Include as a minimum the following information, and anything else you feel would be of interest and helpful to us in understanding your background, as well as your objectives for the course and for the trip.

¨        Name and contact information (address, phone numbers, etc.)

¨        Educational background (undergraduate degree from ___, how far along in graduate program, major at undergraduate and graduate levels, etc.)

¨        Work experience (firms, job titles/descriptions, when, how long)

¨        Travel experience (where, when, and how long did you stay?).

¨        Any personal data you care to share (including spouse and children).

¨        Plans? (Reasons for pursuing a graduate degree).

¨        If you have one and have not done so already, bring enough business cards to distribute to all in the class the day this assignment is due.

Please write in prose, rather than a bulleted list as you might for a resume.  We will distribute a copy of these biographies to all in the class the week following the due date.   

International Business Trip -- MBA 792 and MBA 740

CORPORATE BRIEFING REPORTS GUIDELINES

  PURPOSE

When we arrive on the doorstep of these multinationals, we would like to be informed guests.  We are due respect from our hosts as future business magnates who have traveled many thousands of miles (or kilometers).  They also are due respect as current business men and women who have graciously afforded us some of their valuable time and a brief view of some of their operations.  One way of showing respect is to do a little research on each company prior to our visit.

REQUIREMENTS

Prepare a three to five page, typewritten paper describing one of the firms we will be visiting.  Turn in the paper on the date in the course schedule.

Send a copy via electronic mail me minus picture graphics, at least one week before the due date.  We will distribute a copy to all the week of the oral presentations.

Each student will be responsible for one company.  Depending on class size, this assignment may turn into a small group project.  You may refer to the company's latest annual report and the company’s web site for much of this basic essential data.  My web page provides links to our hosts' home pages.  You may want to begin your research there.

  FORMAT

Divide the paper into three sections.

The first section is the background or current operations segment.  It should include as a minimum:

·         A description of the firm and its offerings (mission, objectives, products, etc.)

·         The location of headquarters, offices, manufacturing facilities, and other important sites; give more detail about Asian operations, summarize those in the rest of the world

·         Current strategic plans, such as for expansion to other regions or countries, acquisition of other companies, or entry into new lines of business

·         How the company is responding to external influences?

  The second section should contain any recent developments which pertain to the company or industry and which you believe are important or interesting.  You might choose to focus on the firm's strengths and weaknesses (areas they might cite for improvement).  Refer to the various print sources and indexes available (e.g., Dun & Bradstreet, and Business Peri­odical) as well as the electronic media (e.g., general Internet sources, Lexis/Nexus, and ABI/INFORM) in order to identify recent developments.  Don't use anything more than six months old unless it is very important.

  The third section should include a few incisive, yet tactful questions that you plan to ask while on our visit (remember, we may request that these people host another group of Textile students).  For example, most of the firms we are to visit could address questions about the International Standards Organization (ISO) 9000 and 14000 requirements (which U.S. firms must comply with to sell their products in the European Union).  Another example, this for a pharmaceutical company: How has the harmonization of regulations (perhaps refer specifically to pharmaceuti­cal efficacy testing), or procurement directives affected European sales?

  Questions that can be easily answered through secondary sources are not appropriate and should not be asked while on our visits.

  We expect that the questions you raise be answered through primary sources - our hosts.  Be aware, though, that because of the long time frame needed in setting up these appointments, and the vagaries of personal schedules, we may not meet with people listed on the itinerary.  Please be flexible.  If you develop questions to ask of the V.P. of marketing and we meet with the V.P. of finance, your question may not be appropriate.  It would be a good idea to develop a few additional, general questions.

International Business Trip

MBA 792 and MBA 740

CORPORATE DEBRIEFING REPORTS GUIDELINES

PURPOSE

In class we will discuss general international business practices and how to apply them.  On our travels, we will see how some firms have actually applied these principles in a rapidly changing environment, and how similar or different this application is from our discussions.

The classroom is one forum in which to learn.  You will also learn a lot from our international travels and corporate visits.  Once we have had the opportunity to ob­serve individuals from each of the companies and had a firsthand look at the facilities, it would be useful to analyze how they have been successful at what they do, or perhaps might be even more successful.  There may also have been some questions raised in class, and raised in the briefing papers that were discussed prior to and during our visit.

