Doing Business in the World

Project 1 (Global business environment) and Project 2 (Developing a sustainable strategy) make up one compulsory course.

Your main focus this semester will be a real international business case related to market research. After a briefing from the client (this can be a company or institution based in Europe), you and your team will work independently on the assignment for approximately seven weeks. Previous clients have been, amongst others, Slow Food,  Fairphone and Ecovillages. Your team will start with scanning the situation of the client and write a Business Market Research Report with recommendations based on your research. You will defend this report to a jury consisting of lecturers and staff from the client. During the process, an experienced tutor from Windesheim guides you and monitors your progress.

Working in an international setting

Delivering a good project result under time pressure will bring intercultural differences to the surface. Working in a multicultural setting or international company therefore requires flexibility to handle the differences in language skills, knowledge and cultural backgrounds.

Course objectives

You will work on the following tasks:

• You will evaluate the performance of the company from the perspective of the various stakeholders, such as management, shareholders, customers, suppliers, employees, public authorities and non-profit organizations.
• You will analyze the international environment of the company (also using the stakeholder approach).
• You will identify trends and issues that are relevant to the company, while distinguishing between regional and global trends and issues.
• You will assess how the company deals with the identified trends and issues in order to keep its stakeholders happy.

Project 1 (Global business environment) and Project 2 (Developing a sustainable strategy) make up one compulsory course.

This project revolves around the analysis of a multinational’s strategy. This analysis makes use of the analysis carried out in the first project. In a small group, you will assess and describe the reputation of the multinational from the perspective of different stakeholders (shareholders, employees, customers, media, suppliers/competitors, public authorities, governmental organizations). Based on this research, you will write a strategic plan on how to make the multinational company future proof in terms of Profit, People and Planet. The plan includes recommendations for a new business model and value proposition. The essence of the new strategy has to be presented in a short 3-minute video, which will be presented to the Board of Directors of the multinational (in this case the project lecturers).

Globalization and its side effects have had a very profound effect on branding. As markets have integrated, brands travelled beyond national borders. Whenever any brand, which was restricted till then to a national audience, enters a new country, it faces a barrage of challenges. Culture becomes a very crucial factor that determines the brand’s success. Many global brands have dealt with cultural issues very well and have adopted their brands to suit the diverse cultural demands of different regions in which they operate. Coca-Cola, McDonald’s, BMW, LVMH, Estee Lauder, Procter & Gamble and Disney are some the more successful brands that have treaded the path of adapting to cultural demands very well. Cultural differences dictate that brands be sensitive to different cultural facets.

(Source: https://martinroll.com/resources/articles/branding/cross-cultural-branding-leadership/(opens in new tab) )

In this course we will examine the cultural paradoxes that are connected to cross cultural branding.

Consumers from different countries have different cultural values. These cultural values influence their brand perception, brand evaluation and brand buying behaviour. As a student you will work together with other students from different cultures to discover and understand the cultural differences and their influence on branding.

Learning objectives

After completing this course you will

• Be aware of cultural paradoxes of brands
• Have developed sensitivity to cultural values and their influence on brands
• Be able to design an intercultural branding strategy that takes into account cultural differences

Course content

Dimensions of culture

Cultural values and consumer behaviour

Cultural values and marketing

Cultural values and Branding

Intercultural branding strategy

The goal of this module is to give you knowledge of and insight into the ethical problems and moral dilemmas in the field of international business and corporate social responsibility. We will deal with:

• The nature of ethical problems and moral dilemmas in international business.
• Classical moral theories to resolve moral dilemmas (consequentialism and deontology).
• Stakeholder management and stakeholder analysis method.
• Pluralism, cultural diversity and the ethical problem of relativism and universalism.

Throughout the world, family business ownership is the most prevailing form of ownership. There are many forms of family ownership and you can find family businesses in every branch and in any size. In the Netherlands, it might be a family who runs two fashion stores or the family Van Eerd, who owns the supermarket Jumbo.

Family businesses are often considered to be the engine of national economies, contributing to job creation, the nation gross product and innovation. Therefore, it is important to develop more knowledge and skills to be successful when dealing with family businesses as an employee, consultant or successor.

Course content

This module focuses on this family business context, and utilizes seminal theoretical frameworks in order to 'make sense' of complex and diverse real-life situations, the class is organized around various case studies. Working individually and in teams, you will gain strong analysis, recommendation and presentation abilities.

