Course overview
- Study period
- Semester 1, 2025 (24/02/2025 - 21/06/2025)
- Study level
- Postgraduate Coursework
- Location
- St Lucia
- Attendance mode
- In Person
- Units
- 2
- Administrative campus
- St Lucia
- Coordinating unit
- Business School
The course is divided into two parts. The first part is a macro view of international business. It examines at the national level the underlying causes and benefits of trade and foreign direct investment flows between nations. The second part of the course focuses on the micro or firm level aspects of international business management, including contemporary issues and research into the internationalisation processes of modern firms.
This course offers a comprehensive introduction to international business, divided into two parts. The first part focuses on the macro view, examining the national-level causes and benefits of trade and foreign direct investment between nations. It covers various trade theories, including traditional ideas like comparative advantage and contemporary concepts such as national competitive advantage and strategic trade theory. The course also advances explanations of foreign direct investment and reviews actual trade and investment among major trading nations, including Australia's regional trade. It explores the driving forces behind globalization, along with its costs and benefits to nations, industries, and individuals. Students will gain an understanding of the economic and political dimensions of international trade and investment, as well as the important role that differences and similarities within and between nations play in shaping international business transactions. Government policies on trade liberalisation and intervention are considered, as well as major international institutions and systems supporting international trade, including multilateral, regional, and bilateral trade facilitation agreements.
The second part of the course focuses on the micro or firm-level aspects of international business. It aims to provide students with an understanding of key issues faced by managers in international business operations. The course explores the development of international business strategies suitable for different business environments and the corresponding firm structures to support those strategies. It examines the most used forms of foreign market entry modes and their management implications. The process of foreign market selection by firms is considered, along with various decision models for country selection. The course concludes with a brief examination of important aspects of firm operations in an international context, including international exchange rates, marketing, production, R&D, and human resource management.
Sustainable Development Goals - UQ Business School is a proud supporter and Advanced Signatory of the United Nations Principles for Responsible Management Education (UN PRME). As part of the largest global collaboration between business schools and the UN, the school emphasises its role in empowering students to drive societal transformation through the Sustainable Development Goals. The SDGs highlight that a thriving economy relies on a healthy environment, aiming to balance economic growth, social well-being, and environmental protection for a sustainable future.
Course requirements
Assumed background
Basic knowledge of world affairs and common business terms. Initiative to learn, thinkﾠand apply and share knowledge about international affairs.
Incompatible
You can't enrol in this course if you've already completed the following:
IBUS2301 or 7310
Restrictions
Quota: minimum of 15 enrolments
Course contact
Course staff
Lecturer
Dr Andre Pekerti
Guest lecturer
Professor Peter Liesch
Professor Peter Buckley
Timetable
The timetable for this course is available on the UQ Public Timetable.
Additional timetable information
Please note: Teaching staff do not have access to the timetabling system to help with class allocation. Therefore, should you need help with your timetable and/or allocation of classes, please ensure you email business.mytimetable@uq.edu.au from your UQ student email account with the following details:
- Full Name
- Student ID
- Course Code
Aims and outcomes
The course aims to provide students with a solid foundation in the principles and practices of international business. Through a variety of individual and group-based pedagogical activities, students will examine the environmental pressures affecting international business, and how multinational firms design their strategy, structure and operations in response to these pressures. This course will enhance students' employability skills through experiencing group activities, presenting skills, and argumentative skills from the topic analysis. These activities and skills are valued in industry.
Learning outcomes
After successfully completing this course you should be able to:
LO1.
Evaluate the major contextual issues encountered in international business, including economic, ethical, legal, political, and social aspects external to the firm.
LO2.
Apply the fundamental theories explaining international trade and investment to key aspects of international business operations including Australian and world trade/investment patterns.
LO3.
Collaboratively work and self-manage multicultural groups.
LO4.
Reflect on the impacts of international trade, investment liberalisation, regional economic integration on stakeholders from diverse backgrounds, including Australian Aboriginal and Torres Strait Island peoples.
LO5.
Persuasively and succinctly express evaluations of contemporary international business issues.
Assessment
Assessment summary
| Category | Assessment task | Weight | Due date |
|---|---|---|---|
| Examination |
In-Semester Exam
|
25% |
Week 5
During class time |
| Paper/ Report/ Annotation, Presentation |
Topic Analysis Assignment
|
25% |
Week 11 Mon - Week 13 Fri |
| Examination |
Final Exam
|
50% |
End of Semester Exam Period 7/06/2025 - 21/06/2025 |
Assessment details
In-Semester Exam
- Identity Verified
- In-person
- Mode
- Written
- Category
- Examination
- Weight
- 25%
- Due date
Week 5
During class time
- Other conditions
- Time limited.
