• Descripció

The subject International Management looks at the main issues that companies must address when they decide to internationalise and to begin to conduct their business in an unfamiliar environment unlike the one they are used to. Several factors make this one of the most important strategic decisions a company can make, and success can be vital to the company's future, as internationalisation can compromise its survival in the domestic market.
This subject will begin with an overview of globalisation and its impact on companies, before focusing on the main decisions involved in internationalisation, namely, the destination and the product to be internationalised, as well as how to secure access to and enter new markets. It will also look at the new challenges that emerge in relation to organisation, coordination and the relationship between the parent company and its subsidiaries once a company has successfully completed the initial stage and become a multinational. Finally, it will look at cultural differences in how international business is conducted and determine how best to design a human resource policy in light of the range of options for the international management of a multinational's executives.

• L'assignatura en el conjunt del pla d'estudis

International Management is an elective course of the Degrees in Economics, Business Administration and Management, Marketing and Market Research and Tourism.

• Coneixements previs

It is recommended that before enrolling this course, the student has attended the course of  Business Strategy (Direcció estratègica).

As the course is in English, it's also highly recommended to have a B2 level in English (upper intermediate).

• Objectius i competències

This subject will develop the following transversal skills covered by all degree programmes in the Economics and Business Studies Department: 

• Capacity to search for, identify, organise and make proper use of information.
• To adopt attitudes and behaviors in line with an ethical and responsible professional practice.
• Capacity to communicate effectively, in writing and/or orally, both in one's own language and a foreign language.

 It will also develop the following specific skills: 

• CE6- Analyze the modus operandi of the markets in different interrelational scenarios and in different time horizons.
• CE10- Critically evaluate the consequences of various courses of action and design measures in relation to the selection of the most appropriate and based on the objectives.
• CE14- Critically assess the social, political, institutional and legal framework in which economic activity takes place.

  All of these skills are addressed by the following general objectives:

1. To understand globalisation and the point of view of anti-globalisation movements and the struggle for another world, as well as to analyse the response and reaction of multinationals.
2. To determine the best strategy for entering foreign markets.
3. To decide, based on sound criteria, what mechanism or mechanisms to use to enter foreign markets.
4. To learn to adapt a company's organisational structure to the internationalisation process.
5. To discover what conditions must be met to set up a foreign subsidiary.
6. To understand the major impact that cultural differences can have on how international business is conducted, discovering the most decisive and salient features of the world's different cultures.
7. To determine the best human resource policy for the international management of a multinational's executives.

• Continguts

The subject's contents and resources  are  divided into the following five units: the global business environment, international business strategy, the foreign subsidiary strategy, the impact of culture on international business, and international human resources management.

Unit 1: The global business environment

            1.1 Overview of the globalised world

1.2 Factors driving globalisation

1.3 Consequences of business globalisation

1.4 Globalisation and corporate social responsibility

Unit 2: International business strategy

2.1 The strategic decision to internationalise

2.2 Ways of approaching the internationalisation process

2.3 Strategy implementation processes

Unit 3: The foreign subsidiary strategy

3.1 What is a foreign subsidiary?

3.2 Conditions for foreign direct investment

3.3 Classification of subsidiaries and strategy

3.4 Development and evolution of subsidiaries

Unit  4. Impact of culture on international business

4.1  The importance of culture to multinationals

4.2  Definition of culture

4.3  Grouping countries based on their culture

4.4  Cultural dimensions

4.5  Local business culture and practice

Unit 5: International human resources management

5.1  Designing the international human resource policy

5.2  Trends in expatriation

5.3  The life of the expatriate

• Consulta dels recursos d'aprenentatge de què disposa l'assignatura

• Recursos d'aprenentatge i eines de suport

The basic materials of the course are the didactic units of UOC Materials. These units can be downloaded from the upper menu  of the classroom  and are also available in paper. They have a theoretical and practical approach. The concepts are illustrated with examples, self-assessment exercises, references and other resources in order to facilitate the learning process.

• Informacions sobre l'avaluació a la UOC

El procés d'avaluació es fonamenta en el treball personal de l'estudiant i pressuposa l'autenticitat de l'autoria i l'originalitat dels exercicis realitzats.

La manca d'autenticitat en l'autoria o d'originalitat de les proves d'avaluació; la còpia o el plagi; l'intent fraudulent d'obtenir un resultat acadèmic millor; la col·laboració, l'encobriment o l'afavoriment de la còpia, o la utilització de material o dispositius no autoritzats durant l'avaluació, entre d'altres, són conductes irregulars que poden tenir conseqüències acadèmiques i disciplinàries greus.

D'una banda, si es detecta alguna d'aquestes conductes irregulars, pot comportar el suspens (D/0) en les activitats avaluables que es defineixin en el pla docent –incloses les proves finals– o en la qualificació final de l'assignatura, sigui perquè s'han utilitzat materials o dispositius no autoritzats durant les proves, com ara xarxes socials o cercadors d'informació a internet, perquè s'han copiat fragments de text d'una font externa (internet, apunts, llibres, articles, treballs o proves d'altres estudiants, etc.) sense la citació corresponent, o perquè s'ha practicat qualsevol altra conducta irregular.

De l'altra, i d'acord amb les normatives acadèmiques, les conductes irregulars en l'avaluació, a més de comportar el suspens de l'assignatura, poden donar lloc a la incoació d'un procediment disciplinari i a l'aplicació, si escau, de la sanció que correspongui.

• Consulta del model d'avaluació