Course Description: The course gives an overview of main theories and research traditions in international business research. Students learn about seminal and key studies, history, current situation and future trends of research on internationalization processes, international entrepreneurship, foreign direct investment and international business networks. Emphasis is on discussing the evolvement of the research streams and understanding their core assumptions.
During the course students read, analyze, and discuss research publications in the area and develop skills in scientific argumentation and writing. This ability facilitates the design and writing of a doctoral thesis. The course should give a good platform to formulate research problems and start doctoral research in the international business field.
Learning outcomes: See course description
Course requirements: See course work and evaluation
Target group: Phd students
Time: 29.09 – 02.10. 2014
Course starts on Monday 29.9. at 12.15 and ends on Thursday 2.10. ca. 15.30. A voluntary, joint course dinner will be organized during the week (place and time will be confirmed later). This dinner is on participant’s own expense.
Place: University of Vaasa, Vaasa
Course Language: English
ECTS: 6 Credits
Number of students: max. 25
Course work and evaluation: The course consists of three parts: 1) a pre-reading package that is informed by mid-September, 2) lectures with interaction and teamwork over week 44 and 3) written assignment as the examination of the course to be delivered by 2nd of December 2014.
Students read the pre-reading package beforehand and write a 1-2 page reflective summary on one of the articles named for each of the course days. In the summary the choice of the article and the main learning points for own research should be discussed in addition to the contents. During the lectures the students are expected to actively participate and present their views. This paper should be a reflective summary of the chosen article, including own comments why this article was selected and of main interest issues in the article. The written assignment can be planned to support own doctoral research but should still cover the minimum of half of the course literature. More detail on the assignment is given preliminary during week 36.
Presence and informed participation in all four days of class meetings are compulsory. The assignment is evaluated by the faculty named according to the topics. The full course evaluation is based on continual assessment during the teaching and learning activities and on the written assignment paper.
Required readings: To be announced
Instructors:
ProfessorJean-Francois Hennart, Tilburg University
Professor Niina Nummela, University of Turku
Professor Jorma Larimo, University of Vaasa
Professor Tuija Mainela, University of Oulu
Course Coordinator and contact person: Prof. Jorma Larimo, jla@uva.fi or wyi@uva.fi
Application deadline: The students should sign up for the course by September 15th 2014. The study place is applied through submitting an electronic application of one page to Jorma Larimo ( jla@uva.fi ) (or wyi@uva.fi ) Department of Marketing, Oulu University of Vaasa including:
– contact information (name, university, address, e-mail),
– information on the current phase of the studies (incl. year of enrolled as a doctoral student, number of earned study points, phase of doctoral research),
– a short summary of the PhD research that indicates the topic, the area in which the research is conducted, and the key issues that are examined in more detail
– need and motive for taking part in the course