Faculty of Business: Management
Credit points: 6 cp

Subject level: Undergraduate

Result Type: Grade and marks

Requisite(s): 21591 International Management
These requisites may not apply to students in certain courses.
There are also course requisites for this subject. See access conditions.

Handbook description

This subject involves an exploration of the dimensions of the business-government relationship and the roles of these major institutional players in different societies. A fundamental question involves the direction and effectiveness of influence and control. The subject includes a comparative analysis of the business-government relationships in a selection of industrialised and developing countries.

Subject objectives/outcomes

On successful completion of this subject students should be able to:

1. Critically discuss the roles and responsibilities of both government and business in a number of different societies.
2. Analyse the patterns of relationships between business and government in theory and practice.
3. Compare and contrast the roles of government with regard to business development and regulation between industrialised and developing nations.
4. Demonstrate an awareness of the impact of historical and cultural environments on the business-government relationship.

Contribution to graduate profile

This subject complements the subjects, International Business and International Management, by exploring the business-government relationship by means of a cross-national comparative approach. It may be taken as part of either the Major in International Business or the Sub-Major in International Management. It also provides one of the pre-requisites for the integrating subject International Management Field Study. The subject requires the development of a comparative perspective across industrialised and developing nations in respect of the business-government relationship.

Teaching and learning strategies

This subject will be taught using a combination of lectures and seminars. The classes will use printed and electronic material. Students will be expected to read widely in the international press and journals, surf the Internet and critically evaluate the sources in preparation of the assessments.

Content

• Identifying arenas and players in International Business
• Political Ideologies
• Impacts of globalisation on Business, Government and Society
• Public v Private Domains - Contracting Out and Privatisation?
• Corporatism, Neocorporatism and National Development
• Nationalism and National (Public) Interest
• Channels of Influence – Media and Lobbying
• Trade Policy and Industry Policy
• Enforcing National Business Interests - Political Risk and Terrorism
• The Future – Global Governance, Societies and Welfare Capitalism.

Assessment

Research Project (Group)	30%
The aim of the project is for students to apply materials studied in the subject to a current issue involving relationships between business and government. There are two components, a group report (30%) and an in-class group presentation (10%) (satisfying Objectives 1-4).
Class exercises and quizzes (Individual)	10%
A series of assessable class exercises and short quizzes will be conducted during tutorials (satisfying Objectives 1-4).
Final Exam (Individual)	60%
(satisfying Objectives 1-4).

Examinations will be conducted under University Examination conditions, and hence thoroughly address secure assessment concerns. Group assessment topics will be changed to reflect the contemporary debates on the influence of international business on business, government and society. The group report is subjected to plagiarism detection software.

Recommended text(s)

Ryan, N, Parker, R and Brown, K (2003). Government, Business and Society, 2nd edition.Sydney: Prentice Hall.

Wilson, G. (2003) Business and Politics: A Comparative Introduction. Hampshire UK: Palgrave MacMillan.

Books of Readings for this subject - available from University Co-op Bookshop.

Indicative references

Dawkins, P and Kelly, P (2003), Hard Heads, Soft Hearts: A New Reform Agenda for Australia. Crows Nest: Allen and Unwin. (In Closed Reserve UTS Library).

Van Acker, E and Curran, G (2004), Governing Business and Globalisation. Frenchs Forest: Pearson.

Weidenbaum, M (2004), Business and Government in the Global Marketplace. New Jersey: Pearson.