UNITCODE Unit Title: PRBM009: International Business
Credit points: 10 Mode: Terrestrial and distance learning
Assumed knowledge: No assumed knowledge Location: On-campus and via Learn Line
Pre-requisite(s): None Learning Lectures, Discussion Board events method:
Year: 2015
Semester: One Unit Dr Rajeev Sharma coordinator:
School: Law and Business Phone: 08 8946 8832
Email: rajeev.sharma@cdu.edu.au
Unit Description
This unit addresses the issues of international business and is designed to assist the development of knowledge and skills in relation to managing within an international business organisation.
This unit will examine the theory and practices of businesses operating in international settings. Its main objective is to provide students with an overview of international business functions so that international business opportunities could be identified and utilised more effectively.
Learning Outcomes
On completion of this unit a student should be able to:
1. Understand the fundamental concepts underlying the study of international business and elements that constitute an international business organisation.
2. Comprehend the differences between international and domestic organisations.
3. Learn about the different forms of international businesses.
4. Understand the benefits and drawbacks of participating in international markets.
5. Comprehend the nature of international business environments.
6. Understand the elements that constitute the international business planning strategy process.
7. Develop skills for planning for an organisation to enter an overseas market.
Teaching and Learning Strategies
The unit will be delivered as lectures delivered terrestrially and also on-line, with all the lecture materials made available as PowerPoint slides.
In support of the learning process, a student learning pack is available in a downloadable form from Learnline. These materials also contain guided readings in the required unit text and academic journal articles. Additional learning will occur through student/tutor interaction utilising the unit Discussion Board.
Assessment will be based upon two assignments, details of which are specified in the student learning pack. The unit is designed to be delivered both terrestrially and online. Face to face sessions are likely to be more problem solving and/or tutorial like.
Participation
Your contact requirements are 3 hours/week over a 12 week period based upon a combination of formal lectures and participation in on-line Learnline discussion board events (for which a broadband connection is required) plus 5 hours/week individual study over 12 weeks. Students should communicate with the tutor via the Learnline e-mail system. Additional 1-to-1 and/or group-based events utilising the Discussion Board designed to assist the student learning process may be scheduled as identified need arises during the unit. Hence students are advised to regularly check the Discussion Board to determine the time and date for any such additional activities
Specific details of individual class times can be obtained by accessing the class timetable at:
http://www.cdu.edu.au/timetable
Overview of Assessment
Item Description/Focus Value Relates to learning outcomes
1. Overseas market analysis 40 % 1,2 and 3
2. Implementation of market entry 60 % 4, 5 and 6
Special Requirements
None
Required textbook(s)
Fisher, G., Hughes, R., Griffin, E. and Pustay, R. (latest edition), International Business: Managing in the Asia-Pacific, Pearson Education Australia.
Required textbooks can be ordered from the CDU Bookshop through their website at www.cdu.edu.au/bookshop
Learnline (Online Learning System)
Learnline is Charles Darwin University’s on-line learning system.
In this unit, Learnline will be used to:
• provide important announcements about the unit
• distribute lecture slides, and other study materials. It is likely this will include online audio files of lectures.
• complete online assessments
• access feedback from tasks and grades for assessable work
• provide a communication point where you contribute to discussions as part of your assessment, and to interact with other students in the unit
You will need to connect to the Internet to access it, at http://online.cdu.edu.au/
Access to Learnline may not be available until Day 1 of Semester.
If this is your first time using Learnline, click on ‘Student Support’ in the left-hand navigation panel BEFORE logging in.
It is recommended that all students have access to regular and reliable broadband access to complete unit requirements.
Learning Schedule
the required text
Session 2
International Trade and Investment Theories and Porter, M.
(1990b),
Session 3 Role of Government and Economic Co-Operation Chapters 4 and 9 in the required text and Petlis, C.
(1994)
Chapters 5 and 6 in
the required text
Session 4 Role of Political & Legal Systems
and Posin, D.Q. (2004)
Session 5 Culture, Ethics and Governance Chapters 7 and 8 in the required text and Van Tulder, R and Kolk, A. (2001)
Session 6 International Strategy Chapter 10 in the required text and Mathews, J.A. (2006) Assignment 1 Due date:
Friday
Session 7 International Market Entry Strategies Chapter 11 in the required text
Session 8 Organisational Structure Chapter 12 in the required text and Darling, J.R. and
Seristo, H.T. (2004)
Session 9 International Marketing Chapter 13 in the required text
Myers, M., Tamer,
S., Cavusgil, D.
Session 10 International Marketing Mix
and Diamantopoulo s, A. (2002)
Session 11 International Financial Management Chapters 14 and 15 in the required text and Hegarty, J.
(1997)
Chapter 16 in the
Assignment 2 required text and
Session 12 International Human Resources Management Due date:
Wu, C., Lawler, J.
