GB444.341Summer Semester, 2014
G BK 444.341 [60549], International Business
Founder’s Hall, Room 211
Tuesdays and Thursdays: 11:00 to 1:45 P. M.
Summer Semester: June 3 to July 25, 2014
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Instructor:
Department:
Office:
Phone:
E-mail:
Office Hours:
Mr. John La Lone, BS-BA, MS-HRM.
Management and Marketing Department
Texas A&M University-Central Texas, Room 318L
(254) 519-5472
jlalone@ct.tamus.edu
Monday and Wednesday: 11:00 PM to 5:00 PM
Tuesday and Thursday: 2:00 PM to 4:00 PM
By Appointment only.
Admin
Assistant:
Ms. Christine Garza (254) 519-5762/5437
Fax (254) 501-2825
A portion of this course is delivered via Blackboard Online Learning.
http://online.tarleton.edu/Dual/DualLoginPage.htm You are required to check in online via email within Blackboard within two days of our first class session.
1.0
Course Description: Broad coverage of key concepts and issues in international business.
Emphasis on the environment of international business and the operations of the multinational firm.
Prerequisites: Junior classification
1.1
Expanded Course Description: This course is designed to give the student a
broader perspective of key concepts and issues in international business. Initial
emphasis is on the environment of international business, as well as theories of trade
and investment. The operation of a multinational firm is addressed from both micro
and macro perspectives with emphases on global currency, capital formation, entry
modes, marketing, management, and human resources.
1.2
Intended Student Outcomes: At the conclusion of the course the student will be
able to:
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GB444.341Summer Semester, 2014
a. Explain the reasons and methods of entering international business through
foreign markets and through domestic import/export markets.
b. Analyze the cultural, political, economic, and competitive forces of countries’
international business environment.
c. Identify specific trade and investment theories.
d. Understand the impact of government intervention and trade agreements on
global business decisions at both the micro and macro levels. Utilize currency and
stock exchange reports for decision making.
e. Select appropriate entry modes and business organization models to match
strategic international business marketing and/or production objectives.
f. Investigate international business options through the use of primary and
secondary data sources.
g. Apply basic marketing, management, and human resource principles to doing
business in or with various countries.
2.0
Course Overview: Broad coverage of key concepts and issues in international business.
Emphasis on the environment of international business and the operations of the multinational
firm
Class meetings will focus on reviewing and application of material, concepts, and applications
from the textbook. You will perform a considerable number of hands-on exercises and discussions designed to help you integrate and apply the material presented in the text. Therefore, it is
important for students to come to class prepared by having read and thought about the reading
material for the day. It is important for each student to take the initiative to question or inform
the instructor if he/she is having trouble following the course reading.
3.0
Required Reading and Textbook
Donald A. Ball, J. Michael Geringer, Jeanne M. McNett, and Michael S. Minor. (2013).
International Business: The Challenge of Global Competition (13th ed.). New York: McGrawHill. ISBN: 9780077606121.
American Psychological Association. (2001). Publication Manual of American
Psychological Association (6th ed.). Washington, D.C.
NOTE: A student of this institution is not under any obligation to purchase a textbook
from a university-affiliated bookstore. The same textbook may also be available from an
independent retailer, including an online retailer.
4.0
Performance Guidelines
4.1
Attendance and Individual Performance: I ask for your regular participation in
class discussion and activities, and for your timely completion of assignments. I
intend that those who demonstrate quality, professional performance, will earn
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GB444.341Summer Semester, 2014
high grades. Lesser grades are earned by those who do not. Each of you can
achieve a high grade if you so choose.
I strongly encourage your attendance for each class. I recognize that not all
students are able to attend each class session. I expect each student to take
personal responsibility for making up missed subject matter and assignments.
Your timely attendance, preparation for and participation in class discussion, and
timelines for assignment submissions will all contribute toward the grade that you
earn for this course.
4.2
Trleton State University [or TAMUCT] E-Mail Account: Each student must
claim and use their Tarleton State University (or TAMUCT) e-mail account. All
e-mail correspondence between students and your instructor will be via your
Texas A&M University-Central Texas “Blackboard” account. In case of
Blackboard breakdown…use your Tarleton student e-mail account. Each student
will send a “Blackboard” message to your instructor by Tuesday-June 10, 2014.
That e-mail must reflect student’s name, Tarleton [or TAMUCT] e-mail address,
course number, and course title. If you have to use your Tarleton[or TAMUCT]
student e-mail account, the Subject Line must reflect this course number and
student’s name.
4.3
Reading/assignments: Class meetings will consist of: review and lecture of
assigned chapters. You are expected to study the material for each assigned
chapter prior to coming to class. See paragraph 12 for reading schedule.
