|
GLOBAL DIMENSIONS OF BUSINESS ’ÄúNowadays
the reality is increasingly that we are obliged as leaders to think, work and
act internationally’ĶWe all talk of interdependence being the defining
characteristic of the modern world’ĶIt means we have a clear self interest in
what happens the world over.’Äù (Tony Blair, former British prime minister) Business l87 - Fall 2008 ’Äì Edfelt |
|
Course Description: Overview of economic, social and political factors influencing crossborder business; introduction to the international dimension of business disciplines; a foundation for other international courses and further self-directed learning. See also course objectives. Textbook: J. Wild, K. Wild & Han, International Business: The Challenges of Globalization, Prentice Hall, Fourth Edition (2008) ISBN 0131747436 Reader: Includes supplementary readings, cases, handouts and sample exam questions (Bus. 187 ’Äì Fall 2008 - Edfelt); contains three bluesheet lists (Studysheets #1, #2, #3) of topics, terms, concepts and questions to guide preparation for class and exams Recommended Reading (daily): Wall Street Journal and/or Financial Times’ĶClass discussion will include current news coverage related to course topics (discount subscription sign-up lists will circulate at the first class meeting)
Written Assignments: For most class meetings, students will submit a one-page written discussion of an assigned case or exercise (preferably word-processed); these must be prepared prior to the meeting for which assigned and are turned in when class starts; these are not individually graded, but are read/retained/evaluated as a packet by the instructor and count toward the class participation component of the overall course grade. See Guidelines for Written Assignments Examinations: Two mid-terms plus a comprehensive final exam (sample exam questions) Grading: 20% mid-term exam #1 (Studysheet #1); 20% mid-term exam #2 (Studysheet #2); 40% - final exam (half of the points on the final exam are from Studysheet #3 and one-fourth each from Studysheets #1 & #2; 20% - class participation (includes the number and quality of written case/exercise submissions); course grades conform with grading criteria proposed by the CSU Academic Senate. [Note: All business students in the Mgt., HRM and IB concentrations must earn a minimum grade of C- in required concentration courses; for students in other concentrations, consult your academic advisor] |
Aug 27 Introduction; Conceptual/Historical Overview
Sep 03 Explaining Trade and Investment
Sep 10 International Trade Relations
Sep 17 International Monetary Relations
Sep 24 Issues in Economic Growth & Development
Oct 01 Exam #1; Sociocultural Environment
Oct 08 Sociocultural Environment
Oct 15 Political/Legal Environment
Oct 22 Country Evaluation and Selection; Modes of Operating Abroad
Oct 29 Exporting; Transportation; Communication
Nov 05 Exam #2
Nov 12 Management; Manufacturing
Nov 19 Marketing; Finance
Nov 26 Thanksgiving Break (no classes after 5 PM, Wed., Nov. 26)
Dec 03 Finance, cont.; Accounting; Taxation
Dec 10 Human Resource Issues
Dec 17 Final Examination
|
Syllabus |
|
|
Note: Items below listed as Text are from the textbook J. Wild, K. Wild & Han, International
Business: The Challenges of Globalization (Fourth Edition); items listed as Reader are in the Reader (Business 187 ’Äì Fall 2008 ’Äì
Edfelt). Items listed as Web are
accessible on the internet, several of them via the SJSU library Electronic
Journals Index. For that you will need a library pin-code ’Ķ For
obtaining/using a pin-code go to: https://mill1.sjlibrary.org:443/patroninfo~S1/. Items below listed as Handouts are numbered yellow inserts in the Reader; other
handouts (not numbered, any color) will be distributed in class;
cases/exercises are either in the textbook or the Reader, and are so
indicated below |
|
|
|
|
|
Aug 27 Intro to the Course; Conceptual/Historical Overview |
|
|
|
|
|
Text:
Ch.1 ’Äì Globalization, and pp. 154-55, 204-07 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Text: Ch.
