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These markets are examined individually and as a system. Particular emphasis is placed on studying the interactions among all markets in order to gain a better understanding of how domestic and global business conditions affect the formulation and implementation of business strategies. COURSE OVERVIEW This course examines the fundamentals of business conditions analysis with an emphasis on how domestic and global business conditions affect the formulation and implementation of business strategies. Specifically the primary goals of this course are to enable you to:
Recognize the relevance of domestic and global business conditions to managerial decision-making and firm performance, and to apply business principles to relate to business issues and the marketplace. Understand the mechanisms of the domestic and global business environment within the broad social, political, industrial and economic contexts. Explore the nature of business conditions and the implications for decision-making, research, business and policy. Analyze the firm, organization, or practices and its operations from a domestic and global systems perspective.
Acquire a skill set of analytic tools that will increase your human capital. BOOKS & MATERIALS These books are fairly quick and easy to read: The undercover Economist by Tim Hartford The Tipping Point: How Little Things Can Make a Big Difference by Malcolm Caldwell Freakishness: A Rogue Economist Explains the Hidden Side of Everything by Steven Levity and Stephen Dubbed Travels Of a T-Shirt in the Global Economy by Pieta Ravioli Articles: “Who Supplied My Cheese? ” Business Economics, October 2005. (will be posted on my web site www. Tilt. Tutu. Deed/Ewing) “Strengthening
Globalization Invisible Hand,” Business Economics, October 2006. (will be posted on my web site www. Tilt. Tutu. Deed/Ewing) Other: Economics for Dummies (contains background, reference material) Online Lecture Notes -? a set of Powering slides (in PDF) available on my web site (http://courses. Tutu. Deed/bowing). You should use these to supplement the e-delivery lectures You should read “Economics for Dummies” in its entirety before reading any of the other books or doing the assignments. Additionally, you should view the lectures on DVD concurrently with your reading of “Economics for Dummies”.
Reading “Economics for Dummies” and viewing the lectures prior to doing the assignments will help you understand the material and it should help you get the best grade possible. LEARNING OBJECTIVES 1 . Develop students’ ability to think in business terms and about the conditions surrounding their operating environment. 2. Develop students’ ability to view organizations from a domestic and global business systems perspective. 3. Build students’ analytical skills for conducting business analysis. 4. Provide students with the opportunity to develop strategies for real world problems, and to develop decision making kills. . Integrate knowledge gained in other business experiences. Course Topic Guide Material to be covered: Business Conditions Concepts and Analysis Introduction to business conditions, concepts and analysis Operating a firm within the domestic and global environment Global economy and the Federal Reserve Economics of Risk – risk analysis (perception & communication), risk management & decision making Value Creation, Supply Chain Economics Business model – integrating economics, operations & strategy Note: You may download a set of Powering slides to accompany the lectures.
COURSE REQUIREMENTS AND GRADING All assignments need to be emailed to me with the course title and semester (I. E. , “MBA – BAA 7000 Summer 2009”) clearly written in the subject line. I will acknowledge receipt of your assignments – usually within 24 hours. Due to the amount of spam and the use of a junk mail filter, do no assume that I have received your assignment until you have received an acknowledgement from me (Note: please use your official Texas Tech email account so that way your email has a better chance of getting through).
General Guidelines for Written Work All written work prepared outside of lass should be typewritten and contain a cover page with your name, course number, date, and title. Where page lengths are noted for particular assignments, the page lengths assume 12 point font, 8 1/2 by 11 paper, double spaced type, and one inch margins on all sides. In cases where 12 pitch type is not available, page lengths should be adjusted proportionately. Please include a cover sheet for all work which includes your name along with the date and subject of the project. Written work will be graded for both content and quality.
That is, grammar, punctuation, spelling, coherence, style, ND organization will be considered. A concise style is essential. Corporate executives repeatedly emphasize the need for business schools to do a better job of preparing Mambas to write in an organizational context. The standards applied to writing quality will approximate those applied to major corporate documents that have been prepared for broad distribution among senior executives. In order to receive a grade of “B” in the course the student will need to do “B” quality work on each of the above assignments.
In addition to the above assignments, students will need to do “B” quality work on the following assignments (#1-4): Assignment #1 Turn in a 2-3 page critique of The Undercover Economist. In your critique of the book identify key points that you think will be valuable to you (or, in some cases, for a particular industry, the domestic or global economy) in the years to come. Additionally, identify what parts, if any, of the book were a waste of your time to read. Also want you to identify what parts of the book relate to the lectures.
