GOS 210 International Business: Assignment - Swanson

This guide is intended to help you with your team project in GOS 210 - International Business, with Professor Jennifer Swanson.

Each team will choose a country to study and analyze using concepts and issues discussed in class.  This information will help determine the overall attractiveness of your country as a potential market and/or investment site based on benefits, costs, risks, and other factors.  The issues below should be discussed in regards to their implications for international business dealings.  For example, if the literacy rates were low, discuss the impact this would have on investment decisions.  In addition, each team will choose an organization (preferably headquartered in your country) to analyze.

The written team paper must be a minimum of 5-6 pages per person in length, double spaced (not counting the title page, reference list, or any appendices) and is due during finals week.  You should use at least 5-6 sources of information per person and properly cite them in your paper using APA, 7th edition.  Teams are expected to research their countries and organizations throughout the semester when relevant information is discussed in the classroom.  As such, there will be project oral reports or discussion posts throughout the semester.

The paper is broken down into four sections with suggested topics listed below.  Feel free to add in any additional information or skip any items you do not find or are not relevant for your country (for example, you may not find general management issues for your country so feel free to skip it).  Your choice of country will also determine the material you cover and also how long the sections will be.  For example, if you choose to do a report on China, your section on their economy will be longer than that for other countries.

Segment One:

[Incorporated into final written paper and brief oral report or discussion post during semester]

The information for segment one can be found primarily in Chapters 2 and 3.

• Country Background, History, and Geography (this part should be very brief)
• Political System (type of system and any issues related to it)
• Economic System (type of system and any issues related to it)
• Legal System, Property Rights Issues, Corruption and bribery issues
• Economic Development and progress (GNP per capita, PPP Index, Human Development Index, how fast economy is growing, infant mortality rates, life expectancy rates, etc.)
• Education levels and spending, literacy rates

Segment Two:

[Incorporated into final written paper and brief oral report or discussion post during semester]

The information for segment two is discussed primarily in Chapter 4.

• Cultural Values and Norms
• Language
• Religion
• Cultural Aspects including Hofstede’s cultural work-related dimensions
• Communication and Negotiation practices
• Business Norms and Etiquette

Segment Three:

[Incorporated into final written paper and brief oral report or discussion post during semester]

This segment should include information found primarily in Chapters 7-12.  Below you will find some suggestions as to what you might look at.  However, you do not have to discuss everything listed below and are not limited by items on this list.

• Foreign Direct Investment Outflows and Inflows
• Balance of Payment information
• Main industries and major companies in country
• International Trade issues (i.e., trading partners, export/import goods, trade barriers in place, trade disputes with other countries, etc.)
• Environmental Issues
• Memberships and Regional Economic Integrations (i.e., WTO, EU, NAFTA, etc.)
• Currency issues (Exchange rates, stability of currency, major currency trends and changes, etc.)
• General labor issues or policies (i.e., workforce trends, any issues facing the country in regards to labor)
• General Management issues (i.e., common management styles and practices in the country)

Segment Four:

[Incorporated into final written paper and brief oral report or discussion post during semester]

This segment focuses on an organization operating within your country.  You may find the information in Chapters 13-20 useful for this section.  Below are some suggestions as to what you might look at.  However, you do not have to discuss everything listed below and are not limited by items on this list as it will depend on your company and the amount of information available.

• Overview of company including location, product/services, etc.
• Strategy that the company is following
• Structure and organization of the company
• How the company competes and where does it do business
• Manufacturing issues
• Management issues
• Personnel issues
• Marketing issues (i.e., marketing practices, distribution channels, infrastructure, etc.)