INTERNATIONAL BUSNIESS Managemnt

GENERAL INFORMATION

Instructor: Alfonso Lovo, MBA, MIB

Phone: (305) 305-2791

Office: Mango 400

Fax: (305) 348 – 1763

Office Hours: By phone or e-mail anytime, and by

appointment.

E-mail: Please use course mailbox

48 hour response time (Excluding

weekends)

COURSE DESCRIPTION

MAN4633 – This course is designed to prepare students with the tools and terminology to

understand the marketing practices of businesses seeking opportunities internationally. Using a

mixture of text, case studies and discussions, students will gain awareness of the importance of

global marketing and will

The approach in the course is to build on and extend the principles learned in the International

Business (MAN 4602). This course consists of three parts (or modules). The first module

focuses on strategic imperatives that face Multinational Corporations (MNC’s) each day. The

second part deals with the organizational challenges and roadblocks encountered by MNC’s.

The last module covers the managerial implications when implementing a strategy.

The course focuses on decision making in a global context and requires both analytical and

quantitative skills to analyze problems.

COURSE OBJECTIVES

The course emphasizes analysis of problems in managing joint ventures, licensing, barter, and

technology transfer. Its goal is to provide an overview of the strategic management and

international business concepts that frame strategic activity within MNCs through the analysis of

competitive business strategies in global and multi-domestic industries.

The first module will begin by taking a brief introductory look at the formulation and

implementation of corporate and business level strategy with particular reference to the global

competitive environment. This analysis will be given a global focus and the student will be asked

to consider the development of alternative strategic configurations designed to exploit and

defend global competitive advantage.

The second module of the course will focus on the internationalization process. This refers to a

firm’s gradually increasing involvement in foreign operations, from fortuitous exports to the

emergence of a truly global firm. This entails not only an examination of the process itself over a

period of time, but also detailed discussion and analysis of the various forms of entry such as

licensing, franchising, equity joint ventures, and the development of wholly-owned subsidiaries.

Attention is given to the formulation and implementation of these mode-of-entry strategies and

the challenges that are typically encountered along the way.

The final module of the course will address a series of implementation issues unique to

international business strategy. This will include problems associated with parent-subsidiary

relationships, issues in formulating global organizational structures, strategies for managing

political and economic risks, host country-MNC relationships and management development in

the global context.

The ultimate goal of this course is to provide students with an in-depth understanding of the

nature and workings of the world’s multinational corporations as they formulate their strategies

and structures to meet the demands of a fast-moving, ever-changing global economy.

This goal will be accomplished through exercises and readings on multinational firm strategy

and structure as presented in the Transnational Management textbook and through the study,

analysis and on-line discussion of real-world multinational strategic management cases assigned

from the textbook and other sources.

Case analysis will elaborate on basic issues in the field to ensure a breadth of understanding in

the class.

Reading assignments will offer more specific insights into particular areas of international

business, providing depth of understanding.

Suggested Readings, such as The New York Times, will provide up-to-date, real-life examples of

the abstract theories and generalizations of the textbook and lectures.

Exams will afford students the opportunity to integrate everything they have learned in the

course into a comprehensive framework, which will help make concepts seem more real, and aid

in applying those concepts to everyday life.

At the end of this course student should be able to:

 Explore and identify the development of alternative strategic configurations designed to

exploit and defend global competitive advantage

 Describe the motivations, means, and mentalities involved in expanding abroad

 Analyze the pitfalls of global expansion

 Describe the importance of Multinational Corporations to the global economy

 Recognize the increasing involvement in foreign operations, from fortuitous exports to

the emergence of a truly global firm.

 Recognize the importance of Developing Transnational Strategies and how they build

layers of competitive advantages

 Describe the traditional and emerging motivations to internationalize

 Examine the internal and external triggers of globalization

 Recognize the impact of worldwide innovation and learning

 Examine the different advantages, goals, and means to develop Transnational strategies

 Discuss the four types of strategies (International, Multinational, Global, Transnational)

and how they differ

 Analyze of the various forms of entry such as licensing, franchising, equity joint

ventures, and the development of wholly-owned subsidiaries.

