INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS ENVIRONMENT

Why Study Global Strategy?

- A prerequisite in top ranks of large firms
- Dealing with foreign-owned suppliers is common in all businesses
- Domestic corporations can buy foreign-owned corporations
- Domestic corporations can be bought by foreign-owned corporations

What Is International Strategy?

Planning and execution of actions that enable a firm to achieve its long-term goals globally. It
involves allocating resources and making decisions to succeed in international markets by
adapting to diverse environments and seizing global opportunities.

Types of International Strategies

- Global Strategy: Standardized products, centralized operations,
efficiency, and uniformity focus.
- Transnational Strategy: Blend of global and local, customized
products, efficient yet adaptable operations.
- International Strategy: Export-based, minimal local customization,
central decision-making.
- Multidomestic Strategy: Highly localized products, decentralized
operations, focus on local preferences and needs.

International Drivers

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International Business
Process that moves the union between markets and the approach between cultures and
societies.

Global trade Buzzwords

- Friendshoring: The practice of shifting supply chains to countries that are politically
stable and share similar values, aiming to reduce risks associated with geopolitical
tensions.
- Nearshoring: Moving production or sourcing closer to the consumer market to reduce
transportation costs and improve supply chain responsiveness.
- Reshoring: Bringing manufacturing and services back to a company's home country
to increase control over production and supply chains.
- Decoupling: The process of reducing dependency on a specific country's economy or
supply chain, often in response to political or trade uncertainties.
- Offshoring: Moving operations to another country to cut labor costs and access
specific skills or raw materials, differing from outsourcing by transferring existing
operations abroad rather than contracting out.

International Environment
- Global Influences: International political, economic, and
social factors impact business strategies.
- Technology's Role in Business: The effects of
technological advancements on global market dynamics.
- Importance of Sustainability: The increasing significance
of environmental and ethical considerations.

Economic Factors

1. Economics Agents
- Producers create goods and
services, driving innovation and
competition in global markets.
- Consumers shape demand and
preferences, influencing
international market trends and
product offerings.
- Governments regulate markets, set
trade policies, and ensure fair
practices, impacting global trade
dynamics.

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 2. Economic Growth: GDP
- The economy is cyclical, i.e. it combines expansionary
and contractionary phases. These successive
fluctuations are known as the business cycle
- Economic development is measured as the change in
GDP. If the variation is negative, the economy is said to
be in crisis.
- An economic crisis refers to a period of scarcity in the
production, marketing and consumption of products and
services.

3. Price Stability: Inflation

Inflation: Sustained increase in the overall level of prices of goods, services and production
factors, reflecting a decline of purchasing power of a given currency.

The common measure of inflation is the inflation rate, the annualized percentage change in a
general price index over time.

Consumer price index: CPI measures the overall cost of goods and services bought by
consumers. It is useful to monitor the cost of living over time.

Producer price index, Wholesale price index, Employment cost index, Export price index,
Import price index, GDP deflator

4. Interest Rates: Cost of Borrowing

- Interest Rate Basics: Cost of borrowing, expressed as APR.
- Impact of Rising Rates: Makes borrowing costlier, limiting finance access.
- Central Bank Strategy: Increases rates to curb inflation, slowing the economy.

5. Employment
- Labor Market Conditions: Availability of skilled labor and wage levels across
countries influence business operations and cost structures.
- Employment Regulations: Variations in labor laws, worker rights, and employment
standards affect international HR practices.
- Economic Cycles and Employment: Fluctuations in global economic conditions
impact labor demand, affecting hiring, expansion, and investment decisions.

6. Balance of Payments
It summarizes a country's transactions with the rest of the world, reflecting trade,
investment flows, and financial transfers.
- Trade Balance: Exports vs. imports impact on a nation's economy and
currency value
- Capital Flows: Investment movements between countries affect exchange
rates and investment attractiveness.
- Current Account: Reflects trade balance, foreign investments, and cash
transfers, influencing economic stability and policy.

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Environmental factors

1. Geography
Geographical factors significantly impact the flow and efficiency of international trade
- Climate and Topography: Influence agricultural productivity, energy costs, and
logistics.
- Natural Resources: Determine export potentials and trade partnerships.
- Infrastructure Quality: Affects efficiency of trade operations and market
access.

