Designed as an optional capstone course for the M.I.B.A. program the international seminar develops graduate students' understanding and knowledge of international business in a foreign nation. Based on the assumption that immersion in an alternative national setting is an extremely powerful method of learning, each year the course is offered in a center of foreign business. The increasing interlocking of national interests presents additional challenges and opportunities for business organizations. Corporations of all sizes face a range of challenges and decisions, which are affected by changes in free trade possibilities and common-market bloc agreements. The weeklong series of seminars, held at a host educational institution, covers a broad range of topics, linked by a common focus on international strategy. Student's must complete the seminar exam and a written report on return to USA. Prerequisites: Full matriculation, completion of a minimum of 12 credit hours of academic studies, and a 3.0 GPA

Not required

A.        Entrance Competences

It is expected that students will be familiar with major concepts and theories in terms of the following:

1.        Analyze and evaluate the economic goals of government bodies
2.        Evaluate the philosophies of different management systems, competition and the effect of culture on the implementation of these views.
3.        Evaluate the impact of government legislation and controls on business by nations and the effect of national legislation if applied to foreign nations (international law)
4.        Understand the environment for foreign business in different regions of the world
5.        Understand the impact of world trade agreements and their implementation

B.        Exit Competencies

Students should exit with these competencies:
1.    Identify basic characteristics of political and economic systems and institutions, and the modes of change in transitional economies.
2.    Evaluate the government view on foreign investment and economic priorities, in order to estimate the climate for company investment.
3.    Evaluate the current state of the country's infrastructure (roads, bridges, ports, telecommunications, education and health sector) and how this will impact in-coming companies.
4.    Assess the importance of major industries in the transitional economy, including both foreign and local businesses. This will include assessment of legal, financial, and market characteristics.
5.    Identify cultural and social aspects of the destination and engage in interaction with local business people.
6.    Students will analyze company and industry data and consequently be able to advise business partners on the future for their investment in the destination country.

Course Requirements

The learning focus of the seminar is based on pre-trip preparation, student framework development and interactive on-site participation. In-country we will have a series of seminars, site visits and informal talks. We will prepare a schedule covering a range of interests, including presentations by scholars, foreign investors, and government representatives and including corporate site visits.

1. Required Materials


1. Textbooks

NO TEXTBOOK REQUIRED


APA Manual
Effective October 1^st 2009, the 6th edition of the APA Manual is required for all courses.

NSU Bookstore
Textbooks and Case Studies may be purchased from the NSU Bookstore (located in the University Park Plaza) by calling 1-800-509-2665 or online at http://www.nsubooks.bkstore.com.



2. Recommended Materials

TBA

The NSU libraries comprise the Alvin Sherman Library, Research, and Information Technology Center, East Campus Branch Library, Health Professions Division Library, Law Library and Technology Center, North Miami Beach Branch Library, University School Library Media Centers, and the William S. Richardson Ocean Science Library. Students are strongly encouraged to visit one of the physical locations and/or take advantage of the vast electronic library available for research. For more information, please visit http://www.nova.edu/library.

Please note that all required and recommended materials should be referenced in APA style.