International Business Plan
| Module title | International Business Plan |
|---|---|
| Module code | BEMM384 |
| Academic year | 2024/5 |
| Credits | 30 |
| Module staff | Dr Alex Thompson (Convenor) |
| Duration: Term | 1 | 2 | 3 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Duration: Weeks | Jan startes take in Term 1 of 24/25 | Sept start |
| Number students taking module (anticipated) | 330 |
|---|
Module description
The International Business Plan Experience is designed as a cap-stone course that will help you to integrate the knowledge that you have gained over the course of terms one and two and apply that knowledge towards a Business Plan model. Building from the foundational and applied knowledge that you have developed over terms one and two from the disciplines of Marketing, Accounting, Management, Leadership, , Entrepreneurship, and International Business, you will be offered the opportunity to write an individual business plan. This project will use an applied, simulated, data-driven approach to understanding an international business issue. This practice-based approach will help to equip you with the skills research consultants and brand managers use in developing international business strategy.
Module aims - intentions of the module
This module will take a simulated case study approach to understanding the challenges organisations face when competing in global environments. You will take the case study data provided, or in some cases data that you have collected, to develop your own individual plan. The core aim of the module is to simulate the challenges organisations face when competing in international environments. The aim is not just to understand the problems organisations face, but to action these challenges into clear strategy recommendations that form the substance of a consultancy business plan. Students will be provided with organisational data as well as challenged to collect data to gain a better understanding of how to develop an International Business Strategy.
Some of the core elements that you will be tasked with conducting include:
-
A situational analysis
-
An environmental scan
-
A competitive analysis
-
A market size, segment and trend analysis
-
Strategic Recommendations
The course is designed around one week of intensive immersion with the module coordinator. These skills based workshops will provide you with the situational problem, data and/ or where the data can be collected, business plan report structure, and a step-by-step guide on how to complete each element associated with your individual plan. This course will provide you with a tangible employability skill set, in the form of business plan analysis and writing, which you can take into the workplace. The final report can help you build your employability portfolio by providing future employers of evidence-based work developed within your degree programme.
Intended Learning Outcomes (ILOs)
ILO: Module-specific skills
On successfully completing the module you will be able to...
- 1. critically analyse, discuss and apply theories relevant to international business and present managerial recommendations.
- 2. develop your own ideas and strategy recommendations and incorporate them into an individualised plan.
- 3. critically evaluate and enhance specific business competence in core and optional areas of study.
- 4. understand the relationship between globalisation, international business and cross-cultural contexts.
ILO: Discipline-specific skills
On successfully completing the module you will be able to...
- 5. critique a business problem, evaluate data and provide strategic recommendations.
- 6. relate theories to specific case studies, research data and literature bases, and incorporate them into a structured business plan.
- 7. critically analyse a business problem using both practitioner and academic material.
ILO: Personal and key skills
On successfully completing the module you will be able to...
- 8. assess business practice and research as it relates to the internationalisation strategies of firms.
- 9. demonstrate time-management skills, self-reflection, initiative, and self-discipline in the context of analysing and writing a significant piece of business research.
- 10. write about business practice and prepare critiques of those practices and approaches in a manner that is clear, concise and logical.
Syllabus plan
Five 3-hour seminars in term 3. These seminars will be skills based training workshops that provide the foundations for Business Plan writing. Topics will include:
- Introduction to Business Plan Writing;
- Case Study Analysis;
- Consultancy Skills and Strategic Recommendations;
- Situational Analysis;
- Environmental Scanning;
- Market Segmentation, Targeting and Positioning;
- Report Structure and Content;
- Data Collection and Analysis;
- Strategic Analysis and Data Representation.
Learning activities and teaching methods (given in hours of study time)
| Scheduled Learning and Teaching Activities | Guided independent study | Placement / study abroad |
|---|---|---|
| 15 | 285 | 0 |
Details of learning activities and teaching methods
| Category | Hours of study time | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Contact hours | 15 | Workshops |
| Guided Independent Study | 285 |
Formative assessment
| Form of assessment | Size of the assessment (eg length / duration) | ILOs assessed | Feedback method |
|---|---|---|---|
| Discussion Q&A | 30 minutes per seminar | 1-9 | Verbal |
Summative assessment (% of credit)
| Coursework | Written exams | Practical exams |
|---|---|---|
| 100 | 0 | 0 |
Details of summative assessment
| Form of assessment | % of credit | Size of the assessment (eg length / duration) | ILOs assessed | Feedback method |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| One individual project | 100 | 10,000 words | 1-10 | Written feedback |
Details of re-assessment (where required by referral or deferral)
| Original form of assessment | Form of re-assessment | ILOs re-assessed | Timescale for re-assessment |
|---|---|---|---|
| One individual project | Resubmission of the One individual project 4,000 words | 1-10 | Re-submit in November |
Indicative learning resources - Basic reading
Core Reading:
Wilkin, C. (2015). FT Essential Guide to Writing a Business Plan: How to Win Backing to Start Up or Grow Your Business, Vaughan Evans. Teaching Business & Economics, 17(1), 26.
Indicative Reading (non-exhaustive):Casadesus-Masanell, R., & Ricart, J. E. (2011). How to design a winning business model. Harvard business review, 89(1/2), 100-107.
Hormozi, A. M., Sutton, G. S., McMinn, R. D., & Lucio, W. (2002). Business plans for new or small businesses: paving the path to success. Management Decision, 40(8), 755-763.
Lasher, W. (2010). The Perfect Business Plan Made Simple: The best guide to writing a plan that will secure financial backing for your business. Broadway Books.
Mullins, J. (2012). The new business road test: What entrepreneurs and executives should do before writing a business plan. Pearson UK.
Sahlman, W. A. (1997). How to write a great business plan. Harvard business review, 75(4), 98-109
| Credit value | 30 |
|---|---|
| Module ECTS | 15 |
| Module pre-requisites | None |
| Module co-requisites | None |
| NQF level (module) | 7 |
| Available as distance learning? | No |
| Origin date | 28/03/2019 |
| Last revision date | 01/03/2023 |
