This course is part of the International Business Essentials Specialization

Dr Alan Parkinson

Offered By

International Business Essentials SpecializationUniversity of London

About this Course

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This course explores the international business environment in which organisations function. You’ll learn about core analysis methods, including PESTLE, SWOT, and Boston Box Matrices, as well as the applications of Porter’s Five Forces. You’ll have the opportunity to participate in discussion forums and access case studies, as well as testing your understanding in quizzes.
This course forms part of a specialization from the University of London designed to help you develop and build the essential business, academic, and cultural skills necessary to succeed in international business, or in further study. 

If completed successfully, your certificate from this specialization can also be used as part of the application process for the University of London Global MBA programme, particularly for early career applicants. If you would like more information about the Global MBA, please visit https://mba.london.ac.uk/.

This course is endorsed by CMI

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Course 5 of 6 in the

International Business Essentials Specialization

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Approx. 10 hours to complete

English

Subtitles: Arabic, French, Portuguese (European), Chinese (Simplified), Italian, Vietnamese, Korean, German, Russian, Turkish, English, Spanish

Instructor

Instructor rating

4.6/5 (30 Ratings)

Dr Alan Parkinson

Deputy Director (Education), School of Management

UCL, University of London

20,902 Learners

2 Courses

Shareable Certificate

Earn a Certificate upon completion

100% online

Start instantly and learn at your own schedule.

Course 5 of 6 in the

International Business Essentials Specialization

Flexible deadlines

Reset deadlines in accordance to your schedule.

Approx. 10 hours to complete

English

Subtitles: Arabic, French, Portuguese (European), Chinese (Simplified), Italian, Vietnamese, Korean, German, Russian, Turkish, English, Spanish

Offered by

University of London

The University of London is a federal University which includes 18 world leading Colleges. Our distance learning programmes were founded in 1858 and have enriched the lives of thousands of students, delivering high quality University of London degrees wherever our students are across the globe. Our alumni include 7 Nobel Prize winners. Today, we are a global leader in distance and flexible study, offering degree programmes to over 50,000 students in over 180 countries. To find out more about studying for one of our degrees where you are, visit www.london.ac.uk

Syllabus - What you will learn from this course

Week

Week 1

2 hours to complete

First Ideas

This week introduces the nature of the environment, both external and internal, in which the organisation exists. It provides an initial set of insights to a range of models which are useful in managing the challenges presented by a changing environment. This week, we will cover: > What is the organisational external environment? What about the organisational internal environment?International and global contexts, and meeting useful analytical models

2 hours to complete

9 videos (Total 25 min), 4 readings, 1 quiz

9 videos

Welcome to International Business Environment5m

1.1 Introduction4m

1.3 Intermission21s

1.4 International Contexts1m

1.5- Factors Driving Moves To Global Strategies2m

1.6- Globalization and Internationalization1m

1.7 Five Dimensions of Culture31s

1.8 Hofstede's comparison of National Cultures8m

1.10- Summary59s

4 readings

1.2- The Tasks of Managing10m

1.5- Factors Driving Moves To Global Strategies10m

1.8- Hofstede's Comparison of National Cultures10m

1.9 - National Cultures10m

Week

Week 2

3 hours to complete

Analysing the External Environment

This week illustrates how PESTLE and SWOT models are applied and evaluated by organisations as they seek to make sense of the impact of the organisational environment on their activities. This week, we will cover:Generic PESTLE (Political, Economic, Socio-cultural, Technological, Legal, and Environmental) analyses; SWOT (Strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, threats) analyses; PESTLE and SWOT analyses at the local, national, and international levels

3 hours to complete

5 videos (Total 22 min), 2 readings, 3 quizzes

5 videos

2.1 Analysing the External Environment- Introduction6m

2.2 PESTLE Analysis5m

2.2 PESTLE analysis case study5m

2.3 SWOT Matrix ABC2m

2.4 The Importance of Thorough Analysis1m

2 readings

PEST and PESTLE Analysis10m

SWOT Analysis10m

1 practice exercise

Quiz: PEST and PESTLE30m

Week

Week 3

2 hours to complete

Analysing the Immediate Competitive Environment

This week illustrates how Life Cycle, Boston Box, and Growth Matrix models are applied and evaluated by organisations as they seek to make sense of the impact of the organisational environment on their activities. This week, we will cover: The challenge of product life cycles; Boston Box Matrix analyses of product and brand portfolios; Ansoff Growth Matrix analyses

2 hours to complete

4 videos (Total 19 min), 3 readings, 2 quizzes

4 videos

3.1 Analyzing the Near Environment7m

3.2 Boston Box Review3m

3.3 Ansoff's Growth Matrix6m

3.4 Reinforcing Key Elements2m

3 readings

Product Life Cycle Stages10m

Boston Box Matrix10m

Ansoff Matrix10m

2 practice exercises

Quiz: Product Life Cycle30m

Quiz: Boston Box Matrix30m

Week

Week 4

3 hours to complete

Analysing the Wider Competitive Environment

This week illustrates how the state of competitive rivalry in the environment is analysed and evaluated using Porter's Five Forces model, and Porters strategies for competitive advantage. This week, we will cover: The challenge of competition, Porter's Five Forces model; Competitive strategies, and competitive advantage, using Porter's strategies for competitive advantage

3 hours to complete

5 videos (Total 14 min), 3 readings, 2 quizzes

5 videos

4.1- Introduction4m

4.2 Porter's Five Forces1m

4.2 Porter's Five Forces continued4m

4.7 Competitive Strategy2m

4.11- Summary51s

3 readings

4.3 Porter's Five Forces10m

4.4 Harvard Business Review | Porters Five Forces10m

4.8 Reading- Porter's Five Forces10m

1 practice exercise

4.9 Quiz30m

About the International Business Essentials Specialization

This specialisation from the University of London is designed to help you develop and build the essential business, academic, and cultural skills necessary to succeed in further study and in international business.

Frequently Asked Questions

When will I have access to the lectures and assignments?
Access to lectures and assignments depends on your type of enrollment. If you take a course in audit mode, you will be able to see most course materials for free. To access graded assignments and to earn a Certificate, you will need to purchase the Certificate experience, during or after your audit. If you don't see the audit option:
The course may not offer an audit option. You can try a Free Trial instead, or apply for Financial Aid.
The course may offer 'Full Course, No Certificate' instead. This option lets you see all course materials, submit required assessments, and get a final grade. This also means that you will not be able to purchase a Certificate experience.
What will I get if I subscribe to this Specialization?
When you enroll in the course, you get access to all of the courses in the Specialization, and you earn a certificate when you complete the work. Your electronic Certificate will be added to your Accomplishments page - from there, you can print your Certificate or add it to your LinkedIn profile. If you only want to read and view the course content, you can audit the course for free.
Is financial aid available?
Yes, Coursera provides financial aid to learners who cannot afford the fee. Apply for it by clicking on the Financial Aid link beneath the "Enroll" button on the left. You'll be prompted to complete an application and will be notified if you are approved. You'll need to complete this step for each course in the Specialization, including the Capstone Project. Learn more.

More questions? Visit the Learner Help Center.

International Business Environment