5 - International Trade; Ch. 7 ’ÄìForeign Direct Investment; and pp. 422-25
(make-or-buy decision) |
|
|
Case: Pedal
Away (in Reader, p. 1, and on back of Day 1 Bluesheet #1 distributed in
class); see also Handout #3 in Reader (Addendum to the Pedal Away case) |
|
|
|
|
|
Handouts:
#1, #2, #3 |
|
|
Sep 10 International Trade Relations |
|
|
|
|
|
Text: Ch.
6 ’Äì Business-Government Trade Relations; Ch. 8 - Regional Economic
Integration |
|
|
|
|
|
Reader: Anne McGuirk, ’ÄúThe Doha Development Agenda,’Äù Finance
& Development, September 2002;
Steven Weisman, ’ÄúAfter Six Years, the Global Trade Talks Are Just That: Talk,’Äù
New York Times, July 21, 2007;
Ben Stein, ’ÄúThe Tale of the Toaster, or How Trade Deficits Are Good,’Äù New
York Times, April 25, 2004; Herb
Stein, "Leave the Trade Deficit Alone," Wall Street Journal, March 11, 1987 |
|
|
Web: William Poole, ’ÄúA Perspective on U.S. International
Trade,’Äù Review - Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis, March/April, 2004 ’Ķ http://research.stlouisfed.org/publications/review/04/03/Poole.pdf;
’ÄúIn the Shadow of Prosperity ’Äì Trade’Äôs Victims,’Äù The Economist, January 20, 2007 http://www.sjlibrary.org/research/ejournals/index.htm |
|
|
|
|
Cases: Tomato Tussle (in Reader, p. 7, to be written up
and turned in); and Unfair
Protection or Valid Defense? (text, p. 201, read only; not a written
assignment) |
|
|
Handouts:
#4, #5, #6 |
|
|
|
|
|
Sep 17 International Monetary
Relations Text: Ch.
10 - International Monetary System plus pp. 265-80 (Foreign Exchange Market)
and pp. 264-65 (Eurocurrency Market)
Reader: Francesco
Caramazza and Jahangir Aziz, "Fixed or Flexible? Getting the Exchange
Rate Right in the 1990's," Economic Issues 13, Washington, DC, International Monetary Fund, 1998;
Hal Varian, ’ÄúEconomic Scene; Exchange Rates Matter’Äù New York Times, June 3, 2004; Mark Landler, ’ÄúAs Exchange Rates
Swing, Carmakers Try to Duck,’Äù New York Times, January 17, 2004 Web:
"Managing the World's Money," The Economist, Schools Brief, May 24, l975 ’Ķ http://www.sjlibrary.org/research/ejournals/index.htm Cases:
The Dollar and the Euro (in Reader, p. 16); and Argentina: Back From the
Abyss? (text, pp. 282-283, Qn. #1); write up either case Handouts: #7, #8 |
|
|
Sep 24 Issues in Economic Growth
and Development |
|
|
|
|
|
Text: Ch.
4 - Economic Systems and Development, and p. 260 (microcredit), 302-05
(recent financial crises), 238-52 (regional economic integration in the
Americas, ’Ķ) |
|
|
|
|
|
Reader: Horst Kohler, ’ÄúKohler Lauds Mexico’Äôs Economic Turnaround,’Äù
IMF Survey, June 30, 2003; Mary
Anastasia O'Grady, "The Poor Get Richer," Wall Street Journal, January 16, 2007 |
|
|
|
|
|
Case:
Banking on Forgiveness (text, p. 311, read only, not a written case) |
|
|
|
|
|
Handout:
#9 |
|
|
|
|
|
Oct 01 Exam
#1; and Sociocultural Environment |
|
|
|
|
|
Oct 08 Sociocultural Environment, cont. |
|
|
|
|
|
Text: Ch.
