NEW YORK UNIVERSITY

Stern School of Business Undergraduate Division

International Study Program (Spring 2015)

Professors V. SRIVATSAN
[vsrivats@stern.nyu.edu] &
M. SIROWER
Office: KMEC 7-51
Office Hours: M, W, H 3:30-4:45
pm
Meeting Time
Classroom
Company
Teaching Fellow
TFs Stern Email

MGMT-UB.0011.05

MGMT-UB.0011.07

MGMT-UB.0011.08

M,W 2:00-3:15
Tisch UC-21
LAN
Asuka Qin
qin.qin@stern.nyu.edu

M,W 4:55-6:10
Tisch UC-21
SOCOVESA
Augusto Uribe
augusto.uribe@stern.nyu.
edu

M,W 6:30-7:45
Tisch UC-21
COUSINO MACUL
Daniel Borenstein
djb531@stern.nyu.edu

COURSE DESCRIPTION
The International Study Program (ISP) course is the supplement to the Economics of
Global Business (EGB) course. The central objective of the EGB course was to
introduce students to the causes and consequences of economic globalization. However,
the ISP course focuses on the wide differences in the institutional contexts and resource
bases within which business is conducted in different national settings, is pointed out.
These differences are driven by historical, politico-legal, social, and cultural forces as
well as economic realities, and result in significant divergence in actual national goals,
policies and economic achievements.
The main objective of the ISP course is to enrich students understanding of variations in
the institutional and resource contexts of nations and the impact of these variations on an
individual firms strategies. We will start by developing a framework for country analysis
that can be applied to understanding the economic performance of any country in the
world, and follow up with outlining the challenges, opportunities and risks to
multinational firms of doing business in this environment. We will be making extensive
use of international strategy case studies.
Pursuit of the main objective of the course will also then proceed with a visit to Santiago,
Chile during which students will be able to observe directly how the institutions and
resources there impact how business is done there compared to in other countries,
particularly the U.S. While in Santiago, students will participate in presentations and
discussions with multinational company managers headquartered there.

The course will culminate in a school-wide competition among student teams from all
sections of the International Study Program course. The competition will require that
each team prepare and present a report that diagnoses the major longer-term performance
opportunities and challenges facing the company visited, and makes strategic
recommendations to its management addressing those opportunities and challenges.
REQUIRED MATERIALS
1. A digital custom textbook, consisting of
a. Chapters 6 from Thompson, A.A, Gamble, J & Strickland III, A.J Crafting
and Executing Strategy [TGS in syllabus] &
b. Chapters 13, and 15 from Hill, C.W.L., International Business 10E.
All three chapters are available for download as an ebook from the McGraw-Hill website.
The instructions for downloading the ebook are:
Go to http://create.mcgraw-hill.com/shop/
Search for and select book by
Title: INTERNATIONAL STUDY PROJECT 2015 Latin America

Or ISBN: 9781308452210
2.

Case packet from Harvard Business School can be downloaded after purchase at

Course pack link: https://cb.hbsp.harvard.edu/cbmp/access/34246884

3.Additional Material Available Through NYU Classes
a. Distance Still Matters
b. The Global Competitiveness Report, 2014-15 by the World Economic Forum
c. Competing on Resources
d. Location, Competitiveness, and Economic Development
e. What Have We Learned About Emerging Markets MNEs?

