Understand how global markets, geopolitics, and economic forces influence business decisions and growth. Learn on your schedule with 90 days of full access starting the day you enroll.

  • Format

    On-Demand

  • Time

    24-32 hrs, 6-8 hrs/module

  • Price

    $1,949

Request Info
Video duration:1:57

Key Concepts

  • Build a foundation in macroeconomics to make more informed business decisions

  • Identify the challenges and opportunities that government and politics can create for you and your business from a strategic standpoint

  • Assess the impact of macroeconomic, political, and social indicators on business decisions

  • Discover the short- and long-term impact of interest rates, inflation, trade, and investment

  • Learn distinctive approaches and frameworks that help you think about the world and organize information

Who Will Benefit

Learn more about the broader macroeconomic and political landscape your organization operates in, so that you can develop business strategies that create and capture value.

In Global Business, we learned about currencies, exchange rates, and tariffs, and it helped a lot. It’s one of the reasons Aphrodite supports 50 currencies now.

Daniel Dietzel; CEO of Aphrodite at Aphrodite
92%
of learners said they developed increased confidence after completing an HBS Online course
11x
return on investment, with 24% of learners reporting an average $20,466 salary increase
85%
Gained greater confidence in making business decisions

What You'll Earn

Harvard Business School Online certificate awarded to Sharon Anderson for completing the Global Business program on September 7, 2022.

Certificate of Completion
Boost your resume with a Certificate of Completion from HBS Online
Earn by: completing this course

Harvard Business School Online certificate awarded to Jess Lee for specialization in strategy after completing three courses.

Certificate of Specialization
Prove your mastery of strategy or business in society
Earn by: completing any three courses within either subject area to earn a Certificate of Specialization

4 Modules, 32 Hours, 90-day access window

Download full syllabus (pdf)

Module 1

Macroeconomic and Political Analysis

6-8 Hours

Interpret data on countries’ macroeconomic and political performance.
Highlights
Video duration:0:38

Inflation

Video duration:0:37

Middle-Income Countries

Concepts

  1. The World Is Big

  2. Case: Unidentified Countries

  3. Beyond a Country's Borders

Featured Exercises

  • Unidentified Countries Exercise (Measuring and Interpreting Economic Indicators)

Module 2

Economic Conditions and Your Business

6-8 Hours

Understand the effects of taxation, government spending, and monetary policy on the business environment.
Highlights
Video duration:0:57

Exchange Rates

Video duration:1:17

Hedging Exchange Rates with Christopher

Concepts

  1. Fiscal Policy

  2. Monetary Policy

  3. International Influences

  4. Labor Productivity

Featured Exercises

  • Current Accounts, Financial Accounts, and a Country’s Strategy

  • Hedging Exchange Rates

Module 3

Political Order and Disorder

6-8 Hours

Understand the role of government in the modern economy and analyze political risks to business strategy.
Highlights
Video duration:1:39

Hedging Exchange Rates with Bryant

Video duration:0:30

Welfare Economics

Concepts

  1. The State

  2. The Role of Government

  3. Democracy and Alternatives

  4. Long-Term Growth

Featured Exercises

  • The Median Voter Theorem

  • Sources of Long-Term Growth

Module 4

Business and the Interconnected World

6-8 Hours

Understand how cross-border flows of goods and capital affect firms’ and nations’ competitive positions, and analyze the effects of environmental change on the competitive landscape.
Highlights
Video duration:1:06

Absolute Advantage - Static of Production Frontier

Video duration:0:21

Water and Food

Concepts

  1. Trade

  2. Cross Border Investment

  3. Immigration

  4. Energy and Sustainability

  5. Peace and War

Featured Exercises

  • Absolute vs. Comparative Advantage, the Production Possibilities Frontier, and Trade

Led by World-Renowned HBS Faculty

HBS Online courses are taught by Harvard Business School faculty, bringing the renowned HBS classroom experience directly to you.
  • Forest L. Reinhardt

    John D. Black Professor, Senior Associate Dean for Faculty Promotions and Tenure

Immersive Learning

Stay active by engaging in a new activity every three to five minutes and applying your knowledge through quizzes.

Video duration:0:09

HBS Online courses allow you to immerse yourself in a
dynamic, interactive learning experience. You’ll engage in a new activity every
three to five minutes and apply your knowledge through polls, quizzes, and
problem-solving exercises designed to accelerate and reinforce your learning.

Real-World Connections

Get social by collaborating with a global community of peers before, during, and after your course. Learners who successfully complete an HBS Online program will be added to the HBS Online Community's Official Networking Group and gain exclusive access to events and other networking opportunities.

Video duration:0:08

See how the HBS Online course platform engages you in social learning. You exchange ideas, offer input, and seek out viewpoints from a community of learners gathered from around the globe. In the process, you learn from each other’s experiences and perspectives, and leave the program with a broader outlook on the world.

Real-World Cases

Immerse yourself in real-world, case-based examples brought to life by industry-leading experts from companies like NatureSweet, H-E-B, Kerry Logistics, and Mahindra Group.

Video duration:0:11

Our courses allow you to apply your learning through
real-world examples and experience Harvard Business School’s signature case
method. Business leaders will share challenges they’ve faced. As the story
unfolds, you’ll leverage course concepts, vital tools and frameworks, and the
diversity of your peers’ perspectives to analyze the problem and determine a
path forward.

Video duration:0:09

HBS Online courses allow you to immerse yourself in a
dynamic, interactive learning experience. You’ll engage in a new activity every
three to five minutes and apply your knowledge through polls, quizzes, and
problem-solving exercises designed to accelerate and reinforce your learning.

Real-World Outcomes

Don’t be intimidated by the Harvard name or the price tag. Try one course; you’ll discover real value—not just in what you learn, but in the people you meet.

Ieva Ruža

Medical Doctor, Riga East Clinical University Hospital

Individual in a navy suit smiling and holding a framed certificate outside in a garden setting.

Free E-Book

How to Be a Purpose-Driven, Global Business Professional

In this guide, you’ll learn the skills needed to define your purpose, make the case for corporate social responsibility to internal stakeholders, further your education, and help enact change.

Closed book titled "How to Be a Purpose-Driven, Global Business Professional" by Harvard Business School Online.

Solutions for Organizations

Empower Your Team with HBS Online

Bring HBS Online’s flexible, scalable, and high-impact learning experiences to your organization through shared learning and group discounts for teams of five or more.

Laptop displaying a Harvard Business School Online course video and quiz on a campus lawn.