MASTER IN BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION

SEPTEMBER 2017

SUBJECT: MANAGING IN INTERNATIONAL ECONOMY MGT 6233

LECTURER: Sean Tee Poh Kiong

Consultation Hours: Wednesday 10am to 12noon / Thursday 10am to 12noon

Course Description
This module gives an extensive understanding of the underlying concepts and practice of
management practices and strategies in the international economy. Students will explore topics
relating to political and economic environment, the role of cultural difference in the international
management, international strategic management, and organisational behaviour and human
resource management in the international contexts. Students will also explore the ethical
considerations faced by international managers in decision making.

Course Objectives

To understand the nature of political and economic environment in the international

context;
To understand the importance of different culture, national systems and corporate
management practices around the world;
To acquire technical competencies and skills in areas of sustainability and sustainable
management practices;
To assess the understanding of international management with the latest research and
contemporary insights that have changed the international context.

References
1. Luthans, F. & Doh, J.P., 2015, International Management, 9/E, Prentice Hall.
2. Deresky, H., 2015, International Management: Managing Across Borders and Cultures,
Text and Cases, 8/E, Prentice Hall.

Additional Readings: Refer Blackboard

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Assessment Summary

No 1 Assessment Task 1: Assignment (3,000 words Report format) 60%

No 2 Final Examination 40%

Total 100%

COURSEWORK: INDIVIDUAL ASSIGNMENT

The One Belt One Road

The Silk Road Economic Belt and the 21st-century Maritime Silk Road, better known as
the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), The Belt and Road (B&R) and The One Belt One Road
Initiative (OBOR) is a development strategy proposed by China's paramount leader Xi
Jinping that focuses on connectivity and cooperation between Eurasian countries, primarily
the People's Republic of China (PRC), the land-based Silk Road Economic Belt (SREB) and
the oceangoing Maritime Silk Road (MSR). The strategy underlines China's push to take a
larger role in global affairs with a China-centered trading network. It was also promoted
by Premier Li Keqiang during the state visit to Asia and Europe and the most frequently
mentioned concept in the People's Daily in 2016. It was initially called One Belt and One Road,
but in mid-2016 the official English name was changed to the Belt and Road Initiative due to
misinterpretations of the term one.
When Chinese leader Xi Jinping visited Central Asia and Southeast Asia in September and
October 2013, he raised the initiative of jointly building the Silk Road Economic Belt and the
21st-Century Maritime Silk Road. Essentially, the 'belt' includes countries situated on the
original Silk Road through Central Asia, West Asia, the Middle East, and Europe. The
initiative calls for the integration of the region into a cohesive economic area through building
infrastructure, increasing cultural exchanges, and broadening trade. Apart from this zone, which
is largely analogous to the historical Silk Road, another area that is said to be included in the
extension of this 'belt' is South Asia and Southeast Asia. Many of the countries that are part of
this belt are also members of the China-led Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB). North,
central and south belts are proposed. The North belt would go through Central
Asia, Russia to Europe. The Central belt goes through Central Asia, West Asia to the Persian
Gulf and the Mediterranean. The South belt starts from China to Southeast Asia, South Asia, to
the Indian Ocean through Pakistan. The Chinese One Belt strategy will integrate with Central
Asia through Kazakhstan's Nurly Zhol infrastructure program.
The Maritime Silk Road, also known as the "21st Century Maritime Silk Road is a
complementary initiative aimed at investing and fostering collaboration in Southeast Asia,
Oceania, and North Africa, through several contiguous bodies of water the South China Sea,
the South Pacific Ocean, and the wider Indian Ocean area.

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The Maritime Silk Road initiative was first proposed by Xi Jinping during a speech to the
Indonesian Parliament in October 2013. Like its sister initiative the Silk Road Economic Belt,
most countries in this area have joined the China-led Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank.
The official blueprint is for a circular route connecting the vibrant East Asia economic circle at
one end and the developed European economic circle at the other, and encompassing countries
with huge potential for economic development. President Xi Jinping has said that OBOR
should be jointly built through consultation to meet the interests of all, and efforts should be
made to integrate the development strategies of the countries along the routes. It is not closed but
open and inclusive; it is not a solo by China but a chorus of all countries along the routes.

(Source: http://www.cbbc.org/cbbc/media/cbbc_media/One-Belt-One-Road-main-body.pdf)

Required:

Assume that you are the Managing Director for one of the Multinational Company (MNC) in
Malaysia. You are required to prepare a strategic plan on how to manage your business
internationally so that you can take advantages from the OROB initiatives.