 Differentiate the challenges facing companies to maintain or achieve worldwide

competitive advantage

 Recognize implementation issues unique to international business strategy

 Apply knowledge learned in this course to analyze and gain understandings of daily

events in international marketplace.

GLOBAL LEARNING, INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MAJOR & GENERAL CURRICULUM

OUTCOMES TARGETED

In addition to the MAN 4633 course learning objectives, this course will address all six College

Curriculum Learning Objectives, including Communications Ability, Use of Information Technology,

Globalization Context for Business, Critical Thinking, Analytic Skills, and Ethical Reasoning Abilities.

Students will be able to:

 Develop strategies for the challenges of doing business in a global environment

 Demonstrate appropriate responses to global conditions and cultural diversity

 Global – students will be able to apply knowledge of political, legal, economic, and cultural

country differences to develop competitive strategies in foreign, regional, and global markets.

 Assess the needs of and justify the advantages accruing from expanding into international

markets

 Critical thinking – students will be able to apply critical thinking skills to complex business

problems. This includes: analyzing complex business problems with no “right answers”,

identifying and evaluating relevant issues and information, generating and evaluating possible

solutions to the problems, recommending solutions based on well-reasoned rationales, and

communicating these thought processes to others in an effective manner.

 Explore the international integration of MNC’sand analyze implications for managers

 Use of information technology – students will be able to use information technology as a tool to

do essential business tasks. These include: the ability to create documents, presentations,

databases and spreadsheets; the ability to use the web to find information and/or create, use

webpages; and the ability to understand the information technology-related terminology.

 Use quantitative tools to evaluate business problems

TEACHING METHODOLOGY

This course will proceed primarily through study, on-line/In class discussion and critical analysis

of the text, cases, and other article readings that have been assigned for the course. Thus, it is

imperative that you have read these materials IN ADVANCE and are well-prepared to discuss

them as they are assigned. PLEASE NOTE – ALL items in each chapter of the text are your

responsibility to read – this includes ALL the readings and notes. Any of these items are fair

game for the tests.

Course delivery will focus on ensuring that students are able to:

 Learn how to apply appropriate problem-solving techniques to business problems related to strategy in a global environment

 Present the data and analysis of a case study in a logical and concise manner

 Be able to interact with other students and work in groups as well as learn teamwork, time management, and compromise.

 Address current world business issues. This discussion will enhance the student’s knowledge of real life problems that MNC’s encounter.

 Learn how to perform web based research.

ASSURANCE OF LEARNING

The College of Business cares about the quality of your education. More on the College’s

commitment to Assurance of Learning can be found at the following link:

http://businessonline.fiu.edu/course_addons/Learning_Commitment.pdf

COURSE PREREQUISITES

For information about prerequisites, click here.

This online section does not require an on-campus meeting and/or exam.

TEXTBOOK

Transnational Management: Text, Cases and Readings in Cross-

Border Management, (Seventh Edition) Christopher Barlett and Paul Beamish

Irwin/McGraw Hill (2013)

ISBN: 978-0078029394

Other Readings: Students are expected to keep up with current events as

they affect international management throughout the course. This can be

accomplished through independent readings from a variety of sources

including The Wall Street Journal and The Economist, among others.

Click here to buy your textbook online at the FIU Bookstore.

EXPECTATION OF THIS COURSE

Students are expected to:

 Review the Start Here folder located in the course content.

 Review the Policies Page as is important to the quality of your education.

 Introduce yourself to the class during the first week by posting a self introduction in the

appropriate discussion forum under the Start Here folder.

 Take the practice quiz under the Start Here folder to ensure that your computer is

compatible with Blackboard

 Interact online with instructor/s and peers and keep up with all assignments.

 Review and follow the course calendar

 Log in to the course at least two times per week

 Respond to discussion boards, blogs and journal postings within 2 days

 Respond to emails/messages within 2 days

 Submit assignments by its corresponding deadline

The instructor will:

 Log in to the course at least four times per week

 Respond to discussion boards, blogs and journal postings within 2 days

 Respond to emails/messages within 2 days

If you are unsure about something – ask!