2. Energy
Energy sustainability is transforming international business, emphasizing investments
in clean technology and a sustainable future.
- Renewable Energy Impact: Shift towards renewables influences global supply
chains and production costs.
- Regulatory Compliance: Global and local sustainability regulations affect
market entry and competitiveness.
- Corporate Responsibility: A focus on sustainable practices boosts brand
value and meets the expectations of consumers and investors.

3. Demographics
Demographics shape the global business landscape by affecting workforce
availability, consumer demographics, and market needs,
- Global Labor Market: Population trends shape the availability and cost of
labor internationally.
- Market Expansion: Urban migration drives demand in emerging urban
centers, influencing global investment strategies.
- Consumer Base Aging: Aging populations alter product demand and service
needs across markets, requiring business adaptation.

4. Black swan events

Unexpected factors like pandemics significantly influence international business,
highlighting the need for agility and resilience in strategies.
- Supply Chain Disruptions: Events like COVID-19 can interrupt global supply
chains, necessitating adaptable logistics and sourcing strategies.
- Market Volatility: Unforeseen crises lead to economic fluctuations, impacting
demand, investment, and pricing strategies.
- Operational Adaptability: The ability to swiftly adjust to changing conditions,
from remote work to digital transformation, becomes crucial for business
continuity.

5. Political Factors
- Regulatory Landscape and Compliance: Navigating the complexity of
international regulations, including trade agreements, tariffs, and compliance
with local laws, challenges operational planning and global strategy.
- Digital and Intellectual Property Law: Addressing challenges in the digital
realm, including intellectual property rights, data protection, and e-commerce
laws, to safeguard assets and ensure competitive advantage.

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 - Dispute Resolution and Legal System Diversity: Adapting to multiple legal
frameworks and utilizing international dispute resolution mechanisms to
manage cross-border legal conflicts effectively.

6. Technological Factors
- Adaptation to Innovation: The rapid pace of technological change compels
businesses to continually update their strategies and operations to harness
new opportunities and stay ahead in the global marketplace.
- Digital Transformation Impact: Integrating digital technologies is crucial for
operational efficiency, customer engagement, and accessing new markets,
demanding investments in technology and talent to support global business
models.
- Technology-Driven Competitive Advantage: Leveraging advancements in
technology, such as AI, blockchain, and IoT, provides businesses with a
competitive edge through innovation in products, services, and supply chain
management.

INSTITUTIONS, CULTURES AND ETHICS

INSTITUTIONS
Institutional framework: Formal and informal institutions governing individual and
firm behavior separated into two types of institutions:
- Formal institutions: Laws, regulations, and rules – supported by the regulatory pillar
(the coercive power of governments)
- Informal institutions: Norms, cultures, and ethics – supported by the normative and
cognitive pillars
- Normative – values, beliefs, and actions of relevant players
- Cognitive – internalized, taken-for-granted values and beliefs that guide
behavior

What do institutions do?

- Key function – Reduce uncertainty

How do institutions reduce uncertainty?

- Relational contracting: Informal, relationship-based, personalized exchanges
- Arm’s length transaction: Formal, rule-based, impersonal exchange with third part
enforcement
- Institutional transitions: Fundamental and comprehensive changes to the rules that
affect all organizations

Institutions, firms and Choices

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The importance of Culture
Culture is
- Behaviors and values, the seen and unseen, that are learned, shared, and
transmitted by a group of people.
- Relevant to the study of international business.
- The human-made part of human environment.
Knowledge, beliefs, art, morals, laws, customs, and any other capabilities
and habits.

Culture and Consumption

- The Dutch are champion consumers of cut flowers.
- Flowers of cultural and economic value through history
- The Germans, British, and Japanese love chocolates.
- Cooler temperatures allow for easier storage.
- The Japanese and Spaniards love seafood.
- Being surrounded by water explains preference for seafood.
- French and Italians consume the most wine
- Grapes grow best there; alcohol laws more relaxed.

The cultural Map

Origins of Culture
- Social Institutions
- Family, religion, school, the media, government, corporations.
- Cultural interpretations are impacted by

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 - The positions of men and women in society.
- The role of family.
- Social classes.
- Group behavior.
- Age groups.
- Societal definitions of decency and civility.

