Faculté des sciences de l'administration

Département de management

PLAN DE COURS
GIE-6105 : Doing Business in the United States
NRC 85296 | Automne 2022

Mode d'enseignement : Présentiel
Temps consacré : 3-0-6 Crédit(s) : 3

With more than 300 million inhabitants and a gross domestic product per capita among the highest in the world, the United States is a
major market that cannot be avoided by foreign and Canadian business owners and decision-makers. This course's main objective is to
help students develop skills to establish a penetration strategy of one or more of the large regional markets in the US. These skills are
based on knowledge of the following subjects : general characteristics of the country, business connections, market orientation and
specific approaches. Students who have successfully completed GIE-4105 or GIE-6034 cannot register for this course.

This course is the English version of GIE-6034 Faire des affaires aux États-Unis. Students that have previously taken this course can't
subscribe to this one. Only one of those two courses will be accepted.

Plage horaire
Cours en classe
jeudi 12h30 à 15h20 PAP-2213 Du 6 sept. 2022 au 16 déc. 2022

Il se peut que l'horaire du cours ait été modifié depuis la dernière synchronisation avec Capsule. Vérifier l'horaire dans Capsule

Site de cours
https://sitescours.monportail.ulaval.ca/ena/site/accueil?idSite=146849

Office Numbers and Schedules

Muhammad Mohiuddin Muhammad Mohiuddin, Ph.D.
Enseignant Professeure agrégée
muhammad.mohiuddin@fsa.ulaval.ca 3425 Pavillon la laurentienne
https://www4.fsa.ulaval.ca/en/teacher/muhammad-mohiuddin/
muhammad.mohiuddin@fsa.ulaval.ca
Tél. : 418-656-2131  poste 415968
Disponibilités
by appointment.

Soutien technique
Comptoir d'aide APTI  (FSA)
Palasis Prince, Local 2215
https://www.fsa.ulaval.ca/techno 
caa@fsa.ulaval.ca

418-656-2131 poste 406258
1-877-785-2825, poste 406258 (sans frais)

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Sommaire
Course Description ............................................................................................................................. 3
Introduction .......................................................................................................................................................................................................................... 3
General Objectives ............................................................................................................................................................................................................... 3
Detailed Objectives .............................................................................................................................................................................................................. 3
Program Goals and Objectives .......................................................................................................................................................................................... 3
Instructional Approach ....................................................................................................................................................................................................... 4

Course Content .................................................................................................................................. 5

Evaluations & Grading ....................................................................................................................... 5

Graded Assignments ........................................................................................................................................................................................................... 5
Informations détaillées sur les évaluations sommatives ............................................................................................................................................ 6
Final Report .................................................................................................................................................................................................................... 6
Midterm Exam ................................................................................................................................................................................................................ 7
Reply to one question per week in the forum or describe a current affairs issue ............................................................................................ 7
Case Analysis in Team .................................................................................................................................................................................................. 7
Grading Scale ........................................................................................................................................................................................................................ 8
Course Language Policy ..................................................................................................................................................................................................... 8
Plagiarism and unauthorized sharing of course materials ......................................................................................................................................... 8
Disciplinary Regulations ..................................................................................................................................................................................................... 9
Students with disabilities, learning difficulties or mental health problems ............................................................................................................ 9
Deadlines and Overdue Work ............................................................................................................................................................................................ 9
Laptop and Software Requirements ................................................................................................................................................................................ 9
Course Appreciation .......................................................................................................................................................................................................... 10
Exam Absences ................................................................................................................................................................................................................... 10
Policy on Rounding Up of Grades .................................................................................................................................................................................. 10

Teaching Materials ........................................................................................................................... 10

Required Materials ............................................................................................................................................................................................................. 10

References and Appendices ............................................................................................................ 11

References ........................................................................................................................................................................................................................... 11

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Course Description

Introduction
This course (GIE-4105) is designed for students focusing on international management and/or business, although it is open
to all business students and to students from other internationally-focused programs outside the business school.

