UNIVERSIDAD DE ESPECIALIDADES ESPÍRITU SANTO
FACULTAD DE ESTUDIOS INTERNACIONALES
SYLLABUS
FOR DAC 11 VER 19 05 08
COURSE: Special Topics in International Business
CODE UGER 495
FACULTY: Natalie Mikhaylov
CRÉDITS: 3 UEES (SNCC 4.8)
CONTACT HOURS: 48
NON-CONTACT 96
YEAR: 2009
PERIOD: Spring 1
DAYS Mon, Tue, Wed and Thu
SCHEDULE: 18.45 – 20.30
ROOM: G-223
SYLLABUS DATE: Feb, 2009
1. COURSE DESCRIPTION
2. JUSTIFICATION
The course provides students with an opportunity to explore the aspects of the international
business that are of special interest to them and to concentrate of a specific region and/or
industry.
3. OBJECTIVES
a. General:
The student will understand the opportunities and threats existing in the international
business environment. The student will know how to make basic decisions regarding
internationalization processes in different areas.
b. Specific
Week One Objectives
• Describe globalization
• Explain how globalization affects markets and production
• Identify the drivers of globalization
• Discuss the globalization debate
• List types of firms in international business
• Define the global business environment
Week Two Objectives
• Define culture and list its components
• Discuss attitudes toward time, work and cultural change
• Describe the roles of religion and communication in a society
• Discuss how physical environment affects culture
• Describe two frameworks for classifying cultures
• Assess the global business environment – political, economic, legal, technological
• Explain the role of regional trading blocs
• Evaluate political and economic risk
Week Three Objectives
 Discuss the important of corporate strategy for the overall performance of a company
 Define the determines for selecting, creating and pursuing a particular strategy
 Discuss the strategic position of the firm
 Explain the reasons company pursue different international strategies
Week Four Objectives
 Understand the objectives and usefulness of global marketing segmentation
 Describe the approached to global marketing segmentation using different
segmentation criteria to define target groups


Discuss the variables which may be used to select target groups for global marketing
strategies
Identify different ways of positioning products in global markets
Week Five Objectives
 Discuss the criteria suitable for the selection of foreign target market
 Understand which marketing entry alternatives are available to companies and how
companies select the most appropriate ones
 Describe different forms of exporting
4. COMPETENCIES
a. GENERAL
1.
To understand the current level at which Ecuador is engaged in international business
2.
To analyze and explain today’s international business, based on theory and current
events
3.
To prepare for conducting international business
b. SPECIFIC
The student:
1. Leads groups, solve practical problems, act according to a plan and
challenge and critiques other groups proposals
2. Discusses and solves problems from case studies
3. Researches new developments in global markets and organizations
5. COURSE CONTENT OUTLINE
Class
Meeting #
Specific
Competencies
1. Mon
March 16
2. Tue
March 17
1,2,3
3. Wed
March 18
4. Thu
March 19
5. Mon
March 23
and
6. Tue
March 24
7. Wed
March 25
and
8. Thu
March 26
9. Mon
March 30
10. Tue
March 31
and
11. Wed
April 1
Content
1,2,3
Introduction and Course
Overview
The Nature of
International Business
1,2,3
Economic Theories of
International Business
1,2,3
1,2,3
1,2,3
1,2,3
Non-contact hours
(96 HRS.)
EVALUATION
Class discussion
Ball et al. (2004).
Ch 1, 2 pp. 2-103
(101)
Ball et al. (2004).
Ch 3 pp. 104-142
(38)
In-class Participation
Evaluation,
Oral Evaluation
In-class Participation
Evaluation,
Oral Evaluation
The Dynamic of
International Organization
and International
Monetary System
The Foreign
Environmental Forces:
Financial, Economic and
Socioeconomic Forces
Ball et al. (2004).
In-class Participation
Ch 4, 5 pp. 143-204 Evaluation,
(61)
Oral Evaluation
The Foreign
Environmental Forces:
Physical, Environmetal
and Sociocultural Forces
Ball et al. (2004).
In-class Participation
Ch 8, 9 pp. 260-331 Evaluation,
(71)
Oral Evaluation
The Foreign
Environmental Forces:
Political, Legal, Labor and
Competitive Forces
Ball et al. (2004).
Ch 10, 11 pp. 332387 (55)
Ball et al. (2004).
Ch 12, 13 pp. 388460 (72)
Ball et al. (2004).
In-class Participation
Ch 6, 7 pp. 204-259 Evaluation,
(55)
Oral Evaluation
In-class Participation
Evaluation,
Oral Evaluation
In-class Participation
Evaluation,
Oral Evaluation
12. Thu
April 2
13. Mon
April 6
14. Tue
April 7
15. Wed
April 8
16. Thu
April 9
17. Mon
April 13
and
18. Tue
April 14
19. Wed
April 15
1,2,3
Midterm
Ch 1 - 13
Written Exam
1,2,3
Ch 1 - 12
Class Discussion and
Group Work
1,2,3
Midterm and Cases
Feedback – Project Group
Work in Class
International Strategy,
Organizational Design,
and Control
Project Group Work in
Class
Ball et al. (2004).
