Post-Graduate Diploma in Management

Full Time
2017 -19 Batch

Course Title - International Business

Area: Economic Environment and Policy

Term III

2 Credits

Faculty Teaching

Dr Ratna Vadra (Course Coordinator)

Dr Kasturi Das
Dr V.J Sebastian
Dr S.K Sinha
Dr Kalyan Chakravarty

Course Background and Objectives:

Global opportunities and challenges are more pervasive today than ever before in history. The
ability to look at them holistically adds to the success of the business in the longer run. It helps
companies to establish competitive advantage and succeed in markets, domestic and abroad.

The course on International Business is addressed to the students to develop knowledge on

various issues relevant for the firms to become and remain competitive in the global environment.

Course Objectives

The course objectives are identified as:

 To explain the environment of International business - economic, political, social, legal

etc.
 To develop the ability to analyze International Business environment.
 To explain how the institutions are driving the Business environment globally.
 To develop understanding of operational tools, methods and strategies available to
corporate managers in their global arena.

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Learning Outcomes

After the completion of this course, students will:

1. Demonstrate understanding of global business environment.

2. Analyze environment in an integrated manner.
3. Demonstrate ability to use tools, methods and strategies to gain global competitive
advantage for the business.

Text Book

International Business, Competing in The Global Market Place, Hill, Jain,Tenth Edition,2014
TMH.

Other Reference Books

1. International Business Environment and Operations John D Daniels, Lee H Radenbaugh,

Eleventh Edition, Latest edition, Pearson Education.

2. The International Business Environment, Texts and Cases, Anant K Sundaram / J Stewart
Black, 1999, PHI.
Journals
 Harvard Business Review
 Sloan Management Review
 Strategic Management Journal
 Mckinsey Quarterly
 Academy of Management Journal
 Management Review
 International Review of Strategic Management
 Journal of International Business Studies
 Academic journal for research in International business
 International Small Business Journal
 Journal of International Entrepreneurship

Websites:
http://hbrweb.org
http://ajc.sagepub.com
http://business-today.com

Pedagogy

There will be a strong emphasis on dialogue and student participation and therefore the pedagogy
is designed with a mix of experience sharing real life case discussions, assignments and
industry/research based projects besides the lectures in class. The course is focused on strategic
issues with cases as the primary vehicle for learning. Cases will provide ample opportunity to
reinforce the theoretical learning.

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Evaluation

Components of evaluation are very crucial pertaining to the overall learning of the course by a
student. Keeping in mind students’ heterogeneous background and strategies specified above, the
following components of evaluation have been designed to assess their subject knowledge and
performance in the course.
Components of Weightage of Marks
Evaluation (in percentage)
To be monitored for all
sessions/ to be
1. Class Participation 10
intimated by course
faculty
2. Projects write-up
Presentation and 15th and 16th Session 20
Submission (in group)
3. Quiz 10
4. AOL assessment Along with end term 10
Please refer to
4. End-Term Test 50
Academic Calendar
Total 100

Group Project

The group project will be one of the most important learning tools of the course. Please refer to
the enclosed project guidelines.

Course Requirements

i. since much of the course material requires class discussion, it is important that you are prepared
for the class. Preparation for class includes having read the assigned material.

ii. Regarding cases, your preparation should focus on a) identifying the major problem b) give
your recommendation to resolve this problem with appropriate analysis. The cases will be divided
into different groups.

iii. Assignments and Quizzes should be regularly attended to and late submissions in no case
will be accepted.

iv. Each group is expected to take up a project (live/desk) related to International business in
consultation with the faculty. Using the concepts, tools and techniques a comprehensive project
report should be prepared and submitted before the presentation. Evaluation for this assignment
will be based on both individual and group performance.

Course Outline: Module/ Session/Topic/Reading materials/Cases

Session 1
Course outline –Introduction, How does this course fit into the MBA curricula? Why is this
course important? Understanding of International Business, Globalization- few perspectives,
Dimensions and key drivers. Pros and Cons.

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Readings:

International Business Environment and Operations John D Daniels, Lee H Radenbaugh, 15th
Edition, Latest edition, Pearson Education, Chapter 1, pp3-27.

