COURSE CONTRIBUTION TO PROGRAM
"The biggest single change in management during my career has been the increase in time managers spend dealing with government.?
Edmund T. Pratt, Jr., Chairman and CEO of Pfizer Inc.
This course will explore the relationship between business and its global nonmarket environment and provide the participant with managerial frameworks for effective nonmarket management.
Interdependence between private enterprises and public institutions is a central factor in the evolution of modern economies. It appears in many different forms and is a key variable in international competition.
Markets are defined and structured around a set of rules, norms and regulations. The norms governing a given market, how they evolve and in which direction they do so, are the result of the cumulative interaction of firms, interest groups and political institutions. Among others competition is shaped by intellectual property norms, anti-trust policies, international trade or environmental agreements and sector regulations. Firms and economic actors develop their nonmarket strategies to legitimately influence this process.
An understanding of the features of the interactions between private companies and public institutions is a primary element in the education of a modern manager. This phenomenon is further enhanced by globalization, regionalization and the digital economy.
The course will consist of case-based discussions and requires active participation of and preparation by students. Student evaluation consists of participation in class, quizzes, group presentations and write-ups, and a final report.
Course Learning Objectives
- To develop an understanding of the influence of business-government relations on the strategies and performance of private enterprises.
- To develop a set of conceptual frameworks to analyze non-market issues.
- To understand the non-market environment of the firm and its relationship to the market environment.
- To understand how non-market factors vary across industries and cross-nationally.
- To learn how to evaluate the efficacy of different non market tactics
- To understand how non-market strategies are shaped by globalization and by global governance initiatives.
- To develop practical managerial skills in order to manage these relations effectively, especially in the international arena.
CONTENT
1. Introduction to the Nonmarket Environment & Business Strategy |
2. Nonmarket Strategy in the EU |
3. Nonmarket Strategy and International Institutions |
4. Nonmarket Strategy, Coalitions & Alliances |
5. Businesses & Other Nonmarket Actors |
6. Implementation and Evaluation of Nonmarket Strategy |
7. Effectiveness of grassroots campaigns |
8. Nonmarket Strategy in Comparative Perspective |
Methodology
The learning path envisaged in this course is expected to: 1) provide an in-depth understanding of relevant issues through clear definitions and messages, 2) offer an articulated and multifaceted perspective on the issue, challenging stereotypes on government, business and their interaction patterns, and 3) provide practical tools for managing the issue from a business perspective.
The course places a special emphasis on developing knowledge, skills and attitudes suitable to support managerial action. For this purpose, the learning process is centered on case-based and interactive reading-based lectures, where active participation to class discussions and reference to the news are the expected standard.
This is a discussion course, so we encourage your active participation. Sharing your experience with the group will enrich all the participants and make the sessions more dynamic.
All students are required to read in advance and be prepared for discuss the readings assigned to the sessions. Readings and cases are available in the course Moodle.
Collective coursework:
- As part of their coursework, will work frequently in groups.
- Each student will evaluate each of the other group members.
Bibliography
Readings will be available on Moodle.
The following reference book is recommended:
- David P. Baron, Business and Its Environment (7th Ed.) Upper Saddle River, New Jersey: Pearson. ISBN 9780132620550.
