International Business Management

• Positioning of digitization, digitalization and digital transformation
• Introduction to the fundamentals of digital transformation and artificial intelligence (AI)
• Impact on organizations and industry structures
• Overview of digital ecosystems, the platform economy and network effects
• Impact on companies

• Overview of digital and data-driven business models
• Management in the digital age
• Use of digital tools and AI in business processes
• Change management and digital leadership skills
• Digital leadership

• Theory and practice of ethics and morality
• Philosophical foundations, ethical theories and cross-cultural values in economic decision-making processes
• Cross-cultural and multi-rational perspectives in global business environments
• Business ethics in international management, dealing with contradictions and ethical dilemmas in companies and organizations
• Critical reflection on management approaches (e.g., principal-agent theory, shareholder value approach, etc.) from an ethical and sustainable perspective
• Sustainability strategies, an in-depth examination of the triple bottom line (TBL) and the three dimensions of sustainability (economy, environment and society)
• Global initiatives, the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in corporate strategies and practice-oriented corporate sustainability concepts
• Corporate social responsibility (CSR) in the international business environment

• Fundamentals of digital transformation and artificial intelligence
• Digital business models and innovation strategies
• Impact of digital transformation and AI on companies, the economy and governance structures
• Strategic, regulatory and ethical challenges
• Digital initiatives of the European Union (e.g., EU Industrial Strategy for a digital Europe, EU Chips Act, Digital Services and Digital Markets Acts, etc.)

• Expert interviews and group discussions
• Data collection methods in qualitative surveys and observation
• Qualitative sampling procedures and content analysis
• Interpretive text analysis and grounded theory
• Combining theoretical concepts with survey design
• Mixed-methods approaches

• Descriptive statistics and inferential statistics
• Data types and data analysis
• Information gathering and visualization
• Identification and interpretation of statistical instruments
• Implementation of analyses with statistical software

• Core topics, theories and models of strategic management
• Strategy in the context of the St. Gallen Management Model and management cybernetics
• Fundamentals of transformation and innovation management
• Leadership processes related to strategy (analysis, planning and implementation methods)

• The difference between correlation and causality
• Multivariate procedures and OLS regression
• Estimating coefficients with hypothesis testing
• Interpreting indicators of model goodness of fit
• Implementing regression analysis with the statistical software SPSS or R

• Managing teams and reflective competence
• Information-based decision-making competence in a realistic business environment
• Business functions (PLM, CRM, SCM, corporate functions)
• Market analyses and market developments
• Use of analytical tools (SWOT, benchmarking, market shares, cost and contribution margin analyses, etc.)
• Developing strategies
• Controlling and key performance indicators
• Applying the concept of sustainability and the 17 UN SDGs

• Overview of the most important strategy tools
• Fundamentals for developing methods and solution approaches for corporate strategy cases
• Impulses for developing solutions
• Methodological, procedural and content-related reflection

• Topic development and preparation in the form of a poster and an exposé
• Presentation and discussion of a poster in small groups
• Poster and exposé creation

• Analysis of international markets, competitive environments and institutional frameworks
• Theories of internationalization (Uppsala model, eclectic paradigm, born globals, international new ventures, etc.)
• Global market entry strategies (export, licensing, joint ventures & strategic alliances, etc.)
• Forms of foreign direct investment (FDI) (WFOEs, greenfield investments, M&A, etc.)
• Market selection (screening of target markets, OLI model, risk assessments, etc.)
• Global market expansion and emerging market strategy
• Strategic planning of international expansion (timing and sequencing of expansion, first-mover vs. follower, etc.)
• Global integration vs. local responsiveness (I-R framework)
• Comparative advantage vs. location-specific advantage
• Strategic alignment of global expansion with corporate strategy
• Challenges of internationalization and reverse internationalization
• Applying academic concepts to problems faced by multinational enterprises (MNEs)

• Characteristics, rules and principles of academia and academic work
• Epistemological and methodological principles of academic research
• Overview of databases and other ways to find literature sources
• Formal standards of academic work
• Planning the research process
• Quality assurance

• Project management know-how (from kick-off to the final presentation)
• Regular project documentation and adherence to timelines
• Coordination with other project team members
• Research on specific corporate matters
• Practical case analysis using digital tools
• Document analysis (including annual reports) from cost-effectiveness and sustainability perspectives

• Review of the qualitative and quantitative research methods covered during the program and their fields of application.
• In-depth study of selected methods for application to specific research questions.
• Analysis of current academic articles from relevant journals
• Discussion of the methodological potential of different approaches with regard to research questions in the context of International Business Management.
• Deriving implications for planning and conducting one's own master's thesis.