The course is offered in English both to enhance the usefulness and value of the course, as English is the primary language of the United
States.

This course covers a wide array of topics related to doing business in the United States.  We will occasionally be welcoming guest
speakers who have agreed to share their expertise in various domains.  Students must be prepared for each class session, in terms of
having done all assigned readings and tasks, as well as spending some time to consider the topics addressed by each speaker in advance
of their talks.

General Objectives
The primary objective of this course is to foster skills that will enable students to establish a business strategy for the United States
market. These skills will be based on knowledge of, among other things, the following broad topics: general characteristics of the country
(culture, institutions, etc.), trade relations, appropriate market approach, relevant immigration and customs laws, etc. In the pursuit of
this primary objective, students will also learn about working in the United States and with Americans.

Detailed Objectives
By the end of this course, students should be able to:

Understand the breadth and complexity of issues that individuals and organizations face when exporting to, operating in, or
working in the United States (U.S.);
Be aware of the particularities of the legal, economic, political, cultural, and business-specific characteristics of the U.S. context;
Appreciate the institutional and cultural differences within the United States at the state and regional level;
Recognize the distinction between the cultural artifacts and values of the U.S.;
Understand the business-specific implications of these artifacts and values;
Research the consumer-related artifacts and values  particular to a U.S. state;
Identify the U.S. federal and state laws pertinent to a particular business proposition (e.g., exporting, sales, marketing, establishing
a physical presence, etc.);
Produce a well-researched and logically argued report and recommendations specific to a company's particular needs in terms of
operations and sales in the U.S..

Program Goals and Objectives

  Program Goal Program Objective

1. Possess the skills and underlying knowledge necessary Demonstrate their knowledge and skills in different areas of
for decision making in business business administration for identifying, analyzing and solving
problems and making decisions
2. Have a global mindset Identify the main issues concerning conducting business in a
globalized world
3. Be a good communicator a) Written Produce texts using an appropriate style and vocabulary
b) Oral Deliver oral presentations with an appropriate style and
vocabulary
4. Be aware of corporate social responsibility issues Identify individual or organizational issues regarding social
responsibility in business
5. Be a good teammate Work effectively in a collective project
6. Be an effective user of business information technology Demonstrate the ability to effectively use IT in individual and
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 6. Be an effective user of business information technology Demonstrate the ability to effectively use IT in individual and
collective projects linked to the business world

Course's Level of Contribution to the Achievement of Program Objectives :

  Shortened Level of contribution Evaluation Activity(ies)

Program
Objectives How does the course contribute to the achievement of objectives? Name of evaluation activities
that measure the achievement
Not at all Very little Moderately To a Great Extent
  of objectives

1. Knowledge       XX Live case project; parts of the

and skills in mid-term and final exams
solving
problems
and making
decisions
2. Issues       XX Live case project; mid-term and
concerning final exams; and participation
globalized in class
world
3. a) Text       XX Live case project; parts of the
production mid-term and final exams
b) Oral     XX   Student teams will produce
presentations short videos presenting the two
main live case project
deliverables: the consumer
personas and the report on the
legal, cultural and institutional
context.
4. Social   XX     Live case project; parts of the
responsibility final exam
in business
  Effective       XX Live case project
work in a
collective
project
6. Effective use   XX     Live case project
of IT

Instructional Approach
This course uses a teaching method appropriate for management education. As such, the class format and and teaching materials are
intended to stimulate learning though collaboration, communication and individual work. The goal is to assist students in managing
their time in a manner that is flexible yet structured and therefore enhance the learning process.

The course will combine several teaching methods: presentations of foundational material made by professor and guest speakers;
interactive discussions on focal topics; analyses of cultural phenomena and current events; in-class exercises and mini-case analyses,
and team work time for development of market entry plan.