Dimensions of Culture

Cultural values and Consumer Behaviour

Can help predict consumer behavior patterns.
- Consumption of luxury goods.
- Consuming with immediate vs. long-term goals in mind.
- Word-of-mouth communications.
- Impulsive buying.
- The propensity to complain.
- Influence of perceptions of product creativity.

Culture and Business Systems

Culture profoundly impacts business Management style.
- Business culture, management values, business methods and behavior.
- Establishes criteria for day-to-day business behavior.
- Forms general patterns of values and motivations.
- Important for marketers to analyze to be successful.
- Cultural analysis and understanding gives competitive edge.
- Business etiquette a crucial component.

10 Basic Criteria to Do Business in a Foreign Country

1. Open tolerance
2. Flexibility
3. Humility
4. Justice/fairness
5. Ability to adjust to varying tempos
6. Curiosity/interest
7. Knowledge of the country

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 8. Liking for others
9. Ability to command respect
10. Ability to integrate oneself into the environment

Management Styles around the World

- Communicating: Low-context vs. High-context.
- Evaluating: Direct vs. Indirect feedback.
- Persuading: Principles-first vs. Applications-first.
- Leading: Egalitarian vs. Hierarchical.
- Deciding: Consensual vs. Top-down.
- Trusting: Task-based vs. Relationship-based.
- Disagreeing: Confrontational vs. Avoids confrontation.
- Scheduling: Linear-time vs. Flexible-time.
- Listening & Feedback: Key in cross-cultural communication; requires sensitivity.

Business Ethics
Ethical and Socially Responsible Decisions

Difficulties often arise in five broad areas.

- Employment practices and policies
- Consumer protection
- Environmental protection
- Political payments and involvement in political affairs of the country
- Basic human rights and fundamental freedoms

The Western Focus on Bribery comuption

Many countries don’t restrict bribery.
- “If you don’t pay bribes, you don’t do business”.
- Conflict between ethics and profitability.
- Democracy depends on the public's trust in the integrity of government.
Transparency International (TI).
- Encourages governments to curb corruption.

If there a lot of companies there will more more competitiveness, but if there are fewer
companies they might get to an agreement between them and reduce that competitiveness

MANAGING INDUSTRY COMPETITION

Market Structures and Competition

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Industry-Based Considerations
- Collusion and “prisoners’ dilemma” – attempts between firms to reduce competition
- Industry characteristics and collusion vis-à-vis competition
➔ Concentration ratio
➔ Industry price leader
➔ Homogeneous products
➔ High entry barriers versus low entry barriers
➔ High market commonality (mutual forbearance)

The Five forces Framework

Types of Competition

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Differentiation Paths
- Market, niche, tribe
- Marketing and differential sales
- Product offer
- Culture and mission
- Business model

Blue Ocean Strategy

Strategic Approaches to Competition

- Coopetition: Collaborate with competitors on certain fronts while competing on
others.
- Direct Attack: Aggressively market against competitors' offerings.
- Flanking Maneuver: Target areas where competitors are underperforming.
- Market Encroachment: Gradually capture market share through improved offerings.
- Guerrilla Tactics: Use surprise elements and unconventional methods to compete.
- Defensive Strategy: Protect market share through customer loyalty and service.
- Strategic Withdrawal: Exit unprofitable markets to focus on stronger areas.
- Market Segmentation: Specialize in underserved or niche segments.
- Innovation Leadership: Stay ahead through continuous innovation and R&D.
- Price War: Compete primarily on the basis of price, often not sustainable long-term.

Competition Analysis: Steps

- Identify Competitors: List direct and indirect market players.
- Research Thoroughly: Use online resources to gather data on competitors.
- Product Trial: Engage with competitors' products through trials or demos.
- Analyze User Experience: Note the usability, strengths, and weaknesses.
- Understand Competitor Strategy: Assess their vision, mission, and market
positioning.
- Spot Differentiators: Identify what sets each competitor apart.
- SWOT Analysis: Summarize competitors' strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and
threats.
- Synthesize Findings: Create a concise report highlighting key insights.

