30215 - INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS AND MANAGEMENT

The course aims at bringing the students closer to the problems facing firms that conduct international activities. This involves the strategic choices related to international operations as well as the process of internationalization. Students will be able to deal with the phases, the critical points, the difficulties, and the conceptual tools that characterize the geographic expansion of the firm beyond the national boundaries, as well as strategic decisions on location, entry-modes, organization and global marketing etc.

The course is focused on frameworks and models which describe the external and internal forces affecting the internationalization process. By adopting a value chain perspective, the course describes the factors that enhance or inhibits the geographic stretching of the different activities. During the course we will scrutinize how the internationalization is affecting the functions (like marketing, operations and innovation) and the global organization of value chain activities in the firm.

• The internationalization process of firms.
• Local responsiveness versus global efficiency.
• Assessing countries' attractiveness and country risk.
• Entry strategies (including alliances and acquisitions).
• Offshoring, outsourcing and reshoring.
• Managing a global organiation.
• The social responsibility of the global fir.

Course activities and organization are planned to promote enrolled students' active participation and class discussion.

For Attending
Attending students are evaluated on three components:

• individual participation
• group project and presentation of assigned case
• final written exam

For Non-attending
Students will be evaluated on a written examination. The written exam will be based on two sections: a) multiple choice questions on the frameworks and models presented in the course; b) open questions on the application of these frameworks and models when firms go global.

Attending students

• P. Lasserre, Global Strategic Management (Third Edition), Palgrave
• Case Studies, available on Bocconi Library Course Reserves (http://lib.unibocconi.it/search*ita/r?SEARCH=30215&submit=Cerca)

Non Attending students

• P. Lasserre, Global Strategic Management , (Third Edition), Palgrave
• A.M. Rugman (ed.), The Oxford Handbook of International Business (Second edition), Oxford University Press, Part III, pp. 307-416.
• Case Studies, available on Bocconi Library Course Reserves (http://lib.unibocconi.it/search*ita/r?SEARCH=30215&submit=Cerca)

Students attending this course are expected to already know the framework, the basic terminology and the essential tools of management.