2 ’Äì Cross-Cultural Business, and pp. 446-48 (culture shock) |
|
|
|
|
|
Reader:
Edward Hall, "How Cultures Collide," Psychology Today, July l976; Andrew Singer, "Ethics: Are
Standards Lower Overseas?," Across the Board, September 1991; Paul Finney, ’ÄúShaking Hands, Greasing
Palms,’Äù New York Times, May 17,
2005 |
|
|
|
|
|
Web:
Edward Hall, "The Silent Language in Overseas Business," Harvard
Business Review, May-June l960 ’Ķ http://www.sjlibrary.org/research/ejournals/index.htm |
|
|
|
|
|
Exercise:
American (U.S.) Values, Attitudes, Beliefs and Behavior (p. 26 in Reader) |
|
|
|
|
|
Case:
Congo Conundrum (p. 32 in Reader) ’Ķ write up either this case or the Exercise
on p. 26) |
|
|
|
|
|
Oct 15 Political/Legal Environment |
|
|
|
|
|
Text: Ch.
3 ’Äì Politics, Law and Business Ethics, and pp. 214-21 (Government Intervention
in FDI) and p. 193 (Agreement on Intellectual Property) |
|
|
|
|
|
Reader: Nikki
Tait, ’ÄúIs Protection the Mother of Invention?,’Äù Financial Times, June 8, 2005 |
|
|
|
|
|
Web:
"Business Ethics; Doing Well By Doing Good," The Economist, April 22, 2000 http://www.sjlibrary.org/research/ejournals/index.htm |
|
|
|
|
|
Websites:
See Organization for International Investment
(OFII) |
|
|
|
|
|
Exercise (written
assignment): Should foreign investors in the U.S. receive national
treatment, that is, each treated as
if a national (a citizen) in a legal/regulatory sense, or should they face
special restrictions? Discuss. |
|
|
|
|
|
Case: Caveat Emptor (text pp. 118-19, read
only, not a written assignment)) |
|
|
|
|
|
Oct 22 Country Evaluation and Selection |
|
|
|
|
|
Text: Ch.
12 ’Äì Analyzing International Opportunities |
|
|
|
|
Handouts:
#10, #11 |
|
|
|
|
|
Case: Petro-Nigeria
(p. 34 in Reader) |
|
|
|
|
’Ķ’Ķ’ĶModes of Operating Abroad |
|
|
|
|
|
Text: Ch.
13 ’Äì Selecting and Analyzing Entry Modes, pp. 372-88 |
|
|
|
|
Reader:
John Markoff, "Ignore the Label, It's Flextronics Inside," New
York Times, February 15, 2001; Peter
Marsh, "Caterpillar and Cummins; Engine Makers Take Different
Routes," Financial Times,
July 14, 1998 |
|
|
|
|
|
Case: Telecom
Ventures (text, p. 391, read only, not a written case) |
|
|
|
|
|
Oct 29 Exporting |
|
|
|
|
|
Text: Ch.
13, pp. 364-72 and pp. 184-85 |
|
|
|
|
|
Reader: Peter Loftus, ’ÄúInternet Turns Firms Into Overseas
Businesses,’Äù Wall Street Journal,
December 16, 2003; Gabriel Kahn, ’ÄúFinancing Goes Just-in-Time,’Äù Wall
Street Journal, June 4, 2004; Doreen
Hemlock, "Import Business Isn't As Easy As It Might Look," San
Jose Mercury News, November 5, 2000
(from the South Florida Sun-Sentinel) |
|
|
|
|
|
Case:
Opportunity Knocks (p. 41 in Reader) |
|
|
’Ķ’ĶTransportation &
Communication |
|
|
|
|
|
Text: p. 370 (bill of lading) |
|
|
|
|
Reader:
’ÄúAirlines, A Way Out of the Wilderness,’Äù The Economist, May 3, 2003 |
|
|
|
|
|
Web: ’ÄúA Moving Story,’Äù The Economist, December 7, 2002 ’Ķ http://www.sjlibrary.org/research/ejournals/index.htm |
|
|
|
|
|
Case:
First in Asia and the World (DHL Worldwide Express), text, p. 175, read only,
not a written case |
|
|
|
|
|
Nov 05 Exam
#2 |
|
|
Nov 12 Management |
|
|
|
|
|
Text: Ch.