International Business, Competing in The Global Market Place, Hill and Jain ,Tenth Edition,
2014 TMH, Chapter 1, pp 2-39

Session 2 and 3

Theories of trade and their implications for International business

Brief reference to views of Mercantilist and classical theories, Modern theories: Porter’s
competitive advantage theory, and Product life cycle theory.

Reading:
International Business, Competing in The Global Market Place, Hill and Jain, Tenth Edition,
2014 TMH, Chapter 6, pp182-199.

Session 4

Factors effecting International Business: Political & Legal, Economic, Govt. influence.

Reading:
International Business, Competing in The Global Market Place, Hill and Jain ,Tenth Edition,
2014 TMH, Chapter 2 ,pp44-66 and chapter 3 pp.68-95.

Session: 5

Differences in Culture, Hofstede value dimensions and their implications for business,

Reading:
International Business, Competing in The Global Market Place, Hill and Jain Tenth Edition,
2014 TMH, Chapter 4, pp.102-135.

Session: 6

WTO: Current issues in WTO (trade facilitation, food security)

WTO dispute: India- Solar

International Business, Competing in The Global Market Place, Hill and Jain.Tenth Edition,
2014 TMH, Chapter 11, pp371-398.

Website: www.wto.org

Session 7 and 8

4
Regional Economic Integration – levels of integrations, pros and cons, Brief discussion on
NAFTA, SAARC, BREXIT: Implications for EU and India, Implications for International
business

Readings:

International Business, Competing in The Global Market Place, Hill and Jain,Tenth Edition,
2014 TMH, Chapter 9,pp-297-337.

Current articles

Sessions: 9
Options for international expansion and entry strategies
Choice among export, licensing, franchising, joint venture, wholly owned subsidiary, Strategic
Alliances

Reading:
International Business, Competing in The Global Market Place, Hill and Jain,Tenth Edition,
2014 TMH, Chapter 15,pp.508-539

Session: 10
Understanding CHINA

HBS Case: Levendary Café: The China Challenge, Bartlett, Christopher A., and Arar
Han.2011

Session 11
Foreign Direct Investment: Trends, Direction, Source, Host and Home country benefits and costs,
Implications for mangers

Reading:

International Business, Competing in The Global Market Place, Hill and Jain, Tenth Edition,
2014 TMH, Chapter 8, pp-261-297.

Session 12

International Institutions –, IMF, World Bank, financial crisis.

Readings:

International Business, Competing in The Global Market Place, Hill and Jain. Tenth Edition,
2014 TMH, Chapter 11, pp371-398.
Website
www.imf.org

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Sessions 13

The Foreign exchange market, insurance against foreign exchange risk.

Reading:

Hill, Charles W. L. and Arun K. Jain, International Business: Competing in the Global Market
Place, tenth Edition, McGraw Hill Education, 2014, Chapter 10

Session 14:
Indian companies going Global

HBS Case: Bharti Airtel in Africa, Alepu, Krishna, and Tanya Bijlani, 2012.

Session 15-16
Project Presentations
Bharti Airtel in Africa, Alepu, Krishna, and Tanya Bijlani, 2012.

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Project Guidelines

Group Project

The group project will be one of the most important learning tools of the course. Each group will
comprise of 5 students.

This is a highly interactive real life project, which requires a high degree of analysis and tangible
recommendations. Your group is required to identify a company as well as project. Some
projects are identified at the end of this note. The deliverables of the project include:

1. Project proposal
2. Final Report
3. Presentation

Project Proposal Format

Your proposal should include following:

 Introduction/Background of the project

 Rational for taking the project
 Objective of the study
 Scope of the study
 Methodology (provide flow diagram)
 Expected outcome
 Project schedule

Final Report Format

The final report has to be prepared and submitted in the format encompassing the areas
mentioned here under the heading of “Contents”.

Executive Summary
Acknowledgements
List of Abbreviations
List of Tables
List of Figures

1. Introduction/Background of the study

2. Objective of the study
3. Scope of the study
4. Methodology
5. Project findings
6. Recommendations

References
Appendix