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Foreign Trade

Code: 102324 ECTS Credits: 6
2024/2025
Degree Type Year
2501572 Business Administration and Management OT 4

Contact

Name:
Rosella Nicolini
Email:
rosella.nicolini@uab.cat

Teachers

Rosella Nicolini

Teaching groups languages

You can view this information at the end of this document.


Prerequisites

No specific background is required to course this programme. Of course, students are expected to have a basic knowledge of the core courses in economics as principle of international economics, principle of macroeconomics and principles of microeconomics. Some basic notions in marketing could be also a useful plus.


Objectives and Contextualisation

This is an elective course. It aims at providing a general overview of the most common international practices in trade. The focus will be on the practical managing of the import-export operations at firm level under a competitive perspective. The course is introducing students to the knowledge and managing of the most salient tools to meet the requests of firms involved in the international transaction processes. Students will learn basic information about the importance of the international trade for the competitive consolidation process in Catalunya and Spain. They also will be able to deal with the most proper instruments to solve simple practical exercises simulating real case studies. Finally, they will be also able to search for the most relevant information to plan feasible internationalization strategies still at firm level.

 


Competences

  • Act with ethical responsibility and respect for fundamental rights and duties, diversity and democratic values.
  • Capacity for adapting to changing environments.
  • Capacity for independent learning in the future, gaining more profound knowledge of previous areas or learning new topics.
  • Capacity for oral and written communication in Catalan, Spanish and English, which enables synthesis and oral and written presentation of the work carried out.
  • Demonstrate initiative and work individually when the situation requires it.
  • Demonstrate knowledge of the structure of institutions and the state, their evolution and the consequences of possible changes, to be able to make a positive contribution to the debate about the role they play in current society.
  • Identify the economic agents that make up an economy, understanding how they have been interrelated to date, how they are currently interrelated and forecast futures according to new circumstances and their influence on a specific company.
  • Know how to handle the analytical framework and empirical knowledge that is offered by the economy on international relations and the most important economic areas.
  • Organise the work in terms of good time management, organisation and planning.
  • Select and generate the information necessary for each problem, analyse it and take decisions based on that information.
  • Take account of social, economic and environmental impacts when operating within one's own area of knowledge.
  • Work well in a team, being able to argue proposals and validate or reject the arguments of others in a reasoned manner.

Learning Outcomes

  1. A capacity of oral and written communication in Catalan, Spanish and English, which allows them to summarise and present the work conducted both orally and in writing.
  2. Analyse the indicators of sustainability of academic and professional activities in the areas of knowledge, integrating social, economic and environmental dimensions.
  3. Analyse the role of international institutions in the economy.
  4. Assess the functioning and current situation of the Spanish economy.
  5. Capacity to adapt to changing environments.
  6. Capacity to continue future learning independently, acquiring further knowledge and exploring new areas of knowledge.
  7. Demonstrate initiative and work independently when required.
  8. Describe the main economic agents making up the Spanish and Catalan economy.
  9. Examine the influence and the role of Spanish public institutions in the economy.
  10. Identify the role of the public sector in the Spanish economy.
  11. Identify the social, economic and environmental implications of academic and professional activities within the area of your own knowledge.
  12. Interpret the economic globalisation process and its consequences for the Spanish economy.
  13. List the main characteristics of the labour market in Spain.
  14. Organise work, in terms of good time management and organisation and planning.
  15. Perform an economic analysis of integration processes, in general, and of the European integration process, in particular.
  16. Select and generate the information needed for each problem, analyse it and make decisions based on this information.
  17. Weigh up the impact of any long- or short-term difficulty, harm or discrimination that could be caused to certain persons or groups by the actions or projects.
  18. Work as part of a team and be able to argue own proposals and validate or refuse the arguments of others in a reasonable manner.

