As plan B became effective, the course will take place in rotation mode with distant and in-class elements. All input session by the instructor will be recorded as lecturecasts and will be available on learn@wu.  These include introduction to the required readings, motivation and context of the seminar. In addition there will be lecturecasts  on the requirements and grading criteria of the assignments in the seminar. If there are any questions about the contents or the assignments, we can either arrange a Q&A in the seminar room (rotation mode with no more than 10 students at the same time in class). If you prefer online Q&A we can arrange appointment via skype or MS teams.

In addition to this material, we will organise  smaller groups, which are able to meet at prearranged time slots on-campus (the exact time and seminar room will be communicated after the group formation by mid-October). There will never be more than 6 students one instructor at the same time in the seminar rooms. If anyone does not feel like attending on campus, we can arrange hybrid discussion with some students in class and others via skype or MS teams. There will be only two on-campus sessions maximum for each group; the rest will be communicated via the lecturecasts, email, and forums on learn @ wu as well as via skype or MS teams.

As the seminar main goal is the is the development of a case study on political risk, the critical discussion of the cases and drawing overall conclusions from the comparisons of these cases, it is important that we engage with each other in small groups in class or via skype or MS teams. However, nobody should feel forced to come on campus if you do not feel comfortable or feel left alone with the contents and the assignments, which often happens if we go to full distance mode. Therefore I hope this improvisation, which is this mixed approach of the rotation mode suits you. If you have any complaints, concerns or suggestions, please contact me anytime via mail : Simon.Hartmann@wu.ac.at

- Internationalization strategy and how are Small and Medium Enterprises (SME) different from Multinational Companies (MNC)?

• Internationalization process
• Risk measurement
• Risk exposure -How are international SME different from MNC?

- Risk Exposure: What are the main challenges for SME compared to MNC?

• Mapping of risks of international SME versus MNC
• Comparative assessment of political risk to international SME and MNC by investigating risk exposures of smaller investors involved in investor-state dispute settlement (ISDS) claims
  • Assessment of risk exposure using real world case studies
  • Assessing avoidable and unavoidable risks
  • Analysis and critical reflection of the lessons learned from the case studies

- Strategic responses to risk exposure

• What are the firms' strategies related to ISDS?
• Strategic risk mangement
  • Ex-ante: Reducing risk exposure
  • Ex-post enforcement of damages
• How are SME and MNC different?
• Limitations of risk management for SME

- Insights in the challenges of SMEs internationalization

- Overview of the specific characteristics of political risk for international SMEs

- In depth understanding of the mechanisms of how exposure translates into damage from real world case studies.

- Discussion and understanding of the strategies and instruments available to SMEs to overcome these challenges

- Critical view on the limitations of risk management for SMEs

- Understanding of the difference risk management for MNEs and SMEs

The course is held in "rotation mode". The presence in the teaching room will be in defined time slots where we proceed with the case studies. You will get coaching by the course instructor, participate in discussions with you peers and we are able to work on specific problems of you projects. We will share the outcomes of these sessions for all other students on the learn @ wu platform (slides, written notes, recorded presentations).

All the required readings, context and inputs on 'political risk management' will be provided by the instructor as lecture casts on the learn@wu platform. There will be time slots for Q&As on these materials via group-meeting on MS teams. In addition you will get further reading material and links on learn at @ wu

- Lecture cast
- Group analysis and presentation of cases (in-class, "rotation mode")
- Critical discussion of cases in peer groups (in-class, "rotation mode")
- Case study (main assignment developed online and in-class)

Group assignments (65 %):
- Case preparation and presentation (discussion) = 16 %
- Peer Feedback  = 14 %
- Case report = 35 %
Individual assignment (35 %):
- Essay : Arbitration and Strategy = 35 %

== 100 %

Email: Simon.Hartmann@wu.ac.at
Skype: shartman2013