Course BA 4371.

021 International Business

Professor George Barnes (Senior Lecturer, School of Management)
Term Summer 2006: May 16-Aug 1
Meetings Tues/Thurs 10-11:50am, SM 2.722

Professor’s Contact Information

Office Phone 972-883-2783
Office Location SM 2.232
Email Address gbarnes@utdallas.edu
Office Hours Tues 2-3pm; Wed 1-3pm; Thurs 8:45-9:45am
Other Information Mon am appointments

General Course Information

Pre-requisites, Co- Business Finance, Marketing Management
requisites, & other Course best taken as senior, or second semester junior
restrictions
This is a survey course in international business. Faced with increasing
global competition, firms have expanded their search for new markets, are
assessing the forces of change affecting their business, and are developing
appropriate responses to manage truly global operations. In this context,
the course will examine worldwide patterns of and motivations for trade
Course Description
and investment, identify the institutions and environments affecting
international business, and investigate how multinational firms adapt
functional business areas - - finance, manufacturing, marketing, human
resources - - to operate on a global scale.

Undergraduate degree program learning goals embedded in this course

and the assessment techniques are summarized below:
1. Proficiency in use of technology (access course materials in
WebCT course management system and use Internet for research)
2. Develop regard for human values and ability to make judgments
based on ethical considerations (on exams discuss and
Learning Outcomes demonstrate knowledge of legal issues such as corruption,
intellectual property protection, and prepare ethics case study)
3. recognize multicultural aspects and international dimensions of
societies and be familiar with knowledge and methods necessary
to deal with related problems (demonstrate understanding in case
study analyses, exam essay questions)

International Business: The Challenge of Global Competition, D. Ball,

Required Text & W. McCulloch, P. Frantz, J. M. Geringer, M. Minor, 10th edition
Materials (McGraw-Hill Irwin, 2006). New textbooks have license codes that
provide access to publisher’s website.
 WebCT course website: Power point slide lectures, selected audio
lectures, case study preparation tips, financial management
problems and money market (credit) hedge textbook excerpt, in-
class exercises, exam preparation topics, sample essays and self-
tests, current events.

Internet: Case Study assignments will require students to use

resources on the Internet. The text contains a useful Internet
Additional Resources
Appendix. Students are required to be able to access UTD Library
electronic databases, through UTD Net access account, and/or have
reliable access to the Internet through an Internet service provider.

National Trade Data Bank (NTDB) - provides country, industry,

trade and regulatory information, and is helpful for several case
study assignments (e.g., 9.1, 10.1, 13.1, 17.1, and Female
Executives/chapter 19). Access NTDB through library or computer
lab (free), or www.stat-usa.gov

Assignments & Academic Calendar

[Topics, Reading Assignments, Due Dates, Exam Dates]
Approach to course
Lectures will focus on selected topics from assigned chapters,
supplemented by videos, current events and Instructor's international
business experience. Lectures supplement the textbook, and all chapter
information will not be covered during class. However, students are
responsible for all information in assigned chapters and discussed in class
pertaining to case studies and problem-solving exercises.

Assignments
1. Case Study
Students have different learning styles and demands on their time.
Accordingly, two different approaches to case study preparation
and discussion are offered:

A. Students may choose to be organized into groups of 4, and

each group will be responsible for a specific mini-case from
a chapter in the textbook. A written report and class
presentation will be required. See details below.
B. Students may choose not to associate with a group. Instead,
3-4 students will be chosen randomly by instructor on the
day a case study is discussed and they will answer questions
about the case (see Case Analysis paragraph below for
sample questions). Students chosen may refer to notes
during the discussion. It will be necessary to be prepared
for all cases at least up to the day you are chosen. If a
student exercising this option is not in class on the day
 he/she is called, 10 points will be forfeited and the student
will have a second opportunity. If the student misses the
next call, an additional 10 points will be forfeited, and
student will write (but not present) a case study analysis to
be determined.

Following is additional guidance about chapter-ending minicases:

Profile of Cases
In developing your analysis, be guided by case questions provided
in text and Instructor’s Profile of cases at course website (in
Course Materials, Case studies).

Case analysis
1-what is the message of the case?
2-what information provided is extraneous?
3-what information is missing, and does this lead you to make
certain assumptions?
4-what are the core issues, and what text or lecture information is
related to the case? (cases complement specific chapter topics, but
not the entire chapter)
5-what action would you take, recommendation(s) would you
make?

Private discussion area at WebCT course site is available for each

group to use for communications, file sharing: ask instructor for
technical support.

