INTERNATIONAL MANAGEMENT

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MGMT 780 Section 801
University of Baltimore 
Merrick School of Business 
Fall 2000 Syllabus

Professor:	Dr. Christine Nielsen, Director of International Programs   The Northrop Grumman International Scholar
Office:	Thumel Business Center, Room 552
Office Hours:	Mondays, 10:00 - 11:00 am Tuesdays and Thursdays, 10:00-11:00 am                                   and 1:00 - 2:00 pm
Phone:	(410) 837-4992
E-mail:	cnielsen@ubmail.ubalt.edu

COURSE OBJECTIVE
This course will enhance students' understanding of the management challenges facing businesses in today's multicultural, global environment. The goal of this course is to equip students with global vision, enabling them to apply their knowledge of international management, their skills, and sensitivities to succeed in the dynamic global business arena. The benefits of this approach can be applied both to firms with operations abroad, and to domestic companies that face foreign competitors here at home. The theme is cross-cultural management, with components of leadership, management, communications, and negotiations. International business operations, including market entry and country risk analysis are featured.

REQUIRED READING 
Hill, Charles W.L., Global Business Today, 2nd ed., 2001, Irwin/McGraw-Hill. 
The Economist
 

  Assignments are due at the beginning of a class period. Assignments will be accepted up to one week late, but will be penalized one letter grade. If you are unable to attend class on any date when an assignment is due, please turn it in before class, or fax your work to Dr. Nielsen at (410) 837-5675 before class time. 

COURSE GRADE EVALUATION CRITERIA
 

Bata, Ltd.	10%
Class Participation	25%
Country Risk & Opportunities Assessment	15%
Culture & Business Practices Matrix	10%
Global Player Capstone Project Case/Teaching Note or Term Paper (25%)  Class Presentation (5%)	30%
Peer Evaluation	10%

 

  CLASS PARTICIPATION
Participation in all class sessions is essential for the student to understand key concepts and to demonstrate mastery of the course material. Please note that attendance during presentations for the Global Player Capstone Project is required. These contributions will be reflected in your participation grade.  Your contributions to case discussions and participation in class exercises will be a major component of your participation grade. 

Students will be drawn into in-depth analyses of real case examples from a variety of industries. Each student will be challenged to make significant decisions that will affect the strategic interests of the firms under review. Students will exercise their abilities to apply what they have learned in a proactive process. 

Participation in case discussions should follow the guidelines summarized below: 

     - Students contribute to the discussion by raising points that improve the level of understanding of the situation being analyzed 

     - Students listen carefully in order to understand the comments of others 

     - Students are open to various points of view, recognizing there are no "right" or "wrong" answers (...although there may be "better" and "worse" solutions...) 

    - Each student will analyze his or her own approach based on a comparison of the approaches presented by his or her classmates

"THE MARRIAGE OF TWO CULTURES" NEGOTIATION SIMULATION

A simulation is planned during the first half of the semester. "The Marriage of Two Cultures" will involve you in an actual negotiation session that took place in Kuala Lumpur. The experiential technique provides a means of understanding underlying value systems and major concepts that can not be learned through the more passive lecture technique.
 
 

"THE GLOBAL PLAYER" CAPSTONE PROJECT DESCRIPTION

Student teams will analyze an international management scenario in which a firm's leadership is challenged to act as a "global player".  The term "global player" refers to a firm with global vision, capable of anticipating the moves of its foreign competitors, who redesigns the industry in which it competes, and regenerates long-term strategies that fit the firm's dynamic international environment. The chosen firm can be large or small, and information compiled can be from primary and/or secondary sources. The project can illustrate a successful outcome, or a scenario in which the firm failed to meet the international management challenge. 

This capstone project can be prepared either as a case that the students' peers will analyze in class, or as a research paper to be presented in class. As a case, the maximum page length is 8 pages, with a 3-5 page teaching note to guide discussion. As a paper, the maximum length is 10-15 pages. 
The text should be single-spaced, 10-12 characters per inch, with one-inch margins.  Be sure to number pages.
 

CASE WRITING APPROACH 

Contents of a Well-Written Case

1. The "Players" 
Describe the individual international manager(s) in this case. Describe the relevant companies.  These will include the company on which you are focusing as well as other important players in the situation.  These could be competitors, strategic alliance partners, customers, etc. 

2. The Operating Environment of the Firm and Specifics of the Situation that the Company Faces 
Describe the current situation and the international management challenge that the company faces.  A brief history of the company in recent years may help to provide important context.  Include sufficient information about the general environment, the industry, and the company. 

