AIMS AND OBJECTIVES

This course aims to enable students to gain a thorough understanding of the basis concepts of international marketing and allow students to apply this knowledge to a series of international marketing problems generated through class discussion, problem solving and case study exercises. Specifically, the course will:

1.       Explore the scope of International Marketing and the links with domestic marketing.

2.       Evaluate concepts behind cultural differences and the links to marketing practices and the marketing mix.

3.       Highlight the complexities in analyzing the international business environment, and

4.       Address the limits to taking a globalization view of marketing activity.

CORE CAPABILITIES
 
- Students will be required to consider ethical as well as operational aspects of international marketing. In addition to the ethical implications of operating from a marketing perspective, differing cultures will be considered.
- Think critically and produce solutions.
- Act appropriately in the context of social and cultural diversity and the modern day environment.

LEARNING OUTCOMES

At the end of this course students should be able to:

1.       Critically evaluate international marketing behavior from an operations perspective as well as an ethical perspective. (30 learning hours )

2.       Understand the dynamics behind cultural differences and relate cultural concepts to marketing activities such as marketing research, product design, etc. (30 learning hours)

3.       Provide a reasoned evaluation of the tension between globalization and localization in terms of new product development, advertising strategy, and distribution. (30 learning hours )

4.       Explain the different types of market entry mechanisms and make reasoned recommendations for specific case situations. (30 learning hours )

5.       Analyze economic and market statistics in order to assess future market potential in line with the different types of risks involved in international, marketing. (30 learning hours).

CONTENT

• The economic, political and legal environment of international business
• An introduction to the theories of comparative and relative advantage, internationalization.
• Definition and scope of international marketing strategy and an analysis of its similarities and differences with domestic marketing.
• International market segmentation methods.
• Market standardization versus differentiation and market clustering.
• Marketing information systems for international marketing: using marketing research in international marketing and its limitations and constraints.
• Product strategies in international markets: standardization decisions versus differentiation brand symbolism and country of origin effects.
• Promotional strategies in international markets: matching the promotional method, media and message to social, cultural and legal constraints.
• Pricing strategies and practice including the mechanics of pricing on international marketing, parallel importing, transfer pricing, over/under-invoicing.
• Distribution decisions in international markets; the factors that influence the channel design and constituents.

TEACHING AND LEARNING METHODS
 
The course will be delivered by a mix of lectures and seminars each week. Students will normally work off one essential textbook which includes case studies. The lectures will build and extend on the material in the textbook and students will discuss prescribed case studies in the Seminars Students will be directed to extra reading in Journals and recommended textbooks which will underpin the new ideas delivered in the lectures. The main vehicle for developing the core capability will be the requirement that students provide examples of good and bad ethical behavior from their reading of current affairs; they will be asked to bring such examples to the classroom.

ASSESSMENT
 
The course is assessed by a time constrained examination which accounts for 50% and coursework. The coursework may be a group project, in class assessment or a case study analysis. In each case students will be required to consider the ethical dimension of international marketing within the broader business and community contexts.