BUS493A - BUSINESS IN LATIN AMERICA · Web viewIf you plan to miss class and an assignment/class discussion is due for that day, you can submit a 300-400 word written contribution

BUS493A – Spr05N. Wiese

BUS493A - BUSINESS IN LATIN AMERICASPRING 2005

Nila M. Wiese, Ph.D.Office: McIntyre 111APhone: 253-879-3390e-mail: [email protected] Hours: Wed 1:30-3:30pm; Thu 8:30-9:30am and by appointment

An emerging market over 500 million people, and a region characterized by dramatic and constant social, economic and political changes, Latin America represents a significant challenge to international businesses. This course is designed to provide students with a rich understanding of the international business environment and business practices in Latin America, and to develop knowledge and skills relevant to the development of business strategies appropriate to Latin American markets and consumers.

OBJECTIVES To acquire a general understanding of the economic, political, legal, socio-cultural, and

technological environments of the region as a whole, and of selected countries and sub-regions.

To assess opportunities and risks in the business and investment climate in Latin America. To explore the potential benefits and costs of hemispheric trade and integration initiatives. To identify the most relevant business drivers and critical success factors for Latin American

markets. To understand the characteristics of Latin American consumers relevant to international

marketers and provide analytic approaches to strategic planning for the region. To identify future growth scenarios by highlighting business opportunities in specific

industry sectors and geographic areas. To enhance students’ analytical and communication skills.

BIBLIOGRAPHYRobles, F., F. Simon & J. Haar (2003), Winning Strategies for the New Latin Markets. Prentice

Hall.Crane, R. & C. Rizowy (2005), Latin American Business Cultures. Prentice Hall.Business in Latin America-A Casebook. Prentice Hall (customized case package).Course Pack of readings and cases (available at the UPS Bookstore)

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COURSE FORMATThe course is designed in a quasi-seminar style, combining lectures, case analyses, videos, research projects, oral presentations, and student-led discussions.

Team ProjectsStudents will be assigned to teams of two. Each team will develop an Industry Analysis and a Country Profile. Written papers and oral presentations will be required for both projects. See the “Guidelines for Assignments” attached to this syllabus for detailed instructions.

Case Analyses (Individual) Each student will complete three cases analyses on selected companies.See the “Guidelines for Assignments” attached to this syllabus for detailed instructions.

ExamsThere will be a Midterm and a Final exam. Both exams are integrative in nature (i.e., you are expected to incorporate all relevant material as appropriate). The exams will be a combination of short answers, long essays and applied cases/exercises. Make up exams are at the discretion of the Professor. In any case, no make up exams will be given without prior notification to the Professor and a documented excuse (e.g., note from your physician).

Class Attendance and ParticipationStudents are expected to participate actively and consistently in class discussions. Participation will be graded based on both quantity and quality of contributions. This means, you must come prepared for individual and group activities by reading and analyzing the assigned material before class. If you do not feel comfortable getting involved in open discussions, see me privately to discuss strategies for increasing your involvement.

If you plan to miss class and an assignment/class discussion is due for that day, you can submit a 300-400 word written contribution (a maximum of two written contributions will be accepted). These must be submitted via e-mail prior to class time.

Students must be proactive in reading relevant publications and keeping abreast of current events, especially those related to class topics. Knowledge of current events will greatly improve the quality of your contributions to class discussions. [Recommended publications include: The Economist, Financial Times, Business Week, The Wall Street Journal, Latin Trade, America Economia (Spanish), and Tiempos del Mundo (Spanish)].

Regular attendance and punctuality are essential for successful completion of this course. Attendance will be taken randomly; on occasion, pop quizzes will be given. Students will be expected to arrive to class on time and to remain in class until the end of the class session. Habitual tardiness will result in a significant reduction of your participation grade. Attendance during all Team Presentations is mandatory (including the Industry Analyses). Your absence will be penalized with a significant reduction from your total participation grade. You are also expected to regularly check the Blackboard page for this course for readings, announcements, etc.

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A final note: Do not schedule trips or any other personal activities during scheduled exams, oral presentations, etc. I will not make special arrangements or give make-up opportunities for anyone with personal conflicts!!

Remember, you are not entitled to any participation points; you must earn them!

ACADEMIC DISHONESTY You are expected to behave ethically and honestly throughout the development of this course. Due to the nature of this course, collaborative work is encouraged. However, misrepresenting another person’s work as your own, taking credit for someone else’s words or ideas, soliciting or accepting help on a test or assignment when you are expected to work independently, and submitting the same paper (partial or total) for credit in more than one course without prior permission all qualify as academic dishonesty. Any case of academic dishonesty will be taken seriously and pursued in accordance with University policies and procedures. Be sure to review the appropriate University policies in The Logger.

