Summer, 2014
Online Course
5 Weeks, July 14 – August 17
At Least Three Times Per Week
Instructor: Elizabeth Lahey
Office Hours: Online or By Appointment
Email Address:elahey@ben.edu
Mobile Phone Number: 708.764.2266
MGT302-OL - INTERNATIONAL MANAGEMENT
I.
COURSE DESCRIPTION
Study of the dynamics involved in international business management. Explores key issues such
as political, legal, and labor environments, strategic planning, and organizational design.
Emphasis is placed on the role of managers and others in successful international operations.
II.
TEXTBOOK AND MATERIALS
Luthans, F., & Doh, J. P., (2009). International Management: Culture, strategy, and behavior. (8th
ed.). NY: McGraw-Hill Irwin. ISBN# 978 0078 112577.
The feature film Gung Ho (1986). The student should watch this movie before Week 4, as it
is used in an assignment shortly thereafter. The movie may be borrowed from
Benedictine’s library where copies are on reserve.
III.
MISSION STATEMENT
Benedictine University is dedicated to the education of undergraduate and graduate students
from diverse ethnic, racial, and religious backgrounds. As an academic community committed to
liberal arts and professional education distinguished and guided by our Roman Catholic tradition
and Benedictine heritage, we prepare our students for a lifetime as active, informed and
responsible citizens and leaders in the world community.
IV.
GOALS, OBJECTIVES, AND STUDENT LEARNING OUTCOMES
A. The program and courses are designed to:

Evaluate the role of economics and business in the social environment of different
cultures;

Articulate how the functional areas of business interrelate within multi-national
organizations;

Improve skills in communication, analytical thinking and appreciating the human element
in organizations;

Develop specific skills applicable to the various aspects of the functional areas of
business; and

Show how culture influences business attitudes and behaviors.
B. Course Objectives
 Introduce the student to management in an international setting
 Review globalization and internationalization, including the political, legal, and technical
environment in today’s international marketplace and ethical issues from an international
viewpoint.
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

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Focus on culture and the impact of culture on international management success.
Examine strategy formulation, entry, and risks for international management.
Discuss human resource and motivational issues across cultures.
C. Upon completion of this course, students should be able to:
 Express an understanding of management issues in a global context.
 Demonstrate their critical thinking and communication skills in the international market
arena.
V.
TEACHING METHODS/DELIVERY SYSTEM
This class will be comprised of online teaching and learning methods. Each week various topics
will be discussed (see Topical Course Outline Section VIII for details). The instructor will
moderate and steer the discussions to make sure that the important points are covered when
necessary. Other teaching methods include quizzes and weekly homework.
VI.
COURSE REQUIREMENTS
Attendance & Participation
This course is highly accelerated, and students will need to take a great deal of responsibility for
their own learning outcomes. Attendance is required in each class meeting for the full period of
time. Any absence must be due to extraordinary circumstances and will require documentation
for it to be considered excused. Documentation must be provided immediately in order to
determine what, if any, accommodations are reasonable or possible. Class attendance will
directly impact your final grade, and each undocumented absence will be considered unexcused
and will result in a 20% reduction in the final grade for the course.
Due to the accelerated nature of the course, should you experience a medical condition which
prevents you from attending any class(es), appropriate medical documentation must be provided
immediately so it may be determined what, if any, accommodations are reasonable or possible.
This online course using the D2L system is highly accelerated, and students will need to take a
great deal of responsibility for their own learning outcomes. Students are required to login
regularly to check for updates and read discussion threads.
Participation in this course represents a significant part of your grade. The instructor calculates
participation on both the quantity and quality of the posts that are topic driven and meaningful to
the development of the class discussion. Posting requirements are explained in greater detail
under the Topical Course Outline (Section VIII).
Reading Assignments
Reading assignments may be found under the Topical Course Outline (Section VIII). All students
are expected to be actively reading the material assigned for the week so as to complete the
homework and exams, as well as, to participate knowledgably in the discussions.
Written Assignments
Written assignments are indicated in the Topical Course Outline (Section VIII).
Benedictine University at Springfield Student Academic Honesty Policy
The search for truth and the dissemination of knowledge are the central missions of a university.
Benedictine University at Springfield pursues these missions in an environment guided by our
Roman Catholic tradition and our Benedictine heritage. Integrity and honesty are therefore
expected of all University students. Actions such as cheating, plagiarism, collusion, fabrication,
forgery, falsification, destruction, multiple submission, solicitation, and misrepresentation are
violations of these expectations and constitute unacceptable behavior in the University
community.
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Student’s Responsibility
Though there is no formal honor code at Benedictine University at Springfield, students are
expected to exhibit academic honesty at all times. Violations against academic honesty are
always serious and may result in sanctions that could have profound long-term effects. The final
responsibility for understanding the Academic Honesty Policy of the institution, as well as the
specific policies for individual courses normally found in syllabi, rests with students. If any doubt
exists about what constitutes academic dishonesty, students have the responsibility to talk to the
faculty member. Students should expect the members of their class to be academically honest.
If students believe one or more members of the class have been deceitful to gain academic
advantage in the class, students should feel comfortable to approach the faculty member of the
course without prejudice.
Violations of the Academic Honesty Policy will be reported to the Office of the Dean of Academic
Affairs. Along with a verbal warning, the following are consequences a student may face for
academic dishonesty:



