Managing International Markets

Teaching and learning formats

Tuition in seminars (onsite or digital/virtual)

Applicability

This modules takes the relevant markets for companies into focus, both the supply as well as the demand side (financial markets are discussed in Module 8).

Programme semester

2. Semester

Particular conditions for admission (to exam)

 other exam (soP): Presentation (C), Paper (F) or Portfolio (G)
Decision and Announcement at the beginning of the semester.
The lectures are weighted by their SWS to derive the module grade.

Weighting factor of module grade

Factor 1

Module contents

International Marketing

• International marketing environments
• Evaluating the attractiveness of foreign markets for marketing purposes
• Influences and effects of cultural differences on international marketing decision making
• Marketing mix development in intercultural environments
• International distribution strategies and foreign market entry   strategies
• International product strategies, particularly issues regarding product standardization versus adaptation
• International pricing decisions
• Intercultural differences in marketing communications
• Nature and scope of international market research
• International market research process
• Public relations for international companies

Management of International Supply Chains
I) Basics, Trends and Drivers in International Logistics Today
Objective: Besides basic terms and concepts the students should understand how important logistics is in today’s global business. They will learn the fundamentals and basic terms on logistics and the development of supply chain management and logistics services.
Lecture topics:

• Trends and drivers
• Basic terms on logistics
• Function of a logistics system

II) International Logistics Services
Objective: The students will learn the main activities in logistics networks and the processes in supply and distribution logistics.
Lecture topics:

• Cost structures in logistics
• Characteristics of logistics networks
• Differences between supply and distribution logistics
• Pros and Cons of centralization

III) E-Commerce Logistics
Objective: The students will get to know the logistics of e-commerce companies and will be able to describe different business models on the basis of logistics.
Lecture topics:

• Formats of e-commerce from a logistics perspective
• Decisions that have to be taken about the logistics structure
• Possibilities to offer e-commerce-logistics for groceries

IV) International Supply Chain Management
Objective: The students should understand the nature and objectives of global supply chain management and what strategies and supply chain design would be suitable for international affairs in supply chain management.
Lecture topics:

• Nature, principles and objectives of supply chain management
• Supply chain strategies and design
• Modes of collaboration and integration
• Case Studies on international supply chains

V) Supply Chain Risk and Event Management
Objective: The students should understand how vulnerable global supply chains are and which strategies exist to cope with these risks. They should also know how IT-Systems could be used to cope with events within supply chains
Lecture topics:

• Supply chain risks and strategies
• Functions of supply chain event management
• Case studies: examples for supply chain risk management

VI) Strategic Alliances in Logistics and Supply Chain Management
Objective: The students should understand how to build up strategic alliances with international suppliers or logistics service providers.
Lecture topics:

• Strategic alliances with suppliers and Logistics Service Providers
• International supply strategies
• Logistics Service Business Models
• Global Players in Logistics Services
• 3PL/4PL Partnerships
• Case study: United Parcel Services (UPS) – changing business model of a Service Provider

Learning outcomes

After successfully completing this module, the students …

• are familiar with the opportunities and challenges of marketing in an international context
• can describe alternative options within the marketing mix
• know how to adopt the marketing mix to meet culture-specific needs and wants
• can recognize the multi-facetted challenges when marketing products and services across country and cultural borders and how to deal with these challenges
• are able to analyse target markets, define target groups and personas
• can conceptualize a marketing plan to take advantage of market opportunities
• are familiar with the main terms and procedures in logistics
• have insights in current international trends and developments of logistics
• knows the basic processes in retail and e-commerce logistics
• are empowered to design and manage international supply chains and know how to design and implement international logistics operations
• understand the differences between supply and distribution logistics
• are able to analyse the impacts of trends and drivers on logistics networks
• can conceptualise a logistics solution for e-commerce companies
• know the challenges of the design of an international supply chain and are able to handle these challenges to meet the common objectives of supply chain management
• understand the logic behind logistics process and services with focus on trade logistics, the suitable strategies of supply chain management for a product or enterprise and the collaboration between companies along the value chain.
• can identify issues and problems associated with marketing across borders and on different continents
• can explain marketing concepts as used by international and global corporations of different sizes
• can explain the marketing process and its role in international business
• can analyse the fit between the organization, its products and services and the different cultural market settings
• can formulate, present and justify an international marketing program
• can conduct market research in an international context
• are able to design a supply chain in an international context of an enterprise and to develop a risk management strategy to meet any disruptions within a supply chain.

Literature and other material

International Marketing

• Cateora/Graham/Gilly: International Marketing (latest edition).
• Baack/Czarnecka/Baak: International Marketing (latest edition).
• Kenyon/Lowe: International Marketing Strategy (latest edition).
• Albaum: International Marketing and Export Management (latest edition).

Management of International Supply Chains

• Christopher: Logistics and Supply Chain Management (latest edition).
• Murphy/Wood: Contemporary International Logistics (latest edition).
• Chopra/Meindl: Supply Chain Management - Strategy, Planning and Operations (latest edition).
• Kahl, Steven J.: What’s the “Value” of Supply Chain Software?, in: Supply Chain Management Review, January 1999.
• Marshal Fisher: What is the right supply chain for your product?”, in: Harvard Business Review, March/April 1997.
• Chopra/Sodhi: Managing risks in avoid supply chains breakdowns, in: MIT Sloan Management Review, Fall 2004.