|
Ag Econ 411 |
|
Course Syllabus Fall 2009
Course Syllabus Ag Ec 411 Fall 2009 Course title: THE WORLD OF INTERNATIONAL AGRIBUSINESSCourse number: AgEc 411Credits: 1Meeting Time: Monday 2:30 - 4:20 pm (PT)3:30 - 5:20 pm (MT) Meeting Places: Moscow campus -Ag Sci Room 104 – the studio classroomTwin Falls – UI on CSI campus Course Website URL: http://courses.ag.uidaho.edu/aers/agecon411Course description: In an informal seminar-type format, the course draws on the experience and wisdom of practitioners of international business engaged in various aspects and fields of agriculture. This accelerated course will hold class meetings once per week for two hours during the first 9 weeks of the semester, i.e., August 24 through October 19, 2009. The class participants located off the Moscow campus, e.g., Twin Falls and Idaho Falls, will participate in the presentations/discussions, in real time, via videoconference or by delayed viewing of a DVD. The presentations/discussions will originate primarily at the Moscow site but some presentations could originate from the other sites as well. Each session will provide opportunities for interchange between students and presenters. Students on the Moscow campus will have additional opportunities for interaction and discussion with presenters immediately following the class while sharing complementary ethnic cuisine of the day and soft drinks. Attendance and participation in the second hour discussions is compulsory/mandatory/required for the on-campus students.Since off-campus students do not have the opportunity to continue with a second hour of interaction and discussion with the presenters, their attendance and participation will be evaluated on the basis of participation in the first hour of class and by their summary/review comments and evaluations submitted by email after each class meeting. Course objectives: To examine the international roles of selected regional and U.S.-based corporations and government agencies engaged in agribusiness. To develop an understanding of current management practices and issues; and the problems facing executives engaged in overseas ventures. To develop an appreciation for the importance of inter-cultural factors in international agribusiness. To gain practical experience in researching and writing a business plan for an international agribusiness. To expand student awareness of career opportunities in international agribusiness To motivate students to travel, learn another language, and be open to work internationally. Course requirements: A grade in the class will be determined by performance on the following: Class attendance and participation 70% Business plan exercise 30% Class attendance and participation (70% of grade): It is essential that students attend each seminar and participate to the maximum extent possible. Each student must submit a short summary/review and evaluation of each class meeting within 48 hours of the presentation/discussion sent via email to the instructor. The summary/review and evaluation must contain the following four (4) parts: (1) the name of the presenter – correctly spelled; (2) his/her organization’s name - correctly spelled; (3) a very brief summary of the content of the presentation; (4) a very brief evaluation of the presentation. If no summary/review is submitted then full credit for the session will not be awarded. Excused absences may be permitted but only with prior approval of the instructor. A DVD of each class will be available for students to view (at AERS office on Moscow and UI TF R&E Center in Twin Falls). The summary/review must be submitted even with an excused absence.Concise Business Plan Working Document (30% of grade): As a course exercise, the student is charged with creating/establishing a new or improving an existing international agribusiness – imagined or real. The international agribusiness plan assignment is an individual project exercise. The business which is the subject of the concise business plan working document, must be agricultural in substance and international in scope. A full business plan complete with detailed financial statements is not required. This concise business plan working document is expected to be 3-5 pages in length (may be longer) and combine narrative writing, bulleted lists of brief statements, and quantitative information. The concise plan working document must include the required sections listed below and incorporate, as appropriate, the international business plan elements outlined below. The length of the final business plan should be whatever is necessary to adequately meet the need and purpose of the hypothetical agribusiness. Other elements for the business plan are possible but must be approved by Dr. Haggerty. As a guide, students are required to use the Business Builder Booklet from Zions Bank Resource Center, entitled "How to develop and use a business plan" accessible via the Internet at http://www.resources.zionsbank.com . The students are expected to submit several drafts (i.e., at least three (3) drafts) of the business plan to Dr. Haggerty for feedback before final submission. The draft business plan may be submitted for feedback as many times as needed before the final submission. The business plan must be submitted in electronic form.The first draft of the Business Plan Working Document is due no later than Monday September 28, 2009 but may be submitted earlier. The final Business Plan Working Document is due at the close of business on Monday November 2, 2009 but may be submitted earlier. Sample business plans will be made available for viewing on the class website, as well as several other sources which can provide guidance on writing a business plan. Each student business plan working document will be made available for viewing by all class participants on the class website. Business Plan Working Document Required Sections: 1. Executive Summary 2. Description of Company - business, goals, objectives 3. Analysis of Market and Market Strategy 4. Description of Product or Service and How They are Produced 5. Description of Management Organization 6. Descriptions of Operations 7. Summary of Financial Needs 8. Determination of Proposed Financing 9. Outline Future Plans 10. Other Considerations (if any) Business Plan Elements: Include but are not limited to: Global marketing Consumer behavior The political and economic environment The social and cultural environment Risk Management – strengths of company to mitigate risks Political Risk Price Risk Foreign Exchange Risk Competitive Risk International transportation and packaging Terms of trade – division of costs and responsibilities between trading partners Methods of payment Import/export documentation Customs regulations Pricing Export contract Negotiations Future issues: e.g., E-commerce Sample business plan formats and plans will be provided on the class website. References and reading materials (illustrative): There is no text required for this course. The following publications may be useful for constructing your business plan. Other references will be brought to your attention during the semester. See Dr. Haggerty about checking out these materials. Taking Your Business Global: Your small business guide to successful international trade (1997), James Wilfong and Toni Seger; Put Your Best Foot Forward – Mexico/Canada: A fearless guide to international communication and behavior/NAFTA (1995), Mary Murray Bosrock; Put Your Best Foot Forward – Asia: A fearless guide to international communication and behavior (1997), Mary Murray Bosrock; The Lexus and the Olive Tree: Understanding globalization (2000), Thomas L. Friedman; The World is Flat: A brief history of the twenty-first century (2007, Release 3.0),Thomas L. Friedman; A Future Perfect: The challenge and hidden promise of globalization (2000), John Micklethwait and Adrian Wooldridge; International Trade in Agricultural Products (2001), Michael R. Reed; Kiss, Bow, or Shake Hands: How to do business in sixty countries (1994), Morrison, Conaway, and Borden; Business Plans Made Easy: It’s not as hard as you think! (2002), Mark Hendricks and John Riddle; A Short Course in International Business Plans: Charting a strategy for success in global commerce (2003), Robert L. Brown and Alan S. Gutterman; The One Page Business Plan for the Creative Entrepreneur (2007), Jim Horan.Instructor: Dr. Bob HaggertyDirector, CALS International Programs Office: Ag Sci Rm 40E Phone: 208-885-6681 (office) Email: haggerty@uidaho.edu Office Hours: By appointment, but "walk-ins" are possible Acknowledgement : Some costs of offering this course have been underwritten by the Ole Swenson – Katsi Toyoda International Agribusiness Visiting Scholar Endowment and UI alumna, Mrs. Kay Swenson. The late Ole Swenson of Genesee, Idaho and the late Katsi Toyoda, of Tokyo, Japan were active business partners in the dry pea and lentil business in the early 1980s. Together they established an endowment in CALS to support a visiting scholar in international agribusiness in the UI Department of Agricultural Economics and Rural Sociology. Through the generosity of Mrs. Kay Swenson and family, proceeds from the endowment plus an annual gift are donated to support this international agribusiness course in the spirit of Ole’s and Katsi’s original shared vision. Donations to the endowment are welcome at anytime and are tax deductible to the full extent of the law. Please consider giving generously and often!rjh/SylIntlAgEc411_Fall09_10709.doc
|