All students are expected to conduct themselves in a responsible, courteous, and professional

manner in all course communications with both the professor and other class members. All

students are expected to stay in communication on a regular basis with their team members. Any

student who does not perform his/her share of the work or remain in communication with his

team members can be given notice by the team, a minimum of 48 hours in advance, that if he/she

does not contact team/make arrangements regarding work share, that the student will be “fired”

from the team by the other members.

All teams are expected to manage their own interpersonal group dynamics and allocate the

workload reasonably and equitably amongst all team members. While teams can arrange in-

person group meetings if they like, no team can force a team member in a fully-online course

section to attend face-to-face meetings. Students in online sections may not even be located in

the same country as one another at the time of the course, so all teams must make arrangements

to meet online if there are team members who cannot attend an in-person group meeting.

Working in groups is an essential part of this class. These groups create interaction between

students which is even more important in an online class. To get around any issues I suggest you

use the collaboration feature under My Groups, or the Adobe connect found in FIU Online. You

can meet using chat rooms and virtual teams, and never meet in person. You can also use

gotomeetings.com or skype which works great too.

Fully online courses are not independent study courses. You will be expected to interact online

with the professor and your fellow students, to do assignments, to meet deadlines, and to work in

virtual groups. YOU WILL HAVE TO WORK IN GROUPS, NO EXCEPTIONS WILL BE

MADE. In some fully online courses, you may be required to come to campus to take midterms

and exams, but in most, you will take them online. In this course, all tests will be online and no

visits to campus will be required.

COURSE COMMUNICATION

See above. The course mail function on blackboard is the preferred communication mode,

although other forms of communication are welcome.

The message feature is a private, internal Blackboard only communication system. Users must

log on to the blackboard system to send/receive/read messages. There are no notifications in

Blackboard to inform users when a new message has been received; therefore, it is recommended

that students check their messages routinely to ensure up-to-date communication.

The email feature is external communication that allows users to send emails to users enrolled in

the course including the instructor and other students. Emails are sent to the student’s FIU email

on record.

If you do send an email please “MAN4633 – Your Panther ID” in the subject.

DISCUSSION

There will also be a discussion forum board online, where students will startup or continue class

discussions by posting articles or videos. Students are encouraged to engage each other in

course-related discussions and debates on the main discussion forum. This means I want

students to post articles, videos, pose questions and start debates that are relevant to the

coursework. I would expect average of one to two posts per week in the general discussion

forum as a minimum. I will be adding posts as well.

Keep in mind that forum discussions are public, and care should be taken when determining what

to post. If you need to send a private message to an instructor or student, please use the

coursemail.

Class participation is valued highly in this course. As you can see in the grading chart, active

participation is heavily weighted. Students are expected to actively participate in the discussion

board online.

Students must follow current events to be aware of current and potential issues affecting

international business. Students are required to subscribe online to the New York Times or to

read the paper in its printed version.

If you have not participated, you will not receive credit.

In addition to the general discussion forum on Blackboard, each student team, once organized,

will have its own private discussion forum for group postings and other team-only

communications. Students may also use the FIU email and Blackboard course mail and chat

features to hold meetings and discuss items of relevance to the course with one another.

QUIZZES

There will be a quizzes administered online, through Blackboard after each 2 assigned chapters.

You may (and you are encouraged to) retake the quiz one time if you are dissatisfied with your

first performance. Quizzes will consist of multiple choice and/or True/False questions. The

quizzes are “open book”. The quizzes will consist of the following:

 20 questions in total (10 per chapter @ 2 chapters each quiz)

 35 minutes

 2 attempts (Receive highest grade)

There will be absolutely NO exceptions for making up quizzes – the Blackboard process is

automated.

 Quiz 1- Chapters 1 & 2 – 8am on 1/30 to 11:59pm on 2/5

 Quiz 2- Chapters 3 & 4 – 8am on 2/13 to 11:59pm on 2/19

 Quiz 3- Chapters 5 & 6 – 8am on 3/20 to 11:59pm on 3/26

 Quiz 4- Chapters 7 & 8 – 8am on 4/3 to 11:59pm on 4/9

EXAMS

There will also be two exams administered online during the time periods allotted for each exam

noted on the course schedule below. Unlike the quizzes, the examination may NOT be repeated.