11 ’Äì International Strategy and Organization |
|
|
|
|
’Ķ’Ķ’ĶManufacturing
|
|
|
|
|
|
Text: Pp.
418-28 (Production Strategy) |
|
|
|
|
Reader:
Todd Zaun, et. al., "Two-Way Street; Auto Makers Get Even More Mileage
From Third World," Wall Street Journal, July 31, 2002 |
|
|
Cases:
Indo-Mina (p. 45 in Reader); Bottling Blues (pp. 46-47 in Reader) ’Ķ write up
either case |
|
|
|
|
|
Handout:
#13 |
|
|
|
|
|
Nov 19 Marketing |
|
|
|
|
|
Text: Ch.
14 ’Äì Developing and Marketing Products |
|
|
|
|
|
Reader: Ken Belson, ’ÄúWal-Mart Hopes It Won’Äôt be Lost in
Translation, ’ÄúNew York Times,
December 14, 2003 |
|
|
|
|
|
Case:
Fast Food Fixings (Reader, p. 49, to be written up) |
|
|
|
|
|
Film: The
Colonel Comes to Japan (C335; 25 min.) |
|
|
|
|
|
’Ķ’Ķ’ĶFinance |
|
|
|
|
|
Text: Pp.
258-65 (International Capital Markets) and pp. 428-34 (Financing Business
Operations) |
|
|
|
|
|
Reader:
"Offshore Banking," Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis, n.d. |
|
|
|
|
|
Case:
IKEA (text, p. 335, read only, not a written case) |
|
|
|
|
|
Nov 26 Thanksgiving Recess (no class; no classes meet after 5 PM, Wed., Nov. 26) |
|
|
|
|
|
Dec 03 Finance , cont. |
|
|
|
|
|
Text: Pp.
277-78 (currency inconvertibility) and p. 191 (currency controls) |
|
|
|
|
|
Cases:
Orinoco Leather (p. 51 in Reader, a written assignment) |
|
|
|
|
|
’Ķ’ĶAccounting |
|
|
|
|
|
Web:
"Special Report; Company Accounts Badly in Need of Repair" The
Economist, May 4, 2002 ’Ķ http://www.sjlibrary.org/research/ejournals/index.htm; and ’ÄúOverview of FASB’Äôs International
Activities’Äù ’Ķ http://www.fasb.org/intl/index.shtml
; ’ÄúConvergence with the International Accounting Standards Board (IASB)’Äù ... http://www.fasb.org/intl/convergence_iasb.shtml |
|
|
|
|
|
’Ķ’ĶTaxation |
|
|
|
|
Text: Pp. 107-08 and 451 (bonus and tax
incentives) |
|
|
|
|
Reader: Vito Tanzi, ’ÄúGlobalization and the Work of Fiscal
Termites,’Äù Finance & Development,
March 2001; Grace Weinstein, ’ÄúThe Good and
Bad of Moving Overseas,’Äù Financial Times, May 24, 2008 (U.S.
taxation of expatriates) |
|
|
|
|
|
Handout:
#14 |
|
|
|
|
|
Dec 10 Human Resource Issues |
|
|
|
|
|
Text: Ch.
16 ’Äì Hiring and Managing Employees |
|
|
|
|
|
Web:
’ÄúTraveling More Lightly,’Äù The Economist, June 24, 2006 (Special Report: Staffing Globalization) ’Ķ http://www.sjlibrary.org/research/ejournals/index.htm |
|
|
|
|
|
Case:
Managing Director (Reader, pp. 57-58, a written assignment) |
|
|
|
|
|
Dec 17 Final
Exam (5:15-7:30 PM) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|