BUS 410
International Management
Winter 2005-On-lineInstructor: Sally L. Andrews
Phone: 541-917-4256E-Mail:andrews@linnbenton.edu
Text: International Management: Managing Across Borders and Cultures; Deresky, Helen, Prentice Hall.
Objectives: This course is designed to introduce students to the complexities of international management. One of the issues that I would like students to keep in mind that all of these issues are present in their everyday lives. Most companies are involved in international business either directly or indirectly. This being the situation, it is important that students understand these basic concepts that are presented in this class.with their colleagues or suppliers and customers.
This course presents several challenges to both myself and the student. We are trying to cover a great deal of material in a short length of time. As this course is also being done on the web it inhibits some of the learning from each other as well as from myself. Due to the short time frame and the quantity of material that we are needing to cover students will be working independently even though they will be posting their papers in the discussion areas where other team members will give feedback and comments.
I find that to 'test' students on memorization is not the most effective way to learn. Students will be researching materials and presenting them to myself and their colleagues. This way the class can 'learn' material from each other as well as present their own papers.
I have found that the best way to understand this material is to 'use' it. You will choose a country of your choice (but not one that you are from or grew up in, i.e. if you came from China I do not want you to write a report on China). If you are going to put in the work for this class then it is important for you to learn about another country. You will follow along the chapter topics in your papers and present that information both to myself and to your fellow students.
In addition, I want you to personally do a report on a fellow colleague or individual from another culture. If possible, I would like for you to interview someone that you work with. I have found that this is both a relationship and knowledge building task as well as helping the international colleague to feel more at home in their new environment.
Country Paper: You will pick a country to do your research on. On the designated dates (listed in the assignment section) you will e-mail to me and post in your discussion group your paper for that section. Prior to you posting this final section paper you will have posted it in your group section and your fellow students will give you feedback on your paper. This can include suggestions for further information, questions concerning you analysis of the data as well as any other comments that they see you might incorporate into the paper. You can then take this information and make the changes if you wish before you e-mail me the paper. I have several objectives with this assignment. Even though you will be doing your own research, think of it as ‘going down the hall’ to your colleagues and asking for their input. This way you will be presented with comments from your ‘colleagues’ and your colleagues will learn something about your country. This learning usually takes place in the classroom for this course but since we are not in one room I would like, as much as possible for you to learn from each other. I will be grading you on your paper but I will also be reading the comments between your other colleagues. I will be giving a grade for the interaction between the group members (individually) so please try and post your paper in time for your team members to review it and give you feedback. Also, team members, I am looking for concrete feedback, not just a ‘looks good to me’. Each paper will be posted to me by 10.00 a.m. Tuesday mornings at my Linn-Benton e-mail: andrews@linnbenton.edu. I will then try and get my feedback back to you by the following morning.
Submission All individual company papers should be submitted by e-mail to the above e-mail address in Word format. Please attach these files to your e-mail. All assignments are due by 10.00a.m. on the dates indicated (usually a Tuesday morning). I come in to ensure that I have received your papers. If you have not heard back from me by 10.30 a.m. on the due date then I have not received your paper. You need to contact me. I also suggest that you CC: your paper to yourself so if there is a transmission problem you have date and time proof of when you went the paper.
I will then review your work, give you feedback within the body of the work including a grade and send it back to you.
Individual interview: Please chose an individual to interview that has grown up in another country and is now here working/living. I have posted the questionnaire in your assignment section. My objective here is for you to learn more about this particular country as well as increasing your understanding between the theory in the text and the reality of what is really expected in the work environment.
Please note that due to the nature of this course, late work can not be accepted. If you are not able to submit your work on the due date you need to turn it in PRIOR to the date due. I can not make exceptions.
Grading:
Company reports: (4x100) 400 Individual Interview: 100 Student Feedback: (4x25) 100 Total 600