Global Business Development
Master of Arts (M. A.)

Module 1 – International Market Management

Successful global business development is entirely dependent upon knowing both the strategic and operational options available with regard to developing and working on international markets and the ability to leverage these sufficiently towards internationalising companies.

This module therefore enables students to formulate and apply various multinational strategies for market and business development depending on alternative framework conditions and critical variables for their subsequent business.

Furthermore, after completing this module, students will command the substantial instruments for operational market design and processing. They will have worked out that feedback effects often render isolated, national use of marketing-mix instruments inexpedient. They will be able to determine the right balance between complete standardisation and complete differentiation depending upon the global market environment and to derive and apply the appropriate instruments everyday business operations.

Module 2 – New products and services

Successful innovations and product developments are essential to companies’ survival in the face of increasingly global competition, while managing innovations is become increasingly complex. The aim of this module on “Product development” is to enable students to apply methods for developing innovative products based on theoretical approaches in practice.

Modules 3 and 4 – Leadership and culture / Organisational development

Managers’ and employees’ skills and dedication significantly influence long-term national and international business success. The “war for talent” and demographic trends in the highly developed industrial nations make leadership, emotional intelligence and intercultural skills increasingly important factors. Participants in this module should therefore be able to identify the role that leadership and managerial behaviour play in the competitiveness of a company.

In an international context, above all, sufficient active expertise is instrumental, for example, in meeting negotiation or sales targets. International corporate development and mastering the associated challenges requires the workforce and managers to be capable of tackling the wide range of organisational and intercultural issues that crop up with aplomb. The corporate strategy, management system, leadership and framework conditions need tuning to this.

Participants reach the module objectives particularly on the basis of case studies and their own presentations. This hones students’ skills in coordinating international projects, conducting sales negotiations and steering multicultural teams to success.

Modules 8 and 9 – Process management / Project management

Together with product development, the modules in process management (8)  and project management (9) focus on forming a company’s individual ability to perform.

Process design plays an exceptional role in this respect. Students acquire profound expert knowledge of modelling and describing a selection of corporate processes. The aim is to enable them to identify core processes in a specific decision-making situation in business, and to model this and design it efficiently.

Students will be enabled to solve complex tasks in the cited areas under their own volition. They are capable of critically questioning approaches, driving forward solutions even without a complete information base and of arguing the case for their potential solutions towards colleagues, staff and superiors.

Module 10 – Corporate finance

The optimum business portfolio can be compiled not only by founding companies, but much rather by also buying “suitable” (to the corporate strategy) companies in addition – an increasingly significant option in our globalised world. This potential for influencing a business portfolio will be explored in the session on “Mergers & Acquisitions”, examining (monetary and qualitative) company evaluation for potential aspiring purchasers alongside the aspect of integrating new acquisitions into the corporate group. Precisely in the international context, it is particularly important and demanding to bring together companies with different structures, processes and corporate identities.

Purchasing companies is closely linked to the issue of funding, which we therefore devote a dedicated session to, being crucial to the success and survival of a business.

Module 11 – Strategic Corporate Planning and Management

If the implementation of the (above) strategy calls for founding a new company, the first step is to draw up (and evaluate) a (realistic and comprehensive) business plan – this represents the first stage of planning for the business and forms the basis for all further steps in this regard. However, the process of founding a business not only means “simply” drafting a business plan, as many aspects (e.g. the choice of legal status) must be considered and important (founding) decisions made. Particularly in an international setting, a wide range of special criteria and conditions relating to the different countries needs taking into account. The management required for the groundwork when establishing any business is examined in the session on “Start-up management  Business Planning”.

The decisions taking during the start-up phase are not set in stone forever, however, but rather will constantly need adapting to changing conditions and new strategies. A continuous process of planning, steering and checking is required. This process is supported by strategic controlling, which, besides acting to provide information also coordinates and increasingly provides (in operational practice) active support for decision-making, thus making it the “internal management consultant”.

These aspects are addressed – with regard to specific (internationally typical) challenges – in the session on “Strategic Controlling and In-house Consulting”, paying particular attention to the kinds of issues that arise from an internationally chequered business portfolio.

Modules 5 to 7 (Connecting business partners) and
modules 12 to 14 (Exploring the business environment)

The aim of these courses is to deepen both theoretical knowledge and its practical application, thus preparing students rigorously for their future roles.

A manager’s success stems only partially from their technical and managerial knowledge. Key criteria for a successful career are also developing social skills and and the ability to self-manage (soft skills).

Module 15 – Master’s thesis

You can find further information on the master’s thesis in the dedicated section on this element of the course and in the Programme and Examination Regulations.

For further information, please consult the Module Handbook  for the master’s degree programme global Business Development .

For further information, please consult the Module Handbook  for the master’s degree programme global Business Development .

Modules 1 to 14 are all assessed by examination. Detailed specifications are provided in the Programme and Examination Regulations.

The assessments for semester 3 take the form of of the master’s thesis and accompanying group seminar (“colloquium”):

Further information about examinations and the downloads for examination announcements (examiners/resources plan) and the examination schedule can be found here.

Succeeding in producing your master’s thesis demonstrates that you possess the skills to tackle a business administration problem with an international slant using scientific methods within a given timeframe and to present your work both in writing and orally.

During the series of group seminars, you will explain how your work has been progressing, the current status and any outstanding issues. The final colloquium presentation is an integral component of this module and serves to verify the authenticity and status of your master’s thesis, also enhancing its quality.

For further information, please read the relevant Info sheet.

If you have general questions about studying, application, admission and formal aspects, please contact the General Student Advisory Service.

If you have any questions about the content of the degree programme and the course of study, please contact the programme coordinator Prof. Dr. Stefan:

 katrin.stefan(at)hs-kempten.de
W109
0831-2523-621