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JAP AEOC Asian Economic Organisation & Competitiveness*

Faculty
Kjeld Erik Brødsgaard/various
Course Coordinator
Kjeld Erik Brødsgaard
Prerequisite/progression of the course
It is an advantage if the students have basic knowledge on economics.
Course content, structure and teaching
Classes are lecture/discussion format. There will also be student presentations. 4 hours per week for 8 weeks.
Social organization and competitiveness of Japanese and Chinese business organizations, in the context of contemporary Asian society, the international environment and the global production networks.
Give an overview of Japan’s and China’s role in the global economy, followed by a series of lectures on the nature of Japanese/Chinese economic organizations. In addition the competitiveness of the two countries will be discussed in overall terms as well as from the perspective of selected industries and branches. Against this background the course then explores issues related to Japan’s/China’s approach to market economy and examines in detail Japanese/Chinese business networks, the form and structure of the Japanese/Chinese firm, the institutional, economic and political environment as well as the development of “alliance/network” capitalism.
The course's development of personal competences
At the end of the course the students should be able to:
  • Identify the “East Asian Challenge” in terms of economic growth, foreign trade, foreign direct investment and role in global production chains.
  • Discuss competing theories on national and global competitiveness, such as Porter’s Diamond and Nolan’s Big Business Revolution, in the context of contemporary Asian society with particular reference to China or Japan.
  • Compare business networks and/or corporate governance models in China and Japan and evaluate the importance of recent reform.
  • Define similarities and differences in the industrial structures and in enterprise management practices in China and Japan.
  • Write a social science term paper that applies relevant material from the compendium and the obligatory literature, showing a clear delimitation of the research question, and demonstrating an ability to apply standard rules for quoting and referencing the applied literature and sources.
Type of examination, exam aids and assessment
The examination is based on a term paper derived from course material, based on a topic that the instructor approves.
Teaching methods
Classes are lecture/discussion format. There will also be student presentations. 4 hours per week for 8 weeks.
Recommended literature
1. Gerlach, M.L. (1992). Alliance Capitalism: The Social Organization of Japanese Business. Berkeley: University of California Press.
2. Keister, L.A. (2000). Chinese Business Groups: The Structure and Impact of Interfirm Relations during Economic Development. Oxford: Oxford University Press.
3. Nolan, P. (2001). China and the Global Economy: National Champions, Industrial Policy and the Big Business Revolution. New York: Palgrave.
4. A compendium of additional readings will be available in the school bookstore. Further readings will be available to students via SiteScape.

Last updated by The Electives Office 30/06/2009