course-details-portlet

AL520512

Leadership in organizations - A global and sustainable perspective

Credits 7.5
Level Second degree level
Course start Autumn 2025
Duration 1 semester
Language of instruction English
Location Ålesund
Examination arrangement Aggregate score

About

About the course

Course content

This course explores the unique demands of leading across cultural, economic, social, and political boundaries in today’s interconnected world. Focusing on the latest research and practical applications, it provides a deeper understanding of the complexities of global leadership, core competencies for effective leaders, and strategies for developing global leadership skills. The course covers the leadership roles of building effective global teams, executing strategy in diverse contexts, leading organizational change, and making ethical and sustainable decisions in global business settings.

Topics in the course

Introduction to global leadership: concepts and context

Global leadership competencies

Global leadership development

Mapping cultural differences

Communicating across cultures

Building and designing effective global teams

Strategy execution in a global context

Leading organizational change

Responsible global leadership: ethical and sustainable decision-making

Learning outcome

  • Differentiate between general leadership and global leadership, demonstrating an understanding of the key conceptual differences.
  • Analyze the complex global business environment and evaluate the challenges unique to leading in a global context.
  • Identify and assess the core competencies essential for global leaders and their application across various settings.
  • Collaborate effectively with diverse team members, applying cultural understanding and team-building skills to achieve shared goals.
  • Be able to communicate ideas effectively with various stakeholders in various cultural settings.
  • Demonstrate responsible global leadership by applying ethical decision-making practices and sustainability principles in global business contexts.

Learning methods and activities

Teaching Methods: Lectures, guest lectures, class discussions and individual guidance. Mandatory assignments: Each student must have an individual task or assignment approved to be eligible for the final examination. Assignments may also be submitted as group work. An approved mandatory assignment will remain valid for later continuation exams.

Compulsory assignments

  • Oblig

Further on evaluation

The evaluation will be based on an assignment that counts 40% of the total grade and an individual term paper that counts 60%. The assignment should be completed/solved in groups of 2-3 students. Both assignment and term paper must be passed in order to be given a grade. Students are entitled to re-sit only the part of the examination in which they have had legitimate reasons for an absence or have failed. A re-sit examination will take place only during the designated period for re-sit examinations. Later exams will require that both exam elements must be repeated.

The students must complete a mandatory assignment to participate in the exam. Previously approved mandatory assignments do not need to be handed in again for later exams.

Required previous knowledge

This course is only available to students who have been admitted to the following programmes: - Master in International Business and Marketing, at Department of International Business (NTNU Aalesund) - Master in Business Administration, at Trondheim Business School (NTNU Trondheim) - Master in Financial Economics, and Master in Economics, at Department of Economics (NTNU Trondheim) - Master in Entrepreneurship, and Master in Industrial Economics and Technology Management, at Department of Industrial Economics and Technology Management (NTNU Trondheim)

Course materials

Main reading:

Lane, HW, & Maznevski, ML (2025). International management behavior: Global and sustainable leadership . Cambridge University Press.

Supplementary readings:

Mendenhall et al (2017). Global Leadership: Research, Practice, and Development. Routledge.

Selected articles

Subject areas

  • Economics and Administration

Contact information

Course coordinator

Lecturers

Department with academic responsibility

NTNU School of International Business

Examination

Examination

Examination arrangement: Aggregate score
Grade: Letter grades

Ordinary examination - Autumn 2025

Individual semester term paper
Weighting 60/100 Exam system Inspera Assessment
Group assignment
Weighting 40/100 Exam system Inspera Assessment

Re-sit examination - Spring 2026

Individual semester term paper
Weighting 60/100 Exam system Inspera Assessment
Group assignment
Weighting 40/100 Exam system Inspera Assessment