International Business, Bachelor Course

The course is included in the sixth semester of the Bachelor’s Programme in Business and Economics for students whose main field of study is business administration. It is not offered as a freestanding course. The course is open to incoming exchange students.

Department of Business Administration

Admission to the course requires prior completion of the fourth semester of the Bachelor's Programme in Business and Economics, including EKF202 Strategy and Marketing in a Global Context (15 credits) or equivalent. A minimum of 105 credits, of which at least 45 credits must be from introductory and intermediate courses in Business Administration, must be passed.

The intention with the course is to prepare students for a professional career where they work in, or in a supporting function for, MNCs in a managerial role. The ability of the students to understand and critically analyse how cultural, institutional and economic differences between countries create prerequisites for international growth and organisation of the MNC is developed in the course.

Emphasis is given to theories related to MNC evolution, organisation and relation to the surrounding society. Based on extant research, students are trained to tackle and analyse current challenges to develop scientifically anchored recommendations contributing to sustainable development of MNCs.

On successful completion of the course the student will be able to:

1. describe and explain theories in international business with emphasis on the Multinational Corporations (MNC) evolution, organization and relation to its surrounding society,
2. demonstrate understanding of, and be able to differentiate between, internal and external challenges that the firm meets while expanding internationally and organizing its operations,
3. demonstrate ability to problematize, compare and critically discuss theories in international business with emphasis on theories related to MNC evolution, organization and relation to its surrounding society,
4. demonstrate ability to design and conduct case studies in international business with the purpose to contribute to a more sustainable development,
5. show ability to assess the potentials as well as the limitations that theories in international business have for supporting business development in the internationalizing firm or the MNC.
6. formulate research questions related to central sustainability challenges together with others with different educational backgrounds.

Objective 6 applies only to programme students at the School of Business, Economics and Law.

Lectures, seminars, and coaching.

Language of instruction: English

Objective 1 to 3 are assessed through a written exam. Objective 3 to 5 are assessed by active contribution in mandatory seminars and by a written and oral presentation of a case study. Absence from the mandatory seminars can be replaced by alternative assignments.

Objective 6 is examined through the written group assignment linked to the compulsory Sustainability Day: Solutions. In order to pass the course, programme students who do not attend the day need to compensate with an alternative assignment within the prescribed time.

lf a student who has been failed twice for the same examination element wishes to change examiner before the next examination session, such a request is to be granted unless there are specific reasons to the contrary (Chapter 6 Section 22 HF).

lf a student has received a certificate of disability study support from the University of Gothenburg with a recommendation of adapted examination and/or adapted forms of assessment, an examiner may decide, if this is consistent with the course's intended learning outcomes and provided that no unreasonable resources would be needed, to grant the student adapted examination and/ar adapted forms of assessment.

lf a course has been discontinued or undergone major changes, the student must be offered at least two examination sessions in addition to ordinary examination sessions. These sessions are to be spread over a period of at least one year but no more than two years after the course has been discontinued/changed.

lf a student has been notified that they fulfil the requirements for being a student at Riksidrottsuniversitetet (RIU student), to combine elite sports activities with studies, the examiner is entitled to decide on adaptation of examinations if this is done in accordance with the Local rules regarding RIU students at the University of Gothenburg.

The grading scale comprises: Excellent (A), Very good (B), Good (C), Satisfactory (D), Sufficient (E) and Fail (F).

To obtain a passed final grade, pass is required on the written individual examination, on the seminars and the case study. A failed case study can be completed to a pass grade. In addition, programme students must meet the requirements associated with the Sustainability Day in order to receive a passing course grade. To determine the final grade, points from the the written examination and the case study are combined.

After completion of the course, a course evaluation will be carried out in accordance with the procedures established for the Bachelor's Programme in Business and Economics. The results of the evaluation, together with any resulting changes to the course, will be communicated to the students who participated in the evaluation as well as to those enrolled in the subsequent offering of the course.

The School of Business, Economics and Law has a policy regarding the use of generative AI and similar tools. The application of this policy, together with course-specific instructions for the course, is published on the course’s learning platform.