a failing grade or “zero” for the assignment;
dismissal from and a failing grade for the course; or
dismissal from the Institution.
Electronic Issues
D2L problems and computer failures ARE NOT valid excuses for late participation in discussion
threads and/or late assignments and exercises. Students may reset their own expired passwords
at www.ben.edu so expired ID/passwords are also not valid excuses for late work. The Resource
Center has staff available to assist students with problems even on the weekends. However, do
not wait until the last minute and then expect immediate help. Give the staff plenty of time to
troubleshoot your problem prior to course deadlines.
Other
The instructor reserves the right to make changes to the syllabus and any course requirements
as needed.
VII.
MEANS OF EVALUATION
See the Topical Course Outline (Section VIII) for details on each assignment below. Note: Some
assignments will be acceptable if late, others will not, so review the assignment detail carefully.
A – 90% - 100%
B – 80% - 89.9%
C – 70% - 79.9%
D – 60% - 69.9%
F - below 60%
Discussion Participation (5 weeks @ 30 points per week)
150
Weekly Homework (5 weeks @ 130 points per week)
650
Quizzes (5 weeks @ 40 points/week)
200
Total
1,000
Grade Appeal Process
If a student believes that an error has been made in reporting a grade, an appeal must be made
in writing to the instructor and must be initiated within 60 calendar days after the end of the term
for which the grade in question was reported. The appeal should contain specific information
about why it is believed the grade reported is inaccurate. See the Student Handbook for
additional details.
Add/Drop Dates
Please refer to the current Academic Calendar for add/drop dates
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Incomplete Request
To qualify for an “I” grade, a minimum of 75% of the course work must be completed with a “C”
or better, and a student must submit a completed “Request for an Incomplete” form to the
Registrar’s Office. The form must be completed by both student and instructor, but it is the
student’s responsibility (not the instructor’s) to initiate this process and obtain the necessary
signatures.
Student Withdrawal Procedure
It is the student’s responsibility to officially withdraw from a course by completing the appropriate
form, with appropriate signatures, and returning the completed form to the Advising Office. Please
refer to the Student Handbook for important financial information related to withdrawals.
VIII.
TOPICAL COURSE OUTLINE
Week
Topics & Chapters Covered
Week 1
7/14 – 7/20
Read Chapters 1-3
Week 2
7/21 – 7/27
Week 3
7/28 – 8/3
Week 4
8/4 – 8/10
Topics Include:
Globalization and International Linkages
The Political, Legal, and Technological Environment
Ethics and Social Responsibility Across Cultures
Assignments:
Week #1 Homework
Read Chapters 4-6
Quiz
Discussions: Postings
as outlined
Topics Include:
The Meanings and Dimensions of Culture
Managing Across Cultures
Organizational Cultures
Diversity
Read Chapters 7, 12, 14
** Watch Gung Ho Movie For Week 4 Assignment **
Assignments:
Week #2 Homework
Quiz
Discussions: Postings
as outlined
Topics Include:
Communication
Motivation
Human Resource Selection and Development
Assignments:
Week #3 Homework
Read Chapters 11, 13
Quiz
Discussions: Postings
as outlined
Topics Include:
Management Decision and Control
Leadership
Week 5
8/11 – 8/17
Class Activities and
Work Due
Discussions: Postings
as outlined
Read Chapters 8-10
Topics Include:
Strategy Formulation and Implementation
Entry Strategies
Organizational Structures
Managing Political Risk, Government Relations, and
Alliances
Assignments:
Week #4 Homework
Quiz
Discussions: Postings
as outlined
Assignments:
Week #5 Homework
Quiz
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A. Discussion Participation (30 points per week – 10 per posting)
Participation in the discussion forums is critical for maximizing student-learning experiences in
any online course. Part of the assessment criteria for the course includes evaluating the quality
and quantity of your participation in the discussion forum. As the instructor, I will facilitate student
discussions but I will not address every single post. In most cases, I might share a related idea,
intervene when the discussion goes off-track, or tie student comments together to help deepen
student learning. Consequently, I will not directly answer questions in the discussion area unless
they are addressed to me. I will check the discussions daily during the week, and occasionally on
the weekends.
Participation is calculated based on both the quantity and quality of the posts that are topic driven
and meaningful to the development of the class discussion. To earn full participation points
you must post at least three substantive messages on three different days of the course
week. The course week is defined as starting Monday and ending Sunday at 11:59 pm.
Your postings will be graded with the following guidelines in mind:







