Multinational Enterprises and Sustainable Development Goals Study Guide

Sustainable Development and International Business

An exploration of how sustainable development goals, ESG dimensions, and international organizations intersect with global business practices and economic stability.

• sustainable development goals
• social environmental and governance dimensions
• ESG pillars
• interaction between social economic and environmental spheres
• international business and human rights
• sustainable governance
• international trade and alliances
• measuring sustainable development targets

MNE Roles in Achieving Sustainable Development Goals

An examination of how multinational enterprises can lead the Decade of Action through the integration of UN Sustainable Development Goals into business strategies and supply chains.

• UN Sustainable Development Goals framework
• Multinational enterprise strategies for SDGs
• Hybrid governance platforms
• Synergistic alignment of international initiatives
• Triple bottom line: economic, social, and environmental
• Corporate uptake and institutional change
• Financial gaps in SDG financing
• Sustainable foreign direct investment
• Nonfinancial measurement and disclosure standards
• Sustainable agrifood supply networks

MNE Implementation of Sustainable Development Goals

An analysis of how multinational enterprises navigate governance, partnerships, and strategic alignment to implement Sustainable Development Goals within global business networks.

• SDG implementation at societal, systems, and strategic levels
• Governance frameworks for energy democracy
• MNE subsidiary identity transitions and stakeholder demands
• Decentralized sustainable partnerships in renewable energy
• Managing risks and systemic crises through SDGs
• Challenges in organizing complex partnership portfolios
• Aligning SDG strategy with core business operations
• Interconnectedness of Sustainable Development Goals

SDG Agenda and MNE Strategic Management

An examination of how the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) influence multinational enterprise (MNE) business model innovation, institutional co-evolution, and global governance.

• SDG business model innovation
• institutional co-evolution strategies
• hybrid governance systems
• SDG washing
• promise-performance gap
• triple bottom-line framework
• societal value proposition
• MNE engagement with wicked problems
• sustainable supply chains
• transformative versus reactive strategies

Corporate Uptake of Sustainable Development Goals

An examination of corporate engagement with SDGs and ESG metrics, focusing on institutional changes, disclosure challenges, and financial performance relationships.

• Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)
• ESG metrics
• Corporate non-financial disclosure
• Materiality analysis
• Double materiality
• Greenwashing
• Impact washing
• Signaling theory
• Sustainable investing
• Green bonds
• Institutionalization of sustainability

Synergies Between BRI and SDGs

The Belt and Road Initiative and the UN 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development demonstrate synergistic convergence through shared goals in interconnectivity and sustainable development.

• Belt and Road Initiative (BRI)
• UN 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development
• Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)
• Facilities connectivity
• Policy communication
• Unimpeded trade
• Financial integration
• Ecological civilization
• Infrastructure development

BRI Synergies and SDG Implementation

The Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) seeks to complement Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) through ecological progress, social improvement, and sustainable investment.

• Belt and Road Initiative (BRI)
• Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)
• Ecological civilization
• Sustainable investment
• Blue economic passages
• Beijing Consensus
• Green international trade
• Maritime Silk Road

BRI Implementation, Sustainability, and Geopolitical Dynamics

An analysis of the Belt and Road Initiative's alignment with Sustainable Development Goals, multilateral financing models, and geopolitical resistance.

• Belt and Road Initiative (BRI)
• Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)
• Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank
• China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC)
• Multilateral Development Banks
• Environmental and Social Framework
• Geopolitical competition
• Multinational Enterprises (MNEs)
• Public-Private Partnerships (PPPs)
• State-owned enterprises (SOEs)

China's Belt and Road Initiative Synergies

An analysis of the synergies between China's Belt and Road Initiative and the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.

• Belt and Road Initiative (BRI)
• Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)
• Health Silk Road
• Ecological civilization
• Infrastructure construction
• Foreign direct investment (FDI) sustainability
• Silk Road Economic Belt
• 21st-century Maritime Silk Road

Dynamics and Governance of Globalization

An examination of global economic activities, industry profitability correlations, multilateral organizations, and the management of globalization through emerging and developed markets.

