January 28, 2016
Towson, Maryland 21252
Dept. of Management
MNGT. 375 – International Business: Theory and Practice
Spring 2016
COURSE SECTION, MEETING TIME, AND LOCATION
Monday-Wednesday-Friday
Section 001 - 9:00 to 9:50 am, Stephens Hall 107
COURSE INSTRUCTOR
Three principles for this course:
1. Follow directions (See p. 7 of
syllabus)
2. Communications is historical
3. Communications is comprehensive
Prof. Don Kopka, Ph.D. (Please address as Professor or Mr. NOT as Dr.)
COURSE CATALOG DESCRIPTION
Global dimensions and interdependencies of business: international firms’ strategies and
structures, global strategy and market entry. Elements of international finance include
international monetary systems, foreign exchange and global trade theory. Global
operations, marketing and HRM.
COURSE PREREQUISITES
Junior/major standing, BUSX 301 (may be taken concurrently).
OFFICE LOCATION AND HOURS
Stephens Hall 114B
Office Hours: Monday-Wednesday 3:30 to 5:00 pm or by Appointment
TELEPHONE NUMBERS, AND E-MAIL ADDRESS
Office Telephone: 410-704-3234
Office Fax: 410-704-3236
Cell Phone: 410-497-4424
E-mail: dkopka@towson.edu
TOWSON UNIVERSITY EMAIL REQUIREMENT AND COURSE WEB PAGE
http://pages.towson.edu/kopka/mngt_375.htm (I do not use Blackboard)
Periodically I will send all-class emails informing you of slides, assignments, or other materials
that I have posted on the course web page. To get these emails, you must have and use your
assigned Towson University Email account; I will not seek out or use some other email account
that you may prefer to use such as gmail. After you receive an all-class email through your TU
account from me, you should go to my home page listed above and then follow the link for my
International Business course webpage to read/download the necessary materials.
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January 28, 2016
TEXTBOOK
Charles W. L. Hill, Global Business Today, Seventh Edition, McGraw-Hill Irwin, Boston,
2011.
PLEASE BRING TEXTBOOK TO EVERY CLASS. SOME CLASS SESSIONS WILL
INVOLVE USE OF EXERCISES IN THE TEXTBOOK.
GENERAL LEARNING OBJECTIVES
 To appreciate the international interdependence of the current business environment.
 To provide students with an opportunity to apply learning about the international
business environment in a real-world business context.
LEARNING OBJECTIVES FOR THE CBE COMPREHENSIVE TEST
The learning objectives of the course are intended to develop Knowledge, Skills, and
Attitudes (KSAs) that are major components of a student's education in the College of
Business and Economics at Towson University. The following learning objectives are
covered as advanced preparation for the CBE Comprehensive Test that you will take during
the MNGT 481 Business Strategy and Policy course:
Identify key elements of a country’s environment (culture, political/legal, economic).
Describe why countries trade with each other.
Identify the key elements of a country’s trade policies (implications for business?).
Describe different patterns/types/effects of foreign direct investment.
Describe the major forms of regional economic integration in the world. What are the
implications for business?
6. Describe the basics of the foreign exchange market? How/why do firms “hedge”
currency risk? What role do the International Monetary Fund and World Bank play in the
international currency markets?
7. What are the different strategies available to multi-national enterprises?
8. What are the different market entry strategies?
9. What are the marketing mix elements and how they do they change in a global business
environment?
10. What are the human resource staffing issues in a global workforce?
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
COURSE TOPICS
The course covers the following topics:






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National political environments
National cultures
Trade theory
National trade policies
Regional economic integration
International currency markets
Multinational Enterprise strategy and structure
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January 28, 2016
LEARNING ASSESSMENT
The academic programs at Towson University College of Business and Economics are
internationally accredited by the Association for the Advancement of Collegiate Schools of
Business (AACSB). Each semester, as an ongoing part of this exclusive certification, the
Management Department conducts routine assessment of students’ proficiency in selected
dimensions of knowledge, skills, and attitudes (KSAs), as well as content mastery of
selected business topics and students’ satisfaction with the learning experiences provided
by the department. The methods of such assessment will be communicated by the
instructor. Student participation in these assessments, as part of the overall departmental
learning program, is mandatory.
COURSE REQUIREMENTS
The assignments in this course are intended to fulfill these objectives and assessment
requirements. The assignments include three mid-term and one final CLOSED BOOK,
CLOSED NOTES examinations, written assignments, and a team country project report and
presentation. Be aware that the exams will include questions from cases and other inclass discussions.
