Please note: there may be some adjustments to the teaching arrangements published in the course catalogue for 2020-21. Given current circumstances related to the Covid-19 pandemic it is anticipated that some usual arrangements for teaching on campus will be modified to ensure the safety and wellbeing of students and staff on campus; further adjustments may also be necessary, or beneficial, during the course of the academic year as national requirements relating to management of the pandemic are revised.

Business in the Global Economy SPS5004

  • Academic Session: 2022-23
  • School: School of Social and Political Sciences
  • Credits: 20
  • Level: Level 5 (SCQF level 11)
  • Typically Offered: Semester 2
  • Available to Visiting Students: No
  • Available to Erasmus Students: Yes

Short Description

This course will examine the management, organization and experience of modern business enterprise in the globalized economy; it will explore the theoretical models explaining the existence and evolving organisation of business firms and consider the role of those firms in the global economy. Issues to be investigated include: the relationships between business and the localities in which they are based and in which they operate; the nature of competitiveness; and how this can be influenced by government policy and fostered in developing economies; the drivers and impact of foreign direct investment; the structure of multinational enterprises and their effect on home and host economies, and the role of small and medium-sized enterprises in the global economy.

Timetable

2 Hours per week over 10 weeks.

Requirements of Entry

None

Assessment

Assessment will be through coursework which could include individual essay, class presentation and group work - total equivalent to 4000 words 

Course Aims

■ to consider the theory of the firm in an international and globalized context

■ to analyse the relationship between business firms and competitive advantage - and how it may be constructed or pursued - across space and time.

■ to explore the role of small and large companies and their relationships in a globalized economic environment.

Intended Learning Outcomes of Course

On successful completion of this course, students will be able to understand and critically assess

■ the theory of the firm and its application to small and large companies in the globalized economy

■ the relationship between business firms and regional, national and supra-national authorities in the globalized economy

■ the role of business in shaping the globalized economy

■ the impact of multinational enterprises on both home and host economies

■ the role of innovation and technology in the globalized economy

Minimum Requirement for Award of Credits

Generic regulations apply