Essential Business MOOCs For January by: Jeff Schmitt on December 17, 2014 | | 42,224 Views December 17, 2014 Copy Link Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Email Share on LinkedIn Share on WhatsApp Share on Reddit Say the word āglobalizationā out loud. I dare you. Bet you get some dirty looks. Theyāre probably picturing āBarryā from Bangalore troubleshooting their computer or Rosa from Reynosa swiping their cushy union job. No, you wonāt find much nuance when it comes to globalization. Most people view it as either a growing threat or a cure-all. And there isnāt much middle ground. On one side, globalization is a sinister force, blamed for stagnant wages, trade imbalances, market volatility, and accelerated climate change. On the other side, youāll find the advocates who view globalization as the path to peace, fairness, and prosperity, where openness and competition increase variety and reduce costs. Whether youāre looking to prop up or upend the old order, youāre bound to create conflict. Call globalization the Rorschach test of our generation. Question is, are the sides debating the factsā¦or their perception of reality? Thatās the central question behind Pankaj Ghemawatās Globalization of Business Enterprise MOOC starting January 19th. Based on Ghemawatās research, the course questions whether weāre really debating globalization per se. In reality, globalization is still in its relative infancy according to Ghemawat, who is ranked among the 50 greatest management thinkers of all-time by The Economist. Despite technology and supply chains that supposedly draw us together, weāre really not all that connected in Ghemawatās view. For example, only 5 to 10 percent of charitable giving ever goes outside a home country according to Ghemawatās book World 3.0. While Japan is ranked as the fourth largest trader, exports account for 13 percent of their GDP. So how do you measure globalization? In his course, Ghemawat, who has taught global strategy at IESE and Harvard Business School for over 30 years, introduces students to his CAGE framework, which compares nations in terms of culture, administrative capabilities, geography, and economics. In addition, heāll outline the future implications of globalization in its many forms. Whether you believe in getting a bigger slice or expanding the pie altogether, this course will leave you with plenty to think about. Alas, Ghemawat isnāt the only big name professor starting a MOOC in January. After a holiday lull in December, many of the world’s best universities are bringing out their big brains to teach online for free next month. Harvard Lawās Charles Fried, a former Solicitor General, will conduct the first MOOC of his 50 year career, examining the basics of contract law. John Cochrane, a mainstay at the University of Chicagoās Booth School of Business, will hold a doctoral level MOOC on asset pricing. And youāll find the best-and-brightest at the top schools covering a range of topics: Gamification (Wharton School of Business), Technology Entrepreneurship (Stanford), Game Theory (Stanford), Innovation and Commercialization (MIT), Business Growth (University of Virginiaās Darden School of Business), Financing Entrepreneurship (Babson), and Organizational Behavior (HEC Paris). To learn more about these courses ā and register for them ā click on the links below. Gamification / Wharton / January 26 Globalization of Business Enterprise / IESE / January 19 ContractsX: From Trust to Promise to Contract / Harvard University / January 8 Technology Entrepreneurship / Stanford / January 6 Asset Pricing – Part One / University of Chicago / January 18 Innovation and Commercialization / MIT / January 13 Grow To Greatness: Smart Growth For Private Businesses ā Part II / University of Virginia / January 12 Financial Analysis of Entrepreneurial Ideas / Babson College / January or February Time to Reorganize! Understand Organizations, Act, and Build a Meaningful World / HEC Paris / January 13 Game Theory II: Advanced Applications / Stanford / January 11 U.Lab: Transforming Business, Society, and Self / MIT / January 7 Make An Impact: Sustainability for Professionals / University of Bath / January 12 Managing People: Engaging Your Workforce / University of Reading / January 12 Decision Making in a Complex and Uncertain World / University of Groningen / January 19 Project Management for Business Professionals / January 26 Subsistence Marketplaces / University of Illinois / January 26 DQ 101: Introduction to Decision Quality / Strategic Decisions Group / January 15 Entrepreneurship 101 and Entrepreneurship 102 / MIT / January 9 Additional Courses for January Continue ReadingPage 1 of 20 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 Questions about this article? Email us or leave a comment below. Please enable JavaScript to view the comments powered by Disqus.