BUEC 342 B1/B2:
Introduction to International Business
Winter 2015
Time and Location: MWF 9:00-9:50, BUS 3-10 (B1)
MWF 10:00-10:50, BUS 3-6 (B2)
Instructor:
Office:
Phone:
Email:
Office Hours:
Jevan Cherniwchan
2-32C Business Building
780-492-2944
[email protected] (please include “BUEC 342” in the subject line)
Mondays 2:00-3:00 or by appointment.
Course Description:
This course introduces and analyzes key issues in the international business environment, with a
particular emphasis on the opportunities and impediments faced by firms. Course topics include
the motives for and barriers to international trade, foreign direct investment and multinational
formation, as well as foreign exchange and political risks.
Note: Students may only receive credit for only one of BUEC 342, BUEC 444 or ADMI 444.
Course Materials:
The required textbook for this course is Elements of Multinational Strategy by Keith Head
(Springer, 2007). Hard copies of this book are available in the bookstore. The book is also
available to University of Alberta students online via SpringerLink.
Any additional materials will be posted on the course website or distributed in class.
Course Website:
This course will make use of ULearn (https://ulearn.ualberta.ca). All registered students should
have access to the course page. Class announcements and materials will be posted on ULearn.
Grading:
Grades will be determined as follows:
Class Participation:
10%
Country Presentation:
10%
Foreign Market Project:
- Presentation:
10%
- Paper:
20%
Midterm Exam:
20%
Final Exam:
30%
(Presentations begin January 26, 2015)
(Presentations begin March 27, 2015)
(Due in class on day of group presentation)
(February 27, 2015 in class)
(Scheduled by Registrar)
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Class Participation:
Classroom participation is a significant element in this course. Each class will involve extensive
discussion and debate. Class participation will be graded on a 10-point scale, with 10 being the
highest possible grade. The basis for the grade will be active participation, intellectual
involvement, constructive participation in discussions, and attempts to ask/answer relevant
questions.
Country Presentation:
Most classes will start with a short group presentation that provides a short introduction to doing
business in any country from around the world. Each group will provide an overview of their
chosen country and present key facts that are relevant to doing business there (e.g. recent
economic performance, major industries, key trade and investment policies, population
demographics, important cultural practices, etc.). Each group will consist of 3-4 members and
each presentation should be no more than ten minutes long. On the day of their presentation, each
group is expected to hand in one copy of their slides. The grade for the country presentation will
be determined by the quality of research/information presented, and the extent to which you
engage the class during your presentation.
Foreign Market Project:
This is a group project that involves creating a strategic report for an existing firm or business.
Each group will consist of 3-4 members. Your assignment is to identify a potential foreign
market for the firm and develop a business strategy for serving the foreign market, either by
exporting from the firm’s current location or by investing in a new plant located in the target
market. The report should describe the company and product/services that will be marketed
abroad, as well as the size and features of the potential market that are important for the success
of your strategy. Your report should also discuss why the chosen entry strategy is superior
relative to other options, drawing on the theory and concepts developed in class as much as
possible.
The strategic report should be presented in a document no more than ten pages in length (plus a
title page and a list of references). The document should be double-spaced with a standard 12point font and 1 inch margins. The report must be submitted in class on the day of your
presentation; late reports will not be accepted. The following grading scheme will be used for
the report:
• Excellent (A+) – Consistent and clear arguments, well written, evidence of high quality
research and critical thinking, proper use of references, no significant errors or omissions.
No spelling or grammatical errors.
• Very Good (A, A-) – Consistent and clear arguments, well written, evidence of high
quality research and critical thinking, proper use of references, some errors and/or
omissions. No spelling or grammatical errors.
• Good (B+, B, B-) – Valid arguments, but lacking clarity/consistency, a significant error or
omission, or uncritical use of information/sources.
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•
•
•
Satisfactory (C+, C, C-) – Lacking in quality of arguments, quality of evidence presented
or quality of presentation.
Poor (D+, D) – Poor quality arguments, lacking clarity/consistency, several significant
errors or omissions, and frequent spelling errors and/or grammatical errors and/or
incorrect use of references. Little evidence of critical thinking.
Failure (F)
Each group will make a fifteen-minute presentation to the class about their study. The order of
class presentations will be determined by random draw. The grade for the project presentation
will be determined by the extent to which you engage your audience during your presentation.
The project presentations will take place during the last two weeks of class.
Exams:
There will be one midterm exam and a final exam. The midterm exam is tentatively scheduled to
be in class on Friday, February 27, 2015. The final exam is comprehensive and will be scheduled
by the registrar. If the midterm exam is missed and the student has an accompanying medical
note, the midterm weight will automatically be added to the final exam. If a student requests that
a part of an exam be re-graded, I reserve the right to re-grade the entire exam. All such requests
must be submitted within one week of the exam being returned.
Academic Integrity
The University of Alberta is committed to the highest standards of academic integrity and
honesty. Students are expected to be familiar with these standards and to uphold the policies of
the University in this respect. Students are urged to familiarize themselves with the provisions of
the Code of Student Behaviour, available through the University’s Governance website
(http://www.governance.ualberta.ca/), and avoid any behaviour which could potentially result in
suspicions of cheating, plagiarism, misrepresentations of facts and/or participation in an offence.
All factual information taken from other sources such as books, journal articles, websites, etc.,
must be referenced in any submitted work. Academic dishonesty is a serious offence and can
result in suspension or expulsion from the University.
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Course Outline:
This outline is tentative; dates may change as the semester progresses. Any change will be
announced in class and on ULearn.
Week of
January 5
Topic
Course Overview
Introduction to Business Across Borders
January 12 Motives for Trade
January 19 Motives for Trade (cont’d)
January 26 Trade Costs
Country Presentations Begin – Jan. 26
February 2 Trade Rules and Trade Policy
February 10 Market Adaptation
February 16 Reading Week – No Class
February 23 Multinational Formation
Midterm Exam – Feb. 27
March 2
Internalization
March 9
Foreign Exchange Risk
March 16
Political Risk
March 23
International Taxation
Project Presentations Begin – March 27
March 30
Project Presentations
April 6
Project Presentations
Readings
Ch. 1
Ch. 2 & 3
Ch. 2 & 3
Ch. 4
Ch. 5
Ch. 6
Ch. 7
Ch. 8
Ch. 10
Ch. 11
Ch. 12
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