Insegnamento a.a. 2019-2020

This course centers on the strategic management of multinational corporations (MNCs). The types of questions that we address are:

• Why do firms go abroad?
• What differentiates a global industry from a multi-domestic industry?
• Why and when do or should companies engage in cross-border strategic alliances, cross-border mergers and cross-border acquisitions?
• What are the risks associated with such moves and how can companies guard against them?
• What roles can foreign subsidiaries play in an MNE’s global strategy?
• How do companies choose an optimal global structure?
• How do companies ensure coordination not only between headquarters and their subsidiaries, and but also among subsidiaries?
• How do companies manage a change from one type of global strategy to another?

To answer these and other questions, the course is organized into four interrelated parts:

1. Part I: “Foundations of Global Strategic Management”, introduces strategy in the global context and discusses how firms can achieve a global competitive advantage.
2. Part II: “Designing and Executing a Global Strategy”, looks into the main strategic decisions an internationalizing firm must make. It also discusses the organizational challenges arising from the implementation of global strategy.
3. Part III: “Managerial Issues”, identifies a series of strategic issues that managers in MNCs need to tackle, such as the creation of a cross-border knowledge-management system, the facilitation of global innovation, the creation of regional structures and competition in emerging markets.
4. Part IV: “The Future of Global Strategy”, depicts some of the most hotly debated issues in global strategy.

• Understand the domain of international and global strategy.
• Gain an understanding of processes of strategy formulation and implementation, and learn how to apply them in a global setting.
• Be aware of competing arguments behind a number of strategic issues.
• Understand the generalist nature of management work.

• Design foreign market entry strategies.
• Asess the organizational design of multinational firms.
• Rapidly structure ideas and presentations, both as individuals and as members of a team.
• Analyze material quickly and efficiently, and to structure it into coherent arguments.
• Research material related to companies and business contexts under tight deadlines.
• Organize teamwork.

• Face-to-face lectures
• Online lectures
• Guest speaker's talks (in class or in distance)
• Case studies /Incidents (traditional, online)
• Individual assignments
• Group assignments
• Interactive class activities (role playing, business game, simulation, online forum, instant polls)

The course is taught using a combination of lectures, case analyses, class discussions and guest speakers.

• The readings give students a broad picture of what global strategy is all about.
• The course includes several case-based sessions. Preparatory questions are assigned for all case sessions. Students are expected to analyze the cases either individually or within their working groups before class. Each individual is required to discuss and prepare the cases specified in the course outline for the respective sessions. Individuals may be asked at random to present their findings to the class. It is the express policy of the instructor(s) that no late assignments are accepted under any circumstances.

•  Individual paper (40%): On maximum 4 pages (including title page, references, and appendix), you are asked to reflect upon your most important learnings from the course. What have we studied that is interesting? What new things have you learned? Has the program changed your way of thinking? Did it conflict with beliefs you held previously, and what evidence did it provide you with in order to change your thought process on the topic? Writing this reflection paper encourages you to find what is meaningful to you and thus it adds value to your learning. Do not simply outline or summarize the material we have covered. I want to know what the material means to you.
•  Written exam (60%)

The best contributors in class will receive up to 2 bonus points (added up to the final grade) for their class participation. Please be aware that I value quality and not quantity of contributions when I make my assessment.

• Written exam (100%)

The course uses a selection of articles and cases that can be accessed through the Bocconi Course Reserve e Blackboard platform.

The course uses a selection of articles and cases that can be accessed through the Bocconi Course Reserve e Blackboard platform.