Queens College
INTERNATIONAL MANAGEMENT
Location: Bilbao, Spain
Contact email: ibon.zamanillo@ehu.es
TEXT: International Management: Managing in a Diverse and Dynamic Global
Environment (Arvind V Phatak, Dr. Rabi S Bhagat, Roger Kashlak) 2nd edition. Mac Graw Hill.
ISBN 0073210579 / 9780073210575
COURSE OBJECTIVES: This course examines the challenges facing managers
that are competing in a global economy. In particular, we will devote our attention to
strategic management in a globally competitive environment and the role of culture in
motivation, leadership, communication, negotiation, decision making, HRM practices,
and the management of a multicultural workforce abroad or at home. We will cover
the process of management based on both the macro (organizational) level of
environment and strategy and the micro (interpersonal) level of culture and human
resources. Some of the critical topics to be explored include:
The international environment.
Managing international strategic planning and implementation
Managing people and processes across borders and cultures
Ethical dilemmas in international management
EXAMINATIONS AND GRADING:
There will be 2 exams. Final examination: 20 points. Mid-term examination: 20 points
There will be no makeup exams. Not taking an exam will result in a grade of zero. If you
are going to be out of town, you must make arrangements with me prior to the test.
Exams consist in essay questions and are based on lectures.
Grading for the course will be based on the following:
2 on-campus exams
Integrative Term project
Case Presentation (1)
Cases discussions (2)
Sporadic Short (10’) quiz without warning
The following breakdowns will be used for grades:
A
93.0-100
B
82.0-87.99
C
A90.0-92.99
B80.0-81.99
CB+
88.0-89.99
C+
77.5-79.99
D+
71.0-77.49
69.0-70.99
66.0-68.99
50%
25%
10%
10%
5%
D
D-
60.0-65.99
55.0-59.9
OTHER COURSE REQUIREMENTS:
The class will form into 3 groups for the term project and the cases presentations (1 per
group in the term).
My advice is that everyone in the group should try to do everything, and then combine
these into one paper at the end. If people do not pull their weight, you can fire them
up until the Part I Case Presentation day. You must let me know if you are going to do
this and prove to me that you have given the person ample opportunity to contribute
to the project. The formation of groups is intended to give students practice in working
in a group setting--work groups tend to be very common in the business world.
Take this opportunity to "tune-up" your group participation and leadership skills--they'll
come in handy later.
The Term Project: There will be one group integrative term project required during the
semester, worth 25% of the semester grade. Grades will be based on grammar, spelling,
content, research work and the amount of EXTRA EFFORT put into the project (ie,
information from websites, industry literature, news articles, etc.). The case must be
typed and double-spaced. No email cases! Hard-copies only! No binding! No
notebooks/folders! Only a staple! On the first page, the group must identify the name of
each person in the group, along with the case title. Projects turned in late will be
Intl. Mgt. Syllabus
Page 2 / 3
penalized 10%/day. SHOW ME WHAT YOU ARE DOING AS THE SEMESTER PROGRESSES
AND I’LL HELP YOU.
The group will create an imaginary company that, supposedly, has been operating in
the domestic arena for some time. Your group represents top management, and you
have decided it is time to go international.
Describe your company and its
operations, relative size and so forth.
Give reasons for your decision to go
international.
Decide on an appropriate country in
which to operate, and give your
rationale for this choice.
State your planned entry strategy, and
give your reasons for this strategy
Describe the environment in which you
will
operate
and
the
critical
operational factors that you must
consider and how they will affect your
company.
Give a cultural profile of the local area
in which you will be operating. What
are the workers going to be like? What
kind of reception do you anticipate
from local governments, suppliers,
distributors, and so on?
Draw up an organization chart
showing the company and its overseas
operations, and describe why you
have chosen this structure.
Decide on the staffing policy you will
use for the top level managers, and
give your rationale for this policy.
Describe the kinds of leadership and
motivational systems you think would
be most effective in this environment.
Give your rationale.
Discuss the kinds of communication
problems your managers might face in
the host country working environment.
How should they prepare for and deal
with them?
Explain any special control issues that
concern you for this overseas
operation. How do you plan to deal
with them?
Identify the concerns of the host country and the local community regarding your
operations there. What plans do you have to deal with their concerns and to ensure a
long-term cooperative relationship?
Also note: This course requires all students to familiarize themselves and to follow
copyright and fair use requirements (i.e., do not plagiarize, and list all references).
The case Presentations and discussions: There will be 1 case presentation throughout
the term worth 10% of the term grade. At the end of every Part in the Text Book, you will
find a Comprehensive Case. Your group will prepare a 20’- 25’ presentation when
scheduled (find dates in the tentative schedule). No deliverable required. Grades will
be based on the fluency of the presentation and the ability to transmit the key
concepts underlying in the text connecting them with the topics seen in class.
Your group will be assessed as well when other groups are presenting their own case.
This evaluation will be based on the quality of the discussion generated by your
questions. This implies that you will have to prepare all the three cases proposed for the
term, either for presenting or to discuss about them. Your performance in this item will
be valued up to a 10% of the final grade.
Pop Quizzes: There will be 1 short (10’) quiz during the term. The quiz will take place at
the end of the session and without previous warning. This quiz will consist in a bunch of
multiple choice questions and/or short theoretical - practical questions (for example:
provide a real life example of a Multinational Corporation that…)
Intl. Mgt. Syllabus
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THE COURSE OUTLINE. TENTATIVE SCHEDULE
Session
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
Topic
Chapter
Introduction to course and syllabus
The global macroeconomic environment
The political environment and political risk
The international legal environment of business
The cultural environment
The cultural environment
-------Ch 01
Ch 02
Ch 03
Ch 04
Ch 04
International Environment Case
(Disneyland Hong Kong)
Strategies for international competition
Modes of entry into foreign markets
Organizing and controlling international operations
Managing technology and knowledge
International Strategic Planning Case
Review for Mid-term exam
(Nora Sakari)
Mid-term Exam
15
16
17
18
19
20
Mid term exam discussion
Communicating across borders and cultures
Negotiation and decision making across borders and cultures
Motivating and leading across cultures and borders
Catch up Session
International human resources management
21
22
23
Managing people across borders Case
Integrative Term Project Presenation
Final Exam
Ch 01-04
Ch 05
Ch 06
Ch 07
Ch 08
Ch 05-08
Ch 01-08
Ch 01-08
Ch 01-08
Ch 09
Ch 10
Ch 11
Ch 12
Ch 09-12
Ch 01
Ch 12-17
Ch16