University of Sydney Handbooks - 2020 Archive

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International Business

Table of postgraduate units of study: International Business

The units of study listed in the following table are those available for the current year. Students may also include any units of study, which are additional to those currently listed, which appear under these subject areas in the Business School handbook/website in subsequent years (subject to any prerequisite or prohibition rules).

Errata
Item Errata Date
1.

Sessions have been changed for the following unit. Semester 2 has been added:

IBUS6005 Ethical International Business Decisions Sessions: Semester 1, Semester 2

01/06/2020
2.

The following unit has been cancelled for 2020:

IBUS6022 Business Management in India
01/06/2020

International Business

Master of International Business

Students must complete 60 credit points in units of study, comprising:
(i) 24 credit points in core units of study
(ii) 12 credit points in core international business project units of study; and
(iii) 24 credit points in elective units of study.

Units of study for this course

Core units of study

MIBS6001 Global Business Environment

Credit points: 6 Session: Semester 1,Semester 2 Classes: 1 x 3 hr lecture/seminar per week Corequisites: MIBS6002 Prohibitions: IBUS6001 or IBUS6002 Assessment: class preparation (15%); individual report - part 1 (25%); individual report - part 2 (30%); final exam (30%)
Note: This unit is available only to students enrolled in the Master of International Business.
This unit aims to build a systematic approach to analysing contemporary developments in the global business environment. Topics covered include political regulation and political risk, international cooperation on trade and investment, the diversity of capitalism, technological and social change, and business responses to climate change. Business responses to the global business environment is a focus, with students actively learning through real-world cases, problem-solving and workshops. The unit provides students with the opportunity to develop skills in comparative and country analysis, assessing and managing risk and identifying business opportunities, designing risk identification and forecasting systems, as well as a consideration of ethics and human rights in business.
MIBS6002 Global Management and Culture

Credit points: 6 Session: Semester 1,Semester 2 Classes: 1 x 3 hr lecture/seminar per week Corequisites: MIBS6001 Prohibitions: IBUS6001 or IBUS6002 Assessment: group project (25%), individual assignment (15%), participation (10%), final exam (50%)
Note: This unit is available only to students enrolled in the Master of International Business.
The effective management of employees from diverse backgrounds poses a significant challenge for many international organisations, as well as for domestic firms which inevitably face the dilemma of workforce diversification. However, as organisations move from domestic to global business arenas, meeting this cross-cultural challenge is also one of the key levers for achieving competitive advantage. For managers working in such contexts, the ability to carefully observe and analyse cross-cultural situations is fundamental to individual and organizational success. The underlying driver in achieving this success is the understanding of one's cultural assumptions and how these impact interactions with others, decision-making processes and even perception of the world around us. This unit addresses these issues.
MIBS6003 Global Strategy

Credit points: 6 Session: Semester 1,Semester 2 Classes: 1 x 3 hr lecture/seminar per week Prerequisites: MIBS6001 and MIBS6002 Corequisites: MIBS6004 Prohibitions: IBUS6001 or IBUS6002 Assessment: individual report and class participation (45%), group presentation and report (25%), final examination (30%)
Note: This unit is available only to students enrolled in the Master of International Business.
This unit of study, third in the sequence of six core units students complete in the MIB program, focuses on how international companies win and lose in global competition. Topics include international strategies such as entry mode choices, cross-border strategic alliances, joint ventures, and mergers and acquisitions. The emphasis of the unit is on the application of contextual knowledge about international business and strategic management theories as tailored to emerging markets, and in particular to analyse decisions faced by companies operating in the Asia Pacific region.
MIBS6004 Managing Global Operations

Credit points: 6 Session: Semester 1,Semester 2 Classes: 1 x 3 hr lecture/seminar per week Prerequisites: MIBS6001 and MIBS6002 Corequisites: MIBS6003 Assessment: mid-semester test (20%); individual assignment (including two case reports and class participation) (20%); group project (including written report, presentation and self- and peer-evaluation) (30%); final exam (30%)
Note: This unit is available only to students enrolled in the Master of International Business.
While Global Strategy (MIBS6003) lays out the concepts and theory relevant to a firms' entry into a new market, this unit focuses on how to successfully implement and manage foreign market operations. The key question addressed is how to design business models that allow a company to adapt to unique host country conditions, and operate successfully and sustainably across a range of diverse markets. The unit draws on knowledge previously gained regarding the diversity among cultures and among various international markets (MIBS6001 and MIBS6002). It focuses on issues related to designing environment-appropriate business models and on the challenges of business model innovation in light of dynamic global change. To complement the conceptual discussions, students gain first-hand experience in launching the overseas operations of a business.

