| Unit name | Management of Multinational Enterprises |
|---|---|
| Unit code | MGRC20009 |
| Credit points | 20 |
| Level of study | I/5 |
| Teaching block(s) |
Teaching Block 2 (weeks 13 - 24) |
| Unit director | Dr. Mondragon Quintana |
| Open unit status | Not open |
| Units you must take before you take this one (pre-requisite units) |
EFIM10012 Global Business Environment |
| Units you must take alongside this one (co-requisite units) |
EFIM20003 International Business Management |
| Units you may not take alongside this one |
None |
| School/department | School of Management - Business School |
| Faculty | Faculty of Social Sciences and Law |
Why is this unit important?
In an era marked by rapid globalisation and technological advancements, multinational enterprises (MNEs) stand at the heart of our interconnected world. This unit pulls back the curtain on these entities, revealing the mechanics of their operations, strategies, and the challenges they navigate. Given that MNEs propel international trade, innovation, and employment at the global scale, the unit adopts a decolonised perspective, ensuring students engage with voices and viewpoints beyond the traditional Western paradigm and addressing the emergence of these organisations in the developing world. Also, this unit underscores the balance between competitiveness and planet, urging students to envision a sustainable future where business success is measured not just in financial gains, but in societal and environmental impact.
Whether you are aiming to embark on a career in international business, consulting, or entrepreneurship, this unit will equip you with insights that are both profound and practical. This is a new, compulsory unit that will run during Year 2, TB2.
How does this unit fit into your programme of study?
The unit acts as a cornerstone within the BSc International Business Management programme, bridging foundational concepts with specialised, in-depth analysis. Whilst prior Global Business Environment and International Business Management units lay down the overarching landscape of international business and its broader challenges, this MNE-focused unit offers a deep dive, spotlighting specific intricacies inherent to multinational operations of MNEs. It is here that macro meets micro, offering students a nuanced understanding that is essential for both broad strategic thinking and precise tactical decision-making. This unit both solidifies prior knowledge and understanding whilst broadening horizons, paving the way for well-rounded, informed practitioners.
An overview of content
This unit offers an advanced exploration into the complexities of Multinational Enterprises from a three-fold perspective. First, it provides an in-depth examination of core concepts related to the characteristics of multinationals from advanced and emerging markets, the interplay of firm and country-specific advantages and their institutional environments, along to outlining the strategic frameworks that these organisations employ for their international expansion. Second, the unit focuses on the dynamics and interrelations between headquarters and their subsidiaries and the management of global value and supply chains. Third, the unit reflects on the ethical, sustainability, and operational challenges inherent to MNE activities. In sum, this unit furnishes students with a rigorous understanding of the strategic determinants and managerial intricacies faced by MNEs in a challenging global business environment.
How will students, personally, be different as a result of the unit
What you know
How you think
What you can do
Learning Outcomes
This unit is taught through a combination of interactive lectures and seminars. Lectures (1 hour) will take place every week for 10 weeks and introduce the subject, key readings, and examples that illustrate the application of key concepts. 10 Weekly seminars (2 hours) will expose students to collaborative learning activities that will help them to apply the key concepts and frameworks to practical cases. Students will be offered informal feedback, and the analytical and intellectual skills developed throughout the unit will be assessed in the group presentation and the final coursework. The unit follows a student-centred, interactive, applied, problem and inquiry-based approach. The teaching methods and learning activities chosen for this unit are designed so that students not only critically understand the concepts but can also apply them effectively in real-world contexts.
Tasks which help you learn and prepare you for summative tasks (formative):
Weekly seminars involve tasks to deepen your understanding of key topics from lectures and readings. These sessions include discussions, case studies, and group activities to improve skills and knowledge, aligning with the unit's goals. Participation helps prepare you for final assessments, with opportunities for feedback from peers and tutors.
Tasks which count towards your unit mark (summative):
i) Group Case Study Presentation (30%): This group presentation will last 15 minutes plus five minutes for Q&As and serves as preparatory groundwork for the subsequent individual coursework. This assessment covers ILOs 1 and 2.
ii) Individual Coursework (70%)': This individual 2,000-words case analysis builds on the organisation chosen for the group presentation and covers ILOs 2, 3 and 4.
When assessment does not go to plan
If a student fails any of the summative assessments, the following re-assessment measures are in place:
i) Summative Assessment 1 (30%)': the student will undertake a 1,000-words essay based on a different organisation to that covered in the Group Case Study Presentation, addressing ILOs 1 and 2.
ii) Summative Assessment 2 (70%): the student will undertake a 2000-words case analysis based on a different organisation to that covered in the Individual Coursework, and will address ILOs 2, 3 and 4.
Both resit assessments are individual pieces of written work.
If this unit has a Resource List, you will normally find a link to it in the Blackboard area for the unit. Sometimes there will be a separate link for each weekly topic.
If you are unable to access a list through Blackboard, you can also find it via the Resource Lists homepage. Search for the list by the unit name or code (e.g. MGRC20009).
How much time the unit requires
Each credit equates to 10 hours of total student input. For example a 20 credit unit will take you 200 hours
of study to complete. Your total learning time is made up of contact time, directed learning tasks,
independent learning and assessment activity.
See the University Workload statement relating to this unit for more information.
Assessment
The assessment methods listed in this unit specification are designed to enable students to demonstrate the named learning outcomes (LOs). Where a disability prevents a student from undertaking a specific method of assessment, schools will make reasonable adjustments to support a student to demonstrate the LO by an alternative method or with additional resources.
The Board of Examiners will consider all cases where students have failed or not completed the assessments required for credit.
The Board considers each student's outcomes across all the units which contribute to each year's programme of study. For appropriate assessments, if you have self-certificated your absence, you will normally be required to complete it the next time it runs (for assessments at the end of TB1 and TB2 this is usually in the next re-assessment period).
The Board of Examiners will take into account any exceptional circumstances and operates
within the Regulations and Code of Practice for Taught Programmes.
