ENDICOTT COLLEGE
INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS
COURSE SYLLABUS
Course No:
Course Title:
Credits
Semester
Faculty
Email
BUS 303
International Business
3
Summer 2017 (June 28 – July 28, 2017)
Dr. Reccia Charles
[email protected]
Catalog Description:
An overview of the environment in which international businesses compete, this course introduces
the student to the impact of culture and political economy on business decision making, the
economics and politics of international trade and investment, the nature of the international
monetary system, the strategies and structures that characterize successful enterprises, and the
special role that each business function plays within a firm operating globally.
Course Overview:
Unavoidable threats and substantial opportunities exist in the global marketplace. The accelerating
process of globalization necessitates international competence. This course will use a strategic
perspective to introduce students to the problems of managing in the international business
environment. What are the issues and challenges of managing a multinational workforce in light of
an organization’s global strategic objectives? We will consider strategies appropriate for the
management of 21st century global organizations. Using case analyses and discussions of articles
and contemporary events, we will explore a range of issues and questions pertaining to international
management. Our perspectives will be multi-temporal. How did we get to where we are? Can we
predict where we are going? We will also consider the global system as both a dependent and an
independent variable. What determines its characteristics -- technology, economy, politics,
corporate governance, culture, geography? How does it determine managerial practices,
organizational behavior, strategic alliances, or capital flows?
Learning Outcomes:
At the completion of this course students will be able to:
 Understand the forces that influence companies and their operations in a global
marketplace.
 Explore the essential characteristics of a successful global organization.
 Be familiar with ethical issues that occur when conducting international business.
 Assess global business opportunities and competitive challenges from a variety of
perspectives.
 Understand how regional and local events may present important challenges and
opportunities to multinational corporations.
 Understand the global integration/local responsiveness paradox and be able to
make insightful business decisions within that context.
 Assess the usefulness to international companies of different organization and
human resource management approaches.
 Assess the issues and concerns that arise from cross-border strategic alliances.
 Understand the perspective of home and host country governments as variables in
the operations of the global firm.
 Understand issues of global social responsibility as they apply to the operation of
global companies.
 Explain the importance of international trade and foreign direct investment to
companies, customers, and societies.
 Explain differences in doing business in global markets versus domestic markets.
 Develop an understanding of major global business problems, with particular
emphasis on issues of economic and political risk facing corporations in the
management of their international operations.
 Develop an understanding of the cultural, historical and institutional factors that
influence management practices, focusing on key regions.
Teaching/Learning Strategies:
Learning objectives will be addressed through methods including:
 Case and News Articles discussions
 Brief lectures
 Final Paper (country investment analysis)
 Seminars at leading European Economic Institutions and Businesses
2
Seminars:
Seminars at the offices of El Corte Ingles (Retail) (Madrid); Renfe (Railroad) (Madrid);
Autostadt (Volkswagen Plant) (Wolfsburg); Patek Philippe (Watchmaker) (Geneva); Office
of Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD); Fragonard (Perfume) (Paris); Prada
(Fashion) (Milan); Ducati (Motorcycles) (Bologna) and Estrella Damm (Beer Brewery)
(Barcelona).
Required Readings:
A reading list with required course materials will be provided by the professor during the
Spring semester.
Evaluation Methods:
COMPONENT
Attendance and participation
Cases and activity write-ups
Final paper (country investment analysis)
Final Exam
PERCENT
20
30
20
30
Topics Covered:
“GLOBALIZATION” AND INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS
 What is globalization?
 Demographics and world economy
 Global managers, culture and global management environment
 Cultural dependence of managerial principles
SUPRANATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS & GLOBAL TRADE
 Multilateral trade
 Trade liberalization
 Levels of economic integration and Preferential Trade Areas
 WTO, IMF and World Bank
 Theory of Comparative Advantage
 Protectionism
 Purchasing Power Parity
 The International Monetary system
 Dollarization
3
STRATEGIES FOR MARKET ENTRY
 How to take a domestic firm global
 The offshoring debate
 Market entry choices
o Exporting
o Licensing
o Franchising
o Greenfield
o M&A
o Joint Ventures
o Strategic alliances
CORRUPTION
 Bribery
 Cooked books
 Foreign Corrupt Practices Act
 Economic Consequences
INTERNATIONAL STRATEGY
 Strategic management in a globally competitive environment
 International strategic typologies (multidomestic, international, global,
transnational)
 Role of culture in motivation, leadership, communication, negotiation, & decision
making
 Corporate structure and organization
 Mergers and acquisitions
 Joint ventures
 Strategic alliances
INTERNATIONAL CORPORATE
BUSINESS LAW
 Corporate governance
 Legal systems
 Principles of international law
 International agreements
 Embargos and sanctions
 Export controls
GOVERNANCE
&
INTERNATIONAL
CHILD LABOR AND ETHICS IN INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS
 Child labor
 Global sourcing
 Sweatshops
 Corporate social responsibility
4
INTERNATIONAL ORGANIZATIONAL STRUCTURES & HUMAN
RESOURCE MANAGEMENT
 Matrix structures
 Managing local hires
 Coordination and control
 Training of managers and employees
 Performance appraisals
5