Students learn how to develop an integrative framework for dealing with the international activities of the firm, whether it be a newly exporting company or a full-fledged multinational. A special emphasis is placed on understanding how the international environment constrains decision-making in a global context. Given that exchange rates are the critical random variables in business, significant attention is devoted to how currency prices are determined and how to manage exchange risk in close coordination with the strategic choices of the firm. Students will gain exposure to various information technologies, examine their applications, explore the competitive advantages associated with the information technology and address organizational and managerial implications. The course aims to prepare students to participate in an active and meaningful way in the rapidly evolving information management function of an organization.
Students learn about the role that ethics can play in corporate strategy.
Key concepts include stakeholder management, individual and collective responsibility and international business ethics. Theoretical considerations will be applied to examine specific issues such as business' responsibility to the environment, truthful and tasteful advertising, obligations to the local community and managing a diverse workforce. Issues examined include changes in monetary and fiscal policies, unemployment, international financial markets, country risk, financial crises and the implications of macroeconomic policies and global trends for economic growth. These topics are presented within an integrated conceptual framework and are supported by the experiences of the U.S., Europe, Japan and developing countries. Understanding the macroeconomic environment of business in the context of the firm's strategy facilitates more effective and more informed capital allocation and investment decisions.