MSc International Management

Research Methods: Preparing you to undertake effective research drawing upon a range of secondary and primary data sources in preparation for your coursework. You will be introduced to a range of tools required for research including methodological issues, data collection techniques and study skills. This module prepares you for completing high quality, systematic business and management research.

Introduction to the Principles of Marketing: Enabling you to gain an understanding of the main marketing principles and how to apply them. You will explore the roles of buyers, the marketing environment and the ways marketers plan, manage and implement marketing programmes in international organisations.

Finance and Accounting for Business: This will develop your critical assessment of corporate financial information from the users' perspective. You will study both financial and management accounting covering three areas:

• Basics - terminology, purposes, users, rules and regulations and business entities
• Financial accounting - key financial statements, published accounts and analysis and interpretation through ratios
• Management accounting - costing, budgeting and forecasting, budget management and pricing

Global Strategic Management: Strategic management is the process by which managers formulate and implement strategies to generate high performance. In this module you will develop your understanding of the managerial challenge in strategising; how to deliver sustainable competitive advantage. You will engage in critical evaluation of the key strategic issues. You will consider the wider economic environment and explore why strategy is important, how organisations make strategic decisions through the processes of analysis, choice and responsible and ethical management and leadership.

International Organisations: This examines a range of international organisations and their different purposes. Your studies will focus on multi-national companies, small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs), non-governmental organisations (NGOs), the European Union and other similar organisations such as the UN. These institutions influence and relate to the operations of global businesses. You will look at the political, economic and social environments in which international organisations function and the challenges they face. Leading business executives and subject experts are invited in to speak to you.

Leading and Managing: International Perspective: This will develop your international management and leadership skills, introducing you to key management issues which are illustrated by case studies. It will improve your cross-cultural awareness and enhance your effectiveness when working with an international organisation.

You can choose between taking a Consultancy Project module or the International Management in Practice: Study Trip module

Consultancy Project: You will gain practical international project experience by working in a cross-cultural team on a real problem for a client organisation. You will develop problem solving and communication skills as well as the ability to work in cross-cultural teams. Your team will work virtually, face-to-face and with help from tutors.

International Management in Practice: Study Trip: You can go to Budapest to experience a hands-on week, learning about the processes within international management. Students meet with leaders of global firms and international organisations, receive presentations from global academic experts, and tour facilities. This module is included in your programme fees, but you are responsible for paying for all travel and accommodation costs and some meals. This is a 10-credit module, which will be formally assessed.

Elective modules:

You choose two optional modules, enabling you to pursue your own study interests. Presentations are made in Semester 1 so that you are well informed before nominating your preferred choices.

Entrepreneurship: It is recognised that entrepreneurship is vital to the development of a modern economy, both in terms of new business start-ups and as part of managing and growing existing organisations. This module will introduce you to the fundamentals of enterprise and entrepreneurship and will help develop vital entrepreneurial skills, behaviours and practices necessary for success.

Global Marketing Strategy: Developing your understanding of creating a sustainable competitive advantage in a global context; implementing strategies to take into account both the convergence and divergence of consumer preferences, creating global products and brands that have near-universal application and appeal, and the importance of ethical and social issues in the global marketplace.

Corporate Governance and Social Responsibility: This provides alternative perspectives on strategic management and corporate governance. This will encompass stakeholder issues including ethics, sustainability and corporate social responsibility (CSR). You will develop your understanding of approaches to solving problems when governing in the corporate sector. Your studies will consider current issues and consider the social implications of governance. You will also focus on the impact of globalisation on international management practices, equipping you with the knowledge to enhance management decisions involving ethical choices. Finally, you will consider your assumptions about the role of managers and organisations in a complex and challenging context through the exploration of contemporary issues in CSR.

Strategic Business Simulation: This teaches you about group decision making. It involves a live new business development scenario, through which you apply your understanding of business principles to a computer simulation. The simulation will challenge your ethical, environmental and sustainability decisions when running an international business and will consider a range of business functions. You will develop management skills such as team management, budgeting, implementing a communications strategy and coping with unexpected competitor activity.

Regional Studies: Developing Economies of Asia, Africa and Latin America: You will focus on recent developments in the developing world, gaining an understanding of the challenges of managing development in these economies.

Procurement and Supply Chain Management (SCM) is ‘the management of upstream and downstream relationships with suppliers and customers to deliver superior value at less cost to the supply chain as a whole’ (Christopher, 2016). In a global business environment, how well organisations identify and manage supply networks and individual chains of supply, is a key enabler of successful international trade.

In this module you focus the important commercial aspects of SCM, centred around how the procurement cycle operates in an international context. You explore the range of relationships between trading partners (i.e. purchasers and suppliers), as well as the techniques that are used to source products and services, select and appraise suppliers, and develop and manage supply contracts.**

Physical Logistics and Distribution: The topic of physical logistics is concerned with managing the activities along a supply chain, from procuring materials to delivering goods that satisfy customers. In today's global economy, both suppliers and customers can be spread all over the world. Customers are more demanding, wanting more for less and with greater added value. The new era of customer ‘pull' has led to the concept of ‘total supply chain management'. This involves customised products and services, quick response deliveries, and state-of-the-art information systems.