GRADE DISTRIBUTION

Team Projects 30%Industry Analysis 20%

Written Project 15% Oral Presentation 5%

Country Profile 10% Written Memo 5% Oral Presentation 5%

Case Analyses (Individual) 15%

Class Attendance and Participation 15%

Exams 40%Midterm 20%Final 20%

_____Total 100%

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TENTATIVE SCHEDULE

WK DATE TOPICS READINGS & ASSIGNMENTS 1 Jan 18 Introduction

Jan 20 1. Latin Business in the New Economy1.1 Uncertain Economic Environments

Robles-Ch. 1 Crane & Rizowy-Ch. 1

2 Jan. 25 1.2 Political and Legal Environment Robles-Ch. 1CP: Latin economic growth may be temporary; Latin Americna puzzles; Picking up the pieces;

Jan. 27 1.3 Technology Trends Robles-Ch. 1

3 Feb. 1 1.4 Regional Integration Schemes 1.5 Sub-regions: Mexico, Central America, Andean Countries, Mercosur

Robles-Ch. 1CP: Magic or realism?

Feb. 3 1.6 Ethics and Social Responsibility CP: The price of success; Harder graft

4 Feb. 8 Case and Country Discussion Country Profile: EcuadorCase:: Shrimp Farming in Ecuador

Feb. 10 Case and Country Discussion Country Profile: Honduras Case: Guajilote Coop Forestal

5 Feb. 15 2. The Latin American Consumer2.1 Buying Power2.2 Consumption Patterns

Robles-Ch. 2Case: Citibank Argentina

Feb. 17 2.3 Segmentation CP: Sins of the fleshy

6 Feb. 22 2.4 Branding and Positioning Robles-Ch. 5Case: Café de ColombiaCountry Profile: Colombia

Feb. 24 2.5 Hispanic Consumers in the US

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WK DATE TOPICS READINGS & ASSIGNMENTS

7 Mar.1 3. Competition Robles-Ch. 3Case: Building an electronic and IT cluster in Costa RicaCountry Profile: Costa Rica

Mar. 3 4. Strategic Planning 4.1 Business Drivers4.2 Critical Success Factors

Robles-Ch. 8

8 Mar. 8 Midterm I Units 1-3Mar. 10 Case and Country Discussion Country Profile: Brazil

Case: Merck Latin America

9 Mar.15, 17

Spring Break

10 Mar. 22 4.3 Designing Winning Strategies Robles-Ch. 8, 1 (pp. 33-40) CP: Calmer water, harder task

Mar. 24 Case and Country Discussion Country Profile: Mexico Case: Grupo Televisa

11 Mar. 29 4.3 Strategy Implementation Country Profile: ChileCase: Viña San Pedro

Mar. 31 5. Industry Analyses 5.1 Manufacturing

(Team Presentations)

12 Apr. 5 5.2 Commodities (agriculture, mining, fishing, etc.)-

Case: Chauvco Resources Ltd.

Apr. 7 5.3 Infrastructure5.4 Hi-tech (including Telecom)

Robles-Ch. 4

13 Apr. 12 5.5 Financial Services Robles-Ch. 6Apr. 14 5.6 Health Care & Pharmaceuticals Robles-Ch. 7

Case: GuateSaludCountry Profile: Guatemala

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WK DATE TOPICS READINGS & ASSIGNMENTS

14 Apr. 19 5.7 Retailing Robles-Ch. 5Case: Hush Puppies Chile

Apr. 21 5.8 Social Services & Education

15 Apr. 26 5.9 Tourism Case: Posada Amazonas

Apr. 28 5.10 Media & Entertainment

16 May 3 VI. Future Growth ScenariosCourse Summary & Evaluations

17 May 10 Final Exam (Tue. 4:00-6:00pm) Units 4-5, Industry Analyses

NOTE: The Professor reserves the right to adjust this Syllabus and Schedule as needed to enhance students’ learning. Any changes (including, but not limited to, schedule changes, adding/deleting topics, speakers, field trips, changing assignments, redistributing grading) will be announced in class and posted in Blackboard. The syllabus posted in Blackboard supersedes the hard copy distributed the first day of class. It is your responsibility to be aware of these changes whether or not you attend class on a regular basis.