Task description
The exam will take the form of MCQs and short essay questions.
The exam will include all materials covered in the course from Weeks 1-4.
Missing the examination without legitimate reason will result in zero marks.
Only answers in the English language will be marked.
Plagiarised materials will be marked zero.
NOTE: Similarity with submitted works from other students will be imputed as plagiarism since it implies that previous students used the same exact materials, thus no paraphrasing has been done - which is plagiarism.
Criteria & Marking:
The examination will be assessed on its completeness and correctness. Knowledge of international business theories, applying theory to practice, and evidence and analysis are the key criteria for assessment, besides answering all parts of the questions. Further details will be made available on Blackboard.
AI Statement:
This assessment task is to be completed in-person. The use of generative Artificial Intelligence (AI) or Machine Translation (MT) tools will not be permitted. Any attempted use of AI or MT may constitute student misconduct under the Student Code of Conduct.
Exam details
| Planning time | no planning time minutes |
|---|---|
| Duration | 90 minutes |
| Calculator options | No calculators permitted |
| Open/closed book | Closed Book examination - no written materials permitted |
| Materials | Pen, Pencil & Student ID |
| Exam platform | Paper based |
| Invigilation | Invigilated in person |
Submission guidelines
To be submitted in class only
Deferral or extension
You may be able to defer this exam.
Topic Analysis Assignment
- Team or group-based
- In-person
- Mode
- Oral, Written
- Category
- Paper/ Report/ Annotation, Presentation
- Weight
- 25%
- Due date
Week 11 Mon - Week 13 Fri
- Other conditions
- Peer assessed.
Task description
◆ See Bb Announcements and Seminar Slides for full assessment information.
- The class will be divided into teams of 4-5 students.
- Each team will be responsible for presenting a topic.
- Teams and presentation dates will be randomly assigned by the course coordinator.
- It is important for group members to contact each other as soon as possible after the teams are formed to avoid potential failure of the group assignment. To reassure students, the Assignment Groups are created to have as equal numbers of students as possible. However, once we proceed past Week 4, it is unfair to ask group members to change groups thus some groups may have unequal numbers. Please see the assignment guide and check Blackboard for more information.
◆ Each group member must submit their individual contributions to the team assignment on Blackboard to ensure proper documentation of participation.
- Although the submission will not be marked, not submitting the individual contribution materials will exclude you from receiving the group’s debate mark, since it implies you did not contribute to the group assignment. Make sure you document your contribution. If your group uses online files, use track changes to show your contribution, and save the files as evidence.
- A reference list of all materials used should also be included; minimum of three peer-reviewed reference per team member.
- Late submission penalty applies for Individual Contribution and Group Outline.
◆ Academic Integrity policy is in effect.
- It is the responsibility of each individual and group to adhere to Academic Integrity. Plagiarism (high similarity matches) including translation APPs will result in zero marks for the assignment!
- All parts of this course assessments evaluate students' abilities, skills, and knowledge without the aid of Artificial Intelligence (AI). Students are advised that the use of AI technologies to assist writing is prohibited and may constitute student misconduct under the Student Code of Conduct. This includes dictionary and translation applications. In short, anything that involve copying and pasting and/or uploading into another application, and then copying it and/or downloading it is prohibited – this will be detected. However, like the classic tool, Google, it can be used to suggest ideas.
◆ In-class compulsory (formative) Audience Marking of all the presentations are mandatory; each student must submit the Audience Marking sheet at the end of class to validate their own individual mark for this assignment.
◆ Group Peer (members) evaluations are mandatory and must be submitted within five calendar days of the assessment due date.
- Failure to submit a review may result in a decrease in marks. All students in the group will receive the same mark and each member will have the opportunity to evaluate the contributions of their peers using four criteria. If a student is absent from the scheduled presentation without a valid excuse, they will receive no marks for the assignment.
- Important Mark Moderation Based on Peer Review – highest score is 9, see explanation below.
- The moderation of individual marks will be based on the following overall average review:
- 8.5 to 9.0 (consistently demonstrated full contribution to group), no deduction from group mark.
- 8.0 to 8.4 (demonstrated medium-high level contribution) 5% deduction from group mark.
- 6.0 to 7.99 (demonstrated medium level contribution), 15% deduction from group mark.
- 3.0 to 5.99 (demonstrated medium-low contribution), 25% deduction from group mark.
- 1.01 to 2.99 (demonstrated low contribution in several criteria or submitted contribution passed agreed group deadline), 50% deduction from group mark.
- 1, no individual mark will be awarded.