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 LEVERAGING RESOURCES

Resources and Capabilities

1. Tangible
- Resources and capabilities that are observable and easily quantified
- Broadly organized into three categories:
➔ Financial
➔ Physical
➔ Technological
2. Intangible
- Resources and capabilities not easily observed or difficult (or impossible) to
quantify
- Examples include:
➔ Human
➔ Innovation
➔ Reputation

The Value Chain

- Value Chain
Goods and services produced through a chain of vertical activities that add value
Components of the Value Chain
- Primary activities
Are directly associated with the development, production, and distribution of goods
and services
- Support activities
Assist in the accomplishment of primary activities

Decision Model: Value Chain

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In-House vs Outsourcing

Location Types

Slow vs Fast Industries

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The VRIO Framework
Four fundamental questions of VRIO
- Is it valuable?
- Is it rare?
- Is it costly to imitate?
- Is it exploited by an organization?

GROWING AND INTERNATIONALIZING

Entrepreneurial Firms
- Entrepreneurship: The identification and exploitation of previously unexplored
opportunities
- Entrepreneurs: Set of individuals who discover, evaluate, and exploit opportunities
➔ Founders and owners of new businesses or managers of existing firms
- Not the exclusive domain of small, young firms
- Small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) globally
➔ 95% of all firms
➔ Create 50% of total value added
➔ Generate 60–90% of all employment

Technology has created new options for entrepreneurs in the form of gig economies and
sharing economies. Compounded by a global pandemic, many jobs were moved online and
new opportunities made available worldwide.
Discuss the entrepreneurial advantages and disadvantages to a gig economy and sharing
economy.

Five Entrepreneurial Strategies

1. Growth
2. Innovation
3. Network
4. Financing and governance
5. Harvest and exit
The excitement of growing a new company is often what attracts entrepreneurs in
the first place. Attempt to utilize resources and capabilities (Vision + Drive)

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Entrepreneurial Firms: Stages

Entrepreneurial Firms: Growth Paths

Entrepreneurial Strategies: Innovation

- An innovation strategy is a specialized form of differentiation strategy
- Advantages of an innovation strategy
➔ Creates a more sustainable competitive advantage
➔ Technological breakthroughs and organizational innovations (new ways of
doing business)
➔ Owners, managers, and employees at entrepreneurial firms are more
innovative and risk-taking than those at large firms

Entrepreneurial Strategies: Network

- Intentionally construct and tap into relationships, connections, and ties that
individuals and organizations have developed
- Translate personal networks into value-adding organizational networks
- Distinguishing characteristics
➔ Needed to overcome liability of newness
➔ Intensity of relationships is important
➔ Networks represent significant resources and opportunities

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 ➔ May lead to successful entrepreneurial performance
➔ Centrally located network positions are most helpful

Entrepreneurial Strategies: Financing

- Outside investors usually demand collateral or some other assurance
- Odds for survival during crucial early years are significantly correlated with firm size
➔ Faster a new start-up can reach a certain size, the more likely it will survive
➔ Entrepreneurs often choose to accept more outside investment in order to
reach a large size

Entrepreneurial Strategies: Harvest and Exit

- “Selling out” does not necessarily mean failure
- Routes for entrepreneurial harvest and exit
➔ Selling an equity stake
➔ Selling the business
➔ Merging with another firm
➔ Going public with an initial public offering (IPO)
➔ Becoming inactive • Declaring bankruptcy

Internationalizing the Entrepreneurial Firm: Exporting

- Entrepreneurs are challenging myths about internationalization
- International strategies for entering foreign markets
➔ Direct exporting
➔ Licensing or franchising
➔ Foreign direct investment (FDI)

Internationalizing the Entrepreneurial Firm

- Direct exporting: Company sells to customers in another country.
- Indirect exporting. Company sells to importers or distributors in other countries.
- The Internet: Unexpectedly expanded markets globally for some companies. Led to
multilingual sites and dedicated sites for foreign markets
- Direct sales.May involve establishing an office in foreign country. Particularly used for
high-tech and big-ticket industrial products.

Internationalizing the Entrepreneurial Firm: Licensing

- Contractual Agreements.
- Rights granted to foreign companies: Patent rights; Trademark rights Rights to use
technological processes; aids in production and distribution of imported products.
- A means to establish a foothold in foreign market: No large capital outlays; lower risk.
Favored by small and medium-sized companies

Internationalizing the Entrepreneurial Firm: Franchising

Contractual Agreements:
Franchising Skill centralization and operational decentralization.
- Franchiser’s standard products, systems, management services.
- Franchisee’s market knowledge, capital, personal involvement in management.
Key factors that influence success.
- Monitoring costs (based on physical and cultural distances).

