The primary objective of the course is to provide an in-depth understanding of marketing and branding dynamics within international contexts, with particular focus on the processes of value analysis, design, communication, transfer, and control across culturally diverse markets.

From an applied perspective, the course is designed to equip students with foundational knowledge regarding the implementation of international marketing and branding strategies within corporate processes, the analysis of consumer behaviour in various markets, and the design and execution of marketing research in international environments.

The learning experience is further enhanced through the analysis of business case studies and collaborative group work.

Internationalization Strategies

Strategic planning for commercial internationalization: the international marketing and branding plan

Macro-environment analysis

Micro-environment analysis: focus on consumers and competitors

International marketing research

Market selection and psychic distance

Segmentation and positioning in domestic and international contexts

Distribution strategy, distribution formats, and international marketing

International product strategy

International context and price perception

FOCUS: International branding

No bridging courses

- Knowledge and understanding: Students are expected to acquire a general understanding of the core concepts and methodologies of international marketing and branding. Specifically, they should develop the ability to understand the needs of companies operating in international markets and propose appropriate solutions to enhance business performance through effective marketing and branding strategies.
- Applying knowledge and understanding: Students should be able to apply the knowledge acquired to the design and implementation of international marketing and branding activities. The development of analytical and operational skills will be fostered through classroom discussions of business case studies, group projects, and in-depth seminars.
- Making Judgments: Students should be able to independently assess the most appropriate approaches to adopt in different international market contexts and critically evaluate the strengths and weaknesses of various marketing and branding strategies. These skills will be developed through the analysis of business cases, group work, the preparation of short reports, and interaction with industry professionals invited to contribute in class.
- Communication skills: Students should acquire a solid command of the terminology specific to international marketing and branding, enabling them to clearly articulate problems and solutions using appropriate language and to communicate effectively with various stakeholders, including managers, academics, and industry experts. These communication skills will be fostered through classroom discussions with the instructor and invited professionals.
- Learning skills: Students should develop strong independent learning abilities that enable them to: 1) deepen their understanding of conceptual tools and operational capabilities relevant to managing complex international marketing and branding decisions and evaluating the outcomes achieved; 2) pursue further individual learning and professional development; 3) read and comprehend both foundational texts and specialized articles on topics related to international marketing and branding. These skills will be further stimulated through exposure to industry case studies and supplemental materials provided via the blended learning platform.

The teaching material prepared by the lecturer in addition to recommended textbooks (such as for instance slides, lecture notes, exercises, bibliography) and communications from the lecturer specific to the course can be found inside the Moodle platform › blended.uniurb.it

As part of the course, meetings with scholars and industry professionals will be organized to explore recent theoretical and practical developments in international marketing and branding.

Teaching

The course includes the use of various teaching methods:

- lectures

- presentation of slides and videos

- guest testimonials

- group work

- classroom discussions

Innovative teaching methods

The in-person teaching approach will be enhanced through:

- the use of Mentimeter and Wooclap to gather students' opinions on selected course topics;

- exercises and in-depth activities to be carried out by students using the University’s Moodle platform.

Course books

Slides and lecture notes related to: lectures, business guest talks, and in-depth seminars.  Group project reports developed on a project defined in collaboration with a partner company.

Recommended reading materials:

- Fabio Musso, Barbara Francioni (2023), Marketing per i mercati esteri, Egea, Milan (Chapters 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)

- Selected journal articles on international branding (to be announced shortly)

Assessment

The expected learning outcomes will be assessed through a written examination divided into two parts:

First part: 12 multiple-choice questions (each question is worth 2 points, for a total of 24 points). This part aims to evaluate the mastery of declarative knowledge and the ability to understand concepts and representations.

Second part: one open-ended question (worth up to 8 points). The evaluation criteria include the level of knowledge mastery, the completeness and contextualization of the answer within the general course program, and the adequacy of the explanation. Each criterion is assessed based on a grading scale with particular emphasis on the level of knowledge mastery, completeness, articulation of the responses, and adequacy of the explanation.

Students have 45 minutes to complete the exam, with a maximum possible score of 32 points, equivalent to a grade of 30 with honours. The exam is considered passed if a minimum score of 18 is achieved.

Disability and Specific Learning Disorders (SLD)

Students who have registered their disability certification or SLD certification with the Inclusion and Right to Study Office can request to use conceptual maps (for keywords) during exams.

To this end, it is necessary to send the maps, two weeks before the exam date, to the course instructor, who will verify their compliance with the university guidelines and may request modifications.

Course books

To provide the opportunity for non-attending students to balance out their individual study with the content of the lessons and gain a full understanding of the course, the programme includes the following materials:

- Fabio Musso, Barbara Francioni (2023), Marketing per i mercati esteri, Egea, Milan (Chapters 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)

- Selected journal articles on international branding (to be announced shortly)

Assessment

The expected learning outcomes will be assessed through a written examination divided into two parts:

First part: 12 multiple-choice questions (each question is worth 2 points, for a total of 24 points). This part aims to evaluate the mastery of declarative knowledge and the ability to understand concepts and representations.

Second part: one open-ended question (worth up to 8 points). The evaluation criteria include the level of knowledge mastery, the completeness and contextualization of the answer within the general course program, and the adequacy of the explanation. Each criterion is assessed based on a grading scale with particular emphasis on the level of knowledge mastery, completeness, articulation of the responses, and adequacy of the explanation.

Students have 45 minutes to complete the exam, with a maximum possible score of 32 points, equivalent to a grade of 30 with honours. The exam is considered passed if a minimum score of 18 is achieved.

Disability and Specific Learning Disorders (SLD)

Students who have registered their disability certification or SLD certification with the Inclusion and Right to Study Office can request to use conceptual maps (for keywords) during exams.

To this end, it is necessary to send the maps, two weeks before the exam date, to the course instructor, who will verify their compliance with the university guidelines and may request modifications.

Non-attending students are advised to prepare exclusively using the recommended textbook and not the lecture slides, which are intended solely for attending students.