University of Southern California
Marshall School of Business
MOR 492: GLOBAL STRATEGY
Spring 2012
Professor:
Office:
Phone:
Email:
Office Hours:
Carl W. Voigt, Ph.D.
Bridge Hall 303-F
Office: (213) 740-0764; Mobile (213) 446-1753
Department of Management and Organization Office: (213) 740-0728
cvoigt@marshall.usc.edu [Note: I do not check email sent to cvoigt@usc.edu!!!]
Mondays & Wednesdays: 1:00-1:50 pm, early mornings, and by appointment
COURSE DESCRIPTION
Business enterprise in today’s environment increasingly involves crossing national borders and, more generally,
engaging in business activities in numerous countries that are often very different from each other. Changes in
technology, transportation, communications, and political alliances have significantly internationalized business.
Increasingly, firms are required to compete in multiple foreign markets at both the product and supply-chain levels.
Understanding the management, marketing, financial, and operational challenges associated with global business
activity, and developing skills in these areas, have become essential requirements for success. The Global Strategy
course is designed to provide students with the skills, knowledge, and sensitivity required to create, maintain, and
renew sustainable competitive advantage within a global environment.
Global Strategy will explore international business issues from an integrated firm-level perspective. The course will
adopt a strategic perspective and will highlight the following topics from this perspective: the analysis of industry
and environmental forces, the competitive context in which companies operate in global industries, creating and
sustaining global competitive advantage, the characteristics of global, multi-domestic and transnational strategies,
international entry strategies, global strategic alliances, the role of global organizational structures, and the
importance of global strategic control. Case studies used in this course will help you develop your analytical and
decision-making skills and also highlight the reality of environmental uncertainties influencing decision making in
the global context. Cases also seek to develop your capacity to identify issues, to reason carefully through various
options and improve your ability to manage the organizational process by which decisions get formed and executed.
In addition to case analyses we will also read and discuss additional articles on strategic issues relevant to operating
in a global context. Thus, students will develop both, historical and current, and theoretical and practical,
perspectives on operating in a global context.
This course has two broad objectives and will be taught simultaneously at two levels. First, this course is designed to
teach students “about” international business issues. That is, the course intends to help students understand how
business practices vary widely across regions and countries. Secondly, this course is designed to teach students “how
to” formulate and evaluate winning global strategies. In a very real sense, this course is designed for students who
seek to work in, or with, firms that operate in many different countries, or which operate outside the US.
By the end of the course, students should be able to: perform country, region, industry and firm analyses in an
international setting, evaluate the effectiveness and sustainability of international and global corporate strategies,
analyze the benefits and shortcomings of various multinational organizational structures, compare the relative merits
of different modes of global market entry, and understand the underlying conditions of the international economy
that influence global competitive behavior activity such as economic, legal, political and cultural differences,
exchange rates, comparative national advantage, national economic policy, the role of international agreements and
customs unions, and balance of trade and payments.
MOR 492 Syllabus
2
COURSE EVALUATION
Course grades will be determined by students’ relative performance on the following course components:
Course Contribution (participation, turn-ins, and unannounced quizzes)
Individual Case Analysis (one)
Group Case Analysis (one)
Doing Business with Mexico Group Project and Presentation
First Mid-term Exam
Second Mid-term Exam
15%
15
10
25
15
20
100%
In order to successfully pass this course, a passing grade (> 50%) must be achieved in each individual course
component. Missed mid-terms and/or assignments severely reduce a student’s grade. Plus and minus shades will be
assigned to those immediately above or below grade cutoff points. The distribution of grades will closely follow the
guidelines of the Marshall School of Business (an average class GPA of 3.3).
ATTENDANCE POLICY
Class attendance is absolutely essential. All missed classes will be noted. The policy on missed classes is to allow
each student three (3) absences, no questions asked, no penalty. All further absences over the limit will reduce the
student's participation grade, no questions asked, no excuses of any kind expected or accepted. Students with an
excessive number of absences are at risk of failing the course. Only Official University engagements, such as
scheduled debating events, sports events, are excepted from this policy. Job interviews, etc., are not excused, so
choose your absences carefully. Habitual lateness (and leaving class early), for whatever reason, will be noted as
evidence of low course commitment, and penalized. Simply put, you cannot learn for our class discussions, and
your classmates cannot learn from you, if you are not present.