4.4
Written Assignments:
4.4.1
International Business Brief (Individual): Each student will present a 3
minute (+/- 1) synopsis of international business news. The date for your
individual presentation will be assigned to you during the first week of
class. The format for this report is enclosed at appendix “A.”
4.5.2
Group Export Proposal [Presentation]: Each student in this class has
already been assigned to a group. Each group will create a business
opportunity in a foreign country for a product manufactured in the United
States. Each group will work together (collaborate) to develop a long
written proposal addressed to the instructor as your supervisor, and an MS
Power-Point Presentation. The format or skeleton outline for this report is
enclosed at appendix “B” below. Each group will orally present their
proposal in class. Your oral presentation must be at least 15 minutes (+/2) in length. Your presentation will be conducted on one of the dates
scheduled in paragraph 12 below, and the specific date for your individual
presentation will be assigned to you during the second week of class..
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GB444.341Summer Semester, 2014
Your team must research the business topic selected by your group/team.
Your research must include at least 10 references (3-4 journals or
magazines, 3 Internet articles, and 3-4 books (web-download in lieu of a
book is not acceptable) and they all must be used [and cited] in the body
of your written paper. Your group must write a 12-page [minimum] report
(1-cover sheet, 10-body, 1 works cited/references cited), excluding
attached data/material.
You must also prepare MS PowerPoint slides for use in your oral
presentation. A copy of your written proposal, and a copy of your “MS
PowerPoint “NOTES”-Slides” with notes affixed and a CD “R”disk
[with an electronic copy of your written proposal and MS.PPT files] will
be submitted to the instructor prior to your oral presentation. The only
notes you may use in the conduct of your presentation are MS.PowerPoint
”NOTES” slides.
Each team/group member will each share in the presentation of this long
proposal. The oral report will be not less than 15 minutes (+/-2 Minutes)
in length. Each group member will contribute to the produced report and
the contribution will be identified in the written report. Areas must be
divided equally among the team members, and everything [research,
assembly, organization, typing of written report, preparation and typing of
MS.PowerPoint, and oral presentation] of those areas will be completed by
the specific individual to whom they are assigned. Grading of the report
and oral presentation will be a “Team Grade” shared alike and no
individual grade will be given… “except as noted below.”
GROUND RULES [CAUTION]:
(1)
If you do not work/collaborate with your assigned group on this
project: Your name will remain on the project with your group.
However, if you have not completed 1) your research, 2) your
written portion of the proposal, and 3) your portion of the MS
PowerPoint presentation that portion will be left UNDONE and
you will not be able to perform your part of the oral presentation
in class. This is a package deal for each student—“If you fail to
complete [yourself] any part of the areas you are responsible for
[see paragraph 5 c (2) (a) above], you have not completed the
requirements assigned to you for this course—“your team
members will not do it for you—those portions will be left blank
and you will receive the grade “zero” for it.
(2)
Round-Robin type presentations are not allowed, and such
instances will result in an immediate 10 percent deduction in
grade.
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GB444.341Summer Semester, 2014
(3)
4.5
NOTE: All Oral Presentations (Individual and Group) will be
conducted in a professional manner, to include appropriate
business dress. Men will wear slacks, shirt, socks, shoes, and tie
(No denims, jeans, boot pants, Levi’s, sneakers, or bolo ties).
Ladies will wear: blouse and slacks, or dress, or suit with
socks/stockings and either low or high-heeled shoes. Look Like
professionals! Timing will be strictly adhered to. Ten presentation
points will be deducted if your presentation runs short or over by
more than “1”minute-Individual proposal, “2” minutes for group
proposal. Further, ten presentation points will be deducted if
presenter(s) are not appropriately dressed.
Specifications for Written Assignments: All work submitted must be completed
via the use of a computer and computer software. The format/style must that you
use must be consistent with professional business practice. The Style Guide of the
American Psychological Association is the standard we will use. All work will be
submitted on 8 ½ ” x 11” white bond paper, double-spaced, using size 12 Times
New Roman fonts and the color black for wording. All margins will be 1” at the
top, bottom, left and right sides. Items submitted are expected to be of collegiate
quality, language, and depth.
The quality of your work is a reflection of you; always present your best side.
Quality work has a professional appearance and is free of spelling errors. Points
will be deducted for poor grammar and wording, misspellings, appearance and
improper submission. Be prepared to present your solutions in class.
Your proposals and reports will be submitted with a cover sheet. The following
information must be included on the cover sheet: title of work, student’s name(s),
Course number and title (e.g., GB444.301, International Business), Instructor: Mr.
John La Lone, and due date. Paper(s) will be stapled at the top left corner. All
Message Sets, Proposals, and Presentations are due on the date scheduled in
Paragraph 12 [and further delineated to a specific presentation date in class] to
the instructor, in the classroom]. Submissions “will not be accepted for credit”
after the date that you or your team is scheduled.
