Strategic Management is a major instrument available to business managers, enabling them to adapt and thrive amidst the changing environment - which is increasingly global, dynamic, and complex - and achieve better and more stable results than their competitors.



The course aims to introduce students to the various phases comprising the strategic process of business management, focusing on the issues and decisions of internationalization. The ultimate goal is to highlight the specific problems encountered by international companies from an academic perspective, while still considering the business reality.



In this way, the course, on one hand, is linked to the specialization of “International Trade and Marketing” and, on the other hand, it is integrated into the “Business Management” subject, which is part of the “Business Economics” Module in the Business Management Degree. The “Business Management” subject encompasses subjects more directly related to understanding business processes and tools associated with broader business management, applicable in any business organization regardless of the nature of its economic activity or its particular features.



It is expected that the course “Strategic Management: Internationalization Strategy” will be useful and interesting for students who wish to pursue their professional activity in areas linked with company internationalization.

- Competency 1: Analyzing business reality from the perspective of strategic management, with particular attention to the issues of internationalization of companies.

Character: Specific

Linkage with degree competencies: Degree competencies G001, G002, and G003



- Competency 2: Properly diagnosing problems related to strategic management of companies, especially those related to internationalization strategies, making correct use of various tools available for this purpose.

Character: Specific

Linkage with degree competencies: Degree competencies G001, G002, and G004



- Competency 3: Designing valid and appropriate solutions for strategic management decisions and internationalization strategies, selecting the most suitable alternative for the particular situation and circumstances of each company.

Character: Specific

Linkage with degree competencies: Degree competencies G001 and G004



- Competency 4: Applying logical thinking in this triple task (analysis, diagnosis, and design of solutions), without disregarding the value of intuition.

Character: Transversal

Linkage with degree competencies: Degree competency G005



- Competency 5: Clearly expressing one's own and others' ideas, and transmitting the decisions made to others, being able to capture their attention and motivate them in their application.

Character: Transversal

Linkage with degree competencies: Degree competencies G006 and G007



Learning Outcomes

- Understanding of the strategic management process and the rationale behind internationalization decisions of companies, as well as the main management tools to address them.

- Understanding of the essential tasks of managerial staff responsible for strategic decisions in the company, with particular attention to internationalization decisions.

- Use of basic strategic management tools, particularly those related to internationalization decisions.

- Development of diagnoses of a company's situation from the perspective of strategic management and internationalization strategies, using business management tools designed for this purpose.

- Presentation and argumentative defense before the public of one's own diagnoses, the use of certain management tools, or the validity of certain international strategic management techniques.

1: INTRODUCTION TO INTERNATIONALIZATION STRATEGY: Introduction to strategic management.

2: PHASES OF INTERNATIONALIZATION STRATEGY: Phases to be developed in defining the internationalization strategy.

3: STRATEGIC DECISIONS ASSOCIATED WITH COMPANY INTERNATIONALIZATION: Main decisions related to the internationalization strategy.

The course consists of 45 hours of face-to-face work and 67.5 hours of non-face-to-face work. The distribution of the 45 face-to-face hours includes 18 lectures, 4 seminars, and 23 classroom practices (respectively 26, 16, and 25.5 non-face-to-face hours of student work). During the lectures, the following activities will take place: presentation of the objectives and content structure of the course; interpretive presentation of the most relevant contents of the course and reference to the materials and documents to work on; exercises conducted by the teacher; and surveys on the development of teaching activities.



During classroom practices, the following activities will be carried out: resolution of exercises; application of management tools to simple internationalization situations and cases; public presentations by students of tasks carried out in the field of diagnosing problems associated with internationalization decisions of companies; and evaluation tests.

During the seminars, the following activities will take place: interpretation of documents for diagnosing situations and problems of strategic management, with special attention to internationalization issues; collective discussion of company cases; public presentations by students.



Non-face-to-face work will consist of the following activities: comprehensive reading and study of theoretical materials and recommended cases; searches for information related to international strategic management; drafting of diagnostic reports for proposed cases and other reports; preparation of presentations to be delivered during practical sessions and seminars.

In the event that health conditions prevent the conduct of face-to-face teaching activities and/or evaluations, a non-face-to-face mode will be activated, about which students will be promptly informed.

• Continuous Assessment System
• Final Assessment System
• Tools and qualification percentages:
  • Realization of Practical Work (exercises, cases or problems) (%): 30
  • 2 pruebas escritas (%): 70

CONTINUOUS EVALUATION

The ordinary evaluation system in this subject is continuous evaluation, according to which assessment takes place through a series of tests and activities throughout the training period (article 8.2 of the evaluation regulations in force). The series of activities included in this subject is divided into two groups:

A) 2 written tests will be carried out (unless otherwise agreed with the students) in weeks 7 and 15 of the teaching period, coinciding with practical sessions. Each of these two tests will account for 35% of the final grade of each student. None of these tests is mandatory; in other words, it is not necessary to complete each of them or obtain a minimum grade in each of them to pass the subject.

These tests will assess competencies 1, 2, 3, and 4:

Required level:

- Demonstrate the acquisition and understanding of the main theoretical concepts and principles of the subject.

- Successfully solve exercises, problems, and cases using the tools described during lectures and practiced in classroom practices.

