General provisions

The course is offered to exchange students, to students of regular programmes as well as a separate course during the 3rd year.

The Course Description is established by the board of the Department of Business Studies by mandate of the Faculty of Social Sciences. The course plan is valid from 2006-09-01 The Course Description was last revised 2005-02-14

Entry requirements

The following is applicable to Swedish students:

Qualified to be registered is any student who has studied both A- and B-levels and who, at the time of registration, has obtained 20 points at A-level and 15 points at B-level.

Aims

The course is designed to introduce the students to international markets, international marketing and the management of international business. The relevance of this study area is shown by the rapid expansion of international business during the past decades. The growth of international trade has consistently exceeded growth in industrial output.

Content

The course introduces the international perspectives of marketing. The essence of the course is to reflect the realities of the international marketplace and how firms operating in these environments are gearing their marketing activities. The realities of the interplay between the firm and the various environmental forces are specifically addressed. This is done by presenting the political, cultural, technological, and financial dimensions and relating them to the firm and its product(s). The strategic organising of various international activities and operations are also addressed.

Seminar/Final Thesis

Written test

Instruction

The course is taught in English. Teaching is organised as lectures and seminars. Course seminars and lectures are connected. Each week is organised around a theme and during this period the students are to complete specific tasks. The course is divided into two related sections. The first section has a wider purpose and aims to provide understanding of international marketing and follows the themes mentioned above. The second section concerns a deeper understanding of the subject by interrelating the empirical world to the models presented in the first part. It deals both with basic theoretical issues and marketing in different environments and is structured around the following themes:

Defining international markets

Theories of international marketing

Organising international markets

Marketing and culture

Marketing and politics

Assessment

The examination consists of a written test (3 points) and seminar work with a final thesis (7 points). Passing grades for the course will be G (pass) and VG (pass with distinction). To obtain a VG, this grade is required on both the test and the seminar work.

Moreover all remaining tasks must be completed and handed in at least within four weeks after the end of the course otherwise this part of the examination has to be redone the following semester , provided there is space in the course.

Attention Swedish students: only completed courses can be recognised in your degree