International Business Courses

International Business (IBUS) Course Descriptions. Information taken from USC Undergraduate Bulletin and from the USC Graduate Bulletin.  If a specific professor's syllabus is needed, please e-mail him/her using the information on our faculty list.  Please note that courses are not offered every semester.  Please consult the USC Master Schedule for course availability.

Undergraduate Courses

301 — Introduction to International Business. (3) (Prereq: MKTG 350, FINA 363) Provides an introduction to frameworks, tools, and factual knowledge useful for understanding the institutional and competitive environment and managerial challenges of firms engaged in international business. Restricted to business administration majors. International business majors excluded.

310 — Globalization and Business. (3) The business opportunities and threats for individuals, companies, and countries created by the growth of globalization, and how companies must operate in diverse foreign environments and engage in specialized transactions. (Open to business administration majors only.)

401 — International Financial Management. (3) (Prereq: ECON 222 and FINA 363) The financial management of a multinational business enterprise.

402 — International Marketing. (3) (Prereq: MKTG 350) Cultural, legal, political, and economic factors affecting international marketing of products and services. Emphasis on differences in life styles, beliefs, attitudes, etc., and their influences upon marketing decisions.

405 — International Information Systems. {=MGSC 405} (3) An examination of the challenges and opportunities associated with the development, management, and use of global information systems.

406 — International Human Resource Management. {=MGMT 406} (3) (Prereq: MGMT 374) This course examines how human resources are managed within a global context. It examines how human resources are managed within global firms as well as across different cultural settings.

422 — Foreign Market Entry and Growth. (3) (Prereq: IBUS 310) International market selection, global market entry, and growth and regional expansion strategies. Topics covered through readings, case studies, and an international marketing simulation game.

423 — Cross-Cultural Behavior and Negotiations. (3) (Prereq: IBUS 310) Understanding of cross-cultural differences and their effects on individual behavior and business practices in organizations.

424 — Exporting and Importing. (3) (Prereq: IBUS 310) The conduct of international trade, including terms of sale (INCOTERMS), financing arrangements, means of payment, credit insurance, shipping and insurance issues, support services, and trade facilitation.

425 — Competitive Strategies in Developing Countries. (3) (Prereq: IBUS 310) Strategies multinational companies use to compete in developing countries. Topics include management of political risk, impact of culture, and corporate responsibility and ethics.

426 — Global Competitive Analysis. (3) (Prereq: IBUS 310) The course examines how to leverage the competitive advantage of the firm to another country, access comparative advantages of another location, and link these two to create cross-country advantages.

444 — Business in Africa. (3) (Prereq: IBUS 310) Discussion of business environments and business practices in the countries of Africa.

430 — Research in International Business. (3) (Prereq: IBUS 310) This seminar introduces students to research issues related to conducting studies in a cross-cultural setting. Students also develop an awareness of current international research programs.

441 — Business in Latin America. (3) (Prereq: IBUS 310) Discussion of the contemporary business environment of and business practices in the countries of Latin America.

442 — Business in Asia. (3) (Prereq: IBUS 310) Discussion of business environments and business practices in countries in Asia.

443 — Business in Europe. (3) (Prereq: IBUS 310) Discussion of business environments and business practices in the countries from Western, Central, and Eastern Europe and Russia.

490 — Specialized Study in International Business. (1-12) Topics in international business. Reading and research on selected topics in the practices in the international business environment. Course content varies and will be announced in the schedule of courses by suffix and title.

Graduate Courses

700 — Survey of International Business. (3) A survey of the organization and management of international business stressing the effects of international cultural, economic, and legal factors on the management function. Typical factors examined are export and import trade, transnational investment, finance, marketing, production, taxation, and the role of the U.S. national in multinational organizations.

701 — International Financial Management. (3) (Prereq: FINA 760) An intensive study of international financial management. Topics include investment analysis, financing decisions, taxation, foreign-exchange risk policies, joint ventures, transfer pricing, financing of trade, and financial control of international operations.

702 — International Marketing. (3) Marketing management of the international operation stressing the viewpoint of the marketing manager who must recognize differences in market arrangements and in legal, cultural, and economic factors in different countries.

703 — International Management. (3) (Prereq: IBUS 711) Functionally integrated international strategy design and negotiation with host countries within the worldwide structure of international firms. Emphasis on decision-making in the face of rapidly changing international conditions.

705 — Sustaining the Global Enterprise. (3) Examines the management of strategic, structural and informal processes within multinational corporations, and how to lead a global workforce.

706 — Nations States, Regional Networks and Global Markets. (3) Introduces conceptual frameworks to understandglobalization and the changes taking place in the international politicaleconomy, and the interactions of governments and global organizations.

708 — International Business Legal Environments. (3) Practical knowledge and skillsto operate effectively and avoid unexpected losses when doing business ininternational markets under a foreign legal system.

709 — International Intellectual Property Management. (3) Equip managers with the tools toidentity intellectual property assets, manage assets development andimplementation, and to create intellectual property strategies tailored tobusiness objectives.

710 — Global Stakeholder Management. (3) Survey of the managerial,political, economic, sociological and psychological foundations of globalstakeholder management and engagement through extant theory and case studyexamples of successful and failed stakeholder management strategies in various industriesand multiple countries.

711 — Global Corporate Valuation. (3) (Prereq: DMSB 715 or IBUS 701) Application of key corporate valuation models in evaluating different business situations facing multinational corporations.