2. Current events article

Choose business media article (last 12 months) on a topic related to
international business. Submission choice is based on student
preference:
A. share your current event in class on the day that article matches
the assigned topic(s) for that day; no written submission, or
B. attach one paragraph analysis to article and submit to instructor
no later than submission date in Assignment Table below.

Examinations
There will be three exams: two 75 minutes each covering the first
and second thirds of the course, and a Final. Exams will include
multiple choice questions and short essays. Key topics for review
and sample essay questions are posted at the course website.
Bring to exams a Scantron card 882-E (50 questions on a side)
available from Off-Campus Books or UTD bookstore.
Date Chap Topics Assignments

May 16 Syllabus and WebCT

1 The rapid change of global business
May 18 2 Dimensions of trade & investment
International business motivations
Video: Airbus Industrie
May 23 3 Economic theories of trade; Case study groups (or not)
protectionism; investment theories

May 25 4 International institutions/trade blocs

5 International monetary system (IMF)
Video: How the IMF makes loans

May 30 5 International monetary system

11 Financial forces

Jun 1 § - Exam #1 (chap 2-5, 11)

Jun 6 6 Sociocultural forces

Video: Managing the overseas
assignment

Jun 8 12 Labor forces Case 12.1

9 Political forces

Jun 13 9 Political forces: privatization Case 9.1

Video: Privatization

Jun 15 10 Legal forces Jeopardy

Jun 20 10 Legal forces Case 10.1

Jun 22 13 Competitive strategy

15 Entry modes

Jun 27 Exam #2 (chap 6, 9, 10,12)

Jun 29 15 Entry modes: channels of distribution Case 13.1

17 Marketing internationally

Jul 4 HOLIDAY
Jul 6 17 Marketing internationally Case 17.1

Ethics in international marketing Primo case for class role play

and discussion (see course
18 Organizational design website)
Jul 11 18 Control of the multinational firm Case 18.2
19 Human resource management

Jul 13 19 Choosing executives for overseas Case Female Executives

assignments (website)
20 Financial management
Article due
Jul 18 20 Financial management problems Problem due (optional)
21 Global operations: sourcing

Jul 20 21 Global operations: manufacturing Case 21.1

systems
Video: Reindustrialization

Jul 25 Review
Aug 1 Final exam (chap 13, 15, 17-21)

§ instructor will be absent at UT-System conference

Course Policies
Most grades will be based on a 100 point scale.
30% best grade exam 1, 2
30% final exam
30% case study
10% attendance, article

Numerical grade correlation (no rounding up)

Grade of A = 91+
A- 89.1-90.9
Grading (credit) B+ 85.1-89
Criteria B 81-85
B- 79.1-80.9
C+ 75.1-79
C 71-75
C- 69.1-70.9
D+ 65.1-69
D 60-65

Beginning Fall, 2005, UTD required mid-term grades for all students.
For this course, the grade submitted will be first exam and any
completed case study.
A student may request a make-up exam one week prior to the
scheduled exam; the instructor will approve or disapprove on the merit
Make-up Exams of the extenuating circumstances subject to agreement on a mutually
convenient make-up time.
 Earn extra credit by submitting the answer to one of the following financial
management problems keyed to chapter 20:
1. Payable Hedge (see WebCT course site), or
Extra Credit
2. One of the 3 problems (see WebCT course site)

Submit typed, double-spaced, paragraph (calculations as required may be

submitted free-hand). Solutions are due at the beginning of applicable class.

No late assignments are accepted. This restriction may be waived under

Late Work special circumstances. The maximum grade for a late assignment is 80%.

Special See extra credit (above).

Assignments
Class Attendance Attendance may be taken from time to time in the form of an ungraded review quiz.
Classroom
Please arrive on-time to avoid disrupting class; turn off all cell phones and pagers.
Citizenship

The University of Texas System and The University of Texas at Dallas have rules and
regulations for the orderly and efficient conduct of their business. It is the
responsibility of each student and each student organization to be knowledgeable
about the rules and regulations which govern student conduct and activities. General
information on student conduct and discipline is contained in the UTD publication, A
to Z Guide, which is provided to all registered students each academic year.

The University of Texas at Dallas administers student discipline within the

procedures of recognized and established due process. Procedures are defined and
described in the Rules and Regulations, Board of Regents, The University of Texas
Student Conduct
System, Part 1, Chapter VI, Section 3, and in Title V, Rules on Student Services and
and Discipline
Activities of the university’s Handbook of Operating Procedures. Copies of these
rules and regulations are available to students in the Office of the Dean of Students,
where staff members are available to assist students in interpreting the rules and
regulations (SU 1.602, 972/883-6391).

