Evidence-based management (EBM) refers to making managerial decisions based on the best available scientific and contextual evidence and organizational facts. Such decisions rely on decision-making processes that reduce bias and judgment errors and consider the interests of stakeholders. The course “Evidence-based International Management” promotes students’ understanding and use of EBM techniques in the context of international management. It fosters students’ skills and knowledge required to identify, access, and use quality evidence from science and practice to facilitate better decisions in international markets.

To this end, the course has three main elements: First, the course demonstrates the application of EBM principles to key international management topics. Second, we co-create the six principles of EBM in an international context. Third, students act as consultants in a case study and develop evidence-based recommendations on a contemporary international business challenge for an entrepreneurial firm.

These elements translate into the following core contents of the course:

1. Basic principles of evidence-based international management
2. Turning evidence into practice
3. Six steps of EBM in an international context: ask, acquire, appraise, aggregate, apply, assess
4. Four sources of EBM: practitioners, scientific literature, organization, stakeholders
5. Application of EBM principles to key international management topics: location choice, growing abroad with a greenfield or an acquisition, internationalization speed
6. Guest lecture: a guest speaker from the industry explains how firms use evidence to be more successful and which challenges persist.

Upon completion of the course, students,

1. know the basic principles of evidence-based international management;
2. are aware of managers’ bounded rationality and biases in international decision-making contexts;
3. can differentiate between different types and levels of evidence and know where to find evidence and how to implement it;
4. have the academic skills to comprehend scientific evidence;
5. have the skills to manage in an evidence-based way guided by the six EBM steps;
6. can apply evidence-based techniques in a case study

The course will be held in an in-person setting. Students are supposed to attend all lectures. As an exception, students are allowed to miss one lecture (but not a lecture in which they are scheduled to give a presentation).

If social distancing is required during the course, the teaching mode will be changed to an online -setting accordingly. Please follow the respective announcements closely.

The course’s didactic concept rests on three pillars:

1. Evidence-based teaching: the course follows an evidence-based teaching approach, which means teaching grounds on state-of-the-art research and contextual evidence. Linking research and teaching ensures that students learn concepts and methods that are relevant and effective based on the latest research knowledge.
2. Interaction: The course combines teacher-centered (e.g., lectures) and interactive (“flip-the-classroom”) elements (e.g., presentations, discussions, feedback sessions, teamwork) to facilitate effective and active learning among students.
3. Relevance: Guest lecturers from the industry and the practice-oriented case study enable close ties between the course and industry demands.

The overall course grade is based on three assignments:

1. EBM content presentation (during course): 45% (group assignment)
2. Case study (last course lecture): 45% (individual assignment)
3. Active participation in class: 10% (individual assignment)

• Enrollment in the CEMS International Management Programme
• Course registration

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• Basic knowledge in global strategic management
• Basic knowledge in business communication

• Ilaria Gallegati, M.Sc. - ilaria.gallegati@wu.ac.at
• Univ.-Prof. Dr. Florian B. Zapkau - florian.zapkau@wu.ac.at