Course Meeting Times
Lectures: 2 sessions / week, 1.5 hours / session
Readings
Readings include a combination of analytic articles and company case studies drawn from a variety of different industries (manufacturing and services) in Europe, Latin America and Asia.
Requirements
The requirements for the course and the contribution of each towards the final grade are as follows:
3 Case Write-ups (10% x 3) 30%
In Class Final Exam 30%
Class Participation 40%
These requirements are described in detail below:
Case Write-ups
The case write-ups should be brief, no more than 3 double-spaced pages. You may choose any 3 cases to analyze. Cases include both the traditional HBS cases and company/industry cases discussed in some of the readings. Write-ups are due on the day the case is to be discussed in class. They are intended to be analytic discussions of some issue central to the case. Please do not write a précis of the case or repeat case facts except to bolster your argument. Based on the information provided in the case materials, please be analytically judgmental and evaluative. You should propose alternate managerial views and action plans whenever appropriate and discuss the relevance and applicability of the frameworks proposed in the readings and lectures. In short, you should write what you think of the situation in the case and not merely what the author of the case says.
Final Exam
A final exam will be given in class. The exam will be an essay exam based on questions discussed in class. Details will be explained in class.
Class Participation
Your active participation in the discussion in class is integral to the design of this course. Prior preparation of the cases and assigned readings are essential as this background is presumed in the lectures and case discussions. Those of you whose native language is not English and/or may have difficulty speaking up in class are encouraged to meet with me to discuss how your participation in class can be ensured. Weekly discussion sections will be organized so that we can clarify/elaborate on any points raised in class. These discussion sections are optional, intended only for those of you who find these extra sessions helpful.