Independent Study: Students come into this course with varying backgrounds in t

Independent Study: Students come into this course with varying backgrounds in the
various topics associated with the role business can play in conflict zones. Thus, the academic
portion of this course is structured to be flexible enough to adapt to each student’s needs and
interests. Students create a reading list from the “Required” and
“Recommended” readings. These readings serve as the foundation for their independent study.
Students choose readings from the “Recommended Reading Choices” list based on their
interests. Substitutions are encouraged with the permission of the professor. These readings
will serve as the basis for the final paper that ties together the above experiential, vicarious and
independent learning accomplished in the course. Students choose one main topic within each
of the four listed below. They then develop a hypothesis and drill down to substantiate it. Their
paper is to be both balanced and convincing.
Each student’s independent study is to be on one of the four course topics:
1. MNC’S
2. TRADE
3. ENTREPRENEURSHIP (from start-ups to SME’s)
4. NON-TRADITIONAL FINANCING METHODS
Students choose from the list below to support their independent study. Student
additions to the list are invited with approval by Instructor.
 “Peace through Entrepreneurship: Investing in a Startup Culture for Security and
Development” by Steven R. Koltai (with Matthew Muspratt), Brookings Institution Press,
2016
 “Startup Rising: The Entrepreneurial Revolution Remaking the Middle East” by
Christopher M. Schroeder, Palgrave MacMillan
 Conflictive and Extractives—Extractives Hub https://extractiveshub.org/topic/view/id/5/
 Pioneers on the Frontier: Sub Saharan Africa’s Multinational Corporations, Initiative for
Global Development and the Dalberg Global Development Advisors
http://dalberg.com/sites/dalberg.com/files/IGD-Dalberg_Pioneers-on-the-Frontier_0.pdf
 “How Impact Investment Can Reach the Mainstream” by Jonathan Godsall and Aditya
Sanghvi, McKinsey. http://www.mckinsey.com/business-functions/sustainability-and-
resource-productivity/our-insights/how-impact-investing-can-reach-the-
mainstream?cid=sustainability-eml-alt-mip-mck-oth-1611
 “The Fortune at the Bottom of the Pyramid” by C. K. Prahalad
 “Why Entrepreneurs Will Beat Multinationals to the Bottom of the Pyramid” by Paul Polak
and Mal Warwick, http://blogs.hbr.org/2014/04/why-entrepreneurs-will-beat-multinationals-
to-the-bottom-of-the-pyramid/
 “Is corporate social responsibility profitable for companies?” By Floyd Whaley
1.Understand the role that business, in a variety of forms, can and does play in the stabilization and
peace processes.
2. Develop written business communication skills.
USE STEVEN KOLTAI READING