All subjects and materials to be presented in this course must be “new works”
researched and assembled by your group for this course. Recycling of cases,
proposals, reports, and subjects from other classes “is prohibited.”
4.6
Examinations: There will be three multiple-choice, true/false, fill-in the-blank
examinations during the semester. All examinations are non-cumulative—each
exam will include only materials covered in prior sections of the course. Exams
will be closed book and closed notes. All exams will be administered in class in
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GB444.341Summer Semester, 2014
accordance with paragraph 12 [schedule]. Makeup [regardless of reason] will be
as scheduled in paragraph 12 below.
5.0
Grading Criteria and Conversion for Examinations, and assignments
Grades will be calculated as follows:
5.1
5.2
5.3
5.4
Exams (3 @ 225 Points
Intl Bus Brief
Group Export Proposal
Professionalism
Grade Base is
675 Points
50 Points
225 Points
50 Points
1000 Points
Letter Grade/Points Required to Obtain Them
100-90 % = A
89-80 % = B
79-70 % = C
69-60 % = D
00-59 % = F
900-1000
800-899
700-799
600-699
000-599
6.0
Drop Policy
If you discover that you need to drop this course, you must go to the Records Office and ask for
the necessary paperwork. Professors cannot drop students; this is always the responsibility of the
student. The record’s office will give a deadline for which the form must be returned completely
signed. Once you return the signed form to the records office and wait 24 hours, you must go
into Duck Trax and confirm that you are no longer enrolled. If Duck Trax reflects that you are
still enrolled, FOLLOW-UP with the records office immediately. You are to attend class until the
procedure is complete to avoid penalty for absence. Should you miss the deadline to fail to
follow this procedure, you will receive an “F” in the course.
1. The last day for student’s to add or drop a course without having to process manual
Texas A&M University documents is May 30, 2014.
2. The last day to drop an 8 Week class w/“no record is June 10, 2014.
3. The last day to drop a class w/a “Q” or a “W-Withdrawal” is July 9, 2014.
4. DEADLINE to file for Fall semester 2014 Graduation is June 27, 2014.
5. Last day to “withdraw” from the university is July 25, 2014.
7.0
Academic Honesty (Texas A&M University-Central Texas Catalog, page 37)
Texas A&M University - Central Texas expects all students to maintain high standards of honor
in personal and scholarly conduct. Any deviation from this expectation may result in a minimum
of a failing grade for the assignment and potentially a failing grade for the course. All academic
dishonesty concerns will be reported to the university's Office of Student Conduct. Academic
dishonesty includes, but is not limited to, cheating on an examination or other academic work,
plagiarism and improper citation of sources, using another student's work, collusion, and the
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GB444.341Summer Semester, 2014
abuse of resource materials. When in doubt on collaboration, citation, or any issue, please
contact me before taking a course of action. More information can be found at
http://www.tamuct.edu/departments/studentconduct/academicintegrity.php
8.0
Library Services
INFORMATION LITERACY focuses on research skills which prepare individuals to live and
work in an information-centered society. Librarians will work with students in the development
of critical reasoning, ethical use of information, and the appropriate use of secondary research
techniques. Help may include, yet is not limited to: exploration of information resources such as
library collections and services, identification of subject databases and scholarly journals, and
execution of effective search strategies. Library Resources are outlined and accessed at.
http://www.tamuct.edu/library
9.0
Disability Services
If you have or believe you have a disability and wish to self-identify, you can do so by providing
documentation to the Disability Support Coordinator. Students are encouraged to seek
information about accommodations to help assure success in their courses. Please call (254) 5015831 or visit Founder's Hall 114, Suite 114. Additional information can be found at
http://www.tamuct.edu/departments/disabilitysupport/index.php
10.0 Absence Policy
ANY absence, excused or unexcused, beyond one absence will result in a reduction in
professionalism points. It is very important that you contact me prior to any absence when
possible and it will be your responsibility to make contact for missing information or
assignments.
11.0 Tutoring:
Tutoring is available to all TAMUCT students, both on-campus and online. Subjects tutored
include Accounting, Finance, Statistics, Mathematics, and Writing. Tutors are available at the
Tutoring Center in Warrior Hall, Room 111. Visit www.ct.tamus.edu/AcademicSupport and
click "Tutoring Support" for tutor schedules and contact info. If you have questions, need to
schedule a tutoring session, or if you're interested in becoming a tutor, contact Academic Support
Programs at 254-501-5830 or by emailing tutoring@ct.tamus.edu.
Chat live with a tutor 24/7 for almost any subject on your computer! Tutor.com is an
online tutoring platform that enables TAMU-CT students to log-in and receive FREE
online tutoring and writing support. This tool provides tutoring in Mathematics, Writing,
Career Writing, Chemistry, Physics, Biology, Spanish, Calculus, and Statistics. To access
Tutor.com, log into your Blackboard account and click "Online Tutoring."