In this module you will study the processes required to manage the flow of materials and products from suppliers to customers in order to achieve a competitive advantage. You will evaluate how effective logistics and procurement systems can become key business enablers. You will learn how the management of international supply chains should form a significant element of the strategy of any organisation operating on a global basis.**

** These modules must be taken together as an elective.

Resourcing, Talent and Performance Management: A major objective of the human resources function is the mobilisation of a workforce. Organisations can only function if they are able to assemble teams of people with the necessary skills to meet their goals and retain effective performers. This module focuses on the practical aspects of recruitment, selection, employee retention and exiting. You will develop the knowledge and skills required for resourcing and talent management within a global context. You will also gain an understanding of how performance management can support the strategic objectives of an organisation, how the performance of people can be enhanced and inspired by leadership, and how it contributes to high-performance work organisations.

Managing Employment Relations: This will develop your understanding of managing employment relations within a global business. Employment relations is a changing subject which is influenced by external factors (political and economic) and internal factors (management and management style). You will explore the impact of different national environments on employment and the roles of different stakeholders in employment relation systems. You will also critically review employment relations in an organisation and make suggestions to drive improvements to Human Resource Management. This module includes a practical skills workshop.

Customer Insight and Engagement: You explore how to acquire, retain and grow the share of wallet of good customers, as well as how to demote undesirable customers without triggering revenge behaviours. It is based on the premise that customers are the essence of the organisation as without customers, the organisation would fail. The module takes a customer-centric approach, and acknowledges the hyper-connected environment in which organisations operate today. Technologies and methodological approaches to obtain customer insight and to build detailed customer profiles are discussed. Moreover, the module considers how to engage with customers in ways that add value to both parties. It uses real case studies, as well as students’ own experiences as customers.

Corporate Finance Concepts: You will consider how accounting and corporate finance issues are related. You will study the fundamental ideas and theories of corporate finance and how accounting practice links with corporate financial decisions. This module will enable you to make the links between specific financial management techniques and concepts and how these relate to the objectives of an organisation.

Project and Contract Management: In this module you will analyse the environments where projects take place, together with the influence of stakeholders. You will assess different approaches for managing projects and practice a range of techniques to plan, control and deliver projects successfully. You will learn about the commercial and contractual aspects relating to external suppliers and the application of project management concepts to supply chain based projects.

Strategic Brand Management: Creating powerful brands and appropriate brand positioning strategies are essential to many international businesses. You will learn about brand attributes, brand values and brand personality. You will develop an understanding of product management and innovative approaches to new product development. How ethical, environmental and socio-cultural factors impact brand strategy is explored, and the use of digital communications technology to further develop brand relationships is discussed.

International Business in Practice - Study Trip: The second travel option on this course is to Boston, USA. Although this module provides you with no credit towards your degree, you will see directly how global leaders operate in an international environment, and you’ll get to see the beautiful city of Boston.

Having successfully completed the assessment (pass/fail), this module will appear on your transcripts, which will enhance your employment potential. Please note that the number of students who can join this field trip is limited and the cost is not included in the course fees.

Capstone Module Choice

You will choose one of the following capstone modules that best suits your academic interests or professional development requirements.

Dissertation: The dissertation is an opportunity for you to carry out an in-depth investigation into a topic of Business Management which is of particular interest to you. It should have an appropriately clear focus and be an investigation based on primary and/or secondary data, justified by detailed reference to relevant theories and concepts from literature.

Synoptic Research Project: In this module you will integrate, apply and extend your knowledge and skills gained within the core modules through an international case study and oral examination. You will learn more about the complexity of the Business and Management by synthesising, and applying the learning gained in other modules.

Client-based project: The work-based project is an opportunity for you to link theory with practice. You will analyse a real organisational issues from the inside and provide a workable approach. The issue may be a problem that the organisation currently encounters or concerns their future strategy. You are responsible for managing a significant proportion of your own learning, including tracking and recording your own progress.

Chartered Management Institute (CMI) Accreditation: This course is dual accredited by CMI – a CMI accreditation means you have the option to graduate with your degree and gain a professional CMI qualification (Level 7 in Strategic Management and Leadership) and there’s no extra study involved. This accreditation is not only a hallmark of excellence, but also provides you with benefits. For example, student members can access online content, networking events, company visits, online seminars and mentoring.

A CMI Induction event will be held so you can find out about the CMI qualification and membership and choose whether you would like to qualify and join. If you do choose to gain the CMI qualification you will need to pay a non-refundable fee for the CMI level 7 qualification in Strategic Management & Leadership, which is currently £278 and includes one-year membership of the CMI.