In this course you will be asked to read material grounded in both theory and practice.  You will be expected to conduct independent and
collaborative research into companies, industries, and various aspects of the United States as a business context.  All work will be judged

on the integrity of the argument made (the quality of the analysis and recommendation), the structure and presentation of your
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on the integrity of the argument made (the quality of the analysis and recommendation), the structure and presentation of your
reasoning, the clear use and demonstration of links between theory and practical evidence, and on the thoughtfulness and creativity
displayed.

Course Content
Le tableau ci-dessous présente les semaines d'activités prévues dans le cadre du cours.

Titre Date
How to do Case Analysis  
IMPORTANT NOTE  
I often update my slides, add new resources, and post interesting current events. Please check each week's site
on the day of the class to be sure you haven't missed such updates!** Interesting website of McKinsey Global
Institute:https://www.mckinsey.com/mgi/overview
GROUP PROJECT: Choose a non-US company or product for American Market  
All project-specific resources will be posted to this page.
Useful Documents and Links  
List of assigned readings, formatting guide, etc.
Class Schedule
Class 01: Introduction: U.S. Market Overview 8 sept. 2022
Class 02: Segmenting the U.S. market 15 sept. 2022
Class 03: Canada-US Trade & Investment 22 sept. 2022
Class 04: Entry Modes 29 sept. 2022
Class 05: Major Strategic Decisions for Entering the U.S. 6 oct. 2022
Class 06: Consumer Behavior 13 oct. 2022
Class 07: American digital giants and international trade. 20 oct. 2022
Class 07: American digital giants and International Trade (continue). 27 oct. 2022
Reading Week - No Class  
October 31 through Nov 4.
Class 09: Midterm Exam 10 nov. 2022
Topics covered till the previous week.
Class 10: Canadian exports to American Market: Opportunities and Challenges 17 nov. 2022
Invited Guest speaker: Quebec Delegate to New York.
Class 11: Geo-strategy, Geo-economics and the US market 24 nov. 2022
Class 08: American Business culture 1 déc. 2022
This webinar "Changing Innovation and Organizational Culture in the US Workplace” will be on December 1,
2022 from 12h30 to 14h30.Invited Guest speaker: Mr. Steve Wunker, and Prof. Niamat Elahee, Quinnipiac
University, CT, USA.
Class 12: American Tech Policy and Global Business 1 déc. 2022
Class 14: Stakeholders, and Legitimacy Management in the U.S. 15 déc. 2022

Note : Veuillez vous référer à la section Course Content de votre site de cours pour de plus amples détails.

Evaluations & Grading

Graded Assignments

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 Sommatives
Titre Date Mode de travail Pondération
Team Project: U.S. Market Entry Plan  (Somme des évaluations de ce regroupement) 35 %
Final Report Dû le 21 déc. 2022 à 23h59 En équipe 35 %
Mid-term Exam  (Somme des évaluations de ce regroupement) 25 %
Midterm Exam Le 10 nov. 2022 de 12h30 à Individuel 25 %
14h30
Reply to one question per week in the forum or describe a Du 8 sept. 2022 à 16h27 Individuel 20 %
current affairs issue au 20 déc. 2022 à 16h27
Case Analysis in Team À déterminer En équipe 20 %

Please refer to the FSA ULaval exam schedule to make sure you do not have a time conflict.

http://www.fsa.ulaval.ca/examens/

It is also from this website link that you will be able to consult the pavilion and the room number where your exams will be taking place.

Informations détaillées sur les évaluations sommatives

Final Report
Date de remise : 21 déc. 2022 à 23h59
Mode de travail : En équipe
Pondération : 35 %
Remise de l'évaluation : Boîte de dépot
Directives de l'évaluation :
**Number of pages is flexible.

Report General Guidelines:

You must provide in-text citations for all sources of information (facts, statistics, ideas, and
quotes), as well a  complete list of works cited. Any use of other people's words must be
enclosed in quotation marks ( " " or  « » ).
Report, citations, and the list works cited must conform to formatting requirements (see
document linked below)
You many have any number of appendices (annexes, en français) and they do not count in the
page limit.