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GUIDELINES FOR ASSIGNMENTSBUS493A – Spring 2005

TEAM PROJECT #1– INDUSTRY ANALYSIS

Teams of two students will prepare a written paper on an industry sector and present their findings to the rest of the class. You must prepare a comprehensive analysis, based on current research, of the industry assigned to your team, addressing any macro-environmental factors and trends affecting the industry (socio-cultural, political, legal, technological, etc.) and identifying the critical success factors for that industry.

Paper length : 10 pages, excluding cover page, appendices, and bibliography. (No Memo format is required for this paper).

Students are encouraged to summarize/synthesize information in visual formats more appealing to the reader and more suitable to business writing. Therefore, the paper must include appendices such as graphs, exhibits, tables, maps, etc.

Each team will deliver a 20-minute presentation sharing their most important findings with the rest of the class.

Every member of the team must participate in the oral presentation.

Follow the general guidelines for written assignments and oral presentations included in pp. 11-12 of this syllabus.

Team and industry assignments are listed in p. 9 of this syllabus.

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TEAM PROJECT #2: COUNTRY PROFILE

Teams of two will prepare a Profile of a Latin American country and present it to the rest of the class.

Assume a team from the company/organization for which you work, will be making a one-week visit to the country assigned to you. You should prepare a short written memo and an oral presentation to help the team succeed in working with businesspeople in this country. As a minimum your presentation should address important aspects of:

(1) General culture, business etiquette, and management styles (2) Negotiation and communication tips(3) Administrative requirements for travel and entry (for business travelers)(4) A brief summary of political, legal, and economic realities

A two (2) page-memo summarizing your findings must be submitted.

In addition, you must submit a Bibliography of the sources used to prepare your memo and oral presentation. At least four (4) recent references are required (2000 or later). One of the references may be in the form of an interview with someone knowledgeable of the country. Be sure to give full name, address and phone number of the interviewee in your list of references.

The book Latin American Business Cultures by R. Crane & C. Rizowy and the reading Doing Business with Latin Americans (included in your Course Packet) should provide a good starting point for several of the country profiles. The rest of the class is expected to read the country summaries included in Crane & Rizowy’s and the Course Packet and be ready for class discussion.

Each team will deliver an 8-10 minute presentation to the rest of the class.

The oral presentations will be evaluated based on: (1) Completeness and relevance of content information (2) Quality of Delivery (creative/appropriate use of audio-visual materials, engaging/interactive style, evidence of preparation)(3) Handling of questions

The written memo will be evaluated based on:(1) Completeness and relevance of content information(2) Professional writing quality (grammar, spelling, organization, clarity)(3) Quality of the Research effort (current sources, proper bibliographic style)

Follow the general guidelines for written assignments and oral presentations included inpp. 11-12 of this syllabus.

Team and country assignments are listed in p. 9 of this syllabus.

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BUS493A – Spring05Industry Analyses and Country Profiles

Team Assignments

Name CountryCountry Profile

Due Date

Industry Industry AnalysisDue Date

Anderson, BriggsBrown, Alison

Ecuador Feb. 8 Hi-Tech (including Telecom)

Apr. 7

Brozena, ScottChild, Micah

Chile Mar. 29 Tourism Apr. 26

Crothers, RhiannonGray, Samantha

Brazil Mar. 10 Financial Services

Apr. 12

Guzman, MiguelHansen, Anna

Colombia Feb. 22 Social Services & Education

Apr. 21

Herbst, ErikaQuevedo, Justin

Guatemala Apr. 14 Manufacturing Mar. 31

Ristine, MattSavage, Ryan

Mexico Mar. 24 Infrastructure & Energy

Apr. 7

Robuck, Amber Trubo, Noah

Honduras Feb. 10 Commodities Apr. 5

Herzog, Liz Zeller, Devon

Costa Rica Mar. 1 Health Care & Pharmaceuticals

Apr. 14

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CASE ANALYSES ( INDIVIDUAL)

You are expected to prepare all cases discussed in class. However, you will only be required to submit written analyses for THREE of the cases. For each case you must identify the main problem or issue the company faces, address any questions posed at the end of the case, and make clear recommendations for action (See the guidelines for case analysis included in your Course Packet).

The case analyses must be prepared as a two-page memo. Follow the general guidelines for written assignments included in pp. 11-12 of this syllabus.

