*Click on the moduleconcerned to go to the relevant outline of its contents
The first week in Brussels, Belgium, focuses on the EU and its corridors of power and their relation to intra and extra community business.EU LAWis covered from a business point of view, and so are the Enlargement Issues & the new Constitution.. TheBusiness in Europemodule will look at technical aspects of doing business in Europe.
You will visit:
* E.U. district including lectures at the European commission
* Atomium
* Historic Brussels - Grand Place, Manneken Pis, Royal Palace and museums
* Bruges, Europe's best-preserved medieval city which provides a welcome break on the way down from Amsterdam
On the weekend the program moves to Amsterdam for a free weekend to explore the city (canal tour organised) before heading for Haarlem on Monday for, FINANCE, North South Cultural Issues in Europe , and STRATEGIC MARKETINGsessions, linked to the relevant field visits. The group returns to the hotel in Amsterdam every night.
Chances to visit:
* Famous canals of Amsterdam
* Rijks and Van Gogh museums
* Anne Frank's House
* Heineken brewery
* Holland Casino
The end of the second week is spent in Normandy, France (Le Havre and Caen), where participants attend E-BUSINESSand LOGISTICS workshops and lectures. Whilst in Le Havre, a day excursion is organised to Caen, Bayeux, Omaha (D-Day Beaches).
Those participants interested can take advantage of the Cross Channel ferries from Le Havre or Caen to Portsmouth , England to spend the weekend in London (Package offers available, including return overnight crossings with berth, return train fare to London and Saturday night in hotel with Continental breakfast). (2007 participants: please refer to 'restricted access INFO PAGE' for updated info ( as from end of March 2007)
A session on Wine Marketing at global level and aninterim session of cultancy on projects will help participants move further in their task.
Final five days in Paris, including a long weekend in Paris provide the opportunity to enjoy the n°1 tourist destination in the world and visit Versailles
Chances to visit during that week:
* Le Havre, where Claude Monet painted 'Impressions Sunrise' in 1872 - 300 yards from the busines school
* Honfleur - a charming medieval harbour on the Seine Estuary. One of the birthplaces of Impressionism
* Etretat - a seaside resort famous for its cliffs (also immortalised by Claude Monet)
* Bayeux: William The Conqueror's Tale of the Conquest of England on the Bayeux Tapestry
* Caen & Arromanches and D Day beaches (Colleville American War Cemetery)
In Paris for a free long weekend,:
* Eiffel Tower and the other monuments
* Museums of Paris: Orsay & Le Louvre
* Disneyland Paris
* Moulin Rouge
* Da Vinci Code trail
The final week is spent in Barcelona, the dynamic capital of the Catalunya province in Spain. To reach Barcelona, participants travel by the "Hotel Tren" Joan Miro (overnight sleeper).
During the week in Barcelona, participants discuss issues facing Southern Europe and EU STRATEGIC MARKETINGPART 2: Strategic marketing in Europe ) and make an oral presentation of their project before a panel of experts. A visit to the world famous Torres Winery includes a wine tasting demonstration and banquet which acts as a final review of most participants newly acquired Wine Culture.
Chances to visit:
* The architectural work of Gaudi, the main precursor of Modernism, and La Sagrada Familia Cathedral
* Beaches including Platja Del Bogatell which was created for the Olympic games in 1992
* Olympic Port and the Aquarium which is the biggest in Europe and unique in the world for Mediterranean fauna
* La Rambla, Plaça de Sant Josep Oriol and Plaça Reial for the history, shops and cafes
* Museu Picasso and the Fundacio Joan Miro
Note: Field trips are selected to complement the interests and experience of participants. Therefore, until we have the full list of participants (30 April, 2007), it is not possible to provide details of the extra field trips planned for the 2007 program.
Participants will be notified personally once all field trips for the 2007 program have been finalised. You can, however, look at the Journal for a summary of field trips undertaken on last year's program.
If your firm has partners in the cities on the tour, an individual/group visit can be arranged.
This module consists in a series of lectures designed to give background information on current issues related to the governance of the EU. Brussels is the ideal location to obtain up-to-date input from senior ranking officials involved in the day-to-day running of the continent.
