MBA 713 Course Syllabus

Transcription

1 MBA 713 Course Syllabus Instructor Information Nilakshi Borah, DBA University of Wisconsin La Crosse Finance Department 406F W. Carl Wimberly Hall 1725 State St. La Crosse WI (608) Elizabeth (Beth) Crosby, Ph.D. University of Wisconsin La Crosse Marketing Department 316 W. Carl Wimberly Hall 1725 State St. La Crosse WI (608) Course Description and Objectives To compete in today's marketplace, business executives must lead their companies in developing and sustaining ongoing efforts to emerge as globally dominant players. Our goal is that through this course you will learn to identify market opportunities worldwide and consider ways of pursuing these, better understand how to convert global presence into global competitive advantage, develop a global mindset by viewing diversity not just as a challenge but as an opportunity, and rethink answers to classic questions given the dynamic rules of the global game. This course aims to help prepare such leaders by focusing on the following objectives: 1. The development of a global mindset and the ability to recognize, objectively evaluate, and manage the benefits, drawbacks and concerns associated with globalization. 2. The ability to analyze major economic, political/legal, cultural and technological issues impacting international business and identify opportunities and threats facing firms doing business in various marketplaces around the globe. 3. The ability to recognize the advantages and disadvantages associated with different globalization strategies, modes of entry, and organizational structure. 4. The ability to assess foreign market attractiveness, taking into considerations issues related to international marketing, production, operations and supply chain management 5. The ability to understand and analyze international financial issues, such as foreign exchange rates and taxation differences, and the impact these issues will have on operations and profitability. This course addresses several objectives of the University of Wisconsin MBA Consortium's program, including demonstration of the following: 1. Broad based knowledge of international business and of the following functional areas in business: management strategy, information technology, international marketing, logistics, human resource management, finance, and accounting 2. Decision making skills such as those related to risk assessment and control will also be refined. Required Readings and Other Materials

2 Textbook The U.S. edition of the following text is required for the course: International Business: A Managerial Perspective, by Ricky W. Griffin and Michael W. Pustay, Prentice Hall, eighth edition, Please note that the international edition of the text has differences in end of chapter assignments and page numbers. The following software download is required for the course: Country Manager Simulation Software Download Each student registered for the course will need to enroll in the simulation and pay the simulation fee of $39.95 per participant. During the first week of class, you will receive your own unique User ID and Password by e mail from Interpretive Simulations based on the account by which you are identified for this course. Website links and directions for accessing and downloading course materials will also be provided at this time. You will not be able to begin the registration process until you have received an from the site administrator for the Country Manager simulation that includes your User ID, Password, and specific registration site URL. Once you have your simulation access information go to to register by entering your User ID and Password where prompted to do so. After logging in, pay your individual license fee to access the simulation. After paying the license fee, you will be able to access the simulation and resources. You may choose to purchase the printed version of the student manual but you will have access to a downloadable PDF copy so we don t recommend it. Save your money. Early payment and registration is recommended as all students in a team must have registered and paid before that team can participate in the simulation. Likewise you will want to become familiar with the Country Manager Case and simulation as quickly as possible as several assignments are due in the first few weeks of class. This is your first opportunity to demonstrate that you are a reliable team player. More information regarding the use of the Country Manager Simulation in this class is found in the Summary of Assignments portion of this Syllabus. Foreign Exchange Risk Management Case Each student will need to purchase a copy of this case. Detailed instructions for purchase: How to Order Ivey Cases for MBA 713. Grading Policy Your course grade is based on the summation of a variety of individual and group assessment activities. Assessment Activities Approximate Weight* Discussions 15% Individual & Small Group Assignments 20% Country Manager Simulation 30% Market Assessment Project 10% Case Studies or "Building Global Skills" Exercises 15% Class Participation and Peer Evaluations 10% * Weights are approximate; actual points may not sum to exactly the percentage listed

