Unit Information – IBM501: International Business
IBM501 International Business – Semester 1, 2017
UNITCODE Unit Title: IBM501: International Business
Credit points: 10 Mode: Terrestrial and distance learning Assumed knowledge: No assumed knowledge Location: On-campus and via Learn Line Pre-requisite(s): None Learning method: Lectures, Discussion Board events Year: 2017
Semester: One Unit coordinator:
Dr Rajeev Sharma
School: Business Phone: 08 8946 8832 Email: [email protected]
Unit Description This is a postgraduate unit and only available to students enrolled in postgraduate courses. This unit addresses the issues of international business and is designed to assist in the development of knowledge and skills in relation to managing within an international business organization. This unit offers students the opportunity to explore the risks and rewards of an international approach to business from a theoretical point of view, to explore some of the cultural and ethical issues involved in international business, and to research the experience of a range of firms who operate globally. Its main objective is to provide students with an overview of international business functions so that international business opportunities could be identified and utilized more effectively.
Learning Outcomes On completion of this unit a student should be able to:
1. Discuss and describe globalisation processes and how they might affect markets and production. 2. Discuss and describe the key concepts and factors of international trade and investment. 3. Understand and describe the key differences between domestic and international business and how they might affect organisational decisions. 4. Develop an understanding of the motivators and deterrents that might impact an organisation's decision to go international. 5. Analyse current trends and predict likely developments in international business and international management.
Unit Information
Teaching and Learning Strategies The unit will be delivered as lectures delivered terrestrially and also on-line, with all the lecture materials made available as PowerPoint slides.
In support of the learning process, a student learning pack is available in a downloadable form from Learnline. These materials also contain guided readings in the required unit text and academic journal articles. Additional learning will occur through student/tutor interaction utilising the unit Discussion Board.
Assessment will be based upon two assignments, details of which are specified in the student learning pack. The unit is designed to be delivered both terrestrially and online. Face to face sessions are likely to be more problem solving and/or tutorial like.
Participation Your contact requirements are 3 hours/week over a 12 week period based upon a combination of formal lectures and participation in on-line Learnline discussion board events (for which a broadband connection is required) plus 5 hours/week individual study over 12 weeks. Students should communicate with the tutor via the Learnline e-mail system. Additional 1-to-1 and/or group-based events utilising the Discussion Board designed to assist the student learning process may be scheduled as identified need arises during the unit. Hence students are advised to regularly check the Discussion Board to determine the time and date for any such additional activities
Specific details of individual class times can be obtained by accessing the class timetable at: http://www.cdu.edu.au/timetable
Overview of Assessment
Item Description/Focus Value
Relates to learning outcomes
1.
Determination of an overseas market for a specific firm of choice
40 % 1,2,3,6
2.
Review, analysis and reporting of International Business practice of a real organization (up to 2,000 words)
40 % 4, 5,6
3.
Participation in online quizzes, discussion board and short answer questions
20% 1,2,3,4,5,6
Unit Information – IBM501: International Business
IBM501 International Business – Semester 1, 2017
Special Requirements None
Required textbook(s) Fisher, G., Hughes, R., Griffin, E. and Pustay, R. (latest edition), International Business: Managing in the Asia-Pacific, Pearson Education Australia.
Learnline (Online Learning System) Learnline is Charles Darwin University’s on-line learning system.
In this unit, Learnline will be used to:
provide important announcements about the unit
distribute lecture slides, and other study materials. It is likely this will include online audio files of lectures.
complete online assessments
access feedback from tasks and grades for assessable work
provide a communication point where you contribute to discussions as part of your assessment, and to interact with other students in the unit
You will need to connect to the Internet to access it, at http://online.cdu.edu.au/
Access to Learnline may not be available until Day 1 of Semester.
If this is your first time using Learnline, click on ‘Student Support’ in the left-hand navigation panel BEFORE logging in.
It is recommended that all students have access to regular and reliable broadband access to complete unit
Unit Information
Learning Schedule
Duration / Module
Topics
Required readings or student learning activities to be completed
Assessments Due
Session 1 International Business and World Trends
Chapter 1 in the required text and Marcovitch, I. (1997)
Session 2
International Trade and Investment Theories
Chapters 2 and 3 in the required text and Porter, M. (1990b),
Session 3 Role of Government and Economic Co-Operation
Chapters 4 and 9 in the required text and Petlis, C. (1994)
Session 4 Role of Political & Legal Systems
Chapters 5 and 6 in the required text and Posin, D.Q. (2004)
Session 5 Culture, Ethics and Governance
Chapters 7 and 8 in the required text and Van Tulder, R and Kolk, A. (2001)
Assignment 1 Due date: Friday
Session 6 International Strategy
Chapter 10 in the required text and Mathews, J.A. (2006)
Session 7 International Market Entry Strategies
Chapter 11 in the required text
Session 8 Organisational Structure
Chapter 12 in the required text and Darling, J.R. and Seristo, H.T. (2004)
Session 9 International Marketing
Chapter 13 in the required text
Session 10 International Marketing Mix
Myers, M., Tamer, S., Cavusgil, D. and Diamantopoulos, A. (2002)
Session 11 International Financial Management
Chapters 14 and 15 in the required text and Hegarty, J. (1997)
Assignment 2 Due date: Friday
Session 12 International Human Resources Management
Chapter 16 in the required text and Wu, C., Lawler, J. and Yi, X. (2008)
Unit Information – IBM501: International Business
IBM501 International Business – Semester 1, 2017
e-Reserve e-Reserve allows electronic copies of journal articles, book chapters and lecturer notes that have been recommended by a lecturer as part of their unit reading requirements.
e-Reserve site is password protected. Your CDU student login will provide you access. You can then search for items by Lecturer, Unit Code, Title, Author, keyword, Year or Date if you have that information.
