International Management

MGMT221

Course Coordinator / Lecturer

David Stiles

Assessment

Assessment One: Group Assignment (50% total)
Content assessed: all weeks
Due: weeks 6, 9, 12 (online only via Learn links on the ‘Course Information and Assessment’ Section)

There will be three group assignments in this course. Each group assignment is based on a Comprehensive Case from the assigned textbook. All students (including online) will be allocated to groups, with regular collaboration between students required either face-to-face or online. Each group must submit via the dedicated course Learn links answers to all 3 or 4 specific questions for each of the three different Comprehensive Cases by the due dates below.

Each group should submit only one single Word doc or docx file for each Group Assignment Case. No other formats, not even PDFs, are acceptable and won’t be marked. That single file should contain all the answers to those 3 or 4 specific Case questions (e.g. the one group document for Group Assignment Case 1 should contain 4 answers). Answers to each specific question should begin on a separate page and each answer should be 1 page of A4 maximum, excluding references. Answers should be single-spaced, 11-point or 12-point fonts. Group Assignment Case 1 is worth 10%, Group Assignment Case 2 is worth 15% and Group Assignment Case 3 is worth 25% of overall course marks. You may use information from outside the textbook case itself to bring it up-to-date and/or provide evidence/theories, as long as each is referenced properly.

Also, please download and cut-and-paste a cover sheet to the front of each of your 3 group assignments to confirm that the work you submit is the group’s own. This is available on the course Learn website in the ‘Course Information and Assessment’ section.


Group Assignment Case 1 (Due 9.00 a.m. NZ time, Tuesday 18th August, Week 6)
This assignment is based on the case titled Hailing a New Era: Haier in Japan in the Textbook p. 223; Ninth Edition). Answer the following questions:

1. What is special about Haier’s current management system? Why did the company create this system?  (25 marks)
2. What role has CEO Zhang played in Haier’s development? How would you describe him as a leader? (25 marks)
3. What kind of tensions could arise for Haier when implementing its management system in Japan? (25 marks)
4. Should Haier adapt to the Japanese culture and change its management system? Or should Haier impose its system in Japan? (25 marks)

Answer to each question must start on a new page. Use 11-point or 12-point fonts. Upload your answers as a single MS-Word file to Learn. Each group will upload only one submission containing all answers and a cover sheet.


Group Assignment Case 2 (Due 9.00 a.m. NZ time, Tuesday 22nd September, Week 9)
This assignment is based on the case titled Wal-Mart in Africa in the Textbook (p. 355; Ninth edition). Answer the following questions:

1. What were the reasons for Wal-Mart shifting its focus to Africa? Do you think Africa offers good growth prospects for Wal-Mart in the future? (30 marks)
2. Why did Wal-Mart face opposition from trade unions and other government departments over its acquisition of Massmart? Do you think the opposition coalition had a valid point in opposing the deal? Justify your answer. (30 marks)
3. What strategies should Wal-Mart follow to succeed in a market like Africa with its low income levels and high poverty incidence? Do you think its low cost model will be successful in Africa? Give reasons to support your answer.  (40 marks)

Answer to each question must start on a new page. Use 11-point or 12-point fonts. Upload your answers as a single MS-Word file to Learn. Each group will upload only one submission containing all answers and a cover sheet.


Group Assignment Case 3 (Due 9.00 a.m. NZ time, Tuesday 13th October, Week 12)
This assignment is based on the case titled Ethical Leadership: Ratan Tata and India’s Tata Group in the Textbook (p. 465; Ninth edition). Answer the following questions:

1. Corruption is often linked to the qualities of a particular country. Why are some countries more corrupt and prone to crony capitalism than others? (30 marks)
2. What role did ethical leadership play in the success of the Tata group and why? (30 marks)
3. What should Ratan Tata do to ensure that the group carries forward the legacy of ethical leadership of the Tata Group and does not view it as a burden while operating in emerging markets like India? (40 marks)

Answer to each question must start on a new page. Use 11-point or 12-point fonts. Upload your answers as a single MS-Word file to Learn. Each group will upload only one submission containing all answers and a cover sheet.


Assessment Two: Mid-term Test (20%)
Content assessed: weeks 1-4
Date: In class during week 5

The term test will consist of short-answer questions (all compulsory to complete). The test will examine lecture material, text and course readings covered in weeks 1, 2, 3 & 4. The test will be undertaken in examination conditions (or its online equivalent). That is, only pens, student ID card and water bottle will be allowed on the desk during the test. No pencil cases, mobile phones, calculators or dictionaries will be allowed. Students must not forget to bring their student ID card. Questions will be drawn from the Discussion Questions at the end of each chapter in the textbook.


Assessment Three: Final Exam (30%)
Content assessed: weeks 5-12
Date: TBA, exam period

The final exam will consist of short-answer questions (all compulsory to complete). The final exam will examine lecture material, text and course readings covered in weeks 5-12. Questions will be drawn from the Discussion Questions at the end of each chapter in the textbook (Ninth Edition).


Grading
The marks for assessments may be scaled before a final grade is determined. You should not regard 50% as a pass mark.

Textbooks / Resources

Link to purchase the e-copy International management : managing across borders and cultures : text and cases; 9th edition.

E-text available

E-text available from Library (up to 3 users simultaneously):
https://ebookcentral.proquest.com/lib/canterbury/detail.action?docID=5187790

A limited number of hard copies are also in the library.

Course links

LEARN
Coversheets - Group and Individual

Notes

Class Representative
A class representative may be asked to volunteer in the first few weeks of class. Any problems with the course can be raised with the class rep. The class representative will take up any issues raised by class members with the lecturer concerned as they occur.

Departmental Academic Policies
The Department assumes that you have read this document.

You should also read the General Course and Examination Regulations

Dishonest Practice
The University of Canterbury considers cheating and plagiarism to be serious acts of dishonesty.  All assessed work must be your own individual work unless specifically stated otherwise in the assessment guidelines. Material quoted from any other source must be clearly acknowledged. You must not copy the work of another person (student or published work) in any assessment including examinations, tests and assignments. Any person, who is found to have copied someone else's work, or to have allowed their work to be copied, will receive a fail grade for that piece of assessment and may face disciplinary action which may lead to a fine, community service or exclusion from the university.

IMPORTANT: Where there are concerns regarding the authorship of written course work, a student can be required to provide a formal, oral explanation of the content of their work.

Citations and referencing

Indicative Fees

* All fees are inclusive of NZ GST or any equivalent overseas tax, and do not include any programme level discount or additional course-related expenses.

Minimum enrolments

This course will not be offered if fewer than 10 people apply to enrol.