This course has two objectives. The first is to provide a deeper understanding on how the world economy is changing. The second is to explain how this shifting global economy gives rise to new effective business strategies, especially those surrounding trade, foreign direct investment, and global markets.

The course starts with how the world economy has recently evolved, looking at the staggering shift in economic power from the industrialized economies of the West to the emerging markets of the East. Caught up in both the 2008 Global Financial Crisis and the Eurozone Sovereign Debt Crisis, where do Europe and the Transatlantic Axis now fit? Our discussion on the likely future of the world economy draws on both economic analysis and empirical evidence. We then explore how successful, leading businesses have addressed the challenges raised by these global developments. We employ case studies intensively, looking at the rise of new multinationals from emerging economies, as well as the responses of major established Western firms.

The course will appeal to people seeking to make sense of the rapidly shifting global economy and of how successful firms are responding. Previous participants include global business practitioners; strategy consultants seeking the latest thinking in this fast-changing area; and policy-makers from national agencies and multilateral organisations wishing to understand the dynamic world economy.

Benefits

You will explore the global economic crisis: Its origins, what might stop it happening again, and how business should position itself in these circumstances.
You will learn about deep changes in the global economy and the shift of economic power from West to East.
You will learn how to analyse different economic and business environments and how to obtain the information upon which investment judgements can be based. This can inform both managerial strategies and policy analysts.
You will gain a deeper understanding of the problems faced by businesses when creating geographic options: Where are the overseas markets, where are the emerging centres of excellence, where are the macroeconomic tensions likely to arise? What policy options are available for countries to address their weaknesses?
Through case studies, course participants will develop team-working skills to analyse how the changing global environment affects where a firm should choose to invest, and how that firm might leverage national differences to its advantage.

The key topics of this course are:

The changing map of global economic activity
Global imbalances and global crises
Strategies of internationalization and globalization
Business environments in emerging markets: Risks and opportunities