International Business 300
Global Business Perspectives
Leta Beard
COUNTRY ANALYSIS REPORT
The purpose of the report is to analyze the business environment in a country from the perspective of an American enterprise. Select a real American company’s product or service to serve as a subject for short-term market entry and longer-term foreign direct investment in your selected country. The company should not already be in that country. Your report should look at investment opportunities including: market size, ease and compatibility of operations, resource costs and availability, as well as government support. You should also look at the economic and political risks associated with investing and operating in your selected country. If you can, try to virtually interview someone from your country to gain a first-hand perspective on current issues facing businesses and incorporate it into your analysis.
Help the firm decide whether or not the country has geographic, demographic, economic, political, ethical, and legal environments that are acceptable. Predict the change in the currency’s value over the next year as well as the next five years (and explain your prediction). Discuss important risks the company must consider and how to mitigate them. For example, for some of the sections you should discuss the current and potential impact of the COVID –19 Corona Virus. Discuss and analyze the impact on your country, your company and will it affect your entry decision.
Decide on a location within the country for entry. Help your selected company decide whether or not the business infrastructure in the country will be suitable. Are the essential natural, physical and human resources available or can they be imported if necessary?
Help the company’s managers who might work in the country to:
Understand the cultural environment they will encounter in the workplace,
Decide whether or not it is suitable, and
Develop appropriate ways of managing people, information, and things.
ADMINISTRATIVE:
Write a 16-18 page paper (12-point font, Times New Roman, double-spaced), not including an executive summary, tables, notes, graphs, references list, or appendices. Use a report style which a senior manager would expect: an executive summary including statement of research questions, constraints and obstacles, criteria used to evaluate and make judgments; analysis of each question or topic using headings and sub-headings; specific conclusions; specific recommendations (positive or negative) based on conclusions; advice (if any) on how to implement your recommendations; and the sources of your information.
Each team will submit an electronic copy via Simcheck on Canvas. The electronic copy must be in MS Word and one complete document, not an assortment of images, Word documents, and/or spreadsheets. Only one person per team will need to submit the electronic copy of your report on Canvas.
All teams must use either the APA (American Psychological Association) citation or MLA style consistently throughout the report. Copies of hyperlinks are NOT an acceptable form of citation. All team members are equally responsible for ensuring compliance with this requirement. Electronic copies of the report will be processed through Simcheck. Please remember to check to make sure you have cited all of your sources.