Objectives of Family Business

To make it a little bit more concrete, you will learn how to:

• Identify the key dimensions of the business, family and ownership systems that define the field of family business and understand the prevalence and economic contribution of family businesses in the world.
• Know, evaluate and apply theories and/or models in the field of family businesses, including  strategic management, governance, succession, change and value creation and relationships and conflicts in the family business.
• Recognize the root cause of challenges in family businesses while showing solid analysis techniques, creative problem-solving skills combined with detailed and realistic recommendation formulation.
• Present your recommendation in the role of consulting professionals.

In recent decades, international flows of goods and money have increased considerably. Many companies have therefore developed strategies for coping with internationalization, because they want to sell more of their products and services to foreign markets. In this module, you will get to know the basic structures of internal organizations and learn to shape a company’s internationalization strategy. To be able to respond to the ever-changing market, you will also study innovation and change processes and discover how to manage a company in such a variable circumstances.

Course content

This module provides you with a comprehensive overview on management principles for international business. Through a mix of lectures, discussion, cases and exercises, the module covers crucial information such as strategy, organization, decision making, marketing, opening trade and logistics channels and manage suppliers in the context of international business and global organizations.

During this module, you will learn what trends and issues are, how they develop and how they can be monitored and managed. By using the DESTEP/PESTEL model (Demographic, Economic, Social-cultural, Technological, Ecological and Political), you will be able to describe and explain major global trends and issues concerning the future of sustainability. You pay particular attention to the future of the multinational that plays a central role in the project.

Sustainability marketing aims to sell sustainable products and services which “satisfy customer needs and significantly improve the social and environmental performance along the whole life cycle”, while increasing customer value and achieving the company's objectives. Brands therefore need to create and maintain an identity of a specific product, service, or business that reflects special added value in terms of environmental and social benefits.

The following topics will be covered in this module:

• Understanding Sustainability and Marketing: Marketing in the Twenty-First Century and Framing Sustainability Marketing
• Developing Sustainability Marketing Opportunities: Socio-ecological Problems and Sustainable Consumer Behavior
• Developing Sustainability Marketing Standards and Strategies:  Sustainability Marketing Values and Objectives and Marketing Strategies
• Developing the Sustainability Marketing Mix: Customer Solutions, Communications and Customer Cost
• Developing the Future of Sustainability Marketing: Sustainability Marketing Transformations and Reframing Sustainability Marketing

Companies expand business internationally to increase income, to cut costs, to lower their risk profile and to learn new things. While doing so, these companies incur many challenges. In this module we will look at the broader logistical impact of the decisions companies make. We will analyze these challenges and learn how to deal to with these.

You will cover the following subjects:

• Culture and what it means for doing business internationally
• Logistics and customs
• Different ways to export goods and the risks and liabilities for the involved parties
• Market entry, payment and credit insurance
• Ethical behavior in an international environment

In a series of training sessions, you will receive various forms of expert coaching in order to work towards successfully solving Harvard style business cases. You will have the opportunity to subscribe to a competition format once you have formed a committed team. The opportunities depend on Windesheim and its industry partners. Next to developing skills in analysing and diagnosing, you will also be trained in formulating advice and how to convincingly present your ideas. Lastly, attention will be paid to writing style and building professional reports.

Want to know more about the exchange programme of Doing Business in the World? Check the course catalogue for more information about matters such as assessment and teaching methods.

Read the course catalogue

During this module, you will gain an understanding of creating and delivering various types of (professional) presentations. You will actively practise during a series of interactive sessions in small groups. We will keep a close eye on your development so that by the end of this module, you can demonstrate that your presentation and English skills are of a higher standard.

Intercultural competences are among the most essential topics when talking about internationalization. Without these competences, international cooperation and communication will most probably end in well-meant approaches, but no concrete results. In this module, explicit attention is given to defining as well as developing these essential 21st-century skills.

You will actively map your current state of Intercultural Development by means of the Intercultural Readiness Check and develop an action plan on which you base a number of activities that explicitly help strengthen your intercultural skills. Besides this, the theme of diversity will be discussed and applied during several group projects and activities.