COURSE CONTRIBUTION
Since this course is principally a case and seminar class, your overall commitment and attitude toward this course,
and your daily active verbal participation (speaking and listening) in classroom discussions, will be closely
monitored. In grading class participation, we will look at both the quantity and quality of your class
contributions/interventions. Class participation is obviously a function of preparation, skills, attitude, and a
willingness to actively commit yourself in front of your instructor and colleagues. A classroom is a cost-free
environment for experimenting and learning to "play the game." Make use of it. Shyness is no excuse.
With regard to quality, the dimensions that we look for include:
 Relevance -- does the comment bear on the subject at hand? Comments that do not link up with what the
discussion is focusing on can actually detract from the learning experience.
 Causal Linkage -- are the logical antecedents or consequences of a particular argument traced out?
Comments that push the implications of a fact or idea as far as possible are generally superior.
 Responsiveness -- does the comment react in an important way to what someone else has said? Analysis -is the reasoning employed consistent and logical?
 Evidence -- have data from the case, from personal experience, from general knowledge been employed to
support the assertions made?
 Importance -- does the contribution further our understanding of the issues at hand? Is a connection made
with other cases we have analyzed?
 Clarity -- is the comment succinct and understandable? Does it stick to the subject or does it wander?
MOR 492 GLOBAL STRATEGY
Spring, 2012
MOR 492 Syllabus
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All students will be formally called on, at random, to take the lead in various aspects of class discussions at least
once or twice during the semester. If the student called upon is not present, is late, or is not sufficiently prepared to
make a substantial contribution to the class discussion, he/she will lose points for class contribution. If the student
makes helpful comments, he/she will accumulate points for class contribution. Since it is unlikely that there will be
enough opportunities to call on each student more than once or twice, be warned that failure to be thoroughly
prepared, on all occasions, can be devastating to your overall grade.
Each student will receive a score for participation at the end of each lecture/discussion and case discussion session.
No Credit
A Little Credit
Students, though present, who make no contributions, will receive no credit.
The simple recitation of facts from the case will receive some credit toward the student’s class
contribution score.
More Credit
Comments that do more than simply recite case facts will receive significantly greater credit
towards a student’s class contribution score. For example, comments that provide synthesis or raise
counterintuitive points, will add much more to a student’s class contribution score.
Gold-Star Credit Students who substantially advance the learning of the whole class by providing non-intuitive
analyses, profound insights, or “over the top” quantitative analyses, will receive maximum credit.
Negative Credit Comments that contain factual misstatements, demonstrate lack of adequate preparation, or are
distracting because they come too late in the discussion, will be penalized. Attempts to dominate
class discussion rarely result in consistent and significant contributions.
Participation Cards: At the end of each case discussion, students who actively participated in the discussion will
be asked to turn in a “Participation Card”. These cards should list your name, the date, the case discussed that day,
and a synopsis of your contributions during that day’s discussion. The Participation Cards will be used in
combination with the instructor’s own daily evaluations to determine your participation grade for the day. For this
purpose, please purchase a package of 3x5 index cards and bring them to each class.
Turn-ins: Recognizing that it is not always possible for every student to contribute to every case discussion, and
that some students are naturally more reserved than others, students can turn in individually prepared, but brief,
answers to the ICA/GCA assignment question(s). (These should be a maximum of half a typed page. Preferably
they would be in management report format using bullets and visual diagrams (in which case you can use a full
page).) There are specific ica/gca assignment questions for each case in the course outline that accompanies this
syllabus. Any “turn-ins” must be turned in at the beginning of class to receive credit. These “turn-ins” will be
noted toward a student’s participation grade. You cannot submit a “turn-in” to make up for a class absence. (These
notes will not be graded but will be checked with a plus, check or minus depending on quality and thoroughness.)
Note, however, that these notes do not substitute for contributing to our core learning environment. Each student has
a responsibility to help his or her core learn from their verbal interventions in class. Students are encouraged to turn
in at least three (3) “turn-ins” and can turn in a maximum of five (5) during the term. Even if you are an active class
participate you should prepare to submit several turn-ins.
Group Article Presentations and Critiques: On days when additional articles have been assigned one group
will be given the task of reviewing and critiquing each article. Groups should creatively think of ways to help the
other students in class learn the assigned materials. These presentations will be evaluated and will factor into
determining a students overall course contribution grade.
