Global Business Courses 2007-08

BUSI798W Competing on Analytics in Europe (Summer I)

The creation of the European Union has opened up many opportunities as well as created many challenges for businesses in Europe. While the European market is conceptually regarded as one, there are unique cultures, customs, and nations within this market that require focused strategies and special skills for firms to gain the competitive advantage in such a market. In this course, we focus on how European firms use analytics as a way to gain the competitive edge in the European as well as other markets.

Analytics are becoming an increasingly important component of modern business. Due to increasing desktop computing power and companies amassing transaction data, opportunities arise for making decisions in practice that are firmly grounded in data. This is true in many sectors, but particularly in banking, retailing, internet marketing and direct marketing. Many examples can easily be cited among US companies such as Amazon, Google, Harrah's, Capital One or the Boston Red Sox, who use analytics as a key strategic tool. What is known to a lesser extent is how far European companies are competing on analytics, within Europe and also with companies from the US, especially in a market as diverse as theirs.

In this course, we will study competing on analytics from a European perspective. The course will cover application of analytics in the area of customer selection, service, pricing, customer loyalty, product and service quality, and human capital management as practiced by European firms. We will also study issues such as privacy laws characterizing the European Union and their impact on analytics practice. Much of the learning in the course will be derived from site visits to European firms, seminars in European universities and interaction with EU policy makers. This will be complemented by cultural activities and visits as part of the experiential component of the course.

Countries: France (Paris and Nice) and Germany (Frankfurt, Koeln, Koblenz)

Faculty:

Application available here. 

This course is now full.  If you would like to be added to the waitlist, you may apply by emailing your application to the Center for Global Business Education. 

We will register you for this class, you do not register via Testudo.

Schedule: Three to four pre-departure class meetings in College Park

Overseas Visit: Depart US evening May 21 to arrive Saturday – return Sunday June 1, 2008

Deliverables:

  • Pre-trip: Case on European Union and its impact on business in Europe; focus on differences between international and local businesses, etc
  • Post-trip: Team paper on take-away from trip; summary of insights learned from company visits, executive presentations, etc in the context of competing on the basis of analytics.

Tentative Itinerary:

  • May 21: Leave US for Paris
  • May 22: Arrive Paris – sightseeing in Paris
  • May 23: Company visits, Paris; travel to Nice (CERAM)
  • May 24: Company visits, Nice
  • May 25: Free day in Nice – visit Monaco
  • May 26-27: Company visits, Nice
  • May 27: Travel to Koblenz (WHU)
  • May 28-30: Company visits, Frankfurt & Koeln
  • May 31: Free day in Duesseldorf – visit soccer game
  • June 1: Leave from Frankfurt to US

Companies/ types of companies:

  • Companies with focus on technology & analytics, particularly its application in marketing; among them
    • Policy making/ policy forming institution; speaker on privacy laws, especially information- or data-privacy laws and their impact on business
    • Data mining or analytics for human resource decisions at a European soccer club; combine with cultural visit of soccer game
    • E-commerce companies
    • Large retailers and loyalty programs
    • Banking (e.g. Frankfurt) & Insurance (e.g. Cologne) companies (?)

Proposed cultural activities:

  • Soccer game
  • Cote d’Azur; Vineyard in South France
  • Castles in Germany

Tuition: $5300 + BMGT fees

Note: Tuition includes hotel, local transportation, and some meals; does not include airfare.

Please review the World Citizens Guide, from Business for Diplomatic Action prior to departure.

For more information, please contact Lisa Barnard.
 
Following are the courses for the academic year 2007-08:
► Competitive Advantage through an India Strategy (Mumbai, Bangalore and Delhi) (January 2008)
► Doing Business in China (Shanghai and Hong Kong) (January 2008)
► Doing Business in the Middle East (Dubai and Kuwait) (January 2008)
► Competing on Analytics in Europe (France and Germany) (May 2008)
► Doing Business in South Africa (South Africa) (May 2008)
► Leadership and Strategy in Chilean Organizations (May 2008)
► Doing Business in Vietnam (May 2008)