Orientation

Prepared by Dr. Badur Elgasim
MGM 506 Orientation Lecture

Topic: Orientation Lecture by Dr. Badur Elgasim, focused on International Business Management. Course Code: MGM 506.

Reiteration of the course details:
- Course: International Business Management
- Instructor: Dr. Badur Elgasim
- Institution: Midocean University

Characteristic Features of International Business: Understanding the unique aspects of businesses that operate on an international scale.
Factors Affecting International Business: Exploration of how various elements impact global business operations.
Changing Profile of the Global Business Environment: Overview of how global trends and dynamics affect business.
Significance of International Business:
- Major factors that underline the importance of engaging in international business, indicating that it is essential for growth and competitiveness.
Overview of International Business Learning Objectives: Goals aimed at enhancing students’ understanding of international business.
Changing Scenario of International Business: Discussion on the evolving nature of international trading and business strategies.

MNCs (Multinational Corporations):
- Definition: Entities that operate in multiple countries beyond their home base.
- Advantages and Disadvantages: Benefits include market expansion, resource acquisition, and enhanced competitiveness; disadvantages encompass management complexity and cultural challenges.
International Finance: Understanding the financial aspects of conducting international business, focusing on currency management, international investments, and risks.
Problems of Corruption and Bribery in International Management: Exploring the ethical issues and challenges that arise due to corruption in global business environments.
Culture:
- Definition: Shared beliefs, values, norms, and practices of a group that influence their behavior and interactions.
- Components of Culture: Language, rituals, norms, values, and beliefs.
Six Dimensions of Culture: A framework for understanding cultural differences in international business.

International Risk Management: Strategies to identify and manage risks in cross-border operations.
Micro and Macro International Communication: Different levels of communication strategies used to manage international relations.
Components of the Communication Process: Message, sender, receiver, channels, feedback, noise, etc.
Negotiation:
- Concept: The process by which parties come to an agreement.
- Types of Negotiation: Distributive, integrative, and others.
Planning:
- Definition: The process of outlining objectives and determining a course of action to achieve those objectives.

International Business Environment: External factors that affect international operations.
International Market Intelligence: The practice of gathering and analyzing market data to guide strategic decisions.
International Marketing Strategies: Various strategies employed by businesses to enter and compete in international markets.
Approaches to Host Government Relations: Techniques for building and maintaining relationships with host country governments.
Competition in Business Environment: Analyzing competitors in the global marketplace.
Strategic Alliance:
- General Understanding: Collaborations between businesses to leverage each other’s resources and capabilities.

Purpose and Functions of the Control Process: Ensuring that organizational goals are met efficiently.
Control Mechanisms: Systems and processes established to monitor and regulate business activities.
Control Approaches: Various techniques for achieving effective control in business operations.
Challenges and Risks of Strategic Alliance: Issues that might arise when companies form alliances and how to address them.
International Human Resource Management: Managing human resources in an international context.
Factors Influencing the Structure of MNCs: Elements that affect how multinational corporations are organized.

All announced times for lectures and discussion sessions are in Mecca time (Makkah).

Weekly discussion sessions are optional for students, intended to review what was discussed in the recorded lecture for the week.
Schedule: Discussion sessions are held every Tuesday from 8:30 PM to 9:30 PM Mecca time.

The primary language for lectures is English. Exams are conducted in both English and Arabic.

Short Quizzes: Conducted on the Moodle platform every Saturday at 10 PM Mecca time, closing the following Saturday at 9 PM Mecca time.
Question Format: Includes MCQs and true/false questions. All questions are audio-based.
Completion of the short quiz is considered as attendance for the student, consisting of 8 questions.
Time: 30 minutes allowed for each quiz,
Password: A fixed password "agree" is required for all quizzes.

Final Exams: Administered through the Moodle platform.
Question Format: Similar structure to short quizzes, with MCQs and audio-based true/false questions.
Score: The final exam is graded out of 20 points.

Fatehi, K., & Choi, J. (2nd Edition). International Business Management: Succeeding in a Culturally Diverse World.
Rao, P. S. (2nd Edition). International Business Environment.