Dr G J Whitwell 316-102 Introductory Microeconomics First semester Two 1-hour lectures and one 1-hour tutorial per week On completion of this subject students should be able to:

• describe factors which affect the operation of the international business system;
• analyse and describe the effectiveness of alternative growth strategies of multinational enterprises;
• identify and analyse the role of foreign direct investment in structuring the international economy;
• apply microeconomic theory to the analysis of the multinational firm.

Evolution of the international business system of trade, investment and international institutions; emergence of the international market in producer and consumer goods and in services; origins, growth and attributes of the multinational enterprise; strategies of overseas expansion; international banking and services; technology transfer and international economic activity; theory of foreign direct investment and the theory of the multinational as an economic organisation; rise of Japanese multinationals and Japanese foreign direct investment in Australia; multinationals in Asia; the emergence of multinationals from developing countries; impact of international firms on host countries; joint ventures, strategic alliances and international coalitions; origins and activities of international organisations such as GATT, OECD and European Union. One 2-hour examination (70%); written work not exceeding 2,500 words (25%); and tutorial performance (5%).