International Business Management

• Introduction, basic concepts, and theories of digitalization
• Factors influencing markets and companies
• Digital application and implementation methods in a business context
• Connection with classic business administration functions
• Transformation of markets, industries, and business models
• Impact on customers, competitors, and market offerings
• Reflection on and adaptation of classic business theories and models

• Distinctive features, rules, and fundamentals of science and scholarly work
• Epistemological and methodological principles of scientific research
• Overview of the research methods of observation, survey, content analysis, and experiment
• Using word-processing programs to write formally correct academic papers
• Overview of databases and other ways to find literature sources
• Working through and critically discussing articles from scientific journals

• Ethics and morality in theory and practice
• Philosophical and intercultural principles of specific moral concepts and value systems
• Discussion of management approaches (e.g., principal-agent theory, shareholder value approach, etc.) from an ethical perspective
• Triple Bottom Line (TBL) and the three dimensions of sustainability
• Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and Corporate Sustainability
• Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR)

• Classic and modern trade theories
• Agglomeration advantages and location choice
• Welfare effects of tariffs and trade quotas
• Globalization and global supply chains
• Sustainability of business models and corporate resilience
• Corporate Social Responsibility and Environmental Social Governance

• Acquiring knowledge about current corporate trends based on current financial articles – example trends relate to digitalization and sustainability developments in corporate investment and financing decisions, FinTech, and other innovations
• Fundamentals of international sustainability accounting under ESRS & VSME ESRS, green finance, and ESG regulation worldwide
• Coordination with other project team members
• Research on specific corporate matters

• Fundamentals of digital transformation and artificial intelligence
• Overview of regulatory aspects relating to digital business models and AI
• Effects of digital transformation and AI on companies, the economy, and governance structures
• Overview of regulatory and ethical challenges
• Introduction to key digital initiatives and strategies of the European Union

• Project planning and organization
• Project collaboration and implementation
• Project management metrics
• Practical project: developing a concept or business plan

• Project management and problem-solving strategies
• Practice-relevant analysis and handling of business questions
• Interdisciplinary application of the knowledge acquired
• Teamwork and communication
• Practical relevance and corporate cooperation

• Importance of market research and its place in the marketing process
• Planning and conducting market research projects
• Creating and programming questionnaires
• Data collection and preparation
• Selected qualitative and quantitative analysis methods
• Interpretation and presentation of results
• Practical relevance and case studies

• Basic principles of qualitative social research
• Data collection methods in qualitative surveys and observation
• Qualitative sampling procedures and content analysis
• Group discussion and interview techniques
• Combining methods

• Distinctive features, rules, and fundamentals of science and scholarly work
• Epistemological and methodological principles of scientific research
• Overview of quantitative (observation, survey, content analysis, experiment) and qualitative procedures
• Appropriate use of AI when producing an academic paper
• Overview of databases and other ways to find literature sources

• Review and deepening of key principles of academic work (methodology, research logic, source handling).
• Overview of current topics, research trends, and practice-oriented questions in the field of International Business Management.
• Distinction: academic thesis vs. practical concepts/projects.
• Methods of finding and narrowing down a topic (from interests to a precise research question).
• Developing a theoretical basis and methodological approach for one's own bachelor's thesis.

• Topic development and preparation in the form of a poster and a proposal (exposé)
• Presentation and discussion of a poster in small groups
• Creating the poster and the proposal (exposé)

• Entrepreneurship fundamentals – mindset, role, and distinction from management
• Founding and growth phases – from the idea to scaling
• Business models & value creation – Canvas approaches, unit economics
• Methods & tools – classic and modern approaches (e.g., Lean Start-up, effectuation, MVP)
• Financing & perspectives – sources of capital, bootstrapping, crowdfunding, as well as social & sustainable entrepreneurship with practical cases

• Business functions (production, marketing, logistics, supply chain management)
• Market analyses and market developments
• Use of analysis tools (SWOT, benchmark, cost and contribution margin analysis)
• Development of strategies
• Controlling and key performance indicators

• Overview of opportunities for extracurricular activities and their potential for study, career, and personal development.
• Reflection on and transfer of theoretical knowledge into practical fields of action.
• Exchange and discussion of best practices from different formats (e.g., specialist events, student initiatives, non-profit projects).
• Guidance and feedback on individual learning and development paths over the course of study.

The teaching content depends on the tasks that the students perform at the placement provider. Students independently select a placement position. In doing so, they can draw on the extensive range of placement listings offered by Kufstein Tirol University of Applied Sciences. The program management checks the professional alignment of the placement activities with the study content and the qualification profiles of the program. The program management then checks whether the work placement corresponds to the training objectives of the program and whether the student can be deployed in line with their qualification level. A detailed placement guide supports students in organizing their practical semester.
A minimum of 500 working hours in full-time employment must be completed.

