Focal Firms and SMEs in Global Value Chains

  • Teaching

    Details

    Faculty Faculty of Management, Economics and Social Sciences
    Domain Business Administration
    Code UE-EGE.00031
    Languages English
    Type of lesson Lecture
    Level Master
    Semester SS-2025

    Schedules and rooms

    Summary schedule Monday 11:15 - 12:00, Hebdomadaire (Spring semester)
    Monday 15:15 - 18:00, Hebdomadaire (Spring semester)
    Hours per week
    		3

    Teaching

    Teachers
    • Dembinski Paul H.
    Assistants
    • Mungall Andrew
    Description

    The course is divided into four parts:

    Part I deals with the enterprise demography to be found in each economy (here the one of Switzerland).

    The object of Part II is the Transnational Corporation TNC). What are the drivers of globalisation and internationalisation (with respect to the case of Switzerland), the large TNC, outsourcing and off-shoring and the supply and value chain management approach and network analysis.

    Part III is related to Global Value Chains – Concepts, Facts and Methods.

    In Part IV the situation of “focal firms” and local development is analysed and discussed.

    See the homepage www.unifr.ch/sci for further details with respect to the last course.

     

    Moodle Link
    Training objectives The purpose of this course (lecture and seminar) is to introduce the students to the multidisciplinary notion and complex reality of GVC. The concept of “Global Value Chain” captures the intricate competitive or cooperative relationships between enterprises that are involved – directly or indirectly – in a joint production or delivery of a good or service to the final user.

    The course aims at analyzing the reality of global value chains starting from end user perspective, so as to determine the value added component stemming from different enterprise and/or regions involved.

    The main goals of the course are to:

    - help students discover the complexity of enterprise fabric in Switzerland;
    - help to understand the systemic dimension of the globalisation process, its drivers and consequences for different class sizes of enterprises;
    - gain familiarity with the growing literature on Global Value Chains (GVC) and the different schools of thought in the field
    - analyse the strategy and the modes of cooperation between enterprises of different sizes within GVC;
    - to confront students with primary information sources and expose them to the difficulty of finding the relevant reliable information.
    Condition of access

    This course is open to students of any branch who fulfill the conditions of access to Master studies. Selection of participants by the Professor based on the list of enrolments.
    Available seats 30
    Softskills No
    Off field No
    BeNeFri Yes
    Mobility Yes
    UniPop No

    Documents

    Bibliography

    GEREFFI, G. Global Value Chains and Development: Refining the Contours of 21st Century Capitalism. Cambridge University Press, 2018.

    WORLD BANK. 2020. 2020 World Development Report: Trading for Development in the Age of Global Value Chains. World Bank Group, 2020.
  • Dates and rooms
    Date Hour Type of lesson Place
    17.02.2025 11:15 - 12:00 Cours PER 21, Room C230
    17.02.2025 15:15 - 18:00 Cours PER 21, Room C230
    24.02.2025 11:15 - 12:00 Cours PER 21, Room C230
    24.02.2025 15:15 - 18:00 Cours PER 21, Room C230
    03.03.2025 11:15 - 12:00 Cours PER 21, Room C230
    03.03.2025 15:15 - 18:00 Cours PER 21, Room C230
    10.03.2025 11:15 - 12:00 Cours PER 21, Room C230
    10.03.2025 15:15 - 18:00 Cours PER 21, Room C230
    17.03.2025 11:15 - 12:00 Cours PER 21, Room C230
    17.03.2025 15:15 - 18:00 Cours PER 21, Room C230
    24.03.2025 11:15 - 12:00 Cours PER 21, Room C230
    24.03.2025 15:15 - 18:00 Cours PER 21, Room C230
    31.03.2025 11:15 - 12:00 Cours PER 21, Room C230
    31.03.2025 15:15 - 18:00 Cours PER 21, Room C230
    07.04.2025 11:15 - 12:00 Cours PER 21, Room C230
    07.04.2025 15:15 - 18:00 Cours PER 21, Room C230
    14.04.2025 11:15 - 12:00 Cours PER 21, Room C230
    14.04.2025 15:15 - 18:00 Cours PER 21, Room C230
    28.04.2025 11:15 - 12:00 Cours PER 21, Room C230
    28.04.2025 15:15 - 18:00 Cours PER 21, Room C230
    05.05.2025 11:15 - 12:00 Cours PER 21, Room C230
    05.05.2025 15:15 - 18:00 Cours PER 21, Room C230
    12.05.2025 11:15 - 12:00 Cours PER 21, Room C230
    12.05.2025 15:15 - 18:00 Cours PER 21, Room C230
    19.05.2025 11:15 - 12:00 Cours PER 21, Room C230
    19.05.2025 15:15 - 18:00 Cours PER 21, Room C230
    26.05.2025 11:15 - 12:00 Cours PER 21, Room C230
    26.05.2025 15:15 - 18:00 Cours PER 21, Room C230
  • Assessments methods