Friday and Yi, X. (2008)
e-Reserve
e-Reserve allows electronic copies of journal articles, book chapters and lecturer notes that have been recommended by a lecturer as part of their unit reading requirements. You can access eReserve at http://ereadings.cdu.edu.au/
This site is password protected. Your CDU student login will provide you access. You can then search for items by Lecturer, Unit Code, Title, Author, keyword, Year or Date if you have that information.
Additional Resources
Downloadable student learning pack located on Learnline containing detailed coverage of the learning materials, Powerpoint lecture overheads, required readings, additional reference sources, assignment briefings

Assessments
Assessment Item 1
Description/Focus: The purpose of this assignment is to provide an opportunity to utilise your skills and knowledge in acquiring secondary (i.e. existing) information as the basis of developing a report.
The purpose of this assignment is to undertake an analysis of a new overseas market or an existing overseas market where significant expansion should be implemented.
Value: 40%
Due date: Friday, Week 6
Length: 10 A4 Pages (plus unlimited appendices)
Task: Utilise the University library, the Internet and any information made available by the organisation (e.g. annual report, promotional materials) to provide an analysis of the organisation’s current operations as the basis for recommending an entry into a new overseas market or implementing a significant expansion in an existing overseas market where a major new opportunity exists.
Assessment criteria: The submitted assignment is required to demonstrate the following:
1. An ability to utilise sources such as the Internet and University library facilities to search, locate and summarise data relevant to the assignment
2. An ability to utilise appropriate academic theories on international business that can provide a framework for analysing an overseas market.
3. An ability to develop an effective analysis of an overseas market.
4. An ability to present a well written, well-structured report
5. An ability to critically analyse information, formulate conclusions and exhibit original thought.
The levels of achievement for the assignment are measured by demonstration of:
1. The data acquired and summarised from sources such as the Internet and the University library facilities.
2. Presentation of appropriate international business theories about overseas market conditions and key variables in terms of being used as frameworks to support your analysis.
3. Identification of the factors within the selected overseas market
which are key influencers of the organisation’s future performance
in this market.
4. The submission of a well written, well structured report.
5. A critical analysis of information to generate conclusions and provide evidence of original thought.
Assessments
Assessment Item 2
Description/Focus: The purpose of this assignment is to specify an appropriate
international business strategy that can provide the basis for exploiting the new or existing overseas business market. The second aspect your report should define the marketing actions and appropriate organisational structure for implementing a successful entry or expansion into the overseas market which has been selected for assignment 1.
Value: 60 %
Due date: Friday Week 12
Length: 10 A4 Pages (plus unlimited appendices)
Task: The purpose of this assignment is to provide an opportunity to utilise your knowledge of international business to undertake an analysis of the new overseas market or an existing overseas market where significant expansion should be implemented.
Assessment criteria: The submitted assignment is required to demonstrate the following:
1. An ability to utilise sources such as the Internet and University library facilities to search, locate and summarise data relevant to the assignment
2. An ability to utilise appropriate theories about international business to create frameworks that can your formulation of an appropriate strategy for the overseas market actions being proposed.
3. Selection of a realistic international business strategy for the chosen organisation.
4. An ability to utilise appropriate theories to create frameworks that can to justify your decisions about the marketing management actions being proposed
5. Presentation of an appropriate structure for utilisation by the chosen
organisation in the selected overseas market.
6. An ability to present a well written, well-structured report
7. An ability to critically analyse information, formulate conclusions and exhibit original thought.
The levels of achievement for the assignment are measured by demonstration of:
1. Effective use sources such as the Internet and University library facilities to search, locate and summarise data relevant to the assignment
Use of appropriate theories to create frameworks that can to justify your decisions about the marketing management actions to be utilised
2. Presentation of an appropriate structure for utilisation in the chosen organisation
3. Submission of a well written, well-structured report
4. Evidence of critically analysis of information, formulation of conclusions and exhibiting original thought.
Please download Assignment Cover Sheet here:
http://learnline.cdu.edu.au/support/ess/assignment.html
CDU Graduate attributes
CDU graduate attributes refer to those skills, qualities and understandings that should be acquired by students during their time at the University regardless of their discipline of study.
(See http://www.cdu.edu.au/graduateattributes/graduateattributes.html).
In this unit, the following graduate attributes are developed:
Attribute Description Learning outcomes
Acquisition Can identify, retrieve, evaluate and use relevant information and current technologies to advance learning and execute work tasks. 1
Application Is an efficient and innovative project planner and problem solver, capable of applying logical and critical thinking to problems across a range of disciplinary settings and has self-management skills that contribute to personal satisfaction and growth. 2
Creativity Can conceive of imaginative and innovative responses to future orientated challenges and research. 3
Knowledge base Has an understanding of the broad theoretical and technical concepts related to their discipline area, with relevant connections to industry, professional, and regional and indigenous knowledge. 4, 5
Communication Demonstrates oral, written, and effective listening skills as well as numerical, technical and graphic communication skills in a cross generational environment. 6, 7