A student at the university neither loses the rights nor escapes the responsibilities of
citizenship. He or she is expected to obey federal, state, and local laws as well as the
Regents’ Rules, university regulations, and administrative rules. Students are subject
to discipline for violating the standards of conduct whether such conduct takes place
on or off campus, or whether civil or criminal penalties are also imposed for such
conduct.

The faculty expects from its students a high level of responsibility and academic
honesty. Because the value of an academic degree depends upon the absolute
integrity of the work done by the student for that degree, it is imperative that a student
demonstrate a high standard of individual honor in his or her scholastic work.

Academic Scholastic dishonesty includes, but is not limited to, statements, acts or omissions
Integrity related to applications for enrollment or the award of a degree, and/or the submission
as one’s own work or material that is not one’s own. As a general rule, scholastic
dishonesty involves one of the following acts: cheating, plagiarism, collusion and/or
falsifying academic records. Students suspected of academic dishonesty are subject
to disciplinary proceedings.
 Plagiarism, especially from the web, from portions of papers for other classes, and
from any other source is unacceptable and will be dealt with under the university’s
policy on plagiarism (see general catalog for details). This course will use the
resources of turnitin.com, which searches the web for possible plagiarism and is over
90% effective.
The University of Texas at Dallas recognizes the value and efficiency of
communication between faculty/staff and students through electronic mail. At the
same time, email raises some issues concerning security and the identity of each
individual in an email exchange. The university encourages all official student email
correspondence be sent only to a student’s U.T. Dallas email address and that faculty
and staff consider email from students official only if it originates from a UTD
Email Use
student account. This allows the university to maintain a high degree of confidence in
the identity of all individual corresponding and the security of the transmitted
information. UTD furnishes each student with a free email account that is to be used
in all communication with university personnel. The Department of Information
Resources at U.T. Dallas provides a method for students to have their U.T. Dallas
mail forwarded to other accounts.
The administration of this institution has set deadlines for withdrawal of any college-
level courses. These dates and times are published in that semester's course catalog.
Administration procedures must be followed. It is the student's responsibility to
Withdrawal from
handle withdrawal requirements from any class. In other words, I cannot drop or
Class
withdraw any student. You must do the proper paperwork to ensure that you will not
receive a final grade of "F" in a course if you choose not to attend the class once you
are enrolled.
Procedures for student grievances are found in Title V, Rules on Student Services and
Activities, of the university’s Handbook of Operating Procedures.

In attempting to resolve any student grievance regarding grades, evaluations, or other

fulfillments of academic responsibility, it is the obligation of the student first to make
a serious effort to resolve the matter with the instructor, supervisor, administrator, or
committee with whom the grievance originates (hereafter called “the respondent”).
Individual faculty members retain primary responsibility for assigning grades and
evaluations. If the matter cannot be resolved at that level, the grievance must be
Student
submitted in writing to the respondent with a copy of the respondent’s School Dean.
Grievance
If the matter is not resolved by the written response provided by the respondent, the
Procedures
student may submit a written appeal to the School Dean. If the grievance is not
resolved by the School Dean’s decision, the student may make a written appeal to the
Dean of Graduate or Undergraduate Education, and the deal will appoint and convene
an Academic Appeals Panel. The decision of the Academic Appeals Panel is final.
The results of the academic appeals process will be distributed to all involved parties.

Copies of these rules and regulations are available to students in the Office of the
Dean of Students, where staff members are available to assist students in interpreting
the rules and regulations.
 As per university policy, incomplete grades will be granted only for work
unavoidably missed at the semester’s end and only if 70% of the course work has
Incomplete been completed. An incomplete grade must be resolved within eight (8) weeks from
Grades the first day of the subsequent long semester. If the required work to complete the
course and to remove the incomplete grade is not submitted by the specified deadline,
the incomplete grade is changed automatically to a grade of F.
The goal of Disability Services is to provide students with disabilities educational
opportunities equal to those of their non-disabled peers. Disability Services is located
in room 1.610 in the Student Union. Office hours are Monday and Thursday, 8:30
a.m. to 6:30 p.m.; Tuesday and Wednesday, 8:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m.; and Friday, 8:30
a.m. to 5:30 p.m.

The contact information for the Office of Disability Services is:

The University of Texas at Dallas, SU 22
PO Box 830688
Richardson, Texas 75083-0688
(972) 883-2098 (voice or TTY)

Essentially, the law requires that colleges and universities make those reasonable
Disability
adjustments necessary to eliminate discrimination on the basis of disability. For
Services
example, it may be necessary to remove classroom prohibitions against tape recorders
or animals (in the case of dog guides) for students who are blind. Occasionally an
assignment requirement may be substituted (for example, a research paper versus an
oral presentation for a student who is hearing impaired). Classes enrolled students
with mobility impairments may have to be rescheduled in accessible facilities. The
college or university may need to provide special services such as registration, note-
taking, or mobility assistance.

