The course applies management and business theories to the management of transnational firms. The course draws upon the theory of multinational corporations and some significant case studies - in order to analyse firms’ international strategies, management structures and processes. It also analyses the international environment in which management activity takes place. The main distinctive feature of this course is its collaboration with the Advisory Board Investitori Esteri di Confindustria (ABIE Confindustria). Through this partnership, several CEOs and senior executives from leading foreign companies operating in Italy will share their experience in managing large subsidiaries of multinational enterprises. Their contributions will provide students with first-hand insights into the practical challenges and opportunities of international business, complementing and illustrating the theoretical concepts presented throughout the course. On completion of the course, students should be able to: • Understand the various theories of firm international investments. • Identify the key determinants of entry mode, location choice, and other key strategic issues faced by multinational enterprises. • Evaluate alternative ways of organizing and managing the multinational enterprise. • Comprehend the reasons why firms may choose to vertically integrate across national borders, and also why they may choose to outsource and/or offshore activities. • Understand the special problems involved in conducting international business compare to domestic business

Knowledge and understanding: This course is intended to provide students both with knowledge and understanding of IB theories as well as the capability to use this knowledge in actual decision-making related to international managerial problems. The course is structured to develop know-how and skills that allow students to elaborate and employ original ideas in complex contexts of analysis. Knowledge and understanding acquired by students will be evaluated through teamwork, mid-term assignments and an individual final written exam. Applying knowledge and understanding, Classes involve a combination of traditional lectures, presentations and discussion of teaching case studies in the IB domain. The course is highly interactive and aims at challenging students with teaching cases and hands-on exercises based on real managerial problems. Teaching cases are critical to the completion of the course as they give students the opportunity to apply the IB theoretical notions in actual contexts. To demonstrate the ability to apply knowledge and understanding students should engage in active class discussion of the assigned teaching cases and develop mid-term teamwork assignments. Last but not least, the above mentioned ability will be evaluated through the final exam. Making judgements: The multidisciplinary approach of this course aims at providing students with the ability to deal with complex IB managerial problems autonomously. Thus, students successfully completing this course will be able to manage challenging situation when in the workplace, demonstrating know-how and problem solving skills also in case of limited information available. Moreover, students will show an awareness of ethical and social issues related to international managerial decisions. Communication skills: Communication skills will be fostered through continuous and direct interaction between student and teacher. To this end, students are expected to make several presentations during classes both individually and in team (e.g. presentation and analysis of teaching cases, data, documents provided by international institutions). The goal is to stimulate students’ ability to communicate in front of an audience and boost their familiarity with communication techniques and tools. Learning skills: Given that international markets are characterized by highly dynamic phenomena, a critical goal of this course is to stimulate learning skills that enable the understanding of these phenomena. Students are asked both to apply notions previously discussed during classes and to investigate autonomously key IB phenomena before classes to improve subsequent in-class discussion. This mixed learning approach aims at promoting a self-learning process that will enable students to keep updating their knowledge more easily once the course is completed. These skills will be evaluated both by in-class exercises and final exam.

The main topics covered in the course are the following: 1. Introduction to International Management and Multinational Corporations (MNCs); 2. Determinants of firms’ international activities; 3. Market selection criteria and entry-mode strategies; 4. Organizational structures of multinational corporations; 5. Control and coordination in multinational corporations: case studies and best practices; 6. Key issues in transnational management, explored through direct contributions from senior executives and business leaders from companies such as Siemens, Accenture, Shell, and other leading multinational enterprises. Particular attention will be devoted - especially in the meetings with CEOs - to the following themes: * Leadership; * Sustainability; * Business Management; * Manufacturing; * Artificial Intelligence and Digital Transformation as key drivers reshaping organizational structures, production processes, value chains, and investment strategies.

Students will be asked to study the slides and carefully read the following texts: 1. 1. World Investments Report 2026 – (annual report). Downloadable from: www.unctad.org Chapter 1 (selected readings) 2. Economics of Strategy, D. Besanko; D. Dranove; M. Shanley and S. Schaefer, Sixth Edition; Chapter 3 and 4 (reading also chapter 2 is suggested) Students who will not attend classes and will not deliver the requested assignments can still sustain the exam but they should study the slides and the following texts (all compulsory). 1. World Investments Report 2026 – (annual report). Downloadable from: www.unctad.org Chapter 1 World Investments Report 2011 – (annual report). Downloadable from: www.unctad.org. Chapter 4 pg. 124-147 2. Economics of Strategy, D. Besanko; D. Dranove; M. Shanley and S. Schaefer, Sixth Edition; Chapter 3 and 4 (è suggerita la lettura anche del capitolo 2) 3. Bartlett, Christopher A. & Sumantra Ghoshal. 1987a. Managing across borders: New strategic requirements. Sloan Management Review, 28: 7-18. 4. Bartlett, Christopher A. & Sumantra Ghoshal. Organizing for Worldwide Effectiveness: The Transnational Solution California management review, 10/1988, Volume 31, ( 1) 5. Amplifon in the US: A Story of Customer-Centric International Growth, A. Majocchi& A. Zattoni, Luiss Business case.

Lectures will be complemented by sessions featuring presentations from senior executives on the same topics covered in class. Each lecture will combine theoretical concepts with business cases. The executive presentations will provide real-world examples and practical insights that illustrate the theoretical frameworks discussed during the course. The theoretical component of the course will enable students to develop a solid understanding of the international business environment and of the key tools and frameworks that managers use to formulate and implement international strategies. The executive presentations and the ensuing discussions will allow students to connect theory with practice, enhancing their ability to work independently, exercise critical judgment, and make informed managerial decisions. In addition, all students will work in small groups and deliver at least one in-class presentation during the course, thereby strengthening their communication and presentation skills. Students, organized into teams, will also participate in a challenge-based project aimed at developing innovative solutions, in the form of proofs of concept, to address a real business challenge

Students’ evaluation will be based on 4 different criteria: 1. Assignment (30% of the final evaluation) 2. Final written exams (70% of the final evaluation). The assignment will be presented by group, but also discussed individually by each student with the professor. Students that will not attend the course should study both the slides and the texts indicated for non-attending students. The final exams on these texts will count for 100% of the final evaluation.

To apply for the final thesis supervision students should prepare a 2-pages document that follows the guidelines (in term of references, sources and methodology) that are reported in a specific document that can be found in the Luiss Learn Course page. Then the instructor will interview the students to discuss the document they have produced and to verify that they have carefully read the following document: Guidance document for writing your Master Thesis