REQUIREMENTS

Each student will to prepare a brief, one-page description of each visit (i.e., approximately 10 short papers).  Turn in the paper on the date in the course schedule.

Send a copy via electronic mail to Professor Malhotra, minus picture graphics, at least one week before the due date.  We will distribute a copy to all the week of the oral presentations.

FORMAT

Include the topic and a brief summary of the presentation, and describe how it relates to class discussions or your current business’ practice.  (You need not get too technical since we may not have covered the topic in class yet, but you should be able to relate the presentation to international business.) 

Briefly describe how the presentation addressed the key issues and questions raised in the briefing papers that were distributed and presented prior to the trip.  Especially highlight any extraordinary issues raised, and how the company is implementing the key strategic and external issues they face.  Include important personal observations from your corporate log. 

International Business Trip

MBA 792 and MBA 740

CORPORATE LOG GUIDELINES

  PURPOSE

There are a few objectives associated with this log.  Writing about events tends to reinforce the experience, hopefully leading to more long-term learning.  Asking you to write about the relationship between class material and "real world" corporate visits, helps put these international business concepts in a realistic, personal perspective.  Writing about the cultural experiences will also tend to reinforce what you are exposed to in social and professional set­tings.  The log also helps keep track of learning and thinking on a daily basis.

The log is also an opportunity to improve writing skills.  It is difficult to put thoughts on paper; this type of exercise helps focus thoughts.  While the grading of this assignment is relatively undemanding, we expect you will put some thought into what you write and how you express those ideas.

Another goal is that we hope to learn from these logs.  Arranging these visits is difficult in part because of the distance involved.  We cannot go to each site, view the facilities, and interview the company representatives who will make the presentations.  Because we try to change the trip each year by adding new and exciting places to visit, our experience will be as fresh as yours.  We are continuously building a dossier of companies we should attempt to visit again and identifying individuals we should request as future speakers.  We also want to identify those we do not wish to visit again.  These decisions will be based on your logs, as well as our own observations and insights.

Finally, the log provides a springboard for ideas for discussions when we return to class.  The trip tends to change the relationship among group members and our discussions during the remainder of the semester will be somewhat livelier, and based on some common body of experience.

REQUIREMENTS

Maintain a written log of the entire trip.  Include entries for every day, including your impressions of the travel, tourist activities, corporate visits, cultures, food, and other significant points.  There is no specific format, other than that the log contains entries for your activities every day.  Make the en­tries each evening while the adventure and ordeals of the day are still fresh in your mind.

Hand in the log to Professor Malhotra as indicated on the attached class schedule.

FORMAT

This log should contain entries about your experiences during the international travel portion of this course.  These entries ought to be devoted to explaining or exploring items related to international business.  The log should include an outline of company presentations, your observations, insights, questions, answers, recommendations, and perceived relationships between textbook material and discussions during corporate visits.  If possible, identify any applications to you or your industry.  The log is intended to provide to us an indication of what was learned.

We also expect some comments about speakers and hosts, as well as travel, cities, people, food, lodging, and any other personal experiences you feel are worth noting.  We expect your personal insights about each culture as well.

Be sure to date your entries and number the pages. 

GRADING

The material in your log is not graded on spelling or grammar, and to some extent, there are no predetermined expectations about the content.  Neatness counts in terms of legibility – we must be able to read the log.  This is one instance where quantity counts more than quality.

The only criterion used in grading is whether you have complete entries for each day.  Completeness is measured by the number and/or depth of items discussed.  We assume the en­tries will vary in length and sagacity each day, but you must have an entry for each day.  If you meet this criterion, you receive full credit, if not, no credit will be given.

On our return, we expect you to reread your entries and mark the ones that you think are particularly insightful (*) so when we read them, we do so with special care.  Since this is basically an ungraded assignment, we will keep our comments to a minimum.

While these entries are likely to be personal at times, you will be asked to discuss your most significant ideas in class (anonymously whenever possible, unless you specify it's O.K. to mention your name).  We assume that some of your remarks will be particularly insightful, and important enough to share with others.  We will never reveal anything you ask us not to.