Course 2008-2009 a.y.

Course Objectives

The aim of the course is to reflect both theory and application of international marketing. It offers research and management insights from global markets, and shows how corporate practices are adjusting to different marketplace realities. The course has three main goals. First, it drives participants across key issues impacting on international marketing practices, such as international trading rules, political and regulatory climate, and culture and social forces. Second, attendees learn how global firms take their decisions to entry in foreign markets and internationalize marketing operations. Third, students learn how firms design their global marketing programs, in terms of product/service development, pricing, distribution channel, and advertising. The course aims to stimulate the learning process through a mix of classes, business cases, guest speakers, and interactive web resources.

Course Content Summary

• Introduction to international marketing: what, why, and how
• Global marketing environment: world trade rules, protectionism, trade promotion, and economic integration
• Cultural and social forces: adapting to cultural differences
• Political and regulatory climate in home and host countries
• Global competition mechanisms: understanding markets and buyers
• Global marketing participation: internationalizing marketing operations and selecting countries and markets
• Global market entry strategies: export, foreign investments, M&A, and exit strategies
• Global product and service strategies
• Pricing for international and global markets
• Managing global distribution channels
• Developing advertising and promotion global strategies

Detailed Description of Assessment Methods

Attending Students

The status of attending student lasts for the first two calendar exams of 2009. The final evaluation is based on:

• a written exam on subjects discussed during lectures: selected parts of both the Gillespie et al. textbook and learning space materials (up to 30/30 in grade);
• a group work (max. 4 persons per group): up to 3 pts., to be added to the grade of the written exam.

Non-attending students

• Oral exam on all the subjects covered in the textbooks

Textbooks

• K. GILLESPIE, J.P. JEANNET , H.D. HENNESSEY , Global Marketing, Houghton Mifflin, 2^nd Edition, 2007.