FI 4410 and MGS 4410

 

STUDY ABROAD IN INDIA

FINANCIAL AND MANAGERIAL DECISIONS INAN EMERGING MARKET: INDIA

FALL 2017

 

Note:  This syllabus provides a general plan for the course.  Deviations may be necessary during the program.  Any changes in the course plan as described in this syllabus will be discussed in class.

           

I.      Class Information
Location:               RobinsonCollege of Business, Manners Room, 7th floor

Time:                     9 - 12 pm, 2 – 5 pm

Week 1: Saturday (November 4th, 2017)

Week 2: Saturday(November 11th, 2017)

 

Travelling dates

Leave Atlanta on FridayDecember 8th, arrive in Hyderabad on Sunday December 10th

Return from Delhi on ThursdayDecember 24th, arrive in Atlanta the same day.

 

Detailed schedule for the two-week stay in India will be provided before departure at the program orientation (November25th).

 

Instructors:            Dr. Milind Shrikhande, Robinson College of Business, GSU

Dr.Satish Nargundkar, Robinson College of Business, GSU

Office Hours:        We are available to meet before or after class. Please contact or see us for specific appointments.

Contact:                Dr Shrikhande 404-413-7334          Dr. Nargundkar 404-413-7541

mshrikhande@gsu.edu                    snargundkar@gsu.edu

 

 

II.   Texts:

1.      The World is Flat: A brief history of the 21st Century by Thomas Friedman, ISBN-13: 978-0-312-42507-4. Farrar, Straus and Giroux.

2.      World 3.0: Global Prosperity and How to Achieve Itby Pankaj Ghemawat, ISBN: 978-1-4221-3864-9, Harvard Business School Publishing, Boston, MA.

Other Readings:

1.      Case Study: Building Brand Infosys. Study of the evolution of Infosys and current challenges

2.      Case Study: Oreos in India – a study of successful entry into a foreign market by a US business.

3.      Case Study:Fiat’s Strategic Alliance with Tata

 

Both textbooks are available at Amazon.com.Supporting material will be provided for each session. Make sure to read the various articles/chapters when asked to.

 

III. Course Information
Course Number:    FI 4410 and MGS 4410, 6.0 hours of credit
Prerequisite:          Finance (FI3300) andManagerial Science (MGS3100)

Note: For undergraduate finance majors, 3 of 6 credit hours may be assigned towards their Financemajor. The remaining will be general RCB credits.For undergraduate Managerial Sciences majors, 3 of 6 credit hours may be assigned towards their Managerial Sciences major. The remaining will be general RCB credits.

 

IV. General Course Description

This program provides an opportunity to examine the business climate in the emerging marketstogether with field experience in India.  Students will gain insight into doing business in India, especially financial and managerial issues, within the greater context of the emerging markets.Frameworks for entering a foreign market will be discussed, with emphasis on the cultural, administrative, geographic, and economic distances between countries. Students will gain familiarity with family business as well as multinationals operating within India. The in-country experience will allow students to observe and discuss first-hand how companies work within the structure of the Indian economy.

 

Teaching Methods

Teaching methods include lectures, case analyses, class discussions, and meeting with companies and representatives of the Indian government, and study tours of four major cities in India. Students will experience the realities of cross-cultural and international financial and managerial issues during the in-country visits to selected companies and/or to the offices of the Indian government.

 

V.   Policies:

Students are expected to:

Attend all classes and be punctual: any late arrival will be counted as an absence. In case of absence (or late arrival) for more than 15% of the activities (classes in Atlanta or India, respect of the schedule for visits or meetings) you will lose one course letter grade.

 

Be courteous and respectful: remember to be courteous and thoughtful to your professors, administrators, fellow classmates, company speakers and hosts. In classroom settings or during company visits, only take breaks when breaks are allotted.

 

Avoid using electronic devices during class (other than for class work) or taking random personal breaks. There will be scheduled breaks.


