Skip to main content
Unit outline_

IBUS2101: International Business Strategy

Semester 2, 2022 [Normal day] - Camperdown/Darlington, Sydney

This unit of study aim to understand how multinational enterprises strategize and operate in global competition. Major topics include the International Business Environment (e.g. the differences in economic, political, legal, and cultural environments); International Business Strategy (e.g. International expansion strategy, entry mode choices, cross-border strategic alliances, and mergers and acquisitions); and International Business Management (e.g. design, structure and control of international operations; and foreign subsidiary management). The emphasis of the unit is on the application of contextual knowledge about international business and strategic management theories as tailored to the Asia Pacific, to analyse and make decisions faced by companies operating in the Asia Pacific region.

Unit details and rules

Academic unit International Business
Credit points 6
Prerequisites
? 
None
Corequisites
? 
None
Prohibitions
? 
None
Assumed knowledge
? 

None

Available to study abroad and exchange students

Yes

Teaching staff

Coordinator Zhan Wu, zhan.wu@sydney.edu.au
Type Description Weight Due Length
Final exam (Take-home short release) Type D final exam Final exam
open-book questions
50% Formal exam period 1.5 hours
Outcomes assessed: LO1 LO5 LO4 LO3 LO2
Participation Tutorial participation and contribution
Participation and contribution
10% Ongoing Ongoing
Outcomes assessed: LO1 LO5 LO4 LO3 LO2
In-semester test (Take-home short release) Type D in-semester exam Mid-semester exam
open book question
20% Week 08
Due date: 19 Sep 2022 at 10:00
80 minutes
Outcomes assessed: LO1 LO5 LO4 LO3 LO2
Presentation group assignment Consulting project presentation
group presentation
20% Week 13 30 minutes
Outcomes assessed: LO1 LO5 LO4 LO3 LO2
group assignment = group assignment ?
Type D final exam = Type D final exam ?
Type D in-semester exam = Type D in-semester exam ?

Assessment summary

  • Mid-semester exam: This exam will test the understanding of basic concepts and theories in international business strategy. The mid-term exam will cover the lectures up to the teaching sessions before the exam. It will measure students’ mastery of international business strategy expertise. It is open-book in format. 
  • Consulting project: Students will work on a group-based term project, focusing on the international entry (export) and expansion strategy of a real company. As a consultation team, students will make a video presentation on your consulting project.
  • Class participation: We will engage students in different learning activities such as business case analysis, discussion of influential scholarly papers, debates, and many others. Students are expected to attend class, contribute to the discussion and demonstrate their understanding.
  • Final exam: This exam will test the understanding of international business strategy theories and concepts It will require students to answer the questions through critical thinking and problem-solving.  It is open-book in format and should cover all the topics to be covered. Detials will be provided in the last class. 

Detailed information for each assessment can be found on Canvas.

Assessment criteria

The University awards common result grades, set out in the Coursework Policy 2014 (Schedule 1).

As a general guide, a high distinction indicates work of an exceptional standard, a distinction a very high standard, a credit a good standard, and a pass an acceptable standard.

Result name

Mark range

Description

High distinction

85 - 100

Awarded when you demonstrate the learning outcomes for the unit at an exceptional standard, as defined by grade descriptors or exemplars outlined by your faculty or school. 

Distinction

75 - 84

Awarded when you demonstrate the learning outcomes for the unit at a very high standard, as defined by grade descriptors or exemplars outlined by your faculty or school.

Credit

65 - 74

Awarded when you demonstrate the learning outcomes for the unit at a good standard, as defined by grade descriptors or exemplars outlined by your faculty or school.

Pass

50 - 64

Awarded when you demonstrate the learning outcomes for the unit at an acceptable standard, as defined by grade descriptors or exemplars outlined by your faculty or school. 

Fail

0 - 49

When you don’t meet the learning outcomes of the unit to a satisfactory standard.

For more information see guide to grades.

Late submission

In accordance with University policy, these penalties apply when written work is submitted after 11:59pm on the due date:

  • Deduction of 5% of the maximum mark for each calendar day after the due date.
  • After ten calendar days late, a mark of zero will be awarded.

This unit has an exception to the standard University policy or supplementary information has been provided by the unit coordinator. This information is displayed below:

Please follow late submission policy in the University of Sydney Business School.

Academic integrity

The Current Student website provides information on academic integrity and the resources available to all students. The University expects students and staff to act ethically and honestly and will treat all allegations of academic integrity breaches seriously.

We use similarity detection software to detect potential instances of plagiarism or other forms of academic integrity breach. If such matches indicate evidence of plagiarism or other forms of academic integrity breaches, your teacher is required to report your work for further investigation.

Use of generative artificial intelligence (AI) and automated writing tools

You may only use generative AI and automated writing tools in assessment tasks if you are permitted to by your unit coordinator. If you do use these tools, you must acknowledge this in your work, either in a footnote or an acknowledgement section. The assessment instructions or unit outline will give guidance of the types of tools that are permitted and how the tools should be used.

Your final submitted work must be your own, original work. You must acknowledge any use of generative AI tools that have been used in the assessment, and any material that forms part of your submission must be appropriately referenced. For guidance on how to acknowledge the use of AI, please refer to the AI in Education Canvas site.

