State University of New York

Course Information for Students

Course Title: International Business Management

 

Credit Hours:  Three Credit Hours

Prerequisite:   ACCT 120 and ECON 100 or ECON 110

Instructor:       Peter Van Brunt, Sanford # 2;  Office Telephone: 607-746-4063

E-Mail              vanbruap@delhi.edu,

Web pages:      http://www.delhi.edu/faculty/vanbruap/(for information on assignments, grades, etc. – see below)

                        WebCt Site (for chapter notes, quizzes and other resources)

Office hours: MWF 11:00 - 11:50 AM and TR 9:30 - 10:45 AM, but please feel free to see anytime the door is open, or E-mail me anytime.

 

COURSE DESCRIPTION: The course is designed to provide the participant with a general overview of business management concepts on the international level. The global business environment, monetary system and corporate management issues are explored.

 

COURSE OBJECTIVES: The objectives of this course are to provide the students with the following:

·         A basic understanding of the issues and complexities involved with international business.

• An enhanced knowledge base of the content areas described in the course outline below.
• An academic foundation to succeed in other undergraduate classes or pursuit of graduate studies.
• Development of sound research skills.

 

REQUIRED TEXT: International Business, by Don Ball and Wendell McCulloch, 9^th edition, published by Irwin McGraw-Hill. Note also that you will need access to the Internet as well as a your Delhi student e-mail address for this course.

 

GRADING: Your final grade will be composed of the following:

  

 

There may be exceptions to the above grade determinants.  If (1) you have missed no more than three hours of classes (two classes if on a TR schedule or three classes on a MWF schedule), AND (2) completed all other course requirements (quizzes, mid-term exam, paper and oral presentation), you may elect not to take the final exam.  You will receive the grade you have earned based on the other grade determinants.  In this case, your grade will be determined as follows: 

 

Grades will be assigned as follows:

 

F - Fail - Students who fail to meet the course objectives at even the most rudimentary (basic) level.

D - Unsatisfactory - Students who meet many, but not all objectives.

C - Satisfactory/Fair - Students who demonstrate a basic competence in the course objectives.

B - Good - Students who have demonstrated competence in all course objectives as well as additional insight based on their comprehension.

A - Excellent - Students who have mastered all course objectives and can apply the material to new situations thereby demonstrating a true command of the material.

Plus and minus grades may also be given. A plus grade signifies performance that is slightly better than the straight letter grade but insufficient to achieve the next higher letter grade. A minus grade indicates performance that is inferior to the straight letter grade, but superior to the next lower letter grade. No plus grades will be given for the "A" and "F" classifications and no minus grade will be given for the F classification.

A NOTE ON QUIZZES:  There are a total of twenty quizzes, each representing a chapter in the text.  Each quiz contains 20 true/false and multiple choice questions which must be answered in 15 minutes (if you take more than 15 minutes, you will not be cut off, but, I reserve the right to disallow any quiz which exceeds 15 minutes, should you abuse this privilege.  Each quiz will be available up to a specific date and time for you to take on my WebCt site.  The quiz component of your final grade will consist of your best eight  scores, four of which must come from chapters 1-10, and four of which must come from chapters 11-20.

THE RIGHT TO LEARN: You are strongly encouraged to engage in free discussion, inquiry and expression. Your performance will be evaluated solely on an academic basis, not on opinions on matters unrelated to academic standards.

ATTENDANCE: Both you and I are expected to attend all classes.  Please see grade section above. If you are absent from class due to health reasons, you must provide me with a doctor's note.  If you are absent due to a religious holiday, or a college-sponsored academic or extracurricular activity, you must provide me with at least one week's advance notice or your absence will be formally recorded.

LATENESS: Unforeseen circumstances may cause you to be late upon occasion. Attendance is taken at the beginning of class; it is your responsibility to see me after class to ensure that your presence is recorded should you be late. Repeated latenesses will be considered as absences should this accommodation be abused.

ACADEMIC HONESTY Quizzes, examinations, research papers, and all other assignments must represent your individual work. Violators of this policy will result in a zero grade for the activity and possible dismissal from the course. The subject of plagiarism has come under new scrutiny. With more and more information available to students (notably through internet sources), issues concerning plagiarism are more frequently encountered.  Several students have been severely penalized in the recent past for plagiarism in their research papers for this course.  I reserve the right to submit violators of this policy to the Student Conduct Council for additional disciplinary sanctions as per the Student Conduct Code.   The following websites contain well-written treatments on this subject and should be reviewed to ensure you have a clear understanding of plagiarism:

 

Resnick Library Web site on Plagiarism

Citing Sources in MLA Style

University of California at Davis: Avoiding Plagiarism: Mastering the Art of Scholarship

WEB PAGES:  My web pages contain information critical for this course.  The first web page http://www.delhi.edu/faculty/vanbruap/ includes assignments, current grades, copies of the course information sheet and written assignment, and links to web sites you will find essential for researching your term paper.  You can easily access my web site through the Delhi home page.  Click on Faculty and Staff Resource Pages, then click on Faculty and Staff Home Pages, and then click on my name.

The second site, https://webct.delhi.edu/webct/public/home.pl contains chapter notes, quizzes other resources pertaining to the chapters in the textbook.  This site is password protected: your WebCt ID is your student ID number; your password is your 6 digit PIN for accessing Banner Web (for grades and schedules).  You can access this site (1) from the Delhi home page (click on info systems, and then click on WebCt), or (2) the link on the BUSI 360 home page on my personal web site, http://faculty.delhi.edu/vanbruap/.

WEATHER EMERGENCIES

In case of some major weather event (blizzard, flood, typhoon, etc.), it is possible that the college will cancel all classes.  You may call 607-746-4800 for an official announcement as to whether classes are in session or cancelled for the day.  If the college has not cancelled all classes, we will hold class.  If classes are cancelled, the assignment for the following class will also be due at the next scheduled class.

TOPICAL COURSE OUTLINE

·                     Background and Context of International Business. Historical information – why countries trade. Overview of the modern international business environment, current events, trade issues, international organizations, developing countries.

·                     Global Environment Factors and Related Considerations. Economic theory – why countries trade and related topics. Cultural factors - i.e. religion, language, social institutions, differences, awareness and sensitivity. Political factors – trade barriers. Technological factors. Risks - intellectual property rights, non or slow payment, property loss, nationalization and foreign currency. Geography – natural resources, ports, trade leaders, role of geography in business.

·                     The Global Monetary System. Exchange rates - determinants of exchange, related economic theory, fixed vs. floating exchange rates. The International Monetary Fund and international capital markets (bond and equity). Single currency issues.

·                     Economic Integration in Different Parts of the World. Motivation for economic integration – advantages, disadvantages and controversial issues. International organizational structures. Global manufacturing - make vs. buy and geographic considerations. Production and exporting factors - economic, logistical and legal considerations. International marketing - global marketing context, marketing mix considerations, problems and opportunities in international marketing. Corporate finance on the international level. Human resources - expatriates, compensation, training, special considerations.

·                     Global Business Opportunities. Exporting, importing, foreign investment, strategic alliances

·                     Future Trends of International Business. Issues, opportunities and challenges likely in the future.

 

Jan 05