040221 KU Global Strategy (MA) (2021W)

The course provides an overview of the most important strategic decisions to be taken in a globalized economy. As such, the course aims to introduce a set of contemporary strategy theories, concepts and frameworks that will allow students to identify important principles that a firm can use in taking decisions that will ultimately determine its success (or demise) in a global business environment.
Throughout the course we will outline key opportunities, challenges and risks of globalization. We will focus on global growth opportunities and market assessment techniques. We will investigate the impact of culture in strategic decisions and emphasize the need to balance local responsiveness and global synergies. We will analyse global competitiveness and we will look at ways in which firms achieve competitive advantage in a global marketplace. The most prominent digital trends will also be discussed, as well as the challenges that digitalization brings to the business models of international firms.
The approach used is both strategic and managerial. Strategic in that we will develop an appreciation of business strategies and understand the notion of competitive advantage. And managerial, in that we will look at global strategy tasks through the lenses of IB managers and executives.
The course uses a combination of interactive lectures, case discussions and group presentations. Attendance and participation in class discussions is critical to the success of the course and will determine your grade.

LEARNING OUTCOMES:
The course aims to develop strategic thinking in a global business context. You will learn key concepts and tools used in developing global business strategies and in solving global business problems.

By the end of the course students will be able to:
• Appreciate the idiosyncrasies involved in developing strategies for global markets.
• Acknowledge the complexities involved in taking strategic decisions in a global marketplace.
• Contextualize these decisions in light of internal capabilities and external environment.
• Employ key analytical tools and frameworks helpful to managers developing global strategies.
• Understand global competition and competitive advantage.
• Analyse cases that approximate global business strategy situations.

Guest lecture on: Sustainability Strategies in a Global Context by Dr. Karolos Papadas

Aim
The primary goal of this course is to familiarize students with a broad range of theoretical and practical perspectives on the strategy and structure of the global corporate firm. Specifically, this course is concerned with the different strategy concepts and their applications to the multinational corporation (MNC). It consists of lectures (including public lectures) and case presentations.

Topics

1. Introduction: What is strategy: Different Views (Ansoff, Porter, Mintzberg)?
2. Porter’s model of strategy and its application to the MNC
3. The strategy-structure concept of Rumelt and its application to the MNC
4. The strategy concept of Miles and Snow and its application to the MNC
5. The strategy-structure model of Miller and Friesen and its application to the MNC
6. The resource-based strategy concept of Wernerfelt, Barney, Peferaf and Grant and its applications to the MNC
7. The concept of strategy and corporate coherence in international business
8. The international strategy-structure Model of Bartlett & Ghoshal
9. Global vs. regional strategies of the MNC
10. Outsourcing and offshoring strategies of the MNC
11. Diversification strategies of the MNC
12. Diversification strategies and capital structure of the MNC

Organization of the Course
1. Lectures (including public lectures; see http://im.univie.ac.at/windsperger/im-public-lectures/?no_cache=1)
2. Case presentation and discussion