The Marshall School of BusinessUniversity of Southern California

Los Angeles, CA 90089-1421

MOR 495 International Management & Internship

Summer, 2010

Professor Thomas H. OlsonBridge Hall 303A

Department Office: 213-740-0728 Direct Line: 213-740-0758

Fax: 213-740-3582E-mail: tholson@marshall.usc.edu

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MOR 495 – International Management & Internship

Dr. Thomas H. Olson

University of Southern California

Office: BRI 303A Office Hours: Each class day before and after class and by appointment. If you have any questions or concerns, please don't be shy about coming by or calling!

Phone: (213) 740-0758 E-mail: tholson@marshall.usc.edu Fax: (213) 740-3582

General Description: This course is designed to introduce you to knowledge and skills required to work with people in international organizations. This is particularly important as today’s business world is international. And in this world, the ability to understand how international business people work across cultures is often cited as a key competency that is sought in potential employees. This course will help prepare you for, and better understand your work with, an internship abroad and for any such role you may have in the future. It will increase your awareness and understanding of the global business community and the knowledge and skills that are necessary for business people of the future.

Instructional Objective: The objective of this course is to introduce you to what is involved with working in a global setting. You will have an opportunity to develop general and cross cultural knowledge and management skills, gain an understanding of cross-cultural issues, and develop insights into a variety of international businesses.

Internship Objective: You will spend approximately eight weeks interning with a company or organization in Dublin, London, Madrid or Paris. Prior to and during this period, you will be expected to complete assignments, as well as conduct research for your final project: a case study of the company / organization in which you will intern. This experience will provide a laboratory in which to practice key concepts introduced during the initial class sessions of the course.

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Specific Learning Objectives:

1) Develop an understanding of issues related to working abroad is and the skills necessary to do so well.

Develop an increased awareness of yourself, your strengths and weaknesses in an internship.Develop the ability to not only better work with others but to learn how to value and appreciate the influence of international organizational culture on group and organization performance. btain a multi-faceted, diverse understanding of the meaning of ‘internship’. 5) Demonstrate understanding of key concepts and theories through “hands-on” practice interning with a business in your overseas location.

Course Folder:

There will be a folder set up for this course on Blackboard (which can be accessed via any Marshall School computer). Be sure to check this regularly, as this is where I will post any details and feedback on homework, changes to syllabus, etc.

Course Format and My Perspective:

All of us learn in a variety of ways, and therefore, this course will be conducted with a variety of teaching techniques. Experiential learning, videos and guest speakers (when available) will all supplement lectures and textbook work. Group work and case studies will also be used. The course is divided into three parts:

Part I: LOCAL & INTERNATIONAL MANAGEMENT: Orientation(preparation for the internship)

Part II: WORKING CROSS CULTURALLY (internship in Dublin, London, Madrid or Paris)

Part III: INTERNATIONAL MANAGEMENT: GLOBAL PERSPECTIVES(concluding your work abroad)

Your experience in this class will involve you needing to do the following:1) You are expected to participate in a variety of class and Experiential Learning Center

(ELC) activities. For our class discussions, you are to complete all of the class reading before coming to class. You will find that there is a lot of learning in this class that will come from each other. Also, to facilitate our learning in class, there will be a number of interactive exercises in class as well as in the ELC. The ELC sessions will aid in the development of skills, and will allow you to learn through self-discovery. In order to spend our time on applied exercises as well as for class discussion, you’ll need to be prepared for class and the ELC and come ready to ask and answer specific questions about the readings. Of course, class and the ELC will always be a place to review the readings, and for questions to be asked and addressed. Lastly, guest speakers and videos will be used when possible to provide additional valuable learning opportunities.

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You will learn a great deal about international management, cross-cultural influences, and global business through our discussions and exercises – though, ultimately, your learning is a function of you developing specific skills. And my goal as your Professor is to help you learn. Therefore, this course is designed to help you build certain skills: team skills, management and leadership skills, research skills, synthesizing skills, and independent learning skills. All these skills, as well as the ability to value diversity, are vital requirements of any leader. And they are particularly important in a global setting.

2) You will spend a few class sessions at USC before leaving for your internship. A (if not the) major assignment for the semester is for you to work through and successfully complete an internship with a major international company / organization. You will be held responsible to complete your internship throughout the designated period of time of your internship obligation. Working in your internship is essential to your passing the course. You will need to prepare a ‘final’ evaluation / assessment of your internship during the last week of the semester in Dublin, London, Madrid and Paris and submit to me no later than the last day of your internship. This date will be confirmed. A late submittal of your paper will be penalized.