712 — Currency Markets, Exchange Risk, and Currency Derivatives. (3) (Prereq: DMSB 715 or IBUS 701 and FINA 737) Structure of the global currency markets, currency derivative products, and the management of exchange risk.

713 — Global Financial Markets. (3) (Prereq: DMSB 702 or IBUS 701) Advanced issues in the structure of global financial markets, including the Eurobond, foreign bond, syndicated credit, Euronote, and swap markets.

714 — Global Equity Investments. (3) (Prereq: DMSB 715 or IBUS 701) Theory and quantitative tools useful for asset allocation and security selection with a focus on equity investments, and the process of active tactical asset management in a global setting from the perspective of a global money manager.

715 — Foreign Market Entry and Growth. (3) (Prereq: DMSB 716 or IBUS 702) International market selection, foreign market entry, and growth and regioanl expansion strategies.

716 — Cross-border Alliances and Joint Ventures. (3) (Prereq: DMSB 711 or IBUS 700) Strategic management of cooperative strategies (e.g., joint ventures, strategic alliances, cooperative agreements).

717 — Managing Cross-border Teams. {=MGMT 729} (3) (Prereq: DMSB 714 or IBUS 700 or MGMT 770 or MGMT 799 or instructor's permission) How the presence of members from multiple national cultures and multiple national locations affect the functioning of teams within the multinational corporation.

718 — Consulting and Organizational Development in MNCs. {=MGMT 730} (3) (Prereq: DMSB 711 or IBUS 700 or MGMT 779 or instructor's permission) Restructuring and transformation initiatives within multinational organizations as internal consultants and/or change agents.

721 — Advanced International Marketing. (3) (Prereq: DMSB 702 or IBUS 702) Analysis of advanced topics and practices in international marketing as viewed from the perspective of a multinational enterprise.

722 — Export Marketing. (3) (Prereq: DMSB 702 or IBUS 702) Provides a sound understanding of the role of exporting in the internationalization process and of key features of the environment in which exporters operate. Also covers selected topics of export marketing procedures.

723 — International Advertising. (3) International dimensions of advertising and other forms of marketing communication from three perspectives: the seller, society, and advertising agencies and other providers of marketing communication services.

731 — Global Competitive Analysis. (3) (Prereq: DMSB 702 or IBUS 703) Provides a conceptual and analytical framework for analyzing industries and competitors, and competitive positioning within a global strategy framework.

732 — Comparative Management. (3) Cross-cultural analysis of management theory and practice in select countries and regional markets.

733 — East/West Business. (3) International investment, joint venture, trade and technology transfer relationships between the advanced industrial systems of the U.S., the E.C., and Japan and socialist economies of the former Soviet Union, Eastern Europe, and China.

734 — International Business Negotiations. (3) Examines how decision makers in business and government settings manage the process and outcomes of negotiations. Cross-cultural negotiations in a global business environment.

735 — International Mergers and Acquisitions. (3) Practical skills to effectively transact international mergers and acquisitions. Focus given to essential strategic financial organizational and legal factors.

736 — Strategic Management of Global Supply Chains. (3) (Prereq: DMSB 718 or MGSC 791) Strategic frameworks for designing and managing global supply chains, including management of operational practices form an international perspective.

737 — International Information Systems. (3) Analysis of current topics, issues, and practices in international information systems.

738 — International Business and Sustainable Development. (3) An introduction to international environmental and social management issues that affect an organization's sustainable development initiatives.

750 — Exploring Global Business. (3) (Prereq: IBUS 700 and department approval) The course examines in detail the business issues of a specific region as they impact the conduct of global business.

780 — International Business Internship. (3) On-site work experience relatedto the field of study and/or career interests of the student.

790 — Specialized Study in International Business. (3) (Prereq: DMSB 702 or IBUS 700) Analysis of current topics, issues, and practices in the international business environment not covered in any of the other specialized study courses. Consult instructors for specific coverage.

801 — Ph.D. Seminar on International Business I. (3) (Prereq: IBUS 711) An intensive study of the evolution of international business thought and the present state of development of international business theory with emphasis on current contributions to international business theory.

802 — Ph.D. Seminar in International Business II. (3) (Prereq: IBUS 700) Intensive study of selected current international business topics, research and theories through readings, discussion, and individual research.

808 — Specialized Study in Global Market Planning. (3) (Prereq: DMSB 702 or IBUS 717) Provides a conceptual framework for the integration of market planning into the broader global strategic planning process, focusing particularly on new concepts and analytical techniques.

811 — Ph.D. Seminar in International Finance I. (3) Doctoral seminar on theory and empirical research in international finance.

812 — Ph.D. Seminar in International Finance II. (3) Doctoral seminar on theory and empirical research in international investments and implications for the theory of international corporate finance.

820 — Ph.D. Seminar in International Marketing. (3) Examination of current international marketing research, with emphasis on developing a critical understanding of theory, concept development, research design, and research results within the field of international marketing.

830 — Ph.D. Seminar in International Management. (3) Examination of international management research, with emphasis on developing a critical understanding of theory, concept development, research design, and research results within the field of international management.

840 — Ph.D. Seminar on MNC Governance. (3) Examination of theory and research regarding multinational corporation (MNC) governance, and corporate governance and organizational form cross-nationally.

850 — Ph.D. Seminar on Cultural Frameworks and Research. (3) (Prereq: permission of instructor) Seminar exploring concepts and research issues relevant to understanding national-based culture.