The each exam will cover 4 chapters (including all cases within those chapters). While the

material is not cumulative it is important to retain the knowledge and skills built throughout the

course. The examination will consist of any combination of multiple choice and true-false

questions. The exams will consist of following:

 Exam 1 – 60 questions in total (15 per chapter @ 4 chapters for exam)

 Exam 2 – 40 questions in total (10 per chapter @ 4 chapters for exam)

 2.5 hours

 1 attempt

Note: Students will be able to view their score immediately upon completion of the Exam.

 Exam 1: Available February 20th @ 8am – February 26th @ 11:59pm

 Exam 2: Available April 10th @ 8am – April 16th @ 11:59pm

Note: Students will be able to view their score immediately upon completion of the Exam.

GROUP PROJECT

 Groups will have a choice from several cases in the text to make case analysis project

 Groups will work together to develop a PowerPoint presentation of the assigned case

 Each group will be responsible for a written analysis of the assigned case of approximately 5 pages (double-spaced) minimum length.

 Detailed instructions and outlines for this written assignment as well as other relevant course materials will be posted under the “course content” section of the Blackboard site including a

grading rubric

 The group project requires students to explore various international strategic management issues through an analysis of the activities of a multinational corporation. This deliverable

provides an opportunity for students to apply their knowledge from international

management learned earlier in the course, such as techniques and strategies, weighing

political risks, Organizational complexity and diversity, international capital markets and

sources of financing of the multinational firm, foreign investment decision making, and

implementation of strategical initiatives. Students will also develop the skills to identify and

evaluate data, conduct a multi-perspective analysis of the evidence to make logical decisions,

engage in global problem solving and communicate his/her beliefs clearly and accurately.

 Any student who does not perform his/her share of the work or remain in communication with his team members can be given notice by the team, a minimum of 48 hours in advance,

that if he/she does not contact team/make arrangements regarding work share, that the

student will be “fired” from the team by the other members.

 Further, after the deadline, you are required to fill the self and peer evaluation form (posted in the course content). All responses will be confidential between yourself and the instructor.

The responses provided will not be shared with other team members.

 Students can expect scores and feedback for their Group Project approximately 5 days after submission.

AGENDA

The class agenda is as follows:

 Please take advantage of the Power point slides as notes that supplement your required

textbook reading. They will focus on the important topics in each chapter and will help

ensure you understand the readings.  Use the studymate, quizzes, and chapter notes to help you prepare in a timely manner for

the exams.

 Sign into your course on a weekly basis. Not doing this is similar to missing class and can

lead to you missing important course activities.

 You should also check in to the course for any emails or discussion at least twice per

week so that you will become aware of any developments.

 The Discussion forum can tend to get very busy, but I will be monitoring so please chime

in with your comments, posts, videos and articles

 You should try to cover the readings for each session at the beginning of the week so that

you can attempt the quizzes at the end.

 Start working on your group project as soon as you get choose your case and manage

your timeline appropriately so that you can complete it in time to meet the deadline.

GRADES

Course Requirements Weights

Student Homepage 3%

Active participation in Weekly Discussions via

the Discussion Forum 12%

Active participation in Case Discussions via the

Discussion Forum

Case discussions (4 x 3.75%)

15%

Quizzes (4 x 3.75%) 15%

Exam 1 15%

Exam 2 15%

Team Written Case Analysis Paper (submitted

online) & Team Online Case Presentation 25%

Total 100%

*The professor retains the right to curve any grade component.

Letter Grade Range Letter Grade Range Letter Grade Range

A 95-100% B- 80-83 D+ 67-69

A- 90-94 C+ 77-79 D 64-66

B+ 87-89 C 74-76 D- 60-63

B 84-86 C- 70-73 F <60

Note:

1. On-campus visits. 1. This online section does not require on-campus visits to complete the midterm

exam and the final exam.

2. Grade Determination. 1. Your final grade is determined by the above grading components. In addition, the

final grade in this course, once assigned, will not be changed except in the event

of a grading error.

