Lecturers Guide

How to use this text

Given the variety of delivery modes (full-time, part-time and block delivery) used in contemporary business schools and the differing number of credits attached to modules/units, it is impossible to provide one ‘ideal’ structure for a European Business module. However, we believe, if used creatively, the material in this volume can serve most purposes and course structures.

For example, if a course is taught over a short period and has a limited number of credits attached to it, then we would recommend that the course should at least cover the key milestones in the development of the contemporary European business environment, such as the single market and the single currency, perhaps supplemented by one or two of the other chapters (for example, energy or transport) by way of showing how some of the key principles of European integration have been applied in different sectors.

The volume can also be used flexibly in view of contemporary controversies and debates: the chapters provide the general background and key themes to ensure any discussion goes beyond the mere anecdotal and is rooted in an appropriate context and/or theoretical background. For example, in designing our programme for the academic year 2006-7, we are using the labour market chapter as the base and have built in seminar tasks and questions which raise issues relating to the current debate about the impact of labour from the 2004 accession states elsewhere in the EU. In the previous academic year, for example, we used ‘bra wars’ to examine the effects of protectionism on different stakeholders. The more European business modules are linked into contemporary controversies and issues, the better. Fortunately, there has so far never been a shortage of such issues. These issues make European business modules dynamic and stress upon students the relevance of what they are studying.

The book has been divided into four parts. These can be used as guidance for longer, more in-depth programmes.

Part one provides important contextual material for the rest of the book. It is our contention that students will develop a deeper understanding of later topics if they have an appreciation of the national, regional and international context in which European business operates. For example, although business students do not necessarily need the same in-depth knowledge of the theories of integration and how European institutions work as political science students, some appreciation of these areas is useful for understanding how power operates in Europe, what are the main channels for exercising influence and for assessing the relationship between European policy and the business environment.

Part two is concerned with the abiding theme of European policy since the signing of the Treaty of Rome – market integration. In addition to chapters on the two main overarching market integration initiatives – the single market and the single currency – this part also covers policy area which play an important role in supporting such integration such as competition policy and TENs. In addition, this part also has a chapter on small and medium-sized enterprises – important providers of jobs within the European Union – with a view to considering how well suited they are to take advantage of the more integrated market place.

Part three deals with factors of production and resource issues for business. From the point of view of designing a module, the chapters can be used as subject matters in their own right or they can be used as case studies to illustrate some of the themes picked up in part two. For example, for the past few years we have used energy, particularly electricity, as a case study of the opening up of the European market. Electricity is particularly appropriate for this given the difficulties which were encountered in opening the market, the ongoing problems with achieving a single market and the major changes that have occurred in the sector as a result of the liberalisation that has taken place. Alternatively, the energy chapter can be used to give a broader picture of energy policy, which takes into account the three themes of energy policy - competition, environment and security of supply. Indeed, given rising energy prices and the increasing concerns about supply security, this is becoming an extremely topical issue.

Part four is concerned with Europe’s commercial relations with the rest of the world and builds on the final chapter of part one. Given that much of the drive for market integration has been to improve Europe’s international competitiveness, we would recommend that all modules concerning European business should touch upon European business and the external world. In this second edition, we have added a chapter on Europe’s evolving relations with the world’s three biggest emerging economies – Russia, China and India.

Use of lecture slides

We dislike using other people’s lecture slides ourselves for a number of reasons. It may not always be apparent, for example, what another lecturer means on a particular slide, particularly if a slide contains very short bullet points (the ideal from a lecturing point of view). Many of the slides on this site are more detailed (probably more detailed than they need be) but we hope this helps avoid the above problem and that the slides themselves help through giving a structure to your lectures. What slides cannot do is reflect the richness of examples that can and should be used in European business lectures. These examples come from experience and from regular reading of the Financial Times – again, lectures gain colour from the use of contemporary examples.

However, we hope our lecture slides help you. Please bear in mind the following:

Some of the lectures on this web-site are very long and some are explicitly written in several sections that are divided by header pages. For example, the lecture on the emerging economies is divided into three parts but you could if you wanted, and depending on the time available, focus merely on China.

Others are very long because we would deliver them over more than one lecture session on the basis that sometimes it can be better to deliver a smaller range of content but in more depth. For example, there are many lecture slides on the single currency but when teaching the currency, we devote two lectures to it – the first, is general about the emergence of the single currency and how it is supposed to work whereas the second deals with challenges facing the single currency, both in terms of eurozone members and EU members outside the eurozone. This works for us in terms of allowing more time for absorption of a complex and highly significant issue. In shorter modules, we would just have one lecture on this topic.

Use of activities

The balance between lectures-seminars varies from institution to institution. How seminars are organised is dependent on a number of things. However, a variety of activities tends to sustain interest. The text contains suggestions regarding activities. Many involve the students undertaking their own research and reporting back. This can be useful in providing an opportunity to link their findings to the week’s topic. On a more general study skills point, many students will report back what they have found on the Internet. The Internet is a very valuable source of information for European Business (and many other business topics) but it is often used indiscriminately and unquestioningly by students. When students report back on the week’s topic, it is common for opportunities to arise to discuss where and how they have uncovered material and, particularly, to help students develop a more critical stance to what they find. This can be an invaluable lesson if it feeds through into assessed work.