Regional Studies and International Business - annotation
1st SEMESTER
Microeconomics 2
The course aims to familiarize students with the contemporary concepts of microeconomics. In addition to traditional models of consumer and firm behaviour and a general equilibrium model the course also includes an introduction into the game theory and behavioural economics. Special attention is paid to the problems of economics of (asymmetric) information. On completing this course, students should be well equipped with the basic knowledge necessary for further study of advanced economic theory, as well as for applied analysis of various economic situations. The course represents an equivalent to modern microeconomics courses provided at most of the foreign universities, taught on so-called "intermediate level".
International Trade
The course is designed to update and broaden knowledge of international trade theory and practical methods in foreign trade activity. It helps students to establish solid understanding of areas of international trade necessary for IB master's degree graduates.
Financial Law
The aim of the introductory part of the course is to acquaint students with a general part of financial law, i.e. with the concepts of finance, financial relations, financial activities and the very concept of financial law, as well as with sources of law and system and status of financial law. The course also explains financial legal relations with an emphasis on subjects of such relations. Furthermore, the course focuses on a more detailed interpretation of individual parts of financial law, budgetary law, including funds managing a budget process, tax and fee law, also procedural law, customs law, monetary, foreign exchange and financial market law too. The lectures of tax law are explained by solving real case studies.
Legal Protection of Industrial and other Intellectual Property in International Trade
The course focuses on explanation of basic concepts of copyright law, patents and utility models, industrial designs, trademarks, appellations of origin, trade secrets and know-how in the context of relations with an international element. The course also offers a complex view on the regulation of these relations in the Czech Republic, in Europe and internationally. Students will be introduced into issues of licensing agreements with particular regard to contracts in international environment, enforcement of intellectual property rights, valuation of intangible assets and legal-industrial background research with a focus on industrial safety legislation. The course also briefly mentions the issue of unfair competition and it´s legal remedy. The final section focuses on international agreements, such as the TRIPS Agreement, and on international multilateral treaties, particularly in terms of the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO). Last but not least, students will learn more about international and European legislation harmonization in this area, with special emphasis on the EU legislation.
Decision-Making under Risk
The objective of the course is to introduce students to the probabilistic way of thinking in decision making and thereby increase their ability to find and implement appropriate decision under the given conditions and consequences. The course is aimed at clarifying the nature of decision-making, different decision criteria and advantages of using the Bayesian approach in a decision making process. Students will gain knowledge about the basics of probability calculus, tables of gains and losses, the most common decision criteria, decision trees, as well as about using utility during decision-making process and about importance of personal characteristics for the optimal decision under conditions of risk and uncertainty.
Introduction to Statistics
The course provides all graduate students with a deeper insight into the statistical and probabilistic way of thinking and prepares them for two quantitatively oriented courses in the following semesters (Marketing Decisions and Data and Statistical Tools for Data Analysis). Introduction to Statistics is an optional course (i.e. beyond the standard range of compulsory courses), which is, however, compulsory for all the students who did not complete the course Introduction to Statistics (or its equivalent) in the Bachelor’s Degree Study Programme. It may also be attended by students who did complete this course during their Bachelor’s Degree Study Programme but would like to repeat it in order to be prepared for the follow-up courses, where the basic knowledge of statistics is required.
2nd SEMESTER
Macroeconomics 2
The course offers students the contemporary perspective on theory of national economy (inflation, unemployment, business cycles and economic growth). Graduates of the course should be well equipped for discussions about economic development of the Czech Republic and the EU, i.e. to interpret the measures of the Government and the Central Bank to reduce the risk of recession in the country. The course follows up the course Macroeconomics I conducted in the Bachelor’s Degree and completes and expands the previous macroeconomics topics. The content and course level corresponds to the level of "intermediate",supplemented with alternative perspectives and experience with data analysis using real economies data.
Optimization Methods
The aim of the course is to familiarize students with optimization models used in management of economic processes, applying computer software. Basic knowledge of mathematical and statistical apparatus is essential for completion of this course.
International Monetary Systems
The course deals with the international monetary system and international financial relations. It also introduces students to concepts of monetary systems and monetary union, and focuses on the development of the international monetary system since the early 20th century to the present day.
