Students

BUS 304 – International Study Tour

2014 – S2 Evening

General Information

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Unit convenor and teaching staff Unit convenor and teaching staff
Yimin Huang
Contact via stephanie.huang@mq.edu.au
450, E4A
3pm-4pm, Thursday
Credit points Credit points
3
Prerequisites Prerequisites
(39cp including BUS202) or (39cp and admission to BCom or BBA)
Corequisites Corequisites
Co-badged status Co-badged status
Unit description Unit description
This unit develops knowledge and understanding of the international business environment and business operations in foreign markets through first-hand observation of businesses in a foreign country. Students are expected to develop and demonstrate knowledge about the foreign markets involved, and at the same time, apply knowledge gained in their disciplinary areas in the context of the foreign markets. The unit includes a series of seminars and a two week study tour to one or two overseas countries, and enables students to develop an appreciation of the ways in which business operations and business systems differ across national boundaries. Students are required to prepare a written assignment based on the seminars and prepare a report at the end of the tour based on their observations of the businesses and the country.

Important Academic Dates

Information about important academic dates including deadlines for withdrawing from units are available at https://www.mq.edu.au/study/calendar-of-dates

Learning Outcomes

On successful completion of this unit, you will be able to:

  • Recognize and understand key concepts and theories discussed in the literature of doing business in China
  • Gain practical knowledge and experience on conducting academic research to analyse real-world cases
  • Demonstrate the ability to identify, discuss and analyse market trends and problems related to emerging markets
  • Apply the above knowledge and skills to develop effective strategies and solutions

Assessment Tasks

Name Weighting Due
Report 40% W5, 10
Presentation 30% W11
Class Participation 30% N/A

Report

Due: W5, 10
Weighting: 40%

This task includes a 1,500-word individual pre-trip report based on the materials covered in the seminar series (15%) and a 2,000-word individual field-trip report submitted after the trip (25%).

Late submission will be subject to the penalty of 10% discount from the original mark for every 24-hour delay, unless special consideration is applied for and approved.  


On successful completion you will be able to:
  • Recognize and understand key concepts and theories discussed in the literature of doing business in China
  • Gain practical knowledge and experience on conducting academic research to analyse real-world cases
  • Demonstrate the ability to identify, discuss and analyse market trends and problems related to emerging markets
  • Apply the above knowledge and skills to develop effective strategies and solutions

Presentation

Due: W11
Weighting: 30%

Three students are to be formed as one group. Students in one group are required to develop different yet connected topics for their individual reports, based on their learning throughout the field trip in China. These topics should be combined into a coherent and well-structured group presentation.


On successful completion you will be able to:
  • Gain practical knowledge and experience on conducting academic research to analyse real-world cases
  • Demonstrate the ability to identify, discuss and analyse market trends and problems related to emerging markets
  • Apply the above knowledge and skills to develop effective strategies and solutions

Class Participation

Due: N/A
Weighting: 30%

This component includes attendance to pre-trip seminars (5%) and active participation throughout the field trip in China (25%). Students are supposed to have regular attendance to all pre-trip seminars and activities during the field trip, as well as to actively participate in class discussions and activities during the field trip. They are expected to make positive contribution to the group learning experiences.


On successful completion you will be able to:
  • Recognize and understand key concepts and theories discussed in the literature of doing business in China
  • Gain practical knowledge and experience on conducting academic research to analyse real-world cases

Delivery and Resources

Delivery

Classes in this unit will include two main components: a seminar series in the first half of the semester and a two-week field trip to China during the mid-semester break from 20th Sept. to 23rd Oct. There will be no lectures after the field trip except for a student presentation session in Week 10.  

During the first half of the semester (before the field trip), a 3-hour class will be held each week. The first 1.5 hours will mainly be seminar presentations from teaching staff and the second 1.5 hours will be used for group/class discussion, and on some occasions, making logistic arrangement for the field trip.  In some weeks, seminar presentations and class discussion could be carried out at the same time.

The field trip to China will involve intensive daily activities, including visiting a number of businesses and organisations, interacting with relevant personnel, participating in organised activities in some companies, making observations of business settings and market places, reading literature and information on China and relevant companies/organisations, and preparing for case studies of a company, organisation or a sector. Students’ full participation in all scheduled activities is expected.

There will be no lecture in the weeks after the field trip. It is expected that students will spend a substantial amount of time during these weeks to prepare their group projects, which is one of the key assessment components.  A presentation session is scheduled in Week 10.  Students will make group presentations based on their group projects.  It is expected that each group presentation will take 25-30 minutes.

Timetable

The timetable for classes can be found on the University website at: http://www.timetables.mq.edu.au/

Resources

There is no prescribed textbook for this unit.  A list of recommended readings will be given for each topic in the seminar series.  Students are encouraged to read widely in the areas of China’s economic reforms, social and economic conditions and business practices that are available in a wide range of academic journals and books.

