Course Syllabus
The syllabuses on both this page and the NTU online course information are synchronized.
Course Information
| Item | Content |
| Course title | International Business Strategy |
| Semester | 114-2 |
| Designated for |
GRADUATE INSTITUTE OF INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS DEPARTMENT OF INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS |
| Instructor | HONG-JEN CHIU |
| Curriculum No. | IB 5059 |
| Curriculum Id No. | 724 U2400 |
| Class | |
| Credit | 3 |
| Full/Half Yr. | Half |
| Required/Elective | Elective |
| Time | Tuesday 2,3,4(9:10~12:10) |
| Place | 管二205 |
| Remarks | The course is conducted in English。 |
Course Syllabus
| Item | Content |
| Course Description | In this semester, we are going to discuss a set of IBS cases written by Prof. Chiu in person in Year 2020 - 25. The de facto teaching environment is in-class. My case-based teaching strategy aims at shedding light on the critical issues on why and how a firm goes global and competes in the global marketplace, responds to GenAI and its applications; an industry profits from disruptive innovation; global entrepreneurial opportunities, and a nation makes policy changes toward the third-generation semiconductor, smart cities/nations, clean energy, among others. |
| Course Objective | In-person experiential learning -- i.e., either on an individual or group basis -- lays the groundwork for my teaching on campuses around major universities in Asia for the past 32 years. For recent years, I have still worked agressively in pursuing internaitonally-collaborated research projects in GenAi and its applications, Digital Assets, EV Alliances. Geopolitical Risk Analysis. To update and enhance my pedagogical approach in line with the global benchmark of the top universities overseas, I have implemented a four-year long “Global Teaching & Research Effectiveness 2.0” project between 2015 and 2019 on behalf of a Hong Kong-based not-for-profit foundation with an endowment of US$ 180 million up to date. The leading universities that I have visited and benchmarked their teaching protocols include Harvard U., MIT, Columbia, Wharton School, Stanford U., UC-Berkeley, U. Chicago, U Minnesota, Cambridge U., Oxford U., London Business School, HEC-Montreal, Humboldt U zu Berlin, Berlin Technical U., U Paris, Ecole Polytechique, Waseda U., Keio U., U Hong Kong, Chinese U Hong Kong, U Sydney, Melborne U., Australia National U., National U Singapore, Beijing U, Beijing Tsinghua, among others. Our International Business Strategy (IBS) course focuses on the key issues on formation, decision-making, communication & negotiation, and implementation of IBS. By key issues, we mean to leverage and integrate resources to achieve the effectiveness of objective-driven strategic processes, and to improve the efficiency of strategic conduct that links objectives and performance. As open-innovation business eco-systems prevail in current global marketplace, we further intend to redefine international strategy to incorporate strategic challenges across economic, political, cultural & social boundaries. Regarding the pedagogical approach, we are going to discuss core theories, best business practices, visionary thinking, seamless implementation, and policy implications. In global business environment under strategic uncertainty, flexibility and speed are key to competitive supremacy. You can expect to learn the relevant models and approaches for seeking untapped opportunities, for strengthening economic performance and social legitimacy, for upgrading technical and structural innovation, and for responding to dynamic changes in frontier-, or emerging-, or maturing-economies. |
| Course Requirement | You can expect to learn timely professional knowledge and experience in global strategy. Also, we will interact and exchange thoughts on the essence of conducting analyses and making discussions on global strategy. Our learning focus is on competitive & cooperative drivers, resources integration, capability deployment, strategic leadership, inter-firm alliance, managing institutional relationship, innovation and entrepreneurship, and acquisition & restructuring in the global marketplace. Finally, Prof. Chiu commits to enhance students' understandings of strategic thinking, decision-making framework, and action programs that are working surely. |
| Expected weekly study hours before and/or after class | 2 hours per week |
| References | Mckinsey's & Co. and BCG publications, Harvard Business Review, and MIT Sloan Management Review. |
| Designated Reading | All available on the course website |
Progress
| Week | Date | Topic |
| Week 1 | See the class schedule on the Modules section. |
Makeup Class Information
| NO | Date | Start Time | End Time | Location or Method |
Grading
| NO | Item | Pc | Explanations for the conditions |
| 1 | Individual Participation & Discussions | 30% | The grading for your participation for class discussions will be recognized as the “sticker-awarding” system. The total number of stickers collected in every class will be counted toward your contributions to in-class discussions. To get a highest grade (A+) on this part, you are expected to get at least 10 stickers. The number of stickers your receive will serve the basis for your participation grade, such as More than 10 stickers A + 9 -10 stickers A 7 - 8 stickers A - 5 - 6 stickers B + 3 - 4 stickers B 1 – 2 stickers B- 0 sticker C |
| 2 | (Group) Case Study Report & Presentation | 30% | You may form a FIVE-SIX person group for studying the case assigned by the instrutor. A set of disucssion questions (DQs) are provided in the Modules section. Nevertheless, you may choose your own way of analyzing the case and organize your arguments in ppt (for oral presentation) and then in word-formated report. The length of the text of your report will be 2500 words or so. |
| 3 | Group Term Project or Final Exam (Choose ONE of the Two Options) | 40% | {Option I -- Group Term Project) Each IBS study group with at most six persons -- i.e., could be the same as or different from its case study team -- should choose a firm or an industry to write ONE term project that aims at addressing issues related to all subjects specified in the IBS lecture notes at the firm- or industry-level. Then, the choice of the focal firm/industry for your term project is at your group members’ collective discretion. The max length of the term project is about 20 pages in Word-format, with 12-font letter size. The structure of the term project should include the following: (1) One-page Executive Summary; (2) Clarify strategic issues on IBS; (3) Describe such IBS events -- i.e., relocation of global supply chains (max. 2 pages); (4) Apply the analytical tools, frameworks, and concepts that you have learned from this IBS course to analyze the drivers or factors behind these issues, and propose likely alternatives for the IBS strategy (min. 4 pages); (5) Compare and contrast the advantages and disadvantages of these alternatives, and prioritize them in terms of feasibility for implementation (min. 2 pages); (6) Recommend the choice of new strategic directions and implementation action programs, in response to the issues specified in (2). (Option II -- Individual Final Exam) You can expect FOUR (4) short-essay questions in the in-class final exam offered on W16 -- i.e., June 8, 2026. The format is online CLOSED-BOOK exam. |
Adjustment methods for students
| Adjustment method | |
| Teaching methods | Provide students with flexible ways of attending courses |
| Assignment submission methods | Extension of the deadline for submitting assignments |
| Exam methods | Written (oral) reports replace exams |
| Others | Negotiated by both teachers and students |
Office Hour
| Remarks | None |