◆ Criteria and Marking:
- Groups will be awarded a group score, and all members will share this same score which may be moderated by Peer Assessment results. There will be adequate out-of-class preparation time for the assignment.
- Marks will be allocated according to coverage of issues, the depth on analysis, professional presentation and evidence of research.
- The presentation will be recorded for marking purposes per UQ Policy.
- Detailed Detailed instructions and criteria are provide in the IBUS7302 Topic Analysis Assignment Guide on Blackboard.
Submission guidelines
Additional details are included in the "Topic Analysis" handout on the course Blackboard site under the "Assessment" folder. Also ,refer to regular announcements on Blackboard.
Deferral or extension
You may be able to apply for an extension.
Extensions are not available for an in-class presentation. An extension may be available for the submitted material only.
Late submission
A penalty of 10% of the maximum possible mark will be deducted per 24 hours from time submission is due for up to 7 days. After 7 days, you will receive a mark of 0.
10% Late Penalty applies to submitted material only. Late submissions are not accepted for in-class presentations. Failure to present at the scheduled time will result in a mark of zero for the presentation portion of this assessment.
Final Exam
- Identity Verified
- In-person
- Mode
- Written
- Category
- Examination
- Weight
- 50%
- Due date
End of Semester Exam Period
7/06/2025 - 21/06/2025
- Other conditions
- Time limited.
Task description
The final exam will cover all materials discussed in the course from Weeks 6 to 13. However, you are expected to also draw upon your knowledge and understanding of the materials covered in weeks 1 to 4 of the course. It is 2 hours duration and will consist of short essay problem solving questions and multiple-choice questions.
Only answers in the English language will be marked.
Criteria & Marking:
The examination will be assessed on its completeness and correctness, and may include case analysis. Knowledge of international business theories, applying theory to practice, and providing evidence and analysis in support of arguments are the key criteria for assessment, besides clear expression and comprehensively addressing all parts of the questions. More information will be provided in the final seminar.
AI Statement:
This assessment task is to be completed in-person. The use of generative Artificial Intelligence (AI) or Machine Translation (MT) tools will not be permitted. Any attempted use of AI or MT may constitute student misconduct under the Student Code of Conduct.
Exam details
| Planning time | 10 minutes |
|---|---|
| Duration | 120 minutes |
| Calculator options | No calculators permitted |
| Open/closed book | Closed Book examination - no written materials permitted |
| Exam platform | Paper based |
| Invigilation | Invigilated in person |
Submission guidelines
Deferral or extension
You may be able to defer this exam.
Course grading
Full criteria for each grade is available in the Assessment Procedure.
| Grade | Cut off Percent | Description |
|---|---|---|
| 1 (Low Fail) | 0 - 29 |
Absence of evidence of achievement of course learning outcomes. |
| 2 (Fail) | 30 - 46 |
Minimal evidence of achievement of course learning outcomes. |
| 3 (Marginal Fail) | 47 - 49 |
Demonstrated evidence of developing achievement of course learning outcomes |
| 4 (Pass) | 50 - 64 |
Demonstrated evidence of functional achievement of course learning outcomes. |
| 5 (Credit) | 65 - 74 |
Demonstrated evidence of proficient achievement of course learning outcomes. |
| 6 (Distinction) | 75 - 84 |
Demonstrated evidence of advanced achievement of course learning outcomes. |
| 7 (High Distinction) | 85 - 100 |
Demonstrated evidence of exceptional achievement of course learning outcomes. |
Additional course grading information
Grades will be allocated according to University-wide standards of criterion-based assessment.
Supplementary assessment
Supplementary assessment is available for this course.
Learning resources
You'll need the following resources to successfully complete the course. We've indicated below if you need a personal copy of the reading materials or your own item.
Library resources
Find the required and recommended resources for this course on the UQ Library website.
Own copy required
You'll need to have your own copy of the following reading resources. We've indicated below if you need a personal copy of the reading materials or your own item.
| Item | Description |
|---|---|
| Book |
International business: competing in the global marketplace
by Hill; Charles W. L. - 2022 Edition: Fourteenth edition Publisher: McGraw Hill ISBN: 9781265038540; 9781265743116 |
Additional learning resources information
A wide range of IB-related resources are available in the UQ library including books, academic journals, business magazines, newspapers, and online databases. Students are encouraged to use these resources to prepare for lectures and tutorials and to do research for their projects/assignments. Following is a brief list of the resources that may be useful for the course:
GENERAL/PRACTICE-ORIENTED
- The Economist
- Harvard Business Review Wall Street Journal
- Daily national and international newspapers Websites and annual reports of multinational firms
- UN and World Bank reports and online databases on countries
- Other online reports and databases on countries' economic freedom, political freedom, competitiveness, etc.
