BUS 3715 - Principles of International Business
Fall 2026 Syllabus, Section A01, CRN 43652,
Credit hours: 3
Course Meeting Times
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Instructor
Omer Genc
Professional Qualifications:
PhD: Strategic Management/International Business, Temple University
Master of Science: Finance, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, IL
Bachelor of Science: Business Administration, Middle East Technical University, Turkey
Associate Professor
Email: ofgenc@ysu.edu
Office: 3356
Office Phone: 330-941-3271
Preferred Contact Method: Email
Communication Expectations:
I respond to e-mails within 24 hours on weekdays.
Assignments are graded in one week
How to Refer to me:
Dr. Genc
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Course Description
3715. Principles of International Business. Study of international business environment and the factors affecting the international operations of firms. Students will develop an understanding of global business opportunities, responsive strategies, and operations; apply course concepts/theories to current issues in international business, and develop an understanding of the complexities of managing cross-national cultural differences. Prereq.: BUS 1500 (C) OR BUS 1500H (C), 2.5 GPA, Junior Standing. 3 s.h.
Course Readings
| Group | Title | Author | ISBN |
|---|---|---|---|
| Required | International Business: The New Realities, 6th Edition | Cavusgil, Knight, and Riesenberger | 9780135587782 |
| Required | MyLab (Bundled with e-book) | Cavusgil, Knight, and Riesenberger |
Week/Module 1:
- Globalization (edeos – digital education, 2011)
- Western Middle Classes Have Been Left out of Global Growth (Harvard Business Review, n.d.)
- The Pros and Cons of Globalization (Collins, M.., Forbes. 2015)
- Why do People Oppose Globalization? (Contractor, F., YaleGlobal, 2017)
- What’s next for economic globalization? (World Economic Forum, 2022).
- Is globalization dying? An economic historian weighs up the evidence. (World Economic Forum, 2024)
Week/Module 2:
- Walmart's Cross- Cultural Failure in Germany (Chaidez, S., 2023, Global Marketing Insights)
- What McDonald’s Menu Items Look Like Around The World (Business Insider, 2019)
- Hofstede Cultural Comparison (Hofstede, n.d.)
- Getting to Yes Across Cultures (Harvard Business Review, n.d.)
- Google’s Exit from China (Maine, I., 2025)
- Despite Cleanup Vows, Smartphones and Electric Cars Still Keep Miners Digging By Hand In Congo (Wall Street Journal, 2018)
Week/Module 3:
- Apple, Meta Fined by EU, Ordered to Comply With Tech Competition Rules (Wall Street Journal, 2025).
- Trump administration orders some US companies to halt sales to China. (Buchwald, E. and Liu, J., 2025, CNN)
- Trump celebrates TikTok deal as Beijing suggests US app would use China’s algorithm. (The Guardian, 2025)
- Trump’s Auto Tariffs: We Broke Down an F-150 to Explain Industry Impact. (Wall Street Journal, 2025)
- Tariffs Are Here. The Price Hikes Coming for These Items May Surprise You. (Whalen, J., 2025, Wall Street Journal)
- NAFTA explained by avocados. And shoes. (Quartz, 2017)
- Who are the winners and losers in US-EU trade deal? (FitzGerald, J. and Geoghegan, T., 2025).
Week/Module 4:
- Canada Wins, U.S. Loses In Global Fight For High-Tech Workers. (Rose, J., 2020, NPR)
- International Trade 101 | Economics Explained. (The Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis, 2024)
- What Your Company Needs to Go Global (Harvard Business Review, n.d.)
- Vietnamese Chamber of Commerce visits Mahoning Valley, explores two-way trading. (Huff, L. 2024)
- How China became KFC’s most important market. (Baldwin, S., Pettitt, J., Geeter, D., 2024, CNBC)
Week/Module 5:
- McSpaghetti? Inside McDonald’s International Menu Strategy (Wall Street Journal, 2023)
- Danone v. Wahaha and the China Joint Venture Lessons To Be Learned. (Harris, D., 2007)
- GM, LG Chem Select Site for Joint Venture Battery Plant. (Wood, A., 2020)
- Why Switching to U.S.-Made Isn't Just a Cost Problem. (Wall Street Journal, 2025).
- Apple’s Big Bet on India Gets Bigger Still. (Mandavia, M., 2022, Wall Street Journal)
- Why U.S. Companies Are Reshoring Jobs From China at Record Levels. (Wall Street Journal, 2022)
Week/Module 6:
- Trump’s Threat Over an Imaginary Currency Risks Backfiring on the U.S. Dollar (Kantchev, G. and Dulaney, C., Wall Street Journal, 2024)
- How Fed Rate Cuts Affect The Global Economy (CNBC, 2024).
- How A Strong Dollar Can Backfire On The U.S. Economy (CNBC, 2024).
- Why a Strong Dollar Is a Double-Edged Sword for the U.S. Economy (Wall Street Journal, 2022).
- What Samsung’s Return to U.S. Chip Manufacturing Means For the Economy (Wall Street Journal, 2022).
