ECC2520

The economic history of Australia in Asian business

Offered subject to final university approval

Associate Professor Marika Vicziany

6 points · Two 1-hour lectures and one 1-hour tutorial per week · First semester · Clayton · Prerequisites: Successful completion of ECC1000 and ECC1010 or their equivalents

Objectives On completion of this subject, the students should be able to understand the long term historical processes by which Australian companies became engaged with key Asian economies such as India, China, Japan, Indonesia and Singapore and have a basic appreciation of the academic literature on internationalisation; evaluate the extent to which the shift in Australia's international links was the product of government policies and/or private entrepreneurship and the factors which facilitated or hindered our engagement; appreciate the extent to which Asian governments and companies have reciprocated and taken an interest in the Australian economy and the nature of their presence in various Australian industries; have developed analytical, written and team-work skills by participating in tutorials, preparing for the exam and collaborating in the writing of a large project paper.

Synopsis This subject surveys the historical processes by which Australia became economically engaged with some key Asian countries since the end of the Second World War - India, China, Japan, Indonesia and Singapore. Apart from studying the long term trends in trade, investment, consultancies etc., a key feature of this subject is its focus on government policies and the experience of particular companies such as Pacific Dunlop (and its subsidiary Ansell International), Telstra, BHP and Lend Lease as they sought to access the new markets of Asia. Attention is also paid to the factors which helped or hindered these particular companies in accessing the new markets, especially the lack of historical knowledge, cultural misperceptions and infrastructure bottlenecks. The subject concludes by looking at the interest which Asian governments and companies have taken in the Australian economy and the nature of their presence in Australia. The subject asks questions such as 'Is there an Asian business system?' 'How and to what extent has Australia become linked to the Asian economies?' and 'Are we sufficiently competitive?'

Assessment Group tutorial paper: 10% · Project Assignment: 40% · Examination (2 hours): 50%

Prescribed texts

Stace D Reaching out from down under McGraw-Hill, 1997
Vicziany M 'Indo-Australian joint ventures: Trends, prospects and expectations' in McPherson K and Vicziany M (eds) Australia and India in the context of APEC and the Indian Ocean Centre Indian Ocean Centre, 1998
Vicziany M 'Australian business attitudes to India in the late 1990s' Discussion Paper No. 4, NCSAS, 1997

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