Assessment paper

a) Group coursework: Weight: 30% Group size: 4-5 members Word limit: 2500 words Option 1: Select an emerging market that hosts several leading automobile companies assembly factories. Carry out a research and explain why it has become the assembly base of these leading automobile companies Option 2: The United States is home to many of the worlds leading computer software companies, most of which commonly outsource software development to other countries, including Egypt, India, Ireland, Israel, Malaysia, Hungary, and the Philippines. Select one of these countries, carry out a research and explain why it has become a base for these computer software companies. Option 3: Imagine that you and your team members own a company that manufactures a range of home electrical appliances in UK and exports products to the EU market and you want to move your companys manufacturing from UK to a more cost effective nation to lower production cost. Choose 3 perspective countries to which you think the company should target. Carry out a detailed assessment of these 3 countries and decide in which country you will recommend to base the manufacturing. Structure Guideline: 1. Introduction: This section may consist of a brief introduction of the selected country/countries and the report outline. 2. Main Text: This section should provide a systematic assessment of chosen country/countries investment environmental factors. 3. Conclusion: Summarize the key points in the report. 4. Bibliography: Essential readings for group coursework: Chapter 12: Country Evaluation and Selection in Daniels John D. and Radebaugh Lee H. (2009) International Business: Environment and Operations, 12/E, Prentice Hall. Chapter 12: Analysing International Opportunities In Wild John J. and Wild Kenneth L. (2012) International Business: The Challenges of Globalization, Pearson. Some useful data sources for group coursework: https://www.enterprisesurveys.org/custom/Default.aspx http://www.doingbusiness.org/ http://www.freedomhouse.org/ World investment report, http://www.unctad.org National Trade Estimate Report on Foreign Trade Barriers, http://www.ustr.gov Emerging market potential index, http://globaledge.msu.edu/resourcedesk/mpi/

The corruption perception index, http://www.transparency.org/policy_research/surveys_indices/cpi/2009 Hofstede cultural dimensions, http://www.geert-hofstede.com/hofstede_dimensions.php The International Monetary Fund, www.imf.org The World Bank, www.worldbank.org The World Intellectual Property Organisation, www.wipo.org The World Trade Organization, www.wto.org The Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation, http://www.apecsec.org.sg The Association of Southeast Asian Nations, http://www.aseansec.org Country information, http://www.dushkin.com/globalstudies Eastern European country information, http://reenic.utexas.edu The European Union, http://europa.eu.int Latin American country information, http://lanic.utexas.edu Middle East country information, http://menic.utexas.edu The North America Free Trade Agreement, http://www.nafta-sec-alena.org The Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development, www.oecd.org United Nations Departments page provides a direct link to Regional UN Economic Commissions, namely ECE (Europe), ESCAP (Asia-Pacific), ECLAC (Latin America and Caribbean), ECA (Africa), ESC (West Asia), http://www.un.org/Depts/ b) Individual Coursework 70% Answer one of the following questions and provide your answer in no more than 1500 words. This coursework should be written in an essay format. 1. Which theory do you think offers a better explanation of manufacturing FDI from developed country firms to developing countries: Dunnings OLI paradigm or Vernons Product Life Cycle theory? Explain your answer fully. 2. Choose two culturally diverse countries and compare their cultures. Discuss how cultural differences influence the costs of doing business between two countries. 3. Countries that intervene in trade have cited political arguments for their actions. To what extent are these arguments Justifiable? Discuss with reference to examples and rationales of these arguments. Structure Guideline: Introduction: The introduction should set a clear direction and structure to the essay. Main Text: This section should provide cogent arguments based on relevant concepts and theories and supported by examples and empirical evidence. Conclusion: Summarize the main arguments in the essay. Reference:

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