ENTREPRENEURSHIP AND STRATEGY-2

The course examines how companies — from entrepreneurial start-ups to established firms — develop and implement international business strategies to achieve sustainable global growth.
Students will analyze the main theoretical approaches to strategic management and internationalization, developing a critical understanding of how global firms compete and innovate across national borders and of the role of entrepreneurship in this process.

Through interactive lectures and practical exercises, students will learn to analyze global business contexts, design scalable business models, and formulate coherent strategies for market entry and expansion.
The course concludes with the development and defense of a strategic plan for the internationalization of an entrepreneurial idea.

Upon completion of the course, students will be able to:

- Explain and compare the main paradigms of business and international strategy.

- Apply models and analytical frameworks to assess competitive environments and internationalization strategies.

- Design innovative and scalable business models aligned with global opportunities.

- Conduct market and competitive analyses to support strategic decision-making.

- Develop a critical perspective on current debates in entrepreneurship, innovation, and strategic management.

- Develop and defend a strategic internationalization plan for an entrepreneurial project, demonstrating theoretical integration and analytical rigor.

As per study plan (please consult detailed plan of studies)

Module 1: Strategic Foundations. Understand the theoretical foundations of business strategy: competitive advantage, resources, capabilities, and industry dynamics.
Module 2: Theoretical Perspectives on Internationalization. Analyze the main theories of internationalization.
Module 3. Entrepreneurship and Global Mindset. Apply Business modeling tools to design and scale global ventures.
Module 4. Entry and Expansion Strategies. Evaluate international market and entry strategies based on risk-control trade-offs, institutional contexts, and opportunity recognition.
Module 5. Analytical and Decision Frameworks. Use analytical tools (SWOT, PESTEL, Five Forces, Value Chain, etc.) for strategic analysis and decision-making.
Module 6. Business Model Design and Innovation. Understand how firms create, deliver, and capture value across borders through adaptation, innovation and scalability.
Module 7. Strategic Internationalization Plan. Design, write, and defend a comprehensive Strategic Plan for the Internationalization of a business idea, integrating theory, analysis, and strategic creativity.

Coursepack (articles and case studies) - moodle
Handbooks:
• Lucia, M. G., & Valdemarin, S. (Eds.). (2022). International Strategy: Managing Companies in the Global Economic System. Milano: Bocconi University Press / Egea.
• Osterwalder, A., & Pigneur, Y. (2010). Business Model Generation, Hoboken, NJ: John Wiley & Sons.
• Osterwalder, A., Pigneur, Y., Etiemble, F., Smith, A., (2020). The Invincible Company. Hoboken, NJ: John Wiley & Sons.
• Verbeke, A., & Lee, I. H. (2021). International Business Strategy: Rethinking the Foundations of Global Corporate Success. Third Edition. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. Chapters 1-5 and 11-17B.

Mandatory written exam with 20–30 multiple-choice and open-ended questions, including 2 on the strategic internationalization plan. (Duration 60 minutes)

written

The assessment is expressed on a thirty-point scale (from 0 to 30). The minimum passing grade is 18/30. The maximum grade is 30/30, with the possible award of honors (30 cum laude) for outstanding performance.

Lectures, group presentations, discussions of articles and case studies.