This module aims to provide students with and in-depth understanding of some of the main forces that are shaping international business today. These include: the increasing globalisation of business activity; the new forms of business organisation that multinationals (MNEs) use to capture business opportunities; and the challenges presented to western MNEs by the rise of MNEs in emerging economies such as China and India. The overall trend of globalization for MNEs has also created opportunities for small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs) to participate in the global value chains of those big global players. The module will explain the different options for firms of various sizes to start engaging in international business; general strategic issues of how to structure, coordinate and control operations across multiple countries; the challenges associated with learning and managing knowledge across firm and country boundaries; and, cultural differences in select countries and regions, and some of the important strategic guidelines for doing business in each. |