Seminar In International Business
With An Emphasis On China
Doing Business In China
MBA 298S.4
Spring 2008
Instructor: |
Sam Guo |
Contact: |
Tel: (818) 921-0883 |
E-mail: sguo@haas.berkeley.edu
|
Course Objectives, Structure and Organization
The goal of this 2-unit course is to provide students with a multi-perspective framework and analytical tools for examining all facets of doing business in China. Instruction focuses on some of the most fundamental issues regarding China market, which include the distinctiveness of China's business environment, market entry strategy, legal system, financial market, manufacturing and retail sector as well as impacts of non-economic factors—political, social, and culture, economical and legal differences in theory and practice. Upon completion of this course, students should become more familiar with the distinctive characteristics of the China market and the major differences in business practices between China and the US. Consequently, students should become better informed of the ample opportunities and potential pitfalls in the emerging China market and gain a general understanding of how to capitalize on the opportunities and minimizing risks in doing business in China.
The course structure includes lectures, presentations and discussions led by CKGSB faculty in Shanghai; business and government speakers; site visits to companies; faculty debriefing on visits and speakers; local cultural tours and social events with and CKGSB MBA students and Haas alumni, and a final group project.
About CKGSB
Cheung Kong Graduate School of Business (CKGSB) was founded in 2002 by Mr. Li, Ka-shing, with a mission to develop top business leaders for China and beyond. CKGSB holds the unique position of being the first private, free-standing and independent business school in China . From the very beginning, the School sets out a mission to create a new management education paradigm - one that imparts and creates business knowledge that advances management theories and practices deeply rooted with Chinese values and business applicability. For more details, please visit:
http://www.ckgsb.edu.cn:8080/Default.aspx
Reading Material
Doing Business In China (Second Edition)
Tim Ambler and Morgen Witzel
RoutledgeCurzon, London and New York, 2004 ISBN 0-415-31014-8 (0-415-31015-6)
Pre-departure Teaching Session
The class will meet from 9am to 12pm on February 17 (Sunday) 2008 in Room C325 at Haas School.
DATE |
Speaker Topics |
Feb. 17 (Sunday) 9:00 – 12:30
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Lecturer: Sam Guo Topics:
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SUGGESTED READINGS
China, Inc.: How the Rise of the Next Superpower Challenges America and the World , by Ted C. Fishman. Scribner, 2005.
One Billion Customers: Lessons from the Front Lines of Doing Business in China , by James McGregor. Wall Street Journal Books, 2005.
Made in China: What Western Managers Can Learn from Trailblazing Chinese Entrepreneurs , by Donald N. Sull. Harvard Business School Press, 2005.
Inside Chinese Business: A Guide for Managers Worldwide
By Ming-Jer Chen. Boston: Harvard Business School Press 2001
The Changing Face of Chinese Management by J. Tang and A. Ward. London: Routledge 2003.
HELPFUL WEBSITES
http://beijing.usembassy-china.org.cn/
http://www.chinabusinessreview.com/cbr/about.html
https://www.cia.gov/cia/publications/factbook/geos/ch.html
http://economist.com/cities/citiesmain.cfm?city_id=SHA
Course Schedule
Travel Arrangements and Formalities
You must have a passport with a validity extending to January 31, 2009 or beyond. Apply now for a new passport if you do not meet this requirement. Note that participants are responsible for arranging and paying for:
- own entry visa (TOURIST visa)
- own flights between SFO and Shanghai
- own vaccinations, inoculations, etc., if needed.
- own Emergency Medical Evacuation Insurance (see below)
Course Requirements
1) Attendance
• Attending to all lectures, presentations and site visits in Berkeley and Shanghai during the academic program.
• Active participation in class discussion.
• Complete a Final Group Project.
Please be advised that attendance is mandatory at all classroom lectures and corporate visits. Failure to attend these sessions will negatively affect your final grade.
2) Group Research Paper
We will form 5 groups with 5-6 people in each group. A group research paper on a topic regarding China market is required for this course. Some of the topics below can be referenced, although each group can choose its own topic beyond the following:
China’s rising power and its implications for the regional security, global competition, balance of power, and demand for raw materials and commodities.
China’s entry to WTO and its impact on China’s economy
China’s financial markets, its past the its future
China and the Intellectual property rights issues
The huge gap between China’s Eastern coastal cities and Western inland areas and its implication for China’s economic development
Comparison of Shanghai and Hong Kong, the rival twin cities
China’s currency – undervalued? What is the impact on the US and the global economy if there is a significant change in its currency policy?
Compare and contrast the economies of China and India. Which will win the race and why?
The paper should be in Word format -- 15-20 pages, double spaced with font size 12, excluding exhibits. It is expected that the project report should meet the high standards of a professional business report. All work will be evaluated based on the following criteria:
- Content and analysis
- Critical examination of the concepts
- Mix of research sources
- Logical flow of ideas
- Quality preparation and organization
- Proper references, bibliography and citations.
The first draft of the group research paper should be submitted prior to the departure date, March 24th . Then the paper can be revised during the lectures in Shanghai. The final print shall be due prior to April 9th for final grading. Each one’s final grade will be based on the quality of the final research paper plus the peer evaluation. The paper shall be submitted with one soft copy and one hard copy respectively.
Course grades will be based on the following criteria:
(1) Class attendance
(2) Class participation
(3) Group project (paper + peer evaluation)
Final grading will be based on the following breakdowns:
Attendance 20%
Participation 20%
Group project 60%
Total 100%
A 95+ A- 90-94
B+ 85-89 B- 80-84
C 70-79 D 60-69
F < 59
Note: The grades from your peer evaluation will be incorporated into your final group project grade.
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 and the AAA+ membership (if you have been an AAA member for one year) of the CSAA are two possible sources for such insurance. See also : www.insuremytrip.com and www.specialtyrisk.com
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
CHINA
-- The Economist City Guide: Shanghai
http://economist.com/cities/citiesmain.cfm?city_id=SHA
-- CIA World Factbook: China
https://www.cia.gov/cia/publications/factbook/geos/ch.html
-- Consulate of the Peoples' Republic of China, San Francisco
http://www.chinaconsulatesf.org/eng/
-- Centers for Disease Control
Miscellaneous
GSM World - plenty of information about GSM telephone service
Computer, modem, telephone questions?
Travel Health Online
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