Great Basin College
Course Syllabus
Fall 2009
Course Title:
Credits:
Instructor:
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Textbook:
INTERNATIONAL MANAGEMENT
MGT 480 – ER1, YV1
Three (3)
E. Jay Larson, PhD
Friday 9:30-12:15 pm, GTA Room 128
GTA Bldg., Room 101, Phone (775) 753-2125
Thur 1 – 6 pm
jayl@gwmail.gbcnv.edu
Managing Cultural Differences, by R. Moran, P. Harris, S. Moran, 7th
edition, Butterworth-Heinemann Publisher
CATALOG DESCRIPTION:
An overview of the international business environment, conditions affecting firms conducting business
overseas and the effects of a trans-cultural setting on each of the functional areas of business. Special
emphasis on managerial functions and critical elements of the management process in a firm operating
under foreign economic, technological, political, social, and cultural environments. A major focus is on
management challenges facing international organizations.
PREREQUISITE:
Completion of an associate degree or approval of the instructor and MGT 310.
COURSE PURPOSE:
A dramatically increasing number of firms are going international, and a growing percentage of overall
revenue is coming from overseas markets providing many opportunities to travel or live in other countries
and to interact with people from other cultures. As a result, international management, the process of
understanding culture and applying management concepts and techniques in a multinational environment,
is rapidly gaining importance. This course is designed to provide students with the knowledge and skills in
managing organizations operating in this multi-cultural environment.
COURSE OBJECTIVES:
The objective of this course is to describe the ways in which cultures vary, how that variance
systematically affects organizations, and how you can recognize cultural variance within your own work
environments. In addition, the course specifically aims to help you develop your skill in negotiating across
cultures, improve your research skills in gathering information on the business environments of specific
regions and countries around the world and develop your skills in presenting the information you have
gathered in written and oral forms.
Topics to be Covered:
Overview of International Management and Business Issues
Cultural Dimensions: Implications for International Management
Managing Organizational Cultures and Diversity
Interacting Effectively in an International Environment
Capitalizing on International Opportunities
Managing People in the International Arena
International Ethics and Social Responsibility
Managing Work Groups Across Cultures: From Small Teams to Large Labor Forces
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METHODOLOGY:
Class meetings are intended to supplement and complement RATHER THAN substitute for reading the
assigned materials. In-class time will consist of a variety of activities such as lectures, discussions,
presentations, videos, etc. Therefore, to maximize learning, students should come to class prepared to
participate in these activities and ready to discuss the assigned topics. YOU MUST BE PRESENT AND
PREPARED!! However, class participation is a GREAT way to show your interest and increases the
likelihood of a positive evaluation by the instructor.
METHOD OF EVALUATION:
The instructor reserves the right to use the plus/minus grading system for computing final grades;
generally, however, the 90-80-70-60 system will be used. To demonstrate mastery of the course content,
each student will be evaluated on the following.
GRADED ITEMS AND VALUE:
EXAMS:
1 --Chapters 1-5
10%
2 --Chapters 6-10
10%
3 --Chapters 11-15
10%
A FINAL EXAM (Chapters 1-16)
20%
WRITTEN ASSIGNMENTS
Homework (Surveys)
10%
International Business Current Events (5) 10%
Term Paper
20%
CLASS PARTICIPATION / ATTENDANCE
10%
100%
SPECIAL CLASS INFORMATION AND INSTRUCTIONS
SPECIAL NOTES:
If you need any course adaptations based on physical or emotional concerns, or if you need any special
assistance in case of building evacuations/emergencies, please let me know at your earliest convenience
in order for me to insure that you will get the maximum learning possible from this course as your
circumstances will allow.
INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS CURRENT EVENTS
To help the whole class improve their understanding of international current events, each day two students
will each take approximately 2 minutes at the beginning of class to share an international current event
with the class. You will hand in an approximately 1 page or so write up (double spaced) which consists of
a summary of the article and some description of how it connects to the class or to your proposed
business. Then staple a copy of the article newspaper, magazine or Internet article to the summary. The
article must be international and must be business related. Higher grades will indicate that the connection
was clear and that the summary was presented to the class in a professional manner.
