INTERNATIONAL MANAGEMENT FOR EAST ASIA

The course contributes to the educational objectives of the degree program, which provides an education on economics and market dynamics, by preparing the students to interpret and analyze the internationalization process

Active participation to the course’s three educational components (lectures, discussion of case studies, guest lectures by practitioners) coupled with systematic individual study will allow students to achieve the following intended learning outcomes:
1. Knowledge and understanding
1.1 Knowledge and understanding of the different theoretical approaches to the study of the international competitive context
1.2 Knowledge and understanding of tools and models for the interpretation of the opportunities and challenges facing contemporary firms that operate in international markets
1.3 Knowledge and understanding of the different strategic options available to firms willing to enter international markets and expand their international presence
2. Ability to apply knowledge and understanding
2.1 Ability to apply the different theoretical approaches to the analysis of the international competitive context
2.2 Ability to apply models and tools to interpret the relevance of challenges and opportunities that firms face when operating in international markets
3. Judgement
3.1 Ability to determine which theoretical approaches, tools and models are more appropriate to effectively evaluate the opportunities and challenges facing contemporary firms that operate in international markets, in relation to the economic, social, institutional, and technological specificities of the different foreign markets in which they operate
3.2 Ability to critically evaluate the most suitable strategic paths to internationalization, given the economic, social, institutional, and technological specificities of the different foreign markets in which they operate

No pre-requisit is required

The course is the first management course of the master degree program and, as such, it first aims to educate students about the fundamental tenets of business organization and management. Such fundamental concepts will be conducive to successfully approach both the characterizing topics of the course and the next management courses of the master degree program.
The characterizing topics of the international management program will cover the following themes:
- Globalization of markets
- The analysis of the international competitive environment
- Global competition and its implications
- Principles of international strategy
- Foreign country choice
- Foreign entry modes
- The internationalization process
- The management of the multinational firm
- International entrepreneurship

As per the focus on East Asia, it will be the students' task to report about business cases in the East Asian context with the groupworks.

Hill C. and Hult G.T. International Business Competing in the Global Marketplace, 12th edition
Chapters: 6 - 13 - 14 -15 - 16 - 17 - 18

Additional teaching material will be uploaded on the Moodle page of the course

The course’s final grade will depend on how every student will perform on three distinct areas
• Written exam (to verify the acquisitions of knowledge and notions related to the course´s topics)
• Evaluation of the group work (the group work is a case study, chosen by each of the students' group; such choice will be based on the fact that the particular case study is a good example of one or more of the course's characterizing topics)
• Reward of active participation to discussions, especially case studies and guest lectures

The course combines lecture, case analysis and guest lectures by practitioners.
The analysis of case studies is designed to help students a) reflect on real-world cases relating to the foundational topics of the course, b) solve strategic and managerial issues, and c) debate possible solutions in the classroom. The goal is to experience more pragmatically how models, tools and theoretical approaches apply to real-world business cases. The discussion of the cases in class is aimed to foster the students’ abilities to constructively criticize, to develop and present compelling arguments and to critically evaluate solutions and scenarios.
The guest lectures held by invited practitioners allow to put the tools and theoretical models into context thanks to the speakers' direct experience in the management of international businesses.

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