• Proportion of global economic activities
• Correlation of industry profitability across countries
• Multilateral organizations governing globalization
• Role of the World Trade Organization
• Functions of the World Bank
• United Nations and global peace
• G20 and international financial stability
• World Economic Forum objectives
• Emerging markets versus developed markets
• Multinational Corporations
• Micro-Multinational Corporations

Sustainable International Business and Course Requirements

An overview of sustainable development goals, international business frameworks, and course expectations for projects and testing.

• sustainable development
• CAGE framework
• cultural distances
• administrative distances
• internationalization of companies
• PESTEL analysis
• sustainable international business
• entrepreneurial ecosystem

Informal Organizational Controls and Subsidiary Coordination

This material examines informal organizational controls, control systems used by international businesses, and the challenges of horizontal coordination between subsidiaries.

• Informal organizational controls
• Types of control systems
• Output control in global operations
• Horizontal subsidiary coordination
• Challenges in subsidiary knowledge flows
• Intersubsidiary coordination
• Motivation and ability in knowledge exchange

International Strategy and Value Creation

An overview of how companies manage differences across borders through international strategy to achieve profitable growth.

• International strategy
• Low-cost strategy
• Differentiation strategy
• Value creation and capture
• Value chain analysis
• Primary and support activities
• Local responsiveness
• Global integration
• Multidomestic strategy
• Meganational strategy
• Transnational strategy
• Economies of scale
• Location economies

Analytical Tools for International Business

An examination of why companies engage in international business and how managers analyze external factors to manage global complications.

• reasons for international business
• increasing sales
• acquiring new resources and knowledge
• reducing risk of operating in one market
• analyzing external factors
• political policies
• economic situations
• social and cultural norms
• technological capacities

External Environment and Internal Management Factors

An examination of PEST analysis for external environmental factors and internal management practices for international business operations.

• PEST analysis components
• Political, Economic, Sociocultural, and Technological factors
• Internal management factors
• Country entry modes
• International business strategy
• Organizational structure
• Leadership competencies
• Licensing and joint ventures

Country Selection and Entry Modes

An examination of factors influencing foreign market entry and the various equity and non-equity modes and tactics companies use to expand abroad.

• Liability of foreignness
• Cultural, administrative, geographic, and economic distance
• First-mover advantage
• Foreign market entry modes
• Equity and non-equity modes
• Exporting, turnkey, licensing, and franchising
• Make, buy, or ally entry tactics
• Degrees of risk and control

Global Marketing Strategies and Concepts

An overview of how firms adjust marketing mixes, segmentation, and branding strategies to reach target consumers in different international markets.

• Global market segmentation
• Marketing mix decisions
• Standardization versus differentiation
• Glocalization strategy
• Global branding
• Push and pull marketing
• Brand awareness and loyalty
• Viral and guerilla marketing

Global Branding, Pricing, and Distribution

This material covers global brand values, various pricing strategies, factors affecting global pricing, and the process of distribution.

• Guerilla marketing
• Cost-plus strategy pricing
• Penetration pricing strategy
• Dumping
• Skimming
• Gray market activity
• Distribution process
• Government intervention in pricing
• Market positioning
• Fluctuations in currency value
• Transfer pricing
• Price and perception of quality
• International distributors

Sustainability, Collaboration, and Innovation Strategies

This material explores strategies for fighting short-termism through stakeholder focus, collaborative efforts for sustainability, and driving innovation via sustainable products and business models.

• Fighting short-termism
• Collaborating for sustainability
• Goals of collaboration
• Successful collaboration strategies
• Sustainability and innovation
• Stages of sustainability-driven innovation
• Sustainable products and services
• Developing new business models
• Responding to globalization risks and opportunities

Global Operations and Supply-Chain Management

An examination of global procurement, production locations, and the management of international supply chains.

• advantages and disadvantages of global procurement
• global production location factors
• benefits of global supply-chain management
• improving supply chains through data analytics
• risks from transaction costs
• minimum efficient scale
• dual sourcing strategies
• reshored production
• disruptions to JIT systems
• structural and operational risks

Global Supply Chain Analytics and Systems

An examination of how ERP systems, big data, and analytics optimize global supply chain operations and manage complexity.

