Class Handout

							 German 450, Business Operations in German-Speaking Countries

                                                   Business is business, right?
                                                   Wrong!
                                                   Different countries have different cultures,
                                                   and that includes different business cultures.
                                                   These have been shaped by historical,
                                                   political, and economic factors, and it takes a
                                                   knowledge of those factors to understand a
                                                   country’s business culture.
                                                   Nowhere is this more true than in Germany.
                                                   And an understanding of German business
                                                   culture is essential for dealing effectively
                                                   with German businesses.




         German 450 deals with the political, cultural, historical, and economic environment in which business
         operates in the German-speaking countries and with the effects of this environment on international
         business.
         Specifically, the course looks at Germany’s historic regional differences, the postwar Economic Miracle
         and the strains which resulted from it, modern Germany’s problematic relationship with historic
         traditions, the stresses arising from the presence of a large immigrant population, and the prickly
         relationship between the State, the establishment, and the intellectual community.
         In addition, the course will address the history of the German Democratic Republic and the subsequent
         development of its regions after the dissolution of the GDR and the creation of a new united Germany.
         There will also be units on the very differing roles of Austria and Switzerland in modern Europe.




GER 450 is taught in English and is open to all advanced undergraduates and to graduate
students. Its aim is to familiarize students with the current social, political and economic
atmosphere in Germany, Austria, and Switzerland. A number of outside experts will be invited in
to speak on selected issues. Also the possibilities for obtaining internships with Chicago area
German, Austrian, and Swiss-based businesses will be explored.



German 450 will be offered in the fall, Tuesday and Thursday from 9:30 to 10:45 a.m. Please
register for it as soon as possible. If you have any additional questions, get in touch with
Professor David Weible, weible@uic.edu, 312-413-2348.