The Asia-Pacific Region has emerged as an enormous economic force comparable in significance to the United States and Europe, a growing mass of middle-class Asian consumers have been added to the world economy, and a dynamic breed of Asian companies have joined the league of multinationals. However, multinationals entering the Asia-Pacific Rim countries must realize that the competitive environments, socio-political institutions, cultural norms and business practices in the Asia-Pacific region are markedly different from those in Western industrialized countries. The main objectives of this course are to identify such differences and to analyze the impact of these differences on the strategies of multinational companies. Topics include: historical contexts, the role of the state, government-business relationships, inter-business networks, institutional and economic reforms, market competitions, consumer tastes, and business etiquettes.

Requirements: This course is restricted to students enrolled in the 3rd or 4th year of the Commerce Program.