International Business Project (core)

Students complete two 6-credit point core international business project units of study.
MIBS6005 International Business Project A

Credit points: 6 Session: Intensive December,Intensive July Classes: 12 hours per week Prerequisites: MIBS6001 and MIBS6002 and MIBS6003 and MIBS6004 Corequisites: MIBS6006 Prohibitions: IBUS6001 or IBUS6002 Assessment: preliminary report and project design (40%); reflective learning journal (30%); LinkedIn article (20%); individual participation (10%)
This unit aims to prepare students for global careers and to develop and improve their professional practice in cross-border and cross-cultural settings. It provides the opportunity to undertake advanced training in the areas of research methodology, professional communication in its many forms, teamwork, analytical skills, project management and consulting. The unit also involves preparatory work for the International Business Project B (MIBS6006). Project scoping, planning and analysis forms an important part of the activities and assessment for this unit. This allows students to apply their domain knowledge and professional skills to solving a real-life problem in international business.
MIBS6006 International Business Project B

Credit points: 6 Session: Intensive December,Intensive July Classes: 12 hours per week Prerequisites: MIBS6001 and MIBS6002 and MIBS6003 and MIBS6004 Corequisites: MIBS6005 Prohibitions: IBUS6001 or IBUS6002 Assessment: project report presentation (10%); final group project report (40%); individual communication (5%); individual teamwork (5%); assignment (40%)
Note: This unit is available only to students enrolled in the Master of International Business.
This unit is completed at the end of the Master of International Business program. It enables students to apply the knowledge, theories and skills which they have developed throughout the program. Students engage in a mini-consulting project where they work on a brief provided by participating companies and designed in consultation with academic staff. The project requires students to define, analyse and propose solutions to actual problems related to the relevant international dimensions of the participating company's operations. Successful completion of the project requires demonstration of the analytical, communication, cross-cultural, teamwork and ethical skills required to perform at a professional level in a global business context.

Elective units of study

ACCT6002, FINC6013, and MKTG6013 all require relevant background knowledge, students must apply to enrol via the Special Permissions process in their Sydney Student portal.
ACCT6002 International Accounting

Credit points: 6 Session: Semester 1,Semester 2 Classes: 1x2hr lecture and 1 1hr workshop per week Prerequisites: ACCT6001 Assumed knowledge: Accounting standards and their application Assessment: final exam (50%), test 1 (15%), test 2 (15%), assignment (10%), oral presentation (10%)
Many of the topics in an international accounting unit have a domestic counterpart. However, new factors and complications arise in the international arena. Some of these are (1) diversity of laws, practices, customs, cultures, and competitive circumstances; and (2) risks associated with fluctuating exchange rates, differential rates of inflation, and unstable property rights. International accounting discusses issues from the perspective of companies that have internationalised their finance and/or their operations. It has a comparative aspect, comparing accounting across countries. It deals with corporate reporting and disclosure across national boundaries. It also deals with the harmonisation of the worldwide diversity in financial reporting, in particular, convergence around International Financial Reporting Standards. It discusses consolidation issues that arise from multinational operations.
CLAW6030 China's Legal Environment for Business

Credit points: 6 Session: Semester 1 Classes: 1x 3hr seminar per week Assessment: mid-term test (25%), presentation of proposed research area (10%), proposal of research paper (5%), research paper (50%), class participation (10%)
China has recently become the second biggest economy in the world and is Australia's most important trading partner. Australian businesses are increasingly engaging with China. This unit addresses the frequently asked question of how to do business with China. It addresses China's unique business environment which has resulted from its unique culture, history and demography, and examines the business regulations, tax system, and the administrative and compliance issues businesses will face when carrying on business with China. The unit first outlines the business environment in terms of culture, history, economics, demography, and government administration. It then provides students with an understanding of the legal environment that businesses will face in China. Through a hypothetical case study, different aspects of business regulation such as contract, entity structure, mergers and acquisition, property and intellectual property rights, the tax system, different tax types and associated international issues, and social insurance are analysed.
CLAW6033 International Business Tax Strategy