International Law
The aim of the course is to familiarize students with basics of international economic law and public international law relevant to students of an International Business specialisation. Attention is paid to the sources of international law, companies (especially national and international organizations) accountability and coercion, etc. In the context of international economic law, the course focuses mainly on the WTO law, development issues and the protection of international investments.
World Economy 2
The course follows up the World Economy I taught in the Bachelor’s Degree programme. It deepens the knowledge of the growing tendency in the development of the world economy – i.e. the growing interdependence of economies, economic globalization and economic regionalization, or more precisely liberalization of international trade and the movement of factors of production. The course focuses in more detail on changing role of the main actors in the world economy and on the new phenomena in various forms of international economic relations, while stressing the regional dimension of these relations. The course also discusses the comparative economics, i.e. compares the development in different regions of the World.
Statistical Tools for Data Analysis
The aim of the course is to teach students to analyse data from marketing and other research, including accompanying comments and correct interpretation of results. For this purpose it is necessary to introduce the basic techniques, tools and methods of statistical data analysis. The course covers topics of descriptive statistics required for a qualified presentation of data, generalizing statements concluded from target population data selections or methods of simple, multiple and multivariate data analysis.
3rd SEMESTER
Master’s DissertationSeminar 1
The course familiarizes students with formal requirements of the final dissertations and the basic and advanced methods of scholarly text processing.
Financial and Capital Markets
The objective of the course is to present fundamentals and basic principles of the financial market and its segments, with its functions, structure and institutional arrangements. The course furthermore deals with investment instruments traded on financial markets, including global and specific factors that determine the evolution of prices of these instruments and return, risk and liquidity associated with them. Attention is also paid to the globalization of financial markets and the problems of international investment.
European Region – Comparison of Economies
The course focuses on the development of European economies (EU-28). Its aim is to provide not only information about the economic development of individual member countries, but also to point out the different and common positions towards the European economic integration, identify various national interests in economic and social spheres and through comparison of individual economies provide an analysis of their gradual convergence. To sum up, the comparison of economies is based on two main comparative criteria – institutional and economic.
Techniques of International Trade 2
The course follows up the Techniques of International Trade I, taught in the Bachelor's Degree programme. Its purpose is to broaden and deepen the knowledge of students and prepare them for the practical realization of commercial activities customary in the European Union, and also points to some specifics in trade with third countries.
Marketing Communication
The course Marketing Communication builds on the basic knowledge of students from previous marketing courses and thus represents an opportunity for practical application in creating advertising campaigns, brand management or sales promotion activities. The case studies and examples of specific media campaigns at home and abroad are the core of the course. Students will learn how to properly target the communication, plan, implement, fund and evaluate it. The course also represents an opportunity for students to practice the use of means of the below the line communication in distribution and to create model projects aimed at building public relations (PR). Students will be also introduced into communication activities of companies participating at exhibitions and learn about the applications of marketing resources in politics and propaganda. The last block focuses on ethical issues and the impact of marketing communications on general relations in society.
4th SEMESTER
Master’s DissertationSeminar 2
The course is conducted in the form of individual or group consultations of students with their dissertation supervisors, according to an agreed schedule.
Development Economics
The course focuses on the basic economic characteristics of developing economies, the issue of economic backwardness and development and on internal and external factors of economic development. General knowledge gained from lectures will be applied to individual developing regions, or more precisely specific groups of developing countries, during the seminars.
External Economic Relations of the European Union
The course begins with classification of the EU instruments based on primary law. It introduces the basics of various external policies, with an emphasis on historical, economic and political context of their creation and implementation. Attention will be also paid to the implementation tools of these policies. The course furthermore focuses on initial conditions of formation of the EU bilateral and multilateral relations with third countries (groups of countries) and it also offers an insight into key facts about the importance of individual countries and regions of the world in terms of the interests of the EU.
Analysis of the Securities Market
The aim of the course is to deepen the knowledge and practise the methods, ways and procedures for analysing securities, with a particular focus on equity and debt instruments, and then to apply the gained knowledge to selected equities or bonds and markets. Students will be familiarised with the most commonly used methods and techniques of fundamental, technical and psychological analyses. Attention is furthermore paid to the data base used by these analyses and also to selected analytical problems.