You are required to answer the following questions in order to prepare the strategic plan:

1. Perform an environmental analysis particularly on the macro-environmental forces to

identify the new opportunities and the possible risks or threat of OROB initiatives on
your global businesses. You are required to use relevant analysis tools (i.e. PESTLE) to
assess THREE (3) of the macro-environmental forces in order to justify the opportunities
and threats.

2. Highlight the cultural differences between your home country and the country or region
that you would like to propose for direct investment or having a strategic alliances with.
Propose the relevant strategies on how you manage the cross-cultural diversity and
doing business with the companies in the selected country or region.

3. After evaluating the marketplace of your chosen country, you would like to propose to
the Board of Director for the potential of foreign investment or setting the business
operation in the foreign country. You are required to discuss and examine the major types
of entry strategies available for your company in handling your international operations.
You should justify your arguments with relevant examples or facts.

4. Highlight the significant elements from your report and draw out the main points from
your report as a conclusion to summary your strategic plan.

(Total 100 marks)

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Please pay particular attention to the following:

1. Final report must have a professional structure and format. This means that the report
must have:
A report cover page with course number and name, title,
Table of contents
All sections and sub-sections clearly numbered
Page numbers
All tables and figures must be clearly labelled and have appropriate captions.
Consistent formatting
Font: Times New Roman 12, 1.5 spacing, 1 margin all round, full-justified text,
page number on bottom right.

2. In order to avoid plagiarism, a separate Turnitin report must also be supplied alongside
the written report with a maximum of 15% similarities allowed. (Only the page with
similarity index is required to submit together with the assignment). Marks deduction

Above 15 25%: minus 20%

above 25 50% minus 40%
Above 50% - zero marks

3. Use Harvard/APA referencing style

4. Paper presentation will start in Week 6 & 7. Presentation of 10 minutes has to be made
using Power Point and must not exceed 10 slides (including cover). Only the hard copy of
the presentation is due for submission on the day of the presentation week.

5. Deadline of submission is during lecture, at eighth week of this course latest by 5pm
Sunday.
Any submission after the class marks deducted:

After 5pm, Sunday: 25%

25% marks deduction for each day of delay thereafter.
Submission after 3 days will be graded 0 marks.

Other Student Expectations:

1. Regular attendance is expected. In cases of valid family, health or safety emergencies,

students must contact me prior to the administration of the assignment. In general, work
related conflicts or overlapping requirements due in other classes are not valid excuses for
missing project deadlines.
2. Be prompt and seated so we can begin class on time. If you have an unforeseeable issue that
requires you to be late or leave early from class, please notify me prior to class.

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 Lesson Plan

Session Topics Activity/Reading

Course Overview
1
(TUE &
Chapter 1 Introduction to International
SAT)
Management & Globalization

2 Chapter 2 Politic and Technology

(TUE & Chapter 3 Ethic, Social Responsibility &
Class Discussion 1 (Tutorial 1)
SAT) Sustainability

3
Chapter 4 Meaning of Cultural Values
(TUE &
Chapter 5 Managing Across Cultures
SAT)

4
Chapter 6 Organizational Cultures
(TUES &
Chapter 7 Cross-Cultural Comm. Class Discussion 2
SAT)

5
Chapter 8 Strategy Formulation &
(TUE&
Implementation
SAT)

6
(TUE & Chapter 9 Entry Strategies
Class Discussion 3 (Tutorial 2)
SAT)

7
Chapter 10 Management Decision
(TUE &
Chapter 11 Motivation Across Cultures
SAT)

5
 8
(TUE& Assignment due
Chapter 12 Leadership Across Cultures
SAT)

9
Chapter 13 Human Resources Across
(TUE&
Cultures Class Discussion 4
SAT)

10
(TUE & Case study discussion
SAT) Revision

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 APPENDIX A: ASSESSMENT CRITERIA AND GRADING SHEET

Excellent Good Acceptable Below Poor

Average
5 4 3 2 1

Assessment Weighting Description 5 4 3 2 1

Criteria
Relevance 15% Directly relevant to the
requirements of the assessment.

Knowledge 20% A substantial knowledge of

relevant material, showing a clear
grasp of themes, questions and
issues therein.

Analysis 15% Comprehensive analysis - clear

and orderly presentation.

Argument 15% Well supported, focused argument

and which is clear and logically
Structure structured.
Critical 15% Contains distinctive or
Evaluation independent thinking; and begins
to formulate an independent
position in relation to theory
and/or practice.

Presentation 10% Well written, with standard

spelling and grammar, in a
readable style with acceptable
format.
Reference to 10% Critical appraisal of up-to-date
Literature and/or appropriate literature.

Total Score 100%

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Submission date:

November 07 (Tuesday)
November 11 (Saturday)

Single award: 1 hardcopy + Turnitin report & BB

Dual awards: 2 hardcopies + CD + Turnitin & BB