Course Description
The principal goal of this course is improve your ability to identify, analyze, and execute strategies in the global business environment. You will be exposed to material from a number of important and recurring international business challenges including (1) business-government relations in the industrialized economies and in emerging markets; (2) a special focus on largest emerging markets--the so-called BRICs--and the implications for companies of these countries' changing government strategies for promoting national development, (3) corporate strategies in a world of multiple regulators, (4) the pros and cons of national firms getting their respective governments to fight battles on their behalf.
Even though this course draws on a number of different academic disciplines including economics, political science, and international relations, the goal is always to draw out the implications for firms. This firm-based perspective is what differentiates this course from traditional academic courses on the globalisation.
The class will cover seven important topics. Each topic’s material will require 2-3 hours of class time to cover. We will work methodically through the material discussing frameworks, case studies, and applications to real world problems.
For each topic, two types of reading are listed in this outline. The “essential” readings should be studied during the course, ideally before we meet to discuss the relevant topic. The case studies should be regarded as essential readings too. I appreciate that you have plenty of work to do each week and so have numbered the essential readings in order of priority. You should, therefore, first read the document listed first under “essential readings,” then work down the list.
The “additional” readings are optional readings that will further deepen your understanding of the topic.