Credit points: 6 Session: Semester 2 Classes: 1x 3hr seminar per week Assessment: individual assignment (30%); mid-semester test (20%); final exam (50%)
Taxation strategy of an international business has a significant impact on not only the overall financial performance of the enterprise but also the quantum of tax revenue that governments can collect. The increasing globalisation and integration of operations of multinational enterprises, together with the ingenuity of the army of tax advisors, provides ample opportunities for international tax planning. This unit introduces students to international tax principles and practices. Students will learn how the international tax rules are implemented in practice, and tax strategies that international businesses can adopt to minimise their global tax liabilities. Case studies on major multinational enterprises, such as Apple and Google, will be used to analyse and evaluate the international tax rules and business tax strategies. This unit will cover the fundamental residence and source principles, the taxation of inbound and outbound investments, the taxation of international finance, and common international tax strategies of multinational enterprises, including tax arbitrage between tax rules of entity classifications, the tax treatment of debt and equity, and transfer pricing.
FINC6013 International Business Finance

Credit points: 6 Session: Semester 1 Classes: 1 x 3hr seminar per week Prerequisites: FINC5001 Assessment: mid-semester test (25%), assignment (25%), final exam (50%)
In our highly globalised and integrated world economy, understanding international dimensions of financial management is essential for businesses. This unit provides a greater understanding of the fundamental concepts and the tools necessary for effective financial decision making by business enterprises, within a global setting.
IBUS6003 Managing International Risk

Credit points: 6 Session: Semester 2 Classes: 1x 3hr lecture/seminar per week Assessment: international risk analysis 1 (20%), international risk analysis 2 (30%), risk management proposal (20%), final exam (30%)
This unit introduces students to the multi-level risk environments encountered by multinational enterprise and the processes and strategies that can be employed to identify, assess, manage and mitigate risk. Topics covered include multinational enterprise and expropriation, sovereign risk and corruption, political and regulatory risk, brand and corporate reputation risk management, managing anti-globalization protests and consumer boycotts, terrorism risk, and executive risk and risk management and a short introduction to financial risk and risk management. The unit also introduces the various analytical approaches involved in designing risk identification systems, reporting and monitoring protocols, and how risk is able to be assessed, prioritized and effectively managed. The unit emphasizes a problem case-based approach to learning using workshops and simulation exercises.
IBUS6004 International Business Alliances

Credit points: 6 Session: Semester 1 Classes: 1 x 3 hr lecture/seminar per week Assessment: group project (30%), individual project (50%), final exam (20%)
Collaboration to achieve competitive advantage is one of the most commonly recommended cross border strategies. However, international alliances can take many different forms, and they can serve many different purposes. Managing international alliances raises a series of different issues for the alliance partners to manage. This unit examines the issues raised and considers the reasons for success and failure of international alliances. It looks at the forms that partnerships can take, it examines the methods for choosing among potential partners, it examines the potential forms of collaboration and the level of resources each may require. Managing the partnership for maximum advantage, avoiding possible risks, and deciding how and when to end the partnership, all are further issues that managers must consider. The unit considers these questions in the framework of general theoretical approaches, and pays particular attention to discussion of individual cases.
IBUS6005 Ethical International Business Decisions

Credit points: 6 Session: Semester 1 Classes: 1x 3-hour seminar per week from week 1 to week 13 Assessment: Group assignments (40%), final exam (30%), and individual assignments (30%)
In order to succeed in international business, both corporations and individuals need broad decision-making abilities. Business decision-making tools yield more coherent and justifiable results when used with an understanding of the ethical, social and environmental aspects of the process. This applies to various situations in the international business setting including business relations with government, customers, employees, and NGOs. This unit is designed to look at these non-financial elements in the decisions made within the international business context. Upon completion of this unit, students will have enhanced skills and knowledge relevant to the understanding of ethical issues and ethical decisions making in international business organisations.
IBUS6006 Comparative International Management

Credit points: 6 Session: Semester 2 Classes: 1x 3hr class per week Assessment: mid-semester test (25%), final exam (35%), group research project (30%), peer evaluation (5%), participation (5%)
The triad regions, Japan, the United States, and the European Union, together are the homes of almost all of the world's largest 500 corporations. They account for a large majority of world exports. They provide most of the world's outward flows of foreign direct investment, and in addition, they are the recipients of most of inward FDI flows. However, they are very different, in firm structure, in regulatory environment, and in the relations between private firms and government agencies. Dealing with them as competitors, customers, suppliers, or partners requires international managers to be aware of these differences and to vary their strategies accordingly. This unit compares the structure and operations of triad firms and the ways that government agencies frame the operating environment in each region. The unit looks at the ways firms in each region seek competitive advantage, and how governments have supported them. In addition to the specific knowledge of the habits and tendencies of Japanese, United States, and European firms, the techniques of analysis developed in this unit are applicable to a wide range of competitive situations across the global economy.
IBUS6008 Export Management