3) You will learn to develop analyses - related to international management - via our study and discussion of cases (found in your course reader). These analyses of cases will allow you to see the application our readings and class discussions. I have selected a mix of U.S. and international based cases. They should help demonstrate to you the importance of international management and the need for understanding and managing in a cross-cultural world.

VERY IMPORTANT NOTE:IF YOU DO NOT PERFORM AND COMPLETE YOUR INTERNSHIP, YOU WILL

NOT EARN A PASSING GRADE FOR THE CLASS. IT IS ESSENTIAL THAT YOU FULFILL YOU INTERNSHIP OBLIGATION. IF THERE ARE ANY ISSUES WITH YOUR INTERNSHIP THAT YOU BELIEVE SHOULD EXCUSE YOU FROM YOUR OBLIGATION, YOU WILL NEED TO NOTIFY EUSA, SEAN O’CONNELL & ME

IMMEDIATELY.

All in all, I think that you will find that at the end of the semester, the bulk of your learning will not come from a textbook or cases or the ELC or from my lectures. I suspect that you will learn more from your internship, your experience abroad and from each other than you could ever imagine, and as you learn about international management and others, you will better understand yourself. This is an essential ingredient to developing yourself.

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Course Format Specifics:

1) Peer, student, and professor evaluationsPart of being able to excel at working abroad is having a clear understanding of how

others perceive you and react to you. In order to help you develop the skill of giving feedback and develop learning from receiving feedback, I will endeavor to provide you with the opportunity to give and receive feedback from others in the class (at this time primarily your team members regarding your group work). Also, I strongly suggest that you monitor your personal performance in class discussions using the Behavioral Anchored Rating Scale (that I have added to this syllabus). If you are interested and would like to receive personal feedback from me, I can arrange to do so with you at mid-term. With the purpose of feedback being primarily for development and not evaluation, each of you would have an opportunity to learn more about yourself and hopefully then work to develop your skills.

2) Company and internship analysisAt the beginning of the semester, you will know for what company / organization you

will be interning. You are asked to research the company / organization and its management / leadership, and attempt to learn enough about the company that you could speak about it as though you worked for that company full time. You will continue your research during your internship and at the end of the course you will prepare an indepth written analysis of your company / organization and your internship. See the ‘Requirements’ for this paper that are described in a separate page of this syllabus below.

I require that you keep an electronic journal in which you record each week such things as: a) detailed descriptions of your work experiences / responsibilities, b) your assessment of the effectiveness and efficiency of the structures and policies you observe in your internship organization such as management style and department structure – who reports to who formally and informally), and c) identify the similarities or contradictions between what you have studied in your classes and what you see in your internship environment. This journal will be a graded element of your internship assessment paper.

3) Case preparationYou’ll see that throughout the course, you’ve been assigned to “Prepare” the cases from

the Course Reader. This entails you answering in detailed paragraph & bullet point format the study questions I’ve provided for you regarding each case. These should be typed / printed and will be collected each class in which we discuss the case.

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Homework Policy:

Homework will be due at the beginning of class. Each of you is allowed ONLY ONE LATE HOMEWORK, AND IN THAT ONE SITUATION, THE HOMEWORK MUST BE ELECTRONICALLY TRANSMITTED TO ME, WITHIN 24 HOURS OF THE BEGINNING OF THE CLASS PERIOD IN WHICH IT WAS DUE.

Attendance Policy:

Of course, attendance is expected. There are few - if any - people who can perform well without participating in their organization. I feel strongly about learning, being in class, and being there on time. Moreover, lateness is not OK. I will ‘take roll’ when class starts in the US, and we will then begin class. I will ask the same of the facilitators when you meet in class in your internship site locations. Your internship organization contact person will verify your attendance and participation. If you are chronically late you will be penalized. Also, if you are absent for unapproved reasons in writing in advance, your final grade will be reduced by one third a letter grade per absence more than two. (e.g, a B will become a B-)

If you are going to be absent, please let me know before class AND arrange for someone to turn in your homework if you cannot! If you are going to be absent in your site for your internship, let EUSA, Sean O’Connell, me AND them know

ASAP what dates you’ll miss and the specific reason for this absence.

Evaluating Student Learning:

Grades will be determined by the following criteria:

1) Participation (measured by attendance, degree of preparation, active engagement, overall contribution to class - either by verbal or other contributions & non-case homework) 20 %2) Company Project Report 40 %3) Case preparation and summaries 40 %

------- Total 100 %

Grading Standards: USC grading standards apply to his undergraduate course.Accordingly, I expect a high level of effort and quality or work.