EVALUATION
Individual
Class & trip participation
Readings exam
Comparative Analysis Report
Strategy analysis report
Total Individual
Group
Class Case presentation
Project Presentation
Total Group

10%
35%
15%
15%
75%
10%
15%

Ungraded but Penalizable Deliverables

Company SWOT & Questions
Trip Learnings report
Project Proposal

25%

CLASS SCHEDULE (Please pay special attention to items in bold letters)

Day
MON
WED

Date
1/26
1/28

Readings/Assignments

2/2

Topic
Introduction to the Course
Diversity of the International
Business Environment
National Competitiveness

MON

WED

2/4

Intro to Strategy

MON

2/9

Entering Foreign Markets

WED

2/11

Strategic Alternatives for MNCs

MON

2/16

NO CLASS PRSEDIENTS
DAY

Collis & Montgomery: Competing on

Resources
Chapter 6 from TGS
Finalize groups and email TF
Chapter 15 from Hill
Chapter Case:
Chapter 13 from Hill
Chapter Case:
ATTEND PRE-TRIP ORIENTATION
ON 2/24

WED

2/18

Intro to Clusters &

Emerging market MNCs

MON

2/23

International Strategy Practicum

Ghemawat: Distance still matters

BEGIN group formation
The GCR Report
http://www.weforum.org/issues/globalcompetitiveness

Location, Competitiveness, and

Economic Development
What Have We Learned About
Emerging Markets MNEs?
Case Presentation: SAFERTAXI

TUE 2/24 Mandatory Attendance: Pre-Trip Orientation (5:45-7 pm)

WED
MON

2/25
3/2

International Strategy Practicum

International Strategy Practicum

WED

3/4

International Strategy Practicum

MON

3/9

INDUSTRY DISCUSSION

WED

3/11

Pre-Trip Session

Case Presentation: PATAGONIA SUR

Case Presentation: COLBUN &
FUTURE OF CHILEAN POWER
Case Presentation: LISCO
ACQUISITION
DUE: Individual report on
comparative analysis
DUE: Company Questions

MODULE 2: THE TRIP (ACTIVITIES IN BOLD LETTERS ARE

MANDATORY)
Day
TUE
WED

Date
3/17
3/18

Activity
Depart NYC
Evening: Group Dinner. Dress Code is Business Casual (no jeans,
shorts, T-shirts, tank tops, sneakers, or open-toed shoes). Ties or
jackets optional

THU
FRI

3/19
3/20

Group Exploration and Activities (All Day)

SAT
SUN

3/21
3/22

Day
MON
WED
MON
WED
MON

Date
3/23
3/29
3/30
4/1
4/6

WED

4/8

MON

4/13

WED

4/15

MON

4/20

WED

4/22

MON
WED
MON

4/27
4/29
5/4

WED
Fri

5/6
5/8

Corporate Visits (All Day) Dress Code is Business Casual and also
factory-safe attire (no loose article of clothing or ties; proper shoes
and no high heels)
Morning free. Leave for Airport in the Afternoon
Arrive NYC
Topic
NO CLASS
Trip debriefing
IN CLASS EXAM
Preparing for the ISP competition
Proposal Discussions with M
groups (all group members must
attend)
Proposal Discussions with W
groups (all group members must
attend)
Optional Discussions with M
groups
Optional Discussions with W
groups
Optional Discussions with M
groups
Optional Discussions with W
groups
Project Presentations
Project Presentations
Attend competition finals on Friday
Attend competition finals on Friday

FINAL COMPETITION (1-3

PM)

Readings/Assignments
Trip Decompression & Reflection
DUE: 5 learnings assignment
No class work on project

1 page project proposal

1 page project proposal
No class work on project
No class work on project
No class work on project
No class work on project

Attendance Mandatory
Attendance Mandatory
No class Strategy Report Due
Online & IN CLASS
No class
ATTENDANCE MANDATORY

GRADING DETAILS
Individual Work
Class and Trip Participation (10%)
Participation in class is a very important component of the learning process in the
course. Students are expected to contribute to class discussions. Such participation is
essential to individual and class learning from case analysis and discussion. Please go over
the readings prior to class. Lectures will not duplicate reading material: they will supplement
and embellish the readings, and offer alternate viewpoints. Attendance will be taken for each
class session and will be a factor in determining your class participation points. Laptops, cell
phones, and other electronic devices are a disturbance to both students and professors. All
electronic devices must be turned off prior to the start of each class meeting.
Participation in scheduled events and programs during the trip to Buenos Aires is also a
very important component of the learning process in this course. Those missing the trip will
be given a make-up assignment whose weight will be equal to that of the trip participation
grade. Those traveling to Buenos Aires are required to adhere to the Stern Code of Conduct.
Every session of the course will involve interaction in the form of class discussion. I expect
each one of you to come to class on time and be prepared to contribute to all class sessions.

