School of Business

IMGT 430: International Business Management

Section B
Course Syllabus
Spring Semester 2011
Saida Campus

Course Instructor Refaat Abdalla

E-mail Pearson refaat.abdallah@liu.edu.lb

Class Hours/ Room 15:30 – 16:45 / 211 B / T TH

Office Hours 14:00-15:00
Course prerequisite Business Management (BMGT200)

TEXTBOOK: International Business by Ricky W. Griffin and Michael W. Pustay (5th

Ed.); Pearson/Prentice Hall: Upper Saddle River, NJ. 2007

General Objective:

This course is designed to provide you with the foundations necessary in international
business and a comprehensive understanding of the management issues facing firms
in international markets. It is the basis for managing people in global markets, as
well as focuses on managerial issues related to the multinational enterprise, including
cross-cultural, human resources, and strategic issues. Key to learning at this level is
the acquisition and reflection of basic knowledge in international management. In
addition to the acquisition of new knowledge in international management you should
train to apply critical inquiry to your reading, to discussions, and to situations and
experiences that you encounter in regard to international business, both inside and
outside the class setting.

COURSE OUTCOMES:
It is expected that you will attain the following learning outcomes in this course:
1. Have a sound basis of knowledge in all areas of international management;

2. Be capable to apply tools and managerial practices to case studies of firms

operating in the international business environment;

3. Apply knowledge and develop the analytical skills in case study analysis and in
discussions within the tutorials;

1
 4. Be able to think critically about the issues relating to international
management, drawing on existing knowledge, theories, and concepts to help
understand the issues and underlying phenomena; · develop independent
research capability in the two individual assignments, and be able to pursue an
area of research from setting initial research questions to making conclusions;

5. Develop skills for leading class discussion on topics of interest, and to stimulate
and answer questions from a knowledgeable audience;

6. Participate meaningfully in class discussion and debate and be able to draw on

existing ideas as well as those presented in the course to support your
arguments;

7. Develop reasoning ability in order to ascertain the important issues in today’s

international business environment; and

8. Be able to deal with new information critically and systematically and be able
to use it to develop ideas and projects.

COURSE CONTENT:
The course provides you with a comprehensive knowledge base in international
management. Specific areas that you will explore are:
1. Assessing the environment: political, economic, legal, technological;
2. Managing interdependence: social responsibility and ethics;
3. Understanding the role of culture;
4. Communicating across cultures;
5. Cross-cultural negotiation and decision-making;
6. Formulating strategy;
7. Global alliances and strategy implementation;
8. Organization structure and control systems;
9. Staffing, training, and compensation for global operations;
10. Developing a global management cadre;
11. Work motivation across borders and cultures;
12. Leadership across borders and cultures.

CELL PHONES:
Cell phones and other electronic devices are to be either off or on silent
and are to be put away. They may be used for emergencies only. Please
notify me prior to class if you are expecting an emergency call. Text
messaging (sending or reading) is prohibited. There are to be NO
cell phones in class

2
 Teaching Methodology

The teaching methodology of the course consists of the following:

