BMGT30330 Governing the Int.Business Env

Academic Year 2020/2021

Regardless of business type, size or degree of internationalisation, strategic decisions and daily activities are impacted upon by the policies, treaties, regulations, norms and standards set by public, private and other forms of governing bodies. The globalization of commerce in goods and services through trade, foreign direct investment and outsourcing; facilitated by technological change and the liberalization of financial markets highlighted the challenges of single nation legal jurisdiction and political impartiality. Over several decades groups of nation states, business federations, private and public companies and non-governmental organizations have come together in a variety of forums to cooperate in the establishment and oversight of governance measures of varying legal form and non. Examples include
- multilateral, megaregional, regional and bilateral trade bodies - the World Trade Organisation, the Trans-Pacific Partnership, the European Union, the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement, ASEAN and African states;
- international financial networks - the G groups (e.g. G20) of finance ministers and central bank governors, the World Bank, the Organisation for Economic, Co-operation and Development, the International Monetary Fund and the Basel Committee on Banking and Regulation and Supervisory Practices;
- environmental bodies - United Nations Environment Programme, Environmental Protection Agencies; and
- bodies addressing internet governance - International Telecommunications Union (ITU); along with
- sector specific bodies including, International Organization for Standardization, credit rating agencies, the Institute of International Finance, the International Accounting Standards Board, the International Chamber of Commerce, Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN).
The structures, power and membership of these organisations and forums varies considerably; influenced by the policy area, membership (governments, business stakeholders, experts etc.), geographical spread, politics, and key events.

Notably over the last two years significant developments in policy approaches and negotiating styles of the United States, the United Kingdom and China are challenging the structures, principles and processes of the long established aforementioned public private and hybrid bodies of international governance at a time of heightened public awareness and stakeholder activity. Government statements and media headlines feature the details of tariffs and non tariff barriers to trade involving the United States, European Union and China; the emerging details of the negotiating positions of the European Union and the United Kingdom on Brexit, the rejection of the United Nation's Climate Agreement (2015) by the United States, the lack of consensus on the development of economic policy and associated oversight and the place of regulation over social media.

The debate around the future forms of institutional structures and types of governance across trade, finance, climate and the internet predated the Covid 19 pandemic, but it is proving central to the management of the future economy and associated business activity nationally and globally. This module goes behind the headlines by reviewing the evolution of the public, private and hybrid governing institutions and debating their place at a time of critical change when the western world is being challenged from within and by north, south and east. For business stakeholders this period of uncertainty challenges established business models, practices, supply chains and questions the suitability of strategic plans based on compliance with existing standards, regulations and principles.

The module examines the governing institutions and the instruments of governance along critically considering their future through four key topic areas
a. trade,
b. finance,
c. climate change and
d. the internet.







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Curricular information is subject to change

Learning Outcomes:

On completing this module, participants will be expected to be able to


1. identify and describe key institutions and organisations responsible for the governance of various aspects of the international business environment with particular reference to policy areas of trade, finance, climate change and the internet;
2. distinguish and categorize the different types of governing institutions, organizations and forums e.g in respect to their structures, membership, remit, power, relationships and geographical spread using methods of mapping governance and creating frameworks of analysis;
3. critically select from recommended and self researched primary, academic and complementary sources;
4. research, prepare and write an academic essay critically assessing the interplay between institutional and business stakeholders in the governance of the international business environment in a specific policy area (trade, finance, climate change or the internet) while the politics and economics of the world undergo change.

Indicative Module Content:

The module examines the Governing of the International Business Environment in respect to trade, finance, climate and the internet by

i) reviewing the literature on the development of the international 'governance' and the current academic means of analysis;

ii). identifying the different types of governing organisations, forums and networks (public, private and other) noting their structures, membership, remits, powers and geographical spread;

iii). reviewing the structure and evolution of these key organisations and forums (public, private and other) associated with the governance of a. trade, b. finance, c. climate change and d. the internet; and

iv). analysing business stakeholders (companies, federations, networks etc.) involvement with governing bodies and the processes of governance, from the nation state level through regional/megaregional to multilateral, in the design and implementation of treaties, principles, regulations and standards.

Student Effort Hours: 
Student Effort Type Hours
Lectures

24
Specified Learning Activities

61
Autonomous Student Learning

40
Total

125
Approaches to Teaching and Learning:
The module is delivered through blended learning - combining

i). prerecorded presentations and sources released in a staged approach over the semester through Brightspace, reflecting the module's parts addressing I. the key features of governance, types of institutions, academic mapping and frameworks of analysis along with an outline of assessment (Weeks 1 and 2), II. The institutions and bodies governing trade, finance, climate and the internet (Weeks 3 to 7) and III. Meeting the challenges of geopolitics, Covid 19 pandemic, disrupted business models through the design of governance institutions and measures (Weeks 8 to 12) and

ii). face to face sessions in the Quinn School as timetabled - these sessions will draw on the prerecorded material to develop illustrations and discussions which will facilitate progressive critical engagement with the subject matter and independent research in preparation for the assignments.

The module is organised through Brightspace with backup resources to facilitate students who may be unable to attend the sessions in the Quinn School or any changes in timetabled sessions which may occur over the semester

Details of all of the learning materials are provided through Brightspace for the UCD Library Online Resources (e-books and e-journals) and specified web links.

The design of the module and assessment with the range of the recommended resources seeks to encourage and develop students' independent learning skills to critically research and select from an array of primary and interdisciplinary academic sources to meet the modules learning outcomes through the engagement and assignments. 
Requirements, Exclusions and Recommendations

Not applicable to this module.


Module Requisites and Incompatibles
Not applicable to this module.
 
Assessment Strategy  
Description Timing Open Book Exam Component Scale Must Pass Component % of Final Grade
Assignment: Individual review of frameworks/typologies facilitating the analysis of the governing institutions.

Topic choices, guidelines and grading criteria will be provided.		 Week 8 n/a Graded Yes

40
Essay: Final Academic Essay

Topic choices, guidelines and grading criteria will be provided.

Coursework (End of Trimester) n/a Graded Yes

60

Carry forward of passed components
No
 
Resit In Terminal Exam
Spring No
Please see Student Jargon Buster for more information about remediation types and timing. 
Feedback Strategy/Strategies

• Feedback individually to students, on an activity or draft prior to summative assessment
• Feedback individually to students, post-assessment
• Group/class feedback, post-assessment

How will my Feedback be Delivered?

Assessment Preparation Details of subject and title choices, guidelines and grading criteria for each assignment will be provided through Brightspace. Students are invited to consult with the module co-ordinator/lecturer to discuss the specific assignment guidelines, choice of subject and/or title and general outline for the assignment. Assessment Feedback Assignment 1 - Review of frameworks/typologies of analysis i. Class feedback will be provided post assessment via Brightspace and in lectures; ii. Individual student feedback will be provided post assessment by the module coordinator/lecturer. Assignment 2 - Final Academic Essay i. Collective feedback will be provided via Brightspace on the release of the final grades. ii. Individual student feedback will be available on request from the module coordinator/lecturer on the release of the final grades.