Assignment 1
Part A: Economic Systems
Prepare a 2-3-page report (500-750 words, double-spaced) containing the following:
1. Characterize the economies of the two target countries that you selected in Assignment 2. Are they centrally planned, mixed, or free market economies? Explain your decision.
2. Using World Bank and or IMF data, make a 3 × 4 table to compare your two countries with Canada for four factors of economic development: GDP (per capita), GNP, PPP, and HDI. Make sure to cite your sources.
Hint: Find the information you need on the World Bank, UNDP, or IMF websites, or search for it on Wikipedia or Google Public Data.
3. Based on the information you have gathered, which of your two countries looks like a better place to do business? Why?
Part B: Trade Barriers and Treaties
Prepare a 3-4-page report (750-1,000 words, double-spaced) containing the following:
1. What was the mercantile system and why did it fail?
2. Compare absolute advantage with comparative advantage. How does the size of a country and the diversity of its economy impact on these theories?
3. How does one determine the suitability of a country for trade using Michael Porter's Diamond?
4. Apply Porter's Diamond to an analysis of your product or service industry for one of the countries you selected in Assignment 2. Your diamond analysis should be in point form and include descriptions of the following:
o Factor conditions
o Demand conditions
o Related and supporting industries
o Firm strategy, structure, and rivalry
Summarize with a paragraph to summarize the interactions among these diamond factors and any evidence of the role of government in your selected country.
Part C: Government Interference and Foreign Direct Investment
Prepare a 2-3-page report (500-750 words, double-spaced) containing the following:
1. What are the political, economic and cultural motives for governments to interfere with international trade?
2. What methods might the governments of the countries you selected in Assignment 2 use to increase or restrict international trade?
3. To what extent do you think your product or service might attract government attention?
4. What is the difference between foreign direct investment and portfolio investment?
5. Would FDI be appropriate for your product or service in the two finalist countries you selected in Assignment 2? Explain.
Part D: Canadian Government Business Assistance
Prepare a 1-2-page report (250-500 words, double-spaced) containing the following:
1. Identify potential sources of financing and start-up support or assistance that may be appropriate for your international business.
2. List government sources of financial or other assistance for Canadian businesses establishing operations in foreign markets. These sources should be appropriate to your particular product/service.
3. Briefly explain why these government programs or agency programs and services are or are not a good fit with your needs
Assignment 2
Instructions
Part A: Economic Cooperation and Regional Economic Integration
Prepare a 2-3-page report (500-750 words, double-spaced) containing the following:
1. Of which trading blocs are your two target countries members? If not part of a bloc, which bloc do you think they should join? Describe the advantages and disadvantages of being part of a trading bloc.
2. How will Canada's membership in NAFTA help or hinder your ability to take your product or service to your two target countries?
3. What is the difference between a free trade agreement (such as NAFTA) and an economic union (such as the EU)?
4. What would be the advantages and disadvantages for Canada to join a customs union with the USA and Mexico?
5. What are the stated aims of the Association of South East Asian Nations (ASEAN)? What are the risks of working with a business partner from ASEAN?
Part B: International Money Markets and Foreign Exchange
Prepare a 3-4-page report (750-1,000 words, double-spaced) that responds to the following:
1. In many ways, the economy of a country is like the economy of a household. If the household spends more than it earns, then it faces difficult times. On the other hand, if it earns more than it spends, then it can save for a rainy day. Discuss the relevance of this analogy to the economy of a country. In particular, discuss imports, exports, the balance of payments, and the strengthening or weakening of the nation's currency.
2. When the USA experienced high inflation in the 1970s, Canada also experienced high inflation. Indeed, Canada was said to have "imported inflation" from the USA. If Canada's exports to the USA were high, Canada's foreign exchange reserves would have increased. Since exports create jobs, how could Canada have imported inflation from the USA?
3. Suppose a Canadian firm wants to import canned beef from Brazil. The shape of graph of GDP per capita (in US$) from 1960 to 2005 (below) shows that Canada has a significantly higher rate of GDP increase and a higher rate of exports. Based on these two factors, which country had the harder currency during this period? Why? Which country do had the greater rate of inflation in this period? Why? Find the relevant PPP numbers for each country. Does the result match your analysis?
4. Based on the 1960-2005 period, if a Canadian company were to import from Brazil and must pay in Brazilian reias when the goods are delivered in 90 days, should the company get the currency through the spot or the futures market? Why? Would it be different if the company had to pay in US$? Explain.
Part C: International Monetary Systems
Prepare a 2-4-page report (500-1,000 words, double-spaced) to reflect on and compare the current economic, political, technical and financial risks your international business will face entering the two countries you selected.