    Written paper and presentation - SS-2025, Session d'été 2025

    Assessments methods By rating
    Descriptions of Exams

    Active participation in the course. Homework: make a presentation in class and the writing up of a paper with respect to a specific topic. See www.unifr.ch/sci for further details - teaching and coursework - Evaluation and work which is carried out during the course and the seminar. The language of assessment is primarily English, exceptionally German or French possible.

    Course with continuous evaluation: after the registration period, you can no longer cancel your registration (see session calendar on the Faculty's website).

    Oral exam

    Assessments methods By rating
    Descriptions of Exams

    Oral exam 15 minutes

    Re-take exam only
  • Assignment
    Valid for the following curricula:
    BeNeFri - Sciences économiques et sociales
    Version: 2018-SP_V01 - SES BeNeFri
    Course > Master course offering for BeNeFri Students
    Complementary learnings in SES or mobility students
    Version: ens_compl_ses
    Master course offering for Mobility Students - As of FS-2025 > Courses in Management
    Doc - Business Informatics
    Version: 20210713
    Elective courses > Wahlkurse UNIFR
    Doc - Economics
    Version: 2002-SA_V01
    Cours a choix > Wahlkurse UNIFR
    Doc - Economie quantitative
    Version: 2002-SA_V01
    Cours a choix > Wahlkurse UNIFR
    Doc - Management
    Version: 2002-SA_V01
    Cours a choix > Wahlkurse UNIFR
    Doc - Management in Nonprofit-Organisation
    Version: 2002-SA_V01 -60 ECTS Théoriques
    Elective courses > Wahlkurse UNIFR
    Doc - Sciences sociales
    Version: 2002-SA_V01
    Cours a choix > Wahlkurse UNIFR
    Doc - Sciences économiques et sociales
    Version: 2002-SA_V01
    Cours a choix > Wahlkurse UNIFR
    Ma - Accounting and Finance - 120 ECTS
    Version: 2024-SP_V03 - DD Caen - Dès SA-2025
    UniFr courses > Elective courses - Max 18 ECTS > SES Master level courses > Master's level SES elective courses in Management
    Ma - Accounting and Finance - 90 ECTS
    Version: 2021-SA_V03 - Dès SA-2025
    Course - 72 ECTS > Elective courses from all Master's programmes at the university > SES Master level courses > Master's level SES elective courses in Management
    Ma - Business Communication - Management - 90 ECTS
    Version: 2022-SA_V04 - Dès le SA-2025
    Courses - 60 ECTS > OPTION Management > 30 ECTS parmi les modules : > STR: Strategy
    Courses - 60 ECTS > OPTION Management > 30 ECTS parmi les modules : > EUGB: European and Global Business
    Ma - Business Communication : Business Informatics - 90 ECTS
    Version: 2024-SA_V03
    OPTION Information Management > Business Informatics Courses > Modules management > STR: Strategy
    OPTION Information Management > Business Informatics Courses > Modules management > EUGB: European and Global Business
    Ma - Business Informatics - 90 ECTS
    Version: 2020-SA_V01
    Classes - min. 45 ECTS > Modules management - max. 15 ECTS > EUGB: European and Global Business
    Classes - min. 45 ECTS > Modules management - max. 15 ECTS > STR: Strategy
    Ma - Communication and Society - 90 ECTS
    Version: 2021-SA_V04 - Dès SA-2025
    Inter- & Transdisciplinary Perspectives > SES Master level courses > Master's level SES elective courses in Management
    Ma - Economics - 90 ECTS
    Version: 2021-SA_V05 - Dès le SA-2025