• Assigned Readings: Textbook assignments/handouts and outside readings-articles
written in journals or extracted from reference books or the Internet.
• Method of Instruction: A mix of active and reactive approach that primarily include
(a) instructor presentations, generally Power Point, designed to clarify the assigned readings,
(b) class discussion and (c) problem based learning such as exercises, case studies & handouts.
• Class Participation: Class participation includes discussing instructor’s
presentations, assigned readings, exercises, and case studies etc. that are apt to make the
course more enjoyable for both the students and the instructor. Students are expected to read
the assigned material and come to class fully prepared to participate in the discussion of the
material assigned for that day and comprehend better the instructor’s presentation. Active
participation and contribution are expected from each student, noting that discussion of a
given subject matter is one of the most effective methods of learning. Since class participation
plays a role in the final grade, it is essential that students do not only read the assignments but
properly comprehend the material. Class participation is tied to attendance since students
cannot participate in class discussions if they are not in class. Thus, merely showing up in class
is not sufficient unless the student makes a conscientious effort to attend every class and
actively participate in discussions.
• Conduct in Class: Students are expected to conduct themselves in an acceptable and
decent manner. Unprofessional behavior such as, but not limited to, repeated disruption of
class e.g. walking in after class has started, sleeping in class, reading or doing other course
work in class, a ringing cell phone, frequent side conversations with other students, coming to
class without pencil/pen, note pad, syllabus, text book, and rudeness toward any person will be
considered a serious violation and lead to appropriate action, including grades reduction.
• Internet: Access to the Internet is an important learning tool emphasized in Business
Administration courses in general and this course in particular. Consequently, students should
be able to utilize the technological resources available to them in order to improve the quality
of their work. Students unable to subscribe to an Internet Provider can use the Internet
facilities available at the university.
• Group/Individual Project: Research Projects/Papers, which constitute an integral
part of the course, are designed to allow the student to apply course concepts, learn how to
interact within the group and others, and understand the challenges of working in a
competitive and changing environment. The assigned Research Projects/Papers shall be
conducted either individually or in groups the size of which will depends on the number of
students attending the course. The Research Projects/Papers shall be submitted in soft copy,
and in hard copy on A4 paper, font 12 Times New Roman, and presented towards the end of
the semester, as specified in the Syllabus. Please refer to Appendix I for details.
• Class Presentation: Students shall make Class Presentations of the prepared
Research Projects/Papers as will be assigned by the Course Instructor.
• Class Attendance: Attendance in all classes is required from the very beginning to the
end of the semester. During anyone term, students should physically attend two thirds of the
standard course sessions, i.e. those who are absent, for any reason, more than one third of the
standard number of class sessions will be dropped from the course in the form of
"Administrative Withdrawal" (AW). The said one third absence of the standard number of
class sessions is as follows:

3
 1. Fall and Spring Semesters:
 A maximum of 15 class sessions in respect of courses offered 3 times a week
 A maximum of 10 class sessions in respect of courses offered 2 times a week
 A maximum of 5 class sessions in respect of courses offered once a week

2. Summer Module:
 A maximum of 8 class sessions in respect of courses offered 4 times a week
 A maximum of 4 class sessions in respect of courses offered 2 times a week
It should be noted that attendance is taken as of the first session. Excuses of any nature do
not eliminate an absence whatsoever. As such, students are urged to observe these
regulations, noting that attendance and class participation are likely to increase their
ability to understand better the material of the course and allow more chances for earning
a good grade.
• University Make-Up Examination Policy: As per University regulations,
students are eligible to sit for assigned test(s), midterm and final examination make-ups
provided they had experienced any of the following authenticated incidents:
 Sickness: Documented by a hospitalization report and specifically a discharge receipt.
 Death in the family: Substantiated by a death certificate and the like.
 Car accident while coming to class: Proven by a police/expert report.
Students must fill in a petition for make-up exam, accompanied by the required
authentication, within a maximum of one week from the date of incident/examination.
Make-up exams shall be allowed only if the petition is endorsed by the instructor concerned,
the campus coordinator, and approved by the Dean; make-up exams will take place as will be
announced. Otherwise, the student shall receive a “zero” for that exam. University regulations
on make-up exams, as presented above, shall strictly apply if a student is absent from the final
exam, midterm exam and assigned tests.
• Exams: There will be two main Exams (a) Final Exam and (b) Midterm (or two Tests) plus
Class Presentations & ad hoc Tests, as may be found necessary by the instructor. The Exams,
Tests & Class Presentation will assess the students’ knowledge and absorption of the course
material covered in the assigned readings and instructor’s presentations.

 Student Advisors
• "Student Advisors" are appointed to guide students in their academic life during their
presence in the university. Students are urged to meet with their appointed advisors whenever
they have an academic problem or conflict, or whenever they want to seek personal advice on
issues of academic nature.

