MANA 3350

(Section 00579)

INTERNATIONAL ENVIRONMENT OF BUSINESS

Spring 2004

Tuesdays and Thursdays 10:00 AM – 11:30 AM

Instructor: Dr. Barbara Carline-mail:

Office:310-A Melcher Halloffice hours: T/TH 9 – 10AM or by Office Phone: 713 743-4661 appointment

URL: and WebCT

TEXT

Wild, J.J., Wild, K.L., Han, J.C.Y., 2003. International Business, NJ: Prentice-Hall.

Additional reading material may be handed out in class or made available at the UH Library

COURSE DESCRIPTION

This course provides an introduction into the environment of international business. The perspective of the course is strategic, that is, it looks at the business environment from the perspective of the top management team. The course will cover such topics as the economic, financial, political and cultural environments faced by businesses operating globally.

COURSE OBJECTIVES

  1. To help students understand the trends toward globalization and its impact on business.
  2. To acquaint students with the effects of a variety of forces on global business:
  3. Economic
  4. Political
  5. Legal
  6. Ethical
  7. Cultural
  8. To introduce students to analytic tools used to help understand the global business environment.
  9. To help students understand the alternative modes of operation available to a company that chooses to operate internationally.

COURSE EVALUATION

Exams

There will be three mid-term exams and a comprehensive final exam. Each exam counts the same as the others – 75 points. Only grades from three of the exams will count. Students may opt to take all four exams and drop the lowest grade or may elect to take the three mid-terms and forego the final exam. All exams will cover required text readings and class discussions, including case presentations and any in-class exercises.

Group Presentation

Each student will be assigned to a group of no more than six students. Each group will be responsible for choosing a country they find interesting and presenting to the class a relevant aspect of the country’s business environment or business culture. Examples of possible topics include“Managerial differences in ______country”, “Economic/Financial risks of doing business in ______”, “Ethical dilemmas of doing business in ______”. Each group may pick one of the presentation dates indicated on the course schedule. Dates are allocated on a “first come, first served” basis. The presentation can take any form (creativity is encouraged) and should take about 10 to 15 minutes. The presentation grade will be 50% assessed by fellow students and 50% by the professor. Group members may, if they wish, submit to the instructor their own assessment of their colleagues’ performance. These inter-group assessments will be incorporated into the grades assigned to individual participants in each group. The group presentations are worth 75 points.

Grading

Grade / PercentRange / Total Points
A / 93 – 100 / 279 and above
A- / 90 – 92.9 / 270 – 278
B+ / 87 – 89.9 / 261 – 269
B / 83 – 86.9 / 249 - 260
B- / 80 – 82.9 / 240 - 248
C+ / 77 – 79.9 / 231 - 239
C / 73 – 76.9 / 219 - 230
C- / 70 – 72.9 / 210 - 218
D+ / 67 – 69.9 / 201 - 209
D / 63 – 66.9 / 189 - 200
D- / 60 – 32.9 / 180 - 188
F / Below 60 / Below 180

NOTES ON CLASSROOM POLICIES

  • If you e-mail attachments to me, please check for viruses.
  • Accommodations for Students with Disabilities will be respected. Please call X3-5400 for information.
  • Writing help is available at the UH Writing Center located in 217 Agnes Arnold.
  • Please be considerate in your use of pagers and cell phones. Turn them off unless it is absolutely necessary (e.g. required by your employer).
  • Policy on Plagiarism
  • Plagiarism will not be tolerated. Penalties for plagiarism include, but are not limited to, failure in the course, suspension, and permanent expulsion from the university. For more information, consult the University of Houston Undergraduate Studies handbook, section on “Academic Honesty.”