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International Strategy (Q1) - B-(E-F)

1. Discipline-specific knowledge and competence - Students gain in-depth knowledge concerning important elements of corporate strategy as well as major concepts and instruments needed for the successful management of MNE's 2. Management-specific skills - Students will learn how to analyze company portfolios and growth programs to develop a sound corporate strategy for MNE's 3. Global business environment - Students learn about the complexities of managing MNE's 4. Teamwork and responsible leadership - Classes will be interactive; students are provided with numerous practical examples and have to solve case studies 5. Critical thinking and problem solving skills - Students have to analyze complex situations and subsequently develop recommendations 6. Managerial and entrepreneurial practice - Students will learn to recognize and deal with the advantages and challenges of MNE's with the help of examples and case studies
Course code
MGMT612
Course type
MSc Course
Weekly Hours
2,5
ECTS
5.0
Term
HS 2023
Language
Englisch
Lecturers
Prof. Dr. Jane Le
Please note that exchange students obtain a higher number of credits in the BSc-program at WHU than listed here. For further information please contact directly the International Relations Office.
Strategy is the long-term direction of a firm and critical to the success and survival of all organizations. The expansion of markets and competition is pushing organizations to move into international markets. Yet, key strategic considerations differ across international context; this course increases awareness of such considerations and prepares students to tackle them. Working with an international strategy framework, this course facilitates students applying key strategic principles to varied international setting, thereby developing greater understanding of the diversity and challenges inherent in international strategy. Areas covered in this course include:
  • Foundations of international strategy
  • Internationality and distance
  • Emerging economies
  • Role of culture and history
Date Time
Wednesday, 04.10.2023 08:00 - 11:15
Thursday, 05.10.2023 08:00 - 11:15
Monday, 09.10.2023 08:00 - 11:15
Wednesday, 11.10.2023 08:00 - 11:15
Thursday, 12.10.2023 08:00 - 11:15
Monday, 16.10.2023 08:00 - 11:15
Wednesday, 18.10.2023 08:00 - 13:00
The primary objective of this course is to provide students with an understanding of the basic principles of international strategy and further develop this understanding based on advanced case study work. The theories and practices taught in this course are applicable in a wide array of positions in all types of organizations students may enter. The principal aims of the course are:
  • to provide students with a broad and critical understanding of the key issues and concepts in strategy and international strategy
  • to stimulate both appreciation and critical consideration of current theory and research on international strategy
  • to build skillsets related to strategy and international strategy, particularly analysis, decision-making, and implementation.
  • to allow students to reflect on their own experience, extrapolate and develop better strategy skills
  • to prepare students for future roles in which they need to work with individuals and groups in organizations
Selected lecture slides will be made available as PDF files and are downloadable from Moodle after the lecture. Journal articles are available electronically via the library. There is No Textbook for This Course We will be using advanced readings, so it is not necessary for you to purchase a textbook for this course. However, if you find a companion textbook helpful, you may use either (or both) of these books to support your learning:Whittington, R., Regnér, P., Angwin, D., Johnson, G. & Scholes, K. (2019). Exploring Strategy (Text and Cases): 12th edition. London: Pearson. ISBN: 978-1-292-28251-0. Older editions are also fine. Verbeke, A. & Lee, I.H.I. (2021). International Business Strategy: 3rd edition. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. ISBN: 9781108488037. Older editions are also fine. While Whittington et al. (2019) offers a detailed overview of strategy, Verbeke & Lee (2021) focus on elements unique to international strategy. Although these texts offer access to further reading on material central to the course, it will be insufficient to rely solely on these books for course learning. I also reiterate that these are not required books. Most strategy and international strategy books will cover the core issues we are focusing on in this course.
Focal Lectures, Presentations, Small Work Groups, Group Discussions, Case Analysis

As a module featuring in an advanced degree program,International Strategyfocuses on the application of strategy essentials to international contexts in order to produce a refined and improved understanding of strategy in the real world. The course thus centers on in-class research and application exercises using real case studies sampled from a range of international and industry contexts. These exercises serve the purpose of building strategic analysis and development skills, while also advancing and embedding learning. The class exercises are explicitly designed for skill development and to ensure strong performance on the final case study assignment. Participation in these exercises is thus mandatory and will be monitored. If you miss an exercise, you should send an explanation prior to the class,with the assistant in CC. Students are assigned to mixed groups for case work. Switching of groups is not permitted. All groups will need to prepare presentations for each session – presenting groups will be picked at random.

  • In-class case presentations (35%, GROUP)
  • Written case study assignment (65%, INDIVIDUAL)
None, basic knowledge of management and strategic management is assumed
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