 

VI. General Course Objectives

This course focuses on Financial and Managerial Issues faced by companies in emerging markets, with special emphasis on India. The overall course objectives of FI 4410 and MGS 4410 include:

·         Explore the role of the State in the Indian economyand its impact on doing business in India.

·         Analyze and understand the challenges of international and financial management within the Indian economy.

·         Examine the challenges for American businesses entering the Indian market.

·         Examine management and negotiation issues in a cross-cultural environment.

Specific Learning Objectives:

 

Upon successful completion of the course, students will be able to:

Overall Context:

1.      Think about business within the broad cultural context of India. They will be broadly aware of the languages, arts, and geography of India.

2.      Evaluate the current social and political challenges in India given the deep historical context of India as an ancient civilization.

3.      Compare and contrast the legal and constitutional frameworks of the US and India as democracies.

4.      Examine changes in economic policies in India since Independence in 1947 and the implications for economic and business growth.

 

Doing Business in India

5.      Explain in their own words, the various modes of entry for businesses entering the Indian market.

6.      Explain in their own words the CAGE model – cultural, administrative, geographic and economic distance between countries.

7.      Apply the CAGE model to evaluate the feasibility of conducting business in different industries/product categories.

8.      Discuss the pros and cons of each mode of entry depending on the specific product or service to be launched in India.

 

Skill Development

1.      Identify a need for a specific product or service in India. Explain the need for market segmentation before launching a product or service in India, and use Microsoft Excel to segment data.

2.      Innovate and develop the product or service prototype needed using Design Thinking principles.Demonstrate understanding of the various market segments in India by targeting the product/service idea to the right market segment.

3.      Develop skills in bargaining and negotiations in the Indian context.

4.      Use a Bloomberg terminal to access industry and company specific data for analysis. Develop skills needed to get a Bloomberg certification.

 


VII. Grading and course evaluation

 

Grading Scale

GPA

A             93-100

4.00

A-            90-92

3.70

B+           87-89

3.30

B             83-86

3.00

B-            80-82

2.70

C+           77-79

2.30

C             73-76

2.00

C-            70-72

1.70

D             60-69

1.00

F              below 60

0.00

 

Topic

%

Write-Ups

 

       Pre-departure (2 x 15 %)

30

       Field analysis

20

       Cap-Stone Project (Group)

50

 

100

 

Individual Work

 

Pre-departure write-ups:

Two write-ups are due after the second week of class in Atlanta (before leaving for India). One case concerns financial markets and corporate finance issues, the other concerns managerial decisions and data analytics. The written assignments (max 5 pages + exhibits, 12 pts., double-spaced) involve an analysis, i.e. do not just restate the information included in the cases. Please use the write-ups to discuss the issues of the case and relate to the material covered in class. Case write-ups must be clear, concise and convincing. Exact topics and specific directions will be provided during the first session.

 

Field Analysis:

By the end of the program in India, based on the lectures, meetings with companies, cultural experiences, and discussions that will have been conducted, you will write a field analysis report. In this assignment, you should highlight a few issues that have been prominent and analyze them by using concepts discussed in class or during meetings. Your analysis should focus on how the academic, cultural, and business interactions provide insight into doing business in India.

 

A template of the structure we suggest for the write-up will be provided beforehand.

The papers should be a maximum of 5 pages plus exhibits, typed in Times New Roman font, 12 pts., double-spaced. Pleaseupload to D2L Brightspace in the dropboxby the end of the first week on return (at a date that will be confirmed later).

 

 

 

 

Group Work - Capstone Project:

The class will be divided into teams of 3 students each. The assignment is described below.

Your group has been hired by an American company which plans to start operations in India as part of its global development. The company is trying to assess the challenge, risks and opportunities of such a development and wishes to better understand the issues at stake. Your group needs to analyze the company’s situation, and based on your understanding of India and the emerging markets, provide the board of directors a report assessing the feasibility of entering the Indian market. The business plan should include the mode of entry selected, a marketing plan, and financial feasibility analysis. This report should also address the economic, social, legal and financial aspects of business ventures in India.

 

The written paper will be due upon our return by January 21th, 2018.  Please submit the paper electronically via D2L Brightspace.

