinational enterprises. The topics to be covered are: The Nature of International Business Management; Marketing to Customers with Diverse Cultural Backgrounds; Operations in Diverse Political and Legal Environments; Finance in the International Marketplace; Human Resources and Employees of Diverse Cultural Backgrounds; and Strategy and Structure of International or Global Enterprises.

Course content

Week 01,02,

THE NATURE OF INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS

  • Why study global business
  • The process of internationalization
  • Theories of internationalization
  • Regional trading blocs

Week 03,

CULTURAL INFLUENCES ON INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS

  • Importance of culture
  • The elements of culture
  • Evaluating cultural differences
  • Culture and MNC’S

Week 04,05

THE INTERNATIONAL ECONOMIC ENVIRONMENT

  • Economic systems
  • Economic structure
  • International organizations (WTO, UNO, IBRD IMF,OPEL EU)
  • Theories of international trade
  • Theories of international investment.
  • The balance of payment
  • Free trade versus protection
  • Techniques of protection
  • Trade in services

Week 06

THE INTERNATIONAL POLITICAL AND LEGAL ENVIRONMENT

  • Political factors
  • The international legal environment
  • The conflict of laws
  • Arbitration
  • Uniform laws
  • Economic and Political Integration

Week 07

THE MULTINATIONAL COMPANY

  • The pros and cons of multinationals
  • Control of MNC activities
  • MNC conflict with national government
  • Techniques of host country control
  • UNCTAD codes
  • The OECD codes

Text book

Course content

Week08,09

DIRECT FOREIGN INVESTMENT

  • Trends in direct foreign investment
  • Reasons for direct foreign investment
  • Strategies for direct foreign investment
  • Acquisitions
  • Cross border mergers and takeovers
  • Transaction cost analysis

Week10,11

INTERNATIONAL TECHNOLOGY TRANSFER

  • Reasons for technology transfer
  • Licensing and franchising
  • Legal aspects of franchising
  • Patent violations
  • Protection of trade mark
  • International agreements concerning intellectual property

Week12

INTERNATIONAL LOGISTICS AND DISTRIBUTION

  • Sea transport, air transport, rail and road transport
  • INCOTERMS
  • Warehousing
  • Distribution channels
  • Use of agents and distributors
  • Agency contracts
  • Special Distribution problems

Week13

INTERNATIONAL FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT

  • The international monetary system
  • Exchange rates
  • International capital markets
  • Management of foreign exchange risk
  • Bills of exchange, letters of credit and factoring

Week14

INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS ENTRIES.

  • Exporting
  • Joint ventures
  • Subsidiaries
  • Locating export markets
  • International marketing research
  • International market segmentation

Week15

Final Project (Report Submission & Presentations)

Reference books

Related books

Learning outcome

By the end of this course it is expected that the student will be able to

  1. Develop an understanding of the worldwide developments and foundations for international business and the cultural context for managing in an overseas environment.
  2. Develop an understanding of the Macroeconomic and political changes that have taken place in the era of Globalization and beyond Globalization.
  3. Investigate the political economy of international business, trade and investment.
  4. Describe and explain trade and the investment environment in which international business transactions occur.
  5. Develop an understanding of the global monetary framework in which international business transactions are conducted.
  6. Develop an understanding of the Foreign Exchange Market in which international business transactions can be affected.
  7. Develop an understanding of the benefits and risks of the global capital market on international business transactions.
  8. Examines the strategies and structures that firms adapt in order to compete effectively in the international business environment.
  9. Examine the strategies and functions of international management in the areas of managing political risk, negotiations, planning, organizing international operations, decision making and controlling.
  10. Develop an understanding of the horizons of international business and   Management in the areas of social responsibility and ethics in the era of globalization.
  11. Provide a blend of solid research based information compiled with real world current events and interesting application examples that help explain and reinforce important international topics