Course Syllabus

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VALENCIA COLLEGE

202130-GEB-1350-30948 Introduction to International Business  

Class Policies & Course Syllabus

Summer 2021

(05/10/21 – 08/02/21)

 

 

COURSE DESCRIPTION:

 

This introductory course focuses on the core concepts of International Business. This course is an entry-level overview of current world trade activities, practices, and issues. It is designed to provide the student with a basic, practical understanding of international business operations in the context of global competitiveness, regional trading blocs, and the globalization of world markets.

 

The course addresses several major business components and concepts that are critical to managing an organization in the international marketplace. The emphasis is on the effect of sociocultural, political, regulatory, economic, and technological factors in the foreign trade environment. In addition, the course covers a variety of topics to illustrate the unique nature of international business including the globalization of the firm, global strategy and human resources management, alliances and acquisitions, and the importance to know how to invest abroad. Upon completion of the course, students should feel comfortable considering careers in both small and large multi-national corporations.

 

CREDIT HOURS:

3

PROFESSOR:

Dr. Andrés Villalobos

PREREQUISITES:

None

EMAIL:

Please use your Canvas Inbox for all course-related inquiries.

Direct email on emergencies only: avillalobos3@valenciacollege.edu

CLASS MEETING ROOM:

Canvas

Online Course

OFFICE HOURS: 

By Appointment Only

DAY/TIME:

N/A

 

TOPICS/AREAS COVERED         

  1. Strategizing Around the Globe
  2. Managing Industry Competition
  3. Leveraging Resources and Capabilities
  4. Emphasizing Institutions, Cultures, and Ethics
  5. Growing and Internationalizing the Entrepreneurial Firm
  6. Entering Foreign Markets
  7. Making Strategic Alliances and Networks Work
  8. Managing Global Competitive Dynamics
  9. Diversifying and Managing Acquisitions Globally
  10. Strategizing, Structuring, and Learning Around the World
  11. Governing the Corporation Around the World
  12. Strategizing with Corporate Social Responsibility

 

MAJOR LEARNING OUTCOMES (MLO) FOR THIS COURSE AND HOW EACH WILL BE ASSESSED:

  • Students will be able to assess the opportunities and challenges of the Globalization of Business.  This MLO will be assessed through discussion board assignments, multiple choice quizzes, and case study analysis. 
  • Students will demonstrate skill in locating resources for "going international" and sources for export-import assistance.  This MLO will be assessed through discussion board assignments, and multiple choice quizzes
  • Students will be able to measure international business performance by utilizing evaluative trade concepts and tools.  This MLO will be assessed through discussion board assignments, and multiple choice quizzes.
  • Students will be able to evaluate alternative strategies for competing in the Global Marketplace.  This MLO will be assessed through discussion board assignments, and multiple choice quizzes.

 

TEXTBOOK AND REQUIRED MATERIALS:

Required:  MindTap Management, 1 term (6 months) Instant Access for Peng's Global Strategy, 4th Edition

  • Textbook: Global Strategy 4th
  • Author: Peng, Mike W. 
  • Publisher:  Cengage Learning (Boston, MA)  
  • ISBN-10: 1305577019 / ISBN-13: 9781305577015

 

MindTap (Cengage) Registration:

 

SUPPLEMENTAL READING (OPTIONAL)

Cantwell, J. (2017). Innovation and international business. Industry and Innovation, 24(1), 41-60, DOI: 10.1080/13662716.2016.1257422

 

COURSE COMPETENCIES

The course seeks to strengthen students’ skills applicable to Valencia’s Student Core Competencies: Think, Value, Communicate, and Act.

 

ASSESSMENT

This course will measure learning to ensure the following MLOs are achieved:

  • Multiple-choice demonstrates your ability to identify and recall introductory business concepts drawn from lectures, your notes and reading the text (and supplementary course materials). This assessment method also demonstrates your ability to think critically when selecting the best answer to a given question.
  • Case Study analysis demonstrates your ability to integrate business theory into practice. Students will answer questions drawn from real-world business issues. 
  • Peer-to-Peer Communicationis vitally important within businesses. In this course, we will use online discussion threads to demonstrate your ability to communicate effectively in writing; and provide valuable feedback to your peers. Skills developed through peer-to-peer communication directly enhance your career skills. Good communicators are promoted into leadership positions. Emphasis—when formulating discussion board grades—is placed on courtesy, critical thinking, punctuality, and professionalism.

 

 

GRADING

Submitted content is assessed on a cumulative 100 points. Because punctuality is an essential trait of effective professionals—and graded assignments are discussed in-depth once assessment is complete—late submissions are generally not accepted. Contact Dr. Villalobos if you anticipate being unable to complete a quiz or case study by a due date.

