GRA 6838 Doing Business in China

APPLIES TO ACADEMIC YEAR 2016/2017

GRA 6838 Doing Business in China


Responsible for the course
Heidi Wiig Aslesen

Department
Department of Strategy

Term
According to study plan

ECTS Credits
6

Language of instruction
English

Introduction
(Max 45 students)

This course focuses on the topic of globalization and the longer-term underlying processes of global economic change in which currents events can be better understood especially the rise of China and its role in the global economy.

One aim of the course is to demonstrate the fundamentally relational nature of globalization processes by focusing explicitly on global production networks (GPN) and global innovation networks (GIN) and to emphasize the power-laden dynamics of the interactions between companies, political and legal systems, culture and society. This will highlight both the institutional and spatial context of globalization with a special focus on China. Another aim will be to focus explicitly on the perceived company considered opportunities and challenges in such a context.

Following this, there will be two main thematic areas covered in the course:
I: Globalisation and contextual factors for doing business in China.
II: Company considered opportunities and challenges

Ad I: Globalisation and contextual factors for doing business in China.
1) Geographies of the global economy and the shift towards Asia
2) Global production and innovation networks – evolution and global dynamics. The role of Transnational corporations. Case examples of inward and outward TNCs.
3) Political and legal influences:
a. The relationship between macro economic development, market development and decision making
b. Rule- and relationships-based governance: Conditions for rule of law and network influences in China and East Asia.

Ad II: Company considered opportunities and challenges
1) Chinese philosophy and its influence on the strategy and leadership styles of East Asian businesspeople.
2) Assessing the market – the consumer and the trade zones
3) Human resources and talent


    Learning outcome
    The objective is two-fold.
    The students should get better knowledge of how the institutional and spatial context affect business activities in general and in China especially. Further, the student should have acquired knowledge of opportunities and challenges from the perspectives of an executive.
    The students shall conduct a research investigation and write a scientific paper to see how business activity is carried out and problems are solved in a Norwegian transnational company doing business in China.

    Acquired knowledge
    On completion of the course, the students shall have:
    · Developed insights into technological, economic, political discourses that concern doing business in or with China
    · Acquire knowledge of how institutional context affect business activity
    · Acquired knowledge of opportunities and challenges from the perspectives of an executive
    · Acquire knowledge of some perceived risks and opportunities that an executive can encounter

    Acquired skills
    On completion of the course, the students shall be able to:
    · Identify historical and contemporary development trends in China
    · Identify and discuss how political, economic, social and cultural factors affect production and business activity in China
    · Identify specific challenges perceived by a Norwegian executive in China

    Reflection
    On completion of the course, the students should be able to reflect critically on how the institutional and spatial context affect business activities in China especially.

    Prerequisites

    All courses in the Masters programme will assume that students have fulfilled the admission requirements for the programme. In addition, courses in second, third and/or fourth semester can have spesific prerequisites and will assume that students have followed normal study progression. For double degree and exchange students, please note that equivalent courses are accepted.

    Compulsory reading
    Books:
    Dicken, Peter. 2015. Global shift: mapping the changing contours of the world economy. 7th ed. Sage

    Book extract:
    Torrens, Christopher. 2010. “Doing Business in China: A Guide to the Risks and the Rewards”. The Economist. Profile books. selected chapter(s)

    Other:
    Selected articles and cases to be distributed in class


    Recommended reading

    Course outline
    The course covers two main topics;
    I: Globalisation and contextual factors for doing business in China.
    II: Company considered opportunities and challenges

    There will be several case studies to illustrate key topics.
    During the course there will be an intensive one-week study trip to Shanghai with lectures by professor from Fudan University in Shanghai as well as experienced Norwegian business leaders and actors with relevant expertise from the viewpoint of an executive. There will also be a company visit in the area. Students must be aware that cost for and connected with the trip to China is not covered by BI Norwegian Business School and students are expected to cover this cost themselves.

    Computer-based tools
    Not applicable

    Learning process and workload
    A course of 6 ECTS credits corresponds to a workload of 160-180 hours, consisting of lectures, cases, group work, supervision and discussions. The content of the course is theory-based.

    The course will be divided into 6 modules with 6 hours per module.

    During the course there will be an intensive one-week study trip to Shanghai with lectures at Fudan University and company visits in the area. Students must be aware that cost for and connected with the trip to China is not covered by BI Norwegian Business School and students are expected to cover this cost themselves.

    Please note that it is the student’s own responsibility to obtain any information provided in class that is not included on the course homepage/It's learning or text book.


    Examination
    The evaluation process is composed of 2 elements:
    1) The student’s participation in the classroom through presentations, discussions and hand-in assignments given in class (30%)
    2) A term paper (70%), written individually or in groups of max 3 students.



    Form of assessment Weight Group size
    Class participation 30% Individual
    Term paper 70% Optional (individual or group of max 3 students)

    Specific information regarding student assessment will be provided in class. This information may be relevant to requirements for term papers or other hand-ins, and/or where class participation can be one of several components of the overall assessment. This is a course with continuous assessment (several exam components) and one final exam code. Each exam component is graded using points on a scale from 0-100. The final grade for the course is based on the aggregated mark of the course components. Each component is weighted as detailed in the course description. Students who fail to participate in one/some/all exam components will get a lower grade or may fail the course. You will find detailed information about the points system and the mapping scale in the student portal @bi. Candidates may be called in for an oral hearing as a verification/control of written assignments.

    Examination code(s)
    GRA 68381 continuous assessment accounts for 100 % of the final grade in the course GRA 6838.

    Examination support materials
    Not applicable
    Permitted examination support materials for written examinations are detailed under examination information in the student portal @bi. The section on support materials and the use of calculators and dictionaries should be paid special attention to.

    Re-sit examination
    It is only possible to retake an examination when the course is next taught. The assessment in some courses is based on more than one exam code. Where this is the case, you may retake only the assessed components of one of these exam codes. All retaken examinations will incur an additional fee. Please note that you need to retake the latest version of the course with updated course literature and assessment. Please make sure that you have familiarised yourself with the latest course description.

    Additional information
    Honour code. Academic honesty and trust are important to all of us as individuals, and are values that are integral to BI's honour code system. Students are responsible for familiarising themselves with the honour code system, to which the faculty is deeply committed. Any violation of the honour code will be dealt with in accordance with BI’s procedures for academic misconduct. Issues of academic integrity are taken seriously by everyone associated with the programmes at BI and are at the heart of the honour code. If you have any questions about your responsibilities under the honour code, please ask. The learning platform itslearning is used in the teaching of all courses at BI. All students are expected to make use of itslearning.