Business Diplomacy

In a world where the spheres of business, government, and society converge, every company has to be a savvy player in the public arena. Most businesses—big and small—act globally today for sourcing and sales. Geopolitical events, new regulations in other markets, natural disasters, changing public perceptions, etc. can have a direct impact on a company’s bottom line, even if they happen far away.

Business leaders need to maintain relationships with government officials and other stakeholders, thus acting as ambassadors of their companies very much like traditional diplomats do when representing their countries. They also need to anticipate changing political and societal circumstances, build and leverage networks and take a proactive stake in social and policy matters that influence their business environment.

In this module, we will analyze situations that affect companies and discuss strategies they can employ to minimize risks and maximize opportunities arising from a change in the global public environment.

Topics covered

  1. Negotiating in an International Context
  2. Drivers of Global Change
  3. Intercultural Differences and the Global Mindset
  4. Scenario Planning
  5. Diplomacy in Transition: Traditional, Public, Commercial
  6. Geopolitics
  7. Political Risk Management
  8. Rules and Regulations
  9. Multi-Level Forums and Networks

The module at Frankfurt School

I offer this module since 2014 at Frankfurt School as part of the Advanced Study Phase in the Bachelor of Science. It has forty-four hours of in-class teaching.

View the Course Syllabus