Required Course Textbooks & Materials:

Course reader (articles and cases)

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CLASS SCHEDULE

The class schedule is presented on the following pages.Think of the word ‘Prepare’ as meaning ‘Due’.

The things that are noted for you to prepare are the things I will collect in class on that day.

ORIENTATION (getting started)

Date Topic/Assignment Due 5/17 – Monday Topic: Course Overview / Introductions

Begin search for information regarding your internship assignment* ELC exercise (Barnga), possibly held in Bridge Hall Basement*

5/18 – Tuesday Topic: A Framework for Analysis and Learning Read: Lawler, Chapters 1 & 2, From the Ground Up

Topic: Working in an International Business Prepare: Johnson & Johnson (A)

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PART I: LOCAL & INTERNATIONAL MANAGEMENT: (preparation for the internship)

5/18 – Tuesday Topic: Managing Change in an International Business Review ‘Organization Culture’ ppt presentation posted on Blackboard

Prepare: Body Shop International

5/19 – Wednesday Topic: Working in an International Business - continued

Topic: Managing yourself overseas - cautions* ELC exercise, possibly held in Bridge Hall Basement*

5/20 – Thursday Topic: Working with Foreign NationalsRead: Managing Subordinates Performance

* (Karen Leary case) likely held in ELC-Bridge Hall Basement* Read: Karen Leary case

5/21 – Friday Topic: Working with Technology and Teams Prepare: NovellTopic: Working in a Service Industry andPrepare: Charlotte Beers at Ogilvy & Mather

Recap of lessons learned in advance of leaving for overseas

PART II: WORKING CROSS CULTURALLY(internship in Dublin, London, Madrid or Paris)

Have a great learning experience in your internship! Be safe!

PART III: INTERNATIONAL MANAGEMENT: GLOBAL PERSPECTIVES(concluding your work abroad)

Date Topic/Assignment Due

Last Week of Internship Topic: Learning about different businesses and internshipsPrepare: Internship Company Analysis Specific due date to be confirmed; any papers submitted after this date will be penalized and earn lower evaluations

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MOR 495 – International Management & InternshipCase Preparation Questions

As you read all of the cases for this course, think about the following broad questions: What are the pertinent facts in the case? What is/are the primary problem (s)? What are the causes of the problem (s)? What are the alternatives for action? What action would you recommend?

Also, be sure to make reference to the readings that are assigned. The best evaluated case analyses will likely be those in which the readings have been used.

Case Preparation Requirements / Questions:

Johnson & Johnson1. Use the Star Model from the Lawler readings to prepare your analysis.2. Has J&J developed a competitive advantage? If so, what did J&J do and how was the

advantage developed?3. How is J&J’s competitive advantage sustained?

Body Shop, International1. Describe what you believe has made Anita Roddick successful in developing and evolving a

business to meet opportunities in the world market place. 2. How important is Anita’s role in the Body Shop’s ongoing management? 3. What recommendations for changing the business would you recommend? Why?

Karen Leary1. What are the basic principles and values underlying Leary’s aspiration for the office2. What is your own evaluation of Chung’s performance?3. If you were Leary, how would you respond to Chung’s request for a private office?4. What impact will your decision have on your office and your career? 5. What specific actions would you take to improve his performance, as well as your working

relationship with him?6. What are the particular challenges and dilemmas in managing relationships with those who

have different cultural backgrounds and working styles from yours?

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Novell1. Describe Novell’s Product & Strategy. What is the partner & leverage model?2. How does Novell recruit? What is Novell’s “secret weapon”? How might the “corn speech”

affect the company’s culture?3. Who is Jesse Hasler? Ray Noorda? What were their values?4. Describe Novell’s international structure. Note that Novell hires locals to run overseas

offices. Is this an advantage or a disadvantage?6. What are cultural prejudices of the Germans? French? Europeans? Japanese?7. Jesse has the CEO’s support & pockets of employees who envision a global organization.

How would you suggest that Jesse create in a ‘roadmap’ leading to Novell’s cultural transformation?

Charlotte Beers at Olgivy & Mather Worldwide1. What is Charlotte Beers’ vision? 2. What is her biggest challenge? 3. How is Beers influenced by the situation? How does the situation influence Beers?

Does the fact that she’s a woman make any difference to her approach to the situation? Why or why not?

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MOR 495 – International Management & Internship

Notes1. The course schedule is subject to change depending on pace of class. It is the collective responsibility of all class members to take note of any course changes to the syllabus as well as to assist the course to move at an acceptable pace. Please periodically check Blackboard for messages and / or presentation materials.

