Syllabus
EMT 630
Global Business and Markets
Semester: 2014
Day of Week/Time:
Instructor Name & Contact Information:
William Guth, Ph.D.
Professor , Stevens Scholar-in-Residence
Professor Emeritus of Management &
Strategy, Stern School of Business, NYU
Office Phone: 201-216-8204
Cell Phone: 201-281-8204
E-Mail: wguth@stern.nyu.edu
Office Hours:
Class Website:
Course Description
The Global Business and Markets course develops a comprehensive, multi-disciplinary view of
global business, including the economic theory of value creation through international trade, the
current multinational institutions aimed at facilitating that trade, and the current political and
economic environment impacting that trade. It focuses on the analysis of variation in the
economic, political, legal, social and cultural dimensions of countries and the impact of those
variations on the competitive business strategies and functional policies of multinational business
firms.
The course includes a week-long trip to Beijing and Shanghai, China, during which participants
will visit several (exact number to be determined-TBD) Chinese companies headquartered there,
and several (TBD) Western companies doing business there, as well as participate in a number of
activities highlighting unique aspects of the Chinese culture. The purpose of the company visits
will be to discuss with local managers how being in China (either headquartered there, or doing
international business there) impacts their competitive strategies.
Course Objectives
EMT 630 falls under the Global Business & Markets strategic theme, one of the six themes
embodied by the MSTM program.


Strategy – Business & Technology
Global Business & Markets



Functional Business Management

Leadership & Teaming
Innovation - Creativity & Design
Thinking
Integrated Business Simulation
These distinct knowledge areas are linked together by common educational threads resulting in a
comprehensive integrated program.
Post cold war political and economic changes have opened up previously closed borders and
Professor William Guth
EMT 630
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have reduced barriers to trade. Concurrently, technological developments in communication,
information and transportation technologies have enabled faster and better channels for doing
business. These changes have resulted in broadening the international scope of most business
firms’ activities and in increasing managerial attention to identifying and pursuing new
opportunities in markets abroad and in identifying new competitive threats from firms
headquarters in other countries.
The term “globalization” is widely used to describe these changes, implying that the reduction in
barriers to cross – border trade and the increase in the geographic scope of multinational firms
has resulted in one huge global market place in which firms can successfully do everywhere
what they successfully do in their home countries. If the concept of “globalization” leads to
ignoring significant differences in the economic, political, legal, social and cultural dimensions
of countries and the impact of these differences on the competitive strategies of multinational
firms, however, it more appropriately might be termed “globalony.”
This course will emphasize why “country” still matters in multinational company competitive
strategy, in spite of the significant advances made towards “globalization.”
Students will learn frameworks, concepts and tools for analyzing international countries,
businesses and industries counties and develop understanding of the challenges confronting
leaders of various countries in achieving economic growth and prosperity for their people.
Additional learning objectives include the development of:
Communication Skills: This course requires students to prepare three papers that are 10 to 15
pages in length. The materials cover the culture, economics and business issues for a chosen
country. The papers are presented in class and a component of the grade is based on presentation
and written quality. One of the oral presentations is evaluated by faculty from the College of Arts
& Letters and assessed using Learning Goal 1, Rubric 2.
Team Skills: The projects in this course are done in teams. Students receive feedback on team
effectiveness and participation.
Analytical Problem Solving Skills: The final paper/ presentation involves an analysis of an
international business problem. Working in teams, students describe the issue in detail, then
analyze the current state and possible future states and finally provide a recommended direction.
Ethical Considerations: The course includes discussion on ethical issues faced by the
international businesses; recognize an ethical dilemma; discuss the causes of unethical behavior
by managers; different philosophical approaches to ethics; know what managers can do to
incorporate ethical considerations into their decision making
Global Awareness: This course is a global course and the entire course is focused on global
topics. It includes a international study tour designed to expose students to business cultures and
practices in specific countries.
Learning Goals
After completing the course, students will be able to

