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International Business - ELE00081M

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  • Department: Electronic Engineering
  • Credit value: 20 credits
  • Credit level: M
  • Academic year of delivery: 2023-24

Module summary

This module explores the range of issues encountered by engineering managers during the development, implementation and operation of an international business. It will cover cultural and cross cultural issues, international trading and human resource issues, trading exposure and financial risk issues.

Module will run

Occurrence Teaching period
A Semester 2 2023-24

Module aims

Subject content aims:

  • Understand the nature of culture and explore a number of models used to analyse culture
  • Compare two different cultures and analyse their implications within and to the running of an organisation
  • Analyse the competitive business environment of an international trading situation
  • Analyse the legal issues associated with an international trading situation
  • Analyse and recommend a human resource solution for an international trading situation
  • Analyse the exchange rate exposure risk of a trading situation in monetary terms
  • Compare available risk reduction techniques and recommend appropriate solutions for a given trading situation
  • Analyse a country for its trading risk

Graduate skills aims:

  • Capacity for analysis and synthesis – demonstration of this throughout the module, especially in the comparative analysis of two different country cultures
  • Capacity or applying knowledge in practice – looking for evidence of application of appropriate models of culture to specific countries
  • Planning and Time management – plan their own activities and manage their own time to achieve the required deliverables
  • Public speaking – through a presentation as part of the assignment
  • Report writing – through the country analysis report, which is expected to be a high quality commercially acceptable document
  • Communication skills – through the presentation and report
  • Research skills – the student will need to identify the information they need and the find it anthrough desk research and by talking directly to people
  • Information management skills – need to search for information from a number of sources and analyse it from a relevance and usefulness point of view, especially in respect of the country analysis

Module learning outcomes

Subject content learning outcomes

After successful completion of this module, students will:

  • be able to work or advise others on the implications of international business activities
  • be able to solve problems relating to International Business activities within a real company

Graduate skills learning outcomes

After successful completion of this module, students will:

  • be able to analyse International Business situations within a real company and propose solutions
  • be able to communicate International Business solutions verbally and in written form
  • be able to undertake applied research and literature reviews into aspects of International Business
  • be able to apply their knowledge of International Business to real businesses
  • be able to demonstrate personal effectiveness and time management
  • be able to demonstrate information management skills.

Module content

  • Introduction & What is Culture

  • Models of Cultural Orientations

  • Comparing Cultures and the Culture and the Organisation

  • Culture and Human Resource Management & Managing International Teams

  • International Marketing

  • Going Global & Introduction to International Business

  • Globalisation

  • International Business Strategy

  • Entry Strategy to Foreign Markets and Selecting an Entry Mode

  • Foreign Exchange Risk Exposure Management Techniques

  • Forward contracts, Options and Futures

  • Country Risk Analysis

Indicative assessment

Task % of module mark
Essay/coursework 80
Oral presentation/seminar/exam 20

Special assessment rules

None

Additional assessment information

The international business module assignment comprises two components (presentation and report) both of which students should complete individually. Together they focus on the culture and impact on trade relating to ONE country (other than the UK). Both assignments must use the same country.

  • Individual presentation, worth 20% of the module mark:

Students will do a presentation on a topic related to the culture and economy of the chosen country to identify the significance of these cultures and traditions in facilitating International and domestic business opportunities.

  • Individual Report: worth 80% of the module mark:

Students will write an International Business Plan. Students will expand a business idea into an International setting by trading with their chosen country. Students will analyse the environment of the country where they want to expand from a Cultural, Economic, Legal, and Political perspective and research how these factors affect the global expansion of their business. Students will need to consider the laws, industrial and market trends, and the target market.

Indicative reassessment

Task % of module mark
Essay/coursework 80
Essay/coursework 20

Module feedback

'Feedback’ at a university level can be understood as any part of the learning process which is designed to guide your progress through your degree programme. We aim to help you reflect on your own learning and help you feel more clear about your progress through clarifying what is expected of you in both formative and summative assessments. A comprehensive guide to feedback and to forms of feedback is available in the Guide to Assessment Standards, Marking and Feedback.

The School of PET aims to provide some form of feedback on all formative and summative assessments that are carried out during the degree programme. In general, feedback on any written work/assignments undertaken will be sufficient so as to indicate the nature of the changes needed in order to improve the work. The School will endeavour to return all exam feedback within the timescale set out in the University's Policy on Assessment Feedback Turnaround Time. The School would normally expect to adhere to the times given, however, it is possible that exceptional circumstances may delay feedback. The School will endeavour to keep such delays to a minimum. Please note that any marks released are subject to ratification by the Board of Examiners and Senate. Meetings at the start/end of each term provide you with an opportunity to discuss and reflect with your supervisor on your overall performance to date.

Indicative reading

  • Eun, C.S. & Resnick, B.G. (2014). International Finance, McGraw Hill Education.

  • Wild, J. J., & Wild, Kenneth L. (2019). International business : the challenges of globalization. (9th ed.).London: Pearson.

  • Hofstede, G. (2001). Cultural Consequences: Comparing values behaviours, Institutions and organisations across the nations, Sage.

  • Hill, C. (ed) 2012. International Business: Competing in the Global Marketplace, McGraw-Hill Education.

  • Eun, C.S. & Resnick, B.G. (2014). International Finance, McGraw Hill Education.

  • Deresky, H (2014). International Management: Managing across Borders and Cultures, Pearson Education.

  • Dicken, P. (2015). Global Shift: mapping the changing contours of the world economy, Sage.


The information on this page is indicative of the module that is currently on offer. The University constantly explores ways to enhance and improve its degree programmes and therefore reserves the right to make variations to the content and method of delivery of modules, and to discontinue modules, if such action is reasonably considered to be necessary. In some instances it may be appropriate for the University to notify and consult with affected students about module changes in accordance with the University's policy on the Approval of Modifications to Existing Taught Programmes of Study.