Location and Industry Competitiveness (15%)

A hard copy of this report (3-4 pages, excluding all appendices, single-spaced, 12-point font) is
due in class on the date indicated in the class schedule. An electronic copy must be also
uploaded on NYU Classes before class on the day it is due. Failure to upload on NYU
Classesbefore the deadline will result in a 3-point penalty on the assignment. In addition, if for
any reason we are unable to locate the hard copy of your assignment, then we will accept a
duplicate copy only if we find a copy uploaded on NYU Classes.

1.
Identify the main industry in which your company competes.
2.
Select ANOTHER country (you will be given a choice of 6 countries). In
doing so ensure that each member of your group selects a different country.
3.
Analyze BOTH your selected country as well as the country you will visit
on the following question.
a. Are there any features [historical, political, legal, socio-cultural, etc] of the
country that help the companies in THIS INDUSTRY IN THAT
COUNTRY achieve competitive advantage internationally? Are there any
features that seem to lead to competitive disadvantages internationally? In
answering the above, ensure that youre incorporating an analysis of the
global/regional competition in this industry, if any.
b. Can the management of firms in this industry, either on their own or
collectively as a group, leverage the competitive advantages, and
overcome the disadvantages? How?
4. Building on the above analysis of your companys industry structure, identify
major competitive advantages/disadvantages your company enjoys.

Five Learnings from the trip (- ungraded but penalizable)

Write 1-2 pages on the 5 lessons that you learnt from participating on the ISP trip.
At least 2 of these lessons should be based on the talks that you attended on Monday. The
learning from the company visit is not required since youll be incorporating them in your
project proposal. However, at least one learning should be based on your observations
about the business culture in Chile/Latin America.
Readings Exam (35%)
The closed-book exam on the readings will take place in class on the date
mentioned in the class schedule. The exam will be a combination of multiple-choice
and/or short-answer type questions. More details on the exam will be provided in class.
Final Strategy Report (15%)
Write a report (3-4 pages single-spaced, 12pt font excluding appendices) on your
company that (1) compares, contrasts, and critically evaluates the recommendations of all
the other teams in your section in terms of their potential impact on firm performance,
their impact on the firms competitive position and risks, their use of competitively
valuable firm resources, and their affordability in terms of the cash flows and debt
capacity of the firm, and (2) presents an integrated set of strategic recommendations that
you would make to the corporate board based on the above comparison, contrast and
evaluation. Your report should include an Appendix that lists the main strengths and
weaknesses of each presentation (excluding yours). An anonymous version of this
appendix analysis maybe provided to each group at the end of the course.
Suggested format:
1. Analysis of the other class presentations
2. Integrated strategic recommendations &
Justification for your recommendation
3. Appendices (see below)

1-2 pages
1-2 pages

While making and justifying your recommendation, please address the following points:
1. Your recommendations need to be supported with proper analysis. Be sure to
evaluate the recommendations in terms of their potential impact on the business for
example, impact on sales, competitive position, risks and their affordability in terms
of the cash flows and debt capacity of the firm. (Note: obviously, not all
recommendations impact every aspect of the firm).
2. Attach an appendix with the following:

The main strengths and weaknesses of each presentation (excluding

yours)
An electronic copy must be also uploaded on NYU Classes before class on the day it is
due. Failure to upload on NYU Classes before the deadline will result in a 2-point penalty
on each portion the assignment. In addition, if for any reason we are unable to locate the

hard copy of your assignment, we will accept a duplicate only if the NYU Classes version
has been uploaded.