List of topics covered during the last sessions:
Lecture given at Vlekho Business School
* Origins of the EU & its Institutions 3 hrs Historical perspective - Main institutions (Commission, Council & Parliament) and the recent evolution in their respective roles - Common policies
Examples of Lectures given at the EU Commission
* The Political Future of the EU
* Wine and Spirits
* Road and Rail Transport
EVALUATION
A written individual evaluation in the form of a test on the main features of the Common European policies.
RECOMMENDED PRE-SESSIONAL READINGS
* Understanding the European Union Sir William Nicoll & Trevor C. Salmon, Pearson Education Ltd (2001) - chapters on the history and institutions
* Position papers in relevant fields to be found on the EU Commission site.
Throughout the week in Brussels, the focus is on the developments that have taken place in Europe leading to the current and rapidly evolving nature of the EU. This course on EU business law will put the legal aspects within this context.
An overview is thus given of the sources of law, the legal principles, the structures and the interaction between national law and the surpranational law of the Union. Once that base level of understanding is achieved, the course moves on to look at the fundamentals of EU Law, namely:
- free movement of goods,
- competition policy,
- intellectual property.
Each of these is developed by looking at: the law, the principles and the effect on business transactions, both with the EEA and with third countries.
CONTENTS
3 half-day sessions (9hrs):
Session 1: Introduction, the history of the communities (ECSC, EEC and EURATOM), the treaties (from Rome to Nice), the sources of law, the structures and their legal impact, the legal principles (supremacy, direct effect, extra-territorial effect, etc.)
Session 2: Free movement of goods, fiscal and quantitative, standstill provisions, measures having equivalent effect -- the essential case law (Dassonville, Cassis de Dijon, Keck). derogations and their effect.
Session 3: Competition policy, agreements between undertakings, effect on intra community trade, derogations, the role of exemptions. Dominant position, existence and abuse. Intellectual property: existence and exercise, exhaustion of rights.
FORMAT
Mini-cases are used to illustrate how the relevant law can be identified, and then applied to typical business situations. Decided cases will be analysed, and in sessions 2 and 3, a transcript of either a decision or a judgement will be analysed in groups.
EVALUATION
In small groups, participants will be given the reference of a decided case before the EU Court of Justice, and will have to answer a series of questions about the case, submitting a single report for the group.
TUTOR: Professor Tim Birtwistle (Leeds Law School, UK). Research interests: Business Law -- latest publication was on European Union Law. Professor Birtwistle has taught at many universities in the world (from Moscow to Nicosia). He has developed and taught this session with great success since the first edition of this program 10 years ago.
Le Havre is the n°1 container port in France, and the 5th port in Europe. This unique environment is the ideal background to this module.
FORMAT (6hrs)
A series of lectures to help participants understand the concept of integrated logistics & the supply chain and transport strategies with relevance to the European environment.
In addition, to introduce the professional visit of the Port of Le Havre, a full presentation is given in class of the major role played by ports in the logistics chain.
EVALUATION
Groups will submit a paper to support the logistics related decision made within the context of their project. back to general outline
STRATEGIC MARKETING
(PART 1)
An industry approach -- The case of wine in Europe
In terms of strategic marketing, which will be reviewed in the first week by Professor Olivier Kovarski (NBS), an area management approach needs to be cross-fertilized by an industry approach. With this perspective in mind, the specifics of wine marketing in Europe and from Europe are introduced by Professor Michel Bourqui (OIV - International Organization for Vine and Wine) in Paris. This review of consumer behaviour, wine marketing systems and main operators will give the relevant data and concepts needed to make the most of the professional visit to the Torres Winery vineyards and cellars later on cin Barcelona.
FIELD TRIPS (6hrs)
Viist to a brewery and case study on the strategic marketing issues this company is faced with.
Visit to Torres - vineyards and facilities - Presentation by executives on current marketing strategies. followed by demonstration banquet with running comments by an oenologist
DEBRIEFING & EVALUATION (2hrs)
Before the debriefing and review session, groups will hand in a one-page comments on the Torres example in the light of the initial lecture.