Unannounced Quizzes: Short unannounced quizzes may be given at any time during the course to test the level
of student preparation for lecture and case discussions. Multiple choice and short answer questions may be given at
the beginning of classes where a case is assigned for class discussion. No make-up opportunities will be given to
students who are absent or late. Student performance on these pop-quizzes will be used to determine a student’s
participation grade.
MOR 492 GLOBAL STRATEGY
Spring, 2012
MOR 492 Syllabus
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INDIVIDUAL CASE ANALYSIS (ICAs)
Students must select a case which is noted on the syllabus as an ica – individual case assignment – write up.
Typically you are asked to prepare a comprehensive external, competitive, and internal analysis, and provide
appropriate strategic recommendations and implementation plans. IMPORTANT, you should check the Discussion
Outline that accompanies this syllabus for the specific individual case assignment question. Sometimes the
ica questions vary.
The individual case analysis should include a “management-report format” report with a carefully prepared
one page Executive Brief (attached to the front) containing the essence of the critical issues, analysis and strategic
recommendations which have detailed in your report. Note that an executive brief is not the same thing as an
executive summary. An executive brief will normally (almost always) begin with a clear recommendation for
action, a clear sense of the urgency for action, and then provide the rationale and key data and analyses used to arrive
at the recommendation.
A “management-report format” report should contain a complete report which is essentially visual in appearance
but with dense explanatory text. It should begin with an introduction and discussion of the core problem(s) and end
after detailed analyses with recommendations and conclusions. Whether the report is prepared in word or
powerpoint, that is not the question. Your report should use creative ways of presenting detailed analyses very
clearly and quickly. Examples of reports will be presented in class. Please note carefully those cases which can be
prepared as an individual analysis. They are designated by an “ica.” More detail will be given in class. The
individual case analysis is 15 percent of the course grade. Your individual case analysis must be prepared
individually, no collaboration. Do not consult other sources either on the internet or in-person.
During the first two weeks of the semester, all students are to select which ica they will attempt.
Students should submit the ica they will prepare on a 3x5 index card.
Students must be present in class to submit individual assignments, and they must be submitted at the beginning of
class. Unfortunately, late individual assignments will not be accepted. (Late means not turned in at the beginning of
class!!!) Students may submit a second individual case assignment if they are not satisfied with the first grade
received. The better of the two individual assignments will be used in determining your final course grade.
GROUP CASE ANALYSIS (GCAs)
I will assist all students in forming groups. I will attempt to ensure a proportional distribution of women and men in
each group. In forming groups I will also ensure that no group has more than two non-native English speakers.
Additionally, international students will be distributed across groups so as to ensure within-group diversity.
The group case analysis should include a carefully prepared report with a two-page executive brief. Your report
should be in “consulting format”. Please note carefully those cases that can be prepared as a group case analysis.
They are designated by a “gca” on the course schedule. More detail will be given in class. The group case analysis
is 10 percent of the course grade.
Typically your group will be asked to prepare a comprehensive external, competitive, and internal analysis, and
provide appropriate strategic recommendations and implementation plans. However, you should check the
Discussion Outline that accompanies this syllabus, for the specific group case assignment question. Sometimes the
gca questions vary.
Note: Each group must submit a GCA, in Modules I or II, before the first Mid-term Exam which is
scheduled for Wednesday, February 22.
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Spring, 2012
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Late group case analyses will not be accepted. Groups may submit a second group case assignment if they are not
satisfied with the grade received on the first. The better of the two grades will be used in determining the final
course grade for all group members.
INTERNATIONAL FIELD TRIP TO MEXICO – TBD
This course includes a field trip to Tijuana and Ensenada, Mexico. The dates and length of the international field
trip are still to be determined but are likely to be on March 2-4. We are planning a three-day trip (Thursday and
Saturday) where we will study local Mexican businesses, Maquiladoras (multinational companies with facilities in
Mexico which benefit from free trade agreements), meet with local Mexican government officials, and study local
culture and business practices.
Safety is a crucial concern when travelling internationally. Recently safety concerns in Mexico have been elevated
because of Mexico’s crack-down on drug cartels. While the probability of a problem occurring is so small to be
miniscule, we will not take chances. We will perform a real-time risk assessment on Northern Baja as the time for
our planned trip approaches. If conditions are such that we would expose ourselves to unnecessary risks we will
cancel the educational field trip, even at the last moment.
