International Business as Legal & Socio-Cultural Transactions

COURSE DESCRIPTION :

 

This course concentrates on the study of international as legal and socio-cultural transactions. You will obtain an overview of the complex socio-cultural issues encountered in international business transactions. One of the objectives is to enable those who will engage in international business in future to take essential ?risk management? approaches to their handling of these complex issues in business transactions. We will focus on developing an understanding the various facets of international business transactions, identifying the issues that may pose problems or repercussions that could harm the expectations of your entity or clients, and we will consider models for taking these risks out of those transactions. This requires an understanding not only of the paperwork 'nuts and bolts' of these transactions, but a strong appreciation of international trade regimes that must be navigated by future professionals. You will also learn a ?language? of new terms and descriptions that are essential to charting these international business aspects. The overall course approach should give you an appreciation of the diligence required of the professionals in using a ?preventive? approach to international business transactions. The ultimate objective is to develop the skills and confidence for each student to be able to identify issues, determine the problem areas and provide advice and recommendations to further the business transactions.

 

The major areas for the focus of our study will include: (1) the sale of goods throughout the world community, (2) the domestic and international regulations of international trade, which includes both imports and exports, and (3) it will be discussed that how social and cultural aspects play their role to shape international business transactions within the focus areas of 1 and 2 where applicable. The course will make references to the subjects of Contracts, Antitrust, Comparative Law, Conflicts of Laws, Intellectual Property, international trade and International Law.

 

 

COURSE OBJECTIVES :

 

This course is structured into three parts. First part deals with the actors of international business transactions and their roles in shaping the form of international business practice (how do we do international business what we do) and anomalies among the actors and constraints thereof. Second part covers the forms of international business, international trading of goods including sales contract, letter of credit, bill of lading and payment. Third part includes international trade regulations that directly impact import and export business transactions which include tariff and non-tariff trade barriers, classification and valuation of customs, tariff preferences, escape clause, antidumping and countervailing duties, export controls, economic boycotts, and corruption.

 

TEXTBOOK :

 

I have not decided any text book yet. However, I am thinking of developing a volume of reading materials for students. I can send those materials to you at least a month before the class starting date. Those can be compiled together for students and administrative and logistic costs can be charged to students who will take this class. We cannot charge for the material itself, because I will be using those materials for educational purpose.

 

EVALUATION :

The final grade will be made up of quality participation in the class (reading the materials before the class as assigned, giving thought to the assigned materials and bringing your understanding in the participation with analytical and critical components as much as you can, class works and home works (I will provide hypothetical problems for you to do your class works and home works), and final exams in the form of short question answer.