Module Overview:
•Assess the different factors that are critical to international versus domestic business.
Driven by a number of important forces including the elimination of previous barriers to trade and technological advances, the resulting gains in international trade have had an important impact on many features of countries across the world, including jobs, incomes, and cultures. This phenomenon, often called globalization, is an integral topic needing careful consideration in modern business environments.
"I define globalization as the inexorable integration of markets, transportation systems, and communication systems to a degree never witnessed before - in a way that is enabling corporations, countries, and individuals to reach around the world farther, faster, deeper, and cheaper than ever before, and ina way that is enabling the world to reach into corporations, countries, and individuals farther, faster, deeper, and cheaper than ever before" (Friedman, 2002, p. 3, from "Longitudes and Attitudes").
Today, it is more important than ever for a well-educated business professional to understand the possibilities for extending business into foreign markets.
This module provides an examination of some basic concepts in international business. You will begin your course project in this module by selecting a country of choice to study. You will investigate the many dimensions of that country's international business environment such as economic conditions, financial system, cultural issues, and unique marketing considerations.
Module Readings and Assignment:
Complete the following readings early in the module:
•Module 1 online lectures
•From the textbook, International business: The challenges of globalization, 8th, please read the following:
?Globalization
Assignment:
Research
Review the Web sites provided for research for your course project. Select three of these Web sites and summarize the information you found on each that is relevant for the project. Note, it may take some exploration of the Web site to identify the relevant information. Write the summary in 2-3 paragraphs. Apply current APA standards for writing style to your work.
Country Choice
Based on your review of the Web sources and research, identify one country you would like to select for the course project. Also, specify two backup choices of countries to study. The countries that you choose should be interesting to you for either personal or professional reasons.
Provide your primary and secondary choices in a short paragraph. Your facilitator will confirm either your first choice or one of your backup choices.