2004 Course Syllabus


International Marketing Study Tour 2004


MIM 5085 - EU 25: Impact on Russia and new and original EU economies


TOUR DATES:

March 5-18, 2004 to Moscow and St. Petersburg, Russia; Budapest, Hungary; and Hinterzarten, Germany with access to Strasbourg, France and Switzerland.


OBJECTIVES:

To participate in a study tour of a non EU, new EU and original EU business, political and cultural centers to compare their experiences at a critical transition stage. Russia represents a large emerging market of economic and political significance to the EU. Hungary is one of the ten new member states entering the EU in January 2004. The German locale enables entry to several established EU countries using euro currency. This locale also enables visits to EU operations in Strasbourg, France, such as the EU Parliament and Court of Human Rights. Opportunity exists to visit Switzerland, a non EU country home to numerous multinationals.


COURSE DESCRIPTION:

This study tour offers an in-depth inter-country examination of major business centers across a wide range of economic development. It also provides an intra-country examination of Russia at a key time of economic transition. The study tour includes numerous corporate and institutional visits allowing first hand exploration of business issues in the newly expanded EU, the euro economy, and in the emerging Russian economy. Special emphasis will be placed on marketing issues such as branding, pricing, intellectual property protection, target market selection, communication plans, distribution channels and retail format in these transition environments. Cultural, political, and social issues are also examined. Plans are to include a joint case study with business students at a European university.

Cultural tours and entertainment are included to further expose the student to the differing consumer environments. Students are encouraged to use free time to explore retail formats, consumer behavior, and local foods and entertainment.


COURSE REQUIREMENTS:

To successfully complete the course for appropriate academic credit each participating student must fulfill the following expectations:

1. Academic sessions: Attend the three planned half-day pre-departure meetings to address course content, logistical details and academic assignments. These will include a January, and two February pre-departure meetings plus readings, research, and one pre-tour assignment (see attached Pre-Assignment). Missed pre-departure meetings incur a substitute assignment. Several mandatory on-tour academic sessions will be held in each locale.
2. Business and cultural sessions: Attendance of all planned institutional and cultural visits and maintenance of a daily journal and subsequent course overview (see attached Tour Assignment) is expected.
3. Case Study: Analyze and present an assigned business case with European students.
4. Final paper: Completion of a 10 page research paper comparing visited markets along suggested themes. Report specifics are described in the Post Assignment attachment.