Internationales strategisches Management

The field of strategic management is equally important for the practice of internationally active companies and for business management theory. Dealing with the strategic aspects of international corporate management seems not only attractive, but also necessary. Long-term survival on the market and the achievement of sustainable competitive advantages are generally not primarily due to indicators such as the size or age of a company, but rather to its successful strategies in global competition. The development and implementation of strategies are therefore key tasks for the management of internationally active companies.

In order to create a broad and comprehensible basis for understanding international strategic management, this lecture will first explain important terms and areas of responsibility in the context of international corporate management. The next step is to discuss the influence of the COVID-19 pandemic on strategy development. In addition to the motives for internationalization, selected theoretical approaches to explain international corporate activity will be discussed. A process model of strategic management in international companies is then presented and its key phases discussed in detail. Important instruments and decision-making aids for strategic management in international companies are presented and illustrated using concrete practical examples. The event will also focus on the discussion of viable strategies in global competition, the investigation of the influence of digitalization on strategy development and the associated analysis of digital platform strategies as well as the investigation of the responsibility of internationally active companies for sustainable development.

The aim of the lecture is to give students an insight into the research field of international strategic management. They should also be able to apply the content they have learned to specific practical problems and independently analyze strategic decisions of internationally active companies. In addition, students' awareness of the special role of internationally active companies in the context of sustainable development should be promoted. Students also recognize the need to deal with the consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic and digitalization for strategy development in companies.

The lecture "International Strategic Management" covers the following topics in detail: 

1. Introduction

1.1. Purpose and Tasks of Strategic Management in Internationally Active Companies

1.2. Motives of Internationalization

1.3. Concept of Strategy and Theoretical Approaches to Internationalization

1.4. Digitalization and the Innovator's Dilemma

1.5. Research Areas and Paradigms in International Strategic Management

2. A Conception of International Strategic Management 

2.1. Overview of the Concept

2.2. Formulating the Vision and Setting Strategic Goals 

2.3. Segmentation of the Business

2.4. Strategic Analysis as a Prerequisite for Formulating Strategies

2.5. Strategy Definition in Global Competition

2.6. Strategy Implementation and Strategic Control 

2.7. Strategic Management and Ethical Reflection 

3. Outlook

The course consists of a lecture and a tutorial. The entire course will be held primarily in German. However, the set of slides for the lecture will be available in German and English. The majority of the scientific articles to be worked on in the exercise are also in English. Students can formulate their contributions in English at any time and the exam can also be taken in English. 

The contents of the lecture and the individual tutorials are taught using PowerPoint presentations. The slide sets and all other materials for the lecture and tutorials can be downloaded from STiNE. The slides serve more as a visual “stimulus” and not as a substitute for a lecture manuscript. Students are therefore strongly advised to supplement the lecture and tutorial slides with their own notes.

The lecture International Strategic Management will take place in a blended learning format in the winter semester 2021/22. This means that some lectures will take place digitally via Zoom and some lectures in a face-to-face format in the lecture hall. The lectures always take place on Mondays from 14:15-15:45 (in face-to-face format in VMP 9, room S29). The lectures on 11.10.2021, 18.10.2021 and 22.11.2021 will take place as synchronous Zoom sessions virtually and not in presence.

As an additional offer to students who are unable to attend classroom teaching, Professor Gilbert will supplement his face-to-face lecture in VMP 9, room S29, with a synchronous Zoom meeting, if technical conditions permit.

Please note: Due to the dynamic development of the COVID 19 pandemic, however, it may be necessary to switch teaching completely to a purely virtual format at short notice. In this case, teaching will continue as a combination of synchronous Zoom sessions and asynchronous teaching units (videos on Lecture2Go). Therefore, please pay attention to updates in the course description, which will be regularly adapted to the dynamic pandemic situation!

The content and structure of the lecture is closely based on the following textbook:

Kreikebaum, Hartmut/Gilbert, Dirk Ulrich/Behnam, Michael (2018): Strategisches Management, 8. überarbeitete Auflage, Stuttgart. 

Print: 

ISBN 978-3-17-031111-4 

E-Book-Formate: 

pdf: ISBN 978-3-17-031112-1 

epub: ISBN 978-3-17-031113-8 

mobi: ISBN 978-3-17-031114-5 

Zugriff über: https://katalogplus.sub.uni-hamburg.de/vufind/Record/166846666X  

With regard to the basic texts, the 7th edition (2011) of the above-mentioned textbook can also be used as an alternative for in-depth study.

The exam takes the form of a take home exam (open book). The questions can be answered in German or English. A retake date will be offered (see below).

The exam will be administered via Universität Hamburg's OpenOLAT platform. Detailed instructions on the technical implementation will be made available to students in good time during the semester. 

Important: 

• Registration for the exam and, if necessary, deregistration takes place via STiNE!
• Only exams taken by students who are registered for the exam via STiNE will be assessed.
• Students who are registered for the exam via STiNE but do not upload their answers to the Take Home Exam to OpenOLAT will be deemed to have failed the exam, unless they can provide evidence of technical problems (e.g. screenshots, logging off the internet connection and IP addresses used in the router, evidence of unexpected construction work or power supply failure by the provider, etc.). 

Students are strongly advised not to delay submitting their exams until the last minute. In addition, course participants abroad must take into account that all times apply to the time zone UTC+1 (Hamburg)!

The exam will be the same length as a 90-minute face-to-face exam. However, students will be given a period of four days to complete the exam. Students can use the forum at OpenOLAT on the first day of the processing period to ask questions about the exam. 

The processing period for the exam is as follows:

1st date: Fri, February 11, 2022, 10:00 a.m. to Mon, February 14, 2022, 11:59 p.m. (UTC + 1)

2nd date: Mon, March 21, 2022, 3:30 p.m. to Thurs, March 24, 2022, 11:59 p.m. (UTC + 1).

The following notes on attempts to cheat apply:

The assignment can be answered with the help of the lecture and exercise materials as well as independent research. However, it should be noted that the source must be cited for all content that is not taken from lecture or exercise materials or the textbook (see below). It is expected that the usual rules of good scientific practice are observed. Information on the format will be included in the assignment and correspond to our standard guidelines for term papers. Further guidelines and information on correct citation can be found in the instructions for term papers on the chair's homepage:

www.wiso.uni-hamburg.de/fachbereich-sozoek/professuren/gilbert/dateien/formale-vorgaben-ha.pdf 

Although aids may be used, the exam must be completed independently. Collaboration with other students is not permitted. Identical or only slightly different passages in the exam answers of several students will be assessed as an attempt to cheat. In such cases, all students concerned will fail.