Project Overview

European integration created the environment with unique opportunities, but also with distinctive challenges for the European companies. Globalization, political changes of the last 60 years, liberalization of trade, labor and investment flows, as well as the growth of IT influenced all countries of the world, but probably were the most pronounced in the European Union.

How did real sector respond to these changes? What does it take to be a successful business in the EU? What are the prospects for EU companies in the next decades?

These questions need to be raised and discussed today with those young people who will create a backbone of the economic growth in the next decades, as the success of EU, both as an economic and political union, will to a large extent depend on their success as entrepreneurs, business leaders, policy makers and engaged eurocitizens.

Main objectives of the Project:

• to promote the scientifically-based understanding of the business-level results and prospects of European integration among the postgraduate students taking courses at the FBES of the University;
• to introduce the discussion of the business-relevant considerations of issues related to European integration into the curricular of the undergraduate program offered to the non-economic students of the University;
• to strengthen the link between business and academia by organizing the interaction between companies and students in the form of public lectures, and subsequent elaboration of the case studies, making theory applicable and real, and praxis understandable and analytically predictable.
• to increase awareness and understanding of the business-level results of European integration by means of presentation and publication of relevant research, and through publication of the case studies and teaching materials for the future dissemination within and outside of the University.

The project combines several activities:

• The regular module “Market Entry Strategies – European dimension” is offered once a year at the bachelor’s level to the students enrolled in the elective program EC “Global Corporate Management”. The module will be included as one of the four courses, required for the completion of the Program. 
• The regular module “International Business - European dimension” is to be offered once a year at the master’s level to the students of the Faculty of Business, Economics and Statistics (FBES) of the University of Vienna. 
• A set of Public lectures in form of presentations and discussions held by the business leaders from various Austrian and international companies. The focus will be on the strategic issues related to the role of European integration in the internationalization of EU business.
• Design and development of the business case studies with the focus on the effects of European integration on businesses in- and outside of Europe.
• Research on the topics related to the effects of European integration on businesses in- and outside of Europe, involving the contribution of the postgraduate students of the University of Vienna who have completed the module described in the Teaching activity I (above).
• Research on the project-relevant topics, conducted by the participants of the project. The results will be presented at the scientific conferences (at least two conference participations for the duration of the project) and published in the peer-reviewed journal/s.

The introduction of the IBSIE Module into the postgraduate program will allow to highlight and mainstream the EU-related topics throughout the International Management curricula.

At the same time offering the Module as a part of the EC “Global Corporate Management” ensures that the students, otherwise not coming into contact with the EU-focused topics, get exposed to this important thematic.
Finally, introduction of the IBSIE Module will create a platform for the discussion of empirical data and scientific research related to the successive decades of collaboration in the region. It will provide today’s students – tomorrow’s business leaders and policy makers - with the forum to learn and discuss the facts and figures, examples of best practices and existing challenges, benchmark cases and future trends for business in Europe.