LICBS-26
International Business Business, Economics & Management (General)
Topics of Interest for Submission include, but are Not Limited to:
These are the core "pillars" of any business. While they can be studied independently, they are deeply interrelated in practice (e.g., Marketing needs a budget from Finance).
Recruitment and Selection: Job analysis, interviewing, and onboarding.
Training and Development: Upskilling, appraisals, and career pathing.
Motivation Theory: Taylorism, Maslow’s Hierarchy, Herzberg’s Two-Factor theory.
Organizational Structure: Hierarchy, spans of control, and delegation.
Industrial Relations: Labor unions, collective bargaining, and conflict resolution.
Sources of Finance: Internal (retained profit) vs. External (shares, loans, venture capital).
Financial Statements: Balance sheets, Income statements (P&L), and Cash flow statements.
Ratio Analysis: Profitability, liquidity, and efficiency ratios.
Investment Appraisal: Net Present Value (NPV), Payback Period, and Internal Rate of Return (IRR).
Budgeting: Variance analysis and break-even points.
The Marketing Mix: The 4 Ps (Product, Price, Place, Promotion) or 7 Ps for services.
Market Research: Primary vs. secondary data, qualitative vs. quantitative.
Branding and Positioning: Perceptual mapping and USP (Unique Selling Point).
Digital Marketing: SEO, social media strategy, and e-commerce.
Product Life Cycle: Introduction, Growth, Maturity, and Decline.
Production Methods: Job, batch, flow, and cell production.
Lean Production: Just-in-Time (JIT), Kaizen, and waste reduction.
Quality Management: TQM (Total Quality Management) and benchmarking.
Supply Chain & Logistics: Inventory management and global sourcing.
These topics look at the "Big Picture"—how a business positions itself against competitors and within the world.
Strategic Analysis: SWOT analysis, PESTLE analysis, and Porter’s Five Forces.
Growth Strategies: Ansoff’s Matrix (Market Penetration, Product Development, etc.).
Competitive Advantage: Cost leadership vs. Differentiation.
Change Management: Managing resistance and organizational culture.
Business Ownership: Sole traders, partnerships, private/public limited companies, and NGOs.
Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR): Sustainability and ethical sourcing.
Legal Frameworks: Employment law, consumer protection, and competition law.
Globalization: Multinational corporations (MNCs) and international trade.
These concepts "bridge" the functional areas and are essential for leadership.
Decision Making: Using data (Finance/Marketing) to choose a direction.
Entrepreneurship: Innovation, risk-taking, and business planning.
Leadership vs. Management: Autocratic, democratic, and laissez-faire styles.
Stakeholder Theory: Balancing the needs of owners, employees, customers, and the community.
Communication: Internal vs. external channels and barriers to effective messaging.