 Student Evaluation

BREAKDOWN
# EXAM % of Final Grade
1 Midterm Exam 30%
2 Group/Individual Project 20%
3 Class Presentation/Participation & Tests 10%
4 Final Exam 40%
Total 100%

4
 University Grading System

Letter Grade Quality Points Percentage Range

A 4.00 90.00 & Above
B+ 3.50 85.00 - 89.99
B 3.00 80.00 - 84.99
C+ 2.50 75.00 - 79.99
C 2.00 70.00 - 74.99
D+ 1.50 65.00 - 69.99
D 1.00 60.00 - 64.99
F 0.00 Below 60.00
I Incomplete/Interim grade until final grade is decided on
W Student Withdrawal
AW Administrative Withdrawal

 University Code Violation & Disciplinary Policy

• Cheating on tests, plagiarism, and disrupting classes or examination as well as acts of theft,
falsification of University documents or signatures, and any other University Code violations
are subject to disciplinary action by the University Disciplinary Council. Any student found
guilty of any of these violations may appeal his/her case by petitioning the Council within two
weeks of the decision.

• Students caught cheating on an exam shall receive a grade of zero on the exam in their first
cheating attempt and receive a warning. Students caught cheating for the second time, receive
a grade of “F” in the course and a double warning. A grade of zero on an exam resulting from
cheating is counted in the student’s course grade.

• A system of disciplinary warnings and citations (one citation equals ½ warning) has been
established. A student with two disciplinary warnings will be suspended from the University
on the third warning (or sixth citation). The University Council has a final say on this matter.
Suspended students may apply for readmission to the University after a minimum of one year
of suspension.

• Letters of warning are sent by the Student Affairs Office to the student (after Council’s
decision), parents or guardian, advisor, and the financially sponsoring foundation or agency if
applicable. Copies of the letter will be kept in the student file at the Student Affairs Office and
the Registrar’s Office.

5
Project Guidelines
1. Each student will make contact with a company; manager in the marketing field and shadow that
company or manager/marketer. This will entail being with the manager/marketer for the entire
period to determine the duties and responsibilities of that individual

2. It is incumbent on you, the student, to find a manager/marketer or a company in the field of

marketing industry in which you are interested. You may use restaurants, hotels, hospitals,
airline feeding, recreation, tourism, companies, etc. First make contact with a manager/marketer
in the area of your choice. Explain to them the objectives of this project. Negotiate a time that is
mutually convenient for both you and the manager/marketer. You want to find the time where
you will see the most in terms of what the manager/marketer does. Remember, you need to be the
one who is most flexible. Please note that this project must be completed at a time other than
class time.

3. When you do your shadow project, you are representing our faculty as well as yourself. As our
representative, you must be professionally/appropriately dressed and demonstrate professional
conduct at all times. Remember, the managers/marketers you are shadowing are potential future
employers and they are evaluating you as well as our faculty respectively our university.

4. If you are already working in either of the above mentioned places (part 2), it is best if you choose
a different sector so you are exposed to both sides. For example, if you currently work or have a
lot of experience in the hotel side of the industry, it is to your advantage to choose the restaurant
side to do your project so you have the opportunity to learn more. Don't assume you will only like
one side of the industry just because the majority of your experience is there. Once you commit to
either hotel or restaurant and begin accumulating experience in that sector, it becomes
increasingly more difficult and threatening to switch.

5. The objectives of this project are:

a. To determine the roles and responsibilities of a marketers in the field.
b. To determine if the marketing field is the professional area for you.
c. To determine if the marketing major is for you.
d. To see what it takes to be a marketer in the market and to evaluate if you have what it
takes.

6. When you are spending time with the manager/marketer, keep in mind that he/she is also
forming an impression of you. You may want to parlay this contact into a
practicum/internship/job later on. Think about questions to ask before you go so you are
prepared. Look sharp -- be sharp!

7. Some suggested areas you might be interested in pursuing include (but are not limited to) the
following. Address only the areas that apply to your situation.

You need to describe the operation where you are shadowing. This would include (as appropriate)
some of the following information:
a. Description of the location and local trading area(as in part 2) -- who is their
competition
b. For places such as mentioned above: capacity, approximate dollar sales volume per
week/month, cost percentage, labor cost percentage, number of employees, number of
managers -- as available to the student.