Ch 14 pp. 461-501
(40)
In-class Participation
Evaluation,
Oral Evaluation
Class Discussion and
Group Work
1,2,3
Assessing and Analyzing
Markets; Marketing
Internationally
Ball et al. (2004).
Ch 15, 16 pp. 502555 (53)
In-class Participation
Evaluation,
Oral Evaluation
Export and Import
Ball et al. (2004).
Ch 17 pp. 556-591
(35)
Ball et al. (2004).
Ch 18, 19 pp. 592647 (55)
In-class Participation
Evaluation,
Oral Evaluation
In-class Participation
Evaluation,
Oral Evaluation
1,2,3
20. Thu
April 16
1,2,3
Human Resources and
Financial Management
21. Mon
April 20
1,2,3
22. Tue
April 21
1,2,3
Global Operations
Management: The Third
Industrial Revolution
Case Study
Ball et al. (2004).
Ch 20 pp. 647-686
(39)
Individual case
materials
In-class Participation
Evaluation,
Oral Evaluation
Case Study
23. Wed
April 22
1,2,3
Case presentation
Group materials
related to the case
All course materials
are covered
Class discussion
24. Thu
April 23
Final exam
Assessment
Written Examination
6. METHODOLOGY
In addition to academic research and study of effective consumer behavior influencing
methods and practices, students will have hands-on experiences in applying their knowledge
in team exercises, consumer behavior analysis, case incidents and Internet search exercises.
Students are expected to read the assigned material before coming to class.
7. ASSESSMENT
Participation and Homework: Participation extends beyond mere attendance. Participation
is ability to answer questions in class when called on, small-group projects and exercises and
contribute to class discussion. Expect your instructor to keep track of how often you
contribute to class discussion (as a whole). Assessment of required reading comprehension
and ability to apply the concepts to practical projects can be carried through class discussion,
hands-on projects or individual oral or written evaluations. Some project can be completed in
class, other would require additional work: students might be expected to conduct individual
research, or analyze a case. All take-home assignments must be word processed and printed
out. Email submission would be allowed only in special circumstance and with a prior
approval by the instructor. Late assignments will lose 20 points out of 100 for each day. If an
assignment is more than 2 days late, it won’t receive any points. All sources should be
documented in academic format in the body of the assignments, using APA format.
Exams: Two examinations will be taken, a midterm in the middle of the course and a final
exam covering all course content during the final examination period. Test format may
combine a mixture of short answer and essay questions covering all readings, lecture,
handouts and class discussion content.
Case Study:
 Case study / incident based on international business problem to be presented in class
 APA format of presentation
 Sources of information: personal experience, textbooks, books, academic articles,
internet, interviews, company materials
 Start early – it will required at least 30 hours of work
General Requirements
Absence from tests will not be tolerated. In the event of illness or emergency, contact your
instructor IN ADVANCE to determine whether special arrangements are possible. The
University’s rules on academic dishonesty (e.g. cheating, plagiarism, submitting false
information) will be strictly enforced. Students are expected to be able to use academic
database (EBSCO) regularly and to supplement their practical projects and case studied with
appropriate academic materials.
Class participation and
homework
Final Project (Case
Study)
Midterm Exam
Final Exam
25 %
25 %
25 %
25 %
8. BIBLIOGRAPHY
8.1. REQUIRED
COURSEBOOK
TEXT: International Business: The Challenge of Global Competition
AUTHORS: Ball, D., McCulloch, W., Frantz, P., Geringer, J. M., and Minor, M.
EDITORIAL: McGraw Hill, Irwin
EDITION: 9th Edition, 2004
8.2. WEBLIOGRAPHY
 EBSCO DATABASE
Supplemental learning resources:
http://www.prenhall.com/francescogold
http://www.prenhall.com/deresky
www.international-business-center.com
International business culture resources- links by University of Washington Library
http://www.lib.washington.edu/business/guides/bc.html
CIA Facts Book
https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/
9. FACULTY INFORMATION
NAME:
Natalie Mikhaylov
ACADEMIC CREDENTIALS--UNDERGRAD:
BS, Management Golden Gate University, San Francisco, USA
GRADUATE: MBA, HRM Golden Gate University, San Francisco, USA
PhD Candidate, Management and Organization, Turku School of Economics, Turku, Finland
E – mail: natalee36@yahoo.com
10.
Prepared by:
Natalie Mikhaylov
Reviewed by: Dean Mónica Reynoso
Date: February, 2009
Date: February, 2009