1         Introduction to global strategy
           What is Strategy? How are strategies made? Introducing the global context

2         Managing industry competition and organisational resources & capabilities

3         Strategic analysis in a global context: global value chain configuration

4         Organizational Structures and designs, managing change, parenting advantage

5         Multi-market contact, global competitive dynamics

6         Collaborative Strategies: Alliances and stakeholders

7         Subsidiary-Level Strategy: Managing local operations, subsidiary roles, coordination and control, knowledge flows

8         Review of the course material (Exam Preparation)

9         Exam

Global Strategic Management is an integrating module; it is concerned with the totality of what a trading business or other organisation is trying to achieve. In other words it assesses a wide variety of environmental and organisational aspects which, when considered overall, help us to understand why some organisations thrive and similar organisations may struggle. The types of questions that we address are: Why do firms go abroad? What differentiates a global from a multi-domestic industry? How does a multinational enterprise play the global chess game? Why and when do/should companies engage in cross-border strategic alliances, cross-border mergers and acquisitions? What are the associated risks and how to guard against them? What potential roles can foreign subsidiaries play in the MNEs global strategy? How do companies choose an optimal global structure? How do companies ensure coordination between the headquarters and its subsidiaries, and among subsidiaries? How do companies manage strategic change from one type of global strategy to another?

Learning objectives of the course:

- to emphasise the generalist nature of management work
- to examine the differing roles of HQ, RHQ and country managers in setting the direction of enterprise
- to examine and to be able to apply techniques of strategic analysis within a global setting
- to be aware of competing arguments behind a number of strategic approaches
- to gain an understanding of processes of strategy formulation and implementation

On completion of the course students will have acquired skills such as the rapid structuring of ideas and presentations both as individuals and as members of the team. Organisational abilities in relation to teamwork including presentation and report writing skills. The ability to shift material quickly and efficiently, and to structure it into a coherent argument and the ability to research material related to companies and business contexts under pressure of tight deadlines.

Participation in the class is mandatory. It´s allowed to miss one five hours class.

Students' grades are a composite of the following individual marks: 

Competing Case Assignment: 30 % of the total grade 
Individual assessment: 70%

Participation in class (10%)

Peer review (10%)

Final exam (50%) 

To assess the individual course participation, lecturers will use the following indicative marking scheme: 

- Excellent/outstanding contributions: 10 points
- Very good contributions: 8 points
- Good contributions: 6 points
- Weak insufficient contributions: 4 points or less.