MIM560: International Business Credit Hours: 3 Contact Hours: Faculty Information This is a 3-credit course, offered in accelerated format. This means that 16 weeks of material is covered in 8 weeks. The exact number of hours per week that you can expect to spend on each course will vary based upon the weekly coursework, as well as your study style and preferences. You should plan to spend 14-20 hours per week in each course reading material, interacting on the discussion boards, writing papers, completing projects, and doing research. Faculty contact information and office hours can be found on the faculty profile page. Course Description and Outcomes Course Description: This course examines the factors that affect international business. Topics include the analysis of a country for prospective business opportunities, including the assessment of internal cultural and societal characteristics, how economic policies and regulations relate to trade activities, natural resource, labor, and outsourcing opportunities and their influence on the advancement of multinational enterprises. Challenging and unique considerations in the formulation and execution of organizational expansion considerations are addressed. Course Overview: Welcome to MIM560: International Business. This course addresses the factors that affect international business and business expansion. Discussion topics include demographic, economic, political, natural resource, technology, and cultural characteristics and the role they play in the advancement of multinational enterprises. The course also addresses challenging business and legal issues around the world. Course Learning Outcomes: 1. Analyze a country profile for prospective business opportunities. 2. Evaluate internal cultural and societal characteristics. 3. Evaluate economic policies and regulations in relation to trade activities. 4. Consider natural resource opportunities in terms of business decisions. 5. Ascertain labor and outsourcing opportunities. 6. Identify cross-border and regional opportunities for future expansion.
Participation & Attendance Prompt and consistent attendance in your online courses is essential for your success at CSU-Global Campus. Failure to verify your attendance within the first 7 days of this course may result in your withdrawal. If for some reason you would like to drop a course, please contact your advisor. Online classes have deadlines, assignments, and participation requirements just like on-campus classes. Budget your time carefully and keep an open line of communication with your instructor. If you are having technical problems, problems with your assignments, or other problems that are impeding your progress, let your instructor know as soon as possible. Course Materials Required: Cavusgil, S., Knight, G. & Riesenberger, J. (2017). International business: The new realities (4 th ed.). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice Hall. ISBN-13: 9780134324838 Suggested: NOTE: All non-textbook required readings and materials necessary to complete assignments, discussions, and/or supplemental or required exercises are provided within the course itself. Please read through each course module carefully. Course Schedule Due Dates The Academic Week at CSU-Global begins on Monday and ends the following Sunday. Discussion Boards: The original post must be completed by Thursday at 11:59 p.m. MT and Peer Responses posted by Sunday 11:59 p.m. MT. Late posts may not be awarded points. Critical Thinking: Assignments are due Sunday at 11:59 p.m. MT. Week # Readings Assignments 1 2 3 4 Chapter 1 in International Business: The New Realities Discussion (25 points) Critical Thinking (90 points) Chapters 2 & 3 in International Business: The New Discussion (25 points) Realities Critical Thinking (90 points) Chapter 4 in International Business: The New Realities Discussion (25 points) Critical Thinking (90 points) Portfolio Project Milestone (25 points) Chapters 5 & 6 in International Business: The New Discussion (25 points) Realities Critical Thinking (90 points)
5 6 7 8 Assignment Details Chapter 7 in International Business: The New Realities Discussion (25 points) Portfolio Project Milestone (25 points) Chapters 8, 9 & 10 in International Business: The New Realities Chapters 13 & 15 in International Business: The New Realities Chapters 10 & 17 in International Business: The New Realities This course includes the following assignments/projects: Module 1 Discussion (25 points) Critical Thinking (90 points) Discussion (25 points) Discussion (25 points) Portfolio (300 points) CRITICAL THINKING ASSIGNMENT (90 points) Choose one of the following two assignments to complete this week. Do not do both assignments. Identify your assignment choice in the title of your submission. Option #1: Case Study: Internationalization at Harley-Davidson Read the Harley Davidson case study in Chapter 1 of International Business: The New Realities, 4 th edition. Then answer the following questions, also found at the end of the case study. 1. What is the nature of the international business environments Harley Davidson faces? What types of risks does the firm encounter? 2. How can Harley Davidson benefit from expanding abroad? What types of advantages can the firm obtain? What advantages acquired abroad can help Harley Davidson improve its performance in its home market? 3. How can Harley Davidson effectively compete with rivals from Japan and Europe? What strategies should management apply to grow the firm s sales in those regions? 4. Competitors such as Lifan and Zongshen are beginning to emerge from China, where they enjoy competitive advantages like low-cost labor and extensive experience with emerging markets. How can Harley Davidson compete against such firms? Should Harley Davidson more aggressively pursue emerging markets such as Brazil, China, and India? If so, what strategies will help it succeed in those markets? 5. Evaluate Harley Davidson s environmental sustainability initiatives in the evolving regulatory environment on global greenhouse gas. What advantages does Harley Davidson gain by attempting to produce environmentally safe and sustainable products?
