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 abroad? What motivates them?
• What differentiates a global from a multi-domestic industry?
• What does it take to manage a global company?
• What potential roles can foreign subsidiaries play within MNCs?
• Why and when do/should MNEs engage in cross-border alliances and acquisitions?
• How are cross-border JVs negotiated?
• How do companies ensure coordination between the headquarters and its subsidiaries, and among subsidiaries?

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.

Participation in the class is mandatory. It´s allowed to miss 20% of the contact hours (classroom time).

The course method blends lectures, discussions, simulations and case analyses.
Substantial classroom discussion is encouraged and expected.

The course contains two simulations, one dealing with the complexity of negotiating an international joint venture in an emerging market (in the automotive industry) and the other simulation focused on the complexities of managing an international company in the telecommunications sector. 

Students are expected to work in teams for the entirety of the course. 

Student groups will be formed in the first session. 

The final course grade will be based on the following elements (50% team work and 50% individual evaluation):

Cesim Simulation (20%)

Business cases analyses (15%)

Negotiations simulation performance and report (15%) 

Individual Exam (30%)

In-class participation (10%)

Peer review (10%)

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

- Outstanding contributions: 10 points (9 and 10 points will be given in cases when requirements/expectations are exceeded by little or by far)
- Very good contributions: 8 points (this is the benchmark for meeting all requirements/expectations)
- Good contributions: 6 points
- Weak insufficient contributions: 4 points or less.