  • Quizzes and Exam
    • One quiz per Chapter via Cengage Online - MindTap (120 points)
      • Each test will consist of 5 questions drawn from the text. These are open-book tests completed via your Cengage Online - MindTap.
    • Three multiple choice quizzes via Cengage Online - MindTap (150 points)
      • Each test will consist of 20-25 questions drawn from the text and/or class discussion. These are open-book tests completed via Cengage Online - MindTap.
    • One Final Exam via Cengage Online - MindTap (100 points)
      • This test will consist of 20-25 questions drawn from the text and/or class discussions. This is an open-book test completed via Cengage Online - MindTap.
    • Total Points Available: 370
    • 45% of Final Grade
  • Paper/Case Study– Two quick case studies will be utilized in this course. Questions will be provided, and your analysis should be one page in duration.
    • Total Points Available: 200
    • 24% of Final Grade
  • Peer-to-Peer Communication–These are critical, interesting, and fun assignments designed to engage students in the practical application of course concepts. Discussions are facilitated via the class discussion board. Each initial post should have two meaningful replies to classmates (in addition to answering any question from classmates or the professor) to be eligible for full credit. See Online Discussion Guidelines for additional instructions and details.
    • Total Points Available: 250
    • 31% of Final Grade

 

GRADING SCALE

Percentage

Grade

90% - 100%

A

89.9% - 80%

B

79.9% - 70%

C

69.9% - 60%

D

59.9% - 0%

F

 

COLLEGE POLICIES

  • No Show Policy
    • Class attendance is required for face-to-face classes beginning with the first class meeting. If you do not attend the first class meeting, you may be withdrawn from the class as a “no show”. Class attendance is required for online classes; students who are not actively participating in an online class and/or do not submit the required attendance activity or assignment by the scheduled due date must be withdrawn by the instructor at the end of the first week as a "no show". If you are withdrawn as a “no show,” you will be financially responsible for the class and a final grade of “WN” will appear on your transcript for the course.”
  • Withdrawal Policy
    • Per Valencia policy, a student who withdraws from class before the established deadline for a particular term will receive a grade of “W”. A student is not permitted to withdraw after the withdrawal deadline.
    • A faculty member will withdraw a student up to the withdrawal deadline for violation of the class attendance policy. A student who is withdrawn by faculty for violation of the class attendance policy will receive a grade of “W”. After the withdrawal deadline, faculty will not withdraw a student and the student will receive the grade earned at the end of the course. Any student who withdraws or is withdrawn from a class during a third or subsequent attempt in the same course will be assigned a grade of “F.” If you do not intend to complete the course, you must withdraw yourself prior to the withdrawal date.
  • College Student Conduct Policy
    • Valencia is dedicated not only to the advancement of knowledge and learning but also to the development of responsible personal and social conduct. As a registered student, you assume the responsibility for conducting yourself in a manner that contributes positively to Valencia’s learning community and that does not impair, interfere with, or obstruct the orderly conduct, processes, and functions of the college as described in the Student Code of Conduct.
  • Academic Honesty
    • All forms of academic dishonesty are prohibited at Valencia College. Academic dishonesty includes, but is not limited to, acts or attempted acts of plagiarism, cheating, furnishing false information, forgery, alteration or misuse of documents, misconduct during a testing situation, facilitating academic dishonesty, and misuse of identification with intent to defraud or deceive.
    • All work submitted by students is expected to be the result of the students' individual thoughts, research, and self-expression. Whenever a student uses ideas, wording, or organization from another source, the source shall be appropriately acknowledged. If a student is caught submitting plagiarized work a first offense will result in a zero score on the assignment, a second offense will result a class grade of F.
  • Students with Disabilities
    • Valencia is committed to ensuring that all of its programs and services are accessible to students with disabilities. The Office for Students with Disabilities (OSD) determines reasonable and appropriate accommodations for qualified students with documented disabilities based upon the need and impact of the specific disability.
    • Any student requiring course accommodations due to physical, emotional or learning disability must contact the instructor and provide a Notification to Instructor form by the end of the second week of class. To obtain a letter of accommodation, contact OSD at 407-582-2229.
  • BayCare Student Assistance Services
    • Valencia College strives to ensure all our students have a rewarding and successful college experience. To that purpose, Valencia students can get immediate help with issues dealing with stress, anxiety, depression, adjustment difficulties, substance abuse, time management as well as relationship problems dealing with school, home or work. BayCare Behavioral Health Student Assistance Program (SAP) services are free to all Valencia students and available 24 hours a day by calling (800) 878-5470. If needed, the counselor may refer the student to appropriate resources or to speak face-to-face with a licensed counselor.
  • Note to International Students (F-1 or J-1 Visa)
    • Please be advised that withdrawal from this course due to attendance may result in the termination of your visa status if you fall below the full-time enrollment requirement of 12 credit hours. Contact Valencia’s International Student Services office for more information.
  • Student Illness
    • If you are unable to participate in the course due to illness, family emergency, etc., please communicate with me as soon as possible in order to create a plan to complete any missed assignments so that your learning can progress in your course. In the case of a prolonged online absence, please communicate with me as soon as possible in order to create a plan for the best course of action.
  • Additional Resources
    • Loaner Laptops for Students - Due to the COVID-19 situation and shift to virtual/online learning, Valencia is currently loaning laptops to students in need.  You can request a laptop by completing the request form at https://valenciacollege.edu/laptop .  This link will take you to the Atlas log-in screen, and then to the form.  Laptops are distributed on a first come-first served basis, so if you are in need, request a laptop early!
    • Online Tools - As a Valencia student, you have access to Microsoft Word (as well as Microsoft Excel, PowerPoint, etc.) free for personal use.  You can learn more about accessing these applications in Atlas, on the "My Atlas" tab, right hand column, under "Microsoft Office for Personal Use.
    • Academic Resources - We want you to stay connected to the latest academic resources we have available for you during this transitional time.
    • Online Tutoring Services: In response to COVID-19, Valencia’s tutoring services have moved online and are now being offered for accounting & economics, computer programming, math, EAP and foreign languages, science, writing, and more!  To get started, visit https://libguides.valenciacollege.edu/c.php?g=1014597&p=7348794 and self-enroll in the tutoring courses in Canvas.  This is where you will access the links to live tutoring (via Zoom), as well as the schedule of tutors, times, services, and additional topics through Smarthinking. 
    • Quick Start Library Guide: Use this handy guide to learn about and gain access to all the library resources from home or on-the-go.  Visit http://libguides.valenciacollege.edu/quickstartlibraryguide to get started!
    • Keep Learning: Visit https://valenciacollege.edu/students/online/keep-learning/ if you are still unable to find what you are looking for, please visit our Keep Learning webpage to get information on a wide range of resources and online learning tips.
    • Enrollment services:

 

 

COLLEGE LINKS

College Catalog

Valencia Policy Manual

Student Handbook

Microsoft Office Instructions for free software

Course Support: onsite, online tutoring, writing help, etc.

 

COURSE POLICIES

  • Attendance Policy – Online courses move swiftly, and it is easy for students to fall behind if not actively engaging in class discussions. Attendance is recorded each time you submit an assessment or participate in a posted online academic discussion. Logging into class without active participation does not constitute weekly attendance.  The online academic week runs from Monday at 12:00 am EST to Sunday at 11:59 pm EST. If you are absent for more than two weeks in the semester or fail to complete two (2) successive discussion forums, you are subject to automatic withdrawal from the course. If the syllabus notes additional activities that must be completed during a given week or time period for the student to be viewed as having “attended” the course, those instructions apply in addition to the minimal requirements listed above.
  • Late Submissions- Assignments that are submitted late will have their points reduced in accordance with their tardiness. For each day that assignments are late, the total possible points will be reduced by 10 percent. This means that an assignment submitted five days after the required deadline will receive an F.  However, since the final course grade is based on points earned for all assignments, you should never fail to submit an assignment. An assignment submitted late can still make a significant contribution to your overall point total for the course.  I reserve the right to not accept a late submission when a previous one has been late.
  • Make-Up Policy – Students are adult learners responsible for both their actions and inactions. As such, tardiness with regard to completing assignments is considered unprofessional and is generally not condoned.
  • Academic Honesty:Students will be expected to adhere to the Valencia College Student LifeMap Handbook as it references Valencia College's Policy #6HX28:08-11
  • Student Code of Conduct:Students will be expected to adhere to the Valencia College Student LifeMap Handbook as it references Valencia College's Policy #6HX28:08-03
  • Withdrawal Policy:
    • Students who are enrolled, but do not participate during the first week of the course will be classified as “No show” students and withdrawn from the course by Dr. Villalobos.
    • A student is permitted to withdraw from a class on or before the withdrawal deadline as published in the College’s Important Dates. Calendar http://valenciacollege.edu/calendar/
    • A student is not permitted to withdraw from a class after the withdrawal deadline.  The professor is permitted to withdraw a student from the class for violation of the professor’s attendance policy with written notification to the student prior to the beginning of the final exam period as published in the faculty member’s syllabus. 
    • A student who withdraws from a class before the withdrawal deadline will receive a grade of "W." A student who is withdrawn by a professor will receive a grade of "W." A student who is withdrawn for administrative reasons at any time will receive a grade of "W" or other grade as determined in consultation with the professor.  Any student who withdraws or is withdrawn from a class during a third or subsequent attempt in the same course will be assigned a grade of "F". 
    • Final course grades of "A", "B", "C", "D", or "F" shall be assigned based upon the student's academic achievement upon the completion of all course work. Missed assignments shall receive zero points. A grade of “I” or Incomplete may be posted at term’s end by the professor only under extenuating circumstances.
  • Online Discussion Guidelines
    • The online discussion forum begins on Monday at 12:00 AM EST and the final posting for the weekend on a Sunday night at 11:59 PM EST.
    • There is a minimum of three meaningful posts:
      1. Submit one initial meaningful (main) response to the prompt by Sunday at 11:59 PM EST.
      2. Submit two meaningful responses on two classmates’ postings by Sunday at 11:59 PM EST.
        • Please note that you are required to make two meaningful comment postings to your classmates' initial post. Comments such as “You did an awesome job”, “You explained your point well”, “I like the way you summarized the reading” are not meaningful comments. Make sure you understand the content covered and your peer’s point of view. Then, think about both (readings & peer’s content) and formulate your post.

