Feb. 28 - March 8, 2020
The Ireland Study Tour exposes students to the challenges of establishing a successful and globally competitive information technology (IT) industry. The next Tech Trek will take place Feb. 28 - March 8, 2020 and travel to Dublin and Cork, Ireland. The course consists of four class meetings pre-travel and one class meeting post-travel. The goal of the pre-travel classes is to allow you to become familiar with key themes pertaining to globalization of IT and the companies we will be visiting.
Students study historical, economic, political, labor, and social factors leading to the establishment of country-specific centers of IT excellence. In particular, students study what led multinational corporations to base their overseas activities within a specific location. Students are expected to attend a series of classes during the regular semester and to then travel to the international destination to meet with company executives and to tour company facilities.
Course Objectives
Upon completion of this course, students will be able to:
- Understand the complexities of managing IT in a global environment
- Articulate the reasons why certain countries emerge as global centers of excellence
- Explain how taxation policies allows companies to legally reduce their tax liability
- Appreciate the role that governments play in attracting foreign direct investment (FDI)
- Describe what various US-owned IT companies are doing overseas