Identify the opportunities, challenges, and risks various countries present both to firms
headquartered in them, and to multinational firms currently or contemplating competing in
them
Professor William Guth
EMT 630
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

Evaluate and formulate the competitive business strategies of multinational firms in the
changing global environment of business
Apply the framework, concepts and tools to a number of different firms in a number of
different industries in a number of different countries
Pedagogy
The course will employ lectures, case studies, class discussions, individual assignments, one
team project, and company visits and participation in cultural activities while in China. The use
of Stevens online technologies (Moodle and Wimba) will supplement class discussion and
external communications.
Required Course Materials
1. Custom Published Chapters from International Business, 9th edition, Charles W. L. Hill;
Irwin McGraw-Hill, 2013. ISBN: 978-0-07-802924-0.
2. A coursepack of 3 cases from HBS Publishing
Coursepack link: https://cb.hbsp.harvard.edu/cbmp/access/20785454
A) Wal-Mart in Europe, HBS 9-704-027
B) Denmark: Globalization of the Welfare State, HBS 9-709-015
C) Dabur India Ltd. – Globalization, IVEY 9B09A017
Cases from Textbook
The following business cases represent the cases from the Hill text that will be read and discussed
in class after the relevant materials are covered:
Nike: The Sweatshop Debate, pages 168-171
Global Food Prices, pages 319-320
Hyundai and Kia, page 410
Microsoft in India, pages 610-611
Building the Boeing 787, pages 668-669
Assignments
Assignment
Description
1
Analysis of
Case Studies
2
Team Term
Paper
Two (2) case studies will be graded. – DenmarkGlobalizing the Welfare State, and Dabur India Ltd.
– Globalization. See individual assignments for
guidance in preparing your reports.
Each student team will pick a company visited in
China, evaluate its current international competitive
strategy in one of its major businesses, and make
strategic recommendations to its management for
the next 3-5 years. Teams will present their
Professor William Guth
EMT 630
Percentage of
Grade
40%
40%
Page 3
4
Participation
evaluations and recommendations on the last day of
class. Within a week after the last day of class,
teams will present their final evaluation and
recommendations to the instructor in the form of an
up-dated PowerPoint file.
Class participation and sharing of real life
experiences are part of the learning process in this
class. Attendance is a part of class participation and
students are expected to attend all classes.
20%
5. Submission of Assignments
All written assignments must be submitted electronically to Moodle before the due date. In addition,
students should submit a hard copy to the instructor on the due date.
Ethical Conduct
The following statement is printed in the Stevens Graduate Catalog and applies to all students
taking Stevens courses, on and off campus.
“Cheating during in-class tests or take-home examinations or homework is, of course, illegal and
immoral. A Graduate Academic Evaluation Board exists to investigate academic improprieties,
conduct hearings, and determine any necessary actions. The term ‘academic impropriety’ is
meant to include, but is not limited to, cheating on homework, during in-class or take home
examinations and plagiarism. “
Consequences of academic impropriety are severe, ranging from receiving an “F” in a course, to a
warning from the Dean of the Graduate School, which becomes a part of the permanent student
record, to expulsion.
Reference:
The Graduate Student Handbook, Academic Year 2003-2004 Stevens
Institute of Technology, page 10.
Consistent with the above statements, all homework exercises, tests and exams that are designated
as individual assignments MUST contain the following signed statement before they can be
accepted for grading.
____________________________________________________________________
I pledge on my honor that I have not given or received any unauthorized assistance on this
assignment/examination. I further pledge that I have not copied any material from a book, article,
the Internet or any other source except where I have expressly cited the source.
Signature ________________
Date: _____________
Please note that assignments in this class will be submitted to www.turnitin.com, a web-based
anti-plagiarism system, for an evaluation of their originality.
