2015/16 Taught Postgraduate Module Catalogue

LUBS5232M International Strategic Management

15 creditsClass Size: 230

Module manager: Pekka Vahtera
Email: p.j.vahtera@leeds.ac.uk

Taught: Semester 2 (Jan to Jun) View Timetable

Year running 2015/16

This module is not approved as an Elective

Module summary

This module examines how companies formulate and implement strategic decision-taking in an international context.

Objectives

This module is designed to enable students to apply their learning across the programme in an integrative manner to the understanding of how companies design, implement and manage international strategies.

Learning outcomes
On successful completion of this module students will be able to critically evaluate:
- strategic choices available to organisations
- the nature of strategic problems and the role of the entire organisation in providing integrated solutions
- the influence of national and international markets on a firm's potential for competitive advantage

Skills outcomes
Transferable
On successful completion of this module students will be able to:
- effectively identify problems and recommend alternative an course of action to deal with the complex conceptual problems faced by top managers
- communicate effectively in writing
- contribute to effective performance within a team environment
- conduct effective oral presentations
- exercise self-reflection and criticality to diversity in terms of people, cultures, business and management issues
- conduct and influence the decision making process

Subject Specific
On successful completion of this module students will be able to:
- deliver social and environmental impacts by evaluating the potential of international business activities
- demonstrate critical analysis of ideas and evidence to recognise, interpret and account for the complexity of ethical business management conducted across national and sub-national boundaries

Syllabus

Indicative content:
THE STRATEGY PROCESS
- What is strategy? And does it matter?

STRATEGY ANALYSIS
- What are firms in business for? The issue of organisational purpose; Is the shareholder king?
- Market analysis; Generating insights from market research
- Are all industries equally attractive? Industry analysis, industry development and disruption
- Competing to succeed I: positioning and strategic choices
- Competing to succeed II: generating a sustainable competitive advantage

STRATEGIC DIRECTION AND FIRM PERFORMANCE
- Generating growth for the future: limited vs. substantive growth strategies and their impact on firm performance
- Do diversification strategies and mergers and acquisitions enhance firm performance?
- Do internationalisation strategies enhance firm performance?
- Global challengers from emerging countries: challenges and opportunities

Teaching methods

Delivery type	Number	Length hours	Student hours
Computer Simulated Practical Techniques	5	4.00	20.00
Lecture	10	2.00	20.00
Tutorial	5	1.00	5.00
Private study hours			105.00
Total Contact hours			45.00
Total hours (100hr per 10 credits)			150.00

Private study

- Preparation for tutorials and midterm examination (20 hours),
- preparation and participation in a group on-line simulation exercise (45 hours)
- and examination at the end of the module (40 hours).

Opportunities for Formative Feedback

Students' progress will be monitored through class discussion of the case studies considered in the seminars, and through contribution to an online simulation exercise which runs in parallel to the module.

During seminars students will be expected to apply the theoretical knowledge gained during lectures and their private study to answering case study questions.

Students will be given feedback on their responses by the lecturer during the class and they will also be provided with suggested responses to the case studies in written-form (or on the VLE) after the class has finished.

Students will also receive a written summary and explanation for their performance during the on-line simulation game.

Formative feedback will be provided by the simulation itself, in terms of relative standing against other student groups and the performance data reported by the software.

Students will sit a mid-semester examination made of a MCQ test on material covered in the first 5 weeks of the module (30%) on which they will receive formative feedback in terms of the mark awarded.

Students will have the opportunity to discuss their performance with module staff to identify areas of problematic understanding to enable them to prepare for the summative assessment at the conclusion of the module.

Students will be encouraged to complete non-assessed essays during the module on which they will be given written personalised formative feedback to gauge their progress prior to the summative assessment at the conclusion of the module.

The marks and feedback from this in conjunction with class discussions during the module will enable student to gauge progress during the course of the module prior to the assessment at the conclusion of the module.

The summative assessment of the module takes the form of a mid-term examination (30%), mark awarded for the on-line simulation (30%) and exam taken at the conclusion of the module (40%).

Students can also obtain feedback on a one-to-one basis from the module manager and lecturers outside the class setting.

Methods of assessment

Coursework

Assessment type	Notes	% of formal assessment
Computer Exercise	Business Simulation	30.00
In-course MCQ	Mid-term exam covering week 1-5 course content	30.00
Total percentage (Assessment Coursework)		60.00

Normally resits will be assessed by the same methodology as the first attempt, unless otherwise stated

Exams

Exam type	Exam duration	% of formal assessment
Standard exam (closed essays, MCQs etc)	1 hr 30 mins	40.00
Total percentage (Assessment Exams)		40.00

Resit will be for the module as a whole and by August examination (3 hours).

Reading list

The reading list is available from the Library website

Last updated: 19/08/2014

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