3. A Critical Event or Period for the Company 
The decision-maker(s) should be clearly identified, along with the time period in which the management decision must be made. 

Teaching Note Contents

A teaching note should include the following: 

1. Case Objectives 
How does this case help us to understand key characteristics required for management success in a complex global environment? 

2. Case Analysis 
The case writer should prepare analysis of the situation faced in the case, along the lines of that expected of a student analyzing the case. The teaching note should be developed concurrently with the case to ensure that all data necessary to analyze the situation is provided in the case itself. Suggestions for effective teaching techniques for the case and suggested questions to lead the case analysis discussion should be included. 

3. Evaluation of Various Alternative Courses of Action and Likely Outcomes 

4. Recommended Course of Action 

5. What Actually Happened 

6. List of References (including interviews)

GENERAL GUIDELINES FOR CASE WRITERS 

A case should be decision-oriented rather than just descriptive of a situation.  The decision maker(s) should be clearly identified, along with the time period in which the decision must be made.  Cases should be research based.  Case issues should help students to get out of the spectator role and into a participant role. There should be sufficient information in the case to allow a student to prepare an analysis along the same lines as a responsible decision-maker.  The case should be self-contained and should consist of recent and realistic material. 

The case should be well-written and organized, with appropriate grammar and rhetoric. (A past tense objective idiom is preferred in order to facilitate the student getting involved in the case.) 

If the case is based on primary research, a case release form signature should be obtained from an authorized company representative stating that this information can be released. 

The case writer should refer to tables, graphs, and other illustrations or data as exhibits in the case to clarify certain types of information, such as financial data, etc.

Objectives of this Paper 
How does this paper help us to understand key characteristics required for management success in a complex global environment? 

Description of the Key Players 
Describe  important individual international manager(s) in this case. Describe the relevant companies.  These will include the company on which you are focusing as well as other important players in the situation.  These could be competitors, strategic alliance partners, customers, etc 

The Operating Environment of the Firm and Specifics of the Situation that the Company Faces 
Describe the current situation and the international management challenge that the company faces.  A brief history of the company in recent years may help to provide important context.  Include sufficient information about the general environment, the industry, and the company. 

A Critical Event or Period for the Company 
The decision-maker(s) should be clearly identified, along with the time period in which the decision must be made 

An Analysis of the Situation 

Evaluation of Various Alternative Courses of Action and Likely Outcomes 

Recommended Course of Action 

What Actually Happened 

List of References (including interviews) 

CAPSTONE PROJECT PRESENTATIONS

Each team will present a summary of its project work during one of the last two class sessions. Teams are encouraged to use audio-visual, and other graphic aids to enliven their presentations. Tables, graphs, and figures should be used for concise presentation of comparative data. Guest speakers from companies with which teams have worked may be invited to participate. Presentations are not expected to exceed 45 minutes; however, the addition of a guest speaker could increase the presentation period. Presentations will be scheduled in advance. Presentations will be evaluated by your classmates.
 

PEER EVALUATION
Each student will be evaluated by his or her team members in a confidential report provided to Dr. Nielsen.  These evaluations are to be signed and submitted to the professor in a sealed envelope on December 12.  (Submissions by e-mail will not be accepted.)  Each student will be rated by their peers on the following criteria: a) Amount of work done; b) Intellectual contribution; c) Reliability; and d) Group relations.  Each factor for each team member should be considered separately. Then, a numerical evaluation should be assigned based on a scale of 0 to 10 (nil contribution to outstanding) on the basis of your evaluation of each team member.  A paragraph or two of explanation for the grade assigned should be submitted for each team member evaluated.  General guidelines for peer evaluations are provided below. 
Four factors should be considered separately for each team member: 

1.  Amount of work done: interviews, meetings attended, research and analyses, report writing, typing, editing, etc.

2.  Intellectual contribution: ideas, provocative suggestions, sage advice, useful devil's advocacy, etc. 

3.  Reliability: the team member's performance at meeting deadlines, attendance at meetings, delivery of work promised, etc. 

4.  Group relations: leadership supplied, constructive actions vs. disruptive behavior, assistance provided to teammates, etc. 

The following guidelines should apply: 

1.  Identical evaluations of all team members are unlikely.  Please do not avoid the responsibility of this procedure. 

2.  Very high and very low evaluations should be given extra substantiation in writing.

The degree to which these evaluations will be reflected in the grades assigned by the professor will depend upon the quality of the substantiation evidence. 
 