Group Work
Please form groups of 5-6 people. Since group activity is a big component of
this course, it is recommended that you find group members with whom you share a good
group dynamic and complementary capabilities. It is also required that each group has no
more than one person who is not going on the trip to Argentina. Peer evaluations will be
used to determine individual contributions to the group project.
Case Presentation (10%)
Each group will be assigned one of the cases for a group analysis and class presentation.
Your group is required to analyze the case and make a 20-minute presentation in class on
the date assigned for the case. All members of the group are required to take part in the
presentation. A comprehensive analysis of the case is expected. You are strongly
encouraged to do external research to obtain and use outside information on the firm and
the industry while preparing your case analysis. Please reference all external sources
used in your report. Also please turn in a copy of your presentation slides before class
begins on the day of your presentation.
Company questions (Ungraded but penalizable)
Identify what questions you will consider asking the senior management of your
company if presented with an opportunity to do so. Explain why your group thinks each
question is important to the strategic direction of the company in a paragraph or two. The
company question report will be recorded but not graded (see the class schedule for the
due date).

Project Proposal (Ungraded but penalizable)

After returning from the trip, your group is required to submit a project proposal (1 page,
double spaced) on the date indicated in the syllabus. The proposal should outline the
strategic issue(s) that you will be focusing on for your project. The Professor and the TF
will meet with each group to discuss and approve the proposal. The proposal will not be
graded. All group members are required to attend this meeting. Failure to do so will
result in loss of points in the project presentation scores.
Group Work Project Presentation (15%)
Details: Outline your company's strategic situation, i.e., its prospects for growth in
earnings over the next 3-5 years, its strengths/advantages over competitors, and the major
challenges and weaknesses it will have to overcome in the next few years. Develop a
strategic plan for the next 3-5 years to sustain and improve the firm's performance

prospects. Specifically, what significant changes in the firms geographic scope, product
scope, product development policies, marketing policies, operations policies, finance
policies, organization structure, and/or human resource management policies would you
recommend?
Each group will have to make a strategic plan presentation in class on their company (13
minutes, plus 2 minutes for Q&A). These presentations will take place on the dates given
in the class schedule. Please time your presentations properly going over time will
count against you in the grading. One team will be selected to represent your section in
the Regional Finals. More information on the presentation will be provided in class.
Slides Submission: Please do NOT email slides to us. Instead post them on NYU
Classes.
Presentation Dates: Your group will be randomly assigned to one of the two days
allotted for the presentations. Your TF will email you with your presentation dates.

USEFUL WEBSITES

1.
2.
3.
4.

http://lanic.utexas.edu/
http://lac.eads.usaidallnet.gov/
http://www.eclac.org/
http://www.usaid.gov/locations/latin_america_caribbean/
5. http://www.export.gov/

Academic Integrity
Integrity is critical to the learning process and to all that we do here at NYU Stern. All
students are expected to abide by the NYU Stern Student Code of Conduct. A students
responsibilities include, but are not limited to:
A duty to acknowledge the work and efforts of others when submitting work as ones
own. Ideas, data, direct quotations, paraphrasing, creative expression, or any other
incorporation of the work of others must be clearly referenced.
A duty to exercise the utmost integrity when preparing for and completing examinations,
including an obligation to report any observed violations.
Please see www.stern.nyu.edu/uc/codeofconduct for more information.
Grading
At NYU Stern we seek to teach challenging courses that allow students to demonstrate
differential mastery of the subject matter. Assigning grades that reward excellence and reflect
differences in performance is important to ensuring the integrity of our curriculum.
In line with Grading Guidelines for the NYU Stern Undergraduate College, the process of
assigning of grades is intended be one of unbiased evaluation. This means that students are
encouraged to respect the integrity and authority of the professors grading system and
discouraged from pursuing arbitrary challenges to it.
If you feel that an inadvertent error has been made in the grading of an individual
assignment or in assessing an overall course grade, a request to have that the grade be reevaluated may be submitted in writing to your TF within 7 days of receiving the grade, including
a brief written statement of why you believe that an error in grading was made.
Students with Disabilities
Students whose class performance may be affected due to a disability should notify me
early in the semester so that arrangements can be made, in consultation with the Henry and Lucy
Moses Center for Students with Disabilities, to accommodate their needs. Please see
www.nyu.edu/csd for more information.

