THE UNIVERSITY OF BRITISH COLUMBIA

SAUDER SCHOOL OF BUSINESS

INTERNATIONAL PROGRAMS - SMU
COURSE: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MANAGEMENT
May 31st July 1st, 2008
INSTRUCTOR: Larry Wosk Office: HA 257 Phone: 604-822-8356
Email: larry.wosk@sauder.ubc.ca
Office Hours: 0800 0850 Monday-Thursday or by appointment
(I may not access my email or phone message outside of school hours)
Required Text: a) Elements of Multinational Strategy, Keith Head ver. 6.0 December, 2006
http://strategy.sauder.ubc.ca/head/book/
b) Reading Material
1.0 Course Objectives: 4.0 Individual Requirements
This course is taught from the perspective of a
senior manager. It analyzes the decisions made 4.1 Assignment: Cultural Differences 5%
by firms in an international context. To do so it Conducting business in different countries
combines material from strategy, international requires one to have an awareness of cultural
finance, marketing, human resource differences. You are to select a country that you
management, positive trade theory, institutional have not visited and compile the following
trade policy, and other areas. It will emphasize information:
the use of analytical tools and the development physical or spatial distances (during
of oral and written communication skills. By conversation)
design, the course in integrative, implying that greeting protocol (method)
there is some overlap with material taught in gift giving
international marketing and finance courses. attitude toward timeliness
attitude toward relationship building
2.0 Course Format: two (2) other interesting things a visitor
Lectures Readings needs to know about the culture in order
Project Examination not to insult their host/hostess
Cite all references
Page limit: 2 pages point form
3.0 Class discussions provide a key double-spaced 12 pt. type
learning experience. Consequently, it is
imperative that each student arrive at class well 4.2 Class Participation (individual) 15%
prepared and able to contribute to the discussion. The class participation mark is based on your
At least 2 hours of preparation should be spent active participation in the class discussions
before class. If for any reason you could not (quality vs. quantity). Merely coming to class
prepare for the discussion of a particular chapter and listening to the discussion is not sufficient;
or have to miss a class, please let me know attendance is not participation. I expect students
beforehand so I do not call on you. to contribute to class discussion by answering
questions posed, by raising questions of their
3.1 Required: Name Card: own, and by sharing useful information in class.
Each student is responsible for preparing a name Your grade on class participation is something to
card (computer printed with large letters) with be earned by contributing your assessments and
the name which you wish to be addressed by and judgements to the discussion. As it is obviously
your last name. difficult to participate in class if you do not
This card must be placed in front of you attend, attendance may be noted since this is a
during each lecture. key source of learning in the course.
Participation grades will be easier to assess if
your name is displayed clearly and regularly.

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5.0 Major Project 40%
You are asked to form teams of 4 or 5 students.
Each team will develop a proposal for carrying
out an investment project for a multi-national
enterprise with head offices in Singapore or
Japan. The project involves establishing a new
enterprise (e.g., a subsidiary or branch of an
existing multinational company) for a specified
product or service Each team is required to
prepare a report detailing the elements of the
investment plan. There may be two teams
researching the same company, and thus the
report will be competitive in the sense that you
should advocate a particular country relative to
the alternative represented by the other student
team.
Students must sign up for teams by your first
class. You must include names of the team
members and a name for your group. It must
also rank your first three (3)
company/target-country choices. Allocations
are made strictly on a first-come-first-served
basis in order of the arrival of the hand
delivered messages.
The intended audience for the report is the senior
management of the multinational enterprise.
Successful reports must explain why the country
you have chosen to invest in is an appropriate
location.
The report must make a compelling case that the
project is sound. This involves assessing the
country's comparative advantage, its trade costs
to the targeted market (including trade barriers),
exchange rate considerations, and relevant
marketing and promotion issues. It must also
assess the need or desirability of sourcing inputs
from third countries. Discussion points will be
different if the project involves a locally-
provided service rather than a trade good. There
you will need to investigate the compatibility of
the business model with the target market. Good
reports combine research on the country and
industry characteristics with relevant
applications of the concepts taught in class.
The report should be about 6 pages, double
spaced, normal margins, 12 pt. type. Information
sources (including web sites) must be cited
appropriately. Up to five (5) tables and/or figures
may be added to the report.
Peer evaluations across teams will form part of
the process of assigning grades for the work.
5.1 Confidential Peer Evaluations at the
end of the course will allow each student to
evaluate the contribution of their fellow
members of their group. The instructor may take
into consideration these peer evaluations in
determining that members grade for group
activities.
Example: an individual student who did not
participate fully in the group may receive the
group grade less a deduction of 10%- 75%.
6.0 Evaluation of Students
The course grade will be made up as follows:
Group work/paper 40%
Individual: Cultural paper 5%
Final Examination 40%
Participation 15%
Total 100%
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 COURSE SCHEDULE

Session Topic Text chapter Readings

1 Introduction
2 Business across Borders 1 1
3 Foreign Exchange 2 2
4 Gains from Trade 3
5 Factor Advantages 4 3
6 Trade Costs 5 4
7 Trade Rules 6 5
8 Market Adaptation 7
9 Internalization 8 6
10 Multinational Formation 9 7
Competitive Interactions 10
11 International Taxation 11 8-10
12 Political Analysis and Strategy 12 11-14
Expatriate Assignments 13
13 Open Forum/ Peer evaluation

While every attempt will be made to keep to this schedule, the instructor reserves the right at all times to
make changes in the material to be covered including, but not limited to, the cases and the reading material.
Advance notice of changes in the material will be provided in the classroom.

Students requiring accommodation as a result of a disability should contact the International Programs
Office HA#303

READING PACKAGE

READINGS:

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All readings can be accessed through the David Lam library web site.
Select: Journals
Select: H
Type: Harvard Business Review
Select: Business Source Premier

1. Reimus, B. Oil and Wasser, Harvard Business Review, May, 2004

2. Lessard, D.R. & Lightstone, J.B. Volatile Exchange Rates can put operations at
risk, Harvard Business Review, July-Aug. 1986
3. Porter, M.E. The competitive advantage of nations, Harvard Business Review, 69
(2) Mar/Apr 1991, 73-93
4. Ghemawat, P. Distance Still Matters, Harvard Business Review, Sept. 2001
5. Lawrence, R.Z & Litan, R.E. Why protectionism doesnt pay, Harvard Business
Review, May-June 1987
6. Encarnation, D.J. & Vachani, S. Foreign ownership: when hosts change the rules
Harvard Business Review, Sept-Oct. 1985
7. Doz, Y.L. & Prahalad, C.K., How MNCs cope with government intervention,
Harvard Business Review, March-April 1980
8. Barrett, M.E. Case of the Tangled transfer price, Harvard Business Review, May-
June 1977
9. Bremer, L.P. Doing business in a dangerous world, Harvard Business Review,
April, 2002
10. Bremer, I. Managing risk in an unstable world, Harvard Business Review, June
2005
11. Fadiman, J. A. A travelers guide to gifts and bribes, Harvard Business Review,
July-Aug. 1986
12. Fryer, B. In a world of pay, Harvard Business Review, Nov. 2003
13. Roche, E. Riding the Celtic tiger, Harvard Business Review, Nov. 2005
14. Black, J.B. & Gregersen, H. B. The right way to manage expats, Harvard
Business Review, March-April 1999

05.03.07