The cost of the trip will be subsidized by USC’s CIBER (Center for International Business Education and Research)
and the USC Marshall Undergrad Program, but will require students to contribute to the cost of the trip. The trip
will require students to make arrangements to miss classes, and/or work obligations on those days. You should ask
your professors and employers for permission to be absent now.
Participation on the field trip to Mexico is voluntary, but you must provide your professor with a written
statement as to why you will not participate in the educational field trip. Job interviews, work, and social
obligations, are not valid excuses.
You must have a valid passport for this trip. If you DO NOT have a passport, you must apply for one
IMMEDIATELY.
DOING BUSINESS GLOBALLY (in MEXICO) GROUP REPORT AND PRESENTATION
Assignment: If you were advising a global company not already present in Mexico (or another
country such as China), would you advise them to enter the “x” business sector? Why or Why
not? If yes, How? If not, what would change your decision? You profit projections would you
make for the company entering the new foreign market? Your analysis should also consider how
you would enter and market products to the lowest tiers for the consumer sector. [Where “x”
represents an industrial, retail, financial, agricultural, tourism, or service sector of your choice. For example,
automotive sector, textile sector, tourism sector, electronics, retail, real estate, manufacturing, eCommerce, etc.
Your business may be a company doing business with end consumers or a business doing business as a supplier
with other businesses.]
Creativity in framing your project is encouraged. While the primary assignment is to take a U.S. business (not
currently doing business in Mexico) to Mexico and enter all segments of the Mexican market, you may structure your
assignment differently. You could consider bringing a Mexican company to the US. Or you could consider taking a
U.S. company to another global market instead of Mexico. Or you could consider bringing a non-US business to
Mexico. Any variation on the topic should be outlined in a short memo and be presented in advance of all deadline
to me for feedback and acceptance. No two groups will be permitted to do research on the same economic sector, or
on the same foreign country – other than Mexico.
Assess the opportunity for an existing global corporation, typically a U.S. firm in the same sector but not already
present in Mexico. Prepare your report as if you were going to present your findings to the top management
MOR 492 GLOBAL STRATEGY
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executive team of the global company. Your report should examine the challenges of entering all segments of the
Mexican market place. If you have selected a topic which markets to the end consumer you must consider how
to enter the “fourth” and “fifth” tiers of the consumer market place. (We will discuss this topic in class.) Your
report should include extensive quantitative analyses on demand, market segment growth, revenue and profit
estimates over time. Your report should stress the need for a foreign company to enter to Mexican market.
If you choose to enter, why and how do you enter this sector, i.e., a recommended entry strategy for the global firm
including an analysis of which segment of the sector you would enter, the mode of entry you would choose. If not,
why not? Is this decision contingent on some factors, and what are these factors?
Regardless of whether you chose to enter or not to enter, what would make you change your decision? What
indicators do you look for to change your decision?
To support your recommendation, the following key dimensions should be addressed
(Whenever possible, you should collect data and use statistical analysis to support your
arguments. These data should be presented clearly in tables and figures both in the report and
the presentation):
1) Market Potential: For example: Importance of sector to economy in terms of absolute size and percentage of
the sector in the economy, employment and any other dimensions, growth rate of sector, profitability in then
sector, foreign investment in sector, sources of foreign investment.
2) Competition in the Sector: For example: who are the players, their market shares, what types of strategies
are they following, domestic players and multi-national players, countries of origin of key multi-national players,
who are the major investors in the sector—domestic and multi-nationals, what are the primary ways in which
they compete, sources of competitive advantage of key players, value chain configurations of key players.
3) Strategic Importance to Mexico of the Sector: For example: does Mexico have factor endowment
advantages in this sector, is Mexico a lead market for trends and developments in the sector, are there related
and supporting industries that support the development of this industry in the country, how important is Mexico
in the global competitive battles among major international players in this sector, how important is this market
as a platform for expansion into surrounding countries.
4) Profitability and Growth rates: For example: current profitability of the sector as a whole, differences in
the profitability of different strategies of competitors, attractive competitive positions of incumbents, potentially
attractive strategic positions for new entrants.