ACADEMIC INTEGRITY
A significant component embedded in Management Department’s core values is “academic
integrity.” Towards this objective, the faculty members in the department will assess that
student work submitted for academic credit in the courses taught by them is authentic, as
well as consistent with established academic standards.
Examples of academic behaviors considered a violation of “academic integrity” are:
plagiarism; fabrication and falsification; cheating; complicity in academic dishonesty; abuse
of academic materials; and multiple submissions, among others.
Detailed explanations of academic conduct that constitute such violations of “academic
integrity” and its consequences are to be found in the Towson University document titled:
“Student Academic Integrity Policy.” Students are urged to review this document at:
http://www.towson.edu/provost/resources/studentacademic.asp.
Any student who cheats on any of the assignments in this course and does not do his/her
own work will be given a failing grade for the course and reported to the Office of the
Registrar.
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January 28, 2016
COURSE PHILOSOPHY AND CONDUCT
The approach of this course is based on a philosophy that the course subject matter is best
learned by applying course material to analyze and understand typical issues encountered
in international business. A second dimension of this philosophy is that students should
also develop experience in the types of activities required for international business
including gathering information, reporting the information in writing and orally. This
philosophy underlies the conduct of the course. This means you are responsible for all
assigned readings, handouts, group discussion, and homework. If you miss a class
meeting, it is your responsibility to obtain any notes or assignments from your fellow
classmates. I will explain any questions you may have about notes you have obtained from
other students, but my notes are not available for copying.
CLASS ATTENDANCE, PARTICIPATION, AND UNANNOUNCED QUIZZES
The class sessions will be interactive. You should come to class prepared to participate in
the discussions by reading the assigned chapters, and preparing case, chapter discussion
and research task questions. If you are unable to attend class, you should get class notes
from other students as exam essay questions will be based primarily on the lectures and
class activities.
Please turn off or mute the volume on your cell phone or pager during the class and do
not do text messaging during class. In addition, do not come to class and either sleep or
eat. Any student engaged in unprofessional conduct will be asked to leave.
POLICIES ON EXAM DATES AND MISSED ASSIGNMENTS AND
EXAMS
The scheduled exam dates will remain unchanged. The material covered on an exam may
change according to the amount of material actually covered before the exam versus what
was planned.
You are required to be in class for case and other assigned discussions, whether written or
oral preparation is involved. The discussions are part of the assignment and you are
required to attend and participate: in particular, nonattendance means that you did not
complete a written assignment. Consequently, any written assignments submitted before
or after a class that the student did not attend will automatically result in a grade of zero on
the assignment. Even if you do not have the assignment completed, you should attend the
discussion, but there will be a grade deduction of 20% for turning the assignment in late.
Late written assignments must be turned in no later than the next class period after
the assignment was due. If you have what you believe is a justifiable reason for
missing assigned case and question discussion sessions and turning a written
assignment in late, you must provide me with official written documentation
explaining why the class was missed and the assignment was late. Work is not an
acceptable reason for turning assignments in late or missing an exam.
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January 28, 2016
Attendance is also mandatory on the scheduled exam date. If there is no satisfactory
written justification for missing an exam, the make-up exam will be a comprehensive final
exam given during the final exam time period that will cover all course material from the
entire the semester, including material on an exam that was taken and not missed. Makeup exams will only be given after the scheduled exam date; no exam will be given before
the scheduled exam date and time--DO NOT ASK.
COURSE GRADING
Assignments
Chapter 2 Research Task 1 –
Replace listed countries
with Malaysia, South
Africa, and Colombia
Midterm Exam 1
Midterm Exam 2
Foreign Exchange Problems
Midterm Exam 3
Team Country Report
Team Country Report
Presentation
Team Member Evaluation
Final Exam
Total
Possible
Points
Points
Earned on
Assignment
Total
Points
Earned
Total Points
Earned as
Percent of
Total Points
Graded
50
50
50
50
50
200
50
50
50
600
FINAL GRADES will be made according to the following percentage ranges of point totals:
AVERAGE
LETTER PERCENTAGE
GRADE RANGE
A 93% to 100% of total points for semester
A - 89% to 92.99% of total points for semester
B+ 86% to 88.99% of total points for semester
B 83% to 85.99% of total points for semester
B - 79% to 82.99% of total points for semester
C+ 76% to 78.99% of total points for semester
C 70% to 75.99% of total points for semester
D+ 66% to 69.99 % of total points for semester
D 60% to 65.99% of total points for semester
F 0% to 59.99% of total points for semester
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January 28, 2016
COURSE WITHDRAWAL
If you choose to withdrawal from this course with a grade of “W,” you are responsible for
completing the necessary paperwork by April 4, 2016. Simply ceasing to attend the course
without completing the required paperwork does not constitute course withdrawal and will
lead to a grade of F-X. It is your responsibility, not the professor’s, to complete the
procedures for course withdrawal if you choose to do so.
STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES
In accordance with University policy, if you have a documented disability and require
accommodations to obtain equal access in this course, please contact the instructor at the
beginning of the semester and when given an assignment for which an accommodation is
required. Students with disabilities must verify their eligibility through the Office of Disability
Support Services (AD232).
Students with disabilities must provide the necessary documentation from Disability Support
Services to inform me of any special accommodations that they may require. I will make
every effort to meet these accommodations.
If you wish to take the exams at the Testing Services Center, you must provide me with a
“Test Accommodations Request Form” at least one week prior to the scheduled exam
date. However, be aware of the test center hours, because I will not allow you to take
the exam before the rest of the class; you will have to set a date and time after the rest of
the class takes the exam. In addition, I do believe it is better that you take the exam with the
rest of the class. Occasionally questions arise regarding an exam question, which I can
answer/clarify for everyone. If you take the exam separate from the rest of the class, you
will not be present to hear my response/clarification.
I also encourage you to download and print out any PowerPoint slides or assignments from
my course webpage for your use in studying and note taking. As gathering such information
using the Internet is a skill that every professional now needs, you will need to obtain the
slides on your own; I will not print out the slides for you.
COURSE SCHEDULE
The planned course schedule is available from the course webpage. This planned schedule
may change depending on course progress and may be updated with different chapter and
assignment dates as the course advances through the semester.
January 28, 2016
WRITING SKILLS AND FORMAT REQUIREMENTS
FOLLOW THESE WRITING REQUIREMENTS!
DO NOT BLOW THEM OFF!!!!
DO NOT BE CARELESS!!
Students are expected to display college-level writing skills. If the quality of the writing is judged to be
unprofessional due to excessive errors for grammar, punctuation, poor organization, spelling, punctuation,
etc., the assignment will be returned ungraded and treated as late. Students who lack writing proficiency
will be required to visit the writing lab for supplemental instruction.
Course written assignments must meet ALL of the following FIVE (5) format requirements. Failure to
fulfill ALL FIVE of these format requirements on EVERY assignment will automatically result in a
FIVE (5) point deduction for each format requirement not included in the assignment. These FIVE
POINT DEDUCTIONS CAN ACCUMULATE TO TWENTY-FIVE (25) POINTS FOR ANY ASSIGNMENT
AND WILL BE DEDUCTED FROM THE OVERALL ASSIGNMENT GRADE.
1. Typewritten in a clear, 12-point font;
2. Begin with a memo heading in the upper left-hand corner on the first page in the following form (do
not use a cover page and the word "Memo" is not included at the top of the page):
DATE:
TO : Professor Kopka
FROM: Your Name
RE : Title of Assignment
3. Double-spaced;
4. If more than one page, stapled in upper-left corner with PAGE NUMBERS ON EVERY PAGE; do
not put page numbers in the upper-left corner; in Microsoft Word, go to the Insert menu to select the
Page Number function; do not submit any assignment in a folder, binder, or envelope, simply staple
it in the upper left-hand corner;
5. Organized using headings and subheadings. FOR ANY ASSIGNMENT OR CASES, DO NOT
SIMPLY USE THE NUMBER FOR A QUESTION; DEVELOP A HEADING OR SUBHEADING
FOR EACH QUESTION OR TOPIC IN THE ASSIGNMENT.
ALL WRITTEN ASSIGNMENTS MUST BE SUBMITTED IN-CLASS
ABSOLUTELY DO NOT SEND ANY ASSIGNMENT TO ME VIA EMAIL
ATTACHMENT!!
ANY WRITTEN ASSIGNMENTS SUBMITTED AS EMAIL ATTACHMENTS OR
PLACED IN MY MAIL BOX, UNDER MY OFFICE DOOR, MAILED USING REGULAR
MAIL, OR SUBMITTED BY ANY METHOD OTHER THAN HANDING IN IN-CLASS
WILL RECEIVE GRADES OF ZERO (0). IF YOU HAVE A PROBLEM OF DELAYED
SUBMISSION OR MISSING CLASS, EMAiL ME AND I WILL TELL YOU WHAT TO
DO.