COURSE OBJECTIVES

Participants of the course shall

• Develop an understanding of the current issues foreign companies are confronted with when entering and operating in Central and East European markets;
• Understand the business environment in CEE and why these markets are attractive for investors;
• Learn what business logic drives foreign companies in CEE and how they approach the region and manage their business in CEE;
• Get an overview of typical entry and marketing strategies used in the region today;
• Understand how local firms respond to foreign competitors at home and how they grow abroad;
• Learn how MNCs manage and organize their operations in CEE.

OBJECTIVES/LEARNINGOUTCOMES

The purpose of this course is to give an overview of current issues and trends when doing business in the region and on strategy formation and implementation in CEE from the perspective of Western and local companies.

By the end of the module students will have learned:

• The characteristics of economies and markets in CEE;
• The strategic and managerial implications for companies doing business in those countries.

Knowledge and Understanding:

After completing thiscourse students will have:

• Understand the process of transition from a centrally planned to a market-based economy and its implications for doing business in the region;
• Understand the motivation and strategic considerations which guide the expansion of foreign companies to CEE;
• An overview of typical entry and marketing strategies used in the region today;
• Understand how MNCs manage and organize their operations in CEE.

Cognitive and Subject Specific Skills:

After completing this module students will have:

• Improved their critical thinking by seeing business issues through different lenses (Western versus local CEE perspective; academic versus managerial perspective);
• Strengthened their library and internet research skills and learned how to synthesize and assess data/information from a variety of sources;
• The ability to see business decisions in emerging markets embedded into a very diverse and dynamic environmental context;
• The ability to structure decisions related to the choice of the right entry strategy into and marketing strategy for CEE.

Key Skills:

After completing this module students will have:

• Improved skills in structuring ideas and presentations, both as individuals and as members of a team
• Strengthened their ability to identify relevant data and evaluate information stemming from different sources
• Learned how to approach and structure complex management issues in a multifaceted business environment
• Improved their ability to work in a multicultural team.

CLASS FORMAT

Classes will be interactive. The principle teaching methods used in class meetings are lectures, group presentations and case discussions. All students are expected to read the assigned articles and cases prior to the sessions in which they are to be covered (see class schedule) and to contribute to class discussion.

Class attendance is mandatory. To pass the course you are not allowed to miss more than 20% of class time. In case you cannot participate, please inform the instructor before your absence.

This course is exclusively offered to students of the Master Class CEE 2023-24.