MBA and Sloan Elective Courses: Political Economy
POLECON 332. Managers and the Legal Environment
To excel, managers and entrepreneurs must know how to operate successfully in the legal environment of business. The goal of this course is to teach students how to identify legal issues before they become legal problems. The goal is not to teach students how to think like lawyers, but rather how to deal effectively with the constraints and opportunities created by the law. The course addresses the legal aspects of business agreements and relationships. Subjects covered include constitutional law, contracts, torts, product liability, international business transactions, and intellectual property issues. The legal aspects of the employment relationship as they relate to protection of trade secrets, wrongful termination, discrimination and sexual harassment will be considered. The course will consider the pros and cons of litigation and alternative dispute resolution (such as arbitration and mediation). Finally, the course will examine the different forms of business organizations available and the fiduciary duties of officers, directors and controlling the shareholders
POLECON 347. Intellectual Property and Its Effect on Business
This course explores the impact intellectual property rights have on business decisions. We begin with a general background of intellectual property law including copyright, trademark, patent and trade secret. We will also cover quasi property rights such as database and privacy. Each of these distinct rights will be examined through a case methodology affording students an opportunity to gauge the relative strengths and weaknesses of a particular form of protection. As the value of intellectual property rises, the avenues of economic return increase. We will analyze various methods of maximizing such economic returns. Focus for this course is on the impact both technological innovation and intellectual property law have on business strategies. This is not a class designed to teach students the law of intellectual property. Rather, this course educates business decision makers on the impact intellectual property can have on the bottom line. This course employs a mixed lecture/case discussion format. We will have several sessions with lectures by visiting industry experts.
POLECON 349. The Business World: Moral and Spiritual Inquiry through Literature
This course uses novels and plays as a basis for examining the moral and spiritual aspects of business leadership and of the environment in which business is done. On the one hand literature is used as the basis for examining the character of business people, while on the other hand literature provides illumination of the cultural contexts of values and beliefs within which commercial activities take place in a global economy. The course is organized around the interplay of religious traditions and national identities. Classes are taught in a Socratic, discussion-based style, creating as much of a seminar atmosphere as possible. A two-text method is used, encouraging students to examine their own personal stories with as much care as the stories presented in the literature. This four unit course will be graded on the basis of class participation and a final paper. There will be no exam.
POLECON 395. Politics and Business in Europe
The policies of the European Union (EU) have a tremendous impact on the activities of global companies. Companies that want access to the EU market of nearly half a billion consumers must comply with EU product standards. Mergers of companies active in the EU require EU approval. For these reasons it is important to understand the politics and policies of the EU. Europe is going through a period of rapid change both at the economic and political level. Markets are being deregulated, and political institutions are constantly being reformed. A single currency has been introduced, and the EU is expanding eastward. Trade disputes have become more prevalent, and transatlantic relations have been strained. This course studies the politics of the EU and its member states, the principal economic and political issues that are currently on the EU?s agenda, and their effect on business. The course consists of class discussions, case studies, and a number of guest lectures by European business people and politicians.
