Topics include whether deficits matter, exchange-rate fluctuations, the international debt crisis, monetary policy activism and business cycle forecasting. The second course in this sequence builds on the foundations of operations covered in the first course. Various strategic issues are examined, including time-based competition, distribution, capacity planning, technology management and internal operations. The interfaces between the operations function and other functions of the firm such as finance, accounting and marketing also are highlighted. In the past 20 years, few things have changed business, both in the United States and abroad, more than information technology.
Special attention is paid to the role of the Internet in enabling new business models.
The course stresses basic, fundamental concepts and issues that all international business managers should know, and, to accomplish this objective, a cross-functional approach is taken. To some extent, the course deals with issues in the fields of international accounting, economics, finance, law, marketing, organizational design and behavior, politics, production and strategy. The course does not typically address these fields separately but instead stresses integration within an international business context. I Students have an elective choice in this semester. Course topics in recent years have included advanced financial management, new product development and operations strategy.