Module 2 Review the Critical Thinking grading rubric found in the Week 1 folder to see how you will be graded for this Option #2: Why China Can t Innovate? Answer the following questions after reading the required article, Why China Can t Innovate? 1. How can China move away from rule-bound rote learning to be a more innovative industry? 2. What enforcement mechanism should China put in place to protect intellectual property rights within the economy? 3. How did the Chinese export subsidies program violate the terms of their WTO membership? Did the export subsidies work? Why or why not? 4. How does the communist system in China affect innovation or entrepreneurial creativity? 5. Until the early 19 th century, China s economy was more open and market driven than the economies of Europe. Comment on this statement. Review the Critical Thinking grading rubric found in the Week 1 folder to see how you will be graded for this CRITICAL THINKING ASSIGNMENT (90 points) Option 1: Case Study: Debating the Good and Harm of Globalization Read the Good and Harm of Globalization case study in International Business: The New Realities, 4 th edition in Chapter 2. Then answer the following questions, also found at the end of the case study. 1. Do you think globalization and MNEs activities are creating problems for the world? What kind of problems can you identify? What are the unintended consequences of international business? 2. Summarize the arguments the business executive made in favor of globalization. What is the role of technology in supporting company performance in a globalizing business environment? 3. What are the roles of state and federal governments in dealing with globalization? What is government s role in protecting citizens from the potential negative effects of foreign MNEs conducting business in your country? What kinds of government action would you recommend? 4. What is the role of education in, 1) addressing the problems raised in the roundtable, 2) creating societies in which people can deal effectively with public policy issues, and 3) creating citizens who can compete effectively in the global marketplace?
Module 3 Review the Critical Thinking grading rubric found in the Week 2 folder to see how you will be graded for this Option 2: Hollywood and Global Culture Read the Hollywood and Global Culture case study in Chapter 3 of International Business: The New Realities, 4 th edition. Then answer the following questions, also found at the end of the case study. 1. Most aspects of foreign culture such as language, religion, gender roles, and problem-solving strategies are hard for the casual observer to understand. In what ways do Hollywood movies affect national culture outside the United States? What aspects of U.S culture do Hollywood films promote around the world? Can you observe any positive effects of Hollywood movies on world cultures? 2. Culture plays a key role in business. In what ways have movies influenced managerial tasks, company activities, and other ways of doing business around the world? Can watching foreign films be an effective way of learning how to do business abroad? Justify your answer. 3. Hollywood movies are very popular abroad, but foreign films are not viewed much in the United States. What factors determine the high demand for Hollywood films? Why are they so popular in Europe, Japan, Latin America, and elsewhere? Why is the demand for foreign films in the United States low? What can foreign filmmakers do to increase demand for their movies in the United States? Review the Critical Thinking grading rubric found in the Week 2 folder to see how you will be graded for this CRITICAL THINKING ASSIGNMENT (90 points) Option 1: Corporate Social Responsibility at Coca-Cola Read the Corporate Social Responsibility at Coca-Cola case study in Chapter 4 of International Business: The New Realities, 4 th edition. Then answer the following questions, also found at the end of the case study. 1. Give examples of unethical or unsustainable behavior that firms in the food and beverage industry might undertake. 2. What types of sustainable practices has Coca-Cola adopted over time? 3. In what ways does Coco-Cola help improve the lives of those who live in developing economies and emerging markets?
