TOPICS IN
INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS
BA 447 Fall
2005
(Revised Oct 21, 2005))
Professor: Manolete V. Gonzalez, Phd Email:
gonzalezm@bus.oregonstate.edu
Office: B 224B
Office hours: T
1:00-2:00pm; W 11:00-12:00pm; Th 12:00-1:00pm
COURSE OBJECTIVES
The
objective of this course is to investigate selected topics in International
Business with the end in view of providing an understanding of “unique
problems, characteristics, and demands” on a multinational enterprise. Because the list of issues can be potentially
long, we will identify a limited set of issues and attempt to study them
well. The course will be investigative
in approach, so that students can continue to learn beyond this course; we will
also study these from the perspective of strategic and operational decisions
that multinational enterprises face.
In
terms of learning outcomes for this course, you must demonstrate:
1)
An awareness of strategic issues that can affect a multinational enterprise;
2)
Capacity to investigate one such issue in its complexity;
3)
And to determine the impact of these issues on a particular multinational
enterprise.
The
structure of this course is designed to allow investigation. We will start with a framework within which
to understand strategic issues that can affect multinational enterprises. We will start with Thomas Friedman’s book,
for no other reason than it is current and it provides a reasonably cohesive
framework within which to understand how global business is evolving. We will use our discussion of this book to
define an initial list of issues for further study. I have added a few other issues that I
believe are relevant. We will
investigate these issues through a process of readings and discussion; in most
cases I will provide the initial material, in all cases, I would like you, the
student, to surprise me by suggesting material that are relevant and
useful. See the comment on
REQUIREMENTS
Text:
The World Is Flat by Thomas L. Friedman
You
are expected to read the assigned chapters of the text and contents of website
indicated in the schedule below. You
should also regularly scan the headlines of the publications under
There
will be quizzes and un-graded in-class writing exercises to measure the first
learning outcome. The objective of these
class activities is to encourage preparation before coming to class and
participation, both of which serve to build awareness of the materials being
covered. A term project, which will be
written and presented, will be required and used to measure the second and
third learning outcomes.
TERM
PROJECT
I
will break up the class into groups early in the term. Each group will identify an ISSUE that will
be discussed early in the term AND a multinational CORPORATION from a list that
I will provide and write a two-part term project:
A)
ISSUE PORTION: An in depth investigation of an issue raised early in the term
or suggested in the syllabus.
B)
CORPORATION PORTION: An investigation of issues discussed in class which may
have a strategic impact on the company of their choosing.
Both
of these portions of the term projects must be of a quality that one would
submit to senior executives of a multinational company, e.g. the CEO and/or the
Board. The term project will be
submitted in two parts and each group will be asked to present both to the
class. (Please refer to the
Schedule.)
Regarding the ISSUE PORTION of the term
project, a good report will contain the following:
1)
A description of the ISSUE or development being investigated, including a
discussion of symptoms, e.g. events reported in popular press that point to
this ISSUE, and its nature e.g. technological in nature, political, religious,
etc.
2)
A discussion of why this is relevant to multinational corporations in general.
3)
A discussion of its history or its roots, the areas of the globe it affects,
and different sides or aspects of the issue.
4)
What is the “conventional wisdom” or popular thinking on this ISSUE? What does your group’s research suggest as a
more informed view of the ISSUE.
An
example of a potential development could be the rise of
Regarding
the CORPORATION PORTION, a good paper will contain the following:
1)
A description/summary of factors that matter to the multinational company of your
choosing, i.e. what are important with respect to major strategic and operating
decisions that the multinational faces.
a) This will involve a review of the
company’s products, where these are produced, where these are sold, and what
are key areas in their supply chain.
b) Based on item (a), a discussion of
vulnerabilities are and opportunities.
3) Potential developments in the global
arena which may impact this company and expose its vulnerabilities or which it
can take advantage.
GRADES
The
following will provide the basis for a students grade:
Weight
Quizzes
and in-class writing 30%
Report
(A) 40%
Report
(B) 30%
No
midterm or final exams will be required for this course. Because of the nature of the course, this is
a topics course, and the nature of the topics we will cover, the requirements
above should suffice.
1. Subject to change. Changes will be announced in class and a revised version of this schedule will be posted.
2. Should a guest speaker be scheduled, please submit a short summary of what was presented for check-off.
|
Day |
Topic (Ch # refers
to Friedman book) |
|
09/27 |
How the World Became FlatCh 1: While I
Was Sleeping Introduction to the
course; course requirements; brainstorming exercise “what are the major
issues facing multinational companies?” |
|
09/29 |
Ch 2: The 10
Forces that Flattened the World Ch 3: The Triple
Convergence DISCUSS ISSUES
PORTION OF TERM PROJECT FORM GROUPS |
|
10/04 |
Ch 4: The Great
Sorting Out Ch 10: How
Companies Cope DISCUSS CORPORATE
PORTION OF TERM PROJECT FINALIZE GROUPS |
|
10/06 |
Developing Countries and the Flat World
Ch 9: The
Virgin of Guadalupe |
|
10/11 |
-
Continue with Ch 9: Other “Outsourcing” Countries |
|
10/13 |
Geopolitics and the Flat World
Ch 11: The
Unflat World Ch 12: The
Dell Theory of Conflict Prevention |
|
10/18 |
Governance. Ch 11 and 12 talks
about governance, governments working to improve economies. The book suggests that governments have
adopted open economies. Are these
really open and democratic? Scan |
|
10/20 |
Corruption. Reading on the SAUD
family <http://www.theatlantic.com/doc/200305/baer>; also scan |
|
10/25 |
WTO
– general introduction Reading material: <http://www.wto.org/english/thewto_e/whatis_e/whatis_e.htm> |
|
10/27 |
WTO
– issues |
|
11/01 |
Environment. Scan |
|
11/03 |
Guest Speaker: cancelled.
In lieu of this activity,
|
|
11/08 |
* NOTE: Use 11/08 and 11/10 to work on Term
Projects. I will keep office hours
during the class period on these two days to provide students the opportunity
to consult with me on specific questions regarding their term projects. Student groups will present the results of
their findings on the ISSUES portion of their term projects on 11/15, 11/17,
and 11/22. Assume 10-15 minutes for
presentation, 110-15 minutes for Q&A per group. |
|
11/10 |
* see note above |
|
11/15 |
* see note above |
|
11/17 |
* see note above |
|
11/22 |
* see note above |
|
11/24 |
THANKSGIVING |
|
11/29 |
Present impact on Corporation
portion |
|
12/01 |
Present impact on
Corporation portion; wrap up. |
.