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 - The principal’s international expense.
- The brand equity in the new market. Fosters local ownership and employment. Blunts
threat of competitors entering market

Licensing vs Franchising

Internationalizing the Entrepreneurial Firm

- International strategies for staying in domestic markets
➔ Indirect exporting through domestic-based export intermediaries
➔ Become supplier of a foreign firm doing business in that firm’s home country
➔ Become licensee or franchisee of foreign brands
➔ Become alliance partner of foreign a direct investor
➔ Harvest and exit through sell-offs to foreign firms

Discussion Activity 2
Discuss your thoughts on internationalization versus born-global. Do you believe a SME
should establish success at home before expanding internationally? Or would it be better to
establish a company in conjunction with a company in another company?

ENTERING FOREIGN COUNTRY

Icebreaker
Your business has decided to establish a global footprint by entering a foreign market.
- What are some benefits for a business in establishing a global presence?
- Why is it so challenging to enter and succeed in overseas markets?
- What are some problems in trying to understand and conduct business with foreign
industry conditions?
- How should a global business handle already entrenched competition in the market?
- How might institutional uncertainties in host countries affect the ability of the business
to enter the market?

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 riesgolcarge
The Liability of Foreignness
- Liability of Foreignness: The inherent disadvantage foreign firms experience in host
countries because of their non-native status
- Differences in formal and informal institutions govern the rules of the game in
different countries
- Foreign firms are often discriminated against
- Foreign firms deploy overwhelming resources and capabilities to offset the liability of
foreignness

Breakout Group Activity

Divide into two groups. One group will represent a foreign firm and one group will represent
a host country. Come up with five to ten reasons how your group might be affected by the
liability of foreignness or the inherent disadvantage foreign firms experience in host countries
because of their nonnative status. The foreign firm group will focus on the disadvantages
faced when trying to establish themselves in a foreign market and the host country group will
list ways the foreign firm might negatively affect their market. Set a time limit for the breakout
activity and have each group present their list to the class when time expires.

Why to Internationalize

A Model of Foreign Market Entries

- Industry-based considerations
- Rivalry among established firms
- Entry barriers/scale economies
- Bargaining power of suppliers
- Bargaining power of buyers
- Substitute products

- Resource-based considerations
- Value of firm-specific resources and capabilities
- The rarity of firm-specific assets
- Transaction costs
- Methods of organizing firm-specific resources and capabilities

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A Model of Foreign Market Entries
- Institution-Based Considerations
- Regulatory risks: Obsolescing bargain
- Trade barriers:
➔ Tariff barriers
➔ Nontariff barriers (safety inspections, local content requirements, entry
modes restrictions
- Currency risks: Speculation and hedging

- Synthesis – Different considerations may pull the foreign entrant in different

directions

A Model of Foreign Market Entries

Where to Enter?
- Location-Specific Advantages
- Geographical advantages
- Agglomeration: Clustering of economic activities
- Strategic Goals – Seeking natural resources, markets, efficiency and innovation near
potential locations
- Cultural/Institutional Distances and Foreign Entry Locations
- Cultural distance – the difference between two cultures
- Institutional distance – comparing the regulatory, normative, and cognitive
institutions
- Two schools of thought – stage models versus strategic goals

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1. Location-Specific Advantages
- First mover advantages
- Developing proprietary, technological leadership
- Preempting scarce assets
- Establishing entry barriers
- Becomes the dominant firm
- Opportunity for relationships with key stakeholders

- Late mover advantages

- Benefit from first mover investments
- Learn from first mover experience in market uncertainties
- Leapfrogging first mover inflexibility of fixed assets

Discussion Activity
Entry timing refers to whether there are compelling reasons to be an early or late
entrant in a particular country.
- What are some benefits to first-mover firms? Provide a specific example of
benefits enjoyed by a firm that has chosen to be a first-mover firm in a foreign
market.
- What are some benefits to late-mover firms? Provide a specific example of
benefits enjoyed by a firm that has chosen to be a late-mover firm in a foreign
market.