Report Content:

GIE-4105 and GIE-6105

1. THE COMPANY (2 pages maximum)

Briefly describe your perception of the company, in terms of its strengths and weaknesses
and what you believe to be its source(s) of competitive advantage in the home  market.
Present your argument as to whether these things will translate to a competitive
advantage in the United States in general (not to your assigned state) or whether it will
have to develop a new source of competitive advantage.

GIE-4105 and GIE-6105

2. STATE SPECIFICITIES

Present your team's state: its demographic profile, its culture, key cities and regions, and any
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Fichiers à consulter :
Midterm Exam
Date et lieu :
Mode de travail :
Pondération :
Directives de l'évaluation :
Matériel autorisé :
Reply to one question per week in the forum or describe a current affairs issue
Titre du forum :
Période de contribution :
Mode de travail :
Pondération :
Directives de l'évaluation :
Case Analysis in Team
Date de remise :
Mode de travail :
© Université Laval
Present your team's state: its demographic profile, its culture, key cities and regions, and any
other facts you believe are important for the company to know in order to understand that
state. (4-5 pages)
Give a summary of pertinent laws – federal, state and municipal (city-specific) – that could
affect the company's business transacted within that state. (2-3 pages)
GIE-6105 ONLY
3. THE UNITED STATES:  THE CHOSEN MARKET (3-4 pages)
Assess the strategic importance of your team's state for the company.
Assess the company's ability to exploit the market in that state. What things will make it
more or less of a challenge?
Analyze the company's position within the competitive environment of that state.
GIE-4105 and GIE-6105
4. STATE ATTRACTIVENESS (1 page)
Given the above sections of your report, assess the attractiveness of your team's state.
 Formatting Checklist.pdf (153,99 Ko, déposé le 14 août
2022)
Le 10 nov. 2022 de 12h30 à 14h30 , PAP 2213
Individuel
25 %
The exam will cover all the material  up to the midterm exam (lectures, slides, class
discussions, and all assigned readings).
Question types will include short answer,  analysis and short case analysis.
You will have 2 hours and 00 minutes (the length of the class) to complete the exam.
Open Book
Weekly
Du 8 sept. 2022 à 16h27 au 20 déc. 2022 à 16h27
Individuel
20 %
-Please reply to the specific question I asked in the forum, Or, you can discuss an important issue
related to the course topic which we have not addressed adequately. You need to adequately explain
and bring something new that we generally don't know. That means you need to do some reading of
relevant documents/articles before you answer.  PLEASE support your analysis by citing sources,
adding links, and add your opinions related to the issue you address.
À déterminer
Each team will have One more week from the day of presentation to submit the final written report
En équipe
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Mode de travail : En équipe
Pondération : 20 %
Remise de l'évaluation : Boîte de dépot

Proposed cases for CASE analysis assignment (Case can be bought from www.thecasecentre.org)GIE
4105 CASES1.US Private Equity Firms: ESG and Impact (A).2.US food retail during the Pandemic:
march 20203.Blue Apron: Disruption in the US food industry?4.Bon-Ton: Caught in the rain of US
retail Bankruptcies5.Fuyao Glass: Global Strategy for US country riskGIE 6105 CASES1.Robert
Mondavi and the Wine Industry2.Cisco Systems: Managing the Go-to-Market Evolution3.Ocean Tomo:
Building a Market for Intellectual Property4.Equality of opportunity and outcome in the US5.CarMax,
Inc.: Disrupting the Used-Car Market6.L’Oréal and the Globalization of American Beauty7.Sofwerx:
Innovation at US special operations command8.Bon-Ton: Caught in the rain of US retail
Bankruptcies9.Conquering America: Can PEUGEOT stage a successful return to the US10.Negotiating
for Equal pay: the US Women’s national Soccer Team (A)11.Valero Energy Corporations and Tight
Oil12.Immigration and US Economy13.Lattice Semiconductor and the Future of Chinese High-tech
Acquisitions in the United States
Directives de l'évaluation :
-For GIE 4105 Students, Case analysis will be 3 pages.

