MMD006: "International Business, Development and Policy"

Module code: MMD006

Module provider: International Business and Strategy; Henley Business School

Credits: 10

Level: NA

When you’ll be taught: Summer (vacation) semester

Module convenor: Professor Rajneesh Narula, email: r.narula@henley.ac.uk

Pre-requisite module(s):

Co-requisite module(s):

Pre-requisite or Co-requisite module(s):

Module(s) excluded:

Placement information: No placement specified

Academic year: 2026/7

Available to visiting students: No

Talis reading list: No

Last updated: 14 July 2026

Overview

Module aims and purpose

The module will focus on issues relating to the role of multinational enterprises (MNEs) in the process of industrialization and economic development. It will review the theory and evidence relating to how foreign direct investment affects economic structure and industrial development in host countries, taking special interest in developing countries, but also drawing on the experience of the developed world. The module’s primary focus will be on highlighting context-driven potential policies that governments can apply to optimise the impact of MNEs on development outcomes at the national and international level. 

Module learning outcomes

By the end of the module, it is expected that the student will be able to: 

1. Place the academic dialogue on international business and economic development in historical context; 
2. Identify the structural and environmental factors of countries and sub-regions that have shaped the development outcomes of specific policy stances; 
3. Differentiate between policies relating to different mechanisms associated with MNE-assisted development.  

Module content

• An introduction to development, economic structure and MNEs 
• the relationship between MNEs and development 
• the investment development path 
• informal economies, dual economies, GVCs and other issues 
• GVCs and development 
• Spillovers, linkages and agglomeration 
• Industrial and development policy: the role of MNEs 
• Linkages 
• Sustainable development, inequality and the MNE 
• New frontiers in global value chains 
• Current Policy challenges 

Structure

Teaching and learning methods

Hybrid teaching method 

1. there will be a set of core lectures, in the form of several ‘core’ broad talks of 45-60 minute introduction to several core themes. The lectures are pre-recorded, and students are encouraged to read the associated material prior to watching the video. These will be available for streaming prior to the formal live sessions.  
2. A series of 150 minute live sessions, discussing a series of broad contemporary themes, where participants are welcome to ask questions and take part in a dialogue where we discuss a broad topic with invited experts  
    

Study hours

At least 100 hours of scheduled teaching and learning activities will be delivered in person, with the remaining hours for scheduled and self-scheduled teaching and learning activities delivered either in person or online. You will receive further details about how these hours will be delivered before the start of the module.

Please note the independent study hours above are notional numbers of hours; each student will approach studying in different ways. We would advise you to reflect on your learning and the number of hours you are allocating to these tasks.

Semester 1 The hours in this column may include hours during the Christmas holiday period.

Semester 2 The hours in this column may include hours during the Easter holiday period.

Summer The hours in this column will take place during the summer holidays and may be at the start and/or end of the module.

Assessment

Requirements for a pass

Students need to achieve an overall module mark of 50% to pass this module.

Summative assessment

Penalties for late submission of summative assessment

The following penalties for work submitted late will normally apply:  

Assessments with numerical marks 

• where the piece of work is submitted up to 30 calendar days after the original deadline (or any formally agreed extension to the deadline): 10% of the total marks available for that piece of work will be deducted from the mark; 
• where the piece of work is submitted more than 30 calendar days after the original deadline (or any formally agreed extension to the deadline): a mark of zero will be recorded.  

Assessments marked Pass/Fail  

• where the piece of work is submitted within 30 calendar days of the deadline (or any formally agreed extension of the deadline): no penalty will be applied;  
• where the piece of work is submitted more than 30 calendar days after the original deadline (or any formally agreed extension of the deadline): a grade of Fail will be awarded.  

Groupwork  

Where the work submitted late is a piece of groupwork submitted on behalf of the whole group, the penalty will apply to all members of the group. Individual contributions to groupwork submitted separately by each member will be subject to a late penalty only for the individual contributions that are late 

The University policy statement on penalties for late submission for Postgraduate Flexible programmes can be found at:  

https://www.reading.ac.uk/cqsd/-/media/project/functions/cqsd/documents/qap/penaltiesforlatesubmissionpgflexible.pdf?la=en&hash=8A89870FCA07250F482BFA8CD308588F

You are strongly advised to ensure that coursework is submitted by the relevant deadline. You should note that it is advisable to submit work in an unfinished state rather than to fail to submit any work. 

Formative assessment

Formative assessment is any task or activity which creates feedback (or feedforward) for you about your learning, but which does not contribute towards your overall module mark.

Reassessment

Additional costs