FINAL EXAM
The final exam will be comprehensive and include a blank world map and a list of countries to locate and
the names of some world leaders to match to their countries.
TERM PAPER
Please start with a very brief introduction that includes your thesis for the paper. This thesis should at
least imply what your overall conclusion is going to suggest.
Writing (20%) – Quality of writing including thesis. Sentence structure, grammar, etc. (See evaluation
sheet attached.)
1. BUSINESS ENVIRONMENT:
Political Risk (15%) – At a minimum include: type of government; stability of the government;
government attitudes toward foreign business (e.g. Tax incentives to encourage business
investment). In addition to the risk that comes from government policy changes or instability, you
should consider the current attitudes towards foreign businesses in general and towards Americans,
Mgt 480 syllabus
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in particular. Also, are crime or terrorism likely to be a problem for businesses in this country?
Analyze each of the facts you have cited and how they contribute to the overall political risk for a
multinational firm operating in this country. Conclude with your assessment of the overall political risk
and financial exposure because of crime, terrorism, or negative sentiment towards foreigners as high,
moderate or low.
Economy (20%) – Analyze the economy including at least the following: current and past inflation
rate; current unemployment levels; GDP growth rate; Import and Export growth rates; Analyze and
evaluate each of the facts that you cite to determine how stable the economy is and how risky or
encouraging this information is?
2. MANAGEMENT ISSUES:
Management (15%) – Based on Hofstede’s dimensions or other cultural information – what type of
management styles are likely to be effective in this country (e.g. authoritarian, democratic or
paternalistic)?
 Are there work rules or labor policies that an expatriate manager should know about?
 Considering the need for both knowledge of the company and knowledge about the local
culture, are expatriate or local managers likely to be effective?
 Is the culture so different from the U.S. that a high level of cultural training will be necessary?
3. BUSINESS POSSIBILITIES (20%): Overall summary, conclusion and recommendations.
Summarize the challenges and opportunities/ the strengths and weaknesses of doing
business in this country. Based on the culture, population demographics, compensation,
religion, ethics, political risk and state of the economy, etc., how challenging or potentially
beneficial will it be for a multinational firm to operate within this country?
Based on the information you have gathered, what type of business investment is most likely to be
successful here? (For example, manufacturing or assembly plants might be recommended
because of inexpensive labor or importing products into this country might be recommended
because of its large population base etc.)
This section MUST incorporate some specific international information. For example, if you are
suggesting that this country has a large supply of low cost labor, then you should mention the
EXACT GDP/capita (and source) to support this claim. If you claim this country has an educated
workforce, you should mention the EXACT literacy rate and possibly the percentage of the
population that attend college (and information source).
Finally, what is your overall conclusion and recommendation to multinational firms about the
opportunities and challenges of doing business in this country and the likelihood of success?
Bibliography (10%) – Find at least 6 references for the paper that provide good information
about your country. References should be in alphabetical order by author’s last name or if no
author, by publisher or title. Please use APA format for the bibliography unless you can describe
a specific alternative style you prefer to use and let me know. The goal of the reference is to
specify the author (which may be a government agency or publisher rather than an individual) and
to allow someone to find the material.

Internet references should use a form similar to the following: Author, I. (date posted or
revised if available or n.d. meaning no date) Retrieved date. Title of full work {On-line}.
Available: Specify path.

Within the paper, when you are drawing factual information directly from a specific source,
please cite the reference in parentheses following the information as follows (author’s last
name, year published) – for example, (Adler, 1998). Each of your sources should be cited at
least once within the paper. If there is no author, the first word or phrase listed in the
Bibliography should be used – typically the publisher – for example (CIA, 2002).
GRADING STANDARDS FOR COLLEGE WRITING
Since all writing is unique, attempts to characterize the differences between “A” work, “B” work, etc., risk
oversimplification. Quite often essays receive identical letter grades for different reasons. It is also true
that grading becomes more comprehensive during a semester; essays written at the end of a course are
Mgt 480 syllabus
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expected to pass more rigorous scrutiny than those written earlier in a course because students should
demonstrate improved skills resulting from study and practice during the course. The Great Basin College
English Department uses the following descriptions as guidelines for grading. Courses are designed to
illustrate, discuss, and provide practice in the elements of writing described here. Students should direct
specific questions regarding grading to their instructor.