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GB444.341Summer Semester, 2014
12.0 Course Outline and Assignments
The following course outline and assignments listing is provide as a guide for each student to
assist you in keeping up to date in your studies and in completion of your assignments.
Week Day
1.
Tue
Date
Jun 3
Thur
Jun 5
Tue
Jun 10
Thur
Jun 12
3.
Tue
Jun 17
4.
Thur
Tue
Jun 19
Jun 24
Thur
Jun 26
Tue
Jul 1
Thur
Jul 3
Tue
Jul 8
Thur
Jul 10
7.
Tue
Jul 15
8.
Thur
Tue
Thur
Jul 17
Jul 22
Jul 24
Jul 24
2.
5.
6.
Class/Activity
IB INTRO
Chap 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
EXAM # 1
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
ORALS
Chapter 10
ORALS
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Exam # 2
DEMO
Chapter 14
Chapter 15
Chapter 16
Chapter 17
O R A L S
Chapter 18
O R A L S
O R A L S
FINAL EXAM
Make-Up
Subject
Introduction/Syllabus
Challenging World of Int’l Bus
Int’l Trade & Foreign Direct Invest
Int’l Inst’s/Int’l Bus Perspective
Sociocultural Forces
Natural Resources/ENVR Sustain
Political & Trade Forces
Intellect Prop & Other Lgl Forces
Chap 1-6
Int’l Monetary Sys & FIN Forces
Int’l Competitive Strategies
Int’l Business Briefing
Organizational Design & Control
Int’l Business Briefing
Global Ldrshp Issues/Practices
Assessing International Markets
Entry Modes
Chap 7-12
PREP MS.PPT SLIDES 
Export & Import Practices
Marketing Internationally
Global Opns/Supply Chain MGMT
Managing Int’l HR/ Int’l Context
Long Oral Export Proposal 
Int’l FIN & ACCT MGMT
Long Oral Export Proposal 
Long Oral Export Proposal 
CHAPTER’s 13-16
Exam # 1, & 2
Assignments
Good Luck
[3 Min]
[3 Min]
Good Luck
MS.PPT
Presentations
Presentations
Presentations
GOOD LUCK
GOOD LUCK
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GB444.341Summer Semester, 2014
Appendix “A”
SAMPLE OUTLINEInternational Business Briefing
Gomer Pyle
GB444.301, International Business
__________________________ (DATE)
SUBJECT: International Business Briefing
1. Name of Company: ________________________________________________________
2. Name of Individual who started Company: _____________________________________
3. Year Company First opened its doors: _________________________________________
4. CompanyPurpose for Being: ______________________________________________
5. First Year Net Profit {Loss}: _______________________________________________
6. Is this company “Now:”
a. Still Local? ___________________________________________________________
b.
If National, how many states? ____________________________________________
c. If International, how many countries (and where)? ____________________________
_____________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________
7. Their First Year’s Net Profit/Loss: _$___________________________________________
8. Last Year’s {2013}Net Profit [Loss]: _$______________________________________
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GB444.341Summer Semester, 2014
Appendix “B”
SAMPLE OUTLINE “EXPORT” BUSINESS PLAN
COVER SHEET/PAGE
I.
TABLE OF CONTENTS: Include a list of any appendixes also.
II.
Purpose:
III.
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY: Short and concise. Not over 2 pages. Cover the principal
points of the report, (prepare your summary after your file plan has been written)
IV.
Introduction: Explains why the firm wishes to export.
V.
SITUATION ANALYSIS:
A. Description of the “Firm” and products to be exported.
B. Company Resources to be used for the export business.
VI.
C. Competitive Situation in the industry.
1. Product comparisons.
2. Market coverage.
3. Market share.
A. Export “Organization:” Personnel and structure.
EXPORT MARKETING PLAN:
A. Long and Short Term Goals:
1. Total sales in units.
2. Total sales in dollars.
3. Sales by product line.
4. Market Share.
5. Profit/Loss forecast
B. Characteristics of ideal target markets:
1. GNP and Population
2. Per Capita.
3. GNP/Capita growth rate.
4. Size of target market.
C. Identify, assess and select target markets:
1. Market contact programs.
2. Market screening-base need potential.
3. Screening financial and economic forces.
4. Screening political and legal forces.
5. Screening socio-cultural forces.
6. Screening competitive forces.
D. Export marketing strategies:
1. Product line.
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GB444.341Summer Semester, 2014
VII.
VIII.
2. Export Pricing.
3. Channels of distribution.
4. Promotion methods.
5. Etc.
EXPORT FINANCIAL PLAN:
EXPORT PERFORMANCE EVALUATION:
11