This course deals with basic concepts of international marketing. In particular, we discuss

• The reality of a global market place
• Markets in different stages of development: from economically developed to emerging and bottom-of-the-pyramid markets
• Assessing the international environment across markets
  
• Market selection
• Market entry alternatives
• Global market segmentation - targeting - positioning
  
• The global marketing mix
• Balancing standardization vs. adaptation of the global marketing mix
• Contemporary topics in global marketing.

Students will learn how to ...

• Evaluate core concepts in international marketing for their applicability to managerial challenges across industries and countries
• Assess the value of emerging concepts for the overall international marketing framework
• Learn to apply key concepts in international marketing to specific company/market situations
• Identify research methods to solve specific challenges in international marketing through relevant secondary data sources
• Structure and restate complex international marketing challenges
• Gather and filter information efficiently and effectively on a specific research topic
• Learn to organize teamwork efficiently and effectively
• Reflect on others' and one's own role in a team
• Evaluate the individual learning and development progress
• Develop critical thinking
• Defend developed arguments orally and in writing 
• Structure material in to a coherent line of arguments and present it in a concise way
• Not only learn how to communicate information, but also develop creative ideas to get the message across.

A key element in the course delivery is the semester project, which allows for an immediate transfer of theoretical knowledge to a practical international marketing challenge. Within their group, students develop a fully-fledged market entry strategy, where they learn to apply their knowledge hands-on (further details for course participants in the relevant section).

The final grade consists of the following components:

Individual-level (60%)

• Active class participation (10%)
  To reward students for actively participating in the course, 10% of the grade is devoted to this. Participation is evaluated on activity during the session (participating in discussions, raising interesting issues etc.). Recognizing the fact that this course is a learning environment, questions/answers are not based on whether they are right or wrong, but meaningful, inspiring and thought provoking for the group overall. Class attendance is a prerequisite for class participation, however for a high grade active involvement is required!
• Quiz (10%)
  In the middle of the term: the quiz enables you to show/test what you have learned so far.
  
• Peer rating (10)
  On an individual basis, group members are asked to evaluate the contribution of fellow group members to the work process (in terms of contributing to the content but also to workflow issues)
• Exam (30%)
  At the end of the course, the knowledge acquired is tested within an exam. The exam contains mini-essay questions which test how well students can apply the knowledge acquired to practical international marketing challenges. You must succeed to achieve 50% of the exam to pass this course!
  

Group-level (40%)

• Group project (30%)
  The objective of this project is to provide students with experience in developing a strategic marketing plan for introducing a product into a foreign market.
• Group lecture (10%)
  Groups will have the chance to present one selected topic in class. Topics will be assigned in the first session.

The overall grading scheme of the of the course will be as follows (total 100%)

• 90 - 100 - excellent (grade 1)
• 80 - 89 - good (grade 2)
• 70 - 79 - satisfactory (grade 3)
• 60 - 69 - sufficient (grade 4)
• below 60 - failed (grade 5). 

Please attend classes regularly; attendence of the first session is indispensable because of group building etc.; apart from the first class, you may miss two classes.

All students must attend the FIRST class! Apart from the first and the last one (i.e., exam date), you may miss ONE class and this will NOT affect your grade. 

Dr. Elisabeth Götze: elisabeth.goetze@wu.ac.at

For administrative matters and registration please contact cfm@wu.ac.at

THIS COURSE IS EQUIVALENT TO OTHER COURSES IN INTERNATIONAL MARKETING AT THE WU. PLEASE MAKE SURE TO REGISTER FOR ONE OF THESE ONLY. MOREOVER, THERE ARE OVERLAPS WITH 'WAHLBLOCK KURS II - INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS'.

Please attend classes regularly; attendence of the first session is indispensable because of group building etc.; apart from the first class, you may miss two classes.

All information subject to change!

Incoming exchange students receive 6 ECTS-credits for this course.