Global Strategic Management is a CEMS core course. The course addresses a wide variety of environmental and organizational aspects which, when considered overall, help us to understand why some organizations thrive and others struggle in the global marketplace.

The types of questions that we address are:

• Why do firms go aboard? What motivates them?
• What differentiates a global from a multi-domestic industry?
• What potential roles can foreign subsidiaries play within MNCs?
• Why is a diversification strategy potentially different in emerging markets as compared to Europe?
• How do companies ensure coordination between the headquarters and its subsidiaries, and among subsidiaries?
• How do companies manage strategic initiatives?
• What is the role of subsidiary general managers (“country managers”)?
• How can market entry be planned?

Knowledge and Understanding: Students on completion of the course will possess:

• Knowledge and understanding of global sourcing strategies, roles and responsibilities of different units within the MNC (e.g. headquarters and subsidiaries).
• Knowledge of strategic planning techniques and tools for strategic analysis including templates.
• An understanding of the application of these techniques in a global context.
• Familiarity with many examples of successful and less successful strategies.
• Extensive knowledge of industry cases and major types of strategic decisions.
• Firsthand accounts of contemporary global management practice received from visiting speakers.

Cognitive & Subject Specific Skills: Students on completion of the course will possess:

• The ability to conduct a strategic analysis in a global stetting.
• The ability to take a holistic approach to the application of analytical templates and other techniques.
• The knowhow to obtain and analyze information which will aid decision making.
• The ability to analyze cases which approximates closely to the rapid analysis of global business situations.
• Experience in working in multi-cultural teams.
• The ability to think through cause-effect relationships and to assess critically common management principles

Key Skills: Students on completion of the course will possess:

• The ability to rapidly structure ideas and presentations both as individuals and as members of a team.
• The ability to research material related to companies and business context under pressure of tight deadlines.
• Organizational abilities in relation to teamwork including presentation and report writing skills.

Students must attend at least 80% of contact hours in order to pass the course. 

The course is taught using a combination of lectures, case analyses,class discussion and outside guest speakers. The readings will give you a broad picture of what global strategy is all about.

Overall, students will be assessed on:

• Their knowledge of the content domain of Global Strategic Management.
• Their ability to understand the strategic issues in the cases they present, to use the appropriate analytical techniques, and to marshal the relevant data

The final grade is 100% individual and will be based on the following elements:

• Participation in class (20%)
• Final Case Exam (50%)
• Final Kahoot Exam (30%)

by appointment: pnell@wu.ac.at