International Business Environment
Task Description
This is an
individual assignment. It will constitute 100% of your overall mark for the
module. Please choose ONE question
from the following FOUR. You are
asked to write an essay-style answer
of about 3000 words on the topic you
have chosen. All questions are equally weighted.
You are expected
to develop your own arguments for each, based on your own critical reflection,
as well as reading and discussion in the workshops. This is not a closed-book assessment. You
are expected to use research-based
academic work, such as journal articles, books, and other sources. Remember to
provide full references, using Harvard referencing, at the end of each answer
for any material that you refer to.
Submissions will
only be accepted if they are submitted via JIRA. If your centre supports Turnitin ©,
a copy of your Turnitin © originality report must be submitted in conjunction
with your assignment.
This assessment
covers the following learning outcomes from the module.
Knowledge:
1. Critically
review and apply concepts, terminology & theoretical models associated with
international business policies and strategies.
2. Demonstrate
understanding of the political, socio-cultural, economic and technological factors
that have been found to influence variations in international organisational
business structures and leadership and management styles
3. Critically
assess the relationship between national and organisational cultures
4. Relate
the conceptual theory of ‘internationalisation’, innovation and competitive
advantage to different industries and locations
Skills:
1. As
an individual apply relevant theoretical concepts to real-world business
(environment) dilemmas or issues, producing a diagnosis and suggesting possible
outcomes.
Assessment Criteria:
For each
question, the competent answer will be concise,
accurate and clearly written in your own words. It will put forward your individual analysis of the issues
raised, rather than merely offer a descriptive account. It will be
logically organised and contain a conclusion.
Your assignment
should also consider and apply the
relevant theories and your arguments
should be supported by drawing on relevant literature and examples from international business. Where you draw on the views, words and
research of others, these will be acknowledged as references and cited clearly
in your answer conforming to the Harvard referencing system.
The Generic PG
assessment criteria are attached as well as a module interpretation in the form
of a mark sheet.
The University’s
Policy on Cheating, Collusion and Plagiarism will apply.
Questions
In answering ONE
of these questions, please pay
particular attention to the assessment criteria set out on the previous page.
Please also note that
(i) as
much as possible your answers should draw on real world examples from the
activities of international businesses and national economies
(ii) equal
weighting should be assumed for two part questions.
1. Drawing
on relevant theory, critically compare and contrast
the activities of two companies (of
your choice) in the same industrial sector, as they develop new technology to try to maintain their competitive advantage. In
doing so consider their current achievements and potential for sustaining high performance.
2. To what
extent will the alleged rising
power of the BRICs and the MINTs alter the
balance of powerin the global financial and political institutions? What are the implications for multinational
enterprises seeking to access and develop business in these markets?
3.
For a global company from
a BRIC economy contemplating a joint venture with a foreign partner in a European Union country (of your choice)
what are the cultural difficulties
likely to be encountered? In addition what are your recommendations for how to enable the joint venture to succeed?
4. As an adviser to a government of a
developing economy, you are asked to provide a critical analysis which sets out
what policies the government could pursue to
(a) bolster
national innovative capacities;
(b) maximize the benefit of the from
technology transfer afforded by its inward investors in manufacturing
Assessment
|
Criteria Details
|
Marks
|
|
Criteria
|
Allocated
|
Actual
|
|
Relevance
|
The
Relevance of the work examined to its selected question.
|
20%
|
|
Knowledge
|
The work
should have a substantial knowledge of relevant material, showing a clear
grasp of themes, questions and issues therein.
|
20%
|
|
Analysis
|
The
analysis should be comprehensive, clear and orderly.
|
20%
|
|
Argument
and
Structure
|
The
argument should be well supported, focussed, clear and logically structured.
|
10%
|
|
Critical
Evaluation
|
The work
should contain distinctive or
independent
thinking; and formulate an independent position in relation to theory and/or
practice.
|
20%
|
|
Presentation
|
The work
is well written, with standard spelling and grammar, in a readable style with
acceptable format.
|
5%
|
|
Reference
to
Literature
|
Critical
appraisal of up-to-date and/or
appropriate
literature. Recognition of different perspectives. Very good use of a wide
range of sophisticated source material.
|
5%
|
|
Total Marks
|
100%
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Comment
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