General Information
Instructor(s)
Promotional Video
Unavailable
- Global Management (s)
- Global Management (c)
Instructor Bios
Bernardo Blum is an Associate Professor of Economic Analysis and Policy and Director of the Institute for International Business at Rotman. Bernardo’s research falls into three broad areas: international trade, where his work examines the determinants of international trade patterns and the economic institutions that facilitate trade; urban economics, where his work examines the impact of urban agglomeration on the productivities of, and so returns to, different kinds of skills; and the determinants of income inequality.
Walid Hejazi is an Associate Professor of Economic Analysis and Policy. He has researched, advised, and testified extensively on global competitiveness, and is currently working on a series of studies which shed light on the competitiveness and productivity of Canadian firms. He teaches Macro and Global Economics in Rotman’s MBA and EMBA programs. He has delivered lectures in over 30 countries and has taken students on study tours to the Middle East and India.
Format
May Intensive Period: (May 2 – May 12), Monday – Thursday each week, from 9:00am – 12:30pm. The course will involve both synchronous and non- synchronous components, with several guest speakers. (Class dates: May 2, 3, 4, 5, 9, 10, 11, 12, Exam – May 13)
Opportunity to enrol in ISP for hands-on practice
Students enrolled in RSM2123 will be eligible to also enrol in an ISP which involves (i) undertaking training in international trade preparedness at the Toronto Board of Trade and (ii) working with companies to help develop their global strategies. These companies will participate in an international trade mission (travel abroad) with the Toronto Board of trade. Students completing this ISP will be eligible to join the international trade mission with travel abroad, with financial support provided by Rotman. The dates for the ISP are to be determined, but likely during the months of May and June. Trade Missions are scheduled May, June and September, and students will have options to select the trade mission that best suits their interests. These activities will be supervised by the professors.
Course Mission
This course develops a thorough understanding of the economic challenges and opportunities firms face when engaging in the global economy. For any given company, it is essential that comparative advantage is complementary to its offerings abroad – that is, is the country environment must be consistent with what the company seeks to sell abroad? This alone, however, is not enough to be successful in the global economy. Managers must understand how to navigate the many challenges companies face when entering foreign markets, including but not limited to an understanding of trade costs, tariff and non-tariff barriers, free trade agreements, the creation of global supply chains, protections for intellectual property, consumer preferences and tastes, product affordability and managing exchange rates risks. Using the frameworks and tools developed in the course, we also analyze how companies have responded to the US-China trade war and the Covid-19 pandemic. This course, therefore, develops the managerial skills required for the internationalization of firms.
Course Scope
This course will be taught by two of Rotman’s leading Economics Professors, Bernardo Blum and Walid Hejazi, and in conjunction with Rotman’s Institute for International Business. It will involve a mix of the theory which underlies the ability of companies to deploy global strategies with real world examples. In this sense, the course allows students to understand which industries and companies are able to compete internationally, and why others will have challenges. These learnings are reinforced using case studies and real world examples. (After completing this course, students are eligible to participate in and earn 2 subsequent experiential course credits which involve working with actual companies that are in the process of deploying cross border strategies. These additional credits are in partnership with The Toronto Board of Trade and Global Affairs Canada. More details below).
Evaluation and Grade Distribution
| Component | Weight |
|---|---|
| Peer Feedback | 10% |
| Case Solutions: Group Submission | 10% |
| Case Solutions: Individual Submission | 10% |
| Final Group Project: Paper Submission, PPT, and Presentation | 20% |
| Final Exam – Friday, May 13, 2022 | 50% |
Required Resources
This course will have a reading package with all required readings for the course. There will also be a variety of online sources including extensive background data, news articles, and video interviews to provide additional context to understand complex international business environments.
Last Updated: