Course Catalogue

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Strategic management is a critical competence for business professionals operating in an international context, providing them with the skills to make evidence-based, informed decisions that lead to sustained competitive advantage in ever-changing cross-border contexts. This course introduces students to key concepts, analytical tools and frameworks, and theories for international strategic decision making.

Students will be exposed to different schools of thought and examine contemporary strategic challenges such as digital transformation, platform dominance, technological disruption, or geopolitical challenges. Students will develop capabilities in analytical techniques such as internal and external analysis, or business model evaluation. A key feature of the course is the development of students' ability to communicate strategic recommendations clearly and confidently to relevant stakeholders, translating analytical outputs into coherent, justified arguments appropriate for professional and academic audiences. Students are also supported in critically evaluating their own performance, developing the reflective practice and self-awareness essential for continuous personal and professional development.

Learning activities emphasise collaborative problem-solving in group work. Peer feedback and individual reflection encourage critical thought.

4 x 2 hour lectures

3 x 2 hour tutorials

Students must be registered on one of the associated programmes listed in this course specification.

None

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1. Written assignment, including essay; Individual; 850 words; 50%; ILOs 1-3.

2. Report; Group; 2250 words; 50%; ILOs 1,4.

This course aims to:

■ Equip postgraduate students in international business with the strategic frameworks and analytical capabilities needed to navigate the complexities of operating across borders, responding to the growing demand for graduates who can make informed, evidence-based decisions in multinational contexts.

■ Address a gap in the programme by providing a dedicated strategic foundation at Masters level, enabling students to engage with the competitive dynamics and organisational challenges that are unique to international business environments, rather than those encountered in domestic contexts, and to do so in a way that is responsive to the diverse academic and professional backgrounds that characterise early MSc cohorts.

■ Develop students as strategic thinkers who can evaluate and contrast competing theoretical perspectives on multinational advantage, through active engagement with real-world strategic problems that requires all students, regardless of prior academic orientation, to operate at the cognitive level that the demands of international business practice require.

By the end of this course, students will be able to:

1. Identify pertinent contemporary theories and perspectives in international business strategy to interpret the strategic decisions and behaviours of multinational corporations.

2. Formulate international business strategies for firm internationalisation by collecting and evaluating relevant evidence.

3. Develop problem-solving skills within defined time and resource constraints through the analysis of multinational case studies.

4. Reflect on their own performance and identify areas that are either well-developed or underdeveloped in their practice.