- Why Tesla Is Betting Big in China with a Shanghai ‘Gigafactory’ (Wall Street Journal, 2019)
- Silicon Valley Looks North as Tech Giants Expand in Toronto (Monga, V., Wall Street Journal, 2019).
- President Trump Issues “America First Investment Policy”: Confirms U.S. Openness to Foreign Investment from Allies and Partners, Calls for Enhanced Restrictions on Investments from and into China. (Kaniecki, C., Chang, S., Altvater, B., and Brown, R., 2025)
- Foxconn buys Lordstown Motors’ old GM factory for $230 million (Kolodny, L. CNBC, 2021)
Week/Module 7:
- It’s a Peach, Not a Stork! How P&G Recovered From Pampers Fail In Japan. (Michel, A., 2020)
- Why Home Depot Failed In China. (CNBC, 2018)
- Lost in Translation: 13 International Marketing Fails. (Schooley, 2023).
- Kraft Marketing Oreos Globally. (International Marketing, 2013)
- A Nation Without Leave: The U.S. vs. the World on Paid Parental Leave. (Tramontano, M., 2025).
- Salary, flexibility, inspiration: What workers want varies by nation. (Boyle, M., Bloomberg News, 2022).
- Convincing Japanese Workers to Work Less. (Wall Street Journal, 2017).
- Google and Amazon struggle to trim European staff, resort to payouts. (Srivastava, S., 2023)
The course readings are subject to change in the event of extenuating circumstances, research developments, current events, and/or to ensure better learning.
Assignments/Assessments
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Tentative Schedule
| Week of | Reading(s) | Proposed Topic | Due/To Prepare for Class |
|---|---|---|---|
| 8/24 | Chapter 1 (Textbok) Chapter 2 (Textbook) Globalization (edeos – digital education, 2011) Western Middle Classes Have Been Left out of Global Growth (Harvard Business Review, n.d.) The Pros and Cons of Globalization (Collins, M.., Forbes. 2015) Why do People Oppose Globalization? (Contractor, F., YaleGlobal, 2017) What’s next for economic globalization? (World Economic Forum, 2022). Is globalization dying? An economic historian weighs up the evidence. (World Economic Forum, 2024) |
Ch 1. Introduction: What Is International Business? Ch 2. Globalization of Markets and the Internationalization of the Firm |
Quizzes for Chapter 1 and 2, due on Sunday, Aug 30 Simulation: Globalization, due on Sunday, Aug 30 Video Assignment: Rudi's Bakery, due on Sunday, Aug 30 Discussion Forum: Introductions (open between Aug 24 and 30) Discussion Forum: Globalization (open between Aug 24 and 30) Form groups for the project by Thursday, Aug 27 (if you want to work with a team) |
| 8/31 | Chapter 3 (Textbook) Chapter 4 (Textbook) Walmart's Cross- Cultural Failure in Germany (Chaidez, S., 2023, Global Marketing Insights) What McDonald’s Menu Items Look Like Around The World (Business Insider, 2019) Hofstede Cultural Comparison (Hofstede, n.d.) Getting to Yes Across Cultures (Harvard Business Review, n.d.) Google’s Exit from China (Maine, I., 2025) Despite Cleanup Vows, Smartphones and Electric Cars Still Keep Miners Digging By Hand In Congo (Wall Street Journal, 2018) |
Ch 3. The Cultural Environment of International Business Ch 4. Ethics, Corporate Social Responsibility, Sustainability, and Governance in International Business |
Quizzes for Chapter 3 and 4, due on Sunday, Sep 6 Case Assignment: Steven’s Initiation into International Business Culture, due on Sunday, Sep 6 Simulation: International Ethics, due on Sunday, Sep 6 Discussion Forum: Cultural Differences (open between Aug 31 and Sep 6)) Course Project Milestone 1 -- Company Selection & Analysis, Due on Sunday, Sep 6 |
| 9/7 | Chapter 6 (Textbook) Chapter 7 (Textbook) Trump administration orders some US companies to halt sales to China. (Buchwald, E. and Liu, J., 2025, CNN) Trump celebrates TikTok deal as Beijing suggests US app would use China’s algorithm. (The Guardian, 2025) Trump’s Auto Tariffs: We Broke Down an F-150 to Explain Industry Impact. (Wall Street Journal, 2025) Tariffs Are Here. The Price Hikes Coming for These Items May Surprise You. (Whalen, J., 2025, Wall Street Journal) NAFTA explained by avocados. And shoes. (Quartz, 2017) Who are the winners and losers in US-EU trade deal? (FitzGerald, J. and Geoghegan, T., 2025). |
Ch 6. Political and Legal Systems in National Environments Ch 7. Government Intervention and Regional Economic Integration |
Quizzes for Chapter 6 and 7 are due on Sunday, Sep 13 Simulation: Legal Differences, due on Sunday, Sep 13 Simulation: Tariffs, Subsidies, and Quotas, due on Sunday, Sep 13 VIDEO Discussion Forum: The Return of Trade Barriers: Balancing Benefits, Risks, and Consequences (open between Sep 7 and 13)) |
