The course combines insights from research and practice to provide students with a thorough understanding of firms’ business development in international markets. Students will be provided with an overview of firms’ internationalization patterns and related strategies. The course introduces, and draws on, key internationalization theories that shape the current discourse in academia and between practitioners. Specifically, the course focuses on two interrelated decisions that affect firms’ internationalization endeavors: first, students learn about the characteristics and (dis-)advantages of different foreign entry mode choices (i.e., how to develop the firm internationally). Second, the course conveys the principles of firms’ foreign location choices (i.e., where to develop the business internationally). Further, the course focuses on the process of decision-making and the role of the individual decision-maker. During the course, students will apply the theoretical inputs in a real-life case study in cooperation with Austrian SMEs.

Upon completion of the course:

· Students have a profound understanding of key theoretical approaches and scientific methods to explain how and where firms develop their business internationally. This knowledge enables them to understand and discuss fundamental research articles in the International Business literature.

· Students know central characteristics, determinants, and outcomes of firms’ entry mode choices and foreign location choices.

· Students have a thorough understanding of the role of the individual decision-maker in internationalization decisions and can critically reflect on rationality employed in decision-making processes.

· Students have the social and professional skills to communicate foreign market entry mode and location choice decisions and to lead a related discussion.

The course will be offered in presence teaching mode on campus. Attendance is mandatory, but students may miss up to two sessions. However, this exception does not apply to sessions in which a student or her/his group is scheduled to give a presentation or participate in any other form of assessment.

Please observe the course-related announcements. Should social distancing be required in the winter semester, changes to the course’s teaching mode will be communicated in advance.

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. Interactive: 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, links to real-life business challenges and success stories, and real-life case studies about internationalization enable close ties between the course and industry demands.

10% participation during lectures (individual assignment)

65% Group presentation and management report on case study (group assignment) consisting of

• 10% case study progress presentations during four sessions
• 35% final case study presentation
• 10% one-pager summarizing key findings of the case study
• 10% peer evaluation

25% Final exam (individual assignment) 

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