Taught In English

There is no language prerequisite for courses at this language level.

Course proposal and objectives
1. To define the field of international business and emphasize the
differences between business within the domestic and international
contexts.
2. To define and discuss briefly basic terms relevant to international
business.
3. To discuss the different means (exporting, importing, licensing,
investing, etc.) a firm can use to accomplish its international objectives.
4. To emphasize the importance of history in understanding current
international business relations.
5. To underline company differences insofar as they affect and are affected
by environmental and operational constraints.
Course outline
I. Introduction to International Business.
a. The field of international business. International and domestic business
compared. The historical setting. Company differences.
b. Recent world trade and investment patterns. Major events causing
change. World trade. Recent direct investment patterns.
II. Comparative environmental forces.
a. The economic environment facing business. Political and economic
frameworks. Developed and developing countries.
b. The human and cultural environment. Types of variables. Physical
attributes. Demography. Behavioral attributes. Reconciliation of
international differences.

III. Economic theories on international trade, development and
investment.
a. International trade theory. Absolute advantage. Comparative advantage.
Division of gains. The role of exchange rates. Relative factor prices. The
product life cycle. Toward a theory of international business.
b. Governmental influence on trade. The rationale for government
intervention. Forms of trade control. Trade influence and uncertainty.
c. Why direct foreign investment takes place. The meaning of direct foreign
investment. The relationship of investment and trade. Government
regulations. Consumer-imposed restrictions. Return on resources.
Competitive factors. Multiple motives.
d. Cross-national cooperation and agreements. International organizations
(U.N. system and other organizations). Regional economic and political
integration. FTAA. Commodity agreements.
IV. World financial environment.
a. Foreign exchange. Exchange rates. The foreign exchange market.
Convertibility. Exchange restrictions. Barter. The instruments of foreign
exchange. The role of the commercial bank in foreign exchange. The spot-and-forward exchange markets. The relationship between exchange rates and other variables.
b. The international monetary and payments system. The balance of
payments.
c. Financial markets for international operations. Local debt markets.
Eurocurrencies. Internatinal banking. Development banks. Internatinal
bonds. Securities exchange.
V. Functional management, operations and concerns.
a. International marketing. Negotiations in international business.
b. The multinational accounting function.
c. Taxation.
d. The multinatinal finance function.
e. Personnel management.
VI. Corporate policy and strategy.
a. International logistics. International manufacture. Export and import
operations. Transportation.
b. Forms of foereing involvement.
c. Geographic strategies.
d. Control.
VII. Trends and new directions.
VIII. Costa Rica. external economic relations. Economic relations with the U.S.A. and other regions and countries.