Case Assignments and Due Dates:Last Name Cases Due Date

A thru Ch Café de Colombia Feb. 22Grupo Televisa SA de CV Mar. 24Chauvco Resources Ltd. Apr. 5

Cr thru Ha Guajilote Coop Forestal Feb. 10Viña San Pedro Mar. 29Posadas Amazonas Apr. 26

He thru Ri Citibank, Argentina Feb. 15Merck Latin America (A) Mar. 10Hush Puppies Apr. 19

Ro thru Z Shrimp Farming in Ecuador Feb. 8Building a Cluster: Electronics and Information Technology in Costa Rica

Mar. 1

GuateSalud Apr. 14

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GENERAL GUIDELINES

Your written work will be evaluated for effectiveness as well as content. The writing must express ideas clearly, logically, and maturely. The professional writing quality of your paper will be evaluated based on the correct use of grammar and composition, spelling, organization, clarity, creativity, and the uniqueness of your graphics, exhibits, etc.

All papers must be well organized and professionally prepared. Try to organize your material into clearly labeled sub-sections (please, use sub-headings only when appropriate and avoid one-sentence or one-paragraph sections).

All papers should be written using a Memo format (see below).

MEMORANDUMTO: Nila WieseFROM: Your name or Team members’ names DATE: …….SUBJECT: …….

Start text

You are expected to use a variety of sources for your research. A good quality paper should include data from a mix of sources, including periodicals, books, and on-line sources. The quality of your research will be evaluated based on the amount and type of sources used and proper documentation.

Please, NO PLAGIARISM! Be certain to document your references throughout the paper.

Use the bibliographic style recommended by the Journal of Marketing (included in your Course Packet). At a minimum, I will deduct points from your grade if the paper is not documented throughout (within the text) or the list of references (bibliography) is not written using the appropriate format. (See also the note on Academic Dishonesty in p. 3)

You will be pressed for time given the workload in the course; therefore, I recommend that you do not wait until the last minute to start your research/write your papers. It is your responsibility to anticipate unexpected circumstances including getting sick a few days prior to the deadlines, having exams those weeks, running out of paper, ink, etc. Backup your work. Papers are due at the beginning of class as indicated in the syllabus. Unless a special arrangement has been reached with the Professor (e.g., documented illness), late papers will be accepted with a 20% per day penalty. No late submissions will be accepted once an assignment has been discussed in class and/or returned graded to the rest of the class.

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Writing Guidelines: Typed, double-spaced, 1” all margins. No small fonts (Use Times New Roman 12, Courier 10cpi, or equivalent fonts). Limit yourself to the page-length indicated for each assignment. Number your pages, use a spell checker and proofread your work. Upper-left corner staple only.

GUIDELINES FOR ORAL PRESENTATIONS Keep your presentation short but relevant. Limit yourself to the time allotted for each

presentation (see Guidelines for Team and Individual Assignments). Make the presentations interesting. Avoid excessive and monotonous reading or

regurgitation of written material. This is your chance to show your creativity!! Use of visual aids is encouraged. However, if you use visual aids be sure to practice

ahead of time so you maintain adequate eye contact with the audience. Also, reading Powerpoint slides to the audience is the same as reading from cue cards—don’t do it!! If you plan to use computer equipment or any other props, make sure you set it up before class starts.

Professional appearance and demeanor are expected. All oral presentations will be peer-evaluated. Prepare, prepare, prepare!

Team DynamicsAs a team, all members are expected to earn the same grade for the team project. Early on, you may want to discuss what skill sets exist in the group (i.e., presentation skills, research skills, writing skills, etc.); how you will handle team behavior that is dysfunctional to the group’s overall performance, and general logistic aspects (i.e., meeting times, etc.).

At the end of the semester you will be asked to provide Peer Evaluations of your team members (attached to this syllabus). I will adjust individual grades by up to three letter grades based on the Peer Evaluations. You are expected to discuss and resolve conflicts within the group without my involvement. However, if a team member is not performing as expected or is having problems communicating/work with his/her team, it is the responsibility of the team/team member to bring this to my attention as early in the semester as possible. I will not adjust a team member’s grade if I have not been made aware of a problem in advance.

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Peer EvaluationBUS493A – Spring 2005

Please assess your performance and that of your team members in the completion of your Team Projects (written reports and oral presentations). Use the scale below (1 = poor performance, 10= excellent performance) to rate yourself and each of your team members.

Poor ExcellentPerformance Performance

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

You Team member

Team member

Name

Attended Meetings

Did fair share of work

Submitted work in a timely fashion

Contributed work of quality

Overall contribution to the team

Additional comments:

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Documents

BUS493A - BUSINESS IN LATIN AMERICA · Web viewIf you plan to miss class and an assignment/class discussion is due for that day, you can submit a 300-400 word written contribution