RDBU-638: Doing Business in the UK Report a Broken Link

During this international elective, students will immerse themselves in seeking to understand the context, reality, and challenge of being a successful enterprise in the UK and compare and contrast this with the challenge of being a successful enterprise in Canada.

The course has three key phases:

  • Phase 1 requires students to prepare for a week-long period of study in the UK, understanding context.
  • Phase 2 is the experience of being in organizations in the UK, meeting employers, educators, health workers, union leaders, and others engaged in the challenges of working in the UK and reflecting on these experiences.
  • Phase 3 requires students to use the work they completed in Phases 1 and 2 to complete a series of reflective, peer assignments and an individual assignment.

The course is intended to be a rich, personal learning experience.

The course makes extensive use of materials—video, audio, and text—which capture the challenges of managing an organization and being successful in its purposes in the complex UK environment.

Week 1


Required Readings

        See especially the data on the UK at http://reports.weforum.org/global-competitiveness-report-2014-2015/economies/#indexId=GCI&economy=GBR

        and those for Canada at http://reports.weforum.org/global-competitiveness-report-2014-2015/economies/#indexId=GCI&economy=CAN

Week 2


Required Readings

Week 3


Required Readings

Week 4


Required Readings

Week 5


We will be in London this week. Additional readings may be provided.

Week 6


Required Readings

Week 7


Required Readings

Supplementary Readings


Week 1
Week 3
Week 4

        We include this so that you can see how two of your peers approached this same work in another University.

Week 6