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    This course is part of the Business in Society and Strategy track.
    Introduction to Global Business

    LIMITED TIME ONLY

    Extra learning at no extra cost. Enroll now and unlock a GenAI Bonus Bundle featuring complimentary lessons on AI fundamentals. Download our guide to learn more about this limited-time offer.
     

    Global Business

    $1,850
    Next 4-week session starts July 30th
    Enroll Now
    Understand how decisions affect markets and business on a global scale and prepare for the political, social, and economic factors driving change.
    4
    weeks
    6-8
    hours per week
    4
    modules
    Self-Paced
    with regular deadlines

     This course earns you a Certificate of Completion from HBS Online. What you earn.

    Overview
    Syllabus
    Enrollment
    Stories
    FAQs
    Enroll Now

    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
    Gain the skills and knowledge needed to grow your business internationally and more effectively manage global teams.
    "The course has given me the confidence to know that my suggestions have a solid business basis."
    Jennifer Moret
    Financial Analyst
    Develop distinctive approaches and frameworks that help you navigate complex industries, such as oil and gas, power, pharmaceuticals, and financial services.
    Today, I am applying this new knowledge to continue to make a difference in the world, develop innovative strategies and technologies, and more vibrant partnerships toward collective action to solve some of today’s complex global challenges.
    David Luna
    U.S. Diplomat and National Security Official

    What You Earn

    Certificate of Completion

    Certificate of Completion

    Boost your resume with a Certificate of Completion from HBS Online

    Earn by: completing this course

    Certificate of Specialization

    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

    Learn More about what you earn

    Syllabus

    4 Modules, 32 Hours
    Download full syllabus
    6-8
    hrs
    Module 1

    Macroeconomic and Political Analysis

    Interpret data on countries’ macroeconomic and political performance.

    Highlights

    Inflation
    Introduction to the Macroeconomic View
    Middle-Income Countries
    ShowHide Details

    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)
    6-8
    hrs
    Module 2

    Economic Conditions and Your Business

    Understand the effects of taxation, government spending, and monetary policy on the business environment.

    Highlights

    Exchange Rates
    Hedging Exchange Rates with Bryan
    Hedging Exchange Rates with Christopher
    ShowHide Details

    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
    6-8
    hrs
    Module 3

    Political Order and Disorder

    Understand the role of government in the modern economy and analyze political risks to business strategy.

    Highlights

    Introduction - Ray Mabus
    Welfare Economics
    Corruption
    ShowHide Details

    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
    6-8
    hrs
    Module 4

    Business and the Interconnected World

    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

    Absolute Advantage - Static of Production Frontier
    Water and Food
    ShowHide Details

    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
    Free E-Book

    How to Be a Purpose-Driven, Global Business Professional

    This guide will equip you with the skills needed to define your purpose, make the case for corporate social responsibility to internal stakeholders, further your education, and help enact change.
    Access Your Free E-book

    Upskill Your Team, Transform Your Organization

    Whether you represent a large multinational corporation or a small local business, we have a solution for your learning and development needs.
    Learn More

    Our Difference

    Global Business will help participants assess opportunities, mitigate risk, and create and capture value for their organization
    Stay active by engaging in a new activity every three to five minutes and applying your knowledge through quizzes.
    Stay active by engaging in a new activity every three to five minutes and applying your knowledge through quizzes.
    Description of silent animated video above: Learner completes an interactive question by dragging and dropping choices into two different categories
    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.
    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.
    Description of silent animated video above: Learner types an answer in the discussion board in response to a peer's question
    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.
    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.
    Description of silent animated video above: Learner scrolls through video interviews from prominent business leaders

    About the Professor

    Forest Reinhardt
    Global Business

    John D. Black Professor of Business Administration
    "In this online course, you'll learn how global events affect markets and businesses and the ways in which economics and political science can help us seize opportunities and avoid or manage risks."

    Dates & Eligibility

    No current course offerings for this selection.

    Starting
    Jul
    30
    4 Weeks  $1,850 + applicable international taxes
    Enrollment deadline July 24
    View weekly calendar
    Enroll Now
    Starting
    Oct
    01
    4 Weeks  $1,850 + applicable international taxes
    Enrollment deadline September 25
    View weekly calendar
    Enroll Now
    • No documentation required

    All learners must be at least 18 years of age, proficient in English, and committed to learning and engaging with fellow participants throughout the course.

    Learn about bringing this course to your organization.

    Learner Stories

    80%
    say HBS Online offers a better overall experience than competitive online business programs
    The cases were phenomenal. I got engulfed in the videos; they made you feel like you were in sort of a planetarium, right in the tea fields in Asia, learning about the dangers of palm oil. And hearing from the executives at huge companies about their strategies solving their problems was amazing.
    Alberto de la Rivaherrera
    Product Manager
    I've been able to understand the macroeconomic policies that are being implemented by and imposed on my country and the implications they have on our lives. This has equipped me with more tools to make overall better decisions.
    Daniela Fierro Touché
    Administration and Registration Analyst at FEMSA Collection
    Read more learner stories
    * Source: 2022 surveys and course data
     
    All FAQs

    Global Business FAQs

    What are the learning requirements, and how are grades assigned?

    +–

    Participants in Global Business are eligible for a Certificate of Completion from Harvard Business School Online.

    Participants are expected to fully complete all coursework in a thoughtful and timely manner. This will mean completing each course module and fully answering questions posed therein by the required deadline. This course also features recommended weekly deadlines to help ensure participants proceed through the course at a similar pace and can take full advantage of social learning opportunities. In addition to module and assignment completion, we expect you to offer feedback on others’ reflections and contribute to conversations on the platform. Participants who fail to complete the course requirements will not receive a certificate and will not be eligible to retake the course.