    Le choix de l'option se fait par l'inscription au premier cours dans l'une des options possibles. > Quantitative Economics > Elective courses in Quantitative Economics > Courses from the SES faculty - max. 15 ECTS > SES Master level courses > Master's level SES elective courses in Management
    Le choix de l'option se fait par l'inscription au premier cours dans l'une des options possibles. > Business Economics > Elective courses in Business Economics > Wahlkurse der SES-Fakultät - max. 15 ECTS > SES Master level courses > Master's level SES elective courses in Management
    Le choix de l'option se fait par l'inscription au premier cours dans l'une des options possibles. > Public Economics and Policy > Elective courses in Public Economics and Policy > Elective courses of the SES Faculty - max. 15 ECTS > SES Master level courses > Master's level SES elective courses in Management
    Le choix de l'option se fait par l'inscription au premier cours dans l'une des options possibles. > Sustainable Development and Social Responsibility > Elective courses in Sustainable Development and Social Responsibility > Elective courses of the SES Faculty - max. 15 ECTS > SES Master level courses > Master's level SES elective courses in Management
    Course selection for the Master WITHOUT options > Elective courses > Elective courses of the SES Faculty - max. 15 ECTS > SES Master level courses > Master's level SES elective courses in Management
    Ma - International and European Business - 90 ECTS
    Version: 2021-SA_V02 - dès SA-2025
    Courses > Modules > Mandatory module > EUGB: European and Global Business > Elective courses
    Courses > Modules > Elective courses of the management modules > Elective courses of the management modules > Elective courses for the Master in management
    Courses > Modules > One complete module taken from the following list > STR Module validation element group > STR: Strategy > Core Courses
    Courses > Additional courses > SES Master level courses > Master's level SES elective courses in Management
    Ma - Management - 90 ECTS
    Version: 2021-SA_V04 - Dès SA-2025
    Courses: min. 72 ECTS > Modules - min 54 ECTS > Minimum of 3 modules with a minimum of 18 ECTS and 2 core courses > EUGB Module validation element group > EUGB: European and Global Business > Elective courses
    Courses: min. 72 ECTS > Modules - min 54 ECTS > Minimum of 3 modules with a minimum of 18 ECTS and 2 core courses > STR Module validation element group > STR: Strategy > Core Courses
    Courses: min. 72 ECTS > Modules - min 54 ECTS > Elective courses taken outside a validating module > Elective courses in the management modules > Elective courses for the Master in management
    Courses: min. 72 ECTS > Elective courses > SES Master level courses > Master's level SES elective courses in Management
    Ma - Marketing - 90 ECTS
    Version: 2021-SA_V04 - Dès SA-2025
    Courses - min. 72 ECTS > Elective Master courses from the whole university > SES Master level courses > Master's level SES elective courses in Management
    Courses - min. 72 ECTS > Complementary module > Module STR validation element group > STR: Strategy > Core Courses
    MiMa - Business Informatics - 30 ECTS
    Version: 2020-SA_V01
    Cours > Modules management > STR: Strategy
    Cours > Modules management > EUGB: European and Global Business
    MiMa - Management - 30 ECTS
    Version: 2021-SA_V01
    Elective courses - 30 ECTS > STR: Strategy
    Elective courses - 30 ECTS > EUGB: European and Global Business