Georgia Tech
College of Management
International Business
MGT 3660
Dr Stanislas d’Eyrames
E-mail – stanislas.deyrames@icn-groupe.fr
Summer 2011
SYLLABUS
1. Overview and Course Description
This course is a survey of business and legal related topics that impact the success of business
activities and ventures that take place outside the company’s “home” country. The course begins
with an exploration of the environments which directly influence the conduct of business:
structure of the business, international trade and investment policies, international business
entities, legal, cultural and political characteristics, and international organizations. For the
balance of the course we will focus on various specific characteristics of operating in the
international business environment that affect the manner in which global businesses function.
Among these issues is how best to capitalize on the technology developed by your company,
including the transfer of technology. The purpose of the class is to make you aware of what may
arise and when and why in the course of an international business. Anticipating and expecting
various business issues can save you valuable time and money. Being strategically prepared to
address these issues will cause you to better execute when these issues arise.
2. Class Attendance and Preparation
Articles and other reading material will be located by class members functioning in a business
team after each class. Regular attendance and participation in class are important. Assigned
material should be read before each class. I encourage students to participate in class discussions
voluntarily, as class discussion will be an important element of the class. I will consider class
participation in computing final grades.
3. Reading Assignments:
Material researched and located by each team of class members after each class.
Text: Global Business Today, 7th Edition, by Charles W. L. Hill. McGraw-Hill 2006 (ISBN: 007-297371-4)
4. Student Honor Code/Academic Honesty
Adherence to the Student Honor Code is expected. The Academic Honor Code is explained in
detail in the GIT General Catalogue or at http://www.deanofstudents.gatech.edu/Honor/. Any
instance of suspected academic dishonesty (e.g., plagiarism; cheating on a examination) will be
referred to the Office of the Dean of Students for disciplinary action. If you are unfamiliar with
what actions are considered “plagiarism,” it is your duty to familiarize yourself with avoiding it
now (for example, a guide for students at the University of Toronto is given at
http://www.utoronto.ca/writing/plagsep.html and may be helpful to you in understanding what
constitutes the offense).
5. Electronic Media Forbidden
Cellphones and PDAs (and their like) are forbidden, and may not be used during class time. Turn
off cellphones before class, or leave them at home. Laptops may only be used if they are being
used for note taking purposes. Laptop computers should not be used for accessing the web, for
sending or receiving e-mails or for playing video games. A violation of this rule will result in
you not being able to bring a laptop computer to future classes.
6. Grading and Course Requirements
Class Presentations.40%
During the term of the course the Professor shall assign to different teams subjects based upon
the current class discussion and reading assignments. These subject assignments will be given
randomly to different teams during the term of the course. Each team will receive at least one
such assignment during the term of the course. Each team assigned a specific subject will find
relevant articles on that subject for the next class and present those articles in a sophisticated and
thought provoking discussion. Such discussion presentation by each team member should be at
approximately five minutes in length by each team member but no more than seven minutes in
length by each team member. Failure of a team member to deliver their own discussion
presentation on the date assigned by the Professor will result in a failing grade on their
discussion presentation.
Final Exam. 60%
There will be a Final Exam which will be 90 minutes in length, consisting of 4 questions on
international business. The Final Exam covers all those materials indicated on the class schedule
from the beginning of the course or discussed in the class from the beginning of the course, so if
you miss a class you need to get class notes taken by one of your classmates. It is your
responsibility to get such class notes and to select the most competent classmate from whom to
obtain such class notes. For the Final Exam you may not bring calculators, laptops, etc.
Grading.
The grading system for the course will be made up of two components, which are as follows.
The first component of your grade for the course is your specific subject discussion presentation,
which will be graded based upon the clarity of presentations as well as the quality of the
reasoning, issue spotting and identification, arguments and information contained within your
specific subject discussion presentation. Your specific subject discussion presentation will
account for 40% of the Final Grade.
The second component of your grade for the course is the Final Exam. The Second Exam will
account for 60% of the Final Grade.
COURSE SCHEDULE AND ASSIGNMENTS
Dates
Topics
Chapters
Introduction
Organization of Business and International Implications
International Business in Age of Globalization
International Political Economy
--1
2
Managing Differences in Culture
Ethics in International Business
Capital Formation and International Trade Theory
Political Economy of International Trade
3
4
5
6
Foreign Direct Investment
Regional Economic Integration
Foreign Exchange & International Monetary Theory
The Strategy of International Business
Strategies in International Business
Exporting, Importing & Countertrade
7
8
10
11
12
13
Global Production, Outsourcing & Logistics
Global Marketing and Research & Development
Global Human Resource Management
Overall Analysis of International Business & Course Summary
14
15
16
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(The Final Exam will be administered at a date and time in accordance with the
Final Exam schedule established by Georgia Tech)
The Professor may on occasion bring in a guest speaker from the international business
community which may result in some minor rescheduling in the above course schedule and
assignments. However, do not deviate from the above reading assignments.