6
 c. For the financial aspects, some managers may not want to share this information for
private reasons. Tell them that you don't need exact figures but approximate figures.
If they are still reluctant to provide this information, ask them what they would
consider good performance figures for an operation their size.
d. What are the typical problems they face in any given day
e. What are the most critical problems they have to deal with on an ongoing basis
f. Where do they have management jobs/opportunities in their organization
g. What is their opinion of the market as a place for employment and why
h. What is their opinion of the future of marketing
i. What are their typical daily responsibilities
j. How many people do they supervise
k. How many hours per week do they work
l. What methods do they use to control costs
m. Observe and evaluate the traffic flow throughout the organization -- comment as
appropriate
n. What do they like best about their job and why
o. What do they like least about their job and why
p. What personal characteristics and competencies should an individual have in order to
make it in the marketing management field?

Be sure to think about what you would want to know and learn before you shadow the
manager/marketer. Have your questions ready and write down the answers so you don't forget
them.

1. When you write your paper, keep in mind that this project is intended to give you an in-depth
look at what a manager/marketer in the company does in a day. Be sure to capture this
information in your paper. Also, do not use a question and answer format when writing your
paper. This paper is an essay paper and should not be written as if you are talking to the
instructor. Avoid using the words "I" and "you" in the project as much as possible.

2. On a separate sheet attached to the back of your project, list the complete name of the manager
you shadowed, his/her title, name of the business where the manager/marketer works, business
address, and the business telephone number where the manager/marketer can be reached.

3. The paper is to be typewritten:

a. 1.5-spaced
b. 1" margins on each side. (Note: if you use Word, the default margins are set for 1.25
inches. You will need to either adjust the margins or add an additional page.)
c. Use only Times New Roman type-faces -- no fancy or bold fonts please. The font size
should be 12 points -- no bigger or smaller.
d. Papers should be written using good grammar, sentence structure, punctuation and
spelling since English usage will count a certain percentage of the grade on the paper.
e. Short projects will detract from the content grade so be sure you have at least 14 to 15
FULL pages with the correct margins and font size.
f. Your project must include a cover page with a title for your project, name of
organization where you shadowed the manager, your name and date.

7
 IMKT 400 - Campus – Section
Tuesday and Thursday Classes

 Class Schedule – Spring 10/11 - Mon, Feb 21 st , 2011 – Fri, Jun

03 rd , 2011

• WEEK 01
 Tue 22.02: Introductory Session + Syllabus.
 Thu 24.02: Chapter 1 : An Overview of International Business
 Discussion of Individual Projects - Topics & Outlines
• WEEK 02
 Tue 01.03: Chapter 2 : Global Marketplaces and Business Centers.
 Thu 03.03: Chapter 6: International Trade and Investment Theory. – Part I
 1st Call for Submission of Individual Projects - Topics & Outlines
• WEEK 03
 Tue 08.03: Chapter 6: International Trade and Investment Theory. – Part II
 Thu 10.03: Chapter 7 : International Monetary System and the Balance of Payments –
Part I
nd
 2 Call for Submission of Individual Projects - Topics & Outlines
• WEEK 04
 Tue 15.03: Chapter 7 : International Monetary System and the Balance of Payments –
Part II
• Thu 17.03: Chapter 8: Foreign Exchange and International Financial Markets. – Part
I
 Deadline for Submission of Projects - Topics & Outlines - Penalty Applies after Thu 17.03
• WEEK 05
• Tue 22.03: Chapter 8: Foreign Exchange and International Financial Markets. – Part
II
 Thu 24.03: Chapter 9: Formulation of National Trade Policies. – Part I
 Late Submission & Discussion of Projects - Topics & Outlines – Penalty Applies
• WEEK 06
 Tue 29.03: Chapter 9: Formulation of National Trade Policies. – Part II
 Thu 31.03: Chapter 11: International Strategic Management. -Part I
 Submission & Discussion of 1st Draft of Individual Projects - Starting date: Thu 31.3
• WEEK 07
 Tue 05.04: Chapter 11: International Strategic Management. -Part II
 Thu 07.04: Mid-Term Exam (Chapters: 1+2+6+7+8+9+11)
 Submission & Discussion of 1st Draft of Individual Projects - Continued
• WEEK 08
 Tue 12.04: Chapter 12: Strategies for Analyzing and Entering Foreign Markets. Part
I.
 Thu 14.04: Chapter 12: Strategies for Analyzing and Entering Foreign Markets. Part
II.
 Deadline for Submission of 1st Draft of Projects – Penalty Applies after Thu 14.04
• WEEK 09
• Tue 19.04: Chapter 13: International Strategic Alliances – Part I
8
 • Thu 21.04: Chapter 13: International Strategic Alliances – Part II
 Submission & Discussion of 1st Draft of Individual Projects - Continued

