Czech Republic

This course introduces the concept of organizational behavior exploring the individual, group, and organizational dynamics within the workplace. The course provides a comprehensive understanding of the factors which influence human behaviors in organizations, and how these behaviors impact individual and organizational outcomes. Through exposure to a combination of theoretical concepts, real-world case studies, and practical applications, the course develops valuable insights and skills to effectively navigate the complexities of the modern workplace. The course is based on readings and case studies of companies around the world, with special attention to regional, national, and global contexts.

The Czech Republic is known for its rich cultural heritage, and its cuisine is an integral part of its identity. This course examines the historical, cultural, and social influences that have shaped Czech cuisine, and how this cuisine reflects the country’s culture and values. In addition to exploring the traditional Czech cuisine, its ingredients, and the methods used in preparing them, the course analyzes their nutritional value and impact on the overall health of the population, looks into recent food and consumption trends, food marketing, tourism, and sustainability. Throughout the course, students engage in critical thinking and analysis, as well as hands-on activities such as food preparation and field trips.

This course examines the philosophical foundations and basic principles of ethics as they apply to businesses and the environments in which they operate. Real-world case studies are used to provide students with insight into how businesses and organizations manage - and in some cases fail to manage - challenging ethical and moral dilemmas. It also considers the particular responsibilities of business leaders in fostering ethical awareness and practices within the corporate context.

This course focuses intensely on films of the Visegrad region - Czech, Slovak, Hungarian, and Polish - long known as an artistic and intellectual island within the greater European sphere. Although ravaged by war, foreign occupation, and totalitarian governments for much of the last few centuries, the Visegrad countries have managed to survive and often thrive as centers of culture and artistic experimentation. This course focus on films from four of the largest cultural groups in the Visegrad region with the goal of examining how this region’s history has impacted its culture by looking at the four regions’ responses to identity, war, and domestic social problems. In addition to focusing on film theory, the course also discusses cultural history and media theory, learning approaches to “reading” films not only as movies, but also as multi-faceted cultural artifacts. To this end, readings contain primary source materials on cinema history, historical research, film theory, and literature intended to broaden our understanding of the various cultures, visual and otherwise, which inform cinema creation in this part of Europe.

This course introduces the concept of strategic management through case analyses, and considers the basic direction and goals of an organization, the environment (social, political, technological, economic, and global factors), industry and market structure, and organizational strengths and weaknesses. The course focuses on the strategic management of the company in a dynamic global context. Strategic Management combines the knowledge and skills of the highest levels of management and corporate management in the long term and is considered the key to success. The study of the external environment and internal resources and capabilities of the company, in order to guide strategic decisions, is addressed. The course is based on readings and case studies of companies around the world, with special attention to regional and national contexts.

This course provides an overview of the dynamics of the global financial and international monetary systems. It develops knowledge of the fundamental concepts needed to understand foreign direct investment, financial flows, international trade, and investment deals. As political risk and economic exposure to global events have become more immediate, special attention is given to the 2007-2012 world banking crisis, the role of central banks in the stabilization of national economies, national debts, and the specific economic challenges to which individual countries have been exposed in varying ways. Alternative views and policy measures to help struggling economies overcome the economic and financial crisis like contracting (or expanding) government spending are assessed and critically analyzed.

Tracing the history of beer from China in 7000 BCE, through to the impact of U.S. federal law and European Union regulations, this course explores the determinants and drivers of the economics of beer. This course includes an examination of the labor market and brewing, technology and innovation, national beer market trends, media and marketing of beer, new and emerging beer markets, cultural and political factors impacting the beer market, and the decline and rise of local, import, and craft beers.