2. Additional cases will be distributed/made available depending on interest and time.

3. Attendance is very important to your performance in this course. In this regard, a score of zero will be posted for unexcused absences. Unexcused absences (as described in SCampus) will (substantially) adversely affect your participation evaluation.

4. Your participation will be assessed using the attached behavior anchored rating scale.

Academic IntegrityAcademic Integrity is a critical value of the University Community. Integrity violations destroy the fabric of a learning community and

the spirit of inquiry that is vital to the effectiveness of the University. Academic integrity policies, the description of prohibited behavior,

and the appropriate sanctions are described in SCAMPUS.

The use of unauthorized material, communication with fellow students during an examination, attempting to benefit from the work of another student, and similar behavior that defeats the

intent of an examination or other class work is unacceptable to the University. It is often difficult to distinguish between a culpable act and inadvertent behavior residing from the

nervous tensions accompanying examinations. Where a clear violation has occurred, however, the instructor may disqualify the student’s work as unacceptable and assign a failing mark.

Student WorkReturned paperwork, unclaimed by a student, will be discarded after 4 weeks and hence, will not be available should a student pursue a grade appeal following receipt of his/her course grade.

Students with DisabilitiesAny student requesting academic accommodations based on a disability is

required to register with Disability Services and Programs (DSP) each semester. A letter of verification for approved accommodations can be obtained from DSP. Please be sure the letter is delivered to me as early in the semester as possible.

DSP is located in STU 301and is open 8:30 a.m. - 5:00 p.m., Monday through Friday. The phone number for DSP is (213) 740-0776.

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Analysis of Internship Paper Requirements

For the final assignment, I require that you prepare a written paper that provides an analysis of the internship organization and your assessment of your experience there. I require that you prepare a STAR analysis of your internship organization by describing the following:

-         Strategy: What is the organization product / service, how does it compete (e.g. low cost, high volume), and in what markets it competes against what competitors.

-         Structure: Who reports to whom and what are the role relationships that exist between key people and you and others in the organization? How would you evaluate how well the structure works and what suggestions / recommendations would you make to improve?

-         People: Who are the key people? How long have they been with the organization? Would you suggest any further development of current people or recruitment of any new people?

-         Rewards: What kind of rewards / benefits are there for good performance? How are these rewards provided? Are the rewards appreciated by the people? Would you suggest any changes to the rewards provided and how they are provided?

-         Processes: What are the processes that help support how things work? Should any of these be changed? Should any processes be added or deleted?

     

I suggest that you refer to the 2 chapters written by Professor Lawler for a full description of the STAR model and for some examples. Be sure to provide an assessment of how well the 5 elements of the STAR model ‘fit’. Also, be sure to provide a description of the ‘organization culture’ and your assessment of it (what works and what doesn’t and how would you change the culture as needed?). I suggest that you also write about how you see your internship organization in terms of old vs. new logic.

Your paper needs to be at least 15 pages, 10 font, one and one half (not single and not double) line spacing. Please include any footnotes referencing material and be sure to include your journal notes in an appendix. Please feel free to prepare any materials such as STAR model, mission statement, organization chart, bios of key people, etc. that will help describe / analyze your internship organization experience and include these in an appendix with a reference in the text of your paper to each. Your papers will be due on the last day of your internship; this date will be confirmed after we begin the semester.

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MOR 495 – International Management InternshipParticipation

Behavioral Anchor Rating Scale

Excellent Performance-Initiates information relative to topics discussed-Accurately exhibits knowledge of assignment content -Clarifies points that others may not understand-Shares personal experiences or opinions related to topic-Offers relevant / succinct input to class-Actively participates in simulations and class exercises-Demonstrates ability to apply, analyze, evaluate & synthesize course material.-Demonstrates willingness to take risks in attempting to answer unpopular questions.

Good Performance-Regularly participates in discussions-Shares relevant information-Gives feedback to classroom discussions-Consistently demonstrates knowledge of reading assignments-Demonstrates ability to analyze / apply course material-Demonstrates willingness to attempt to answer questions

Fair / Average Performance-Participates in group discussions when asked-Demonstrates knowledge of course material-Offers clear, concise, “good” information on class assignments-Offers input, but tends to reiterate the intuitive-Attends class regularly

Poor Performance-Occasional input, often irrelevant, unrelated to topic-Reluctant to share information-Not following the flow of ideas-Personal applications only-Drains energy from the class

Unacceptable Performance-Fails to participate even when specifically asked-Gives no input to discussions-Does not demonstrate knowledge of the readings-Shows up to class: does nothing-Distracts group / class-Irrelevant discussion

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