Students

BUS 304 – International Study Tour

2015 – S2 Evening

General Information

Download as PDF
Unit convenor and teaching staff Unit convenor and teaching staff
Yimin Huang
stephanie.huang@mq.edu.au
Contact via email
450, E4A
2pm-3pm, Monday
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 Groupwork/Individual Short Extension AI assisted?
Class/field trip participation 40% Ongoing No
Individual report 40% Week 5 and Week 10 No
Group field trip presentation 20% Week 11 No

Class/field trip participation

Due: Ongoing
Weighting: 40%
Groupwork/Individual:
Short extension 3: No
AI assisted?:

Students are expected to attend ALL pre-trip seminars to gain sufficient background knowledge and information of doing business in China. Students are required to actively participate in all activities scheduled for the field trip.  Students will be assessed by a number of criteria, including punctual arrivals at all business visits, full participation in all activities, contribution to group discussions and engagement with business hosts, demonstration of positive attitude toward learning, and demonstration of cultural sensitivity on all occasions.
On successful completion you will be able to:
  • Recognize and understand key concepts and theories discussed in the literature of doing business in China

Individual report

Due: Week 5 and Week 10
Weighting: 40%
Groupwork/Individual:
Short extension 3: No
AI assisted?:

An individual essay based on recommended readings and seminars prior to the field trip will be required prior to the departure for the study tour to identify a research topic to be further pursued in the study trip. In the field trip report due after the study trip, students are expected to present their thoughts on the selected topics, demonstrating their first-hand knowledge about China and the application of knowledge gained in other units such as business policy/strategic management, marketing, HR, finance and international business operations in the Chinese context. No extension will be granted on the submission of these individual reports. 10% penalty discount will be applied for every 24-hour delay of submission.
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

Group field trip presentation

Due: Week 11
Weighting: 20%
Groupwork/Individual:
Short extension 3: No
AI assisted?:

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. No extension will be granted on this assignment.


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
  • Apply the above knowledge and skills to develop effective strategies and solutions

Delivery and Resources

No major changes will be made to the delivery of this unit in S2 2015, compared to S2 2014.

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. The learning experience is delivered through pre-departure seminars at MQ campus and 2-week study trip to China where students will visit companies and observe the business environment in China.

Details of the time and venue for BUS304 are available on Timetable website https://timetables.mq.edu.au/2015/Reports/List.aspx

The iLearn site for this unit is at http://www.mq.edu.au/iLearn/.

 

Unit Schedule

 

Week

 

 

Date

 

Seminar Topics

 

Notes

1

27th July

Introduction to the unit

Introduction of doing business in China

 

Group formation

Field trip preparation

2

3rd Aug

Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) in China

 

 

Brief on the individual assignment

 

3

10th Aug.

Human Resources Management in China

 

 

4

17th Aug

China's political environment

 

5

24th Aug

China’s economic environment

 

Demographic changes and labour market in China

Individual essay due

6

31st Aug

Consumer markets in China

 

Feedback to the individual essay

 

Group project instruction given

7

7th Sept.

 

Marketing in China

 

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

 

 

14th Sept. – 25th Sept.

Field trip to China

 

10

12th Oct.

No lecture

Individual field trip report due

11

19th 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/

Results

Results shown in iLearn, or released directly by your Unit Convenor, are not confirmed as they are subject to final approval by the University. Once approved, final results will be sent to your student email address and will be made available in eStudent. For more information visit ask.mq.edu.au.

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 outcomes

  • 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

Assessment tasks

  • Class/field trip participation
  • Individual report

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

  • 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

Assessment task

  • Individual report

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 task

  • Group field trip presentation

Engaged and Ethical Local and Global citizens

As local citizens our graduates will be aware of indigenous perspectives and of the nation's historical context. They will be engaged with the challenges of contemporary society and with knowledge and ideas. We want our graduates to have respect for diversity, to be open-minded, sensitive to others and inclusive, and to be open to other cultures and perspectives: they should have a level of cultural literacy. Our graduates should be aware of disadvantage and social justice, and be willing to participate to help create a wiser and better society.

This graduate capability is supported by:

Learning outcome

  • Apply the above knowledge and skills to develop effective strategies and solutions

Assessment task

  • Group field trip presentation

Changes from Previous Offering

No major changes occur for the delivery of the unit. But new cases will be used to update the course content.