Content

  1. Definition of trade. Theoretical setting. Benefits from trade. Trade policies. Evaluation of the trade agreements.
  2. Introduction to the international organization dealing with trade issues (IMF, WB, WTO, UNCTAD) and the experience of the European Union (from the Treaty of Rome onward),
  3. Basic definitions of the practical concepts of external trade. Trade accounting. Trade balance. Exchange rate limitations.
  4. Trade practices in the EU: TARIC codes, international transport practices, fiscal issues. Imports: tariff, custom value of imports, TVA in the international trade. Exports: export procedures and fiscal policies fostering exports.
  5. Basic description of the INCOTERMS (2020). The international payment system.
  6. The Spanish and Catalan current trade-flow directions and composition. Elements for a quantitative analysis. National and local public policies endorsing the firm internationalization process

 


Activities and Methodology

Title Hours ECTS Learning Outcomes
Type: Directed      
Lectures 32.5 1.3 3, 15, 4, 8, 13, 9, 10, 12
Practical classes 17 0.68 2, 5, 1, 6, 7, 11, 14, 16, 18, 17
Type: Supervised      
Tutoring and monitoring practices and readings 20.5 0.82 5, 1, 6, 7, 14, 16, 18
Type: Autonomous      
Collection and processing of information by practical exercises 20 0.8 2, 7, 11, 14, 16, 18, 17
Study and reading material 60 2.4 3, 2, 15, 4, 8, 13, 9, 11, 12, 17

 

  • Recitation classes
  • Practical classes
  • Tutoring and monitoring practices and readings
  • Study and reading material
  • Collection and processing of information by practical exercises

 

Annotation: Within the schedule set by the centre or degree programme, 15 minutes of one class will be reserved for students to evaluate their lecturers and their courses or modules through questionnaires.


Assessment

Continous Assessment Activities

Title Weighting Hours ECTS Learning Outcomes
Final exam 45% of the final grade 0 0 3, 15, 4, 5, 1, 6, 7, 8, 13, 9, 10, 12, 14, 16
Group project 15% 0 0 2, 1, 7, 11, 14, 16, 18, 17
Individual project 20% 0 0 3, 2, 15, 4, 5, 1, 6, 7, 8, 13, 9, 10, 11, 12, 14, 16, 17
Mid term exam 20% 0 0 3, 4, 8, 13, 9, 10, 12

1. Continuous assessment 

The assessment of the learning (final mark) will be the weighted average of the following activities:

  • 20% Miderm exam
  • 45 % Final exam
  • 20 %  Individual project,
  • 15%   Group project (including presentation).

 PLEASE REMARK:

All students are required to perform the evaluation activities.

The two exams (midterm and final) require a minimum score of 3.5 each. When this threshold is not reached (that is, when the mark is below 3.5) the score of the correspondent exam that will be considered for  the final mark will be zero. The marks of the other activities to complete the final evaluation  do not require a minimum threshold.

The subject is approved with a final mark of 5. In the case of a final mark less than  3.5, the student will have to  take to the subject in the following year.

Students who have obtained a final mark that is equal to or greater than 3.5 and less than 5 are eligible for a retake exam. The lecturers will decide the type of retake exam. When the mark of the retake exam  is greater than 5, the final mark will be PASS with a maximum numerical score of 5. When  the mark of the retake exam is less than 5, the final mark will be a FAIL with a numerical score equal to the mark previously achieved  (not the mark of the retake exam).

A student who does not perform any evaluative task is considered “not evaluable”, therefore, a student who performs a continuous assessment component can no longer be qualified with a "not evaluable

 

Calendar of evaluation activities

The dates of the evaluation activities (midterm exams, exercises in the classroom, assignments, ...) will be announced well in advance during the semester.

The date of the final exam is scheduled in the assessment calendar of the Faculty.

"The dates of evaluation activities cannot be modified, unless there is an exceptional and duly justified reasonwhy an evaluation activity cannot be carried out. In this case, the degree coordinator will contact both the teaching staff and the affected student, and a new date will be scheduled within the same academic period to make up for the missed evaluation activity." Section 1 of Article 115. Calendar of evaluation activities (Academic Regulations UAB). Students of the Faculty of Economics and Business, who in accordance with the previous paragraph need to change an evaluation activity date must process the request by filling out an Application for exams' reschedule 

 
 

 

Grade revision process

After all grading activities have ended, students will be informed of the date and way in which the course grades will be published. Students will be also be informed of the procedure, place, date and time of grade revision following University regulations.

 

Retake Process

"To be eligible to participate in the retake process, it is required for students to have been previously been evaluated for at least two thirds of the total evaluation activities of the subject." Section 3 of Article 112 ter. The recovery (UAB Academic Regulations). Additionally, it is required that the student to have achieved an average grade of the subject between 3.5 and 4.9.

The date of the retake exam will be posted in the calendarof evaluation activities of theFaculty. Students who take this exam and pass, will get a grade of 5 for thesubject. If the student does not pass the retake, the grade will remain unchanged, and hence, student will fail the course.