STRATEGIC MARKETING
(PART 2)
Strategic marketing in Europe
Class : 6hrs Project: 20 hrs
GOALS
To give participants the relevant approach to design an overall marketing strategy within a European context. To achieve this, beyond a focus on the key factors of success, appeal and competitiveness of a firm on a given market, a study of the wine industry will serve as a basis for discussion (see PART 1 above).
FORMAT
Students have been working in groups on the marketing strategy for a wine, beer or similar produce in order to penetrate the EU market since the first day in Brussels (see PROJECT). In the final week, the resulting recommendations are presented to a panel of marketing professors.
A final session (3hrs) reviews these presentations and builds up a structured approach for a marketing strategy by capitalising on the positive and negative aspects of the students recommendations.
Key factors reviewed: strategic marketing approach, segmentation, positioning, key factors of success, appeal and competitiveness, criteria for selecting a marketing strategy.
RECOMMENDED READINGS (prior to joining the program)
* International Marketing, Stanley J; Paliwoda & Michael J. Thomas, Butterworth, Heinemann --> chapters 1,2,4 & 6
* Marketing Management & Strategy , Peter Doyle, Prentice Hall
--> chapter 3
e-BUSINESS IN THE EU
AIMS
To develop the participants' awareness of the development factors for e-business in Europe together with the specific aspects of e-marketing on the EU markets.
Participants will be able to identify the main actors in the European business scene and the major factors that bear on the development of e-business. They will be able to perform a critical analysis of a European web site from a marketing point of view.
MAIN POINTS COVERED:
- the nature of e-business in Europe
- opportunities and limitations in Europe
- key success factors for e-business in Europe
- what is e-marketing?
- key success factors for an internet site aimed at the EU markets
EVALUATION
* Critical analysis of a wine web site from a marketing point of view
RECOMMENDED READINGS
Electronic Commerce: a managerial perspective , E. Turban,J.Lee, D. King, H.M. Chung, Prentice Hall
Principles of Internet Marketing , Ward Hanson, South-Western College Publishing back to general outline
FINANCE
FORMAT
This session is based on the morning's field visit to the company concerned.
FIELD VISIT
Holland Casino.
FINANCE CASE STUDY
Based on the Holland Casino example, and enriched by presentations by the Holland Casino executives.
EVALUATION
Presentation and written recommendations by the sub-groups.
Lecturer Dr Koen Vanheusden Regulatory Expert Belgian Foreign Trade Board
E-mailKoen.vanheusden@abh-ace.org
Learning outcomes :Insight in how companies manage international activities and their contractual organization in reality. Understanding the tensions that may arise within companies between the different departments (sales, logistics, finance, legal, production; …) due to their different approach of ‘international trade’. Understanding and managing the risks of international trade.
Pre-requisites :Basic knowledge of Incoterms, customs, logistics, payment techniques, distribution techniques Course Content :.ppt-presentation
To help towards a better understanding and cooperation between national cultures in Europe; to give an international outlook and a comparative approach to cultural differences and convergence in internationalization: the cases of the EU and the Worldculture.
CONTENT
1.Culture and Culture Analysis Methods:
Concepts, Cultural match or clash (ethnocentrism, racism, etc)
2. Glass Onion (Beatles song) as a metaphor of any culture
Significant elements
Cultures in the plural and the mix of subcultures
. national, regional, ethnic, religious, traditional, modern and postmodern lifestyles
. organizational culture and subcultures -- fusion and innovation of a common culture within companies & organisations
. organizational culture in a whole society (nation, community, world religion, social class or cultural elite-formation)
3. The meeting of cultures: cultural confrontation, differences and conflicts encounter, dialogue and consensus-making (CCC-inc)
. Reconciliation opportunities for conflicting elements of cultural differences and ways of dialogue, discussion and debate in the process and proceedings of : The WIN/WIN solutions by CCC incorporated methods (Consensus-making, by Creative thinking towards Compromise and by Coalition of Actors)
The case of the European integration 1957-2001 ( integrative methods of European Integration: a classification with illustrating cases)
4. Five critical dimensions of culture
* Geert Hofstede (Dutch Cultural Anthropologist) about cultural consequences
* The international index of culture comparative analysis on 5 main topics
5. The 3-step method in managing culture differences and diversity
& the surplus value of the 'double-perspective approach'