ISP Travel and the Stern Undergraduate Code of Conduct

The ISP Faculty recognizes that the overwhelming majority of students are approaching
the International Study Program week abroad with excitement, seriousness of purpose, and every
intention of behaving appropriately throughout the program. To protect the potentially
outstanding experience of that majority of students on the ISP trip, which could be damaged by
the actions of a few, and to protect the reputation of the school, we remind all students that they
must act in a manner consistent with the Stern Undergraduate Code of Conduct and the special
conditions of this travel opportunity.
Professional Conduct
Throughout the trip students are expected to perform in ways that (1) reflect favorably on
themselves, their classmates, and the Stern School and (2) contribute to the educational
environment and objectives of the course in other words, to perform professionally.
Professional performance includes, but is not limited to, the following behaviors:

Actively participating in all formal sessions;

Attending all presentations and visits scheduled in conjunction with the course;
Being on time and prepared for all scheduled events;
Preparing for and engaging respectfully with presenters and other guests;
Being cooperative and helpful during the logistical activities of the trip;
Acting in a manner consistent with the nature and tone of each scheduled event;
Respecting local customs and values during the trip:
Follow the appropriate dress code for mandatory events.

Violations of the expected professionalism behaviors will result in direct penalty to the
course grade. Frequent failure to behave professionally could result in as much as a two
letter reduction in the course grade.
Personal Conduct
While on the ISP trip, students will have a significant amount of time on their own to explore
the history, cultural sites, and local customs of their destination. During this unsupervised time,
students are expected to behave in a manner consistent with those provisions of the
Undergraduate Code of Conduct pertaining to personal conduct. Personal conduct violations
include, but are not limited to physical assault, harassment (including sexual and verbal), property
damage, and excessive consumption of alcohol.
Accusations of such violations by hotel staff, local police, local citizens, or other students will
be investigated by faculty and administrative staff accompanying the students on the trip, and
may result in violators being immediately sent home to prevent further damage. In all cases
personal conduct violations will be reported to Dean Greenbaum, for determination of sanctions
by the Honor Council.
It is the responsibility of each student to ask for clarification of any aspect of these
Undergraduate Code of Conduct requirements as they apply to the ISP trip that is not understood
or is considered ambiguous prior to the trip.

Sign Your Name: ___________________

Group Work Peer Evaluation (Optional)
International Study Program (Spring 2015)
Professor Srivatsan
On a percentage scale of 0-100, please evaluate your group members on how much contribution
each one of them made to his or her share of the project work. If someone in your group did his or her
share of the work (or more), then give that person a score of 100. For others, please give a score that
reflects their contribution to their share (for example if someone contributed only 90% of his or her share,
then give that person a score of 90, etc.). Please return this form to me before the last day of class. If you
do not turn in this form, then it will be assumed that you have given a score of 100 for all your other group
members. Therefore, if you feel that all your other group members did their share of the work, you
do NOT have to turn in the evaluations. Please be honest and fair in your evaluations, in accordance
with the Stern Honor Code. Also note that your evaluation of your group members may affect their grades
but will not have any impact on your grade in the course.
Group Member Names (do not include your name)

Contribution Score (0-100)

________________________________________

______________

_________________________________________

______________

_________________________________________

______________

_________________________________________

______________

_________________________________________

______________

If you give anyone a score less than 100, then please give specific reasons below so that I can discuss it
with the person concerned.