Roberto Cordon

Executive in Residence, International Relations and Management
Department Co-Chair, International Relations and Political Science

Ph.D. Study (ABD), The Wharton School, University of Pennsylvania, USA
M.A. The Wharton School, University of Pennsylvania, USA
B.S.E. Princeton University, USA

Office: Lowerre Academic Center, North Campus, Office 7
Phone: +41 91 986 36 71
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Profile:

Roberto Cordón pursued graduate studies in Multinational Management and Political Economy at The Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania, and undergraduate studies in Chemical Engineering, International Relations and Latin American Studies at Princeton University. Prior to coming to Franklin University, Prof. Cordón worked for many years as a Manager of Training Programmes at the International Trade Centre (an agency of the UN and WTO) in Geneva and consulted for various other UN agencies, including the ILO and UNCTAD.

A native of Guatemala, Prof. Cordón has travelled extensively around the world for research, teaching and consulting purposes. His research has focused on the interphase between politics and management, particularly concerning the work of international organizations in developing countries. He has taught at the Pontifical Catholic University of Chile and The Wharton School, and has held visiting appointments at Fundação Dom Cabral (Brazil) and Universidad Francisco Marroquín (Guatemala). As a consultant, Prof. Cordón has specialized in technical cooperation, strategic analysis and capacity-building projects in developing countries, working with government ministries and international aid agencies in Africa, Asia and Latin America.

2019-2020 Courses:

BUS 410W	Organizational Behavior and Leadership	FALL 2019
This course studies the internal environment of firms and organizations, namely how to organize and manage people in order to implement strategic plans effectively. Topics include: organizational structures and change, human resources, leadership, group dynamics and teamwork, motivation, and multicultural management. Special attention will be given to the study of leadership, which plays a critical role in increasingly complex and multicultural organizations. The readings and class discussions include both theoretical concepts, case studies and practical exercises.(This writing-intensive course counts towards the Academic Writing requirement.) (Junior status recommended)
POL 199	Exploring Leadership: Managerial and Political Perspectives	FALL 2019
The course will review various aspects of leadership, particularly as they relate to political institutions and the management of organizations. Are good politicians and managers necessarily good leaders, or vice versa? Students will consider the various types of leadership, including charismatic, intellectual, authoritarian, motivational and organizational leadership styles. The biographies of various world leaders will be reviewed and discussed in their managerial, social, and/or political contexts. Finally, the course will also incorporate practical and experiential activities on the leadership/management duality. An integral and required part of the course will be a weekend retreat in the nearby mountains and a full-day on-campus leadership exercise, exploring some of the issues discussed in class. Like all First Year Seminars, this course will cultivate the fundamental critical and academic skills necessary for succeeding at university.
POL 321	International Organization	FALL 2019
The focus of this course is the development of supra-national and international agencies and entities. The United Nations, the European Union, the IMF, the World Bank, trading blocs, and other specialized agencies are studied as examples-in light of increasing economic interdependence in the international system.
BUS 135	Introduction to Business Systems	SPRING 2020
The course introduces the global business system in the context of the economic, political, social and technological environments, relating business to society as a whole. Topics covered include the international scope, function, and organization of firms, and other fundamental concepts of multinational business. The course also addresses functional areas such as the value chain, production, marketing, human resources, and accounting.
BUS 353	International Management Theory and Concepts	SPRING 2020
Strategic management is the study of firms and the political, economic, social and technological environments that affect their organization and strategic decisions. This course considers the external market environment in which firms operate, and provides theoretical foundations, focusing on economic and strategic theories of the firm and introducing key concepts of organizational theory. Practically, the course looks at the creation of competitive advantage of a firm in the global arena. The readings and class discussions include both theoretical concepts and practical case studies. (Junior status recommended)
POL 204	Government and Politics of Latin America	SPRING 2020
This survey course will introduce students to the historical, cultural, social, and economic dimensions that have characterized the founding, development, and contemporary evolution of the political systems of Latin America. After an introduction to the geography and history of the region, the course will look at the major political developments, trends and movements in Latin America during the 20th Century. The second half of the course will look at the political systems (and their historical/economic context) in selected Latin American countries. (Students who have taken POL 225T may not also earn credit for POL 204.) Recommended POL 100.
BUS 135	Introduction to Business Systems	SUMMER 2020
The course introduces the global business system in the context of the economic, political, social and technological environments, relating business to society as a whole. Topics covered include the international scope, function, and organization of firms, and other fundamental concepts of multinational business. The course also addresses functional areas such as the value chain, production, marketing, human resources, and accounting.
POL 100	Introduction to Political Science	SUMMER 2020
Basic concepts of the discipline are discussed in this class with a focus on the evolution of the state and the role of the individual from historical, ideological, and comparative perspectives.

Selected publications:

with Warren, A., et al., "Stakeholder Perceptions in Sub-Sahara Africa of Private Financial Assistance for Health and Principles of Aid Effectiveness", submitted to the International Journal of Health Policy and Management. (conditional acceptance)
with Warren, A., et al., “The Global Fund's paradigm of oversight, monitoring, and results in Mozambique”, Globalization and Health (2017) 13: 89.
with Herden, T., "The Evolving Nature of Multinational Diplomacy", Diplomatist Annual Edition 2016.
"The End of an Era", Diplomatist Magazine, Vol. 2, No. 7., 2014
"The Political Framework of Privatizations in Chile", World Bank working paper, 1993
"The Reform of Mexican Public Enterprises", World Bank working paper, 1993

Honors and Awards:

Dean’s Fellowship, The Wharton School, 1990-1993
Woodrow Wilson School Senior Thesis Prize, Princeton University, 1988
TAU BETA PI and PHI BETA KAPPA Honor Societies

Research Interests:

Organizational management of multinational institutions (both public and private)
Comparative politics of privatization
Multi-cultural leadership

Roberto Cordon

Roberto Cordon

Executive in Residence, International Relations and Management Department Co-Chair, International Relations and Political Science

Profile:

2019-2020 Courses:

Selected publications:

Honors and Awards:

Research Interests:

Executive in Residence, International Relations and Management
Department Co-Chair, International Relations and Political Science