MSc International Business

2009-2010

Global Shift
07 22173.

Teaching Staff
Dr Paulina Ramirez Room 129 Telephone ext: 4948 p.ramirez@bham.ac.uk

Module Aims
The aim of this module is to provide students with the theoretical understanding of the nature of, and interaction between, two of the main forces shaping international business today: (i) the globalisation of business understood as the increasing integration of business activity at the level of both firm and nation state; and (ii) the development of a knowledge economy where innovation and technological change are playing an increasingly important role in business activity. A major theme underlying this module is the exploration of the synergies and tensions between processes of globalisation, nations and regions in the context of a knowledge economy.

Learning Outcomes
You will learn how to critically analyse and assess various theoretical explanations of national and regional business and innovation systems and their continuing relevance in the present period. You will learn to compare, contrast and evaluate different theories and conceptualisations of globalisation. You will be able to critically examine the notion that a key characteristic of todays world economy is the development of a knowledge economy.

By the end of the module you should be able to: Examine the role of different national business and national innovation systems of both developed and developing counties. Appraise the relationship between technological innovation, institutional change and international business. Compare, contrast and evaluate different theories of globalisation

By then end of the module you should also be able to: Apply the theoretical concepts developed in the lectures to different industries and countries. Research and critically evaluate information Work in teams with students from other countries Communicate complex ideas to others in a clear, concise and interesting way

Module Structure
The module will consist of 10 lectures and 7 seminar sessions over an eight week period. Students will be expected to read and prepare work for each of the seminar sessions. During seminars you will discuss your work in groups and with the whole class.

Methods of assessment
The module will be assessed by one three-hour exam in January

Time table
Lecture Monday Oct 12th (10.30-12) Monday Oct 12th (13-14.30) Thursday Oct 15th Monday Oct 19th Monday Oct 26th Monday Nov 2nd Monday Nov 9th Monday Nov 16th Monday Nov 23rd Monday Nov 30th Global Shift: Introduction to module Varieties of capitalism/ National Business Systems/NSI The knowledge economy and international business National Innovation Systems Clusters, Regions, Industrial Districts Theories of Globalisation International trade under globalisation The Impact of FDI on nations International bodies and their role in globalisation Winners and losers of globalisation Revision

Seminar 1 Seminar 2 Seminar 3 Seminar 4 Seminar 5 Seminar 5 Seminar 7

Seminars topics Varieties of Capitalism Knowledge Economy National innovation system Clusters and Regions Globalisation Impact of FDI International Trade

Reading list
There is no single textbook suitable for this module so please make sure you read the key texts from the reading list below. Some general books that you might find useful include: Dicken. P, 2007, Global Shift: Mapping the Changing Contours of the World Economy, Sage Publications, Fifth Edition. This book has useful examples and industry studies. Held. D., McGrew. A., Goldblatt. D., Perraton. J., 2006, Global Transformations: Politics, Economics and Culture, Polity. This books discusses various aspects of globalisation. Morrison, J., 2006, The International business Environment: Global and Local Marketplaces in a changing World, Second Edition, Palgrave

The World Investment Report Series which you can download from the internet has up to date statistics and reports on FDI. http://www.unctad.org/Templates/Page.asp? intItemID=1485&lang=1

Lecture 1 Introduction: Global Shift

Dicken. P, 2007, Global Shift: Mapping the Changing Contours of the World Economy, Sage Publications, Fifth Edition Dunning, J., 2000, Regions, Globalization, and the Knowledge Economy: The Issues Stated, in Dunning. J (Ed), Regions, Globalization, and the Knowledge-Based Economy, Oxford University Press *Lundvall, B-A and Borras. S, 1997, The Globalising Learning Economy: Implications for Innovation Policy, European Commission. Chapters 1 and 2 Manfred B. Steger, Globalization: A Very Short Introduction, 2003 Oxford: Oxford University Press Suthcliffe. B and Glyn. A., 2003, Measures of globalisation and their misinterpretation, in Michie (ed). J, The Handbook of Globalisation, Edward Elgar

Lecture 2

Varieties of capitalism/ National Business Systems

Berger, S and Dore, R, 1996, (Eds) National Diversity and Global Capitalism, Cornell University Press. Introduction Gilpin, R., 2001, Global Political Economy: Understanding the international economic order, Princeton University Press, Princeton, Oxford *Hall. P and Soskice. D (Eds), 2001, Varieties of Capitalism: The Institutional Foundations of Comparative Advantage, Oxford University Press. Chapter 1 Lane. C, 2003, Changes in Corporate Governance of German Corporations: Convergence to the Anglo-American Model?, Competition and Change, Vol 7, No2-3, pp79-100 Pauly LW. And Reich. S, 1997, National Structures and Multinational Corporate Behaviour: Enduring Differences in the Age of Globalisation, International Organisation 51, pp 1-30 Porter M.E. The Competitive Advantage of Nations. London: Macmillan, 1990.

