Issues in Global Business

5/10/2016

Issues in global business is a course requiring students from different cultural and ethnic backgrounds to examine a broad range of social, cultural, legal and political issues that can impact on the strategy and operations of businesses operating in a global business environment. Through the use of experiential activities, readings, case studies, and an analysis of current events and trends, students are confronted with specific challenges of conducting business in a global context. These challenges include but are not limited to: codes of conduct; sustainability; appropriate development, stakeholder relationships; cultural relativism, corruption; globalisation; and nationalism; terrorism; environmental concerns; and corporate citizenship. Rather than prescribing “how” these issues should be managed, the course encourages an awareness and appreciation of the arguments surrounding these issues. The course is heavily research based, with the expectation that students will be able to construct evidence-based arguments for discussion.

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Program Details

What are the specific objectives for this course?

The learning goals associated with this course are to:
1. Identify, analyse and evaluate topical and historical issues affecting businesses operating in a global context. The framework for the course takes into account multiple contexts, the first of which is the macro environment, its complexity, dynamic and unpredictable nature.
2. Using conceptual frameworks, develop and present strategic responses to specific issues affecting businesses operating in a global context. As part of their assessment, students address the implications of the macro socio-cultural, economic, political, regulatory, environmental and technological on industries and multi-national corporations. This part of the curriculum engages systemic and longer-term thinking in relation to broader societal problems and the responsibility of corporations to address these issues.
3. Acquire team skills including team leadership, collaboration, problem-solving, decision-making, communication and presentation skills. As well as exploring the impact of the macro environment on industry and developing appropriate strategic responses, students also explore their professional identities at a micro contextual level.
4. Develop reflective practice skills in relation to individual learning. Monash University’s motto is Ancora Imparo – I am still learning. As part of the assessment tasks students are expected to reflect on their contribution to teamwork in the class by exploring issues of diversity, problem solving, decision-making, leadership, creativity and conflict.

How does the course make use of modes of instruction, assessment, and learning at the study abroad site that may differ from home institution models?

Rather than conventional lectures and tutorials, this course is taught in split block mode of full day and half-day delivery at the Monash University’s campus in Prato, Italy just north of Florence. Each student must bring and use his or her laptop/device to enable research into various issues under discussion. Through research and various experiential activities, the course explores three contexts – the macro environment, the industry environment and multi-national corporations, along with the individual context of the business graduate. The data for individual reflection resides “in the classroom” and becomes the focal point for student learning. Some of the class activity is explained below.

Unlike other courses, this subject adopts a multi-disciplinary and leadership approach, allowing students to take ownership of some of the content and class facilitation for the purposes of promoting deep levels of discussion. For instance three Chinese students who were studying economics majors became an ‘expert panel’ for part of the second day when the discussion focused on the macro-economic environment. After discussing several significant economic indicators, the remaining economics majors in the class were asked to facilitate discussions in working groups to address the question: “How healthy is the global economy in 2015?” Using an evidence-based approach, each of these facilitators fed back their findings to the class. The following day a double degree, Arts/Business student was asked to present an anthropological perspective of ‘identity’ as segue into examining professional identity and organisation culture.

As part of the work on the socio-cultural dimension of the macro environment, students were asked to find their “cultural cousins” and discuss similarities and differences in beliefs, values, attitudes and customs. The students self-organised into groups covering China, Europe, Latin America, Middle/East Asia and Australia. They were subsequently asked to research business practice in those regions and to apply their learning in the form of role plays with a narrator explaining the various contexts. Feedback on these activities is important, so the Chinese students provided feedback on one group’s interpretation of business practice in China, the University of Florence students commented on the interpretation of business practice in Italy, and so forth.

How does the course enrich the classroom experience through use of location and/or unique resources?
Apart from conventional teaching resources such as case material, journal articles and web-links, the key resources for this course are the students themselves. While Australia is a multi-cultural nation and the students primarily come from the Melbourne Campus, students undertaking this course also come from Monash University’s Malaysia Campus and the University of Florence. The Monash Business School has also developed relationships with business schools in France and the UK is seeking to greater involvement from business schools across the globe for participation in this course. Including students from these institutions will ensure an even more diverse cohort into the future.

Most courses have an established curriculum to which the students comply or “fit in”. In this case, the curriculum is designed to “fit in with the students”. Prior to attending a pre-departure class, all students attending the Prato course must complete a series of questions about themselves, e.g. the degree or degrees they are studying, the majors, cultural heritage, their future career aspirations, etc. On the basis of their responses, where possible, the curriculum is adapted to suit their particular interests, wants and needs.

How is the course integrated into the curriculum of the home institution?
Monash University’s vision is to improve the human condition by advancing knowledge and fostering creativity. It seeks to deliver education outcomes that solve global problems and change people’s lives, across the many campuses and continents in which it operates. In doing so, Monash is true to its character of being open, optimistic and friendly, ethical and committed to its communities.

Monash Business School, with an overall enrolment of 18,000 students, is the largest school within the Monash University community. It is a triple accredited school whose mission is to engage in the highest quality research and education and to have a positive impact on a changing world. It engages collaboratively with local, national and international stakeholders and upholds the principles of responsible management education and effective global citizenship. The Monash Business School, as a signatory to PRME, delivers degrees that embed a strong sense of organisational and individual ethics in business.

BEX3622 – Issues in Global Business is part of the Monash Business School’s capstone portfolio of offerings. The unit was first taught in Prato in 2014 with ten students and in 2015, there were 33 enrolments, with a waitlist of a further 20. This course reflects through its curriculum the vision, mission and values of both the institution as a whole and the business school.

Did you consult any resources on education abroad that were particularly helpful in designing this course? If so, please describe.
The Chief Examiner for BEX3622 – Issues in global business used the extensive resources of the Forum on Education Abroad, in particular the Standards Tool Box on Good Practice for Education Abroad. Contributions from other institutions pertaining to student learning and development and student preparation for the learning environment abroad were very instructive. The information contained on this website enabled the development of a comprehensive pre-departure program for students leaving for Italy and ideas for a plenary back in Australia at the end of the course.

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