Next, discuss how you would/could successfully apply the major points of the book in an organization (Of your choosing but presumably in the field of your chosen profession). Discuss potential pitfalls (I. E. , areas that are especially vulnerable to “success” and thus provide examples of how these major points have been unsuccessfully applied in the organization of your choosing). Discuss how you would (e. G. , if you were to be consulted or had been consulted) apply some of these tools and knowledge differently to the organization in the future.
Then on a scale of 1 to 10 (ten being the best) give an overall assessment of the book. Assignment #2 Turn in a 2-3 page critique of The Tipping Point. In your critique of the book identify key points that you think will be valuable to you or, in some cases, for a particular industry, the domestic or global economy) in the years to come. Additionally, identify what parts, if any, of the book were a waste of your time to read. I also want you to identify what parts Of the book relate to the lectures.
Next, discuss how you would/could successfully apply the major points of the book in an organization (of your choosing but presumably in the field of your chosen profession). Discuss potential pitfalls (I. E. , areas that are especially vulnerable to “success” and thus provide examples of how these major points have been unsuccessfully applied in the organization of your choosing). Discuss how you would (e. G. , if you were to be consulted or had been consulted) apply some of these tools and knowledge differently to the organization in the future.
Then on a scale of 1 to 10 (ten being the best) give an overall assessment of the book. Assignment #3 Turn in a 2-3 page critique of Freakishness. In your critique of the book identify key points that you think will be valuable to you (or, in some cases, for a particular industry, the domestic or global economy) in the years to come. Additionally, identify what parts, if any, of the book were a asset of your time to read. I also want you to identify what parts of the book relate to the lectures.
Next, discuss how you would/could successfully apply the major points of the book in an organization (of your choosing but Assignment #4 Turn in a 2-3 page critique of Travels of a T-Shirt in the Global Economy. In your critique of the book identify key points that you think will be valuable to you (or, in some cases, for a particular industry, the domestic or global economy) in the years to come. Additionally, identify what parts, if any, of the book were a waste of your time to read. I also want you to identify what parts of the book relate to the lectures.
Next, discuss how you would/ could successfully apply the major points of the book in an organization (of your choosing but presumably in the field of your chosen profession). Discuss potential pitfalls (I. E. , areas that are especially vulnerable to “success” and thus provide examples of how these major points have been unsuccessfully applied in the organization of your choosing). Discuss how you would (e. G. , if you were to be consulted or had been consulted) apply some of these tools ND knowledge differently to the organization in the future.
Then on a scale of 1 to 10 (ten being the best) give an overall assessment of the book. In order to receive a grade of “A” in the course the student will need to do “A” assignments, students will need to do “A” quality work on the following two assignments (#5-6): Assignment #5 Turn in a 2-3 page critique of the articles “Who Supplied My Cheese? ” and “Strengthening Globalization Invisible Hand”. In your critique of the article identify key points that you think will be of the article were a waste of your time to read. Also want you to identify hat parts of the article relate to the lectures.
Next, I want you to investigate the external environment of the country to which the firm plans to expand and compare it to the domestic environment in the firm’s home country. I then want you to discuss how good of a fit the new country’s environment is for your chosen firm. Specifically discuss: What macro- environmental trends are relevant? What are the contending forces in the industry? What forces are changing the industry over time? Are there key competitors that present opportunities or challenges to the firm?
Define opportunities as favorable conditions in the external environment, define hearts as unfavorable conditions in the external environment, and conduct an environmental scan. Additional factors about the chosen country that you may want to consider when doing the environmental and competitive analyses. Each sub-section (I. E. , A, B, C, D, E, F) should be about 2-3 pages. Thus, since there are two major parts (I. E. , I and II), the overall length should be around 24-36 pages. Additionally, a cover page and a references section are required (but do NOT count in the page length suggestions).
The absolute page limit (not including the cover sheet and references) is 40 pages. A full letter grade will be deducted on any project longer than 40 pages. No exceptions. Please follow this outline carefully. L. General Environmental Analysis A. Economic 1 . Overall level of development 2. Economic growth: GAP and industry 3. Role of foreign trade in the economy 4. Currency: inflation rate, currency controls, stability of exchange rate 5. Balance of payments 6. Per capita income and distribution 7. Disposable income and spending patterns B.
Social/Guttural 1 . Population size, growth, density, distribution (urban/rural) 2. Literacy rates, education levels 3. Existence of middle class 4. Similarities and differences in relation to company’s home market 5. Language and other cultural considerations C. Political 1 . System of government 2. Political stability and continuity 3. Ideological orientation 4. Government involvement in business 5. Attitudes toward foreign business 6. National economic and development priorities 7. Membership in regional trade organizations D. Technological E. Physical 1.