Students may access unit materials online through the Macquarie University online learning facility iLearn at http://www.ilearn.mq.edu.au using your Student ID Number and password. This page supports the lecture notes, unit outline, assessment tasks, recommended reading lists, and any other information that is deemed relevant to the unit.

Students who experience technical problems accessing this page should contact IT officers or BESS immediately.

Technology used

Students would need to have full access to internet to download course materials and complete their assignment. 

Unit Schedule

 

Week

 

 

Date

 

Seminar Topics

 

Notes

1

4th Aug.

Introduction to the unit

Introduction of doing business in China

 

Group formation

Field trip preparation

2

11th Aug.

Human Resources Management in China

 

 

Brief on the individual assignment

 

Individual essay topics given

 

3

18th Aug.

Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) in China

 

 

4

25th Aug.

Intellectual Property in China

 

Demographic changes and labour market in China

 

5

1st Sept.

China's economic and political environment

Individual essay due

6

8th Sept.

Consumer markets in China

 

Feedback to the individual essay

 

Group project instruction given

7

15th Sept.

 

Marketing in China

 

Final preparation for field trip, e.g., list of proposed questions for company visits.

 

 

20th Sept. – 3rd Oct.

Field trip to China

See next page for details

10

20th Oct.

No lecture

Individual field trip report due

11

27th Oct.

 

Group project presentations

Group Project due

Policies and Procedures

Macquarie University policies and procedures are accessible from Policy Central. Students should be aware of the following policies in particular with regard to Learning and Teaching:

Academic Honesty Policy http://mq.edu.au/policy/docs/academic_honesty/policy.html

Assessment Policy  http://mq.edu.au/policy/docs/assessment/policy.html

Grading Policy http://mq.edu.au/policy/docs/grading/policy.html

Grade Appeal Policy http://mq.edu.au/policy/docs/gradeappeal/policy.html

Grievance Management Policy http://mq.edu.au/policy/docs/grievance_management/policy.html

Disruption to Studies Policy http://www.mq.edu.au/policy/docs/disruption_studies/policy.html The Disruption to Studies Policy is effective from March 3 2014 and replaces the Special Consideration Policy.

In addition, a number of other policies can be found in the Learning and Teaching Category of Policy Central.

Student Code of Conduct

Macquarie University students have a responsibility to be familiar with the Student Code of Conduct: https://students.mq.edu.au/support/student_conduct/

Student Support

Macquarie University provides a range of support services for students. For details, visit http://students.mq.edu.au/support/

Learning Skills

Learning Skills (mq.edu.au/learningskills) provides academic writing resources and study strategies to improve your marks and take control of your study.

Student Services and Support

Students with a disability are encouraged to contact the Disability Service who can provide appropriate help with any issues that arise during their studies.

Student Enquiries

For all student enquiries, visit Student Connect at ask.mq.edu.au

IT Help

For help with University computer systems and technology, visit http://informatics.mq.edu.au/help/

When using the University's IT, you must adhere to the Acceptable Use Policy. The policy applies to all who connect to the MQ network including students.

Graduate Capabilities

Discipline Specific Knowledge and Skills

Our graduates will take with them the intellectual development, depth and breadth of knowledge, scholarly understanding, and specific subject content in their chosen fields to make them competent and confident in their subject or profession. They will be able to demonstrate, where relevant, professional technical competence and meet professional standards. They will be able to articulate the structure of knowledge of their discipline, be able to adapt discipline-specific knowledge to novel situations, and be able to contribute from their discipline to inter-disciplinary solutions to problems.

This graduate capability is supported by:

Learning outcome

  • Recognize and understand key concepts and theories discussed in the literature of doing business in China

Assessment tasks

  • Report
  • Class Participation

Critical, Analytical and Integrative Thinking

We want our graduates to be capable of reasoning, questioning and analysing, and to integrate and synthesise learning and knowledge from a range of sources and environments; to be able to critique constraints, assumptions and limitations; to be able to think independently and systemically in relation to scholarly activity, in the workplace, and in the world. We want them to have a level of scientific and information technology literacy.

This graduate capability is supported by:

Learning outcomes

  • Gain practical knowledge and experience on conducting academic research to analyse real-world cases
  • Demonstrate the ability to identify, discuss and analyse market trends and problems related to emerging markets

Assessment tasks

  • Report
  • Presentation

Problem Solving and Research Capability

Our graduates should be capable of researching; of analysing, and interpreting and assessing data and information in various forms; of drawing connections across fields of knowledge; and they should be able to relate their knowledge to complex situations at work or in the world, in order to diagnose and solve problems. We want them to have the confidence to take the initiative in doing so, within an awareness of their own limitations.

This graduate capability is supported by:

Learning outcomes

  • Demonstrate the ability to identify, discuss and analyse market trends and problems related to emerging markets
  • Apply the above knowledge and skills to develop effective strategies and solutions

Assessment tasks

  • Report
  • Presentation

Changes from Previous Offering

No changes