Module Information
Course Delivery
| Delivery Type | Delivery length / details |
|---|---|
| Lecture | 1 x 2 hour lectures |
| Seminars / Tutorials | 2 x 2 hour seminars |
Assessment
| Assessment Type | Assessment length / details | Proportion |
|---|---|---|
| Semester Assessment | Individual Coursework: 3,000 words essay | 30% |
| Semester Exam | 3 Hours Written Examination | 70% |
| Supplementary Assessment | Repeat failed elements or equivalent | 30% |
| Supplementary Exam | 3 Hours Repeat failed elements or equivalent | 70% |
Learning Outcomes
On successful completion of this module students should be able to:
Explain the how theories of international relations inform our understanding of the international business environment.
Outline the distinction between hard law and soft law in the international political economy.
Demonstrate an understanding of important regulatory regimes for international business.
Critically analyze how firms come to be political actors and assess their relations with other actors and institutions
Demonstrate an understanding of firm-government relationships in a range of issue areas.
Apply the above learning outcomes to the policy challenges of a national or transnational institution.
Aims
This module is designed to provide students with an overview of the political (and attendant social and environmental) aspects of international business. The module seeks to introduce students to other, non-corporate actors in the international system and show how these actors influence, and in turn influenced by, internationalised firms. The course will also provide an overview of the `governance architecture? of the international system, explaining how organisations like the World Trade Organisation (WTO) as well as `soft law? regulatory regimes affect business operations.
Content
Approaches to International Political Economy
Evolution of the IPE
Regionalism
Non-state and non-corporate actors in the IPE
Explaining regulatory change in the international political economy
Regime theory and its application to IB
Firms, politics and the environment
Firms, politics and human rights
Firms, politics and health
Firms and corporate responsibilities (eg Kimberley Process)
Brief description
The module will familiarize students with theoretical and practical approaches to the regulation of international business, as well as business'r role in the governance of these regulatory bodies. Students will be exposed to major theoretical frameworks in international political economy so that they understand how various actors frame debates about appropriate economic governance. They will also learn how international business literature uses political science concepts, such as regime theory, to explain activities such as international corporate alliances. They will also learn the role of firms in the construction of an increasingly legalised and institutionalised IPE.
Module Skills
| Skills Type | Skills details |
|---|---|
| Application of Number | The course will develop a student’s ability to read and understand national accounts and other international economic data. |
| Communication | Discussion-based seminars facilitate critical thinking and help to develop good presentation skills. Independent work on assessed essay helps to develop writing skills which will be of use when writing the assessment. |
| Improving own Learning and Performance | Students will improve their learning by undertaking directed but independent study and work. Time management will be crucial in preparation for the assessments. |
| Information Technology | The use of electronic journals is highly relevant for the successful preparation of the essay. In addition, although not required, students may choose to use electronic library databases. |
| Personal Development and Career planning | The module provides content which may prove highly valuable for students in their later careers. Knowledge and understanding of contemporary issues in the international political economy as well as research skills developed in connection with the preparation of assessed individual coursework contribute to transferable skills. |
| Problem solving | The module demands the participants to apply analytical skills to reason and understand the challenging nature of the subject. By introducing a variety of theoretical as well as empirical topics, the module enables students to develop creative thinking approaches to problem solving and to critically evaluate potential solutions to complex and challenging problems. These skills will have to be applied in tutorial discussions, preparation of the written assessment and in the exam. |
| Research skills | Students will be mostly working with influential theoretical as well as empirical research papers published in international business, international relations and public policy journals. This will introduce them to a range of research methods, which will facilitate development of appropriate research skills necessary to produce high quality essays. The students will have to prepare an individual report based on information that they will have to collect, having to arrange coherently in a written document all the relevant material gathered. |
| Subject Specific Skills | Student will understand a range of terms |
| Team work | Team work ethics are encouraged in seminars. During seminars students will be encouraged to participate in group discussions/presentations. |
Notes
This module is at CQFW Level 7