International Business

Course: International Business
Course Number: DE1124
ECTS credits: 6
Prerequisites: None

Description

This course explores challenges facing modern corporations in organizing cross -border activity.  This  course  offers  a  global  perspective  on  long  term  change  in  the  world economy, and the interaction between countries, regulatory systems and business firms.
The course is focused on current literature in management, economics, and organization theory.  Emphasis  is  placed  on  empirical  research.  Students  are  expected  to  critique papers, present material to the class, and write a term paper based on a real international business project.

Learning objectives

Students who successfully complete this course will be able to:
- Demonstrate their knowledge of International Business.
- Think critically and solve business scenarios
- Demonstrate awareness of their role in the global management
- Use information systems to face real business settings
- Analyze international economic business problems and develop relevant solutions

Educational activities

Developed by means of different didactic strategies:
- Theory and Practice
- Collective and individual tutoring
- In-class presentations
- Team work assignments
- Workshops and additional training

Methodology

The  course  syllabus  follows  the  Communicative  Approach  methods,  based  on  the  core principles   of   procedure   conception   and   constructive   acquisition   of   knowledge.   The methodology  is  based  on  the  teaching-learning  procedures,  focused  on  the  learner,  which encourages  active  participation  and  results  in  the  development  of  general  and  specific competencies  that  provide  knowledge,  capacities  and  attitudes  for  their  future  professional careers.

Form of Assessment

The form of assessment is based on the core principles of the educational assessment, i.e., an active and participative teaching-learning process focused on the learner. The instructor uses numerous and differentiated forms of assessment to calculate the final grade received for this course. For the record, these are listed below. The content, criteria and specific requirements for each assessment category will be explained in greater detail in class.

The final grade consists of three parts: class participation, daily work and exams:
25% Active in class participation (attendance, discussions, presentations, etc.)
33% International business plan
(paper + class activities related to IBP)
42 % exams

Grading Scale goes from 0 to 10.

Numerical Grade Range
Letter grade Percentage
Range
10 A+ 100%
9.5 -9.9 A 95 -99%
9 - 9.4 A- 90-94%
8.5 - 8.9 B+ 85-89%
7.5 - 8.4 B 75-84%
7 - 7.4 B- 70-74%
6.5 - 6.9 C+ 65-69%
6 - 6.4 C 60-64%
5 - 5.9 C- 5-59%
0-4.9 F 0-49%

Attendance Policy

- Attendance is compulsory. In order to excuse any absence, students have to deliver a valid justification.
- An absence is equivalent to a session. Two late arrivals of more than 15 minutes will be considered an absence.
- Any unjustified absence will negatively affect the students? final grade by lowering his/her participation grade.

The participation grade will be lowered as follows:
3 unjustified absences - 30%
4 unjustified absences - 40%
5 unjustified absences - 50%

If a student has more than 5 unjustified absences, the PARTICIPATION GRADE will be zero (0).
Any student with 7 or more absences will NOT pass the course. Those students whose absences have been properly justified will get No presentado (N.P). Absences do NOT excuse the fulfillment of tasks, papers or essays.

Active Participation

The methodology used in class demands from the student a daily participation regarding the following:
- Debates about different topics.
- Questions posed in class.
- Opinions and comments.
- Documents and texts.

Criteria to evaluate participation grade:

The student very often contributes with important and original comments that encourage debate, using critical and analytical arguments clearly based on reading, investigation, daily work, and class work.
8.5 - 10
The student frequently participates voluntarily and makes valuable contributions that are generally based on reflection and daily work.
7 - 8.4
The student makes eventual comments, practically only when asked, and shows no clear interest in the course. The student does not start a debate nor shows a clear understanding of the importance of class/homework and readings.
5 - 6.9
The student makes no comments at all, or makes irrelevant or distracting ones during class. This is usually a result from frequent absences or lack of preparation for the class.
0 - 4.9

Slides and readings assigned/delivered session by session.