Prague & London

July 2000

The international trip for Class I was structured as an integral part of an elective course in International Business and Marketing. One of the most valuable components of the international trip is exposure to unique historical, cultural, political, and geographical factors that influence the actions and priorities of the people and its companies. For example, without actually being in Prague it would have been difficult to fully appreciate the issues and opportunities associated with a country transitioning from a centrally planned economy to a market-based economy. While in Prague the class had discussions with university faculty on topics such as cross-culture communications (Europe and the world), historical development of the Czech Republic and Central Europe, transformation of a centrally-planned economy in relation to the European Union. A panel discussion was held with senior managers from several companies in the Czech Republic, and a representative from the American Chamber of Commerce provided perspective on foreign companies doing business in the Czech Republic. Finally, the class spent a day at Skoda, the largest manufacturer in the CR and a member of the VW Consortium.

In London, the class spent a day at Jaguar touring the facility and meeting with senior managers, focusing on product strategy (product rationalization and positioning regionally and globally), Jaguar's relationship with Ford (product and platform development, process development, decision making, supply chain, organizational culture and integration), and future challenges and opportunities (web, the EU, changing competitive dynamics). Students and faculty spent a second day at Notre Dame London Centre for lectures and discussions with business leaders at S1 Corporation, Strategos, and eEurope.