-For GIE 6105 Students, Case analysis will be 5 pages.

-In-depth analysis and value addition into the analysis is important. You can apply knowledge from
other fields and experience. 

-Please add the reference if you use them.

-When you do the Case analysis, your role will be like a Consultant or top management.

 
Fichiers à consulter :  How to do case analysis_2022.pptx (1 023,44 Ko, déposé le 4 oct.
2022)

Grading Scale

Cote % minimum % maximum Cote % minimum % maximum

A+ 92 100 C+ 66 71,99
A 88 91,99 C 62 65,99
A- 84 87,99 E 0 61,99
B+ 80 83,99
B 76 79,99
B- 72 75,99

Course Language Policy

Students have the possibility of handing in their papers and answering their exams in French with no consequences on their grade.
However, course materials, instructions and exams will not be translated and will be available in English only.

Plagiarism and unauthorized sharing of course materials

FSA ULaval does not tolerate conduct that does not comply with its ethical standards. The Règlement disciplinaire à l'intention des
étudiants et des étudiantes de l'Université Laval  lists some 20 academic infractions that are subject to penalty. Everyone knows the
most common errors, but are you aware that copying a few sentences from a work on paper or a website without inserting quotation
marks or citing the source are two of the infractions? Or that summarizing an author's original idea in your own words without citing the
source, and translating a text in part or entirely without stating its origin, are also prohibited? To avoid exposing yourself to
consequences ranging from failing a course to expulsion from the university, consult the following website: http://www.fsa.ulaval.ca
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consequences ranging from failing a course to expulsion from the university, consult the following website: http://www.fsa.ulaval.ca
/politiquereglement  . You'll find everything you need to avoid plagiarism.

It is prohibited to reproduce, distribute, communicate or otherwise make accessible any material used in this course, whether entirely or
in part, without prior written authorization from the teacher. This includes pedagogical materials such as course notes, recorded class
meetings and lectures, case studies, exercises, answer keys, PowerPoint slides, and graded evaluations. It is also forbidden to distribute,
share or make accessible any such course materials by any means, including via the internet, social media, and information-sharing sites.
Otherwise, you risk breaching not just Copyright Law, but also Laval University's Disciplinary Code (Règlement disciplinaire à l'intention
des étudiants et étudiantes de l'Université Laval) and, thus, incurring sanctions specified in the Law or in the Code.

Disciplinary Regulations
Any student who is found to have committed a violation of the Règlement disciplinaire à l'intention des étudiants et des étudiantes de
l'Université Laval (Université Laval student disciplinary regulations) in this course, especially involving plagiarism, will be subject to the
penalties set out in the regulations. Students should familiarize themselves with sections 23 to 46 of the disciplinary regulations.

These can be found (in French only) at the following web address:
http://ulaval.ca/reglement-disciplinaire

Students with disabilities, learning difficulties or mental health problems

In order to benefit from accommodation measures for a class or an exam, it is necessary to make an appointment with a counsellor
specializing in the welcoming and support of students with disabilities (Accueil et soutien aux étudiants en situation de handicap
(ACSESH)) at the Student Assistance Centre (Centre d'aide aux étudiants). To do this, students with a permanent functional limitation
should visit the website monPortail.ulaval.ca/accommodement   and make an appointment as soon as possible.

Activation of the accommodation measures should be completed via the website monPortail.ulaval.ca/accommodement   within a
week of authorization, so as to ensure that they are in place. Students who have already arranged for accommodation measures must
also activate them for their classes and/or exams via the website monPortail.ulaval.ca/accommodement   so that they can be put into
place. Please note that activation of accommodation measures must be done within the first two weeks of classes.

For all questions pertaining to accommodation measures for classes at FSA ULaval, you can contact the FSA ULaval Exam Center (Centre
des examens FSA ULaval) at Examens.Accommodements@fsa.ulaval.ca.

