Module BUSS3042: STRATEGY & INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS

Department: ECONOMICS FINANCE AND BUSINESS (BUSINESS) [Queen's Campus, Stockton]

BUSS3042: STRATEGY & INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS

Prerequisites

• Any two ECOS or BUSS modules, with the agreement of the Chair of the Board of Studies.

Corequisites

• None.

Excluded Combination of Modules

• None.

Aims

• This is a level three module, taken across students' final year, which builds upon previous Business-related modules to explore strategic issues affecting international business organisations.
• In particular, the module aims: to provide a theoretical framework for the analysis of strategy in international business organisations.
• to analyse the nature and significance of multi-national corporations and the growth of the global economy.
• to raise issues of economic, political and social concern about globalisation and its impact for debate.
• and to encourage and to apply the knowledge they have acquired.

Content

• Definitions of strategy.
• Strategic management processes.
• the deliberate versus emergent strategy debate.
• corporate culture.
• stakeholders and implementation of strategy.
• The content and process tools of strategic management: assessing the external and internal organisational environments.
• strategic capabilities and sources of competitive advantage.
• positioning and resource based approaches to achieving competitive advantage.
• corporate strategy directions, methods, approaches and styles.
• Definitions and models of the globalisation of organisations.
• global markets and the global-local debate.
• models of multi-national/transnational/global corporations.
• organisational structures and management models.
• Implications of globalisation for managers and policy makers.
• Models of globalisation and the impact upon nations and regions.
• the competitive diamond and innovation.
• the global web.
• economic and political frameworks of globalisation.
• Policy agendas: competitiveness, industrial clusters.
• regional policies and the role of RDAs.

Learning Outcomes

• By the end of the module students should be able to:
• Understand the nature of the strategic management process within business organisations
• Demonstrate awareness of the debate about competitive advantage
• Demonstrate an understanding of the strategies followed by corporate (multi-business) organisations.
• Understand the debate about the process of globalisation within business organisations, demonstrating awareness of the competing models of the global/transnational firm.
• Participate in an informed debate about the nature and consequences of globalisation from social, political and economic perspectives

• assess the strategies of international business organisations using a variety of analytical tools and frameworks.

• Written communication - through summative assessment
• Research skills - to draw together required information for the summative assignment
• Critical assessment - consider issues from a range of perspectives in the summative assignment
• Problem solving - by preparing for examinations
• Computer literacy and information technology - by word processing summative assignment

Modes of Teaching, Learning and Assessment and how these contribute to the learning outcomes of the module

• Teaching is by lectures, seminars and support for student-centred learning. Learning takes place through attendance at lectures, preparation for and participation in seminars and private study (inlcuding student-centred learning). Formative assessment is by means of contributions to two group presentations. Summative assessment is by means of an unseen written examination of 3 hours duration plus one written assignment of 2500 words.

Teaching Methods and Learning Hours

Summative Assessment

Formative Assessment:

Contribution to two group presentations.

■ Attendance at all activities marked with this symbol will be monitored. Students who fail to attend these activities, or to complete the summative or formative assessment specified above, will be subject to the procedures defined in the University's General Regulation V, and may be required to leave the University