TOPICS IN INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS

BA 447 Spring 2007

Lecture Slides/Materials

Professor: Manolete V. Gonzalez, Phd Email: gonzalezm@bus.oregonstate.edu

Office: B 224B

Office hours: T 1:00-2:00pm;Th 9:00-10:00am; Fri 3:00-4:00pm

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 topics or issues of an international nature 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, with the intent of encouraging students to continue to learn beyond this course; we will also investigate these from the perspective of strategic and operational decisions that multinational enterprises face.

In terms of learning outcomes, at the end of this course, students must demonstrate:

1) An awareness of the numerous global issues that multinational enterprises face;

2) An appreciation of the complexity of selected issues;

3) An understanding of how multinational enterprises can be affected by these issues;

4) A capacity to investigate one such issue in its complexity.

The structure of this course is designed to allow investigation. We will start with Thomas Friedman’s book, for no other reason than 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 a list of issues for further study during the course. 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 students to surprise me by suggesting material that are relevant and useful.

READING REQUIREMENTS

Text: The World Is Flat by Thomas L. Friedman

Readings: Foreign Affairs, Economist, The Financial Times, The Wall Street Journal, The Asian Wall Street Journal, New York Times and similar publications; websites of reputable/known organizations such as the World Bank, and links in the schedule.

Students are expected to read the assigned chapters of the text and where applicable, contents of websites indicated in the class schedule. Students should also regularly scan the headlines of the publications under Readings and read the articles that attract their interest and which relate to topics covered in this class. It is not necessary subscribe to these publications. The Valley library has these available.

REQUIREMENTS AND GRADES

There will be no midterm and final exams for this course. Because of the nature of the course, and the topics we will cover, the requirements below are intended to encourage active participation in the investigation of selected topics. Students are expected to prepare for class by reading the assigned material early enough to do some personal investigation. In this manner, it is hoped the student can contribute to the discussion. Participation grades will be based on attendance and contribution to class discussions. In-class writing exercises will be given from time to time. These need not all be graded.

QUIZZES AND ASSIGNMENTS

There will be graded quizzes through the term. These quizzes will be based on the assigned readings, slide notes, and class discussion. All quizzes need not be announced. There will be no make-ups for quizzes missed, except in cases where the absence from class is excused, e.g. due to illness.

Each student should turn in at least five assignments. These assignments will consist of an article from one of the sources under Readings above and a short statement. To receive a grade for the assignment, the article should be (a) relevant to the topic to be covered in the class it is due or the class immediately preceding it (except in the case of day 5 and 9); and (b) the article should be accompanied by a brief summary of the article and an explanation as to what it can contribute to the class discussion. You may choose to submit these assignments from any five of the sessions marked on the class schedule. These assignments should be turned in at the beginning of the class (please indicate the day of the class).

TERM PROJECT

A term project will be required and will form the major portion of a student’s grade. This will consist of a written report (approximately 10 pages) and a presentation at the end of the term. The requirements for the term project will be described in a separate document. This term project is a group assignment.

GROUPS

Groups of not more than four students will be formed early in the term. Each group will be required to establish expectations/criteria covering contribution of each member to the group’s deliverables early in the term; this will be the basis for a peer evaluation which will be submitted at the same time the term project is due. These peer evaluations will be considered in determining the term project grade of each member.

GRADE DISTRIBUTION

The following will provide the basis for a students grade:

Weight

Quizzes 40%

Assignments 10%

Participation 10%

Term Project 40%

ba 447 SPRING 2007 gonzalez

Subject to change. Changes will be announced in class and a revised version of this schedule will be posted.

Day	Topic (Ch # refers to Friedman book)
1 [4/03]	Introduction to the course; course requirements. Understanding global nature of companies
2 [4/05]	Ch 1: While I Was Sleeping Topics: More examples of global nature of companies; some suggestions on how to understand global issues facing multinational companies; evidence of a “flat world”.
3 [4/10]	Ch 2: The 10 Forces that Flattened the World Ch 3: The Triple Convergence Topics: discuss each of the forces and converging trends that have contributed to a “flat world”. FINALIZE GROUPS DISCUSS TERM PROJECT
4 [4/12]	Ch 4: The Great Sorting Out Ch 10: How Companies Cope Topics: impact on companies/industries, e.g. how things get done, etc.; how are companies adapting
5 [4/17] a	Ch 5, 6, 7 & 8 Topics: trade relationships and comparative advantage, e.g. between China and the US (additional reference in Part 3 of Film on Wal-Mart (PBS, Frontline)); outsourcing and effect on business strategy, jobs.
6 [4/19]	Ch 9: The Virgin of Guadalupe Topic: different types of reforms, i.e. “wholesale” and “retail,” their impact on a country’s ability to participate in the “flat world”; other factors?
7 [4/24] a	Continue with Ch 9: Topics: investigate “outsourcing” countries in more detail: China and Hong-Kong; Mexico and Maquiladoras; India.
9 [4/26] a	Ch 11: The Unflat World Ch 12: The Dell Theory of Conflict Prevention Topics: the dark side of the “flat world”, e.g. the poor, the sick, the humiliated, and conflict between two countries; poverty alleviation including enabling the marginalized; globalization, religion, ideological conflicts, and economic development.
10 [0/01]	Governance. Continue discussion started in Ch 11 and Ch 12 Topic: also cover governance
11 [5/03] a	Corruption. Continue discussion . . . Ch 11 and Ch 12 Topic: Corruption is the absence of or weak governance. Reading on the SAUD family <The House of Saud>; also scan World Bank site (TBA)
12 [5/08]	Resource Issues: Topic: discuss resource shortage and climate change issues Scan Readings on topics related to energy, resource shortages, global warming, global aspects of sustainable development, etc.
13 [5/10] a	Resource Issues: . . . Continue
14 [5/15]	WTO – general introduction. http://www.wto.org/english/thewto_e/whatis_e/whatis_e.htm
15 [5/17] a	WTO – continued
16 [5/22]	NOTE – use this week to finalize your term projects. I will be available during the usual class times for this week for consultations
17 [5/24]	see NOTE
18 [5/29]	TBA
19 [5/31]	Presentations
20 [6/05]	Presentations
6/07	Presentations Wrap-up Term projects due 5pm

a. This is one of the sessions where you may choose to turn in one of the five required assignments. The article should be relevant to the topic for the session (or the PRECEDING session, if applicable) and it should come with a brief summary and comment on what it can contribute to the class discussion.