2017/18 Undergraduate Module Catalogue

LUBS3860 International Strategic Management

20 creditsClass Size: 120

Module manager: Mohammad Faisal Ahammad
Email: m.f.ahammad@leeds.ac.uk

Taught: Semesters 1 & 2 (Sep to Jun) View Timetable

Year running 2017/18

Co-requisites

LUBS2860

Managing International Business

This module is not approved as a discovery module

Objectives

This module is designed for students to apply their learning across the programme in an integrative manner to the understanding of how companies design, implement and manage international strategies. This learning is then applied by student group participation in an on-line international business strategy simulation game.

Learning outcomes
On successful completion of this module students will be able to assess and evaluate :
- the integrative role of strategic management, its concepts, research and theories
- the nature of strategic problems and the role of the entire organisation in providing integrated solutions
- key strategic management concepts, theories and research

On successful completion of this module students will be able to:
- evaluate central issues and problems in complex organisational situations, suggest alternative courses of action and present well-supported recommendations for future action
- interpret the differing and often conflicting theories, approaches and views which reflect the richness of debate within the field
- critically assess the countervailing views and perspectives within the subject and demonstrate analytical and decision-making skills to deal with the complex conceptual problems faced by top managers
- demonstrate coherent and detailed knowledge of international business studies and professional competencies, some of which will be informed by recent research/scholarship in the discipline
- understand key strategic considerations faced by top management in a global business environment

Skills outcomes
Transferable:
On successful completion of this module students will be able to:
- analyse and criticise contemporary theories on how companies design, implement and manage international expansion strategies
- demonstrate strategic thinking through an understanding of strategic management concepts, theories and research, and how these inform decision-taking in an international context

Subject Specific:
On successful completion of this module students will be able to:
- effectively analyse issues relating to complex international business strategy, and come up with suggestions for future action
- understand the differing and often conflicting theories, approaches and views which reflect the richness of debate within the field of strategic management

Syllabus

Indicative Content:

THE STRATEGY PROCESS
- What is strategy and why 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, 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
Group learning	0	20.00	20.00
Lecture	22	1.00	22.00
Seminar	10	1.00	10.00
Private study hours			147.00
Total Contact hours			52.00
Total hours (100hr per 10 credits)			199.00

Private study

Preparation for seminars, mid-module examination, participation in a group on-line simulation game and a written assignment at the end of the module.

Opportunities for Formative Feedback

Students' progress will be monitored through class discussion of the case studies considered in the seminars. During these sessions 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.

The summative assessment of the module takes the form of a mid-term examination (30%), on-line strategy simulation (10%) and a written assignment at the conclusion of the module (60%).

First, students will complete a mid-semester exam (30%). Students will have the opportunity to discuss their exam performance with module staff to identify areas of problematic understanding to enable them to prepare for the summative assessments towards the end of the module. Secondly, students will receive an explanation for their performance during the on-line simulation game (10%). 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. Finally, students will complete a written assignment at the end of module. Students will be given written feedback on their assignments, and an opportunity to further discuss their results with the module staff.

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
Group Project	Group participation in an on-line strategy simulation game	10.00
Written Work	Written assignment to be submitted at the end of semester 2	60.00
Total percentage (Assessment Coursework)		70.00

The resit for this module will be 100% by examination.

Exams

Exam type	Exam duration	% of formal assessment
Standard exam (closed essays, MCQs etc)	1 hr 00 mins	30.00
Total percentage (Assessment Exams)		30.00

The resit for this module will be 100% by examination.

Reading list

The reading list is available from the Library website

Last updated: 25/01/2018

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