B) Completion of practical exercises (exercises, cases, and problems). In total, these practices will account for 30% of the final grade.

These practices will assess competencies 1, 2, 3, and 4:

Required level:

- Prepare business diagnoses and other reports properly.

- Successfully solve exercises, problems, and cases using the tools described during lectures and practiced in practical classes.



FINAL EXAMINATION ASSESSMENT

The final exam is only planned for students who expressly waive continuous assessment (see below for details on the waiver procedure).

The final exam will consist of a written test to be conducted according to the official schedule established by the Center for the official examination period and will count for 100% of each student's grade.

Through this test, competencies 1, 2, 3, and 4 will be assessed:



Required level:

- Demonstrate the acquisition and understanding of the main theoretical concepts and principles of the subject.

- Successfully solve exercises, problems, and cases using the tools described during lectures and practiced in classroom practices.

- Prepare business diagnoses and other reports properly.



WAIVERS

Waiver from continuous assessment

By default, all students in this subject are subject to continuous assessment. To waive it and be evaluated through the final examination assessment, students must submit a written request to the professor, in accordance with the provisions of article 8.3 of the regulations governing student assessment at this university.

This subject allows for the submission of such waiver requests at any time during the course, provided it is before the time and date set for the final examination.



Waiver from the regular call

To waive the regular call and be graded as "absent" in the first examination call for the subject, students must submit a written request to the professor, in accordance with the provisions of article 12.2 of the regulations governing student assessment at this university.

Students who have previously waived continuous assessment may waive the regular call in the first examination call simply by not attending the final exam on the official date set for its celebration, as established in article 12.3 of the regulations governing student assessment at this university.



MATERIALS AND RESOURCES ALLOWED AND PROHIBITED IN THE TESTS

In the written tests of continuous assessment, as well as in the final examination, the use of instruments other than a pen will not be allowed. If the nature of the exercises requires it, and in accordance with the instructions of the professor, a conventional calculator may be allowed. The use of electronic devices that can be used as support for information or communication, such as mobile phones, financial calculators, electronic agendas, tablets, and laptops, is expressly prohibited.



NOTE on teaching modality

In the event that health conditions prevent the conduct of face-to-face teaching and/or evaluation, a non-face-to-face modality will be activated, about which students will be promptly informed.

According to article 9.2 of the regulations governing student assessment at this university, assessment of subjects in the extraordinary call shall be conducted exclusively through the final assessment system. The final assessment test for the extraordinary call will consist of a single written exam (100% of the final grade) through which Competencies 1, 2, 3, and 4 will be evaluated.



Waiver of extraordinary session

According to Article 12.3 of the regulations governing student assessment at this university, failure to attend the test scheduled on the official exam date will result in automatic waiveing from the extraordinary call.



MATERIALS AND RESOURCES ALLOWED AND PROHIBITED IN THE TESTS

In the written tests of continuous assessment, as well as in the final examination, the use of instruments other than a pen will not be allowed. If the nature of the exercises requires it, and in accordance with the instructions of the professor, a conventional calculator may be allowed. The use of electronic devices that can be used as support for information or communication, such as mobile phones, financial calculators, electronic agendas, tablets, and laptops, is expressly prohibited.



NOTE on teaching modality

In the event that health conditions prevent the conduct of face-to-face teaching and/or evaluation, a non-face-to-face modality will be activated, about which students will be promptly informed.

The Egela platform will serve as a repository for documents (notes, PowerPoint presentations, and text documents) containing the content assessed in the written exam for the subject. Additionally, throughout the course, all tasks and readings associated with seminars and classroom practices will be gradually deposited on this platform.

Basic bibliography

Grant, R. M. (1996): Dirección estratégica. Conceptos, técnicas y aplicaciones. Civitas. Madrid.

Guerras Martin, L.A., y Navas López, J.E. (2007): Dirección Estratégica de la Empresa. Teoría y Aplicaciones. Thomson, Civitas, 4ª Edición.

Guisado Tato, M. (2003): Estrategias de multinacionalización y políticas de empresa. Pirámide. Madrid.

Pla Barber, J. y León Darder, F. (2004): Dirección de Empresas Internacionales. Pearsons, Prentice Hall, Madrid.

In-depth bibliography

Cullen, J.B. y K. P. Parboteeah (2014): Multinational Management. South-West, Mason. 6ª edición.
De la Dehesa, G. (2004): Comprender la globalización. Alianza Editorial, Madrid.
Pla Barber, J.; y León Darder, F. (2004): La dinámica de la competencia internacional hacia la empresa transnacional. Universia Business Review, tercer trimestre: 85-101.
Porter, M. E. (1982): Estrategia competitiva. Técnicas para el análisis de los sectores industriales y de la competencia. Compañía editorial continental S.A., México D.F. Primera edición en inglés en Free Press, 1980.
Stiglitz, J. E. (2007): El malestar en la globalización. Santillana Editores Generales, Madrid. Edición original de 2002.

Journals

Strategic Management Journal
Advances in Strategic Management
Research in Global Strategic Management
Strategic Change
Universia Business Review

Web addresses

http://www.knowledgeatwharton.com.es
http://www.icex.es/icex/es/index.html
http://unctad.org/es/Paginas/Home.aspx
http://www.bancomundial.org
http://ec.europa.eu/eurostat