5) Key Institutional Forces / Institutional Voids (Economic, Political, Legal, Technological, and
Social Context) affecting Sector including any barriers to entry: For example: Economic policies,
Political forces, Regulatory framework, Technological forces, Social changes; focus should be on laying out the
current context and what is changing; focus should be on only the major issues not a laundry list; in particular,
you should address key impediments or barriers to entry faced by foreign firms seeking to enter Mexico
especially with respect to this particular sector.
6) Marketing Analysis: For example: what are the primary target markets, what are the needs and preferences
of the target markets regarding the sector, what are customer attitudes and perceptions of the sector, what are the
key trends in customer demand and behavior impacting the sector, how satisfied are customers with the sector,
what products and services are typically offered, and how are the products and services priced, promoted and
positioned relative to the competition. How is the consumer market segmented? What are lowest tiers of the
consumer market like?
7) Comparison of Key Characteristics of Sector with Same Sector in the U.S. Economy: For
example: a comparison of the key characteristics and features of the sector with the same sector in the U.S.; in
MOR 492 GLOBAL STRATEGY
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particular, you may compare the structure of the industry, key operating characteristics, cost and quality
competitiveness of the sector or key players in the sector; value chain configurations and so on.
8) Sector Evolution: For example: How is the sector likely to evolve in the future and why so; what key
indicators of evolution should an analysis focus on to understand the changes in the industry; how is the
structure of the sector likely to change?
9) Entry Strategy: For example: If you choose to enter the market, how does your entry strategy address the
entry barriers described in section 5 and the evolution of the sector described in section 8? If you chose not to
enter the market, come up with a strategy that would reduce the risk of entry if a U.S. company decided to enter
the market in spite of your recommendations.
10) Profit and Market Share Projections: For example: If you choose to enter the market, what share of the
market could your firm reasonably expect to capture within the first five years? What levels of investment
would be needed, and when? What expected profit streams can the firm expect over the first five years, and
then into the future? How financially risky is the market entry? Offer different profit projections under different
market situations.
Page Limit. You should limit your report to 2 pages of executive brief, and up to 15-20 pages of appropriate
“Management report format” pages. Fewer pages would be better if you can more effectively present the data in
diagrams and tables. Make use of tables and charts to present as much information as parsimoniously as possible.
You will not have enough time to be able to provide a full comprehensive treatment of the assignment, so focus on
the most important issues in each area outlined above. Please note: Cases are not good models for your group
project because they are intendedly descriptive, and, on purpose lack substantive analysis. Your project should be
long on analysis and short on description. Do not “tell” management what they are likely to already know.
The report and presentation is 25 percent of the course grade. Late projects will be penalized 10 percent per day
late, including weekends. The 25 percent report grade will be divided into 15 percent for the written report, which I
will assign, and 10 percent for the class presentation. The class presentation grade will be determined by the class as
a whole. Member of the class will be required to rank all the group presentations. Your average presentation
ranking will determine your presentation grade. The top ranked group will receive an A, the bottom ranked group
will received a B-.
In preparing your Doing Business in Mexico presentation you should carefully consider your audience; your
classmates. Be sure to prepare your verbal/oral presentation in a way that teaches them something new and
interesting. It is difficult to educate without entertaining, although it is easier to entertain without educating. Be
careful to get the education part right. Your written reports should necessarily be more comprehensive, including all
appropriate detailed analyses. However, an oral presentation, to your classmates who have also prepared similar
reports, will necessarily be different than your written report.
MID-TERM EXAMS
Two mid-term exams have been scheduled for this course. These mid-terms will cover all the assigned readings,
course lectures, and case studies in the modules preceding the mid-terms. The mid-term exams will consist of
multiple choice questions, short answer and short essay questions on all assigned readings and cases. Students who
miss mid-terms without prior arrangement will receive a grade of zero. See Course Schedule for the dates of the
mid-term exams.
COURSE MATERIAL
A series of cases and readings have been assigned for this course. They are available through University Partners in
the University Book Store. When necessary, your instructors may place additional materials in the bookstore for you
to purchase.
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COURSE COMMUNICATION: BLACKBOARD
An “Electronic Folder” has been created for this course in BLACKBOARD. You should begin the habit of checking
the BLACKBOARD folder on a very regular basis. The course syllabus, case discussion and assignment information
have been posted to the MOR 492 folder. Additional course lecture notes/materials, further details on assigned cases
and the group projects, and general course announcements, will be posted to the folder throughout the semester.
