Faculty
Cand.merc

Course Coordinator
Verner Worm et.all.

Students must document Chinese language qualifications as well as general knowledge of China and Chinese culture and societies on a level equivalent to the BSc. degree in Business Administration and Chinese at the Asian Studies Programme. The course is also of benefit to Chinese natives and others fluent in Chinese who take interest in the course content.

The course will focus on Party-State-Business relations. China has a socialist, one-party government, and although the pressure from the global political and economic environment is pushing for more pluralism, this has only been somewhat achieved in the economic area. China’s one-party rule has responded to the international pressure and challenges by engaging in a process of creating a new institutional setup, while modernising and restructuring the remaining organisational system and allowing a plethora of social organisations and associations (shetuan) to develop. Nevertheless, the role of the party is crucial for understanding Chinese business environment, because the party control the appointment not only of important institutions and associations, but also the appointment of business leaders to the large state-owned enterprises (SOE). The SOEs are still important for the Chinese economy and most R&D in China take place in the large SOEs.

The aim of the course is twofold. On the one hand it will build up students’ oral communicative skills in Chinese. The course will provide the students with an understanding of terms and concepts specific to Chinese public institutional development, and enable students to present and discuss issues relevant to this. On the other hand the course will provide the students with insights into the context for business in China, providing them with insights into the institutional dynamics of this country.

Having completed the course the students should be able to:

· describe and critically discuss theories and approaches that address the strategies and policies of developing country governments and other stakeholders with regard to fostering industrial development, competitiveness and integration in a global economy on the one hand and poverty reduction and sustainable development on the other hand,

· relate these theories to each other and identify similarities and differences in relation to internal and external factors and actors of the developmental dynamic,

· apply development theories and strategies to empirical evidence about development trajectories and challenges, policies and practices of developing country states, andanalyze and synthesize impacts of strategies and policies of developing country governments and other stakeholders in terms of national competitiveness and sustainable development.

The students will write a one page synopsis (500 characters) in Chinese that serves as the launch pad for a discussion of the syllabus and topics covered in the class. The synopsis must be submitted two weeks prior to the exam. The examination is oral and takes its point of departure in the synopsis, beginning with a presentation by the student (five-ten min) and it is followed by an open discussion. The examination will take 30 minutes (including five minutes evaluation).

For full degree students: Students receive two grades: one grade that is determined by the content of his/her performance at the exam, and another that reflects his/her communicative skills in Chinese.

For credit/exchange students: The examination will take 20 minutes (including five minutes evaluation). Students receive one grade determined by the content of his/her performance. (There will be no assessment in oral communicative skills for credit/exchange students).

Classroom teaching and discussions based on readings. The students are expected to participate actively in the classroom and take turns making presentions that sum up and discuss the issues in the readings. Finally, students must display an ability to gather literature in addition to the course material.

Peter Nolan, China and the Global Economy (in Chinese).