James Drogan

This is a new graduate elective that will be taught Fall 2010 as part of the Masters of Science in International Transportation Management program at SUNY Maritime College.

This course examines issues of current or emerging significance in international transportation management through the lens of contextual analysis.  Clear identification of the issues, an assessment of their importance within the global context, and recommendations of resolution are important capabilities for the global executive.  This course provides the opportunity to learn the essential and relevant underlying skills.  An understanding of the socio-political-economic realities of the world, and the development of ethical, critical thinking and communication skills are features of this course.

In Fall 2010 the focus will be on the reconfiguration of international transportation management (ITM) caused by four sets of forces:

1. Geoclimatic; widening of the Panama Canal, Chinese port development
2. Systems; equipment and facilities, management
3. Human resource; culture, education, diversity
4. Socio-economic-political; corporate social responsibility, sustainability, international relations/law/economics

Topics 1 and 2 will last three weeks each; 3 and 4 will last four weeks each.

Each topic will be examined in terms of the nature of the forces, their impact on ITM, the actions that ought to be taken to manage the impact.

These are contemporary issue affecting ITM today and in the foreseeable future.  The objective is for the student to have an awareness of these issues sufficient to provide value to organizations that must deal with these matters.  This awareness constitutes understanding of and contemporary thinking about the issues, knowledge of the key players and sources of information, a demonstrated capability to think critically about the matters at hand, and the capacity to put forward the results of this thinking in a clear and compelling manner.