OFFICE HOURS AND APPOINTMENTS
I have set aside the hour after lunch on Monday and Wednesday for “open” office hours (12:30-1:50 pm) for those
who would like/need to discuss specific issues related to the course. I will also make appointments for those who
cannot meet me during the “open” office hours.
ACADEMIC INTEGRITY
The following information on academic integrity, dishonesty, and the grading standard are placed here at the
recommendation of the School of Business Administration Faculty and are taken from the Faculty Handbook.
“The University, as an instrument of learning, is predicated on the existence of an environment of integrity. As
members of the academic community, faculty, students, and administrative officials share the responsibility for
maintaining this environment. Faculty have the primary responsibility for establishing and maintaining an
atmosphere and attitude of academic integrity such that the enterprise may flourish in an open and honest way.
Students share this responsibility for maintaining standards of academic performance and classroom behavior
conducive to the learning process. Administrative officials are responsible for the establishment and maintenance of
procedures to support and enforce those academic standards. Thus, the entire University community bears the
responsibility for maintaining an environment of integrity and for taking appropriate action to sanction individuals
involved in any violation. When there is a clear indication that such individuals are unwilling or unable to support
these standards, they should not be allowed to remain in the University.” (Faculty Handbook, 1994: 20)
Academic dishonesty includes: (Faculty Handbook, 1994: 21-22)
1.
2.
3.
4.
Examination behavior - any use of external assistance during an examination shall be considered academically
dishonest unless expressly permitted by the teacher.
Fabrication - any intentional falsification or invention of data or citation in an academic exercise will be
considered a violation of academic integrity.
Plagiarism - the appropriation and subsequent passing off of another’s ideas or words as one’s own. If the
words or ideas of another are used, acknowledgment of the original source must be made through recognized
referencing practices.
Other Types of Academic Dishonesty - submitting a paper written by or obtained from another, using a paper or
essay in more than one class without the teacher’s express permission, obtaining a copy of an examination in
advance without the knowledge and consent of the teacher, changing academic records outside of normal
procedures and/or petitions, using another person to complete homework assignments or take-home exams
without the knowledge or consent of the teacher.
The use of unauthorized material, communication with fellow students for course assignments, or during a mid-term
examination, attempting to benefit from work of another student, past or present, and similar behavior that defeats
the intent of an assignment or mid-term examination is unacceptable to the University. It is often difficult to
distinguish between a culpable act and inadvertent behavior resulting from the nervous tensions accompanying
examinations. Where a clear violation has occurred, however, the instructor may disqualify the student’s work as
unacceptable and assign a failing mark on the paper.
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STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES
Any student requesting academic accommodations based on a disability is required to register with Disability
Services and Programs (DSP) each semester. A letter of verification for approved accommodations can be obtained
from DSP. Please be sure the letter is delivered to me as early in the semester as possible. Your letter must be
specific as to the nature of any accommodations granted. DSP is located in STU 301 and is open 8:30 am to 5:00
pm, Monday through Friday. The telephone number for DSP is (213) 740-0776.
RETURNED COURSEWORK
Returned paperwork, unclaimed by a student, will be discarded after 4 weeks and hence, will not be available should
a grade appeal be pursued following receipt of his/her grade.
ABOUT YOUR PROFESSOR
Carl Voigt is a Professor of Clinical Management and Organization in the Marshall School of Business at the
University of Southern California. He received his Ph.D. from the Anderson School at UCLA in strategy and
organization. He is a native New Zealander, although he completed his undergraduate work at Avondale College in
New South Wales, Australia. He focuses on the study and teaching of competitive, corporate, and global strategy,
and strategic management. Carl has taught at USC since 1994 and has extensive corporate consulting and executive
development experience. He teaches in USC Marshall’s full-time and part-time MBA programs, Global Executive
MBA (at Jiao Tong University in Shanghai) and undergraduate business program, and has received more than a
numerous awards and commendations for outstanding teaching
His academic interests are in business, corporate and global strategy, and in particular in entrepreneurship. More
recently, as a part of his work with the APEC Business Advisory Council (ABAC), he has become interested in
issues of cross border commerce and global trade and investment. For the last 5 years Carl has lead teams of MBA
researchers who have been completed research projects for ABAC. This ABAC research has included projects on
The Proliferation of Free Trade Agreements in the Asia-Pacific Region, Rules of Origin Regimes and Impact on
Business in the APEC Region, Behind the Border: Non-Tariff Barriers to Trade in the APEC Region, and
Facilitating Temporary Worker Mobility in the APEC Region. Carl has also consulted with firms and organizations
in the entertainment, food processing, tourism, health care, engineering, telecommunications, defense, and not-forprofit sectors. He has also conducted numerous seminars for teams of managers in the areas of management and
strategy. Carl is a core board member for NZTE (New Zealand Trade & Enterprise) Beachheads program for the
US.