Submit one initial post early in the session (i.e., prior to Wednesday), and two
subsequent responses to the posts of other learners at timely intervals throughout
the duration of the week (ending Sunday at 11:59 pm). The goal is to have a dynamic
discussion around the topic that lasts throughout the entire session.
Posts and responses should be thorough and thoughtful. Just posting an "I agree" or
"Good ideas" will not be considered adequate. Support statements with examples,
experiences, or references. Be brief — keep each post and response to one or two short
paragraphs. Keep in mind that fellow learners will be reading and responding to you, too.
Posts should be within a range of 75-150 words. If a post does not meet the minimum
word count of 75, I will NOT count it toward your grade.
Make certain that all posts and responses address the question, problem, or situation as
presented for discussion. This does not mean you should not extend the topic, but do not
stray from the topic.
Discussions occur when there is dialogue; therefore, you need to build upon the posts
and responses of other learners to create discussion threads. Make sure to revisit the
discussion forum and respond (if necessary) to what other learners have posted to your
initial responses.
When relevant, add to the discussion by including prior knowledge, work experiences,
references, web sites, resources, etc. (giving credit when appropriate).
Contributions to the discussions (posts and responses) should be complete and free of
grammatical or structural errors.
Discussion postings cannot be made up. If you fail to post by the deadlines set, you will
receive a zero for each missed posting.
B. Weekly Homework (130 points per week)
Written assignments are due each week based on the readings from the book. Students are to
answer all questions related to the assigned exercise unless otherwise instructed. The weekly
assignments should be written in a student’s own words. While the occasional direct quote
from the readings is allowable, it should not represent more than five percent (5%) of the
total word count.
In general, written assignments will be evaluated and graded on the substantive content and how
the student expressed his/her opinion regarding the subject matter. However, the instructor
reserves the right to lower a student’s grade if grammar, syntax, spelling, and style are such that
the written assignment is confusing and/or especially poorly executed.
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Assignments will be written using Microsoft Word and will not exceed 800 words. Assignments
should be uploaded to the D2L dropbox as an attachment by Sunday at 11:59 pm. Late
homework will be accepted at a 20-point reduction per day.
Week 1 Homework:
Page 33, Here Comes the Competition (30 points)
Page 58, In the International Spotlight: Vietnam (40 points)
Page 87, Advertising or Free Speech? The Case of Nike and Human
Rights? (60 points)
Week 2 Homework:
Page 136, In the International Spotlight: South Africa (40 points)
Page 570, The Culture Quiz, Take the quiz and read the answers.
Write about what you learned. (30 points)
Page 191, A Good Faith Effort Needed (30 points)
Page 254, Beyond Tokyo: Disney’s Expansion in Asia (30 points)
Week 3 Homework:
Page 452, In the International Spotlight: Singapore (40 points)
Page 453, Motivation is Key (30 points)
Page 544, HSBC in China (60 points)
Week 4 Homework:
Page 387, Expansion Plans (30 points)
Page 490, In the International Spotlight: Germany (40 points)
Page 575, Using Gung Ho to Understand Cultural Differences (60 points)
Week 5 Homework:
Page 301, Go East, Young People, Go East (25 points)
Page 334, In the International Spotlight: Australia (40 points)
Page 358, In the International Spotlight: Brazil (40 points)
Page 577, “When in Bogotá…” (25 points)
C. Weekly Quizzes (40 points per week)
There will be five quizzes. Quizzes must be completed each week by Sunday at 11:59 pm.
Quizzes cover reading material for the assigned week. The quizzes are not cumulative. They will
be timed for 45 minutes, so the student should be prepared prior to starting. The quizzes will
consist of 20 multiple-choice and/or true-false questions for a total of forty points per quiz. Late
quizzes will not be accepted and the student will receive a grade of zero.
IX.
AMERICANS WITH DISABILITIES ACT (ADA)
Benedictine University at Springfield provides individuals with disabilities reasonable
accommodations to participate in educational programs, activities, and services. Students with
disabilities requiring accommodations to participate in campus-sponsored programs, activities,
and services, or to meet course requirements, should contact the Resource Center as early as
possible: springaccess@ben.edu or (217) 525-1420, ext. 3306.
X.
ASSESSMENT
Goals, objectives, and learning outcomes that will be assessed in the class are stated in this
syllabus in Sections IV and VI. Instructor will use background knowledge probes, one-minute
papers, reflective essays and/or other Classroom Assessment Techniques as deemed necessary
in order to provide continuous improvement of instruction.
Jr 5/19/14
Lsa 8/13
Lsa 5/14
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