It is the student’s responsibility to notify his or her professors of the need for such an
accommodation. Disability Services provides students with letters to present to
faculty members to verify that the student has a disability and needs accommodations.
Individuals requiring special accommodation should contact the professor after class
or during office hours.
The University of Texas at Dallas will excuse a student from class or other required
activities for the travel to and observance of a religious holy day for a religion whose
places of worship are exempt from property tax under Section 11.20, Tax Code,
Texas Code Annotated.

The student is encouraged to notify the instructor or activity sponsor as soon as

possible regarding the absence, preferably in advance of the assignment. The student,
so excused, will be allowed to take the exam or complete the assignment within a
reasonable time after the absence: a period equal to the length of the absence, up to a
maximum of one week. A student who notifies the instructor and completes any
Religious Holy
missed exam or assignment may not be penalized for the absence. A student who fails
Days
to complete the exam or assignment within the prescribed period may receive a
failing grade for that exam or assignment.

If a student or an instructor disagrees about the nature of the absence [i.e., for the
purpose of observing a religious holy day] or if there is similar disagreement about
whether the student has been given a reasonable time to complete any missed
assignments or examinations, either the student or the instructor may request a ruling
from the chief executive officer of the institution, or his or her designee. The chief
executive officer or designee must take into account the legislative intent of TEC
51.911(b), and the student and instructor will abide by the decision of the chief
 executive officer or designee.
Off-campus, out-of-state, and foreign instruction and activities are subject to state law
Off-Campus and University policies and procedures regarding travel and risk-related activities.
Instruction and Information regarding these rules and regulations may be found at
Course Activities http://www.utdallas.edu/BusinessAffairs/Travel_Risk_Activities.htm.
Additional information is available from the office of the school dean.

The descriptions and timelines above are subject to change at the discretion of the Professor.

WebCT online course site

This course is available in WebCT, an online course management system supported by UTD.
The online dimension is intended to enhance your learning and participation experience. Go to
the following URL: http://webct.utdallas.edu and log on using your UTD-assigned Net-account
User ID and password; click on this course. Student who don't currently have a Net ID account,
please initiate your account at: http://netid.utdallas.edu. For more information about Net ID, go
to http://netid.utdallas.edu/guam/html/netid.html For help: call computer help desk 972-883-
2911, or email assist@utdallas.edu.

In addition to a confident level of computer and Internet literacy, certain minimum technical
requirement must be met to enable a successful learning experience. Technical requirements
include but not limited to:

Hardware
• A Pentium processor or equivalent Mac system; Windows 98/Me/2000/XP or Mac OS
9.x or OS X 10.1.
• Internet access with 56.6 kbps modem (minimum). A high-bandwidth connection is
recommended.
• 128 MB system Ram; 500 MB free disk space or sufficient storage
• Sound card
Software
• Web browser: Internet Explorer, Netscape Navigator, AOL, Mozilla or Safari. For
WebCT supported browsers and versions, please see validated browser list. Also see
browser configuration information below.
• MS Office 2000 is the minimum standard (Microsoft software is available at a nominal
cost from UTD bookstore)
• Virus detection/protection software such as McAfee
• “Plug-in” tools such as current version of RealPlayer and Adobe Acrobat Reader
Web Browser Configuration
To view WebCT courses you need one of the WebCT supported browsers listed above with
JavaScript enabled and cookie enabled. It is also important that you set the cache settings of
your browser to verify web documents “Every Time”. The methods for configuring these
settings vary among browsers. You can check your browser's documentation for details. Or you
can follow this web link provided by WebCT to tune up your browser:
http://www.webct.com/tuneup
Features of your International Business WebCT online course this semester
• Syllabus
• Calendar (Instructor will post key dates, and students may personalize Calendar with "private"
entries)
• Course materials
1) lectures (streaming audio and slide presentations available for some sessions)
2) downloadable PowerPoint slide lectures
3) exercises/cases for written assignments and class discussions
4) case studies, profiles of case, and peer evaluation
5) business surveys/articles
6) video clips
• Communications
1) in Discussions, use Main Topic for questions and answers about the course which concern all
students
2) Course Announcement Topic for instructor to post course updates
3) Private Discussion groups may be set up for Case Study communications, exchange of files
4) Email
• Exam preparation
1) exam review topics and sample essay questions
2) self-tests in multiple choice format for each of the three (3) exams
• Student tools