    More detailed information on course requirements will be communicated at the start of the course. No grades are assigned for Global Business. Participants will either be evaluated as complete or not complete.

    What materials will I have access to after the course?

    +–

    You will have access to the materials in every prior module as you progress through the program. Access to course materials and the course platform ends 60 days after the final deadline in the program.

    How should I list my certificate on my resume?

    +–

    Harvard Business School Online
    Certificate in Global Business
    [Cohort Start Month and Year]

    List your certificate on your LinkedIn profile under "Education" with the language from the Credential Verification page:

    School: Harvard Business School Online
    Dates Attended: [The year you participated in the program]
    Degree: Other; Certificate in Global Business
    Field of Study: Leave blank
    Grade: Complete
    Activities and Societies: Leave blank

    For the program description on LinkedIn, please use the following:

    Global Business is a 4-week, 24-hour online certificate program from Harvard Business School. Global Business provides a grounding in the economic, political, and social factors driving global change to help participants assess opportunities, manage risk, and create and capture value for their organization. The program was developed by leading Harvard Business School faculty and is delivered in an active learning environment based on the HBS signature case-based learning model.

     

    Related Programs

    7 Courses

    Credential of Leadership, Impact, and Management in Business (CLIMB)

    CLIMB enables new and experienced leaders to ignite their careers with a combination of vital and forward-looking business skills, self-reflection, and an immersive cohort-based learning experience with a diverse global network.

    1 year, 5-9 hrs/week
    Apply by September 10th, Enroll by September 13
    $15,000 (four installments of $3,750)Credential 

    Sustainable Business Strategy

    Professor Rebecca Henderson

    Become a purpose-driven leader by learning how to influence key stakeholders and integrate values into your work to catalyze system-level change.

    3 weeks, 7-9 hrs/week
    Enroll by June 5
    $1,850Certificate 

    Economics for Managers

    Professor Bharat Anand

    Gain economic insights and learn how markets work and firms compete to craft successful business strategies.

    8 weeks, 6-8 hrs/week
    Enroll by April 24
    $1,850Certificate 

    Disruptive Strategy

    Professors Rory McDonald & Clayton Christensen

    Strengthen your capacity to create winning strategies and bring innovations to market by discovering customer jobs to be done and aligning your business’s resources, processes, and profit formula.

    6 weeks, 5 hrs/week
    Enroll by May 15
    $1,850Certificate 
     
    All FAQs

    Top FAQs

    How are HBS Online courses delivered?

    +–

    We offer self-paced programs (with weekly deadlines) on the HBS Online course platform.

    Our platform features short, highly produced videos of HBS faculty and guest business experts, interactive graphs and exercises, cold calls to keep you engaged, and opportunities to contribute to a vibrant online community.

    Are HBS Online programs available in languages other than English?

    +–

    We expect to offer our courses in additional languages in the future but, at this time, HBS Online can only be provided in English.

    All course content is delivered in written English. Closed captioning in English is available for all videos. There are no live interactions during the course that requires the learner to speak English. Coursework must be completed in English.

    Do I need to come to campus to participate in HBS Online programs?

    +–

    No, all of our programs are 100 percent online, and available to participants regardless of their location.

    How do I enroll in a course?

    +–

    Certificate Programs

    HBS Online welcomes committed learners wherever they are—in the world and their careers—irrespective of their professional experience or academic background. To extend the reach of HBS Online, we no longer require an application for our certificate programs. (Applications are still required for our credential programs: CORe and CLIMB.) You can now immediately enroll and start taking the next step in your career.

    All programs require the completion of a brief online enrollment form before payment. If you are new to HBS Online, you will be required to set up an account before enrolling in the program of your choice.

    Our easy online enrollment form is free, and no special documentation is required. All participants must be at least 18 years of age, proficient in English, and committed to learning and engaging with fellow participants throughout the program.

    Updates to your enrollment status will be shown on your account page. HBS Online does not use race, gender, ethnicity, or any protected class as criteria for enrollment for any HBS Online program.

    Credential Programs

    HBS Online's CORe and CLIMB programs require the completion of a brief application. The applications vary slightly, but all ask for some personal background information. You can apply for and enroll in programs here. If you are new to HBS Online, you will be required to set up an account before starting an application for the program of your choice.

    Our easy online application is free, and no special documentation is required. All participants must be at least 18 years of age, proficient in English, and committed to learning and engaging with fellow participants throughout the program.

    Updates to your application and enrollment status will be shown on your account page. We confirm enrollment eligibility within one week of your application for CORe and three weeks for CLIMB. HBS Online does not use race, gender, ethnicity, or any protected class as criteria for admissions for any HBS Online program.

    Does Harvard Business School Online offer an online MBA?

    +–

    No, Harvard Business School Online offers business certificate programs.

    What are my payment options?

    +–

    We accept payments via credit card, wire transfer, Western Union, and (when available) bank loan. Some candidates may qualify for scholarships or financial aid, which will be credited against the Program Fee once eligibility is determined. Please refer to the Payment & Financial Aid page for further information.

    We also allow you to split your payment across 2 separate credit card transactions or send a payment link email to another person on your behalf. If splitting your payment into 2 transactions, a minimum payment of $350 is required for the first transaction.

    In all cases, net Program Fees must be paid in full (in US Dollars) to complete registration.

    What are the policies for refunds and deferrals?

    +–

    After enrolling in a program, you may request a withdrawal with refund (minus a $100 nonrefundable enrollment fee) up until 24 hours after the start of your program. Please review the Program Policies page for more details on refunds and deferrals. If your employer has contracted with HBS Online for participation in a program, or if you elect to enroll in the undergraduate credit option of the Credential of Readiness (CORe) program, note that policies for these options may differ.

     

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