W826 – Strategic Issues in International Business

Module
Strategic Issues in International Business
Strategic Issues in International Business
Module number
W826 [IB-MA W06]
Version: 1
Faculty
Business Administration
Level
Master
Duration
1 Semester
Semester
Summer semester
Module supervisor

Prof. Dr. Gerard Lewis
gerard.lewis(at)htw-dresden.de

Lecturer(s)

Prof. Dr. Gerard Lewis
gerard.lewis(at)htw-dresden.de

Course language(s)

English
in "Strategic Issues in International Business"

ECTS credits

5.00 credits

Workload

150 hours

Courses

4.00 SCH (4.00 SCH Seminar)

Self-study time

90.00 hours

Pre-examination(s)
None
Examination(s)

Alternative examination - Presentation
Module examination | Examination time: 20 min | Weighting: 50% | not to be compensated
in "Strategic Issues in International Business"

Alternative examination - Essay
Module examination | Weighting: 50% | not to be compensated
in "Strategic Issues in International Business"

Form of teaching

Lectures The basic principles, concepts and theories will be
presented during lectures. Lecture materials are available on
Portal Sachsen (OPAL).

Readings For each topic there are chapters from the main
textbooks and some additional readings which support the
concepts presented in the lectures.

Worked examples and problems Application of the course
materials is reinforced using mini-cases, problems and examples.

Case Studies Students prepare case assignments prior to the
scheduled case discussion. Students will be asked questions
relating to the case and are expected to present their arguments
and reasoning.

Seminars Presentations Students will be responsible for preparing and delivering seminars on specific strategic issues in international business.

Essay Students produce an academic essay on one of the seminar topics.

Media type

Lecture slides are in PPT format.
Where appropriate, guest lectures and AV material will be used.

Instruction content/structure

The Corporate Issue Construct

Uncertainty and Munificence

Strategic Decision Making

Context analysis and issue framing

Testing the business idea

Seminars (issues in different industries)

Qualification objectives

The aim of the module is to understand how complex issues could affect industries and firms strategically in the future.

After successfully completing the module the student will be able to:
1. understand the role of undertainty in strategy development,
2. apply scenario development techniques
3. test the stategic robustness of a firm's business model

Social and personal skills

Analytical skills – especially of soft factors

Project management, teamwork & presentation skills

Problem solving – identifying and solving the problem is a key skill in business strategy development

Creativity – ‚stepping outside of the box‘. The essence of business strategy is to do something different.

Special admission requirements
No information
Recommended prerequisites

English level C1

Strategic Issues in International Business is a capstone module and requires the application of many areas from the Bachelor degree and the first semester of the Master degree programme.

Continuation options
No information
Literature

The following textbooks are recommended for supporting and
complementing the module lectures.

Kees van der Heijden, Scenarios: The Art of Strategic Conversation, John Wiley, 2005.

Alexander Osterwalder & Yves Pigneur, Business Model Generation, John Wiley, 2010.

Supporting Reading:

Gerry Johnson, Kevan Scholes & Richard Whittington, Exploring Corporate Strategy, Prentice Hall, London

Robert M. Grant, Contemporary Strategy Analysis, Blackwell, London

Mintzberg, Quinn & Ghoshal, The Strategy Process, European Edition, Prentice Hall, London

Current teaching resources

Module materials are available on Portal Sachsen (OPAL)

Notes

For students who expect to develop an international career, the
module provides an important insight into large corporations and
international strategy development. The module is especially
relevant for those who wish to make a career in strategy /
general management.