International Corporate Management and MNCs

Kursbeschreibung / -kommentar

The intention of this module is to teach students the particularities of management of firms where several international markets are involved. This draws upon the rich theoretical and case-study knowledge available and helps to-be-managers to prepare for the particular challenges and problems involved in the internationalisation of firms. The first part of this course focuses on explaining the existence of the multinational enterprise by generalising the theory of the firm and its characterisation on the one side and particularities of management in multinational enterprises on the other, i.e. the forms that internationalisation decisions may take (be it foreign trade, outsourcing, or the different kinds of foreign direct investment) and the potentials for competitive advantage through internationalisation. The second part of the course is concerned with the management of knowledge and R&D both within the multinational enterprise and between the multinational enterprise and its host economies. This is discussed in terms of effects of knowledge and R&D management on subsidiary development and on technology transfer externalities (spillovers). Some of the course draws upon the ongoing empirical research of the lecturer.