 

Criteria

Ratings

Initial Post

(20 pts) Response goes beyond simply answering the prompt; attempts to stimulate further thought & discussion.

(12 pts) Response provides obvious information without further analysis of the concept; lacks depth of knowledge or reasoning.

(6 pts) Response does not accurately address the prompt or all parts of the prompt.

(0 pts) No response provided to the prompt within the associated time frame.

Responses to Peers

(30 pts) Responses are substantive and attempt to stimulate further thought & discussion.

(15 pts) Responses provide obvious information without further analysis of the concept.

(6 pts) Responses are very brief and do not add new content or depth.

(0 pts) No responses provided within the associated time frame.

Total Points: 50

 

 

CLASS POLICIES:

  • Multiple Choice Quizzes will be made available for a full week. Students will have 120-minutes to complete online exams.
  • Students must do their own work; there are no exceptions.  Students who plagiarize or cheat in any way, risk dismissal from the class and expulsion from Valencia College.
  • Students must have an active Atlas account.  Students must check their Atlas e-mails regularly as to not miss any important messages from Dr. Villalobos. Missed messages via Atlas or any other medium (in-class, etc.) may affect your grade and are the responsibility of the student.
  • Students with disabilities who qualify for academic accommodations must provide a letter from the Office of Students with Disabilities, and accommodations will be based upon said documentation. Contact OSD directly at West Campus SSB 102, ext. 1523.
  • Audio and video recording are strictly prohibited unless a letter is provided by the Office of Students with Disabilities.

 

CLASS SCHEDULE

 

WEEK

READING AND ASSIGNMENTS

#1 Ending – 05/16/21

Read: Syllabus

Complete: Orientation Quiz by Wednesday at 11:59 PM EST.

Complete: MindTap Registration

Read: Chapter 1

Complete: Chapter 1 Quiz

Complete: Discussion Activity #1

#2 Ending – 05/23/21

Read: Chapter 2

Complete: Chapter 2 Quiz

Read: Chapter 3

Complete: Chapter 3 Quiz

#3 Ending – 05/30/21

Read: Chapter 4

Complete: Chapter 4 Quiz

Complete: Discussion Activity #2

#4 Ending – 06/06/21

Read: Chapter 5

Complete: Chapter 5 Quiz

Complete: Quiz #1

#5 Ending – 06/13/21

Read: Chapter 5 (Refresher)

Complete: Paper #1

#6 Ending – 06/20/21

Read: Chapter 6

Complete: Chapter 6 Quiz

Complete: Discussion Activity #3

#7 Ending – 06/27/21

Read: Chapter 6 (Refresher)

Complete: Quiz #2

#8 Ending – 07/04/21

Read: Chapter 7

Complete: Chapter 7 Quiz

Read: Chapter 8

Complete: Chapter 8 Quiz

Complete: Discussion Activity #4

#9 Ending – 07/11/21

Read: Chapter 9

Complete: Chapter 9 Quiz

Read: Chapter 10

Complete: Chapter 10 Quiz

Complete: Quiz #3

#10 Ending – 07/18/21

Read: Chapter 11

Complete: Chapter 11 Quiz

Read: Chapter 12

Complete: Chapter 12 Quiz

Complete: Discussion Activity #5

#11 Ending – 07/25/21

Read: Chapter 8 (Refresher)

Complete: Paper #2

#12 Ending – 08/01/21

Final Exam due on FRIDAY 07/30/21.

 

DISCLAIMER STATEMENT (MODIFICATIONS TO SYLLABUS)

Changes to the course calendar may be made at the discretion of Dr. Villalobos, and students will be notified of any changes in class and/or via the Canvas Inbox conversations tool.

 

Course Summary:

Course Summary
Date Details Due