For this assignment, you are asked to write an essay on ONE of the topics outlined below to address how globalisation and/or international trade has been impacted by (one of) these three significant trends: international business, international financial institutions, and international production.
TOPIC A: You are the International Risk Manager of an MNE of your choice. Discuss your Firm International Business Operations in the Context of various risks associated with International Markets.
TOPIC B: With Reference to an International Bank of your choice: Discuss the Impact of International Financial Institutions on International Trade.
TOPIC C: Select One Multinational Enterprise (MNE) in which you are Interested: Discuss the MNE International Production in the Context of Internationalisation/Globalisation.
- Tips:
TOPIC A: You are the international risk manager of an MNE of your choice. Discuss your firms’ international business operations in the context of various risks associated with International Markets
In writing your essay you should not just consider the within country risk but also the risk associated with your company operating across countries. You will find the material covered in and around the lectures on international business, risk of doing business, international trade and seminar on international business particularly useful for this essay. International business has both taken advantage of globalisation and contributed to its development. The idea of globalisation is making everything available at places hitherto considered difficult for companies and utilising valuable resources that are not readily available. Over the last few decades, free trade agreements and access to international markets have radically disrupted and transformed how businesses operate, engage with their existing and potential customers, and communicate with key stakeholders and the public. Drawing on the theories and materials introduced to you in the module by critically discussing how international business has transformed markets operations, communication, and engagement with existing and potential customers globally.
TOPIC B: With Reference to an International Bank of your choice: Discuss the Impact of International Financial Institutions on International Trade.
In your essay, you should comment on how chosen bank international financial operations connect countries; how these connections create vulnerabilities; and how institutions try to limit this risk. Bring in appropriate examples of how shocks or crises have spread between countries/industries. You will find the material covered in and around the lectures on international financial institutions, globalisation and crisis and the seminars on money and banking particularly useful for this essay. International Finance Institutions (IFIs) play a significant role in supporting international trade activities. IFIs facilitate international trade by providing financing and guarantees to importers and exporters. The main question you aim to address is: How have global financial institutions influenced the development of international trade?. Drawing on the theories and materials introduced to you in the module by critically discussing how global financial players have influenced and transformed international trade engagement of businesses with global markets operations and sustainability.
TOPIC C: Select One Multinational Enterprise (MNE) in which you are Interested: Discuss the MNE International Production in the Context of Internationalisation/Globalisation.
In writing your essay, you should consider how demand and opportunities relate to changing populations, and how these changes interact with your selected MNE environmental sustainability. Bring in appropriate examples in which changes are having an impact on businesses. You will find the material covered in and around the lectures on The internationalisation of production and seminars on The globalisation of production particularly useful for this essay. The theory of foreign-owned production seeks to explain the extent and pattern of multinational enterprises (MNEs) value-added activities outside their national boundaries. The global factory is a structure through which multinational enterprises integrate their global strategies through innovation, distribution and production of goods and services. Internationalisation/Globalisation and advances in technology and innovation have radically disrupted and transformed global markets, how organisations operate, how they engage with their existing and potential customers, and how they communicate with key stakeholders and the public. The main question you are attempting to address is: How has cross-border production shaped internationalisation/globalisation?
Drawing on the theories and materials introduced to you in the module by critically discussing how international production has influenced and shaped global markets.
Further Guidance Notes
It would be best if you discussed your topic concerning the areas and theories introduced to you in the module. Use no more than three of these areas in your essay. Please support your essay with relevant examples and substantiate your discussion with appropriate references.
List of Suggested Areas for Consideration:
- The theory of comparative advantage.
- Global factory.
- Global value chain.
- International Business/trade ethics (environmental concerns, fair-trade etc.).
- Global financial markets.
These are helpful theories for discussing the topics, but please note that the list of ideas provided here is not exhaustive. We encourage you to consult the international business literature and find other more interesting concepts and theories. The UoL library holds essential open access publications and books.
- You can select your opportunity in any context, industry, market, and scope (e.g., developing or developed markets).
- The gathering and analysis of relevant secondary data are highly recommended, as this is the basis for effectively responding to the assessment task.
Suggested Essay Structure
- This is a report-style assignment. We recommend using subheadings, charts, graphs, and other relevant data.
- All reports should be typed in 12 font (preferably Arial or Times New Roman) and with one and a-half line spacing
- Cover/title pages should include the module code (MN7406), the module name (International Business), and your student number. Do not write your name.
