Belmont University: MBU 3330: International Music Business

SYLLABUS: Spring, 2006

 

Instructor: Dr. Don Cusic

              OFFICE: MBC 223

              Phone: 460-5438

              FAX: 460-5516

              e-mail: cusicd@mail.belmont.edu

 

 Office Hours: TR: 11 a.m.-1:30 p.m.; W: 8-11:30 a.m. 

            Or by appointment

 

Course Number: MBU 3330.01 (CRN #20248)

Credit: Three (3) hours

Semester: Spring, 2006

Class Location: MBC 103  

Meeting Time: TR 12:30-1:45 p.m.

FINAL EXAM: Fri: May 5: 11 a.m.

 

Inclement Weather Hotline: 460-5000 OR Belmont.edu

 

Course Description: An exploration of issues confronting entertainment and Music Business firms in a competitive global environment. The course examines marketing American music in the global market as well as individual markets in the world.

 

Course Objective: To provide students with an overview of the international music industry.

 

Goals of the Mike Curb College of Entertainment and Music Business:

The following objectives will be applied toward course completion:

*To provide a personalized, career-oriented and practical education that emphasizes leadership, innovation, private enterprise and entrepreneurship

*To equip students with the tools to think critically, communicate effectively, accept responsibility, make successful decisions and prosper in diverse work environments.

*To emphasize quality classroom instruction within the parameters of ethical Christian principles.

 

Goals of the Mike Curb College of Entertainment and Music Business:

 

The following objectives will be applied toward course completion:

 

*To provide a personalized, career-oriented and practical education that emphasizes leadership, innovation, private enterprise and entrepreneurship

 

*To equip students with the tools to think critically, communicate effectively, accept responsibility, make successful decisions and prosper in diverse work environments.

 

*To emphasize quality classroom instruction within the parameters of ethical Christian principles.

 


                  Honor Code:

 

As members of the Belmont community, students, faculty, staff and administrators are all responsible for ensuring that their experiences be free of behaviors which compromise value. In order to uphold academic integrity, the University has adopted an Honor System. Students and faculty will work together to establish the optimal conditions for honorable academic work. Following is the Student Honor Pledge that guides academic behavior:

 

"I will not give or receive aid during examinations; I will not give or receive false or impermissible aid in course work, in the preparation of reports, or in any other type of work that is to be used by the instructor as the basis of my grade; I will not engage in any form of academic fraud. Furthermore, I will uphold my responsibility to see to it that others abide by the spirit and letter of the Honor Pledge."

 

Materials:

TEXT: Internationally Sound by Don Cusic (coursepack)

 

Prepared Assignments: 10 Impression papers

     

Testing: There are three (3) Exams in this course and a Final.

 

Accommodation of Disabilities: In compliance with Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act and the Americans with Disabilities Act, Belmont University will provide reasonable accommodation of all medically documented disabilities. If you have a disability and would like the university to provide reasonable accommodations of the disability during this course, please notify Tammye Tanksley, Director of Counseling & Developmental Support in the Office of the Dean of Students (460-6407) as soon as possible.

 

Basis of Grade Evaluation:

 

A+    97-100%

A     93-96%

A-    90-92%

B+    87-89%

B     83-86%

B-    80-82%

C+    77-79%

C     73-76%

C-    70-72%

F     59% and below

 

TOTAL POINTS: 600 max. Grading: A=93-100%; A-=90-92%; B+=87-89%, B=83-86%, B-=80-82%; C+=77-79%, C=73-76%; C-=70-72%; D+=67-69%, D=63-66% D-=60-62%; F=59% & below.

 

FINAL EXAM: Friday, May 5 at 11 a.m.


                  Impression Papers

 

You are to find a total of ten articles related to the International music industry and write a summary of each article, including a copy of the article with your summary). Each summary must be typed, double-spaced and fit on one page. You are required to have articles from Billboard (2), Music Week (2), The Economist (2) and IFPI (2). The final 2 may come from anywhere except those sources. (Other sources may include Time, Newsweek, the New York Times, R&R, Music Row, Rolling Stone or a variety of other publications. Be sure to check the data bases in the Library).

 

The articles are divided in this way:

Tue: Jan 31: 2 memos due: related to an American act in the international market or a domestic firm/issue in the international market

Tue: Feb 28: 2 memos due related to the European music industry and/or a European act

Tue: Mar 28: 2 memos due related to the Asian music industry and/or an Asian act

Tue: Apr 11: 2 memos due related to the Latin American music industry and/or a Latin act

Thu: Apr 20: 2 memos due on any subject/issue related to the international music industry

 

Each memo is worth up to 10 points; late memos are one grade lower. Late memos are required to be handed in within one week of the original deadline. (NOTE: You may hand in memos early!). ASLO: I expect these to be handed in as hard copy; if emailed, they are one letter grade lower. This means that dates for LATE memos are:

Tue: Feb 7:

Tue: Mar 14:

Tue: Apr 4:

Tue: Apr 18:

Thu: Apr 27:

 

The heading for your memo will look like this:

      TO: Dr. Don Cusic

      FROM: Your Name:

      Title of Article:

      Name of Publication:


 

Some notes and observations:

 

MAKE-UPS: In accordance with Music Business policy, there will be no make-up Exams given in this course; if you miss an Exam, the Final Exam will count double. If you miss two Exams, the Final will count triple. Also, when I give Exams back, I go over them in class and you may ask any questions you wish. I will not go over Exams individually in my office. Also note:

 

You may choose to "skip" an Exam and let the Final count double; however, you are not allowed to begin an Exam, decide you don't want to finish and opt out. Once you begin the Exam, you must complete it.

