Faculty of Economics and Business Administration

1. Faculty of Economics and Business Administration

2. MSc International Business -Strategy and Innovation Dr. Wim Swaan 21 May, 2008

3. Who are you? • Where did you study? • UM / elsewhere • What did you study? • Business / Economics / Other • Why the UM is a great place…

4. Overview • Very brief intro • Strategic Management • Innovation Management • Our Courses • The Thesis • Connection to earlier studies • Job Opportunities • Q & A Continued afterwards: Here and at the information market Feel free to interrupt earlier

5. What was Strategic Management again? • Goal: sustained competitive advantage • Connection between: • the firm’s internal sources (“resources and capabilities”) and • the external environment (markets, regulation, institutions) • Issues: • business & product portfolio–diversification • acquisitions & alliances • entry barriers & imitation • etc.

6. Innovation Management Competitive advantage increasingly comes from innovation. STRATEGIC CONTEXT INNOVATIVE ORGANIZATION LEARNING TIME

7. Courses MasterSTRATEGY AND INNOVATION • International Business Research • International Competitive Analysis and Strategy • Entrepreneurship and Innovation • Alliances and M&As • Business Innovation and Sustainable Development • Elective and Thesis

8. International Business Research(1st & 3rd block) • Compulsory for all students IB MSc • Research Methodology • 1/3: Theoretical Background • 2/3: Critical Reading of Academic Articles from a methodological perspective

9. International Competitive Analysis and Strategy(1st block) • Economic principles underlying industry structure and strategy formulation • Analyzing drivers of the competitive environment • Identifying sound corporate strategies • Apply theory to real world cases

10. Entrepreneurship and Innovation (2nd block) • Entrepreneurship theory • Innovation management and the relationship to a firm’s strategy • Innovation in smaller firms: • types of innovation, • the role of clusters, • networks and alliances, • the influence of universities and institutions • Corporate entrepreneurship

11. Alliances and M&As(3rd block) • Different theoretical perspectives • Differences between developed and developing economies • Strategic management of inter-firm relationships and M&As • Inter-firm networks

12. Business Innovation and Sustainable Development (4th block) • Business innovation in societal context: • Social, political and natural context • Sustainable development: • Meeting present needs… • … without undermining the possibilities for future generations • Opportunities for business • Entrepreneurship as Social Activism • Integrating sustainable development in core activities

13. Elective(2nd or 4th block) • When? • 2nd block (if you start in September) • 4th block (if you start in February) • What? • Any course from the IB curriculum in that block (excl. Marketing) • Recommended: • 2nd block: Managing Organisational Learning • 4th block: Manager @ Work

14. Examination of the various courses • Combination of: • written exam • writing assignments • cases • presentations (team and individual) • participation (not for all courses) • Similar to BSc courses at UM • but now on a MSc level 

15. The Thesis • Combination of: • literature research and • empirical research in firms • to be set up and executed by yourself • An example of an interesting thesis topic: • The Impact of the ICT Revolution on Knowledge Spillovers, Location Decisions and Cluster Perseverance in the German Automotive Industry

16. Thesis topics • Some (!) more examples of interesting thesis topics: • Mergers and acquisitions in the Pharmaceutical industry: Conditions of M&As that foster post-M&A innovative performance • Young SMEs' capital sources and constraints on innovative strength • The Influence of Governmental Social Responsibility on Companies’ Perceived Scope of Corporate Social Responsibility

17. Connection to earlier studies • Do I need a bachelor in business? • No • Excellent combination with, for instance, Health Sciences, Engineering etc. • Do I need a major or minor in Strategy in my bachelors? • No. • It is an excellent combination with majors in, for instance: • Marketing, Logistics or Organization • Finance or Accounting • Provides a broader perspective to these specializations … continued

18. Connection to earlier studies • Will I be bored if I did a major in Strategy in the BSc? • Not at all. • The MSc provides thorough deepening (e.g. course on M&A’s) and broadening (e.g. Innovation and Entrepreneurship, Sustainable Development) • Be prepared for a steep learning curve • As can be expected from high quality education

19. Job Opportunities Excellent background for a wide range of opportunities: • Consultant • Leading positions in Small and Medium Sized firms • Fast track career in big firms • A career in innovative / hi-tech firms (small and big) • Management trainee • Policy advisor, project or account manager

20. Employers of Alumni Ernst & Young, Delta Lloyd, ING, Adidas, DSM, KPN, Ahold, Shell, Henkel, Philips, Logica CMG, Daimler Chrysler, SAP, BP, Vodafone, Vendex KBB, Capgemini, Ministry of Economics Affairs

21. How to get there?Which MSc to choose?The main lessons of strategic thinking • Strategic thinking is about analysis and intuition • Different ways of decision making (cf. Mintzberg & Westley, Sloan Management Review 2001, reprinted in De Wit & Meyer 2004): • Thinking first • Seeing first • Talking first • Doing first Choose the MSc IB Strategy and Innovation

22. Questions?