 

2. Comprehensive evaluation(Art. 265 of the UAB Academic Regulations)

By requesting the comprehensive evaluation, the student waives the option of continuous evaluation.

The comprehensive evaluation must be requested at the Academic Management (Gestió acadèmica) of the Campus where the degree/master's degree is taught. The request must be filed according to the procedure and the deadline established by the administrative calendar of the Faculty of Economics and Business.

Attendance :

  • Student  attendance  is mandatory on the day of the comprehensive assessment. The date will be the same as that of the final exam of the semester as per the evaluation calendar published by the Faculty of Economics and Business and approved by the Faculty's Teaching and Academic Affairs Committee. The duration of the comprehensive assessment must be specified in the characteristics of such activity.
  • 100% of the evaluation evidences must be handed in by the student  on the day of the comprhensive assessment.
  • The evaluation evidences carried out in person by the student on the same day of the comprehensive assessment must have a minimum weight of 70%.

 

 Evidence Type(1)

Weight in the final assessment (%) (2)

Duration of the activity

Is the activity that corresponds to this evaluation evidence to be carried out in person on the  date scheduled for the comprehensive evaluation? (YES/NO) (3)

Exam first part of the course

25%

  2 hours

YES

Exam second part of the course

45%

  2 hours

YES

Delivery individual report on incoterms

15%

//

NO

Delivery individual report on the analysis of export data

15%

//

NO

TOTAL

100%

 4 hours

 

(1)   Descriptive title of each piece of evidence (exam, problem sets solving, case analysis, activity carried out using specific software that the student is expected to know,...)

(2)   Weight of the evidence in the final mark of the subject (specify the percentages of each evaluation evidence that the student must undertake)

(3)   For each piece of evidence: Is the activity that corresponds to this evaluation evidence to be carried out in person on the  date scheduled for the comprehensive evaluation? (YES/NO)

2.2 Retake procedure

For the retake procedure, no distinction is made between students who have followed the continuous evaluation and those who have opted for the comprehensive evaluation. All will be re-assessed using the same test or evaluation evidence.

2.3 Review of the final qualification

The review of the final qualification will follow the same procedure as for the continuous evaluation.

 

Irregularities in evaluation activities

In spite of other disciplinary measures deemed appropriate, and in accordance with current academic regulations, "in the case that thestudent makes any irregularity that could lead to a significant variation in the grade of an evaluation activity, it will begraded with a 0, regardless of the disciplinary process that can be instructed. In case of various irregularities occur in the evaluation of the same subject, the final grade of this subject will be0". Section 10 of Article 116. Results of the evaluation. (UAB Academic Regulations).

 


Bibliography

Basic textbooks

 K.B. Chikwava (2012): Sustaining contractual business: An Exploration of the New Revised International Commercial Terms. Incoterms2010, Xlibris (last edition)

 R. Nicolini (2019): Tools in applied economics (https://ddd.uab.cat/record/203608)

 B. Seyoum (2009): Export-Import Theory, Practices, and Procedures, Routledge (2nd Edition) - available online - 

INCOTERMS 2020: https://iccwbo.org/resources-for-business/incoterms-rules/incoterms-2020/

 

 Additional textbooks:

 Th. Pugel (any edition): “International Economics”, Mc Graw Hill. (last edition)

 

 Other documents

 -              Papers on external trade: ICEX (http://www.icex.es).

-              Papers on external trade: Cambra de Comerç de Barcelona

-              (http://www.cambrabcn.org/web/cambra/inicio).

-              Acc1ó-CIDEM-COPCA (http://www.acc10.cat/ACC1O/cat/internacionalitzacio/).

-              TARIC data (www.taric.es) and other statistical sources (OCDE, Banco Mundial, Eurostat…).

-              “Doing business” (http://www.doingbusiness.org/).

-              “Doing business in Catalonia” (http://www.acc10.cat/catalonia/en/doingbusiness/index.jsp).


Software

In this course, data analysis will be performed by using Excel (or any other worksheet software) and data will be downloaded by the official web of Spanish customs


Language list

Name Group Language Semester Turn
(PAUL) Classroom practices 4 English first semester morning-mixed
(PLAB) Practical laboratories 4 English first semester morning-mixed
(TE) Theory 4 English first semester morning-mixed