The unapproved use of these tools or unacknowledged use will be considered a breach of the Academic Integrity Policy and penalties may apply.

Studiosity is permitted unless otherwise indicated by the unit coordinator. The use of this service must be acknowledged in your submission as detailed on the Learning Hub’s Canvas page.

Outside assessment tasks, generative AI tools may be used to support your learning. The AI in Education Canvas site contains a number of productive ways that students are using AI to improve their learning.

Simple extensions

If you encounter a problem submitting your work on time, you may be able to apply for an extension of five calendar days through a simple extension.  The application process will be different depending on the type of assessment and extensions cannot be granted for some assessment types like exams.

Special consideration

If exceptional circumstances mean you can’t complete an assessment, you need consideration for a longer period of time, or if you have essential commitments which impact your performance in an assessment, you may be eligible for special consideration or special arrangements.

Special consideration applications will not be affected by a simple extension application.

Using AI responsibly

Co-created with students, AI in Education includes lots of helpful examples of how students use generative AI tools to support their learning. It explains how generative AI works, the different tools available and how to use them responsibly and productively.

WK Topic Learning activity Learning outcomes
Week 01 Introduction & Course Overview Lecture and tutorial (3 hr)  
Week 03 Strategy and Global Strategy Lecture and tutorial (3 hr)  
Week 04 Industry-based View I Lecture and tutorial (3 hr)  
Week 05 Industry-based View II Lecture and tutorial (3 hr)  
Week 06 Resource-based View I Lecture and tutorial (3 hr)  
Week 07 Resource-based View II Lecture and tutorial (3 hr)  
Week 08 In-semester test Lecture and tutorial (3 hr)  
Week 09 No lecture due to public holiday Lecture and tutorial (3 hr)  
Week 10 Institution-based View Lecture and tutorial (3 hr)  
Week 11 International Entry Strategy I Lecture and tutorial (3 hr)  
Week 12 International Entry Strategy II Lecture and tutorial (3 hr)  
Week 13 Review and wrap up Lecture and tutorial (3 hr)  

Attendance and class requirements

Lecture recordings: All lectures and seminars are recorded and will be available on Canvas for student use. 

Study commitment

Typically, there is a minimum expectation of 1.5-2 hours of student effort per week per credit point for units of study offered over a full semester. For a 6 credit point unit, this equates to roughly 120-150 hours of student effort in total.

Required readings

All readings for this unit can be accessed through the Library eReserve, available on Canvas.

  • Peng, Mike W. (2014) Global Strategy 3e or 4th or 5th  Thomson South-Western.

Learning outcomes are what students know, understand and are able to do on completion of a unit of study. They are aligned with the University's graduate qualities and are assessed as part of the curriculum.

At the completion of this unit, you should be able to:

  • LO1. evaluate and explain concepts, frameworks, and theories in the domain of international business strategy
  • LO2. critically apply the different business concepts, frameworks, and theories in the domain of international business strategy
  • LO3. identify, collect, classify, evaluate, and utilise useful information to prepare an international business project
  • LO4. explain and analyse key problems of MNCs, and conclude with convincing solutions within real-world constraints
  • LO5. develop skills to work with people from diverse national backgrounds with inclusiveness, open-mindedness and integrity.

Graduate qualities

The graduate qualities are the qualities and skills that all University of Sydney graduates must demonstrate on successful completion of an award course. As a future Sydney graduate, the set of qualities have been designed to equip you for the contemporary world.

GQ1 Depth of disciplinary expertise

Deep disciplinary expertise is the ability to integrate and rigorously apply knowledge, understanding and skills of a recognised discipline defined by scholarly activity, as well as familiarity with evolving practice of the discipline.

GQ2 Critical thinking and problem solving

Critical thinking and problem solving are the questioning of ideas, evidence and assumptions in order to propose and evaluate hypotheses or alternative arguments before formulating a conclusion or a solution to an identified problem.

GQ3 Oral and written communication

Effective communication, in both oral and written form, is the clear exchange of meaning in a manner that is appropriate to audience and context.

GQ4 Information and digital literacy

Information and digital literacy is the ability to locate, interpret, evaluate, manage, adapt, integrate, create and convey information using appropriate resources, tools and strategies.

GQ5 Inventiveness

Generating novel ideas and solutions.

GQ6 Cultural competence

Cultural Competence is the ability to actively, ethically, respectfully, and successfully engage across and between cultures. In the Australian context, this includes and celebrates Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures, knowledge systems, and a mature understanding of contemporary issues.

GQ7 Interdisciplinary effectiveness

Interdisciplinary effectiveness is the integration and synthesis of multiple viewpoints and practices, working effectively across disciplinary boundaries.

GQ8 Integrated professional, ethical, and personal identity

An integrated professional, ethical and personal identity is understanding the interaction between one’s personal and professional selves in an ethical context.

GQ9 Influence

Engaging others in a process, idea or vision.

Outcome map

Learning outcomes Graduate qualities
GQ1 GQ2 GQ3 GQ4 GQ5 GQ6 GQ7 GQ8 GQ9

This section outlines changes made to this unit following staff and student reviews.

No changes have been made since this unit was last offered.

Disclaimer

The University reserves the right to amend units of study or no longer offer certain units, including where there are low enrolment numbers.

To help you understand common terms that we use at the University, we offer an online glossary.