Initially, Carl began his career as a high school teacher. His first job was teaching high school business subjects on
Guadalcanal in the Solomon Islands. During that time he also served as Chair of the Business Studies Curriculum
Development Committee and a member of the National Secondary School Curriculum Committee for the Solomon
Island government.
Carl has received more than a numerous awards and commendations for outstanding teaching including the Marshall
School's Evan C. Thompson Faculty Teaching and Learning Innovation Award. Carl has been awarded five
Marshall’s Golden Apple teaching awards from the students at USC Marshall (2001, 2005, 2007, 2008, and most
recently again in 2010). He was also an Associate Dean of in the USC Marshall Undergrad Program, MBA.PM and
EMBA Programs, and Marshall MBA Program for seven years.
In a “past” life, he was heavily involved in coaching basketball; having coached at the high school, college and
international levels. While in the Solomon Islands he coached the Solomon Island national basketball team for 2 ½
years, along with being National Director of Refereeing. Today, he is first and foremost a father. He spends most of
his free time, now, organizing and coaching and refereeing in recreational programs for his children (He has three
sons: 27, 22 and 18 years old, and a 16 year old daughter). Carl’s wife, Diane, teaches grades 7-10.
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TENTATIVE COURSE SCHEDULE**
Important: Please refer the accompanying Course Discussion Outline (also posted to Blackboard). It contains detailed
descriptions of each class session and for thought questions that you should use as you prepare the course cases.
For those without a current valid passport, you must obtain a Passport. You will need this for our field trip
to Mexico in October. You must expedite your passport.
Session Date
Case / Topic
Course Deliverable
1
1/9
I.
COMPETING IN THE GLOBAL MARKETPLACE (WHY)
2
1/11
Review/Introduction: First Principles and Core Concepts of Strategy
Read: Siegel, Introduction to Global Strategy
1/16
MLK
1/18
Lecture/Discussion: Global Strategy
Read: Ghemawat, “Semiglobalization”
Ghemawat, “Managing Differences”**
3
Course Introduction
Lecture/Discussion: What is Globalization and the Global Marketplace, really?
Read: Gupta and Govindarajan. “Managing Global Expansion: A Conceptual
Framework”**
Case:
Photo and Bio
HOLIDAY
Immigration
Documents
ica Selection Due
4
1/23
BRL Hardy: Globalizing an Australian Wine Company
II.
GLOBALIZATION IN CONTEXT (MEET)
5
1/25
Lecture/Discussion: Global Environmental Analysis: Frameworks for Analyzing
Global Regions, Countries, Industries and Markets
Read: Ghemawat, “Distance Still Matters: The Hard Reality of Global Expansion**
Prahalad and Lieberthal, “The End of Corporate Imperialism”**
6
1/30
Case:
Read:
Wal-Mart Stores “Everyday Low Prices” in China
Khanna, Palepu, Sinha, Strategies that fit Emerging Markets**
gca/ica
gca/ica
Selection of economic sector and focal company for doing business in Mexico project due
***
gca/ica
7
2/1
Case:
Grupo Bimbo
8
2/6
Case:
Read:
The Business Environment of Brazil: Navigating the Financial Crisis
Porter, “The Competitive Advantage of Nations”
9
2/8
Case:
The Dutch Flower Cluster
gca/ica
10
2/13
Case:
Tyson Chicken in China (to be posted to blackboard)
gca/ica
11
2/15
Case:
METRO Cash & Carry
gca/ica
2/20
P R E S I D E N T S’ D A Y
2/22
FIRST MID-TERM EXAM
12
MOR 492 GLOBAL STRATEGY
HOLIDAY
Spring, 2012
MOR 492 Syllabus
III.
