Business in Eurasia major

hes-so.chMaster HES-SO Master Programmes Business Administration Business in Eurasia major

The "Eurasian" economic area - including the Russian-speaking markets and China - represents a significant growth potential for Swiss and foreign companies.
The Major we offer provides students with the specific knowledge and skills needed for exporting, establishing and developing Swiss companies in Eurasia.

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Modules (63 ECTS credits)

Geopolitics, Macroeconomics & Internationalization

Eurasian Geopolitics and Macroeconomics 
This course aims to set out the broad geopolitical and macro-economic Eurasian framework. It will focus in particular on the rise of China's political and economic power, the new balance between the major powers, and major economic infrastructure projects such as the New Silk Road. 

Business Internationalization 
This course aims to develop an awareness of the main challenges and opportunities for companies entering the Eurasian market. It makes the case for the need to adapt to the Eurasian context of internationalisation.
 

Intercultural Management & Russian communication 1 OR
Intercultural Management & Chinese communication 1

Intercultural Management 
This course addresses the need for developing open-mindedness and an understanding of others as well as a flexible attitude, ready to accept other management modes when managing companies in a variety of cultural contexts. 

Russian/Chinese Communication 1 
This course will develop basic language skills in either Russian or Mandarin as well as basic cultural elements specific to these language areas.

Eurasian business law 
The development of a foreign company's economic activities in post-Soviet countries or China requires knowledge of certain legal rules of the country in question. Thus, elements of commercial law will be discussed, such as those relating to production and sales, and to the rights and obligations of the employer and employees. 

Russian communication 2 OR
Chinese communication 2 
This business communication module in Mandarin/Russian is a continuation of Russian/Chinese communication 1.

Analyzing the Chinese market (course block in Shanghai)
This module is aimed at developing skills to understand the specificities of the Chinese economic market and to analyse it. Students will be able to identify and use qualitative and quantitative information to assess the development potential for a Swiss company in China and to elaborate a development strategy in a given sector of activity.

Project Socio-economic and legal environment
This first group project, carried out in the form of a mandate for a Swiss or foreign company, aims to apply in an integrated manner the knowledge and skills acquired in the previous courses. 

Analyzing the Caucasian and Central Asian market (course block abroad)
This module is aimed at developing skills to understand the specificities of the economic markets of Caucasian and Central Asian countries and to analyse it. Students will be able to identify and use qualitative and quantitative information in order to evaluate the development potential for a Swiss company in one of these countries and to elaborate a development strategy in a given sector of activity. 

Supply Chain and digital business 
The sale of products and services of Swiss companies in Eurasia involves many practical questions in terms of transportation and distribution. Students will acquire skills and knowledge in supply chain and digital business.

Russian communication 3 OR
Chinese communication 3
This business communication module in Mandarin/Russian is a continuation of Russian/Chinese communication 2.

Project Analyzing the Eurasian Market
This project, carried out in the form of a mandate for a Swiss or foreign company, will apply the skills developed in the course modules abroad to a concrete case. In addition to China and Russia, other Eurasian countries are also eligible.

Project Supply Chain and digital business 
This group project, carried out in the form of a mandate for a Swiss or foreign company, is an opportunity to apply the skills developed within the Supply Chain and Digital Business module to a concrete case.

 

Project Business strategy and implementation 
This group project, carried out in the form of a mandate for a Swiss or foreign company, aims to apply in an integrated manner the knowledge and skills acquired in the course blocks and other courses and projects of semester 3.

Master Thesis 
The Master's Thesis can be carried out either within the framework of a Swiss or foreign company wishing to develop its activities in Eurasia, or in the form of an applied research project related to one of the themes of the Master's programme.
 

Why choose this major?

"The Eurasian markets represent great economic potential for Swiss and foreign companies, but they are also heterogeneous and marked by a cultural context that is very different than our own. The "Business in Eurasia" major is the only Swiss training opportunity, at the Master of Science level, that imparts the skills and practical know-how needed to succeed in these demanding and dynamic markets. The practical and cultural immersion will be done through projects for real companies and courses that are taught by experts and that will take place partly in Eurasia."

Lukas Baschung, Head of the major

In this major, students learn to:

  • Analyse the development potential of Swiss and foreign companies in the Eurasian market
  • Develop a development strategy for Swiss or foreign companies, considering the resources available within the company and the specific socio-economic, political and cultural context of the target market
  • Master the principal specificities of the Eurasian markets, especially China and Russian-speaking Area (Caucasian and Central Asian countries), in terms of legal framework, supply chain and business digitalization
  • Perform adequate cross-cultural management and communicate in appropriate Business English
  • Master the basic notions of Mandarin or Russian for first contacts with business partners. 

Special features

The major offers:

  • A program taught entirely in English
  • A team of professors specialised in Eurasian markets
  • Modules and projects taking place in Neuchâtel and course blocks abroad
  • Courses in Mandarin or Russian 
  • Concrete projects for real companies
  • Possibility of carrying out master's thesis in Switzerland or Eurasia

Two course blocks will take place in Eurasia (each lasting two weeks). The costs of flights in connection with these two course blocks will be covered by the students.

Contact

Lukas Baschung
Head of the major
Haute école de gestion Arc
Espace de l’Europe 21
2000 Neuchâtel
+41 32 930 20 50
lukas.baschung(at)he-arc.ch

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