MN1178

• Globalisation


  The increasing interconnectedness and interdependence of economies, societies and cultures around the world
• Institution-based view of international business

  Focuses on how political, economic, legal, cultural and social institutions shape international business activities
• Corporate social responsibility (CSR)

  The responsibility of businesses to consider the social, environmental and ethical impacts of their operations and activities
• Foreign direct investment (FDI)


  Investment made by a company or entity based in one country into business interests located in another country
• Multilateral organisations


  International organizations that involve multiple countries, such as the World Trade Organization and the International Monetary Fund
• Regional economic integration


  The process of eliminating trade barriers and coordinating policies between countries in a particular geographic region
• International monetary system

  The system of exchange rates, international payments and monetary rules that govern the global economy
• International business strategy


  The strategic decisions and actions taken by a company to compete effectively in global markets
• Entry strategies


  The different ways a company can enter and operate in foreign markets, such as exporting, licensing, joint ventures, and foreign direct investment
• International marketing and R&D strategy

  The development and implementation of marketing and research and development activities to support a company's international business
• International business management

  The organizational structures, processes and practices used to manage a company's global operations and activities
• Centralised or decentralised structure

  Organisational structure options for international businesses
• Revisiting international business strategy

  1. Analyse the international context

  2. Develop appropriate strategy
• International division structure

  • Organising the business around international divisions
• Geographic area structure

  • Organising the business around geographic regions
• Global product division structure

  • Organising the business around global product lines
• Global matrix structure

  • Combining geographic and product dimensions in the organisational structure
• Evolution of structure and the need for a contingency approach

  1. Adapt organisational structure to changing circumstances

  2. No single optimal structure
• Integrating mechanisms

  Processes and systems to coordinate and integrate the international business
• Knowledge management

  Capturing, sharing and leveraging knowledge across the international business
• Fitting strategy, structure and organisation architecture

  Alignment between strategy, structure and management processes is key
• Locating production
• Make-or-buy decisions


  Choosing whether to make products internally or buy from external suppliers
• Offshoring

  Relocating business functions to another country, often to reduce costs
• Location attractiveness

  Factors that make a location appealing for offshoring or outsourcing
• Business and IT alignment

  Ensuring the IT strategy and systems support the overall business strategy
• Enterprise IT architecture for different international strategies


  • Localisation, international, transnational, global standardisation
• Expatriate


  An employee sent by a company to work in another country
• Expatriate issues and the role of recruitment and selection

  1. Selecting appropriate expatriates

  2. Preparing them for international assignments
• Expatriate training and development

  Providing training and support for expatriates and their families
• Performance appraisal


  Evaluating the performance of employees, including expatriates
• Compensation

  Determining appropriate pay and benefits for international employees
• Labour relations


  Managing employee relations in an international context
• Project management methodologies

  Structured approaches to managing projects
• Managing risk in international projects


  Identifying and mitigating risks in global projects
• Digital business model

  How a business creates and captures value through digital technologies
• Building blocks for a digital business

  Key components required to become a digital business
• Digital transformation: why and how

  Drivers and approaches for transforming to a digital business
• Aspects to be taken into account in international business

  • Role of strategic alliances in entering and positioning in international markets
  • Role of Foreign Direct Investment (FDI)
  • How to organise operations given the choices made
  • Evolving the global strategy, including growth by acquisition
• Organisation of international business

  Different types of organisational structure and how they relate to strategy, processes, institutions and culture