Credit points: 6 Session: Semester 2 Classes: 1x 3hr lecture/seminar per week Assessment: individual assignment part 1 (30%), individual assignment part 2 (30%), final test (30%), class preparation (10%)
Exporting is a key international business activity, especially for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). This unit covers both the theory and practice of export management. The main areas covered in the unit are: 1) preparing to export (export stimulation, export readiness and planning), 2) forming and maintaining relationships with intermediaries (including legal considerations), 3) managing risks and export finance, 4) filling export orders. The unit, therefore, covers both the operational and strategic challenges associated with the exporting process.
IBUS6011 New Business Opportunities and Startups

Credit points: 6 Session: Semester 1,Semester 2 Classes: 1x 3 hr lecture/seminar per week for classes Prohibitions: IBUS5011 or WORK6112 Assumed knowledge: IBUS5002, or completion of at least 24 credit points Assessment: startup financials (15%); evidence-based decision-making (35%); business progress assignment and presentation (50%); ideation (0%)
Being able to identify and exploit new business opportunities is critical to all sizes of businesses. Identifying new markets, developing new products and implementing new business models are highly-regarded and valuable skills for entrepreneurs and business managers alike. This unit is structured around learning from engaged practice in order to explore the special problems and opportunities associated with entrepreneurial startups. Students engage with startup and early stage businesses to deliver a plan to help them become profitable. Topics include opportunity recognition, strategy development, business model design, customer acquisition and retention, financial model development, as well as entrepreneurial and creative leadership.
IBUS6016 Social Entrepreneurship

Credit points: 6 Session: Semester 2 Classes: Semester 1: 1x 3h lecture/workshop per week; Intensive sessions: 2 x 3hr lecture/workshops pre-departure (Sydney), 30hrs lecture/workshops in country, 1 x 3hr seminar post-trip (Sydney) Assumed knowledge: IBUS5002, or completion of at least 24 credit points Assessment: individual report (25%), practice and final pitch (25%), final report (25%), reflective piece (15%), workshop engagement and participation (10%)
Social entrepreneurs are committed to furthering a social mission through enterprises that rank social, environmental or cultural impact on a par with, or even above, profit. Intersecting the business and not-for-profit worlds, social entrepreneurship addresses many complex local and global problems. This unit critically introduces the concept and develops frameworks for understanding social entrepreneurship (also referred to as social enterprise and social innovation). Teaching and learning utilises case studies and includes the opportunity to apply theory to real-world experiences. Topics include creating innovative social enterprises, sustainable business models, philanthropy and funding, impact assessment, and leadership. The unit is structured around learning from engaged practice and provides the opportunity to work with social enterprises.
IBUS6018 Business Negotiations

Credit points: 6 Session: Intensive September,Semester 1,Semester 2 Classes: 1x 3-hour seminar per week Assessment: in-class exercises (33%), assignment (33%), final exam (34%)
Note: This unit is only available in the Semester 2 session to students enrolled in the Master of Management (CEMS) / MIM (CEMS) stream.
This course is aimed at making you feel more comfortable and confident with the negotiation process. The course is taught as a 'flipped classroom', meaning that the content of the course is primarily taught outside of class, through brief written lectures, and class time is used to assimilate that knowledge through at least a dozen marked role-play negotiations, debriefs of those negotiations, problem-solving workshops and international negotiation case study analysis. You will also be taught how to develop your own negotiation strategies and tactics using a combination of multiple psychological, economic and legal concepts from the course.
IBUS6019 Strategy and Emerging Markets

Credit points: 6 Session: Semester 1,Semester 2 Classes: 1X 3 hour lecture/seminar per week Assessment: case analysis (20%), class leadership presentation (10%), in-class activity and quiz (10%), mid-term exam (15%), final exam (45%)
Do you have an Emerging Market Strategy? This is a question that an increasingly large number of company managers, especially in the developed western world, are trying to answer. This unit lays the foundations of strategy making in emerging markets, with an emphasis on four of the largest emerging markets of the world today - Brazil, Russia, India and China - often termed as the BRIC countries. Utilising frameworks from mainstream strategy and international business disciplines, the unit analyses emerging markets from the perspective of primarily two simultaneous phenomena - multinationals from developed markets trying to tap into emerging markets, and companies from emerging markets globalising their operations and consequently changing the global competitive landscape.
IBUS6020 Enterprise Management in China

