First class: September 11, 2026. Additional enrollment is available for students who have previously taken Principles of Economics or an equivalent course.
Course Meeting Time: Friday 13:10-16:00 (506-508)
Class Location: R60304
Instructor: (Kate) Lan-Yi Liu
Required Textbook: Hill, Charles W. L. (2026). International Business: Competing in the Global Marketplace(2025 Release). McGraw Hill. ISBN：9781265069605.
Students are strongly recommended to purchase the required textbook. In addition to course exams being directly based on its content, the book offers the latest data and case studies, which are immensely helpful for understanding a wide variety of international business cases. An e-book version is also available at: https://eshop.hwatai.com.tw/SalePage/Index/11679187
Instruction Mode: On-site lecture.
All updates, exercise solutions, exam reminders, and official announcements will be sent to students' YZU email accounts via the YZU Portal. Please ensure your contact email on record is up to date.
Instructor Contact: lanyiliu "AT" saturn.yzu.edu.tw
Instructor Office Hours: Monday 16:30-18:30 at my office (R60816), or by appointment.
This course provides a foundational introduction to international business management in an increasingly interconnected global economy. Designed for undergraduate students, the course explores the core concepts, frameworks, and practical strategies that drive business operations across national borders. Key topics include multinational corporate strategies, cross-cultural management, global trade and investment environments, foreign entry modes, and ethical considerations in global supply chains. Through interactive lectures, real-world case studies, and practical group projects, students will develop critical thinking and analytical skills to understand how businesses navigate cultural, economic, and regulatory differences to achieve competitive advantage globally.
Midterm Exam: 20%
Class Participation: 20%
Group Assignments (Case Study): Proposal-Written Report (10%) + Oral Presentation (20%) + Peer Evaluation Score (5%).
Final Exam: 25%
Exams: Both the Midterm and Final Exams are closed-book. Any mobile devices with wireless or network communication capabilities are strictly prohibited. Calculators without network features are permitted.
The syllabus calendar isn't set in stone for our weekly progress, but our goal is to cover all this material by the end of the semester. Some chapters will be left for you to read.
We will announce the exact exam scope two week before the midterm/final exam on the portal. It is fair that any content covered in class or specified in the exam scope becomes exam questions.
You can expect mostly multiple-choice questions on the exam.
During exams, you may consult the proctor administering the exam if you need clarification of exam questions. No discussion or other form of communication with anyone else will be permitted after the exams have been handed out, until all students have turned in their exam books. Students found to have cheated or engaged in any other unethical behavior will be given a grade of F on the examinations involved, and will be turned over to the appropriate disciplinary committees within YZU for further action.
Calculators in Examinations: The only calculators permitted in exams are those with basic mathematical functions.
Regrade Policy: Requests for regrading an exam must be made within one week of the date upon which the graded examination is returned to the student. To request a regrade, attach a written explanation of the potential problem with the grading to the (entire) exam, and submit it to your instructor. Regrading may not be limited to the part of the exam which is discussed in the written explanation. Regrades will be carried out by your instructor within one week.
Missing an exam without a valid, officially documented excuse will result in a grade of zero for that exam.
If you miss an exam due to an unavoidable emergency, please contact me immediately so we can schedule a make-up exam.
Group Assignments:
Working in assigned groups, students will select one multinational enterprise (MNE) from a Recommended Companies list (or propose an alternative company) and prepare a case study that introduces the company to the rest of the class.
The purpose of this assignment is to apply the concepts covered in this course, i.e., international trade and investment theory, entry modes, global vs. local strategy, political and currency risk, and competitive analysis, to a real, currently operating multinational enterprise.
Course Participation: The Course Participation grade is based on active group collaboration. After students are assigned to groups, each team will select a case study topic and conduct discussions on their chosen MNC throughout the semester.
Starting September 18, the last 30 minutes of each class will be dedicated to group discussions. Please ensure your regular attendance and active engagement in these sessions.
Group discussions do not result in a deduction of points for missing even one session. This semester, you can get at least 90% of the class participation score if you participate in 5 or more group discussions.
Classroom Expectations:
Minimizing Disruptions: All cell phones, laptop computers, hand-held devices, and pagers should be turned off during class. Please adhere to the principle of minimal disruption. You are free to enter or leave the classroom quietly for personal reasons, but please ensure you do not disturb your fellow students during class. You should avoid engaging in side conversations after class has begun.
The instructor reserves the right to deduct participation points for behavior that severely disrupts the class.
Sep 11, 2026: First Day of Class
Sep 14, 2026: Online Course Add/Drop Deadline
Sep 21, 2026: Course Enrollment Issue Resolution Deadline
Sep 25, 2026: Mid-Autumn Festival Holiday (No Class)
Oct 9, 2026: In Observance of National Day (No Class)
Oct 16, 2026: Group Assignment (Case Study) Proposal Submission Deadline
Oct 23, 2026: Midterm Exam
Nov 27, 2026: Course Withdrawal Application Deadline
Dec 11, 2026: Group Assignment (Case Study) Oral Presentation
Dec 18, 2026: Final Exam
Dec 25, 2026: Christmas Holiday (No Class)
[Lecture 1] Introduction to IBM / Globalization / National Differences in Political, Economic, and Legal Systems [Hill: chapter1, 2, 3]
[Lecture 2] International Trade Theory & Government Policy [Hill: chapter 6, 7]
[Lecture 3] FDI / Regional Economic Integration [Hill: chapter 8, 9]
[Lecture 4] The Global Monetary System [Hill: chapter 10, 11, 12]
[Lecture 5] Games and the Strategy in International Business [Hill: chapter 13]
[Lecture 6] Structure of International Business [Hill: chapter 14, 15]
[Lecture 7] Trade & Countertrade [Hill: chapter 16]
[Lecture 8] Global Production & Supply Chain Management [Hill: chapter 17]
I expect all students taking this course to adhere to the Honor Code and strictly prohibit academic misconduct, including plagiarism, proxy exams, falsifying materials, and introducing unfair assistance. I encourage cooperation on take home assignments, but individual student work must express their own understanding, not simply copy solutions, even if reference solutions exist.
I also encourage students to consult online resources, including using generative AI (GenAI) to search for information for supplementary learning that is not directly related to the course assignments. Using GenAI to obtain information and aid learning is one of the most efficient learning methods currently available; however, I encourage everyone to maintain a healthy skepticism towards the information produced by GenAI. Information generated by large language models (LLMs) is often wrong and is always based on data from sources we are unaware of, some of which are completely unreliable.
Furthermore, I advocate that GenAI should only play a supplementary role in learning, meaning it cannot replace face-to-face interaction with real people. Be sure you’re talking with real others.
Even now (late summer of 2026), I still have not much idea what direction GenAI will take or how much progress it will make. As humans, we have no reason to outsource our thinking to others or machines. Outsourcing thinking and reasoning to GenAI or others is tantamount to giving up our autonomy as human beings. It will also lead to a poor understanding of economics, and we will even lose the joy of discovering solutions ourselves forever, which is truly regrettable.