Technology Management

This course examines from the perspective of practicing managers the impact that technology and technological innovation have on the competitive context of organizations, and how strategy must incorporate this impact. The course provides an opportunity to explore the role of the firm as an instrument of technological change in the broader international and social context, the relationships between the management of a business and the management of technological innovation, and between the scientific quest for knowledge and the technological use of knowledge.

Cross-Cultural Management

A more descriptive title for this course might be "Cross-cultural Management and the International Management of Human Resources." Rather than dealing with the "strategic" aspects of international management, it emphasizes the cultural dimensions of international business and the problems faced by a firm operating in a culturally diverse world.
Taking a cross-cultural perspective, it will both investigate the country-specific cultural bases of national management styles and practices, and look at the problems and opportunities presented by an international and multi-cultural business environment. It will pay particular emphasis to the human resource issues faced by an international or transnational corporation, both in the selection, training and deployment of expatriates--staff sent out from the "home" country, and in the employment of host country nationals, both "blue-collar" and managerial.
This course should enable students to gain the increased level of awareness of and sensitivity to cultural differences essential for a businessperson who wishes to function effectively at the international level.

Japanese Business

This course was instituted primarily to satisfy the likely needs of international students, who would like to gain an understanding of the business practices of the country in which they are studying, particularly in view of the major role played by Japanese firms in the contemporary business world. It is also likely to be useful, however, for Japanese students whose first degree was in fields other than business, management, or economics.
The objective of the course is to provide an overview of the main features of Japanese management and business practices and to set them in an international context. It will cover basic Japanese business institutions and practices, and also examine government-business relations and Japan's role in the international business arena, including Japanese investment overseas, and the problem of “trade friction.” Particular emphasis will be placed on the “uniqueness” or otherwise of Japanese institutions and practices, and on the direction and significance of current and future changes.

end