 

If you take all of the Exams, I will drop the lowest grade and count the Final double, if it is to your advantage.

 

The Final Exam is mandatory.

 

Please bring a No. 2 lead pencil with you on Exam day.

 

PLEASE NOTE: "Excused absences" must be approved by the Provost (athletics and music performances) or Tammy Tankersley (sickness).

 

After you have finished an Exam, please don't ask me about questions on the Exam, or advising questions, or other questions that require more than a nod because other students are taking Exams and do not like the distraction. Each semester there are complaints from students who are trying to finish an Exam while another student is engaging the teacher in questions or conversation. Therefore, I will not answer questions or engage in discussions during the Exam time while others are taking Exams.


 

IMPORTANT DATES TO REMEMBER:

 

Tue: Jan 31: CLASS 6: 2 memos due (American music abroad)

Thu: Feb 9: CLASS 9: EXAM #1

Tue: Feb 28: CLASS 14: 2 memos due (Europe)

Mon: Mar 6-10: SPRING BREAK

Tue: Mar 21: CLASS 18: EXAM #2

Tue: Mar 28: CLASS 20: 2 memos due (Asia)

Tue: Apr 11: CLASS 24:  2 memos due (Latin America)

Thu: Apr 13: EASTER BREAK

Thu: Apr 20: CLASS 26: 2 memos due ("Other")

Thu: Apr 27: CLASS 28: EXAM #3

Fri: May 5: FINAL EXAM: (11 a.m.)

Sat: May 13: COMMENCEMENT: 10 a.m.: Curb Event Center

 

Here is the schedule for Final Exams for classes I teach:

 

Thu: May 4: FINAL EXAM: For 2 p.m. classes (2 p.m.): RM 103

Fri: May 5: FINAL EXAM: For 12:30 classes (11 a.m.): RM 103

Tue: May 9: FINAL EXAM: For 9:30 a.m. classes (8 a.m.): RM 100

Tue: May 9: FINAL EXAM: For 3:30 classes (2 p.m.): RM 103

 

 

These are the times the classes I teach are scheduled to take their Final Exam. Since some of you will wish to take the Final at another time, then you may come to another scheduled time under these conditions:

 

1. Those who are registered for the class are guaranteed a seat;

 

2. If there are no chairs and seats available, I cannot give a Final Exam (I can not and will not give an Exam to someone sitting on the floor!);

 

3. If there are no seats and you choose to wait, then you will only have the remaining time to finish the Exam (i.e. these Exams are scheduled in two hour blocks; if you take a seat an hour after the scheduled starting time, then you only have one hour to complete your Final);

 

4. If you have chosen to take the Exam at the last chosen time possible, then find you are unable to do so, you will receive an "I" in the course and a "make-up" will be scheduled for next semester.

 


MBU 3330: DAILY CLASS SCHEDULE: SPRING, 2006

 

Thu: Jan 12: CLASS 1: Intro to course; Leaders quiz

Tue: Jan 17: CLASS 2: American vs. International revenue streams;

Thu: Jan 19: CLASS 3: Currency exchanges; the currencies of countries;

Tue: Jan 24: CLASS 4: Record company & publishing problems

Thu: Jan 26: CLASS 5: Record company & publishing problems

Tue: Jan 31: CLASS 6: Touring: advantages & disadvantages of American acts touring: 2 Memos due

Thu: Feb 2: CLASS 7: Touring: cities in the world; touring problems

Tue: Feb 7: CLASS 8: Touring: cities in the world; touring problems

Thu: Feb 9: CLASS 9: EXAM #1

 

Tue: Feb 14: CLASS 10: Europe: map of Europe; go over countries & capitals

Thu: Feb 16: CLASS 11: Europe: historical background; European union

Tue: Feb 21: CLASS 12: Defining feature of Europe: The Welfare State; hard power vs. soft power

Thu: Feb 23: CLASS 13: Types of capitalism; Hard power vs. soft power; Europeans view of Americans

Tue: Feb 28: CLASS 14: Americans doing business abroad; Two Memos due

Thu: Mar 2: CLASS 15: Music business in European Union (country by country overview)

 

Mon: Mar 6-10: SPRING BREAK

 

Tue: Mar 14: CLASS 16: Music business in European Union (country by country overview)

Thu: Mar 16: CLASS 17: Canada, Australia & New Zealand

Tue: Mar 21: CLASS 18: EXAM #2

 

Thu: Mar 23: CLASS 19: Asia: map of Asia; go over countries & capitals

Tue: Mar 28: CLASS 20: Asia: historical overview & current situation; Two memos due

Thu: Mar 30: CLASS 21: Japan: Japanese music industry

Tue: Apr 4: CLASS 22: China: Chinese capitalism

Thu: Apr 6: CLASS 23: China: Doing business in China

Tue: Apr 11: CLASS 24: India: Overview and music business; Two memos due

 

Thu: Apr 13: EASTER BREAK

 

Tue: Apr 18: CLASS 25: Latin America

Thu: Apr 20: CLASS 26: Global trends; Two memos due

Tue: Apr 25: CLASS 27: Global trends

Thu: Apr 27: CLASS 28: EXAM #3; LAST DAY FOR LATE MEMOS

 

Tue: May 2: CLASS 29: LAST DAY OF CLASSES

 

Wed: May 3: Academic Preparation Day

 

Fri: May 5: FINAL EXAM: 11 a.m.

 

Wed: May 10: Senior Grades Due: 12 noon

Thu: May 11: Final Grades Due: 2 p.m.

Fri: May 12: Baccalaureate: 2 p.m. Belmont Heights

Sat: May 13: COMMENCEMENT: 10 a.m.: Curb Event Center