3 Make note that each campus has a different grading system; your final grade evaluation will be based on the scale below, following your home campus's letter grade system. 93% or above = A 90% 92.9% = A (AB) 88% 89.9% = B + (AB) 83% 87.9% = B 80% 82.9% = B (BC) 78% 79.9% = C+ (BC) 73% 77.9% = C Late Work Policy For assignments, other than discussions, there will be a 10% deduction for each day late and no credit after 5 days. Zero points will be awarded for late discussion work since entering a discussion after it is over is not beneficial to anyone. If you have the need for special consideration in regard to an assignment due date, contact us ahead of time and special arrangements may be made, subject to our discretion. We recognize that sometimes situations occur that may require an extension on an assignment (death in the family, hospitalization, job responsibility changes). We suggest that these be handled by you contacting us as soon as you realize the situation is occurring and together we can determine if an extension or an incomplete is advisable or if other action needs to be taken. Grading Composition In addition to class participation, your course grade will depend on your performance in the assessment activities in the course. A total of 1000 points will be awarded throughout the course. Your grade for class participation will account for 100 of the total points. Unit Assessment Activities (Assignments) Points Unit 1 Introductions 10 Small Group Writing Assignment: The Risk of Globalization 25 Country Manager (CM) Assignment #1: Simulation Introduction 20 Unit 2 Small Group Assignment: Off Shoring 25 Large Group Discussion: Wal Mart in America 20 Unit 3 Small Group Assignment: WTO 25 Large Group Discussion: Free Trade 20 Unit 4 Small Group Assignment & Discussion: Culture & Market Research 30 CM Assignment #2: Market Attractiveness Assessment 40 CM Assignment #3: Production Attractiveness Assessment 40 Unit 5 CM Assignment #4: Regional Marketing Plan 50 CM Round 1 Decisions 10 Unit 6 Individual Writing Assignment: Expatriation 25 Large Group Discussion: Expatriation 20 CM Round 2 Decisions 10 Unit 7 Small Group Assignment: Mode of Entry, Risk Assessment, etc. 25 CM Round 3 Decisions 10 Unit 8 Assessing Market Potential Project 100

4 CM Round 4 Decisions 10 Unit 9 Large Group Discussion: Inside of the Meltdown 20 Unit 10 Chapter 7 Case Assignment 30 CM Round 5 Decisions 10 Small Group Assignment: Double Irish & a Dutch Sandwich (Transfer prices & taxes) Building Global Skills Assignment (Chapters 8 & 18) 65 CM Round 6 Decisions 10 Unit 11 Large Group Article Discussion: Exchange Rate Risk 20 Case Analysis Write Up: Westwood Plastics 65 CM Round 7 Decisions 10 Unit 12 Large Group Article Discussion: Strategic Alliances 20 CM Round 8 Decisions 10 Unit 13 Small Group: Ch. 14 Building Global Skills Unipro Assignment 25 Unit 14 CM Assignment #5: Performance & Assessment of Performance 70 Participation 100 Total Possible Points: 1000 Summary of Assignments Throughout the course you will be working on assignments individually and in groups. Discussing and working on assignments in groups can help to develop a deeper understanding of the course material. The support of your team members also should result in more thorough answers to each assignment. All groups will be pre assigned. All team members on a group assignment, however, may not receive the same grade for that assignment. There are numerous small and large assignments, designed to blend tough intellectual challenges with practical/applied skill building tasks. Many of the smaller ones consist of group discussions of textbook material and relevant articles. These smaller assignments will be discussed in the Unit Readings and Activities documents. Use the following links to review each of the larger assignments. You are encouraged to review and plan for these assignments well in advance of the due date. See Course Calendar. Country Manager Simulation Throughout the semester, we will be using the online Country Manager Simulation to provide you with an opportunity to explore market entry and market attractiveness issues including mode of entry and sequence, segmentation and targeting, and the Four P's all in an international context. Along with 8 rounds of strategic decisions, there are 5 assignments associated with the Country Manager Simulation, making up approximately 30 percent of your final grade. Country Manager Assignment 1 is an individual assignment. Country Manager Assignments 2, 3, 4, and 5 are team assignments. You are encouraged to read the Country Manager case and become familiar with simulation as quickly as possible. Assignment 1 Working Through the Mechanics (Individual Assignment) Assignment 2 Market Attractiveness Assessment (Team Assignment) Assignment 3 Production Attractiveness Assessment (Team Assignment) Assignment 4 Regional Marketing Plan and Forecast (Team Assignment) Assignment 5 Country Manager Performance & Assessment of Performance (Team Assignment) 30