ACADEMIC/RESEARCH-ORIENTED
- Journal of International Business Studies
- Academy of Management Journal
- Academy of Management Review
- Management International Review
- Journal of World Business
- Journal of International Management
- International Marketing Review
- International Business Review
- International Journal of Human Resource Management
- International Journal of Intercultural Relations
- Australian Journal of Management
Learning activities
The learning activities for this course are outlined below. Learn more about the learning outcomes that apply to this course.
Filter activity type by
Please select
| Learning period | Activity type | Topic |
|---|---|---|
Week 1 |
Seminar |
Course Overview Introduction to the course; Defining International Business (IB); IB as a Global Factory, Globalisation. Mock debate. Readings: Hill, Chapter 1; Compulsory Reading in Bb: (Course profile, Topic Assignment Guide) |
Week 2 |
Seminar |
Culture Define culture, Country comparisons, Influence of culture on people, organisations and management. Class exercise, Group creation. Compulsory integrity tutorial must be completed prior to any assignment submission in this course. See: https://www.uq.edu.au/integrity/ Readings: Hill, Chapter 4; Compulsory Reading in Bb: (Course profile, Topic Assignment Guide) |
Week 3 |
Seminar |
Global Political Economy Influence of global environment on political economy. Notions of institutions, Institutional models, Political involvement in economic affairs, Political risk, Impacts on international business. Case: Risk analysis. Team activity. Readings: Hill, Chapter 3 & 9; Compulsory Reading in Bb: Kobrin (1979); Kobrin (1971). |
Week 4 |
Seminar |
National Political Economy Influence of global environment on political economy. Influence of environment, culture, and political economies on IB. In-Semester exam information. Readings: Hill, Chapter 2 & 7; Compulsory Reading in Bb: Yeung (2005); Yeung (1998); Powell (1991). |
Week 5 |
General contact hours |
In-Class In-Semester Exam In-Class Timed Examination. All materials from Weeks 1 to 4 are examinable. NOTE: Missing the examination without legitimate cause will result in the mark of zero. |
Week 6 |
Seminar |
International Trade Theory Guest Lecture: Principles and explanations of international trade. Underlying theory for the Multinational Enterprise (MNE), Structure of Australia's trade; Principles and explanations of international trade. Readings: Hill, Chapter 6 & 7. |
Week 7 |
Seminar |
Foreign Direct Investment Guest Lecture. Foreign Direct Investment. Economic systems, Complexity of economic environment and impact on international business, Foreign direct investment. Readings: Hill, Chapter 8. |
Week 8 |
Seminar |
Foreign Market Environment Salient issues in IB. Human resourcing of IB firms, Expatriation issues, decisions and practice. Readings: Hill, Chapter 14 & 19. 18 April 2025 is Good Friday, it is a public holiday. Therefore, there is no in-person seminar on this day. Depending on class size, this topic will be delivered via recording or in week 13. |
Mid-sem break |
No student involvement (Breaks, information) |
In-Semester Break |
Week 9 |
Seminar |
Entering Foreign Markets Various entry modes. International business strategy defined; Complexity of foreign entry, Factors that influence mode choice, Internationalisation, Value chain. Case: Entry mode; Internationalisation, Uppsala Model example. Readings: Hill, Chapter 15 & 16. |
Week 10 |
Seminar |
International Business Operations Various operating modes. Various operating and entry modes; Local responsiveness and global integration; Understanding location and customers. Case: Localisation. Readings: Hill, Chapter 13, 17 & 18. |
Week 11 |
Seminar |
Topic Analysis Topic Analysis. A presentation schedule will be posted well before your presentation date so that you can adjust your schedule accordingly. |
Week 12 |
Seminar |
Topic Analysis Topic Analysis. A presentation schedule will be posted well before your presentation date so that you can adjust your schedule accordingly. |
Week 13 |
Seminar |
Completion Case/Topic Analysis; Exam Briefing (Review) Completion Topic Analysis; Exam Briefing (Review). Depending on class size Week 8 topic may be delivered in Week 13. |
Additional learning activity information
Sustainable Development Goals
This course integrates the following Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) throughout course learning activities.
Goal 8: Decent work and economic growth
Goal 9: Industries, innovation and infrastructure
Policies and procedures
University policies and procedures apply to all aspects of student life. As a UQ student, you must comply with University-wide and program-specific requirements, including the:
- Student Code of Conduct Policy
- Student Integrity and Misconduct Policy and Procedure
- Assessment Procedure
- Examinations Procedure
- Reasonable Adjustments - Students Policy and Procedure
Learn more about UQ policies on my.UQ and the Policy and Procedure Library.