International Business Course

Lesson 1 • Why Firms Go Global

Examines the primary motivations driving internationalisation, from market-seeking to resource-seeking. Sets the conceptual baseline for all subsequent chapters.

Lesson 2 • Globalisation Trends and Critiques

Analyses the trajectory of globalisation, including deglobalisation pressures and regional fragmentation. Builds critical thinking about global integration assumptions.

Lesson 3 • The Global Business Environment

Maps the political, economic, sociocultural, and technological forces affecting international operations. Students learn to scan environments systematically.

Lesson 1 • Business Etiquette Across Regions

Covers region-specific protocols for meetings, greetings, gift-giving, and dining. Prevents costly cultural missteps in client and partner interactions.

Lesson 2 • Frameworks for Cultural Analysis

Introduces major cultural dimension models used to compare national cultures systematically. Provides analytical tools applied throughout the chapter.

Lesson 3 • Managing Multicultural Teams

Addresses leadership, conflict resolution, and motivation strategies in culturally diverse teams. Connects cultural theory to practical management outcomes.

Lesson 4 • Cultural Due Diligence in Deals

Applies cultural analysis to mergers, partnerships, and market entry decisions. Students learn to assess cultural fit as a strategic variable.

Lesson 1 • Global Trade Institutions and Agreements

Examines multilateral trade bodies, regional trade blocs, and bilateral agreements. Establishes the institutional context for all trade compliance decisions.

Lesson 2 • Customs Procedures and Documentation

Details import and export documentation, customs valuation, and clearance processes. Reduces operational delays and compliance errors in trade execution.

Lesson 3 • Rules of Origin and Preferential Trade

Explains how origin rules determine tariff eligibility under trade agreements. Students learn to leverage preferential rates to reduce landed costs.

Lesson 4 • Export Controls and Sanctions Compliance

Covers dual-use goods controls, restricted party screening, and sanctions regimes. Equips students to build compliant export programmes.

Lesson 1 • Exporting and Trading Models

Covers direct and indirect exporting, trading companies, and export management firms. Suitable for firms seeking low-commitment international revenue.

Lesson 2 • Market Selection and Screening

Introduces systematic frameworks for identifying and prioritising target markets. Grounds entry strategy in rigorous market intelligence.

Lesson 3 • Licensing, Franchising, and Contracting

Analyses contractual entry modes that transfer rights without equity investment. Students assess IP protection risks and royalty structures.

Lesson 4 • Joint Ventures and Strategic Alliances

Examines shared-equity and non-equity alliances for market access and capability building. Covers governance, partner selection, and exit planning.

Lesson 1 • Inventory and Demand Management Globally

Applies demand forecasting and inventory optimisation techniques to global networks. Reduces stockouts and excess inventory across dispersed operations.

Lesson 2 • International Logistics and Transportation

Examines multimodal transport options, freight management, and Incoterms allocation. Students optimise cost, speed, and reliability trade-offs.

Lesson 3 • Global Sourcing and Procurement

Covers supplier identification, qualification, and total cost of ownership analysis. Builds the procurement foundation for global operations.

Lesson 4 • Sustainable and Ethical Supply Chains

Integrates environmental and social standards into supply chain design and supplier codes. Aligns operations with stakeholder expectations and regulatory trends.

Lesson 1 • Hedging Instruments and Strategies

Covers forward contracts, options, swaps, and natural hedging techniques. Students select appropriate instruments based on cost and risk tolerance.

Lesson 2 • Currency Risk Identification and Types

Distinguishes transaction, translation, and economic exposure to currency fluctuations. Students accurately diagnose which exposures affect their firm.

Lesson 3 • Global Treasury and Cash Management

Addresses multilateral netting, cash pooling, and intercompany financing structures. Optimises liquidity across a multinational enterprise.

Lesson 4 • Foreign Exchange Markets and Mechanics

Explains spot and forward markets, exchange rate determination, and market participants. Provides the financial literacy base for all currency management topics.

Lesson 1 • International Market Research Methods

Covers primary and secondary research techniques adapted for cross-cultural data collection. Ensures marketing decisions rest on reliable international intelligence.

Lesson 2 • Standardisation vs. Adaptation Decisions

Analyses the strategic trade-off between global brand consistency and local market customisation. Establishes the central tension in international marketing strategy.

Lesson 3 • Global Distribution and Channel Management

Analyses channel structure selection, distributor management, and e-commerce entry globally. Connects product availability to market penetration goals.

Lesson 4 • Product and Brand Localisation

Examines product modification, packaging, labelling, and brand name adaptation for local markets. Reduces market rejection risk from cultural or regulatory misalignment.

Lesson 1 • Multinational Strategy Frameworks

Compares global, multidomestic, transnational, and international strategy archetypes. Students select the model that fits their firm's competitive position.

Lesson 2 • Global Organisational Design

Covers headquarters-subsidiary relationships, matrix structures, and coordination mechanisms. Aligns organisational architecture with international strategy.

Lesson 3 • Leading Global Transformation

Integrates change management, global leadership competencies, and strategic agility for enterprise transformation. Culminates the course with executive-level application.

Lesson 4 • Corporate Governance Across Borders

Examines board composition, shareholder rights, and disclosure standards in diverse governance systems. Students manage governance risk in multinational enterprises.