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:

• What does it take to manage a global company?
• How do MNEs compete in their respective industries?
• How do MNEs organize their global value chains?
• Why and when do/should MNEs engage in cross-border alliances and acquisitions?
• How are cross-border JVs negotiated?
• How do companies ensure sustainability and responsibility in their business?

Knowledge and Understanding: Students on completion of the course will possess:

• 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. Students are allowed to miss no more than 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, Cesim Global Challenge, is focused on the complexities of managing an international company in the telecommunications sector. 

Cesim Global Challenge is an online business simulation game that develops participant understanding of the complexity of global business operations in a dynamic competitive environment. It integrates a range of concepts from various management related disciplines, including economical, political, and financial decision making, as well as accounting, production, logistics, research & innovation, and marketing. The task for the participant teams is to manage a global mobile telecommunications company through technological evolution in a fast-paced 21st century operating environment. The participants will develop and execute strategies for their simulated company operating in the USA, Asia, and Europe.

The simulation is completely web based. There is no need to install any separate applications and the simulation can be accessed from any computer that has an internet connection. The simulation platform allows team members to work virtually if they wish. Each team member has her/his own account that enables them to make decisions and scenarios on their own and later combine the outcomes with the other team members on the [decision checklist] -page. The platform also includes a communications forum that can be used to communicate within teams and between all teams in one market.

Students are expected to work in teams for the entirety of the course, in the context of the CESIM simuation and case analysis. The IJV negotiations simulation and the final assignment are individual assignments. 

Working groups will be formed in the first session. The requirement for the working group formation is diversity (both gender and CEMS school)

The final course grade will be based on the following elements:

Cesim Global Business Simulation (30%)

3 Business case* analyses (20%)

Negotiations simulation performance and report (15%) 

Individual Assignment (25%)

Peer review (10%)

*To access the HBS cases used in this course, log in the HBS virtual library with your username and go to the course “CEMS GSM 2024” by clicking on this link:  https://hbsp.harvard.edu/import/1218204

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.

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