GENERAL NOTES

1. The MGMT 780 course schedule is subject to change based on the availability of guest speakers and other factors. Dr. Nielsen will communicate any changes during class time, or through e-mail to you. Please check for such messages regularly. 

2. Students should bring their textbooks to all classes. 

3. Do not leave assignments in Dr. Nielsen's mailbox. Assignments should be handed in during class directly to Dr. Nielsen. 

Course Schedule

Session	Assignments Due	Topics
Fri.Oct. 6 At Northrop Grumman 7:30 am- 4:30 pm	• Read Chapt. 3 & 12	Cross-Cultural Interactions for International Business Success Cultural Dimensions and Value Systems  Communicating Across Cultures;  International Marketing Strategies
Sat. Oct. 14 On campus 1:15 pm- 5:00 pm	• Read Hill Chapt. 1 & 2 • Prepare for Case Discussion: "Black & Decker Confronts Japanese Competition At Home and Abroad"  (Sent to you electronically before class, or you can pick up hard copy from Madelaine Stiffler in the Management office on the 5th floor of the Business Center.) • Read The Economist	Course Overview Black & Decker Case Discussion Global Players: Models for International Management Success  The Global Chess Game...Or is it Go?  Overview of Country Risk Assessment for Market Entry Decisions  Case Introduction: "Assessing Opportunities and Risks: Thomas Bata Considers Re-Entry into the Czech Republic"
Sat. Oct. 21 On campus 1:15 pm- 5:00 pm	• Read Chapts. 5 & 6 • Read "Assessing Opportunities and Risks: Thomas Bata Considers Re-Entry into the Czech Republic" (Handed out in class) • Bata Case Answers Due • Read The Economist	National Differences in Political Economy: An International Management Challenge Bata Case Discussion  Introduction to the Culture and Business Practices Matrices Regional Focus on Central Europe Global Business Leadership: An Example from Central Europe Overview of Global Trade & Investment Active-Matrix Liquid Displays  Case Discussion  (Handed out during class time)
Sat. Oct. 28 On campus 1:15 pm- 5:00 pm	• Read Chapts. 10  & 11 • Prepare for Case Discussion "The Nielsen Case"(Handed out in class.) • Country Experts prepare Asian Cultures and Business Practices Matrices • Read Background on the National Trade Data Bank (NTDB) handed out in class • Read The Economist	Changing Paradigms of International Competition: Strategies and Structures  Market Entry Strategies to Fit Firm-Specific Requirements  "The Nielsen Case" Discussion Regional Focus on Asia  Global Business Leadership: An Example from Asia Asian Cultures and Business Practices Overview of Global Information Resources: Electronic & Archival National Trade Data  Bank lab exercise
Sat.  Nov. 11 On campus 1:15 pm- 5:00 pm	• Read "Marriage of Two Cultures" Case (Handed out in class) • Turn in Country Risk & Opportunities assignment • Read The Economist	Preparations for "Marriage of Two Cultures" negotiating session.  Teams meet to plan strategies. Case questions will be completed by teams during class period. Presentations of Country Risk Assessment Results
Sat. Dec. 2 On campus 1:15 pm- 5:00 pm	Read Chapt. 7 • Prepare for Negotiation • Provide EU, NAFTA or MERCOSUR Updates: Bring two recent articles to share with classmates • Read The Economist	Regional Economic Integration "Marriage of Two Cultures" Negotiating Session  Debriefing: Discussion of the Negotiation Process and Results Discuss EU, NAFTA, and Mercosur Updates
Fri. Dec. 1  At Northrop Grumman 7:30 am - 4:30 pm	• Continue work on Global Player Projects	Changing Paradigms of International Competition: Strategic Alliances
Sat.  Dec. 2	• Global Player Projects due. • Distribute Global Player Projects electronically by e-mail. If electronic distribution is not possible due to size of files, for example, then have hard copies available for the professor and your fellow students at Northrop Grumman, Friday, Dec. 1	No class meeting.
Sat. Dec. 9 On campus 1:15 pm- 5:00 pm	• Read Chapt. 14 • Prepare OSC  Case for Discussion (Handed out in class) • Country Experts prepare Latin American Cultures and Business Practices Matrices • Prepare Presentations  • Peer evaluations due.	Managing Global Operations: Focus on Human Resource Management  OSC Case Discussion Regional Focus on Latin America Global Business Leadership: An Example from Latin America Latin American Cultures and Business Practices Global Player Presentations