Course 2011-2012 a.y.

Course Objectives

The course analyzes the challenges firms face in the global economy. By the end of the course the student masters economic concepts that are useful for the analysis of the internationalization activities of firms. In particular, the student is able to: analyze the competitive advantage of countries; analyze the issues pertaining to foreign direct investment (FDI) from the points of view of both the countries of origin and the countries of destination; the issues related to outsourcing and offshoring in emerging countries, the impact of trade policies on the business environment.

Course Content Summary

• Globalization: concepts and stylized facts
• Determinants of trade patterns
• The gains from trade
• Firm internationalization
• Multinational company
• Government policies
• WTO

Detailed Description of Assessment Methods

Final written exam

Textbooks

• C.W.L. Hill, International Business. Competing in the global marketplace, 8^th edition, 2011, McGraw-Hill
• K. Head, Elements of Multinational strategy, Berlin, Springer, 2007.

The detailed reading list is available at the beginning of the course.