11
CREATING GLOBAL COMPETITIVE ADVANTAGES (BRING/BUILD)
13
2/27
Lecture/Discussion: Global Strategy: Creating Global Advantages and
Building Strategic Multinational Capabilities
Read: Ghemawat, Adaptation: Adjusting to Differences: Strategies for Global Value Creation
Aggregation: Overcoming Differences: Strategies for Global Value Creation
Arbitrage: Exploiting Differences: Strategies for Global Value Creation
14
3/1
Case:
March 2-4
15
3/5
ica
Chupa Cups
INTERNATIONAL TRIP TO MEXICO
Case:
The Globalization of CEMEX
gca/ica
Working Outline (Dummy Draft), with designation of individual responsibilities, of “Doing
Business in Mexico” course group project due.
16
3/7
Case:
Arcor: Global Strategy and Local Turbulence
ica
3/13-17 S P R I N G B R E A K
17
3/19
Case:
Mittal Steel in 2006: Changing the Steel Game
18
3/21
Case:
Haier: Taking a Chinese Company Global
IV.
19
3/26
Lecture/Discussion: Global Entry Strategies: Exporting,
Foreign Direct Investments, Joint Ventures and Strategic Alliances
20
3/28
Case:
Lincoln Electric
21
4/2
ELC
Nora-Sakari
22
4/4
Case:
Lego Group: An Outsourcing Journey
23
ica
GLOBAL ENTRY STRATEGIES AND STRATEGIC ALLIANCES (HOW)
First Final Draft of “Doing Business in Mexico” course group project due.
V.
gca/ica
***
gca/ica
ica
MANAGING AND ORGANIZING MULTINATIONAL CORPORATIONS (HOW)
4/9
Lecture/Discussion: Global Business Management: Designing and Managing
Multinational Corporations
Read: Bartlett and Ghoshal, “What is a Global Manager?”**
Case: United Cereal: Lora Brill's Eurobrand Challenge
ica
ica
24
4/11
Case:
Silvio Napoli
25
4/16
Case:
Hitting the Wall: Nike and International Labor Practices
26
4/18
SECOND MID-TERM EXAM
MOR 492 GLOBAL STRATEGY
No Turn-in or ICA
Spring, 2012
MOR 492 Syllabus
VI.
12
DOING BUSINESS IN MEXICO PROJECT PRESENTATIONS
27
4/23
Final Presentations: Doing Business in Mexico
28
4/25
Final Presentations: Doing Business in Mexico
Report Due
FINAL EXAM EVALUATION during University Final Examination Period
(Spring Schedule of Classes for date)
Scheduled Feedback Sessions on Presentations and Report
Please Note:
Submitting Group Case Analyses
All groups must submit a group case analysis (gca) before the first Mid-Term Exam. I will assist you with a withingroup peer performance appraisal. You should plan on using this group peer evaluation intervention to give open,
honesty, and constructive feedback to each other based on performance to this point in our class. It is better to deal
with within-group issues earlier rather than later!
Submitting Individual Case Analyses
ica/gca: In modules I & II, you may submit an individual case analysis (ica), if your group choose not to prepare
and submit a gca. Note, however, that you may not submit an ica at the same time your group submits a gca.
th
Submit Photo and Bio by January 18 (Session 3)
Please prepare a 5 1/2 x 8 1/2 inch card (half a normal page) EXACTLY - with a picture of yourself (depicted
anyway you like so long as you are recognizable), with some brief information about yourself such as country of
origin, languages you speak, your major, your short-term and long-term career goals, hobbies, eccentricities, and
anything else that is interesting about yourself that you would like to share with me.
th
Immigration Documents by January 18 (Session 3)
You will need legal documents for our trip to Mexico in October. A current passport is required and/or alien
resident card. As of January 2010 U.S. citizen must travel to and from Mexico with a valid passport. Please turn in
a clear photocopy of your passport, alien resident card, or a copy of you application for a passport, on Wednesday,
January 18th
Note:
All cases and some articles are in the Case Package available from the University Book Store.
** All other assigned articles can be downloaded – free – from our USC Marshall Library. Login to the USC
Marshall electronic library resources, click on EBSCO Business Source Complete, search for the article by title
and author
MOR 492 GLOBAL STRATEGY
Spring, 2012