3. Makeup Examination. 1. Absence from examination will only be granted to you if you can provide official

documentation of illness or personal emergency. You are responsible for

informing me as soon as possible (and preferably in advance) regarding a missed

examination. Otherwise, you will receive a score of zero for missing

examinations.

4.

COURSE CALENDAR

Module Topic Text

Week 1:

1/9

Introductory period

Students register for course, obtain books and log onto

Read Transnational

Management Text Chapter

1 Expanding Broad:

Course Blackboard site for initial course information and

form groups for project (Max of 6 students per group).

Once your group has been formed, you must choose a

group Representative and send a Blackboard message

with names of group members to me.

Motivations, Means, and

Mentalities.

Week 2:

1/16

Read Transnational Management Text Chapter 1

Expanding Broad: Motivations, Means, and Mentalities.

Read Case: Sher-Wood Hockey Sticks: Global

Sourcing

January 16th Monday

MLK Holiday (University Closed)

Assignment: Discussion

Forum Questions on Sher-

wood Hockey Sticks Case

must be submitted by

11:59pm on Sunday

Week 3:

1/23

Read Transnational Management Text Chapter 2

Understanding the International Context: Responding to

Conflicting Environmental Forces

Cases choices are available at 8 am on 1/24

Case Projects must be

chosen by 1/29

Groups must post selections

in General Discussion

Forum

Week 4:

1/30

Read Transnational Management Text Chapter 3

Developing Transnational Strategies: Building Layers of

Competitive Advantage

Read Case: United Cereal: Lora Brill’s Eurobrand

Challenge

Assignment: Discussion

Forum United Cereal: Lora

Brill’s Eurobrand Challenge

must be submitted by

11:59pm on Sunday

Quiz 1- Chapters 1 & 2 by

11:59pm on 2/5

Week 5:

2/6

Read Transnational Management Text Chapter 4

Developing a Transnational Organization: Managing

Integration, Responsiveness, and Flexibility

Week 6:

2/13

Review For Exam #1

Studymate Available 8 am on 2/14

Quiz 2- Chapters 3 & 4 by

11:59pm on 2/19

Week 7:

2/20

Exam #1 given online this week coving chapters 1-4

from the text – Must be completed by 11:59pm

Sunday February 28th

Exam #1

Exam will be available

starting Monday,

February 20th at 8:00 am

until Sunday, February

26th at 11:59 pm

Week 8:

2/27

Read Transnational Management Text Chapter 5

Creating Worldwide Innovation and Learning:

Exploiting Cross-Border Knowledge Management

Week 9:

3/6

Read Transnational Management Text Chapter 6

Engaging in Cross-Border Collaboration: Managing

across Corporate Boundaries

Read Case: Nora-Sakari: A Proposed JV in Malaysia

Assignment: Discussion

Forum Questions on Nora-

Sakari case

Week

10:

3/13

SPRING BREAK

Week

11:

3/20

Read Transnational Management Text Chapter 7

Implementing the Strategy: Building Multidimensional

Capabilities

Read Case: Silvio Napoli at Schindler India

Note: Last Day to Drop will be March 20th

Quiz 3- Chapters 5 & 6 by

11:59pm on 3/26

Week

12:

3/27

Read Transnational Management Text Chapter 8 The

Future of the Transnational: An Evolving Global Role

Assignment: Discussion

Forum Questions on Silvio

Napoli Case Must be

Submitted by 11:59pm on

Sunday

Week

13:

4/3

Review For Exam #2

Studymate Available 8 am on 4/4

Quiz 4- Chapters 7 & 8 by

11:59pm on 4/9

Review for EXAM #2

Chapters 5-8

Week

14:

Exam #2 given online this week covering chapters 5-8

from the text – must be completed by 11:59 pm on

Sunday April 16th.

Exam #2 Exam will be

available starting

Monday, April 10th at

4/10 8:00 am until Sunday,

April 16th at 11:59 pm

Weeks

14 to

16:

4/17 to

4/30

Use this time to complete group projects.

All Student Team Case Projects Due by 11:59 pm on

Thursday April 27th.

All Peer Evaluations are due by Friday April 28th

University Final Exam Period

Student teams should

complete all work on case

projects.

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