Considerations might include:
• Economic stability
• Currency fluctuations and inflation
• Rising nationalism and other political uncertainties
• Potential changes in administrative trade barriers
• Accounting practices
• Relevant cultural or technological forces
Hint:
A quick search of reliable Internet sources may help you formulate some thoughts about these and other factors and current events that will impact your planning. There is no right or wrong answer to this question. This is your opportunity to show your ability to look at data and draw some evidence-based conclusions that demonstrate your understanding of how political and economic pressures impact currency flows and international business.
Journal Reflection
See the journal information sections on this Assignments Overview tab for instructions, topics and marking information.
Module 3 and Module 4 require your participation in the reflection topics listed in the discussion board. At the end of Module, include a report of your reflections in Assignment.
The journal reflection requires you to look back at your contributions and to reflect on your learning experience.
Consider the following reflective questions:
1. Did the topics for reflection and the ideas and information you explored influence your understanding of or perspective on international business?
2. Did your ideas and views shift as you progressed through the course?
3. Did the contributions of other learners influence you and help enrich your knowledge of international business?
Assignment 3
Instructions
Read through this full set of instructions for the Final Project at the beginning of the course so you can familiarize yourself with the expectations. Also, it's not too early to start thinking about a country of interest for international business that you might want to work on for this project. In order to develop a high quality project, it is recommended that you have frequent and ongoing consultations with your Open Learning Faculty Member.
Introduction
Instead of a final exam, you will complete a final research project. The Final Project is an individual project, not a group project. It is a mandatory component of the course and you must pass the research project to be eligible to pass the course.
The Final Project involves selecting a country for your international business and developing a thorough country analysis regarding the opportunities and obstacles for international business. The projects are individual projects, and each student will work on one project.
The IBUS 3511 Final Project will be the practical application of various concepts you study during this course. To start, select a country other than Canada that you think is a suitable host for your international business. For the purpose of this project, you can think of yourself as a manager of a large international firm or an owner of a small business with products and/ or services that have potential demand in the host country. You are seeking to enter this country and to participate in international business. The aim of this project is to assess the suitability of the host country for your international entry, based on all the issues you studied in this course (cultural, political, economic, etc.).
Project Proposal
The business idea and its products or services should be innovative, but practical and realistic, and should not be pure fantasy. It is not important to finalize your selection of a host country in the proposal, but you should identify at least two target countries. Once you have decided about the host country, you will develop and submit a two- to three-page proposal for your Project.
You will submit the Final Project proposal at the end of Lesson 3 as Part C of Assignment 1.
If the proposal is satisfactory, the Open Learning Faculty Member will approve your proposal; otherwise, he or she will return the proposal with feedback and you will resubmit the revised project proposal within one Lesson.
Learners will be advised to redo Part C if the good or service is deemed inappropriate for the Final Project. This may include projects deemed immoral, illegal, impractical, insignificant, or uncreative (i.e., because they are already chosen by others or were over-used in previous course offerings).
Once approved, any further changes to the project proposal can only be made with prior approval of the Open Learning Faculty Member.
Final Project Report
You are strongly advised to start working on the Final Project as soon as your project proposal is approved. You are encouraged to consult the Open Learning Faculty Member regularly. Each assignment has questions that pertain to the Final Project and it is strongly recommended that you work on your projects as you progress through the lessons and not wait till the very end of the course.
See Appendix B for a suggested format for the Final Project report. You are at a liberty to make suitable changes as you deem fit, basing on your individual project requirements. However, sticking to the broad suggested format will help you in developing the required skills faster in a structured and modular manner.
Country analysis reports normally vary in size from 25 pages to 40 pages (excluding attachments), depending the nature of review and the depth of knowledge needed. You will submit a comprehensive formal project report of 25 pages or more (keeping the scope and nature of your project in mind), excluding attachments, by the end of Lesson 14, to your Open Learning Faculty Member. The suggested size is only for guidance, and size alone will not be the basis of assessment. It may also be noted that the Final Project marks will be awarded on the quality of the contents of the project and not just for following the format given.
Format your assignment according to the following formatting requirements:
1. The answer should be typed, double spaced, using Times New Roman font (size 12), with one-inch margins on all sides.
2. The response also includes a cover page containing the title of the assignment, the student's name, the course title, and the date. The cover page is not included in the required page length.
3. Also include a reference page. The Citations and references should follow APA format. The reference page is not included in the required page length.
Attachment:- Appendix-B-Project-Report-Format.rar