• Practical case analysis using digital tools
• Financing and investment decisions
• Ratio analysis and liquidity management
• Analysis of financial statements from cost-effectiveness and sustainability perspectives

• Deepening knowledge of academic work with regard to developing and implementing a research design and structuring the writing process
• Academic writing with MS Word or LaTeX
• Time-series and/or panel data (as needed)
• Advanced procedures such as the Tobit model or Poisson regression (as needed)
• Regular meetings on the current status and progress of the master's thesis with the accompanying academic supervisor
• Information on the oral master's examination before the committee

• Overview of extracurricular activities and their potential for studies, 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, nonprofit projects)
• Guidance and feedback on individual learning and development paths throughout the program

The content of the supervision depends on the individual needs of the students

• Understanding roles, expectations and requirements placed on students
• Getting to know and reflecting on personal goals, strengths and ways of working
• 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
• Developing joint initiatives and concrete measures to promote an inclusive team and cohort culture

• Cultural theories and cross-cultural models (Hofstede, Trompenaars, etc.)
• In-depth engagement with cross-cultural management approaches and current research (GLOBE study, cultural intelligence, etc.)
• Analysis of the impact of cultural differences on strategic decisions, leadership and organizational culture
• Cross-cultural dynamics and challenges in virtual, globally distributed teams
• Conflict management in cross-cultural contexts

• In-depth study and application of the concepts of team phases (Tuckman) and team roles (Belbin) to the development of the cohort team
• Introduction and application of Hofstede's model of cultural dimensions
• Exercises and case studies on cross-cultural communication, conflict resolution and decision-making
• Reflection on one's own team role and further development of individual strengths in a cross-cultural context
• Transfer: the importance of cultural diversity for international work contexts and globally networked organizations

• Project management know-how (from kick-off to follow-up reporting)
• Research on a specific topic in a target destination
• Regular project documentation while adhering to specific timelines
• Coordination with other project team members
• Situation analysis and development of potential solution proposals and their presentation

• Analysis and discussion of a current topic in the field of International Business Management (e.g., globalization trends, sustainability, digitalization, geopolitical developments).

• Financing options for start-ups and established companies on international capital markets and from private intermediaries
• Ratio analysis and comparison of companies from a cost-effectiveness perspective
• Working capital management
• Ensuring corporate liquidity

• Financing and investment decisions
• Ratio analysis and liquidity management
• Analysis of financial statements from a cost-effectiveness perspective
• Practical case analysis using digital tools

• Fundamentals of international financial reporting under IFRS (cash, receivables, inventories, fixed assets)
• Analysis of financial statements
• Analysis of practical cases

• Fundamentals of international financial reporting under IFRS and sustainability reporting under ESRS
• Analysis of financial statements
• Consolidation of the financial statements of affiliated companies
• Analysis of practical cases

• Gaining knowledge of current corporate trends and financial innovations based on current finance articles
• Example trends relate to digitalization and sustainability developments in corporate investment and financing decisions, blockchain-based innovations and mechanisms such as:
• Trends in the compensation strategies of managers
• New financing and investment options for companies (including financing via crowdsourcing & crowdfunding)
• Cryptocurrencies and related financial technologies (fintech) as well as digital payment systems/CBDC
• Sustainability regulation, e.g., green finance, ESG, ESRS)

• Dividend policy of companies
• Model-based determinants of a company's capital structure (Modigliani-Miller theorems)
• Company valuation methods (multiples, discounted cash flow: WACC, APV, CCF)
• Practical case analysis using digital tools

• Investment alternatives and modern portfolio theory
• Analysis of different asset classes
• Developing one's own investment decisions based on risk-return profiles and personal preferences
• New fintech developments

• Current talks by external experts on specialist topics such as media planning, SEO, PR, ESG, market research, etc.)
• Customer segmentation (Classic/Sinus Milieus/Limbic Map)
• Positioning with Cube
• Omnichannel marketing
• Online marketing (website marketing − banner advertising − online video advertising − email marketing − SEM − mobile marketing − SMM − smart TV advertising)
• Paid/owned/earned media
• Color Emotion Guide
• Social listening
• ROI/RFM
• Brand ambassadors
• New marketing perspectives

• Marketing in today's world
• Strategic marketing planning
• Gathering and analyzing marketing information
• Developing competitive advantages
• Customer segmentation
• Ethics and social responsibility in marketing strategy
• Implementing and controlling marketing measures
• Developing long-term customer retention measures

• Definition and delineation of the term brand
• Brand positioning (USP/SVP)
• Brand strategy (values, rules)
• Creative process (storytelling)
• Brand book (color scheme, typography, logo)
• Neuromarketing
• Performance measurement (BCG, Havas)
• International vs. local marketing

• Selected current issues in the field of marketing within the framework of a project and/or based on practical project(s) and/or academic articles
• Trends in economic conditions that have a lasting impact on marketing
• Analysis, discussion and independent handling of current marketing issues.
• All key terms and technical concepts of marketing

• Application of customer-oriented analysis tools (e.g., ABC analysis, target group analysis, satisfaction analysis, customer journey) using case examples/practical examples
• Application of market-oriented analysis tools (e.g., BCG, McKinsey, 5 Forces, Ansoff) using case examples/practical examples
• Terms and fundamentals of CRM, principles of data analysis for CRM activities
• Techniques for estimating market and customer potential, including plausibility checks
• Combining the above-mentioned analysis tools with findings from conventional market research on customer needs and customer satisfaction
• Integrating the findings into business and marketing plans

• Fundamentals of digital marketing communication
• Digital marketing toolbox (website, email, social media, SEO, paid search, content marketing, online communities)
• Digital people/products/payment methods/data protection
• Performance marketing, sharing economy
• Digital customer journey map

• Selected current issues in the field of the market and/or marketing within the framework of a specific practical project, a virtual project or based on academic articles.
• Trends in economic conditions that have a lasting impact on the market and marketing.

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

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