| Unit name | International Business Perspectives in a Turbulent World |
|---|---|
| Unit code | MGRCM0012 |
| Credit points | 20 |
| Level of study | M/7 |
| Teaching block(s) |
Teaching Block 1 (weeks 1 - 12) |
| Unit director | Professor. Johns |
| Open unit status | Not open |
| Units you must take before you take this one (pre-requisite units) |
None |
| Units you must take alongside this one (co-requisite units) |
Global Strategy; Global Challenges (for students on MSc International Business and Strategy) |
| Units you may not take alongside this one |
n/a |
| School/department | School of Management - Business School |
| Faculty | Faculty of Social Sciences and Law |
This unit will seek to understand the complexities of globalisation and international business in the turbulent world of the early 21st century. The unit will be highly interactive and will cover issues such as globalisation; varieties of capitalism; the rise of platform capitalism; the relevance of extant International Business theories and frameworks. It will also encompass foreign market entry; the role of ‘Western’ and non-Western MNCs in Foreign Direct Investment and the business risks and challenges of internationalisation. In unpacking the uneven geography of internationalisation particular consideration will be paid to the global north vs global south with respect to R&D, financial MNCs, global production chains, global financial centres and the ensuing New(er) International Division of Labour.
An important aspect of the unit will be positing a ‘holistic’ focus to explain and critically evaluate contemporary globalisation and International Business theories through the agency of: (i) MNCs originating from different geographical jurisdictions and business systems (ii) the service economy and (iii) new platform architectures.
By the end of the unit, students will have developed the skills to critically evaluate International Business theories and frameworks and assess their relevance to contemporary globalisation and the business environment through the lens of both ‘Western’ and emerging market MNCs operating across national borders.
Unit aims:
By the end of the unit a successful student will be able to:
This unit is taught through a combination of interactive lectures and seminars. Lectures (1 hour) will take place every week for 10 weeks and introduce the subject, key readings and examples that illustrate the application of key concepts. Weekly seminars (2 hours) will focus on student-led discussions, moderated by the unit director or a specialist tutor, which will apply key concepts and frameworks in the field to selected topical debates of key issues in International Business, Economic Geography and the global business environment. The unit’s focus on small group teaching and the team-work element provides students with the opportunity to learn from others and share their knowledge of international business systems from their own geographical jurisdictions. The unit will also provide an opportunity for students to develop their analytical and transferable skills.
Appropriate online and/or blended learning methods, including a mix of synchronous and asynchronous teaching activities, will be used if required due to COVID-19 or similar disruptions.
Formative assessment: continuous feedback will be given in individual and group work in seminars; these will focus on the subject area of the two summative assignments, thus linking formative to summative.
Summative assessment: 3,000-word individual assignment (80%); and Group presentation (20%).
The group presentation (in a group of no more than 5) will focus on the internationalisation processes of an MNC chosen by group members (drawn from financial and non-financial sectors, including Western, Asian and emerging market MNCs) aligned to a relevant International Business theoretical model or framework. The purpose of the presentation is to provide an opportunity for the students to develop their group work, analytical and transferable skills.
The individual summative assignment will address ILOs 1, 2, 5. The group work activities will specifically address ILOs 1, 3, 4, 5.
If this unit has a Resource List, you will normally find a link to it in the Blackboard area for the unit. Sometimes there will be a separate link for each weekly topic.
If you are unable to access a list through Blackboard, you can also find it via the Resource Lists homepage. Search for the list by the unit name or code (e.g. MGRCM0012).
How much time the unit requires
Each credit equates to 10 hours of total student input. For example a 20 credit unit will take you 200 hours
of study to complete. Your total learning time is made up of contact time, directed learning tasks,
independent learning and assessment activity.
See the Faculty workload statement relating to this unit for more information.
Assessment
The Board of Examiners will consider all cases where students have failed or not completed the assessments required for credit.
The Board considers each student's outcomes across all the units which contribute to each year's programme of study. If you have self-certificated your absence from an
assessment, you will normally be required to complete it the next time it runs (this is usually in the next assessment period).
The Board of Examiners will take into account any extenuating circumstances and operates
within the Regulations and Code of Practice for Taught Programmes.