“A” work
“B” work
“C” work
“D” work
“F” work
(1) The essay uses the conventions of standard edited English (spelling, punctuation and
grammar; this includes documentation of sources if applicable to the assignment). (2) The
essay’s overall format and presentation follow the specifications of MLA or APA format. (3)
The essay’s documentation of sources follow the specifications of MLA or APA format. (4)
For research writing, the essay’s sources (whether primary or secondary sources) and the
use of those sources are appropriate for college writing. This includes the quality and
quantity of sources, as well as the analysis and integration of them into the essay. (5) The
essay completes the assignment specified by the instructor. (6) The essay’s purpose is
clear and persuasive. (7) The essay is directed toward and meets the needs of its
audience. (8) The essay is well-organized and unified, with an effective beginning, middle
and end. Transitions between sections and paragraphs are clear. (9) The essay provides
effective supporting arguments, evidence, examples, and details. (10) The essay uses
appropriate language and tone. (11) The essay shows originality and creativity in realizing
(1) through (10). (12) The essay accomplishes any other items (revision tasks, for
instance) specified by the instructor. An “A” paper is distinguished college work and
demonstrates a writer’s mastery of all stages of the writing process.
The essay falls between “A” and “C” work.
The essay completes (1) through (11) adequately for college work and demonstrates
some competence, but contains some minor errors/flaws throughout or more serious
errors/flaws in one particular area. A “C” paper may show originality and creativity, but
those qualities don’t make up for the errors or flaws. A “C” paper usually does not look and
read like a final draft and therefore shows an unfinished application of the writing process.
The essay falls between “C” and “F” work.
The essay doesn’t meet minimum standard requirements for (1) through (5). Or, the essay
doesn’t realize several elements of (1) through (11) for acceptable college work. Errors
and flaws are more serious, and the essay contains many minor ones as well. An “F”
paper usually looks and reads like a rough draft.
MGT 480 Course Outline
DATE
9/4/09
CHAPTER – TOPIC
Introduction and Chapter 1
9/18
Chapters 2 and 3
Case Rpt--Case #1- Logan
Chapters 4 and 5
Case Rpts--Case #2-Cody
Case #3-Meghan
Exam 1 (Chapters 1 – 5)
Complete Exercises
1, 2, 4 from Surveys on CD
Complete Appendix A
Chapters 6, 7 and 8
Case Rpts-Case #5-Marijean
Case 5-5-Jill
Chapters 9 and 10
Case Rpts- Case 5-2-Brandon
Case 5-6-Herschel
Exam 2 (Chapters 6 – 10)
Complete Appendix B
10/2
10/310/11
10/16
11/6
11/711/15
11/20
Chapters 11,12 and 13
Case Rpt-Case #7-Courtney
Mgt 480 syllabus
ASSIGNMENT
Complete Appendix C
Complete Surveys on CD
about Arabs and Japanese
4
12/4
12/512/11
12/15
12/1212/18
Chapter 14, 15 and 16
Case Rpt-Case #8-Dennis
Exam 3 (Chapters 11-15)
Term Paper DUE!!
Final Exam (Chapters 1 -16)
Country Assignments
Chapter
Area
Student’s Name___________
11
Middle Easterners
Courtney Utley
12
Latin Americans
Spanish Speaking
Herschel Russell
Brazil (Portugese Speaking)
13
Asians & Australians
Chinese & Mongolians
Japanese
Korean
Southeast Asians
Aussies
Islanders
Jill Johnson
Cody Bond
Logan Heintz
14
Europeans
UK
France
Meghan Wheeler
Germany
Russia
Ex-Soviet Union Countries Brandon Shangle
15
Africans
Dennis Zimmerman
16
North Americans
Canadians
Native Americans
Marijean Bellander
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