Designing a New Course: International Business Strategies and Public Policies

David W. Conklin

David Conklin

Richard Ivey School of Business, University of Western Ontario, Canada

Volume 3: 2007, pp. 77-98; ABSTRACT

This article presents the structure and content for a course on international business strategies and public policies. The course is based on cases that deal with a wide variety of public policies in countries throughout the world. Students are encouraged to develop non-market strategies for many business sectors, and thereby to enhance their skills in analyzing public polices. The initial set of cases deal with the evaluation of a nation’s public policy paradigm, considering the role of government intervention, as well as economic reforms that underlie the transition towards free markets. The second set of cases focus on political impediments to investment, analyzing the implications of various restrictions and regulations and the need to do business in the context of economic instability as a result of policies that cause inflation and devaluation. The third set of cases examines public policies that are designed to attract investment, including special economic zones, tax havens, subsidies, and high-tech infrastructure. The final set of cases deals with public polices that are shifting to the global level. The protection of intellectual property, competition policy, and environmental protection increasingly involve international action. Finally, a lecture/discussion on trade and investment agreements provides an integrating mechanism for the course.

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