Deadlines and Overdue Work

The learning schedule laid out in the calendar should be adhered to. You may NOT turn in a case analysis after  we have discussed it in
class. If you haven't turned in the case by the time class starts on the day of the discussion, you will be given a
different case to analyze and the late penalty will be assessed according to the policy outlined here. Overdue work will be penalized at a
rate of 2% a day for every day late to a maximum of 14 days.  After 14 days, the work will not be accepted and a mark of 0 will be given
for that evaluation. 

There are exceptional circumstances that may prevent a student from submitting an assignment on time. In such cases, it is the student's
responsibility to inform the teacher as soon as possible to discuss an extension or plan an alternative.

Laptop and Software Requirements

Below you will find the minimum technology requirements for compatibility with the technological environment at FSA ULaval and, thus,
for which we can provide support via our Comptoir d'aide APTI :

Computer :

Be certain that your computer is running macOS 10, Windows 8.1 or later versions, and that all security updates are installed.
Verify also that your system is compatible with the most recent versions of internet navigators. The University recommends using
the latest versions of Google Chrome, Microsoft Edge, Mozilla Firefox or Safari.

Office suite :

You must have an up-to-date office suite.

You will have the use of Office 365 Pro Plus office suite free of charge during your studies at Laval University.
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 You will have the use of Office 365 Pro Plus office suite free of charge during your studies at Laval University.
You can connect to Office 365 using your IDUL@ulaval.ca and password (NIP) to use the applications.

Camera and headset :

You must have a camera that works with your computer.

You must also have a headset with a microphone, preferably not a cordless model; headsets that connect with cords cause less
feedback between speakers and microphone.

Internet connection :

Your internet connection must be stable and capable of working at a minimum speed of 10 Mbit/s.
Depending on your program and the platforms used, your data consumption may vary from 25G to more than 80G per month. It is
recommended to choose an unlimited data package from your service provider, if possible, in order to avoid overage charges.

Email account :

Upon admission, every student is issued a University email address in the form firstname.familyname.nn@ulaval.ca, where « nn » is a
one- or two-digit number.
Every student is responsible for managing and regularly consulting his or her University email account. The University email address
is the official form of communication for announcements and directives sent by teachers, the Faculty and the University.
For further information, please consult the following information page on the Faculty website 
http://www.fsa.ulaval.ca/courrier-electronique-etudiant 

Course Appreciation
At the end of the course, the Faculty will conduct a summative evaluation, by soliciting your comments and suggestions, to determine
whether the teaching method achieved its goals and your degree of satisfaction. During the session, a link to the course appreciation
form will be uploaded to the course website home page.

Please note that your responses to the questions and your comments will remain anonymous. Your participation in the course
appreciation process is very important, as it helps us improve the quality of our courses, programs and teaching.

Exam Absences
It is the students responsibility to ensure that exam times do not conflict at the beginning of each semester as the Faculty is unable to
offer special arrangements.

For more information, go to: http://www.fsa.ulaval.ca/politiquereglement 

Policy on Rounding Up of Grades

Students whose grade is within 0.1 (one the 100-point scale) of the next letter grade will have their grades rounded up. No exceptions to
this rule will be given.

Teaching Materials

Required Materials
Doing Business in the United States: A Guide for Small Business Entrepreneurs with a Global Mindset 
 Auteur : Anatoly Zhuplev, Matthew Stefl & Andrew Rohm
ISBN : 9781947098

A Starter Guide to Doing Business in the United States 

 Auteur : Woon-Wah Siu
Éditeur : LONGMAN/PEARSON ( 2016 )
ISBN : 9781402426117

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 The book is available at Coop Zone  and at the temporary Palasis-Prince bookstore location  . 

Our Patchwork Nation: The Surprising Truth About the "Real" America (optional) 
 Auteur : Chinni, Dante
Éditeur : GOTHAM BOOKS ( 2011 )
The book is available at Coop Zone  and at the temporary Palasis-Prince bookstore location  . 

References and Appendices

References
** I will add references in a couple of days.

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