Politics, Law and Business Ethics

Dear All,

Please read Chapter 3 up to and inclusive of page 124,  aiming to be able to discuss the following issues:

1. Main political systems and conditions of doing business in such systems.
2. Political risks and how to manage them.
3. Main legal systems and related issues such as intellectual property, product safety, taxation and antitrust (antimonopoly) laws.
4. Ethics and Social Responsibility in relation to international companies.

Please have a laptop per pair on Wednesday so we can do some exercises.

International Strategy & Organisation

Dear All,

Please be advised that your mid-term text will take place on Friday, February 15th at 9 am. Please make sure you arrive on time. 

For next week please read Chapter 11 which is a very short chapter.

The main points are:

1. Company mission statement and objectives.
2. Core competencies and value-creating activities.
3. Strategies.
4. Organisational structure.
5. Work teams.

Please familiarise yourself with the chapter, although we will do more work during classes because of your mid-term essay. Thank you.

Ursula

Entry Modes

The main points to know from Chapter 13:

1. Three types of entry modes.
2. Different between export (types), import and countertrade.(types)
3. Export/Import Financing.
4. Contractual entry modes (licencing, franchising, management contracts, turnkey projects) - advantages/disadvantages.
5. Investment entry modes (wholly owned subsidiary, joint venture, strategic alliances).
6. Strategic factors for selecting an entry mode.

Regional Economic Integration

The main points to know for Chapter 8:

1. What is regional economic integration? Levels of integration.
2. Benefits and drawbacks of integration.
3. Integration in Europe. (EU)
4. Integration in the Americas.
5. Integration in Asia & Australia.
6. Integration in the Middle East & Africa.

International Markets

Dear All,

I would like you to read Chapter 9 & 10 from your books, as they closely link together.

Here are the main points of Chapter 9:
1. International Capital Markets, its purpose and reasons for growth.
2. World Financial Centres.
3. Main concepts: bond market, equity market, Eurocurrency market.
4. Foreign Exchange Market.
5. How quote (convert) currencies.

 & 10:
1. How exchange rates influence business.
2. Factors affecting exchange rates & forecasting (general knowledge only!)
3. History of International Monetary System + recent crises.


While you do not need to bring laptops for our Wednesday class, do have them on Friday.

Many thanks
Ursula

Globalization & Cross Cultural Business - main points

These are the main points which you need to know after reading Chapter 1 & Chapter 2

Globalization (p.24):

1. Globalization - definition & historical perspective.
2. Types of globalization.
3. Benefits of globalization of markets & production.
4. Factors driving globalization.
5. Ways of measuring globalization.
6. Impacts of globalization.
7. Companies that participate in international business.


Cross-Cultural Business (p.64):

1. Culture - definition & components
2. Ethnocentrism vs Cultural Literacy
3. They way companies influence culture
4. The influence of physical influence and technology on culture.
4. Hofstede Framework

Week 2

Dear All,

Please do the following for our next class:

- update your glossary and have it ready for me to check it
- finish your test - answers to remaining questions will be available in the lesson
- read Chapter 2 of your textbook.

I  will be sending you some resources so please look out for my e-mail and remember to bring your laptops to our classes.

Enjoy the weekend!

Ursula

Scheme of work for the module

Here is what we intend to cover in the International Business module:

EFUP term module outline

Class name: International Biz 1             

Teacher name:                    Ursula Woodhouse

Term start date:                  7 January 2013

Week	Subject/Topic	Resources/Materials	Assessed component dates and deadlines
1	Introduction to the module History of business, Globalization Basic business terms & concepts Reinforcement test	Textbook, websites, other publications, PP presentation, PESTLE activity,
2	Cross cultural business & challenges of trading and marketing internationally (Hofstede & Lewis) Reinforcement test	Textbook, PP presentation & worksheet, articles,
3	International Monetary System International Financial Markets Reinforcement test	Textbook, PP presentation & youtube video
4	Mid-term seen essay Regional Economic Integration - European Union Reinforcement test	Essay, Textbook, PP presentation	Seen essay – 350 words (25%)
5	Feedback from mid-term test Project launch Entry modes Reinforcement test	Feedback Project details/ info Textbook, PP presentation,
6	International strategy and organisation Reinforcement test	Textbook, PP presentation
7	CSR & Environmental issues Ethics & Transparency, Bribery & Corruption Reinforcement test	Textbook, PP presentation, activity
8	Project checking Case study	Presentation notes
9	Presentations / Final exam	Exam papers	Project Presentations (50%) Final exam (25%)