The internationalization of the economy cannot be stopped anymore. Concentrating on the home market in order to ensure a sustainable existence of the company is increasingly not sufficient, neither for multinationals nor for small- and medium-sized companies. The current turbulent economic developments in many countries, often associated with a decline in demand on many product markets, mean that a strategic perspective combined with systematically operated international marketing management are essential for the sustainable safeguarding of their existence for almost all companies. Well analyzed and prepared, goal-oriented decisions of the international marketing management can also serve the abolition of the enormous profit and growth contained in the internationalization. The phenomena in different markets are as multifaceted as they are dynamic. Constant technological changes, enormous competitive pressure as well as increasingly unpredictable buyer behavior put considerable demands on internationally active companies in order to be able to act successfully. In this course, we are concerned with how these market conditions can be met by an appropriate marketing management on international markets.

There are obviously a lot of differences in definitions of marketing out there. In this course, we will try to see marketing as much more than selling and advertising and as a discipline, which involves the entire company (holistic approach). So we start by comparing the definitions of international marketing & looking for its place in a company’s internationalization process and continue by structuring skills and tasks needed to succeed as a Head of Marketing International. By expanding in times of globalization and within international marketing strategies, companies are always under competitive pressure to move forward both reactively and proactively. That is why it is so important to understand how best to find suitable markets, customers worldwide & ourselves within (strategic perspective) and which tools can help us to proceed with this. Once an international company is ready to conquer the world with its strategy – it’s all about the (operational plan) and so its time to start the conceptualizing & creating of marketing-mix, because marketing involves the planning and execution of the conception, including pricing, promotion, and distribution of ideas, products and services (right mix). In order to head the direction & stay on path we will learn how to organize and coordinate our international marketing divisions properly by taking care of budgeting, as well as coordination and controlling of it (implementation).

By pro-active participation and appropriate involvement, the students are concerned with the following topics and are able:

• To recognize the position and importance of international marketing in the planning process of the internationalization of an expanding company
  • To refresh the importance of going international as well as the forces affecting international business and global marketing
  • To repeat basic scenarios in terms of assessing, selecting, entering the new markets
• To capture the differentiation between the definitions, objectives and tools of export-oriented, international, multinational and global marketing
• To learn basic orientations of strategic international marketing management
  • To reflect on methods of international segmentation, positioning, and targeting
• To understand, analyze, produce marketing-mix concepts suited to globalized markets and to test their applicability
• To highlight the specifics of how to deal with international markets, such as
  • To perceive the cross-cultural differences in international marketing and successfully integrate those aspects
• To coordinate the implementation of marketing plan & concepts, to produce and control budgets by taking into account the differences in organizations

 In addition the students also learn:

• To communicate and justify their insights into international consumer behavior and strategic marketing decisions worldwide
• To work effectively in multinational marketing teams (on-site & in virtual environment), and
• To prepare independently a complete marketing-mix for a new market  as well as to set up the implementation on-site

There is an obligation to attend. If urgently needed and by communicating to the lecturer in advance, you may miss 1 class (apart from the first and the last two sessions).

During the course, the following instruments are used in varying degrees and intensity:

• short sequences of frontal lectures,
• reading assignments on repeating/refreshing the basics
• interactive form of critical reflection of theoretical foundations (f.i. quiz)
• joint development of various concepts
• experts talks, best/worst case discussions, presentations of best master theses (international marketing topics) as well as developing potential topics for theses by brainstorming
• presentations of the students, and
• group exercices.

The assessment is based on and consists of following components:

• 10%: Active (involving) participation
  • Name cards are obvious, laptops or smartphones with internet connection - advisable at each session
• 10%: Peer-reviewing (sessions on 05th and 10th of December)
  • You will evaluate yourself and your group members after the last group work
  • The template form for the peer-review will be available on learn@wu.ac.at 
• 40%: Group work
  • Please divide/organize yourself in groups of 5 persons each for the  sessions on 5th and 10th of December and inform the lecturer via e-mail
  • No necessity to start with preparation immediately, you will work during the sessions or it will be announced on time (at least 1 week in advance)
• 40%: Individual work
  • (international/global) marketing-mix concept analysed or produced for an export-oriented, international, multinational or global company of your choice due to the structure, described in particular in the PowerPoint presentation, available on learn@wu.ac.at.

This course is a part of an experimental, innovative teaching project, which allow you to choose an assessment form for your individual work, in order to empower you as a student on one hand as well as to find out whether flexible performance assessment can contribute to sustainable, self-regulatory learning in general. In return, I would kindly ask 5-10 students to let them interviewed at the end of the course. Details will be announced on the very first session.
 

Please consider, that at least 60% of the total achievable points of performance are required for a positive grade.

Only for students of master program "Export and Internationalization Management" as well as for incoming students (master level). Registration for the course on time is obligatory.

Basic knowledge of marketing management and international business are prerequisite.

Further information, if appliable, will be announced in advance.