• Global supply chain complexity and risk
• Enterprise Resource-Planning (ERP) systems
• Big data analysis for statistical patterns
• Supply chain analytics opportunities
• Supplier risk management
• Inventory projection and scenario planning
• Sourcing and production optimization
• Warehousing and transportation analytics
• Point-of-sale and demand balancing

Business Responses and Strategies to Poverty

An examination of traditional approaches, business models, and strategic traps involved in serving the base of the pyramid and promoting social good.

• Base of the pyramid strategies
• Reverse innovation
• Corporate social responsibility
• Microfinance
• Market opportunities based on the income pyramid
• Designing business models to profitably sell to the poor
• The cost of capital trap
• The unmet needs trap
• The affordability trap
• The adaptability trap
• The distribution trap
• The multiple objective trap
• Benefit corporation
• Doing well and doing good

Global Innovation and Intellectual Property

This material explores types of innovation used for global growth and methods for protecting intellectual property.

• Invention versus innovation
• Performance-improving innovations
• Efficiency-enhancing innovations
• Market-creating innovations
• User desirability, technological possibility, and marketplace viability

Performance Improving Innovations and Global R&D

An exploration of how companies utilize performance improving innovations, global R&D operations, and corporate culture to remain competitive.

• Performance improving innovations
• Evolution of automotive technology
• Low-cost consumer goods
• Global R&D operations
• Open innovation platforms
• Company culture and innovation
• The innovator's imperative
• Decentralized research strategies

Dimensions and Perspectives of Globalization

An exploration of the multi-dimensional nature of globalization, including its economic, social, and organizational aspects.

• dimensions of globalization
• transnational interaction and sharing
• economic and business dimensions
• international trade formations
• globalized financial crises
• outsourcing trends
• UN Global Compact
• Universal Declaration of Human Rights
• connectedness in globalization

Categories and Strategies of Human Capital

This material explores different categories of human capital and how various international strategies influence human resource management and HR practices.

• Local human capital
• Subsidiary human capital
• Corporate human capital
• International human capital
• Multidomestic strategy
• Meganational strategy
• Transnational strategy
• Human capital portfolio
• Expatriates
• Codetermination
• Global HR function tasks

Global Leadership and Competencies

An exploration of the nature of global leadership, the dimensions of the global context, and the specific competencies required to lead in a complex international environment.

• nature and role of global leadership
• complexity flow and presence
• collaborative synergy
• cultural intelligence
• contextual resilience
• personal integrity
• corporate vision
• functional excellence
• market savvy
• global mindset

Global Leadership and Market Savvy

This material explores developing global leadership competencies, building market savvy through customer interaction, and utilizing frameworks for performance coaching and career planning.

• Developing global leadership competencies
• Building market savvy
• RAP framework for coaching
• Challenging functional and commercial roles
• Global leadership development planning
• Innovation in emissions-efficient vehicles
• Flexibility in global environments

Culture in International Business

An introduction to how culture and social communication impact international business interactions and greetings.

• characteristics of culture
• business implications of culture
• managing cultural differences in the workplace
• adapting to different cultures
• cultural etiquette and greetings

Understanding Culture and Its Components

An exploration of culture as a society's unique set of values and norms, including language, religion, and customs.

• definition of culture
• societal values and shared assumptions
• social norms and rules
• customs and socially approved behavior
• social mores and ethical behavior
• cultural greeting customs
• global language distribution
• major religious groups by country

Business Implications and Management of Culture

This material explores how cultural differences impact international business and provides frameworks for managing cultural intelligence and dimensions.

• Social stratification
• Work motivation
• Relationship preferences
• Risk-taking behavior
• Power distance
• Individualism and collectivism
• Uncertainty avoidance
• Future orientation
• Decenter and recenter
• Recognize, reconcile, and respect differences
• Cognitive CQ
• Behavioral CQ
• Motivational CQ

SDG Agenda Implications for IB Research

An examination of how the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) influence International Business (IB) research through new metrics, nexus effects, and methodological approaches.

