MGT 4110

 

Period & Location     : TBA

Instructor                    : Dr. Kevin Au

Office Hour                 : By Appointment (email or phone)

Office                           : Rm. 405, KKL Bldg.

Phone & E-Mail          : 2609-7802 (kevin@baf.msmail.cuhk.edu.hk)

 

Pedagogic Philosophy

Objectivism is the pedagogic philosophy underlying many junior classes. Objectivism assumes that there is an objective reality and that the goal of learning is to understand this reality and have behavior modified through selective reinforcement. This course emphasizes another pedagogic philosophy. Collaborativism does not assume objective knowledge, and instead regards knowledge as constructed through interaction among a group of individuals. That is, learning occurs as individuals exercise, verify, solidify, and improve their mental models through discussion and sharing. In practice, this philosophy is implemented as structured questioning. We will first explore intriguing phenomena concerning international business, then some structures (models and theories) for understanding these phenomena. The instructor will challenge you to apply these structures for understanding other similar phenomena and lastly coach you to find out shortcomings in old structures and to revise them for better understanding of the rapidly evolving international business arena.

OBJECTIVES

Building on intermediate courses, such as Global Enterprise Management and Asia Business, this course delves into analyzing several ‘hot’ issues that give new meanings to international business. These are topics that will change or have already changed fundamentally how international business is done. The Asian crsis in 1997 shocked the world financial markets and exposed the frailty and bias of international institutions, established after WWII, upon which international business depends. The 9-11 event has shaken the US’s role as the guardian of international relations and heralds re-allocation of power and wealth between the Islamic world and the West, and between the US and emerging superpowers, probably EU, China, and India. Further, rapid emergence of technology has made knowledge central to MNCs and affected competition, structure, movement of talents and HRM policies. Advantage is now about knowing rather than owning. Due to rapid unfolding of international even, the final content of this course is subject to change. The analysis of the topics is not supposed to be comprehensive since other MIB courses have provided general coverage. Instead, we aim to challenge students to learn how to construct their own understanding on issues that would evolve and haunt them in their future international business career. The emphasis is depth and personal rather than breath and consensual. Accordingly, the objectives of this course are as follows:

1. able to trace and understand important emerging issues in international business;
2. to gain a personal insight on these issues; and
3. to learn how to apply international business theories and models acquired to analyze these issues in building and defending your personal views.

course requirements

Though papers	20%
Insight paper (presentation + report)	30%
Book report	30%
Class Participation	20%
Total	100%

1. THOUGHT PAPERS

Students are required to turn in two thought papers of two to three pages long. It could be about a thought arisen from reading the assigned readings or discussion in previous class, a criticism of the readings, or new insight on cases assigned for the class. You shall prepare to talk about these papers in class.

2. INSIGHT PAPER

You will finish this project either individually or in small groups. You are required to pick an important emerging issue in international business and trace its history of development. Following this, you will apply theories or models in international business as framework to understand this issue, make predictions and discuss the implications. The most important part is to tell us what actions policies makers, either governments, managers, or community leaders, shall take in order to meet future challenge because of the changes surrounding the topic. The advice may be concerned with HR, gaining competitive advantage, ethical consideration, and others.

3. BOOK REPORT

You are required to read a classic or a recent influential book on international business, broadly defined. You may pick one out the list at the end or find one for yourself with my approval. Your choice must not be a textbook. Other than that, it can be an academic or practitioner oriented book, or even a novel, as long as it provides an insightful view on international business. Finding an exciting and audacious choice that fits the above criteria would be an advantage to you. I can give you advice when you make your decision. You will first explain your choice in class and then give an interim report in the middle of the term. Lastly, you will submit a report that summarizes the content, illustrates some important, exciting points of view, and makes critical evaluation on the strengths and weaknesses of the publication.

4. Class Participation

You should expect to participate actively in an advanced course, especially when collaborativism is the philosophy. This means you will have to prepare well before each class and overcome the inertia of keeping silent. As an advanced course, students will be required to analyze difficult business cases independently. Difficult cases refer to business situation in which there may exist no clear problem, solution, and analysis method. Students should have substantial experience in case analysis or otherwise prepare themselves well on the use of case method before the course. Students are expected to read the case and answer the assigned questions before each class.

 

Required Text:

Stiglitz, J. E. 2002. Globalization and its discontents. London: W.W. Norton.

Week	Content	Activities	Readings
1	Introduction		Textbook
2	Globalization	Discussion of Case 1	Textbook
3	Globalization	Choice of book for report	Textbook
4	Towards the future	Debate	R1, R2
5	Change challenge	Discussion of Case 2	R3
6	Motivational challenge	Discussion of Case 3;	R4
7		Interim progress on book report
8	Structural challenge	Discussion of Case 4	R5
9	Collaboration challenge	Discussion of Case 5
10	Diversity challenge	Game
11		Submission of book report
12		Project presentation 1
13	Wrap-up	Project presentation 2

 

Reading	Title
R1	Checa, Nicolas and others, 2003. The new world disorder. Harvard Business Review, July-August: 71-79.
R2	Khanna, T. & Palepu, K. 1999. The right way to restructure conglomerates in emerging markets. Harvard Business Review, July-August: 125-130.
R3	Ghosn, C. 2002. Saving the business without losing the company. Harvard Business Review, January-February: 37-53.
R4	Leung, K. 1997. Negotiation and reward allocations across cultures. In P.C. Earley & M. Erez (eds.), New Perspectives on International/Organizational Psychology. San Francisco: The New Lexington Press.
R5	Bartlett, C.A. & Ghoshal, S. 1988. Organizing for worldwide effectiveness. California Management Review (in WEBCT)

 

Case	Title
Case 1	Currency crises (HB 9-799-088)
Case 2	Haier Hefei Electronics (HB 9-300-070)
Case 3	Lincoln Electric: Venturing Abroad (HB 9-398-095)
Case 4	Philips vs. Matsushita (HB 9-399-102)
Case 5	Xerox and Fuji Xerox (HB 9-391-156)

 

Book list: Doz, Yves, Santos, J. & Williamson, P. 2002. From global to metanational: how companies win in the knowledge economy. Boston: Harvard School Press. Doremus, Paul N., Keller, W. W., Pauly, Louis W., & Reich, S. 1998. The myth of the global corporation. Priceton, NJ: Priceton University Press. Duncan, Richard. 2002. The dollar crisis: Causes, consequences, cures. Singapore: John Wiley & Sons (Asia). Florida, Richard L. 2002. The rise of the creative class : and how it's transforming work, leisure, community and everyday life. New York, NY: Basic Books. Fukuyama, Francis. 1995. Trust : the social virtues and the creation of prosperity. New York: Free Press Hampden-Turner, Charles, & Fons Trompenaars. 2000. Building cross-cultural competence : how to create wealth from conflicting values. New Haven, Conn.: Yale University Press. Hofstede, G. 1991. Cultures and organizations: Software of the mind.. London: McGraw Hill. Lasserre, Philippe, & Schütte, Hellmut. 1999. Strategies for Asia Pacific: Beyond the crisis. New York: New York University Press. Ōmae, Ken’ichi. 2000. The invisible continent : four strategic imperatives of the new economy. New York: HarperBusiness, 2000. Ōmae, Ken’ichi. 1999. The borderless world : power and strategy in the interlinked economy / Kenichi Ohmae. New York: HarperBusiness. Peng, Mike W., 2000. Business strategies in transition economies. Thousand Oaks : Sage Publications. Trompenaars, Alfons, & Charles Hampden-Turner. 1997. Riding the waves of culture : understanding cultural diversity in business. London : Nicholas Brealey Pub.