Course Description

LEARNING CONTENT:

The two-week learning program is composed of lectures, company visits and case studies providing students a variety of perspectives of doing business in Central and Eastern European Countries. The lectures will be given by Prague International Business School professors, government advisors, as well as  consultants to multinational corporations. The combination of academic, business, and cultural perspectives as to the current European business environment will allow students to form their own views on the future of business operations in the CEEC region.
Company visits will further allow participants to hear authentic how managers of domestic and international companies strive for success while doing business in Central and Eastern European Countries overcomming numerous challenges that are still there. Furthermore, participants will learn how various cross-cultural differences affect managerial decisions on the top corporate level. Unique to the PIBS Summer Program, company visits to Škoda Auto in Mladá Boleslav and to Toyota Peugeot Citroen Automobile in Kolín, provide students an exceptional opportunity to compare various business strategies which will help in preparation of their own Group Projects presented last day.

SOCIAL AND CULTURAL ACTIVITIES:

There is one free afternoon and wonderful two weekend days in the PIBS Summer School Program. Participants can enjoy beauties of Prague – the City of a Hundred Spires and a UNESCO monument. They can start in the Old Town Square with the famous Prague Astronomical Clock at the Town Hall, then walk through the winding lanes of the Jewish Quarter, known from the novels of Franz Kafka and the legend of the Golem. There is plenty of cafes enticing to enter, boutiques to buy a fashion and sight-seeing cruises on the Vltava river. We usually continue over the gothic Charles Bridge up to the Church of St. Nicholas in the Lesser Town, the most beautiful Baroque church in Prague. The Palace Gardens full of flowers, Petřín Hill with a lookout tower reminiscent of a small Eiffel's Tower, lead our steps to the Prague Castle. Here we can dive into the history of Bohemian kings. The late-Gothic style St Vitus Cathedral, founded in 1344 by Emperor Charles IV, beautiful inside Chapel of St Wenceslas storing the crown jewels, stained glass and marvellous pieces of art, the Royal Crypt contains the remains of Bohemian kings, and excellent views from the Great Tower accompany us for the whole journey. Just opposite the Old Royal Palace dating from 1135 is waiting for us. Vladislav Hall, in the centre of the palace, was used for banquets, councils, coronations and in bad weather, jousting. Our students love visiting the Golden Lane, twisted little alley named after the goldsmiths who lived here in the 17th century. Golden Lane is popular with its tiny colourful houses built right into the arches of the Castle walls. Most of them are souvenir shops today.  … Each of Prague’s districts has its own characteristic atmosphere and unique charm. Prague presents itself to us as a changeable city, which likes to alternate styles: it is romantic and successful, ancient and modern, but above all it is a city that is cosmopolitan through and through, and is used to welcoming foreigners.

PRACTICAL TOURIST INFORMATION:

How does the city transport in Prague operate?

Metro - consists of 3 lines designated by letters and differentiated in colour (green – line A, yellow - line B, and red - line C), it operates daily from 5 a.m. to 12 a.m., the time interval is approximately 2-3 minutes.

Trams - daytime operation is from 4:30 a.m. to midnight, night operation is provided by tram numbers 51 to 59 in 30 minutes intervals. Warning: Trams always have the right of way at pedestrian crossings!

Buses - the daytime and night operation of buses is similar to tram operation, night service is provided by bus numbers 501 to 513, bus schedules are located at individual stops.

Travelling by city transport is possible only with a valid ticket. Passengers have to purchase their tickets before boarding the vehicle or entering the Metro system. The ticket is valid only if marked in the validation machine. It is possible to buy tickets also via cellphone SMS: text „DPT32“ to be sent to the operator´s number „90206“ (transfer ticket, valid 90 minutes).

Emergency telephone numbers

155 – Ambulance, 156 – City Police, 158 – Police of the Czech Republic, 112 – Universal EU emergency