Professor William Guth
EMT 630
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Course Schedule
Session
1
1
1
Topic
M = module number
Module 1 - Globalization
M1 – Introduction and
overview of class
Globalization and Globalony
M1- National differences in
Political economy
-Laws & Regulations
-International Legal Environ
-Political economy and
economic development
M1 – Exporting competitive
strategies successful at home
Text and Article
Readings
Business Cases
Assignments
Syllabus
Hill Chapters 2 & 3
Wal-Mart in Europe
(HBS case #9-704-027)
Class case discussion:
1. Why has Wal-Mart been so
successful in the US? How
would you describe the WalMart brand in the US? How is
it able to offer "guaranteed
low prices"?
2. What was the company's
approach to the German
market?
3. Why is Wal-Mart Germany
not yet profitable?
4. What should its
management do now?
2
Module 2 – How Countries
Vary – Political Economy,
PLUS 12 Pillars of Economic
Development, Culture, Trade
Agreements
The Global Competitiveness Read: Chapters 1.1, The
Global Competitiveness
Index – 2013-2014
Report, 2013 -2014,
available at
http://www.weforum.org
2
M2 – Culture and Ethics in
International Business
Hill Chapter 4 and 5
2
M2 - How Countries Differ:
Societies and Cultures
Denmark: Globalization
and the Welfare State, HBS
Professor William Guth
EMT 630
Class case discussion:
Nike: the Sweatshop
Debate, pp168-171
See report assignment 1
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Session
Topic
M = module number
Text and Article
Readings
Business Cases
Assignments
case #9-709-015
Module 3 – The strategy and
entry methods of
international business
3
M3 - International Strategy for
Competitive Advantage
-Profiting from International
Expansion: economies of scale
and scope versus local
responsiveness
-Location-bound versus nonlocation bound firm specific
advantages
Hill: Chapter 13
Guth, W.D., New Avenues
for Growth: Challenges of
Five Major Trends in the
Global Environment (on
Moodle)
3
M3–Entry Strategy and
Strategic Alliances
M3 – The Organization of
International Business
-The Transnational Solution
Hill Chapter 14
M3 Strategic challenges for
companies in rich, poor, and
developing countries
Module 4 – China: as
Multinational Company
Headquarters
M4 - Chinese company visits
(TBA)
M5 – China: as Foreign
Multinational Company
Market
M5 – Foreign company visits
(TBA)
Dabur India Globalization
3
3
4
5
6
7
8
8
M6 – China: as Host to
Suppliers of Global Supply
Chains
M6 – Visits to Suppliers in
Global Supply Chains (TBA)
M7 – Trip Debrief
How is China different, and
so what for the competitive
strategies of companies
headquartered there and
foreign companies doing
business there?
Discussion of Team Projects
Hill Chapter 15
Class case discussion:
Coca-Cola, pages 518-19
Class case discussion:
A Decade of
Organizational change at
Unilever, Pages 480-482
See report assignment 2
Team Presentations
Course Review and
Summary
Professor William Guth
EMT 630
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Team Term Project
In this course-long project, you will work in your team to evaluate the international competitive
strategy of one of the firms we will visit in China, and make recommendations to its top management
aimed at enhancing its financial performance in the future.
Each team will present its evaluation of the current international competitive strategy of the business
chosen, and its strategic recommendations in class on the last morning of the course. Each team will
then prepare a “final” evaluation and set of strategic recommendations incorporating what they wish
to take from the class discussion of their in-class presentation.
Business Cases:
Individual reports on two comprehensive HBS cases – Denmark: Globalizing the Welfare State, and
Dabur India Ltd. – Globalization – will be assigned (see Course Schedule). These reports will be 5-7
pages long (typed, double-spaced, font no smaller than 12 pt., 1-inch margins all around; acceptable
fonts are Times New Roman, and Arial). The reports should address the questions asked (or
directions given) in the assignment.
In addition, we will have group discussions in class on several of the cases included in your text. They
are listed in the course schedule above. Discussions of these cases will be focused on the questions
asked at the end of each case.
Professor William Guth
EMT 630
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