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.
All students must submit a Turnitin receipt with the paper copy submission. The penalty for students who do not submit their assessed work through Turnitin is that their mark is withheld and the assessment board may deem the work to have failed.
Students may submit drafts through Turnitin prior to submission and generate reports. The last submission prior to the deadline will be deemed to be the final submission for assessment purposes.
This assessment covers all learning outcomes for the module.
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.
2
Please choose ONE question from the following:
1. The competitive “battle” between companies such as Apple and Samsung demonstrate the importance of sustaining a culture of and commitment to innovation.
Compare and contrast the activities of two companies (of your choice) in the same industrial sector to develop new technology to sustain their competitive edge.
(Your answer should include a critical analysis of which company you think will be more successful in sustaining its competitive advantage in the longer term. You also need to make use of relevant theories to support your analysis).
2. Developing an internationalisation strategy and moving into new markets is often part of a complex decision making process.
When making a decision on where to invest in foreign countries, to access new markets, what methods and theories might be used by a company to help inform its decision making process. (Apply your critical analysis to specific businesses in no more than two country examples of your choice).
3. Choose one BRIC and one MINT economy and critically compare and contrast the development of trade in the two economies. (In particular assess the role of bilateral and multilateral trade agreements for each of your chosen countries. Support your arguments with specific examples. You also need to make use of relevant theories to support your analysis).
4. “The new electronic independence re-creates the world in the image of a global village”.
Critically assess the evidence for and against the idea that the world’s market places for goods and services are moving towards greater convergence when applied to the interaction of international companies with their customers. (Support your arguments with specific examples from the activities of multinational companies.)