Module 4 Review the Critical Thinking grading rubric found in the Week 3 folder to see how you will be graded for this Option 2: Bribery and Corruption at Siemens Corporate Misconduct Read the Bribery and Corruption at Siemens in Chapter 4 of International Business: The New Realities, 4 th edition. Research another recent case or cases of corruption, misconduct, or unethical practice within the last three years and respond to the following: 1. Provide an overview of that case, explaining what happened. 2. How was the misconduct discovered? 3. What impact did it have on customers or the public at large? 4. How it was resolved, if at all? Review the Critical Thinking grading rubric found in the Week 3 folder to see how you will be graded for this PORTFOLIO PROJECT MILESTONE (25 Points) Option 1: Emerging Markets Begin gathering and reviewing ten most recent peer-reviewed articles or professional references related to: Business strategy in the global markets Market entry strategies in the global markets Emerging markets Political/economic/legal risks in emerging markets Revenues/sales projections in emerging markets Submit an annotated bibliography of your selected sources for grading. The CSU-Global Library is a good place to find these references. All references should conform to the CSU-Global Guide to Writing and APA. Once you have gathered and submitted your annotated bibliography, you should begin drafting your Portfolio Project. Option 2: Global Markets Begin gathering and reviewing ten most recent peer-reviewed articles or professional references related to: Emerging markets and globalization Cultural environments of global markets CSR in global markets Political/legal/economic environments of global markets FDI, licensing/franchising, and HR management in global firms Submit an annotated bibliography of your selected sources for grading. The CSU-Global Library is a good place to find these references. All references should conform to the CSU-Global Guide to Writing and APA. CRITICAL THINKING ASSIGNMENT (90 POINTS) Option 1: Legal Pitfalls for International Business
Module 5 International businesses invariably face distinctions between the legal systems they work within. After reviewing some of the distinctions in your text between common and civil law systems, and after conducting additional outside research on the pitfalls faced by international businesses operating in multiple legal environments, write a paper that evaluates the following: 1. The five key distinctions in contract or business law (other than those listed in Chapter 6): Political and Legal Systems in National Environments, reflecting different methods of practice or enforcement. 2. The classic theories of international trade. Which theories do you believe are relevant today? 3. Proactive actions that firms can take to minimize country risk. Review the Critical Thinking grading rubric found in the Week 4 folder to see how you will be graded for this Option 2: Political, Legal, and Ethical Dilemmas in the Global Pharmaceutical Industry Read the Political, Legal, and Ethical Dilemmas in the Global Pharmaceutical Industry in Chapter 6 of International Business: The New Realities, 4 th edition. Then answer the following questions found at the end of the case. 1. Specify the types of country risks pharmaceutical firms face in international business. How do the political and legal systems of countries affect the global pharmaceutical industry? 2. People need medications, but the poor often cannot afford them. Governments may not provide subsidies for health care and medications. Meanwhile, pharmaceutical firms focus their R&D on compounds likely to provide the best returns. What is the proper role of the following groups in addressing these dilemmas: national governments, branded pharmaceutical firms, and generic manufacturers? 3. Visit www.phrma.org, the pharmaceutical research and manufacturers of America. What steps is the branded industry taking to address the various ethical issues it faces, such as providing affordable drugs to poor countries? 4. Visit the TRIPS agreement at the WTO portal (www.wto.org). What are the latest developments regarding this treaty? What types of protection does this treaty provide to pharmaceutical firms? What enforcement mechanisms does TRIPS provide for ensuring that these protections will be carried out? 5. Recommend a strategy that management at a large pharmaceutical firm should employ to reduce the likelihood of political and legal risks that such firms face. What steps should management take to minimize its exposure to such risks? Review the Critical Thinking grading rubric found in the Week 4 folder to see how you will be graded for this PORTFOLIO PROJECT MILESTONE (25 POINTS)
