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International Business: State-of-the Art Theories and Topics - 5 ECTS
View Testimonials from 2025
Course coordinator: Professor Grazia Santangelo
Department of Strategy and Innovation
Faculty
Professor Christian Geisler Asmussen (CGA)
Department of Strategy and Innovation, CBS
Professor Michael Mol (MM)
Department of Strategy and Innovation, CBS
Dana Minbaeva (DM)
Department of Strategy and Innovation, CBS
Professor Torben Pedersen (TP)
Department of Strategy and Innovation, CBS
Professor Larissa Rabbiosi (LR)
Department of Strategy and Innovation, CBS
Professor Grazia Santangelo (GS)
Department of Strategy and Innovation, CBS
Professor Wolfgang Sofka (WS)
Department of Strategy and Innovation, CBS
Department of International Economics, Government and Business, CBS
Prerequisites
The course is designed for students with different backgrounds who have an interest in business and its applications to other fields and topics. Although a basic knowledge of management, strategy, and economics is helpful, no specific prerequisites are required. Students are expected to attend the entire course and take the final exam.
- curriculum vitae demonstrating your capabilities of doing research;
- a letter of recommendation of your local faculty supporting the application;
- a one-page description of your doctoral research, indicating the general objectives.
Aim
The course aims to offer a systematic foundational knowledge of the theoretical building blocks of international business research, the most up-to-date debates on theories, and an overview of topics and areas of research in the field. The ultimate goal is to develop the ability to identify opportunities for future research. The course is organized into two parts. The first part focuses on different theoretical perspectives. The second part discusses state‐of‐the‐art research on specific topics and areas.
Course content
This is a discussion‐based course. Students are expected to attend and be prepared for every session. Session preparation includes reading all required assigned material for the session. During each session, the discussion will be based on the papers for discussion.
Lectures and workshops where students are expected to present and discuss pre‐assigned readings.
S1 - Day 1 - Faculty: GS
Why and how companies became multinationals
S2* - Day 1 - Faculty: CGA
Internalization theory
S3 - Day 2 - Faculty: MM
Stakeholder theory in the global context
S4* - Day 2 - Faculty: GS
Proposal Development Workshop
S5 - Day 3 - Faculty: DM
Strategic human capital in international business
S6* - Day 3 - Faculty: LR
Knowledge transfer across borders
S7 - Day 4 - Faculty: WS
International business and knowledge protection
S8* - Day 4 * - Faculty: FZ
Firm strategies under geopolitical risk
S9 - Day 4 - Faculty: TP
Globalization, disruptions and corporate resilience
S10* - Day 5 - Faculty: GS
MNEs and Grand Challenges
* These sessions will be scheduled in the afternoon
Morning sessions: 9:00-12:00
Afternoon sessions: 13:30-16:30
To demonstrate an understanding and appreciation of theories and topics relevant to international business literature.
- To demonstrate an understanding and appreciation of key concepts, assumptions, causal relationships and processes relevant to international business literature.
- To critically review assigned readings.
- To develop new ideas and approaches that advance some portions of theory and research.
At the end of the course, each student is requested to hand in a 3‐5‐page proposal that will be assessed on a pass/no‐pass basis. The proposal is expected to identify a research question, theoretical framing, and preliminary hypotheses.
A preliminary list of readings per session is reported below. A final syllabus will be circulated to registered students before the start of the course.
Dunning, J.H., 2000. The eclectic paradigm as an envelope for economic and business theories of MNE activity. International Business Review, 9(2): 163‐190.
Hennart, J.‐F. (2000). Transaction costs theory and the multinational enterprise. In C. Pitelis & R. Sugden (Eds), The Nature of the Transnational, (2nd ed.) 72–118. London: Routledge
Surroca, J., Tribó, J. A., & Zahra, S. A. 2013. Stakeholder pressure on MNEs and the transfer of socially irresponsible practices to subsidiaries. Academy of Management Journal, 56: 549–572.
Powell, T. C., Lovallo, D., & Fox, C. R. (2011). Behavioral strategy. Strategic Management Journal, 32(13), 1369-1386.
Fortwengel, J., & Kostova, T. (2023). Three decades of research on practice transfer in multinational firms: Past contributions and future opportunities. Journal of World Business, 58(3), 101430.
Kim, J. H., Kwak, J., & Park, H. K. (2025). ESG as a nonmarket strategy to cope with geopolitical tension: Empirical evidence from multinationals' ESG performance. Strategic Management Journal, 46(3), 693-722.
Registration Deadline and Conditions
The registration deadline is 1 March 2027. If you wish to cancel your registration, it must be done by this date. By this deadline, we determine whether there are enough registrations to run the course or decide who should be offered a seat if we have received too many registrations.
Information about the Event
Date and time Monday 12 April 2027 at 09:00 to Friday 16 April 2027 at 16:30
Registration Deadline Monday 1 March 2027 at 23:55
Location
Kilen - room KL 2.53 (second floor)
Kilevej 14A
Frederiksberg
DK-2000
Organizer
Nina Iversen, CBS PhD School
Phone +45 3815 2475
ni.research@cbs.dk
Event Location
About CBS PhD School
Copenhagen Business School (CBS) offers a range of PhD courses, covering the scientific disciplines of the school. The courses include research design, publication techniques, research methods such as qualitative or quantitative methods, and specialisation courses in eg. organisational analysis, marketing and political science.
Most courses are organised as intensive week-long courses, but other formats are applied as well. The courses are open to PhD students from other countries and institutions, but some prerequisites may apply. Please see the individual course descriptions.
The PhD courses are offered in English and are for PhD students only.
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Event Location
About CBS PhD School
Copenhagen Business School (CBS) offers a range of PhD courses, covering the scientific disciplines of the school. The courses include research design, publication techniques, research methods such as qualitative or quantitative methods, and specialisation courses in eg. organisational analysis, marketing and political science.
Most courses are organised as intensive week-long courses, but other formats are applied as well. The courses are open to PhD students from other countries and institutions, but some prerequisites may apply. Please see the individual course descriptions.
The PhD courses are offered in English and are for PhD students only.