• WEEK 10
• Tue 26.04: Chapter 14: International Organization Design and Control.
 Thu 28.04: Chapter 14: International Organization Design and
Control. Part I
 Reminder for Finalization & Submission of Final Individual Projects
• WEEK 11
 Tue 03.05: Chapter14: International Organization Design and Control.
Part II
• Thu 05.05: Chapter 15: Leadership and Employee Behaviour in International Business.
 Last Reminder for Submission of Final Individual Projects-Due date: Thu 12.05

• WEEK 12
• Tue 10.05: Chapter 15: Leadership and Employee Behaviour in International Business.
Part I
• Thu 12.05: Chapter 15: Leadership and Employee Behaviour in International Business.
Part II
 Deadline for Submission of Final Individual Projects-Penalty Applies After
Thu 12.05
• WEEK 13
• Tue 17.05: Chapter 18: International Financial Management. Part I
• Thu 19.05: Chapter 18: International Financial Management. Part II
• WEEK 14
 Tue 24.05: Chapter 20: International Human Resource Management and
Labor Relations. – Part I
 Thu 26.05: Chapter 20: International Human Resource Management and
Labor Relations. – Part II

• WEEK 15
 Tue 31.05: group Projects - Presentations
 Thu 02.06: Reading/Review Session
• WEEK 16
 Mon 06.06: Spring Final Exams (Mon 06.06– Sat 18.06)

******

Date: February 1 st , 2011

9
 Appendix I
Rules & Regulations

1. The Final Exam shall include all Chapters of the textbook that have been included in the
syllabus ( All Chapters) as well as all the discussions that have taken place during the class
sessions; it is the responsibility of the student to make himself/herself aware of what has been
discussed

2. Students’ attendance control is taken from the first to the last day of the semester. It is timely
entered on the UMS, and the signed attendance sheets are submitted on weekly basis to the
respective Campus Coordinators

3. Home Work & Class Work in the form of Exercises, Case Studies or Research Papers as well as
assigned/drop quizzes are given as may be found necessary by the Instructor

4. Rules and Regulations governing the preparation of Research Projects/Papers are as follows:

4.1 Each group shall, in principle, consist of a maximum of three students and a minimum of two
4.2 For "Group Projects Presentations" three class sessions shall be allocated to TTh/MW
courses & four class sessions shall be allocated to MWF sessions.
4.3 Two topics should be suggested by the Group and the instructor has the prerogative to
choose the more suitable one, or even to decline the suggested Group Project topics and ask
the group to submit two new topics to consider.
4.4 The groups should abide by the deadlines set in the syllabus for submitting the Group
Project topics, outline, the drafts and the final project.
4.5 All the members of the group should equally share in the preparation of the Group Project
as eventually one grade shall be given to all members; thus, those who don’t share will not
get the grade. Similarly, those who do not attend ALL the presentation sessions will NOT get
the common grade pertaining to the Group Project.
4.6 All members of the group should be prepared to present collectively or individually the class
Group Project presentations. It is the prerogative of the instructor to choose who of the
group members will present on behalf of the group.
4.7 In the event of scarcity of time availability for Group Project presentations, the instructor
will choose the groups that will present; choice shall be related to the academic standard of
the submitted projects whereby projects of lower standard will be given the priority to
present.
4.8 The standard regulations for the preparation of research papers shall be applied; this refers
to the research format, references, footnotes etc. The contents of the booklet titled "Research
Writing Guidelines", prepared by the School of Business, should be followed.
4.9 Any interview made should be substantiated by means of (a) showing the questionnaire(s)
used in the interview(s) in an appendix, and (b) having the special form, provided by the
instructor, duly signed by the person(s) interviewed and stamped by the official stamp of the
organization.
4.10Topics of Group Projects require the prior approval of the instructor before the research
process starts. The drafts and the final project should be submitted as indicated in the
syllabus; a penalty of one grade point shall be deducted for every day of late submission.

***********

10
Date: 15.02.10

11