Geopolitics and Perspectives

SYLLABUS FOR THE GLOBAL BUSINESS LEADERSHIP PROGRAMME

• Study module name: Geopolitics and Perspectives
• Lecturer: Prof. Guillaume Finck
• Final check of studies: Written assignment

​Aim of the MBA study module: The MBA course is designed to give students the necessary keys to understand the current geopolitical issues, the conflicts, the challenges of resources acquisition, as well as the effects of the series of economics, financial social and political crisis than begun in 2007. We will then focus on a 2020 prospective vision of economic and political blocks: the Europe, North America, Asia, and Africa.

Content of the MBA study module: After a complete historical perspective of the rise and fall of empires, and an extensive description and in depth analysis of the world's current geopolitical issues, this course will produce various scenarios, helping students to better position their professional and personal lives in the near future.

• Chapter 1: How did we get here?
  A synthetic description of world history with a focus on the nature, the development and the fall of empires, from Egypt to the United States. Students will understand how the current situation is the result of a series of historical events, and how by understanding them, possible solutions emerge in current complex problems. 
• Chapter 2: Definitions and concepts
  From the concept of borders to the definition of the nature of conflicts, several of the current challenges will be described, and the science of geopolitics will be explained.
• Chapter 3: The issue of resources
  A global overview of the current availability of some of the world's most important resources will be shown. Potential for conflicts and solutions will be demonstrated.
• Chapter 4: Economic perspectives
  How tomorrow's consumers will behave is crucial for today's strategic options. We will study in this chapter how the very notions of ownership, payment and the nature of an offer are being shaken, and how entire economic models are threatened (Music and Automobile industry, television) and new ones emerge.
• Chapter 5: Social perspectives
  Demography and urbanisation are the focus of this chapter. Understanding how the world changes when Nigeria has a larger population than China, and how current centres of power are affected is at the heart of this demonstration.
• Chapter 6: Political perspectives​
  The reshaping of the world political order, produced by an unprecedented shift in power will be explained. Its consequences and potential risks will be discussed hence showing alternative scenarios.

Mandatory literature:​ Online study materials prepared by the lecturer.
Recommended literature and other sources:
All content on: http://finck.paris/
Card, O. S. (1997). Pastwatch: The Redemption of Christopher Columbus. New York: Tom Doherty Associates.
Darwin, C. (2008). The Origin of Species. New York: Bantam.
Durant, W., & Durant, A. (2014). The Story of Civilization. New York: Simon & Schuster.
Flint, C. (2016). Introduction to Geopolitics. London: Taylor & Francis.
Galbraith, K. (2009). Globalisation: Making Sense of an Integrating World. New Delhi: Viva Books. 
Hawking, S. W. (1988). A Brief History of Time: From the Big Bang to Black Holes. New York: Bantam.
Huntington, S. P. (2011). The Clash of Civilizations and the Remaking of World Order. New York: Simon & Schuster.
Klare, M. T. (2009). Rising Powers, Shrinking Planet: The New Geopolitics of Energy. New York: Holt Paperbacks.
Stiglitz, J. E. (2002). Globalization and Its Discontents. New York: W. W. Norton & Company.