General provisions

Master's Programme in Business and Management - specialisation International Business.

Entry requirements

Strategy and Contemporary Issues, 15 credits. A Bachelor's degree, equivalent to a Swedish Kandidatexamen, from an internationally recognised university. Also required is 90 credits in business studies. Proficiency in English equivalent to the Swedish upper secondary course English 6. As all teaching takes place in English, very good language skills in English are a necessity to be able to partake in the course.

For incoming exchange students an introductory course at Master's level from previous studies is required. Exceptions can be made from the requirement of 90 credits in business studies, provided that special reasons are considered to exist.

Learning outcomes

The aim of the course is to create an understanding of central current challenges that companies face in connection with international business. These challenges concern, for example, trends in sustainability, global crises and other current phenomena. After completing the course, the student should have knowledge with both theoretical and practical significance: based on theoretical reasoning, the student should be able to analyze and argue for how companies' international expansion and strategy are affected in different situations. Learning includes writing and presenting well-founded analyses, where the link between theory and questions of strategy and management is at the center.

After participating in the course, the student should be able to:

• define, explain and compare the significance of the strategic challenges addressed,
• show deeper insights in central theories that deal with strategies and expansion of international firms,
• use reviewed theories and research for analysis of the case examples treated during the course,
• orally and in writing discuss, present and compare solutions to the theoretical and practical problems treated in the course.

Content

The course deals with central areas of international business management in relation to current challenges for governance and strategy, such as sustainability, global crises and other modern phenomena (which will be discussed and explained during the course). In general, the course addresses how current global challenges can be understood and managed through central theories in international business administration.

Instruction

The teaching is given in the form of lectures, practical case analyses, and seminars. The lectures will focus on theoretical attributes of international business emphasising selected strategic challenges, such as sustainability, global crises and other current phenomena. Each phenomenon will be studied through a relevant case analysis and subsequently discussed in seminars.

The course is taught in English.

Assessment

The examination consists of two examination modules:

1. Written case analyses and oral presentation and discussion, 2,5 credits (U, G)
2. Written individual test, 5 credits (U, G, VG)

and one grade is given for the whole course, 7,5 credits.

Grading criteria are presented in the study guide that applies to the course section. The grading scale used in module 1 (case analyses) is pass (G) and fail (U). The grading scale used in module 2 (the written individual test) is pass with distinction (VG), pass (G), and fail (U). Final grades for the entire course are given with the grades pass with distinction (VG), pass (G) or fail (U). For the final grade G on the entire course, at least a G grade must be obtained in all examination modules of the course. For the final grade VG on the entire course, the grade VG must also be obtained at examination module 2.

Examinations handed in late will not be graded except under special circumstances. Students who haven't received a passing grade on examination module 1 can complete the assignment in accordance with the examiner's instructions. Any remaining supplemental work must be completed and handed in by the deadline specified in the study guide. If a student has received the grade U on examination module 1, then the examination module has to be retaken. This is only possible through re-registration during subsequent course sections. A student that hasn't received a passing grade on Module 2 can take a make-up exam during subsequent course sections.

If there are special reasons for doing so, an examiner may make an exception from the method of assessment indicated and allow a student to be assessed by another method. An example of special reasons might be a certificate regarding special pedagogical support from the University's disability coordinator.

Uppsala University does not accept cheating or plagiarism. Suspected incidents of cheating or plagiarism are reported to the Vice-Chancellor, which may issue a formal warning to the student or suspend the student from studies for a certain period.

NOTE: Only completed courses can count toward a degree.