Strategic Management of International Enterprises
Learning outcome 1 Identify, select and apply selected tools of global strategy analysis.
Learning outcome 2 Evaluate strategies for exploiting overseas business opportunities.
Learning outcome 3 Explore the strategic and organisational challenges posed by global competition and provide students with frameworks for dealing with them.
Coursework
You are a Business Analyst. Report to the CEO on the future international (or global) strategy of an international organisation of your choice.
Students must choose an international company/ organisation anywhere in the world guided by perspectives shared in the ‘Choice of Organisation/ Company' section.
The assessment consists of reporting to the company's CEO through a formal 4,000 word report.
The purpose of the assessment is to present an international strategy for company operations outside its domestic market. Students have a choice of issues they can explore in this assessment. Please refer to ‘Choice of Topic' section.
Students could adopt a number of different approaches but are advised to develop a critical argument in depth and detail supported by a strong body of evidence (based on qualitative and quantitative analysis). Students must cover the following:
1. Introduction & Purpose (500 words): A brief overview of the chosen organisation focusing on contemporary opportunities & challenges; This section should include a clear justification of choice for the destination country/ market together with potential opportunities or challenges it is seeking to address;
2. External Environment Analysis (1,000 words): The report should include a technical assessment of the chosen destination country/ market in terms of culture, logistics, local market conditions, finances and risk, PESTLE etc (any tools utilised e.g. PESTLE should be included in the appendix of the report);
3. RBV Assessment of the organisation (1,000 words): The report should include a brief critical analysis of the organisation's capabilities relevant to the chosen destination country/ market (e.g. competences, resources, strengths/ weaknesses, VRIO assessment);
4. Evaluation of International Strategy Options (500 words): Based on earlier analysis, the Business Analyst should present in the report a brief overview of potential approaches that could be used to address the opportunity/ challenges faced by the organisation outlined in the introduction & Purpose section of the report. This section should briefly highlight a set strategic options together with precise, their justification & respective entry modes (i.e. options presented should briefly cover what? Why? & How?);
5. Your Recommendation (1,000 words): Present and Justified chosen approach: Recommend a chosen entry mode, justify its choice, offer clear and detailed instructions for its implementation;
Choice of Organisation/ Company
The choice of company is very important also. Resist the temptation to choose a company you think you are familiar with or indeed a market that you think you know well (e.g. India or the UK). Try instead to look for the following cues in choosing you company:
- Is the organisation chosen an international enterprise'?
- Is information readily available about this company (usually MNEs and companies listed in the stock exchange tend to have many reports and data you can access);
- Is the company's industry accessible (e.g. avoid defence and other classified or information sensitive industries);
- Is the company too small or unready for international expansion or activities?
- Does the choice made offer the opportunity to comment on something contemporary or that has not happened yet? There is not much benefit in taking a company and international market the company invested in e.g. seven years ago! Try to look for something more recent.