SEMINAR IN INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS - 35 - Argentina and Chile

EW 298S-2
Evening / Weekend MBA program
Summer Semester 2010


Instructor: Sebastian Teunissen
Office: F 447
Hours: by appointment
Contact: Telephone: (510) 643-4999
Fax: (510) 642-8228
E-mail:teunissen@haas.berkeley.edu

Course Objectives, Structure and Organization

This course is designed to introduce the participants to the culture, history and business environment in Chile and Argentina. The course focuses on the opportunities and challenges of doing business internationally. It is NOT an industry specific program. Rather, it is designed to provide an overview of the country(s) by offering glimpses of many different industries, companies and situations.

Participation in this course is restricted to students enrolled in the Evening/Weekend MBA Program at Haas.


Classroom schedule

DATE Class Session

July 21 6:00 - 9:00 PM

Class and Team Presentations - participation is mandatory


Travel schedule TENTATIVE - Subject to Change

DATE Schedule
July 31 (Sat) Depart San Francisco

Aug 1 (Sun)

Arrive Buenos Aires Hotel: Sheraton Libertador, located at Avenida Cordoba 690, Buenos Aires

Aug 2 (Mon)

10:00 AM Wormhole IT **

2:00 PM TeleDiagnosis **

5:00 PM Graham Harris Wildlife Conservation Society*

Aug 3 (Tues)

TBA

3:00 PM CoInvest **

Aug 4 (Wed)

9:00 AM Nalco **

3:00 Hexacta **

Aug 5 (Thur)

9:30 AM Capital Markets **

3:00 PM OLX**

Aug 6 (Fri)

9:00 AM Ivess El Jumillano **

3:00 PM Globant **

Aug 7 (Sat) Travel Buenos Aires to Santiago, Chile Hotel: Four Points by Sheraton, located at Santa Magdalena No. 111, Santiago
Aug 8 (Sun) Free Day
Aug 9 (Mon)

El Mercurio (tentative)*

Fundacion Chile *

Aug 10 (Tue)

9:30 AM Banco Central *

BCI (tentative)*

Austral Capital *

Aug 11 (Wed)

LAN Airport Operations *

LAN Corporate Offices *

Homecenter Sodamec

Aug 12 (Thu)

9:00 AM TVN *

3:00 PM Falabella *

5:00 PM Falabella store Parque Arauco

Aug 13 (Fri)

9:00 AM Watt's **

3:00 PM Vina Santa Alicia **

6:00PM Dinner Santa Alicia with Haas Alumni

Aug 14 (Sat)

September 15

Depart Santiago

Final Paper Due at 6:00 PM in the EWMBA program office.

 


  Time Zone Converter

Travel Arrangements and Formalities


Note that participants are responsible for arranging and paying for:


  • their own flights between San Francisco, Buenos Aires, Argentina (arrive Buenos Aires no later than Sunday August 1) and Santiago, Chile (travel to Santiago on Saturday, August, 7) and return (departing Santiago, Chile no earlier than 9:00 PM on Friday, August 13.)
  • their own entry visas, as needed, for Chile and Argentina
  • their own vaccinations, innnoculations, etc., if needed
  • Emergency Medical Evacuation Insurance (see below)
  • Most meals during the program



PASSPORT and VISAS (source: United States Department of State, Bureau of Consular Affairs FOREIGN ENTRY REQUIREMENTS)

You must have a passport with a validity extending to January 31, 2011 or beyond. Apply now for a new passport if you do not meet this requirement.

Assignments

Classroom Presentations

Teams of students will be assigned topics. The teams will each research and prepare a presentation which will be delivered to the entire class.

Research Paper

The main assignment for this course will consist of a research paper on a topic to be decided in consultation with the instructor. The topic should encompass some aspect(s) of doing business in Chile and Argentina. It could compare and contrast an industry in Chile and Argentina versus the USA, it could review market potential for some product or service in Chile and Argentina or follow a similar theme. Ideally, the paper should be related to the particular company or industry in which the student is employed.

The paper should be 10- 15 pages in length, double spaced, excluding exhibits. Proper citation of sources, including proper bibliography and footnotes, is mandatory.

Final Paper Due at 6:00 PM, Wednesday, September 15, in hard copy, in the EWMBA program office.

Briefings

Briefings are designed to assist the group's understanding of the companies and organizations that we will visit and/or the cultures that we will experience. Each student is to select one of the organizations on our itinerary and prepare a briefing on that entity. This briefing will be delivered to the group prior to our visit to that particular entity. Following the visit, the same student will lead a de-briefing to summarize what we learned from the visit.

Evaluation

Evaluation for a grade will be based on four components - the research paper, team presentations, the briefings and overall participation. Participation throughout the classroom sessions and during the study tour will be considered. The breakdown for grading purposes will be as follows:


Research Paper: 60%
Team Presentations 10%
Briefings/De-briefings:
5%
Participation: 25%

Health & Safety Issues

Travel overseas, especially to developing countries and emerging markets, may expose participants to health and other risks different from those that they face at home. Although we will do our best to make participants aware of such risks and will make efforts to minimize risks, the ultimate responsibility lies with the participant. Participation in the program explicitly implies acceptance of all responsibility for loss, injury and/or death by the applicant. Participants are advised to check with the Centers for Disease Control and with the US State Department for information on health and safety issues respectively. See also the useful international web sites page for further research on countries and their respective health and safety record.

Each participant must obtain, at their own expense, any vaccinations, inoculations or other medications considered appropriate for a prudent traveler to the destination(s) to which they are assigned.

 

Please note that all participants in UC-sponsored and supervised activities abroad must register their travels with the Office of Risk Activities.  Prior to traveling overseas, all students must complete this form: http://www.uctrips-insurance.org/Proof of registration must be handed into the EWMBA office no later than 30 days prior to travel. In the event you do not carry insurance through the University of California at Berkeley, proof of medical coverage including Emergency Evacuation, must also be submitted to the EWMBA office 30 days prior to travel. Without endorsement or recommendation, the following possible providers are listed for your convenience:

MEDEX is one possible source for such insurance. See also: www.insuremytrip.com and www.specialtyrisk.com

Perhaps the best deal is the International Student Identity Card insurance option.

The Centers for Disease Control Travel Section provides a wealth of information on traveler's health.


IMPORTANT NOTICE


Once a student has signed up to participate, various expenditures are committed to, on their behalf. Should the student subsequently withdraw, for any reason, the student will be liable for all such expenditures.


Country information

Lonely Planet: Chile, Argentina

 

CIA World Fact Book

Centers for Disease Control

World Health Organization