Porter M.E. The Competitive Advantage of Nations, Harvard Business Review, March-April 1990.

Lecture 3

The knowledge economy and international business

David. P. and Foray. D, 2002, An Introduction to the Economy of the Knowledge Society, UNESCO Dicken. P., 2007, Global Shift, Sage publications, 5th Edition, chapter 3 Foray. D., and Lundvall. B-A., 1996, The Knowledge-Based Economy: From the Economics of Knowledge to the Learning Economy, in Foray. D. and Lundvall. B-A. (Eds), Employment Growth in the Knowledge-Based Economy, OECD, Paris Govin. Benoit, 2006, The Knowledge-Based Economy: Conceptual Framework or Buzzword?, Journal of Technology Transfer, 31, pp17-30 *OECD, 1996, The Knowledge-Based Economy, Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development. On WebCT OECD 2000, Science, technology and Innovation in the New Economy, OECD Observer OECD 2009, Policy Response to the Economic Crisis: Investing in Innovation for LongTerm Growth, OECD, Paris Lundvall and Borras, 1997, The Globalising Learning Economy: Implications for Innovation Policy, European Commission. On WebCT *Smith. K, 2002, What is the Knowledge Economy? Knowledge Intensity and Distributed Knowledge Bases, The United Nations University, INTECG Discussion Paper Series 2002-6

Lecture 4

National Innovation Systems

Arocena, R. and Sutz, J. (2000). Looking at national systems of innovation from the South, Industry and Innovation, 7 (1): 55-75. Edquist. C., 1997, Systems of Innovation: Technologies, Institutions and Organisations, Pinter Publishers

*Freeman,C., 2002, Continental, National and Sub-National Innovation SystemsComplementarity and Economic Growth, Research Policy 31, pp191-211 Freeman. C and Soete. L., 1997, The Economics of Industrial Innovation, Pinter Publisher (Third Edition), above all Chapter 3 (pp 55-84) and Chapter 6 (137-157), chapter 7 (pp 158-187). *Lundvall. B-A., Johnson. B., Andersen. E. S., Dalum. B., 2002, National Systems of Production, Innovation and Competence Building, Research Policy, 31, pp213-231. Nelson. R. (Ed) , 1993, National innovation Systems: A Comparative Analysis, Oxford University Press Miozzo and Walsh, 2006, International Competitiveness and Technological Change, Oxford University Press *Nelson, R., 1992, National Innovation Systems: A Retrospective on a Study, Industrial and Corporate Change, Vol 1, number 2 Pavitt. K., 2005, Innovation Processes, in Fagerberg. J., Mowery. D, Nelson. RR., (Eds) The Oxford Handbook of Innovation, Oxford University Press Viotti, E., National Learning Systems: A new approach on technical change in late industrializing economies and evidences from the cases of Brazil and South Korea, http://www.cid.harvard.edu.ezproxyd.bham.ac.uk/archive/biotech/papers/discussion12_vi otti.pdf

Lecture 5 Clusters, Regions, Industrial Districts

*Cooke. P., 2002, Regional Innovation Systems: General Findings and Some New Evidence from Biotechnology Clusters, Journal of Technology Transfer, 27, pp133-145 Howells.J., 1999, Regional Systems of Innovation, in Archibugi. D., Howells. J., and Michie., J., (Eds) Innovation Policy in a Global Economy, Cambridge University Press *Maskell, P., and Malmberg, 1999, Localised Learning and Industrial Competitiveness, Cambridge Journal of Economics, 23, pp167-185 Porter, M., 1998, Clusters and the New Economics of Competition, Harvard Business Review, November-December *Porter, M., 2000, Location, Competition, and Economic Development: Local Clusters in a global Economy, Economic Development Quarterly, Vol 14, pp15-34