| 9/14 | Chapter 5 (Textbook) Chapter 12 (Textbook) Canada Wins, U.S. Loses In Global Fight For High-Tech Workers. (Rose, J., 2020, NPR) International Trade 101 What Your Company Needs to Go Global (Harvard Business Review, n.d.) Vietnamese Chamber of Commerce visits Mahoning Valley, explores two-way trading. (Huff, L. 2024) How China became KFC’s most important market. (Baldwin, S., Pettitt, J., Geeter, D., 2024, CNBC). |
Ch 5. Theories of International Trade and Investment Ch 12. Global Market Opportunity Assessment |
Quizzes for Chapter 5 and 12, due on Sunday, Sep 20 Video Assignment - US Partnership in the Indo-Pacific Region, due on Sunday, Sep 20 Discussion Forum: Market Selection for Handel’s (open between Sep 14 and 20) Project Milestone 2 -- Country Analysis and Market Recommendation: Due on Thursday, Sep 17 |
| 9/21 | Chapter 11 (Textbook) Chapter 13 (Textbook) McSpaghetti? Inside McDonald’s International Menu Strategy (Wall Street Journal, 2023) Danone v. Wahaha and the China Joint Venture Lessons To Be Learned. (Harris, D., 2007) Why Switching to U.S.-Made Isn't Just a Cost Problem. (Wall Street Journal, 2025) Apple’s Big Bet on India Gets Bigger Still. (Mandavia, M., 2022, Wall Street Journal) Why U.S. Companies Are Reshoring Jobs From China at Record Levels. (Wall Street Journal, 2022) |
Ch 11. Strategy in the International Firm Ch 13. Exporting and Global Sourcing |
Quizzes for Chapter 11 and 13, due on Sunday, Sep 27 Video Assignment: Toyota: Outsourcing and Logistics, due on Sunday, Sep 27 Simulation: Offshoring, due on Sunday, Sep 27 Discussion Forum: Entry Mode Decision (open between Sep 21 and 27) |
| 9/28 | Chapter 9 (Textbook) Chapter 14 (Textbook) Trump’s Threat Over an Imaginary Currency Risks Backfiring on the U.S. Dollar (Kantchev, G. and Dulaney, C., Wall Street Journal, 2024) How Fed Rate Cuts Affect The Global Economy (CNBC, 2024) How A Strong Dollar Can Backfire On The U.S. Economy (CNBC, 2024) Why a Strong Dollar Is a Double-Edged Sword for the U.S. Economy (Wall Street Journal, 2022) What Samsung’s Return to U.S. Chip Manufacturing Means For the Economy (Wall Street Journal, 2022) Why Tesla Is Betting Big in China with a Shanghai ‘Gigafactory’ (Wall Street Journal, 2019) Silicon Valley Looks North as Tech Giants Expand in Toronto (Monga, V., Wall Street Journal, 2019) President Trump Issues “America First Investment Policy”: Confirms U.S. Openness to Foreign Investment from Allies and Partners, Calls for Enhanced Restrictions on Investments from and into China. (Kaniecki, C., Chang, S., Altvater, B., and Brown, R., 2025) Foxconn buys Lordstown Motors’ old GM factory for $230 million (Kolodny, L. CNBC, 2021) |
Ch 9. The International Monetary and Financial Environment Ch 14. Foreign Direct Investment and Collaborative Ventures |
Quizzes for Chapter 9 and 14, due on Sunday, Oct 4 Simulation: Managing a Global Environment, due on Sunday, Oct 4 Video Assignment: Yongshua USA, LLC: Value of Yuan in China, due on Sunday, Oct 4 Video Discussion Forum: Investment in Youngstown (open between Sep 28 and Oct 4) |
| 10/5 | Chapter 16 (Textbook) Chapter 17 (Textbook) It’s a Peach, Not a Stork! How P&G Recovered From Pampers Fail In Japan. (Michel, A., 2020) Why Home Depot Failed In China. (CNBC, 2018) Lost in Translation: 13 International Marketing Fails. (Schooley, 2023) Kraft Marketing Oreos Globally. (International Marketing, 2013) A Nation Without Leave: The U.S. vs. the World on Paid Parental Leave. (Tramontano, M., 2025) Salary, flexibility, inspiration: What workers want varies by nation. (Boyle, M., Bloomberg News, 2022) Convincing Japanese Workers to Work Less. (Wall Street Journal, 2017) Google and Amazon struggle to trim European staff, resort to payouts. (Srivastava, S., 2023) |
Ch 16. Marketing in the Global Firm Ch 17. Human Resource Management in the Global Firm |
Quizzes for Chapter 16 and 17, due on Sunday, Oct 11 Case Assignment: Examining the Worldwide Rise of Red Bull, due on Sunday, Oct 11 Simulation: Managing Diversity, due on Sunday, Oct 11 Discussion Forum: Final Reflection: Lessons and Insights from International Business (open between Oct 5 and 11) Course Project Milestone 3 -- Comprehensive Final Entry Plan (Due on Sunday, Oct 11) |
The course schedule, policies, procedures, and assignments in this course are subject to change in the event of extenuating circumstances, by mutual agreement, and/or to ensure better learning.