• SDG nexus effects
• SDG indicators and metrics
• implications for IB theory and methodology
• harmonization of sustainable development data
• contextualizing and generalizing case studies
• return on sustainable investment (ROSI)
• nexus-centric research approaches
• multi-stakeholder engagement
• integrating sustainability areas and trade-offs
• corporate action and social contracts

Multinational Enterprises and Sustainable Development Goals

An examination of the role of international business research and multinational enterprises in achieving the UN Sustainable Development Goals.

• multinational enterprises role in achieving Global Goals
• international business research and scholarship
• Sustainable Development Goals and the 2030 Agenda
• corporate social responsibility and institutional theory
• global sustainability governance
• business alignment for the decade of action
• creating shared value and competitive advantage
• sustainable business models

• Multinational Enterprises and Sustainable Development Goals

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International Trade Theories and Patterns

An overview of theories explaining why countries trade, including interventionist, free-trade, and trade pattern theories.

• Mercantilism and neo-mercantilism
• Theory of absolute advantage
• Theory of comparative advantage
• Theory of Overlapping Demand
• International product life cycle
• Porter's Diamond Model of competitive clusters
• Economies of scale
• Trade imbalances and consequences
• Regionalization patterns

International Trade and Balance of Payments

An examination of trade balances, payment accounts, theories of trade imbalances, and various government trade policies and agreements.

• Balance of trade
• Balance of payments
• Current account
• Capital account
• Mercantilism
• Theory of under consumption
• Infant industry theory
• U.S. dollar foreign reserves
• Prisoner's dilemma
• Regional trade agreements
• Bilateral trade agreements
• Local content requirements
• Administrative delay
• Countertrade or reciprocal requirements
• Tariffs
• Subsidies

Currency and Foreign Exchange

An exploration of the functions of money, exchange rate determination, and the mechanisms of the foreign exchange market in international business.

• functions of money
• medium of exchange
• unit of account
• store of value
• hyperinflation
• currency appreciation and depreciation
• exchange rate systems
• pegged currencies
• undervalued currency
• foreign exchange market institutions
• Big Mac Index
• forward rate for exchange

NAFTA Trade Ratios and Global Supply Chains

This material examines value-to-weight ratios of goods traded between USMCA countries and introduces enterprise resource-planning systems within global supply chains.

• Value-to-weight ratios of traded goods
• Import value and import weight
• USMCA trade statistics
• Global supply chains
• Enterprise resource-planning systems
• Real time data access in business functions

International Business and Global Poverty

An examination of the causes, consequences, and traditional responses to global poverty within the context of international business.

• definition of poverty
• causes and consequences of global poverty
• poverty and population density
• risks of poverty
• traditional responses to poverty
• foreign aid and development assistance
• poverty science
• business solutions to poverty

Understanding Economic Systems and Output

This material explores various economic systems and the different methods used to measure a country's economic output and prosperity.

• Capitalism and market-based economies
• Total factor productivity
• Gross Domestic Product components
• Gross National Product calculation
• Human Development Index factors
• Shadow economic activity
• Capital and output relationship
• Industrialization and economic growth

Currency Fluctuation and Adjusted GDP

This material explains how inflation, purchasing power parity, and the Gini Index are used to compare economic values and income inequality across countries.

• Inflation and deflation
• Real and nominal GDP
• Law of one price
• Purchasing power parity (PPP)
• Cost of living comparisons

Consumer Price Index and Hyperinflation

An examination of the Consumer Price Index (CPI) and historical instances of hyperinflation across various countries.

• Consumer Price Index (CPI)
• tracking consumer goods prices
• deflation
• inflation trends
• hyperinflation

Human Capital and Technology Trends

An examination of human capital infrastructure, postsecondary spending, and the globalization of research and development in international business.

