Governance and the International Firm

This subject has the following teaching availabilities in 2010:

325-201 Organisational Behaviour, or 325-218 Managing the Multinationals or 325-219 Cross Cultural Management or 325-220 Business in the Global Economy or 325-226 Business in Asia

325-201 Organisational Behaviour, or 325-218 Managing the Multinationals or 325-219 Cross Cultural Management or 325-220 Business in the Global Economy or 325-226 Business in Asia

For the purposes of considering requests for Reasonable Adjustments under the Disability Standards for Education (Cwth 2005), and Students Experiencing Academic Disadvantage Policy, academic requirements for this subject are articulated in the Subject Description, Subject Objectives, Generic Skills and Assessment Requirements for this entry.

The University is dedicated to provide support to those with special requirements. Further details on the disability support scheme can be found at the Disability Liaison Unit website: http://www.services.unimelb.edu.au/disability/

International business involves dealing with complexity. Crossing borders, crossing jurisdictions and crossing cultures means that home-country values, procedures and behaviours cannot be taken for granted, nor imposed on foreign counterparts. Multinationals and SMEs face fundamental challenges of governance which cannot be resolved by mere compliance or formulae like corporate social responsibility. This subject applies an ethical decision-making approach to Asian and European business environments with focus upon networks, patronage and trust, corruption, leadership, transparency and reputational risk. One-hour lectures are combined with two-hour interactive sessions featuring real-life decision-making dilemmas as they affect employees in offshore locations.

• Identify and explain current theories of corporate governance
• Evaluate the relationships between the ethics of society and the individual, and how these relationships influence the governance of corporations engaged in international business
• Explain the complexities involved in conducting international business within diverse business environments and across different legal jurisdictions making particular reference to cross- cultural dimensions.
• Identify the key elements of good governance and their role in the effective management of corporations operating in cross- cultural contexts.

A 2-hour end-of-semester examination (50%) and written assignment(s) totalling not more then 5000 words (50%).

This subject potentially can be taken as a breadth subject component for the following courses:

• Bachelor of Arts
• Bachelor of Biomedicine
• Bachelor of Environments
• Bachelor of Music
• Bachelor of Science
• Bachelor of Engineering

You should visit learn more about breadth subjects and read the breadth requirements for your degree, and should discuss your choice with your student adviser, before deciding on your subjects.

• High level of development: oral communication; written communication; collaborative learning; problem solving; team work; application of theory to practice; interpretation and analysis; critical thinking; receptiveness to alternative ideas.
• Moderate level of development: accessing, evaluating and synthesizing, information from a range of sources.