International Business (INB)

This programme is specifically aimed at students whose ambition is to work in organisations with pronounced international orientations such as multinational companies (MNCs), international organisations or smaller firms whose activities involve a substantial degree of international business. Because of the international nature of the course a basic requirement is good verbal and writing skills in English.

Firms that aim to do business abroad can choose between various entry-strategies. The simplest of these is export and the most complex is to set up fully-integrated foreign subsidiaries. Located between these are a range of internationalisation strategies of varying complexity such as licensing, franchising and joint-ventures. Generally Master programmes in International Business have as their primary focus firms that encompass fully-integrated subsidiaries. These are firms that are engaged in the active management of substantial foreign direct investments and which thereby constitute full-fledged MNCs. However the MSc in International Business at NHH will also include a significant focus on export, particularly in the context of SMEs.

Historically MNCs are first and foremost a post-1945 organisational phenomenon. Their growth in numbers continues to increase and on a global basis there are currently some 60,000 MNCs worldwide, which in turn control about 800,000 subsidiaries. Norwegian firms are relative newcomers as MNCs. Of the country's 30 largest firms, in 1980 only 10% of their employees were located abroad. By 1999 this had increased to over 50%.

The MSc in International Business at NHH will give students the opportunity to address generic challenges faced by international firms and organisations. Of these we regard having access to individuals who have a well-developed global perspective as the core challenge.

Other key challenges the programme will address concern the external and internal environment of firms involved in international business. In terms of the former the programme will offer courses in International Economics and International Finance and in terms of the latter the programme will offer a course in International Organisations and Management and International Strategy. Students taking this programme will be obliged to choose two of these four courses.

The MSc in International Business will actively aim to recruit students from a number of countries. Based on the experience of the former Master of International Business (MIB) programme, it is realistic to expect students from about twenty countries. Such recruitment to the programme will constitute a valuable additional resource.

International Business is an integral part of the Master of Science programme at NHH, and as such students are able to take English courses from other specialisations in the MSc programme as well as International Business courses. The general course plan for the MSc in International Business is as follows (norske studenter må følge gjeldene studieplankrav som beskrevet i den generelle beskrivelsen av masterstudiet):
6 courses from the International Business specialisation (45 credits). Among these 6 courses you must complete the required 2 compulsory courses. The compulsory courses must be completed during the first two semesters.

6 courses selected from amongst all of the specialisations in the Master of Science programme (45 credits). If possible, we recommend that 4 of these courses are selected from the same specialisation, and thus form a minor profile.

In addition to the courses all students must hand in a thesis (30 credits).

The specialisations included in the Master of Science programme are:

  • Business Analysis and Performance Management (BUS)
  • Economic Analysis (ECO)
  • Economics (SAM)
  • Financial Economics (FIE)
  • International Business (INB)
  • Marketing and Industrial Economics (MIE)
  • Strategy and Management (STR)
  • Energy, Natural Resources and the Environment (ENE)

The Independent work/thesis
The thesis of the MSc in International Business may be either:

  • An in-depth study of a clearly specified topic, or
  • A combination of a maximum of three papers together with a synthesis. The papers should share the same empirical basis, i.e. one case / company approached from different angles (e.g. strategy, management and marketing)

Tutoring is mandatory for the independent work. Two students may cooperate in writing their thesis.

The thesis may for instance be the application of case studies, marketing research, project work or essays.

The thesis should be between 50 and 80 pages. If two students cooperate, an increase in length of about 50 per cent is expected.

The thesis must be written in English.

Supervision

  • Students should acquire a supervisor at the beginning of their second semester
  • Supervision may be in the form of seminars or on an individual basis
  • Students working on related topics may cooperate
  • Students may write individually or in pairs
  • Theses written as a combination of papers may be supervised in connection with the relevant courses, but one main supervisor will be responsible for the synthesis

The writing process
Topic and approach will be decided in the middle of the second term
At the end of the second term / beginning of the third term students are expected to submit their first paper if a combination of papers or a proposal if writing an in-depth study

Assessment
Students will get feedback on their work as it progresses, but will only receive one final grade.
The finished thesis is to be submitted at the end of the fourth term, and will be graded by one external and one internal examiner. There will be no oral exam.

Coordinator for the profile:
Anne Kari Bjørge, Department of Professional and Intercultural Communication