Module Information
Course Delivery
Delivery Type | Delivery length / details |
---|---|
Lecture | 9 x 3 hour sessions combining lecture, case study and group work |
Assessment
Assessment Type | Assessment length / details | Proportion |
---|---|---|
Semester Assessment | Coursework based on study visit 3,000 words Coursework based on study visit 3000 words | 50% |
Semester Exam | 2 Hours Examination | 50% |
Supplementary Assessment | Repeat failed elements or equivalent Resit or resubmit failed elements | 50% |
Supplementary Exam | 2 Hours Repeat failed elements or equivalent | 50% |
Learning Outcomes
On successful completion of this module students should be able to:
Explain key concepts in political risk management and non-market strategy.
Outline the distinction between market and non-market strategies and their respective roles in integrated strategy
Demonstrate an understanding of methods and practices associated with corporate political activity.
Critically analyze how firms interact with political authority and civil society.
Evaluate approaches to political risk assessment and management.
Apply the above learning outcomes in political risk analysis and strategy development.
Content
The international business environment has seen a dramatic `return of the state? with government intervention and activity increasingly prevalent. This relates not merely to the financial crisis that began in 2007, but to differing conceptions of the role of the state in a world of increased competition for resources. This opening session explores some of the roots of the `backlash? to globalisation. Why is the United States now so ambivalent about liberalisation in the world economy? Do stable authoritarian states with developing economies challenge our traditional understanding about the evolution of the state-economy relationship? How should firms respond to the increased politicisation of the international economy?
Topic 2: Introduction to Political Risk
What is `political risk?? How does it differ from other types of risk that firms face in their international operations? What are the sources of political risk, what forms does it take and what tools are available to manage political risk? What are the origins of the political risk `industry? and how has it evolved? Finally, what is the role of political risk at the nexus of foreign investment and economic development?
Topic 3: Developing a Political Risk Assessment
How do firms and governments undertake political risk analysis? This section of the course looks at the `how? of political risk analysis and links it to the market strategy of the firm. It will also look at the role of government agencies in the political risk market. Many states have extensive export-credit operations that rely on political risk assessments to inform the decision to support a specific export.
Topic 4: Non-Market Strategy
Firms are used to crafting and implementing market strategies designed to gain competitive advantage in the marketplace. However, success can often depend on how the firm uses the non-market environment (government, civil society) to its advantage. This session explores the concept of non-market strategy as a way to integrate political risk analysis into strategy development. We consider how corporate political activity (CPA) is used to implement non-market strategy. What are the components of non-market strategy? How does political risk inform the development of the non-market strategy?
Topic 5: International Corporate Political Activity: International Lobbying
Most studies of lobbying concentrate on the European Union and ? especially ? the United States. In both those economies there are well established patterns of corporate political activity. This session begins with an exploration of the EU and US lobbying system and seeks to understand the differences between the two. It then moves to consider how corporate political activity evolves in emerging markets. How does CPA differ between Europe, America and emerging economies? To what extent do non-market strategies `travel? between established and emerging markets?
Brief description
As companies have learned to deal with macro-risk, other sources of political risk ? including sudden policy change, activist pressure and global terrorism ? are posing new challenges that require new tools and strategies. Political risk is often associated with emerging markets; yet we are witnessing increased political risk in developed economies. Successful companies have developed comprehensive nonmarket strategies to manage political risk, engage in corporate social responsibility to enhance their legitimacy and employ scenario planning to prepare for an uncertain future.
We will treat the issue of political risk management comprehensively, considering it from the perspective of investing firms, financial intermediaries, local governments and international organisations. Besides studying the management of political risk at the company level, we will also analyse the links between political risk, foreign direct investment and economic development at the national level.
Aims
This course introduces students to the theory and practice of political risk analysis and its importance to the implementation of an integrated strategy. Much strategic management literature does not consider the external environment when analysing strategy development and implementation. This course will develop students? abilities to identify political risk and develop mitigation strategies.
Module Skills
Skills Type | Skills details |
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Application of Number | The course has no formal quantitative element but it can be expected that students may use basic quantitative skills as a means of preparing their assessment. Note too that students will be exposed to methods of political risk analysis that do rely on metrics and quantitative analyses. |
Communication | The sessions will be very interactive, with a premium placed on group work and concomitant discussion. |
Improving own Learning and Performance | The course is designed to encourage students to learn independently, both through case preparation and the research undertaken for the written assessment. |
Information Technology | All students will be expected to utilize the latest information technology in support of their assessment and class preparation. |
Personal Development and Career planning | At the end of the course, students will be able to prepare and analyze political risk assessments and understand how these contribute to the integrated strategy of the firm. Students thus significantly enhance their value to prospective employers. |
Problem solving | Case work in seminars and assessments will develop students’ ability to identify problems and draw on tools and techniques to solve these. |
Research skills | In sessions students will be expected to draw on a range of external sources to address the case questions. The coursework assessment will also require significant additional research to prepare. |
Subject Specific Skills | In this course students will learn to prepare a form of political risk assessment based on cases and research. They will also understand how the political risk industry works but learning about the key actors and their relationships. They will critically evaluate various approaches to political risk assessment and political risk management. |
Team work | Group work in the sessions will develop team working skills. |
Notes
This module is at CQFW Level 7