Module 6 Option 1: Identifying a Business Strategy for an Emerging Market (25 points) Submit a 6-page draft of your project based on the requirements for the final project found in the Week 8 folder. Be sure to use the CSU-Global Guide to Also include six peer-reviewed articles/professional sources in addition to the textbook. Include a title page, section headers, introduction, conclusion, and reference page. Option 2: Creating an International Business Presentation for the Global Market (25 points) Submit a 10-slide draft PowerPoint presentation of your project option based on the requirements for the final project found in the Week 8 folder. Also include six peer-reviewed articles/professional sources in addition to the textbook. Include a title page, section headers, introduction, conclusion, and reference page. CRITICAL THINKING ASSIGNMENT (90 POINTS) Option 1: Financial Contagion and the Global Financial Crisis Read the Financial Contagion and the Global Financial Crisis case study in Chapter 9 of International Business: The New Realities, 4 th edition. Then answer the following questions found at the end of the case. 1. Explain the advantages and disadvantages of the globalization of finance. How did it contribute to the global financial crisis? 2. Describe how the fall of AIG exemplifies contagion. How did the U.S government bailout of AIG benefit foreign as well as U.S firms and investors? Experts are advocating increased regulation to prevent contagion. At the national and international levels, what types of regulation might prevent future crises? 3. Several European countries have adopted a single currency, the euro. Describe how adopting the euro might benefit countries in Eastern Europe. What are the advantages and disadvantages of single currency regime in international financial transactions? 4. As the world emerges from the global financial crisis, what is the potential role of each of the following: firms, banks, central banks, national governments, the International Monetary Fund, and the World Bank? What is the role of national governments in stimulating national economic growth? Review the Critical Thinking grading rubric found in the Week 6 folder to see how you will be graded for this Option 2: International Financial Management at Tektronix Read the International Financial Management at Tektronix case study in Chapter 10 of International Business: The New Realities, 4 th edition. Then answer the following questions found in the textbook. answer. 1. What are the implications for currency risk of TEK focusing its manufacturing in the United States but generating most of its sales abroad? Competitors such as HP and Kodak are more geographically diversified in their sourcing. What advantages does this create for them? 2. The case lists various approaches TEK follows to minimize its exposure to currency risk. If hired by TEK, what other strategies and tactics would you recommend to reduce the firm s exposure even further? Justify your
Module 8 3. TEK management attempts to maintain a reasonable ratio of debt to equity. Most firms prefer relatively low levels of debt in their capital structures. Why? What other approaches could TEK use to generate financing for its international operations? What approaches can TEK use to transfer funds within its operations worldwide? 4. The case describes approaches TEK follows to minimize its international tax liability. Based on your reading of the chapter, how would you advise TEK management to reduce its taxes around the world further? Review the Critical Thinking grading rubric found in the Week 6 folder to see how you will be graded for this FINAL PORTFOLIO PROJECT (300 POINTS) Option 1: Identifying a Business Strategy to Launch a Product in an Emerging Market Assume you are the CEO of a small relatively new start-up company that produces a unique product the wristreader. This product serves as a wristwatch that consumers wear on their wrists, but the screen folds out to a 3x3 high-resolution LCD that can be used as an e-book reader or to surf the internet with an integrated Wi-Fi chip. The wrist-reader is becoming highly popular among 18-24 year-olds in the U.S. market, and you believe the product would also be rapidly adopted among young people in large emerging markets. Because of your company's small size, you do not have anyone to help you identify business strategies, so you have to work independently on this. With this background, you are required to: 1. Provide an overview of your startup firm. Be creative here, but within reason. 2. Present the issue or issues you are trying to resolve. 3. Research three emerging markets and identify one market to internalize your product. 4. Provide a brief discussion of your entry strategies. 5. Assess the risks and benefits of each strategy in each country and provide a clear recommendation as to why you have chosen your market. Include an overview of those countries markets, potential demand for your product, legal and political environment, and any potential funding sources. 6. Explain the risks that small firms like yours may face in the chosen market or country. 7. Make a recommendation as to why the market you have chosen would be profitable, and include sales projections. It should be 12-15 pages in length, organized, and well-written in conformity with the CSU-Global Guide to Support your answers using 10-15 peer-reviewed articles/professional sources in addition to the textbook. Option 2: Creating an International Business Presentation for the Global Market Assuming you are the CEO of a domestic firm, the opportunity has come for you to take your firm abroad. Part of taking your firm abroad is to make a presentation to your board of directors telling them what it means to take a business abroad. The presentation must contain slides with these titles:
What is international business? Globalization of markets and the internationalization of the firm Cultural environment of international business Ethics, CSR, sustainability, and governance in international business Theories of international trade and investment Political and legal systems in national environments Government intervention and regional economic integration Understanding emerging markets International monetary and financial environment Financial management and accounting in the global firm Strategy and organization in the international firm Global market opportunity assessment Exporting and global sourcing FDI and collaborative ventures Licensing, franchising, and other contractual strategies Marketing in the global firm HR management in the global firm When creating your presentation (using PowerPoint, Prezi, or other presentation software), be sure to follow these guidelines: It should be 17 slides in length, organized, and well-written in conformity with the CSU-Global Guide to This excludes the title slide, introduction, conclusion, and references. Each slide must include detailed speaker notes (50-100 words per note page, with appropriate in-text citations in APA format). Incorporate graphics and other multimedia. Support your answers using 10-15 peer-reviewed articles/professional sources in addition to the textbook. Course Policies Course Grading Grading Scale and Policies A 95.0 100 20% Discussion Participation A- 90.0 94.9 45% Critical Thinking Assignments 35% Final Portfolio Project B+ 86.7 89.9 B 83.3 86.6 B- 80.0 83.2 C+ 75.0 79.9 C 70.0 74.9 D 60.0 69.9 F 59.9 or below In-Classroom Policies For information on late work and incomplete grade policies, please refer to our In-Classroom Student Policies and Guidelines or the Academic Catalog for comprehensive documentation of CSU-Global institutional policies. Integrity Academic
Students must assume responsibility for maintaining honesty in all work submitted for credit and in any other work designated by the instructor of the course. Academic dishonesty includes cheating, fabrication, facilitating academic dishonesty, plagiarism, reusing /re-purposing your own work (see CSU-Global Guide to Writing and APA Requirements for percentage of repurposed work that can be used in an assignment), unauthorized possession of academic materials, and unauthorized collaboration. The CSU-Global Library provides information on how students can avoid plagiarism by understanding what it is and how to use the Library and Internet resources. Citing Sources with APA Style All students are expected to follow the CSU-Global Guide to Writing and APA Requirements when citing in APA (based on the APA Style Manual, 6th edition) for all assignments. For details on CSU-Global APA style, please review the APA resources within the CSU-Global Library under the APA Guide & Resources link. A link to this document should also be provided within most assignment descriptions in your course. Disability Services Statement CSU Global is committed to providing reasonable accommodations for all persons with disabilities. Any student with a documented disability requesting academic accommodations should contact the Disability Resource Coordinator at 720-279-0650 and/or email ada@csuglobal.edu for additional information to coordinate reasonable accommodations for students with documented disabilities. Netiquette Respect the diversity of opinions among the instructor and classmates and engage with them in a courteous, respectful, and professional manner. All posts and classroom communication must be conducted in accordance with the student code of conduct. Think before you push the Send button. Did you say just what you meant? How will the person on the other end read the words? Maintain an environment free of harassment, stalking, threats, abuse, insults or humiliation toward the instructor and classmates. This includes, but is not limited to, demeaning written or oral comments of an ethnic, religious, age, disability, sexist (or sexual orientation), or racist nature; and the unwanted sexual advances or intimidations by email, or on discussion boards and other postings within or connected to the online classroom. If you have concerns about something that has been said, please let your instructor know.