• Deepening the skills of academic work with regard to developing and implementing a research design and structuring the working process.
• Regular meetings on the current status and progress of the bachelor's thesis with the accompanying academic supervision
• Information on the board examination for the bachelor's degree

• Individual subject-related guidance in developing, narrowing down, and structuring the bachelor's thesis topic
• Arranging and conducting supervision meetings as needed for subject-related and methodological reflection on the progress of the work
• Discussion of and feedback on the status of the work, the academic approach, and the formal requirements of the bachelor's thesis

• Fundamentals of intercultural management
• Developing the concept of culture
• Culture as a dynamic, context-dependent concept
• Overview of key cultural theories and intercultural models (Hofstede, Trompenaars, GLOBE study, etc.)
• Importance of cultural differences in globalized markets
• Cultural dimensions in organizations (decision-making, leadership styles, negotiation culture, and conflict management)

• Understanding of one's role, expectations, and requirements placed on students.
• Getting to know and reflecting on personal goals, strengths, and working styles.
• Fundamentals of collaboration: appreciation, trust, communication.
• Models and methods for analyzing workload and resources (work-life balance)
• Mechanisms of gender roles, bias, and structural disadvantage, as well as practical approaches to gender-inclusive design of work and learning environments
• Introduction to the concepts of team phases (Tuckman) and team roles (Belbin) as a basis for developing the cohort team.
• Development of joint initiatives and concrete measures to foster an inclusive team and cohort culture.

• The 5 axioms of communication, the message and value square
• Theoretical introduction to presentation and argumentation techniques (in person and remote)
• Application of the content covered
• Feedback on and reflection on one's own presentation performance (individually and in the group) and on the performance of fellow students

B2 – Independent language use
Understand and express the main content of complex texts on both concrete and abstract topics in academic and business contexts; take part in specialist discussions in one's own field of expertise. Communicate spontaneously and fluently enough to make normal conversation with native speakers quite possible without noticeable strain for either party. Express oneself clearly and in detail on a wide range of subjects, explain a viewpoint on a topical issue, and give the advantages and disadvantages of various options.

C1 – Proficient language use
Understand a wide range of demanding, longer texts and grasp implicit meaning. Use the language effectively and flexibly in academic and business contexts and express oneself spontaneously and fluently without having to search obviously for words. Express oneself clearly, in a well-structured and detailed way on complex matters, using cohesive devices appropriately.

C2 – Near-native proficiency
Communicate effortlessly in all language situations. Summarize information from various written and spoken sources, reconstructing arguments and explanations in a coherent presentation. Express oneself spontaneously, very fluently and precisely, conveying finer shades of meaning even in more complex situations.

B2 – Independent language use
Understand and express the main content of complex texts on both concrete and abstract topics in academic and business contexts; take part in specialist discussions in one's own field of expertise. Communicate spontaneously and fluently enough to make normal conversation with native speakers quite possible without noticeable strain for either party. Express oneself clearly and in detail on a wide range of subjects, explain a viewpoint on a topical issue, and give the advantages and disadvantages of various options.

C1 – Proficient language use
Understand a wide range of demanding, longer texts and grasp implicit meaning. Use the language effectively and flexibly in academic and business contexts and express oneself spontaneously and fluently without having to search obviously for words. Express oneself clearly, in a well-structured and detailed way on complex matters, using cohesive devices appropriately.

C2 – Near-native proficiency
Communicate effortlessly in all language situations. Summarize information from various written and spoken sources, reconstructing arguments and explanations in a coherent presentation. Express oneself spontaneously, very fluently and precisely, conveying finer shades of meaning even in more complex situations.

• The concept of internationalization and globalization
• Internationalization as a process
• Theories and models of internationalization (Uppsala model, sprinkler model, etc.)
• Motives and drivers for internationalization
• Forms of market entry (indirect/direct export, licensing, joint ventures, wholly owned subsidiaries)
• Market selection, location choice, and country risk analyses (economic, political, legal/institutional)
• Planning international expansion (timing of market entries, sequencing of internationalization steps, etc.)
• Differences between multinational enterprises (MNEs) and SMEs, particularly market entry decisions under limited financial, personnel, and organizational resources
• Challenges of internationalization and reverse internationalization

• Independent preparation and organization of the trip in coordination with the course instructor
• Company visits, attending courses at partner universities, and lectures and events with the aim of gaining in-depth knowledge of the economic and socio-cultural specifics of the country and its economy

• Conveying the currently most important and most-discussed trends in business
• Developing theories, models, methods, and solution approaches for these current trends
• Initial application examples and best practices for these trends
• Mutual exchange and presentation of the content and solutions

• Introduction to leadership theory with reference to previous study content
• Principles, tasks, and tools of effective leadership
• Personal working methods, self-management, and self-motivation as key competences in the VUCA world
• Methods for diagnosing and optimizing (self-)leadership

• Fundamentals and classification of general business administration
• Fundamentals of corporate management (organization, human resource management, etc.)
• Fundamentals of controlling and cross-connections to accounting and finance
• Selected business administration topics (innovation management, strategy development, etc.)

