Course Outline

Batch: 2014-16

Term: II

Course: Business Government and Society

Credits: 3

Course Instructor: Prof. Pradeep Mazumdar, Prof. Santhi Perumal and Dr. Shyam Sreekumaran Nair

Objectives of the course

(A) To study how business can thrive only in a stable political and economic environment.
(B) To understand how political stability and economic stability are inter-linked and cannot be studied in
isolation.
(C) To understand how unfavourable business environment can result in countries being classified as
either developing or developed economies.
(D) To study how globalization is providing the developing economies a chance to catch up with the
developed ones.
(E) To understand the effect of globalization on culture.
(F) To understand how business, government and society are inter-related actors and how one actor
cannot perform without affecting the other two.
Learning Outcomes
At the end of the course the students will have in-depth understanding of the following.
1) What are the different types of economic system?
2) How to do a country analysis?
3) How do domestic companies compete abroad and how do foreign companies compete in the
domestic market?
4) What is the difference between market capitalism and state capitalism?
5) What are the societal challenges resulting from unregulated business growth?

Session Plan
Session
1

Topic
Introduction
Importance of BGS to managers; Political environment and Business
Strategy
Instructor: Prof. Pradeep Mazumdar

Business, Government, Society and Sustainability

Reference
HBS 9388159;
HBS 9897012;
Keim and Hillman,
2008a; Friedman,
1970b

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2
3

10

11

12

13

Part A: Modern State and the Institutional Foundations of Business

Instructor: Dr. Shyam Sreekumaran Nair
Friedman, 2002 (pp
Rationale of Modern State
Economic freedom and Political freedom; Government in a free society 1-36)c
HBS 9797092;
Country Analysis
Developing a framework for identifying the national Business
HBS 9701074
Environment
Case discussion
HBS 9707033
Afghanistan 2006: Building a brand new state
The role played by Institutions in shaping political and economic
outcomes
Case discussion
HBS 5796037
The USSR 1988: The search for growth
Country Analysis of a socialist economy
Case discussion
HBS 5704032
The welfare state and its impact on Business Competitiveness:
Sweden Inc. for sale?
Country Analysis of a welfare state
Case discussion
HBS 9702096;
HBS 9702097
One country, Two systems? Italy and Mezzogiorno (A) (B)
How high crime rate inhibits the creation of an healthy business
environment
Case discussion
HBS 9712038
India 2014: The Challenges of Governance
Study the recent developments in business and economic environment
Case discussion
HBS 9707008
Punjab and Kerala: Regional Development in India
Study the differences in development strategies within the same
country
Case discussion
HBS 9708048
Filling the empty quarter: Saudi Aramco and the World Oil
Market
Study the geopolitics of the world oil market
Case discussion
HBS 9709060
Colbun: Powering Chile
Doing Business in a complex business environment
Case discussion
HBS 9710054
Vale: Global expansion in the challenging world of mining
Managing companies where government is a shareholder
Case discussion
HBS 9114023
Wal-Mart Lobbying in India?
Study the legitimacy of Lobbying

Business, Government, Society and Sustainability

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14
15

16
17

18

19

20

21

22
23
24

Part B: Globalisation and Institutional Voids

Instructor: Prof. Santhi Perumal
Age of Globalisation
Study the Political and Economic foundations of Globalisation
Spotting Institutional Voids
Designing the framework for identifying unique opportunities and
challenges in operating in emerging markets
Emerging Giants
How can emerging market companies be global players?
Case discussion
Bharti Tele-Ventures
Doing business in a newly deregulated, highly competitive industry
Case discussion
ICICIs Global expansion
Emerging market company competing abroad
Case discussion
Indian Railways: Building a Permanent Legacy (A)(B)
Turnaround of a State Owned Enterprise
Case discussion
Gazprom (A), (B), (C)
How Government divests itself of state holdings.
Part C: Business, Government and Society
Instructor: Prof. Pradeep Mazumdar
Inequality and Globalisation
Causes and Consequence of Inequality

Media as the fourth estate

Is media really the watchdog of the society?
Sustainable Development
Climate change and Global Business
Case discussion
Tata Motors in Singur: Public Purpose and Private Property
Interaction of the three actors Business, Government and Society

HBS 9701048
HBS 9106014; HBS
9700127; HBS
9702475
HBS R0610C; HBS
97404; HBS 99407
HBS 9704426

HBS 9706426

HBS 9710008; HBS

9711083
HBS 9709008; HBS
9709009; HBS
9709010

HBS 9705040;
Hochschild (1998)d;
Panini (1999)e;
Ambirajan (2000)f
HBS 7859BC; HSS
95311
W11060g
HBS 9709029

Keim, G.D., Hillman, A.J. Political environments and business strategy: Implications for managers.
Business Horizons. 2008. 51 (47-53).
c
Friedman, M. The social responsibility of business is to increase its profits. The New York Times.
September 13, 1970.
c
Friedman, M. Capitalism and Freedom. University of Chicago Press. 2002. Fortieth Anniversary Edition.
d
Hochschild, A. Globalisation and Culture. Economic and Political Weekly. May 23, 1998.
e
Panini, M.N., Trends in Cultural Globalisation: From Agriculture to Agribusiness in Karnataka. Economic
and Political Weekly. Economic and Political Weekly. July 31, 1999.
f
Ambirajan, S. Globalisation, Media and Culture. Economic and Political Weekly, June 17, 2000.
g
The students are expected to find their our reading materials.
Business, Government, Society and Sustainability

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Pedagogy
The subject pedagogy will be mix of discussion-cum- lecture mode, case presentations, class discussion, and
class room and take home exercises and assignments.
Evaluation Scheme
Components
Class Participationh
Group Assignment Case Presentationi
Quiz
End Term

Weightages
20
20
20
40

Learning Outcomes
1 to 5
2
3, 4
1 to 5

Class Participation would refer to the following: exhibiting critical thinking, maintaining decorum and
taking initiative to build a learning culture.
i
A class will be divided into ten teams. All the teams should be prepared for making power point
presentations in every class. A team would be selected through cold call for the presentation. The topic for
the assignment would be the case chosen for that particular sessions discussion.

Business, Government, Society and Sustainability

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