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International Business and Culture

  • Module code: BD5002
  • Year: 2018/9
  • Level: 5
  • Credits: 30
  • Pre-requisites: None
  • Co-requisites: None

Summary

This module is a core requirement for students studying the HND in Business. It aims to introduce you to the international environment within which businesses operate and to provide you with appropriate conceptual models to enable you to apply the learning to understand and analyse real world international business decisions.

Aims

  • To enable students to assess the trends in the international economic environment and the factors which influence the development of international trade and foreign direct investment.
  • To provide an analytical framework for assessing the implications for international business decisions of changes within the global business environment
  • To assist in the development of transferable and key skills for future employability and successful study.

Learning outcomes

On successful completion of the module, students will be able to:

1.    demonstrate an understanding of the key changes and trends in the international economy

2.    analyse the factors influencing the development of international business and the role of international business in shaping trends in the international economy

3.    analyse the impact of multinational company decisions on host and home countries

4.    assess the foreign investment decisions of international business in terms of their aims and the structuring and evaluation of their options.

5.    Demonstrate an understanding and appreciate the limitations of the theories of trade, foreign exchange markets and direct foreign investment

6.    analyse international political-economic policies and their impact on international business, with special reference to regional economic integration and the European Union

Curriculum content

  • Introduction to globalisation and the changing world environment.
  • Global products
  • Analysing international market opportunities and country risks
  • Foreign direct investment (including Porter's Diamond)
  • Becoming international: foreign market entry modes
  • World trade and trade theories
  • Regional economic integration
  • International business strategies
  • Finance and international business
  • Culture and international business
  • Ethics and social responsibility

Skills developed:

  • Presentation skills (Comms)
  • Use of PowerPoint (IT)
  • Business report preparation and summarisation (Comms)
  • Numeracy and data analysis - eg. understanding economic data (scale, growth percentages, averages); interpreting investment returns, tax and currency impacts
  • Use of excel to manipulate and visualise data. (IT)
  • Problem solving
  • Team work and interpersonal skills.
  • Self-management, initiative

Teaching and learning strategy

In class lecture content will provide the topic theory which is developed during the seminar sessions.

Seminars will include business case studies. Students will be expected to work in groups leading designated case study presentations and follow independent study between seminars.

The in-class group presentations and individual review exercises (both within class and self-directed) will be used to provide formative, peer and self-assessment.

Students will be guided on an individual investigation into a specific global business. This will come at the end of the module and will allow students to consider and apply the topics which have been covered in the presentation series, eg. cultural differences, foreign direct investment, regional economic integration, world trading system, international trade theory, international strategies, entry mode strategies and ethics etc.

Breakdown of Teaching and Learning Hours

Definitive UNISTATS Category Indicative Description Hours
Scheduled learning and teaching Weekly lectures, seminars, workshops and individual/group tutorials 128
Guided independent study 172
Total (number of credits x 10) 300

Assessment strategy

End of module - Individual Assignment: This report will investigate and analyse the performance of a selected global business. Areas of investigation will include an assessment of cultural differences, foreign direct investment, regional economic integration, world trading system, international trade theory, international strategies, entry mode strategies and ethics etc. Individual 50%

Presentation: Designated Group Case Study Presentations in seminar applying course theory to practice: (there will be two presentations for each group). Group 30%

Individual reflection by students- on the key issues and analysis of the group presentations. Reflection will be on three aspects- the group work, the quality of the presentations, and the level of engagement with the specific global business topic. (Reflections will need to be made on both presentations). Individual 20%

Mapping of Learning Outcomes to Assessment Strategy (Indicative)

Learning Outcome Assessment Strategy
1. demonstrate an understanding of the key changes and trends in the international economy Individual assignment, end of module
2. analyse the factors influencing the development of international business and the role of international business in shaping trends in the international economy Group case study presentations Individual reflection Individual assignment, end of module
3. analyse the impact of multinational company decisions on host and home countries Group case study presentations Individual assignment, end of module
4. assess the foreign investment decisions of international business in terms of their aims and the structuring and evaluation of their options. Group case study presentations Individual assignment, end of module Individual reflection
5. demonstrate an understanding of and appreciate the limitations of the theories of trade, foreign exchange markets and direct foreign investment Group case study presentations Individual assignment, end of module Individual reflection
6. analyse international political-economic policies and their impact on international business, with special reference to regional economic integration and the European Union Individual assignment, end of module

Elements of Assessment

Description of Assessment Definitive UNISTATS Categories Percentage
Individual business report - end of module Coursework 1 50%
Group presentations Practical examination 30%
Individual reflections on performance Coursework 2 20%
Total (to equal 100%) 100%

Achieving a pass

It IS NOT a requirement that any element of assessment is passed separately in order to achieve an overall pass for the module.

Bibliography core texts

  • Hill, C.W.L. and Hult, G.T.M., ., and . (2018), Global Business Today: Global Edition, 10th edition; McGraw Hill

*All students are expected to have access to this textbook because most essential readings and designated case studies accompanying each lecture topic are selected from this book.

Bibliography recommended reading

  • Daniels, J.D., Radebaugh L.H., and Sullivan, D.P. (2014), International Business: Environments and Operations, 15th edition, Pearson Education Limited.
  • Deresky, H. (2013) International Management: Managing across borders and cultures, text and cases, 8th edition, Prentice Hall.
  • Dicken, P. (2011) Global Shift, 6th edition. London: Sage. Dunning, J.H. (1993) The Globalisation of Business, Routledge.
  • The Economist, The World in 2018, (Magazine)
  • The Economist, The World in 2017, (Magazine)
  • Hamilton, L. and Webster, P. (2012) The International Business Environment, 2nd edition, Oxford University Press
  • Hollinshead, G. (2009) International and Comparative Human Resource Management, McGraw Hill Education
  • Hill, C. W. L. (2011) International Business-Competing in the Global Marketplace. (8th edition; International Student edition.) McGraw-Hill.
  • Rugman A. & Collinson S. (2012) International Business, 6th revised edition. London: Prentice Hall
  • Wild, J.J. and Wild, K. (2013) International Business: The challenges of Globalization, 7th edition, Prentice Hall.

Journals:

  • The Economist
  • Harvard Business Review
  • Journal of International Business Studies
  • Journal of International Business and Cultural Studies
  • International Business Review
  • International Business & Economics Research Journal
  • International Journal of Cultural Studies

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