• Linear and quadratic functions
• Basic financial mathematics
• Differential calculus
• Systems of linear equations
• Analysis of functions with two or more variables
• Optimization under constraints using the Lagrange function

• Fundamentals and classification of accounting
• Distinction between external and internal accounting
• Tasks, functions, and legal foundations of external accounting (Austrian Business Code, UGB)
• Introduction to the obligation to keep accounts
• Fundamentals of bookkeeping and double-entry bookkeeping
• Principles of proper accounting (GoB)
• Structure and classification of the balance sheet and income statement under the UGB
• Introduction to cost accounting

• Production theory, planning, and organization of production
• Logistics in the company (procurement, storage, transport)
• Inventory management and warehousing costs (including basic ordering models)
• Coordination mechanisms, conflicting objectives, and simulations in supply chains (e.g., Beer Game, bullwhip effect)
• Key performance indicators and analysis tools in supply chain management (e.g., inventory intensity, warehousing costs, return on investment, cash conversion cycle, ABC and XYZ analysis) as well as basic models for inventory optimization (e.g., economic order quantity)

• Classic and new approaches in HRM
• Trends and changes in the world of work (work processes, work methods, collaboration, leadership, etc.)
• Methods for analyzing and designing HR processes and New Work
• Case examples and cases on HRM and New Work

• Basic concepts of statistics
• Univariate and multivariate data description
• Fundamentals of probability theory and theoretical distributions
• Estimation procedures and statistical tests
• Software such as MS Excel (in depth) and/or SPSS/R (on an illustrative basis)
• Gini coefficient and Herfindahl index

• Deepening of knowledge in external accounting
• Tasks, functions, and legal foundations of financial reporting under the UGB
• Components of the annual financial statements under the UGB
• Structure and classification of the balance sheet
• Recognition and measurement of selected balance sheet items
• Overview of selected financial reporting regulations
• Selected balance sheet ratios for corporate management
• Introduction to international financial reporting under IFRS

• Definition of the terminology of the marketing mix
• Differences between the B2B and B2C markets
• Market segmentation, positioning, USP
• Customer-centric market research
• Social media management
• Customer experience management
• Integrated marketing
• Customer journey mapping
• Touchpoint management

• Introduction to the Austrian legal system
• Basic concepts and functions of law
• Structure and sources of law (statutes, regulations, customary law, case law)
• Differences between public law and private law
• Fundamentals of contract law (formation of contracts, declarations of intent, breaches of performance)
• Overview of business-relevant types of contracts
• Introduction to company law and commercial law
• Overview of corporate law with cross-references to general business administration (legal form, location choice, business combinations, etc.)

• Introduction to strategic corporate management
• Core topics of strategic management: navigation system, competitive strategy, mission statement, value creation
• Analysis and design of the strategy process in a company
• Essential strategy methods (value chain, 5 Forces, etc.)

• Theoretical and practical fundamentals of the omnichannel ecosystem
• Interplay between omnichannel and corporate strategy
• Customer behavior, customer analysis, and customer journey
• Omnichannel strategies in connection with a company's marketing mix

• Theoretical basis of controlling
• Planning and control
• Information gathering
• Organization of controlling
• Digitalization in controlling

• Influence of interest rate developments on companies and their financing and investment decisions
• Investment appraisal methods, in particular discounting methods such as net present value, calculation of the internal rate of return, etc.
• Types of bonds and how they are valued
• Basic knowledge of stocks

• Economic growth, social inequality, and environmental conditions
• Efficient allocation of scarce resources
• Market model and market equilibrium
• Strategic interaction and social dilemmas
• Elasticity, pricing, and market forms
• Analysis of the welfare effects of government intervention

• “Holistic strategic management” in the sense of connecting strategy with: organization, productivity, leadership, culture, change, etc.
• Linking strategy with current topics
• Development and adaptation of strategic methods
• Application and implementation of strategic questions for one's own company

• Fundamentals of organizational psychology and an overview of key organizational theories
• Psychological perspectives on leadership, teamwork, and conflict behavior
• Motivation, job satisfaction, and individual performance in organizations
• Influence of organizational climate and organizational culture on behavior and collaboration
• Psychological aspects of change processes (e.g., resistance, acceptance, resilience)

• Interpretation of gross domestic product and the consumer price index
• Measurement of economic growth and inflation
• Areas of responsibility of the central bank with regard to money supply and interest rate setting
• Effects of monetary and fiscal policy
• Aggregate demand and aggregate supply
• Systemic crises in connection with the financial sector and environmental pollution

• Investment alternatives
• Analysis of different asset classes
• Developing one's own investment decisions based on risk-return profiles and personal preferences
• Trading on virtual platforms

• Key features of organizations (membership, purpose, hierarchy)
• Decisions and decision premises
• Three sides of organizations (formal and informal side, as well as the display side)
• Structural features of organizations (programs, communication channels, personnel)
• Meta-structure matrix of organizations
• Organizational development and change
• Paradoxes and side effects