5 The Country Manager Simulation places special emphasis on managing and executing international business strategies. The decisions that managers must make within this context require the integration and synthesis of concepts from a very wide array of fields. This simulation will help you grasp the wide scope of issues that have relevance to managing international business strategies. Assessing Market Potential The Assessing Market Potential Assignment provides experience analyzing the business environment for four products and the market potential of three international markets. For more details regarding course assignments, see the Course Calendar and Assessment Activities section for each unit in the Course Content. Student Expectations Class Participation Expectations Let us state right away that your class participation is considered invaluable to the success of this class. If knowledge and technology are the twin forces transforming a winning approach to the 21st century, the ability to add value to any undertaking whether at home or abroad requires collective input. Your insightful comments and consistent observations in small teams and class discussions on a weekly basis are therefore indispensable contributions to everyone's learning in this class. This part of your grade will be captured, in part, by peer assessments in addition to the instructors' assessment of your participation. We will expect you to participate from the first day of the class. This means that each of you will become familiar with D2L and will immediately begin to organize yourselves into the assigned groups for course activities. If someone in one of your groups is not online right away, we expect you to contact that person and/or let us know of their delay. We appreciate your taking the initiative as is the case when working within "learning communities." You will be interacting with each other in small and large teams throughout the duration of the course. We expect each of you to be involved within your teams as well as in class wide discussions a minimum of 4 5 times each week. The purpose is to add value to the discussions rather than repeat what others have said. Making connections, differentiating opinion from facts, and providing real life examples are specific ways to assure successful interaction. We expect a "we" mentality within groups that makes for an enjoyable learning experience for all. Please give your best effort to each of the groups you are assigned. We will ask you to fill out peer evaluations to help ensure credit is given to where credit is due. Create internal group norms that assure effective use of teamwork and do not hesitate to call on us if we can lend a hand. Time Allotment We anticipate that you will spend 5 8 hours per week online, in addition to time spent reading the text, books, and supplementary materials (approximately 75 pages per week). These are extensive because the nature of the subject matter requires breadth and depth of analysis. In this 4 credit course, your best approach is to get into the habit of doing the readings as soon as possible. It might be wise to ask one member of your team to provide a written summary of the week's readings, although this is not a requirement of the course. You will also want to designate team leaders and delegate specific responsibilities for several assignments throughout the semester. That is why organizing your groups and setting norms that make you feel comfortable from the beginning will be a wise investment. Instructor Expectations We will do our utmost to respond to your questions within 24 hours, and submit our evaluations within 7 10 days of receiving your finished product. When in doubt, do not hesitate to ask us! For questions related to the course, please post in the Raise Your Hand open forum in Discussions. For questions of a sensitive nature, please or call one of us directly. You will find our s and phone numbers in the Instructor Information page and in the Classlist tool. Check the News area in the course homepage each time you login for course related announcements, thoughts from the instructors, and other updates and information pertinent to the course.

6 Additional Information and Resources Additional information and resources can be accessed via links on the Navigation bar of this course. Specifically: For accommodations in accessing web based materials, refer to the MBA Consortium FAQ: Accessibility Policy. For tips and guidance on participating in discussions, refer to the Netiquette policy. For resources to help polish your writing skills, refer to Writing Tips For help with accessing reserved library articles (login and password), refer to the Library Guide

7 Course Calendar Spring 2016 Unless otherwise indicated, all assignments are due by 11:59 pm central time on the date indicated below. Access the Country Manager Simulation, pay fees, download sim manual, and contact your team members no later than Sunday, January 31. Unit 1: Globalization and the Global Trade Debate Unit 1 Objectives Unit 1 Commentary Unit 1 Assigned Readings from Text: Chapters 1 & 6 (pp , Figure 6.5) PowerPoints for Chapters 1 & 6 Watch: "Debate on Globalization" Introductions Post by: Wednesday, January 27 Small Group Writing Assignment: Risks of Globalization Country Manager: Assignment 1 (Working through the Mechanics Individual Assignment) Unit 2: Economic, Political/Legal, and Technological Forces Submit to Dropbox by: Sunday, January 31 Sunday, January 31 Unit 2 Objectives Unit 2 Commentary Unit 2 Assigned Reading from Text: Chapter 2, 3 & pages from Chap. 12 PowerPoint for Chapter 2 & 3 Watch: Is Wal Mart Good for America? Small Group Assignment: Off Shoring Written document due: Sunday, Feb. 7 Large Group Discussion: Wal Mart in America Initial Post by: Thursday, Feb. 4 Response Posts by: Sunday, Feb. 7 Unit 3: National Trade Policy and International Cooperation Unit 3 Objectives Unit 3 Commentary Unit 3 Assigned Readings from Text: Chapters 9 (including closing case) & 10 PowerPoints for Chapters 9 & 10 Small Group Discussion/Task: WTO Written document due: Sunday, Feb. 14 Large Group Discussion: Free Trade Initial Post by: Thursday, Feb. 11 Response Posts by: Sunday, Feb. 14 Unit 4: Culture and the Global Market Place Unit 4 Objectives Unit 4 Commentary Unit 4 Assigned Readings from Text: Chapter 4 & Chapter 5 PowerPoint for Chapter 4 & Chapter 5