The module Critical Thinking (Open Your Mind) sharpens your brain. We want you to think critically about your own field of study and future profession and become more creative in your work. You will learn the difference between a fixed and growth mindset and will develop the skills to convincingly, professionally and creatively write and present. To do so, you will study: 

• Critical reading, reasoning, structuring information, analyzing, evaluating and judging (critical thinking skills)
• Planning, formulating, editing and revising (writing skills for both creative and business writing)
• Convergent and divergent thinking, thinking outside and inside the box (creative thinking skills)

Are you a native French speaker and would you like to teach others your language? Then this module is perfect for you! Share your language with students from our International Business degree and develop your own leadership skills. Being a teaching assistant is a great way to practice your listening and speaking abilities, while also working on your creative, interpersonal and organizational capabilities. Skills that are useful in any job!

During this module you will cooperate closely with a French teacher and take over certain responsibilities in the classroom. By the end of the semester, you will document your learning experiences in a report.

Are you a native German speaker and would you like to teach others your language? Then this module is perfect for you! Share your language with students from our International Business degree and develop your own leadership skills. Being a teaching assistant is a great way to practice your listening and speaking abilities, while also working on your creative, interpersonal and organizational capabilities. Skills that are useful in any job!

During this module you will cooperate closely with a German teacher and take over certain responsibilities in the classroom. By the end of the semester, you will document your learning experiences in a report.

Complete your exchange semester or year by taking one or more electives. The module Introduction to Windesheim is compulsory for all international students, but you are free to choose from the other options. You will receive ECTS credits when you complete a module successfully. 

Introduction to Windesheim
Intercultural Awareness
Drama and Improvisation
Dutch Language
Dutch Society

Want to know more about the exchange programme of Doing Business in the World? Check the course catalogue for more information about matters such as assessment and teaching methods.

Read the course catalogue

In a globalizing economy, industrial value chains become more complex, spanning more countries and supply chain members than ever before. While flows of goods in the chain are increasingly integrated and optimized, finance flows have been fragmented. The credit crisis has revealed structural weaknesses. Cost of financing is rising, while suppliers, especially SMEs and those located in developing countries, have difficulties obtaining necessary credit. To address these costs and risks of supply chain disruption, large buyers are increasingly interested in managing the financial supply chain with an equally integrated view. Supply Chain Finance (SCF) deals with approaches and instruments that optimize transactions, working capital and costs of the extended supply chains. New models could significantly improve access to finance or reduce the need to finance by unlocking the potential from within supply chains instead of relying on external creditors.

Course content

The goal of this course is to gradually show the importance of a supply chain view on financial processes. It does so by giving insight into ways to optimize working capital and related financial processes, while taking into account risks and the distribution of power within supply chains.

In six lectures we will discuss the following subjects:

• Supply Chain Structure and Financial Processes
• Working Capital
• Working Capital Management
• Costs in the supply chain
• Supply Chain Risk and Control
• Supply Chain Finance Instruments

In the last week of the course, you will learn how to apply all studied theory by means of a two-day simulation game.

The Treasury Management project focuses on risks relating to working capital, interest rates and currencies. You will get learn more about:

• Equity investments (valuation of stocks)
• Foreign exchange markets (currency exchange rates, exchange rate risks)
• Portfolio theory (asset allocation, portfolio design)

Everything is considered from the perspective of a treasurer within the Bootsma company. The module also covers aspects such as financial analysis, financial statements and cash flow overviews. On top of this, you will get hands-on social and communicative experience through chairing and participating in meetings.

You need to have a financial background in order to start this module.

The Treasury Management Finance module focuses on Net Working Capital, interest risk management and currency risk management. This includes the following subjects:

• Cash flow
• Net Working Capital (NWC)
• Ratios
• Interest risk
• Currency risk

You need to have a financial background in order to start this module.

This module provides a framework for analyzing a company’s financial environment. You will learn to make qualitative estimates of a company’s risk on the money market, capital market and foreign exchange market. Besides this, you will also be able to make suggestions about addressing such risks.

You will master the following concepts:

• Circular flow
• The Keynesian model
• Concept of economic growth
• Banking system-fiscal policy (IS-LM)
• Monetary policy (IS-LM)

You need to have a financial background in order to start this module.

Complete your exchange semester or year by taking one or more electives. The module Introduction to Windesheim is compulsory for all international students, but you are free to choose from the other options. You will receive ECTS credits when you complete a module successfully. 

Introduction to Windesheim
Intercultural Awareness
Drama and Improvisation
Dutch Language
Dutch Society

Want to know more about the exchange programme of Doing Business in the World? Check the course catalogue for more information about matters such as assessment and teaching methods.

Read the course catalogue