Professional Documents
Culture Documents
Global Business
- BUSI1357
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Contents
1. WELCOME ........................................................................................................................................ 3
2. INTRODUCTION TO THE COURSE................................................................................................. 4
2.1 AIMS ........................................................................................................................................... 4
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1. Welcome
Welcome to study at the University of Greenwich Business School and a particular welcome to the
course Global Business (BUS1357).
This course is designed to develop core skills in both the subject area and in general postgraduate level
academic areas and although we do expect you to work hard, you should be more than rewarded by
added employability that comes from being skilled in this area.
What may you expect from this course? A number of challenges in international business will be
discussed from a business network perspective, such that you will have a clear and thorough view of
the most important aspects in doing global business. For example, how to find opportunities in global
business, how to organize global business, and how to finance global business, are questions that will
be answered. Also, if you pass the course, you will understand some pivotal mechanisms of business
networks and how they affect global business relations within and between organizations.
What is expected of you? Needless to say, it is crucial that you attend both lectures and workshops.
There is a direct correlation between failure to attend and failing the course. Also, it is expected that
you prepare work for class, and actively contribute to the off-line and on-line discussions.
This document outlines the course’s main features and provides you with the key information you
need during the course. You are always welcome to talk with me if you have any questions about the running
of this course. I would like to encourage you to use computer mediated communication as the internet; an
indispensable tool in Global Business.
Dr David Dekker
Email: d.j.dekker@gre.ac.uk
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2. Introduction to the Course
In many parts of life relations are central, not the least profoundly in doing business. In a globalized
setting, managing business relations is a great challenge. While domestic business relations are usually
embedded in an environment well-known to both parties, global business relations usually face much
more uncertainties. This course explores the antecedents and consequences and trends in doing global
business from a relational and business network perspective.
How will we do that? First, we will not stop at focusing on dyadic relations; rather great emphasis will
be put on the network that embeds global business relations. The theoretical mechanisms provided in
social network theory offers us a solid foundation to analyze, interpret and understand managerial
challenges of doing global business.
2.1 Aims
The aims of the Global Business course are to:
provide an appreciation of key factors on which international business decisions are based;
develop an understanding and appreciation of similarities and differences in the international
business environment;
distinguish the imperatives underpinning international trade and foreign direct investment;
provide an understanding of the principles of the internationalisation process and draw
implications for business management;
develop an appreciation of the key components of the operations and other functions employed
by commercial organizations in pursuing or planning international business initiatives;
challenge students to consider the impact of organisation and leadership on the global reach of
business.
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present coherent argument in support of an intellectual position.
synthesise information and theory from a range of sources.
B1 Breadth of outlook
B Intellectual skills
Analysis and comparison of key theory and practice presented in text chapters, related articles
and contemporary case studies.
Debate and appreciate interpretations and applications of academic theory and practice.
B1 Breadth of outlook
Preparation and presentation of case study and other directed assignments and tutorial activities
Participation in tutorials
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C Subject specific skills
D Transferable skills
D1 Critical thinking
Assessment A B1 B2 B3 C D1 D2 D3
activities
Lectures √ √ √
Tutorials √ √ √ √ √ √ √
Presentations √ √ √ √
Assignment √ √ √ √ √ √ √
Examination √ √ √
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3. Contact Details
Course Leader
Tutors
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4. Module Details
MODULE 1: Course Introduction
EVIDENCE:
Reflective thinking, Building arguments, Presenting Hypotheses, Participation to debates and discussions,
Applying conceptual models
ACTIVITY:
RESOURCES:
Course Handbook, Course Textbook: Ch 1-4, Slides: Available in advance on WebCt, Further
Readings: Accesible on WebCt
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DISCOURSE: Participation to class debates and group activities and /or contribution to an
online discussion on the WebCt discussion board.
EVIDENCE: Reflective thinking, Building arguments, Presenting Hypotheses, Participation to debates and
discussions, Applying conceptual models
ACTIVITY:
DISCOURSE: Participation to class debates and group activities and /or contribution to an
online discussion on the WebCt discussion board.
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LEARNING OUTCOME for this module:
EVIDENCE: Reflective thinking, Building arguments, Presenting Hypotheses, Participation to debates and
discussions, Applying conceptual models
ACTIVITY:
DISCOURSE: Participation to class debates and group activities and /or contribution to an
online discussion on the WebCt discussion board.
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TOPIC 4: Presenting students’ research
ACTIVITY:
RESOURCES: Students’posters.
DISCOURSE: Participation to class debates and group activities and /or contribution to an
online discussion on the WebCt discussion board.
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TOPIC 5: Doing Global Business
EVIDENCE: Reflective thinking, Building arguments, Presenting Hypotheses, Participation to debates and
discussions, Applying conceptual models
ACTIVITY:
DISCOURSE: Participation to class debates and group activities and /or contribution to an
online discussion on the WebCt discussion board.
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4.1 Session Reading
The course will use one textbook properly designed to meet requirement of the course. Therefore all
students are strongly encouraged to have a copy of the textbook; all the case studies discussed during
tutorials will be taken either from the course textbook or supplied through WebCt. Students need to
come to the tutorial having read the case study in advance.
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Globalisation and Small Business, Volume 3, Number 4, 18
March 2010 , pp. 427-440(14)
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5. Assessment Details
5.1 Summary of assessment
Complete a tabula representation such as the example below
More specifically, it is expected that in a group you will prepare a poster presentation, in which you
present an argument that results in 3 hypotheses on a topic discussed in classes 4, 7, and/or 9. The
presentation should show why the hypotheses are important and what research question they are to
answer, be explicit about the sources used to build the argument and be indicative about how these
hypotheses could be tested.
Part A2 assesses your individual skill of giving positive critisms. Each student makes an individual
assessment of an assigned presentation. The aim is to find explicit grounds for improvement in the
presentations of others by highlighting the strengths, and suggesting how weaker points could be
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improved. The assessment gives you the opportunity to motivate others to improve on what they are
doing. Also, this places you in the seat of an assessor and will hence improve your understanding of
how assessors evaluate your own work. It will require that you have substantive knowledge on the
topic of the presentation, and understand structure and flow of the presentation. The assessment
should be emailed to d.j.dekker@gre.ac.uk before the deadline expires. The subject header should
read: BUS1357 1011 ASMT [YOUR NAME] [YOUR BANNERID]. The submitted document has to be a pdf-
file with the same name as the subject header in the email.
The second part of the assessment is a take-home exam (50% of final grade), which should be emailed
to d.j.dekker@gre.ac.uk within 24 hours after it has become available on WebCt. The subject header
should read: BUS1357 1011 TKHE [YOUR NAME] [YOUR BANNERID]. The submitted document has to
be a pdf-file with the same name as the subject header in the email. In preparation to this exam you
have to study all course materials and map out all the literature discussed during the course. The exam
will cover 4 essay questions on different topics discussed during the course. Points will be allocated on
the framing of the answer in the appropriate literature, interpretation of the literature and
argumentation. The point distribution is equal over the questions; each question will count for 25% of
the final grade. Questions can be divided into sub-questions.
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6. Other Details
The majority of information relevant to you while you study at the University has been brought
together into your programme handbook. Please refer to your programme handbook for any further
information you might require including methods of submitting assignments, advice and
administrative procedures.
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