8 Watch: "Communicating Effectively in the Global Workplace" "Global Business and Ethics" Small Group Assignment: Culture & Market Research Initial Post by: Sunday, Feb. 21 Response Post by: Thursday, Feb. 25 Country Manager: Assignment 2 (Market Attractiveness Assessment) Country Manager: Assignment 3 (Production Attractiveness Assessment) Unit 5: International Marketing and Operations Management Submit BOTH files to the corresponding dropboxes no later than 11:59pm on Thursday, Feb. 25 Unit 5 Objectives Unit 5 Commentary Unit 5 Assigned Readings from Text: Chapters 16 and 17 PowerPoints for Chapters 16 & 17 Country Manager: Round 1 Decisions Submitted Sunday, March 6 Country Manager: Assignment 4 (Regional Marketing Plan and Forecast) Submit assignment to Dropbox by Sunday, March 6 Unit 6: International HR Management Unit 6 Objectives Unit 6 Commentary Unit 6 Assigned Reading from Text: Chapter 19 PowerPoint for Chapter 19 Individual Writing Assignment: Expatriation Submit to Dropbox by: Friday, Mar. 11 Large Group Discussion: Expatriation Initial Post by: Thursday, Mar. 10 Response Posts by: Sunday, Mar. 13 Country Manager: Round 2 Decisions Submitted Sunday, Mar. 13 Unit 7: Global Strategy and Global Presence Unit 7 Objectives Unit 7 Commentary Unit 7 Assigned Readings from Text: Chapter 11 PowerPoint for Chapter 11 Assigned Small Group Readings (see Unit 7: Readings and Activities, Small Group Discussion/Task for details) Watch: "Harley Davidson" Small Group Assignment: Mode of Entry, Risk Assessment, etc. Post by: Sunday, March 20 Response Posts by: Friday, March 25 Country Manager: Round 3 Decisions Submitted Sunday, March 20 Unit 8: Modes of Entry and Risk Assessment Unit 8 Objectives Unit 8 Commentary

9 Unit 8 Assigned Reading from Text: Chapter 12 PowerPoint for Chapter 12 Project: Assessing Market Potential Country Manager: Round 4 Decisions Submitted Sunday, March 27 Unit 9: Global Financial Environment and Institutions Submit to Dropbox by Sunday, March 27 Unit 9 Objectives Unit 9 Commentary Unit 9 Assigned Readings from Text: Chapters 6 and 7 (including closing case) PowerPoints for Chapters 6 & 7 Watch: "The Contagion Effect of Asian Financial Crisis in " Inside of the Meltdown Large Group Discussion Inside of the Meltdown Initial Post by: Thursday, Mar. 31 Response Posts by: Sunday, Apr. 3 Chapter 7 Case Assignment (Submit to Dropbox) Submit to Dropbox by Sunday, Apr. 3 Country Manager: Round 5 Decisions Submitted Sunday, Apr. 3 Unit 10: Global Financial Management (Basic) Unit 10 Objectives Unit 10 Commentary Unit 10 Assigned Readings from Text: Chapters 8 and 18 PowerPoints for Chapters 8 and 18 Small Group Assignment: Double Irish and a Dutch Sandwich (Transfer prices and taxes) Building Global Skills Assignment (Submit to Dropbox) Post by: Sunday, Apr. 10 Country Manager: Round 6 Decisions Submitted Sunday, Apr. 10 Unit 11: Global Financial Management (Advanced) Submit to Dropbox by: Thursday, Apr. 14 Unit 11 Objectives Unit 11 Commentary Unit Assigned Readings from Text: Chapter 18 PowerPoint for Chapter 18 Westwood Plastics Case Study Article: The Management of Exchange Rate Risk: A Case From the Manufacturing Industry Large Group Article Discussion: Exchange Rate Risk Initial Post by: Thursday, Apr. 14 Response posts by: Sunday, Apr. 17 Case Analysis Write Up: Westwood Plastics Country Manager: Round 7 Decisions Submitted Sunday, Apr. 17 Unit 12: International Strategic Alliances Submit to dropbox by: Thursday, Apr. 21

10 Unit 12 Objectives Unit 12 Commentary Unit 12 Assigned Readings from Text: Chapter 13 PowerPoint for Chapter 13 Article: Risk Management of Strategic Alliances and Acquisitions between Western MNCs and Companies in Central Europe Large Group Article Discussion: Strategic Alliances Initial Post by: Thursday, Apr. 21 Response Posts by: Sunday, Apr. 24 Country Manager: Round 8 Decisions Submitted Sunday, Apr. 24 Unit 13: International Business: Corporate Governance, Structure and Control Unit 13 Objectives Unit 13 Commentary Unit 13 Assigned Reading from Text: Chapter 14 PowerPoint for Chapter 14 Small Group Assignment: Building Global Skills Written document due: Sunday, May 1 Optional Large Group Discussion Post by: Wednesday, May 4 Unit 14: Closing the Loop Country Manager: Assignment 5 (Performance and Assessment of Performance) Submit assignment to Dropbox by Friday, May 6 Peer Evaluations Submit to Dropbox by Friday, May 6