Credit points: 6 Session: Semester 1,Semester 2 Classes: 1x 3-hour seminar per week Prohibitions: CHSC6902 Assessment: class participation (10%), group presentation (10%), in-class exam (10%), group case project (30%), final exam (40%)
This unit focuses on China's globalising business environment from an enterprise perspective by analysing the way in which enterprises are embedded in a dynamic economic, legal and political environment and the consequences that arise for enterprise management and entrepreneurship. The unit combines theoretical analysis of the interrelationship of markets, firms and institutions with detailed, practical case studies of domestic and transnational business activities. Students are able to familiarise themselves with different types of enterprises including the local private sector, state-owned enterprises and foreign-owned enterprises operating in China as well as Chinese enterprises expanding into global markets through joint ventures, strategic alliances and mergers and acquisitions.
IBUS6022 Business and Management in India

Credit points: 6 Session: Semester 2 Classes: 1x 3hr seminar per week Assessment: take home case analysis (30%), critical summary (20%), final report (30%); presentation (20%)
India has gained prominence in the last two decades and largely viewed as second to China in the development race. While India has significantly liberalised its economy, it remains a difficult market to successfully penetrate and offers unique challenges and opportunities. This unit focuses on achieving a comprehensive understanding of India as a significant global actor and unravels the complexities of the market it represents. Particular emphasis is given to India's institutional environment that epitomises the market conditions for local and international business to succeed in India as well as enhance their global competitiveness. Furthermore, this unit focuses on individual and firm level attributes that are necessary to survive and prosper in the Indian marketplace. How Indian businesses are globalising their operations on the basis of unique competencies is also discussed.
MKTG6013 International and Global Marketing

Credit points: 6 Session: Semester 1,Semester 2 Classes: 1x 3hr seminar per week Prerequisites: MKTG5001 Assessment: midterm quiz (15%), participation (13%), group written report (25%), oral presentation (10%), research component (2%), final exam (35%)
This unit aims to give students an understanding of international marketing concepts by using the framework of marketing mix elements of product, price, distribution and promotions, and highlights their importance in a rapidly changing global economy. Topics include the 'scope and environmental factors (PEST)' including 'culture'; 'globalisation versus internationalisation and multinational corporations'; 'international and global products, services and brands', 'market size assessment'; 'foreign market selection'; 'foreign market entry mode'; 'pricing for international markets'; 'international distribution channels'; and 'international promotions (global vs. multinational approaches) and strategies'. Understanding these concepts helps students develop skills in designing and implementing marketing strategies in diverse international country contexts.
WORK6111 Management Consulting

Credit points: 6 Session: Semester 2a Classes: Intensive Assumed knowledge: Knowledge is assumed in the areas of basic business strategy and organisational change. It is recommended that students enrolling in this Unit will have completed either or both of the following or similar Units: WORK6026 Organisational Change and Development, WORK6002 Foundations of Strategic Management. Assessment: seminar introduction (10%), seminar paper (30%), seminar participation (inc in-class exercise) (20%), and exam (40%)
This unit explores the role, influence and activities of management consultants in Australia and overseas. It examines management consultants as developers and disseminators of knowledge and practice and their role as change agents. The main management themes covered in the subject include: the consulting industry in Australia and overseas; consultant roles and the consultant-client relationship; consultants and organisational change; knowledge intensive firms and the management of expertise; the diffusion of management knowledge and fashion in a global economy; consulting as an occupation and career; managing a consultancy.
WORK6130 Leadership in Organisations

Credit points: 6 Session: Semester 1 Classes: 1hr lecture and 1x 2hr tutorial per week Prohibitions: ECOF5807 or ECOF6090 Assessment: presentation (30%), assignment (30%), final exam (40%)
This unit is designed to encourage students to consider the role and significance of leadership in various organisational contexts. The unit introduces the major streams of leadership theory and traces the development of our understanding about leadership. The unit explores how these theories allow us to understand leadership in practice and in what ways leadership is linked to different aspects of organisational effectiveness. It then examines the 'good, the bad, and the ugly' sides of leadership, e.g. positive forms (transformational, charismatic) and negative forms (narcissistic and Machiavellian). The unit explores leading for diversity and diversity in leadership (e.g. based on gender, culture and ethnicity) and the role of leaders in constituting ethical and socially responsible organisations. The critical role of leaders in effecting organisational change is explored and the leadership of top management teams and leadership succession is examined. The unit also examines leadership development programs and instruments and students have an opportunity to reflect on factors that might influence their own leadership style.