• human capital infrastructure
• technological infrastructure assessment
• postsecondary expenditures
• globalization of Research and Development
• business-sponsored R&D
• Gross expenditures on R&D (GERD)
• R&D funding sources

Evidence-Based Decision-Making and Wicked Problems

An analysis of evidence-based decision-making processes, wicked problems, and the application of sustainable development goals within organizational and political contexts.

• Evidence-based decision-making
• Wicked problems
• Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)
• Soft international law
• Gender equality and empowerment
• Materiality matrix
• Public-private partnerships
• Equifinality
• PESTLE analysis

Evidence-Based Policy and Sustainable Development

This topic explores the intersection of evidence-based policymaking, the governance of wicked problems, and the implementation of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) regarding gender equality and corporate social responsibility.

• evidence-based policymaking
• wicked problems
• Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)
• gender equality
• corporate social responsibility (CSR)
• policy analytics
• gender mainstreaming
• multinational enterprises (MNEs)

Technological Change and Infrastructure in International Business

An examination of how physical, information, and human infrastructure impact international business opportunities and global leadership.

• impact of physical infrastructure on international business
• technology as a physical infrastructure
• availability of raw materials
• manufacturing clusters
• transportation networks
• information infrastructure
• human capital
• global business opportunities

Assessing Information and Human Infrastructure

An examination of information infrastructure components including communication technologies, data storage, and processing, alongside human infrastructure elements like human capital.

• information infrastructure components
• communication technologies
• data storage and processing technologies
• shared economy
• mobile broadband access
• market efficiency and price convergence
• cybersecurity and data security
• human capital
• skills shortage
• business incubators

Energy Resources Production Distribution and Storage

This material covers the production of power, the environmental impact of fossil fuels, and methods for power distribution and storage.

• production of power
• fossil fuel use
• environmental impact of smog
• power distribution and storage
• decentralized power systems
• on site energy production

The International Business Legal Environment

An examination of different legal systems, the rule of law, and international laws that govern global business operations.

• Rule of law
• Rule of the individual
• Customary law
• Theocratic law
• Common law
• Civil law
• Mixed legal systems
• Public international law
• Private international law
• Supranational law
• Arbitration
• Law of the sea

• The International Business Legal Environment

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Legal and Ethical Issues in International Business

This material examines how international laws, regulations, and ethics affect the operations and decision-making of multinational companies.

• enforcement of laws on international business
• laws governing foreign ownership and operations
• World Bank Ease of Doing Business Annual Report
• crime and corruption in international business
• property rights and intellectual property
• relationship between legality and ethics
• Foreign Corrupt Practices Act
• e-Commerce and Data Privacy

International Business Political Systems

An examination of political ideologies, regime types, and the impact of political systems on conducting international business.

• political ideology
• democratic and autocratic systems
• individualism and collectivism
• political risks in international business
• levels of governmental involvement
• communism and socialism
• mixed political systems
• state-owned enterprises
• privatization

Understanding Political Risk in Foreign Business

An overview of political risk types, including macro and micro risks, and their direct and indirect effects on businesses.

• Political risk definition
• Expropriation of assets
• Macro political risk
• Micro political risk
• Currency and trade controls
• Direct effects of political risk
• Indirect effects of political risk
• Political instability effects

Measures of Political and Economic Freedom

This material examines how organizations measure political freedom and economic freedom and the implications these levels have for international businesses and national prosperity.

• Measures of political freedom
• Property rights
• Heritage Foundation Economic Freedom Index
• Rule of law
• Correlation between freedom and GDP per capita
• Implications of political freedom for international businesses
• Freedom House measures
• Economic freedom components

Political Trends and Government Involvement in Business

This material examines recent political trends affecting multinational corporations and the various ways governments involve themselves in business and economies.

• U.S.-China Trade War tariffs
• Privatization of command economies
• Policies and property rights
• Deregulation of industries
• State owned enterprises
• Partial state owned enterprises
• State supported companies
• State investor sovereign wealth funds

Protecting Intellectual Property

Methods for keeping intellectual property safe through patents, trademarks, trade secrets, and copyright.

• protecting intellectual property
• international patent system
• utility patents for inventions
• trademark protection and disputes
• trade secrets including designs and formulas
• copyright