Lecture 6

Theories of globalisation

Berger, S and Dore, R, 1996, (Eds) National Diversity and Global Capitalism, Cornell University Press. Introduction Bhagwati, J., 2004, In Defense of Globalisation, Oxford University Press Dicken, P., 2007, Global Shift: Mapping the Changing Contours of the World Economy, Sage Publications Dunning, J., 1997, Alliance Capitalism and Global Business, Routledge, Chapter 1 *Held. D., McGrew. A., Goldblatt. D., Perraton. J., 2006, Global Transformations: Politics, Economics and Culture, Polity. Chapters 1 Hirst. P., and Thompson, G., 1999, Globalization in Question, Polity Press, Second Edition Ietto-Gillies, G., 2003, The Role of Transnational Corporations in the Globalisation Process, in Michie (Ed). J, The Handbook of Globalisation, Edward Elgar Rugman, A., 2003, Regional Strategy and the Demise of Globalization, Journal of International Management, Vol 9, pp409-417 Levitt, T., 1983, The Globalization of Markets, Harvard Business Review, May-June (3), pp 92-102

Lecture 7

International trade under globalisation

Dicken. P., 2007, Global Shift: Mapping the Changing Contours of the World Economy, Sage Publications, 528-545, Part four of book Gilpin, R., 2001, Global Political Economy: Understanding the international economic order, Princeton University Press, Princeton, Oxford *Held. D., McGrew. A., Goldblatt. D., Perraton. J., 2006, Global Transformations: Politics, Economics and Culture, Polity. Chapters 1 World Investment Reports, various Years, UNCTAD

Lecture 8

FDI, does it benefit host countries?

*Blomstrm. M and Kokko. A, 1997, the Impact of Foreign Direct Investment on Host Countries: A Review of the Empirical Evidence. Dicken. P., 2007, Global Shift: Mapping the Changing Contours of the World Economy, Sage Publications, PP459-474 Dunning , JH, - Transnational Corporations, 1994 Grg. H and Greenaway. D, 2004, Much Ado about Nothing? Do Domestic Firms Really Benefit from Foreign Direct Investment? The World Bank Research Observer, Vol 19 no.2 World Investment Report, 1999, Foreign Direct Investment and the Challenge of Development, UNCTAD The World Investment Report series which you can download from the internet has up to date statistics and reports on FDI

Lecture 9

International bodies and their role in globalisation

*Crawford, J-A., and Fiorentino, R., 2005, The Changing Landscape of Regional Trade Agreements, World Trade Organization, Geneva, Switzerland, http://www.wto.int/english/res_e/booksp_e/discussion_papers8_e.pdf *Dicken. P., 2007, Global Shift: Mapping the Changing Contours of the World Economy, Sage Publications, 528-545, Part four of book Gilpin, R., 2001, Global Political Economy: Understanding the international economic order, Princeton University Press, Princeton, Oxford *Held. D., McGrew. A., Goldblatt. D., Perraton. J., 2006, Global Transformations: Politics, Economics and Culture, Polity. Chapters 1

Lecture 10 Winners and losers in globalisation

Dicken. P., 2007, Global Shift: Mapping the Changing Contours of the World Economy, Sage Publications, 528-545, Part four of book

Globalization and Its Discontents: 2003: Stiglitz, J: Penguin Open World: Philiippe Legrain : 2003: Abacus Web Sites: http://www.wto.org/: http://www.worldbank.org/: http://www.imf.org/: http://www.oecd.org/home/

The exam will consist of short essay questions

When evaluating your essay we will be assessing: The extent to which you answer the essay question The structure and logic of you argument The extent to which you demonstrate independent and critical thinking Whether you have read the essential text Whether you have read beyond the essential texts

Essay Writing
Essay Structure: Introduction: states what question (s) is (are) being addressed in the essay and why it is interesting and important. Essay questions can be answered in different ways so say how you plan to answer the question. You also need to indicate what the structure of the essay will be. Main Body: This is where your arguments are developed fully. Make sure that your arguments are set out in a logical order and that any of your opinions follow from the line of reasoning that you have followed. It is important to sump up an argument before going on to the next section, or start a new section with a summary of what has been argued so far. This allows the reader to keep up with the thread of your argument. When using data and diagrams make sure that you use material which is relevant to your argument. Subheadings are often useful as a guide to the reader. Above all you must make sure you answer the essay question. Conclusion: In this section you should summarise the main arguments you have made bringing them together into a final overview.