 

Peer evaluation: At the end of the capstone project you will be asked to evaluate your contribution to the project submitted, as well as that of the other members of your group.  The grade you and your group member(s) receive for the group work portion of the grade will depend partially on the peer evaluations. Variation of +/- 10% from the group grade will depend on the results of this evaluation. We expect everyone to be thoughtful and diligent in completing them.

 

 

SCHEDULE: Financial and Managerial Issues in India and emerging markets

The following schedule is tentative and subject to change. Coverage of topics might be added, deleted, or changed at the instructors’ sole discretion.

Pre-departure Sessions in Atlanta:

Session

Agenda

Assignments

due

Saturday (AM)

11/04/17

Introduction to course

Briefing (administrative issues) – Emily Caskey

India – culture, arts, geography – Satish Nargundkar

[4 hours]

 

Lunch and Guest Lecture

Political System in India – Rashid Naim

 

Saturday (PM)

11/04/17

Conception and role of the State in Society and in the Economy; Regulatory Issues – Milind Shrikhande

[4 hours]

Saturday (AM)

11/11/17

Indian market and economy liberalization

Pre and Post Liberalization Issues

Indian Corporations and Corporate Governance

[4 hours]

“Emerging markets case” and “ ManagerialCase Analysis” distributed

 

Lunch and Guest Lecture

India vs. other BRICS nations – Jacobus Boers

 

Saturday (PM)

11/11/17

Managerial Traditions and Cross-cultural Issues

[4 hours]

Saturday (PM)             11/25/17

 

Not a class session – assignment due.

Managerial Case Analysis & Emerging Markets case due by midnight.

 

Sessions in India:

 

Friday

12/08/17

Departure to Hyderabad-INDIA

 

Sunday

12/10/17

Arrival in Hyderabad-INDIA

Transfer to ISB Campus – Resting Day

 

Monday

12/11/17

Study Tour of Hyderabad City - a State Capital, Cultural/Economic Context

Welcome dinner

[8 hours]

Tuesday

12/12/17

Lecture 1: Design Thinking Workshop

Group-photo session during Lunch-Break

[8 hours]

Wednesday         12/13/17

Company Visit I: Infosys Main Campus plus nearby village for Infosys CSR activity

[8 hours]

Thursday

12/14/17

Lecture 2: Negotiations in India

Cultural Visit 1: Shilparamam

[4 hours]

[4 hours]

Friday

12/15/17

Company Visit II: ICICI Bank

Lecture 3: Doing Business In India

Lecture 4: Financial Markets: NSE and Bloomberg

[4 hours]

[2 hours]

[2 hours]

Saturday

12/16/17

Project/Assignment work

Departure to Chandigarh / Arrival ISB Mohali (PM)

[4 hours]

Sunday

12/17/17

Study Tour of Chandigarh as a Union Territory – Architecture and Urban Design.

[8 hours]

 

Monday

12/18/17

Company Visit III: Proctor and Gamble

Company Visit IV: Colgate Palmolive

[4 hours]

[4 hours]

Tuesday

12/19/15

Lecture 5: Marketing in India

Lecture 6: Financial Systems in India

Project/Assignment work

[2 hours]

[2 hours]

[4 hours]

Wednesday

12/20/17

Depart for Delhi by train – 12:00 Noon

Departure for Agra by Bus – 4:30 PM

Arrival in Agra 8:30 PM

 

Thursday

12/21/17

Taj Mahal and Agra Fort – World Heritage Sites

Depart for New Delhi

[8 hours]

Friday

12/22/17

Study Tour of Delhi – Political Capital and Famous historic sites

[8 hours]

Saturday

12/23/17

Student Team Presentations – AM

Departure to Atlanta

[4 hours]

Sunday

12/24/17

Arrival in Atlanta

 

 

Contact hours:16 hours in Atlanta and 88 hours in India.

Grand Total: 104 contact hours plus capstone project.

 

For detailed information about the Study Abroad program, go to http://nargund.com/India.