Additional Resources Downloadable student learning pack located on Learnline containing detailed coverage of the learning materials, PowerPoint lecture overheads, required readings, additional reference sources, assignment briefings
Unit Information
Assessments
Assessment Item 1 Description/Focus: The purpose of this assignment is to provide an opportunity to utilise your skills and knowledge in acquiring secondary (i.e. existing) information as the basis of developing a report. The purpose of this assignment is to undertake an analysis of a new overseas market or an existing overseas market where significant expansion should be implemented. Value: 40%
Due date: Friday, Week 5
Length: 2000-2500 words
Task: Utilise the University library, the Internet and any information made available by the organisation (e.g. annual report, promotional materials) to provide an analysis of the organisation’s current operations as the basis for recommending an entry into a new overseas market or implementing a significant expansion in an existing overseas market where a major new opportunity exists.
Assessment criteria: The submitted assignment is required to demonstrate the following:
1. An ability to utilise sources such as the Internet and University library facilities to search, locate and summarise data relevant to the assignment 2. An ability to utilise appropriate academic theories on international business that can provide a framework for analysing an overseas market. 3. An ability to develop an effective analysis of an overseas market. 4. An ability to present a well written, well-structured report 5. An ability to critically analyse information, formulate conclusions and exhibit original thought.
The levels of achievement for the assignment are measured by demonstration of:
1. The data acquired and summarised from sources such as the Internet and the University library facilities. 2. Presentation of appropriate international business theories about overseas market conditions and key variables in terms of being used as frameworks to support your analysis. 3. Identification of the factors within the selected overseas market which are key influencers of the organisation’s future performance in this
Unit Information – IBM501: International Business
IBM501 International Business – Semester 1, 2017
market. 4. The submission of a well written, well-structured report. 5. A critical analysis of information to generate conclusions and provide evidence of original thought.
Assessments
Assessment Item 2 Description/Focus: This is an individual assignment. You are required to identify, review, analysis and report International Business Practice of a real organization of your choice.
Value: 40 %
Due date: Friday Week 11
Length: 2000-2500 words
Task: The purpose of this assignment is to provide an opportunity to utilise your knowledge of international business to undertake an analysis of the practice of a real organisation. You may choose an organisation for the local environment or from overseas. Business press is full of reports about different aspects of international business strategy adopted by organisations – both local and international. You need to not only report the development, but also analyse the relevance of such action. An overriding issue will be to assess, “is this action theoretically sound and justified”? Assessment criteria: The submitted assignment is required to demonstrate the following:
1. An ability to utilise sources such as the Internet and University library facilities to search, locate and summarise data relevant to the assignment 2. Selection of a real international business strategy for the chosen organisation. 3. An ability to utilise appropriate theories about international business to assess if the new action or strategy is appropriate. 4. An ability to utilise appropriate theories to create frameworks to assess its relevance 5. An ability to present a well written, well-structured report 6. An ability to critically analyse information, formulate conclusions and exhibit original thought.
Unit Information
The levels of achievement for the assignment are measured by demonstration of:
7. Effective use sources such as the Internet and University library facilities to search, locate and summarise data relevant to the assignment 8. Presentation of an appropriate recommendations in case you identify any deficiency with the reported strategy or action 9. Submission of a well written, well-structured report 10. Evidence of critically analysis of information, formulation of conclusions and exhibiting original thought.
Assessments
Assessment Item 3
Description/Focus:
To focus of this assignment is on your participation in-class, tutorials and discussion board activities.
Value: 20 %
Due date: On going
Length: TBC
Task: The purpose of this assignment is to provide an opportunity to utilize your knowledge of international business issues to discuss and contribute to your own learning and sharing your views and understanding with others in your group and or class.
Assessment criteria: Your participation should demonstrate the following:
Attendance, preparation and contribution to discussions An ability to present well-structured and theoretically sound arguments An ability to critically analyse information, formulate conclusions and exhibit original thought.
The levels of achievement of participation are measured by demonstration of:
Effective use sources such as the Internet and University library facilities to search, locate and summarise data relevant to the issues
Utilisation of appropriate theories about international business to take a
Unit Information – IBM501: International Business
IBM501 International Business – Semester 1, 2017
position about the issues being discussed
Use of appropriate theories to create frameworks that can to justify your decisions
Evidence of critically analysis of information, formulation of conclusions and exhibiting original thought.
Unit Information
CDU Graduate attributes CDU graduate attributes refer to those skills, qualities and understandings that should be acquired by students during their time at the University regardless of their discipline of study.
(See http://www.cdu.edu.au/graduateattributes/graduateattributes.html).
In this unit, the following graduate attributes are developed:
Attribute Description
Learning outcomes
Acquisition Can identify, retrieve, evaluate and use relevant information and current technologies to advance learning and execute work tasks.
1
Application Is an efficient and innovative project planner and problem solver, capable of applying logical and critical thinking to problems across a range of disciplinary settings and has self-management skills that contribute to personal satisfaction and growth.
2
Creativity Can conceive of imaginative and innovative responses to future orientated challenges and research.
3
Knowledge base
Has an understanding of the broad theoretical and technical concepts related to their discipline area, with relevant connections to industry, professional, and regional and indigenous knowledge.
4, 5
Communication Demonstrates oral, written, and effective listening skills as well as numerical, technical and graphic communication skills in a cross generational environment.
6, 7