2. Scale of Entry: Commitment and Experience

- Large-Scale Entries
- Benefit from a strategic commitment
- Drawbacks of large-scale entries
- Limited strategic flexibility
- Potential of huge losses

- Small-scale entries
- “Learning by doing”
- Drawbacks of small-scale entries
- A lack of strong strategic commitment
- Difficulties in building market share

- Modes of Entry: First Step

- Strategists must prioritize variables
- A decision model is helpful
- Non-equity versus equity modes
- Level of commitment
- Contractual and ownership alternatives
- Foreign direct investment advantages
- Ownership
- Location
- Internalization

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- Modes of Entry: Second step
- Nonequity
- Export
- Direct or indirect
- Contractual agreements
- Licensing or franchising
- Turnkey projects
- Research and development
- Co-marketing
- Equity • Joint venture • Wholly owned subsidiary

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Takeover Strategies

Summary
Now that the lesson has ended, you should have learned how to
1. Understand the necessity to overcome liability of foreignness.
2. Articulate a comprehensive model of foreign market entries.
3. Match the quest for location-specific advantages with strategic goals (where to
enter).
4. Compare and contrast first-mover and late-mover advantages (when to enter).
5. Follow a decision model that outlines specific steps for foreign market entries (how to
enter).
6. Participate in four leading debates concerning foreign market entries.
7. Draw strategic implications for action.

STRATEGIC ALLIANCES

Supplier:
Strategic Alliance: more than client supplier relationship. You also agree to collaborate but
there has to be a common goal, examples of marriage

Defining Strategic Alliances

- Strategic alliances: Voluntary agreements of cooperation between firms
- Strategic alliances are compromises between pure market transactions and mergers
and acquisitions
- Alliances fall into two broad categories: Contractual (non-equity) and equity-based
- Strategic networks are strategic alliances formed by multiple firms to compete
against other networks and singular firms

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The Variety of Strategic Alliances
- Contractual (non-equity)
➔ Pure market transactions
- Co-marketing
- Research and Development
- Turnkey project
- Strategic supplier
- Strategic distributor
- Licensing/franchising

- Equity-based
➔ Mergers and Acquisitions
- Strategic investment
- Cross-shareholding
- Joint venture
➔ One entity whose equity is provided by two (or more) partners

Model of Strategic Alliances and Networks

- Industry-Based Considerations
- Traditional: Firms are independent players
- The dynamic of five forces:
➔ Horizontal alliances, entry barriers, upstream alliances with suppliers,
downstream vertical alliances with buyers, and alliances and networks
to provide substitute products/services
- Resource-Based Considerations
- Embodied in the VRIO framework, which comprises value, rarity, imitability
and organizational aspect of strategic alliance and networks

Formation
- Stage one: To cooperate or not to cooperate
- Can be achieved through market transactions, acquisitions, or alliances?
- Stage two: Contract or equity?
- Shared capabilities
- Direct monitoring and control
- Options thinking • Institutional constraints
- Stage three: Positioning the relationship
- Managing relationships as a corporate portfolio
- Avoiding “alliance gridlock”

Alliance Formation

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Evolution
- Combating opportunism
- Need to protect against opportunism
- Contractual safeguards and credible commitment
- Evolving from strong ties to weak ties
- Strong ties are cultivated over a long period of time
- Weak ties are characterized by infrequent interaction and low intimacy; less
costly to maintain
- Firms have a combination of strong ties and weak ties
- Benefits of the different types of ties depend on the firms’ strategies
- Many interfirm relationships evolve from an emphasis on strong ties to a
focus on weak ties
- From corporate marriage to divorce
- Initiation
- Going public
- Uncoupling
- Aftermath

Alliance Dissolution

Performance
- The performance of strategic alliances and networks
- A combination of objective and subjective measures can be used to
determine performance
- Four factors may influence the performance of alliances and networks:
➔ Equity
➔ learning and experience
➔ Nationality
➔ Relational capabilities
- The performance of parent firms – strategic alliances and networks can
create value but remain a challenge

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What's Behind Alliance Performance?

Debates and Extensions

- Majority JVs as control mechanisms versus minority JVs as real options
- Alliances versus acquisitions
- Acquiring versus not acquiring alliance partners

Summary
Now that the lesson has ended, you should have learned how to
1. Define strategic alliances and networks
2. 2. Articulate a comprehensive model of strategic alliances and networks
3. Understand the decision processes behind the formation of alliances and networks
4. Gain insights into the evolution of alliances and networks
5. Identify the drivers behind the performance of alliances and networks
6. Participate in three leading debates concerning alliances and networks
7. Draw strategic implications for action

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