- The total word count is 3000 (+/-10%), excluding references, appendices, charts, diagrams, etc. You must indicate the total word count on the front page.
We do not wish to provide a strict prescription on how the essay should be structured. However, in the structure suggested below, we provide you with indicative guidance, which we hope will help you tackle this essay succinctly.
- Introduction (approx. 200 words)
Begin your essay with an introduction of the MNE and/or international bank you have selected for your essay, and set out the essay’s purpose, shows the topic is understood and outlines the essay structure. You may also provide brief background information to showcase the relevance of your discussion topics. The purpose of this paragraph is to establish the rationale of your discussion topic.
- The Main Body (approx. 2500 words)
In this section, you should attempt to thematise the essay by discussing the key and relevant themes to support your selected topic.
The number of themes you wish to discuss is up to you as long as they are within the word limits. We encourage you to use subheadings for each theme. Please ensure that you support your arguments with supporting references and illustrative examples.
- Conclusion (approx. 300 words)
The conclusion briefly combines all key points (one per paragraph) to provide some additional insight by bringing together the various threads / themes from the body of the assignment.
Use of Appendices
You are advised to be cautious when including appendices in this assignment. There are no specific criteria for marking or mark allocation available for appendices, so the assessment process focuses on the appropriate use of appendices. When deciding whether to include other appendices, consider the following points:
- Appendices should add value or detail to the discussion and analysis undertaken in the main body of the assignment.
- They offer students the opportunity to give greater relevant and appropriate detail to support the primary analysis and discussion.
- Models, theory, and discussion that demonstrate critical evaluation and analysis of issues related to the assessed module should always be presented within the main body of the text. This discussion should make sense without referring to the appendices.
- Using bullet points in the text (which does not constitute analysis) and putting the detailed analysis in the appendices is not an acceptable practice and could result in failure.
- The inclusion of appendices should not be viewed as an opportunity to include anything that cannot fit in the word count.
- Assignments that make excessive use of appendices suggest inappropriate use. As a guide, we would not normally expect appendices to exceed one-third of the length of the assignment.
- Appendices should always be referenced at the appropriate point within the discussion in the main body of the text.
Marking Criteria
This individual assignment will be assessed based on the following criteria:
| Mark | Postgraduate Grade Descriptor |
| 85-100% | Scholarship: Excellent application of a rigorous and extensive knowledge of the subject matter; perceptive; demonstrates a critical appreciation of the subject and extensive and detailed critical analysis of the key issues involved in new venture creation; displays independence of thought and/ or a novel and relevant approach to entrepreneurial opportunities and new venture creation process. There are innovative or novel applications of theory. Excellent synthesis, linkages, and application of appropriate tools to the analysis/report Independent learning: Work draws on a wide range of relevant literature and is not confined to reading lists, textbooks or lecture notes; a variety of means well supports arguments. Writing skills: Writing skills are excellent; writing is clear and precise; arguments are logical, well-structured and sustained, and demonstrate thorough understanding; conclusions are reasoned and justified by the evidence. Data and analysis: Work demonstrates a robust approach to analysis that is evident in a deep understanding of relevant concepts, theories, principles and techniques. The choice and use of evidence/data supporting the report are highly appropriate and extensively move beyond the description of obvious entrepreneurial opportunities. The evidence/data strongly relates to the critical issues in the report and provides an excellent foundation for deeper exploration of the main issues in the report. |
| 70-84% | Scholarship: Very good application of a rigorous and extensive knowledge of the subject matter; demonstrates a critical appreciation of entrepreneurial opportunities and new venture creation process; displays detailed thought and consideration of the subject. A very good synthesis, linkages, and application of relevant theories to the analysis/report Independent learning: Work draws on a range of relevant literature and is not confined to reading lists, textbooks or lecture notes. Writing skills: Writing skills are well-developed; writing is clear and precise; arguments are logical, well-structured and demonstrate thorough understanding; the evidence justifies conclusions. Data and analysis: Analytical steps are carried out carefully and correctly, demonstrating that they are based on a sound understanding. The analysis is relevant to the problem, complete, and placed in a clear context. A very good analysis of markets/industry supports critical themes and issues raised in the opportunity evaluation. |
| 60-69% | Scholarship: Good, broad-based understanding of subject manner; makes effective use of understanding to provide an informative, balanced argument that is focussed on entrepreneurial opportunities and new venture creation process; reveals some attempt at creative, independent thinking; main points well covered, displaying breadth or depth but not necessarily both; a broadly complete and relevant argument for each opportunity evaluation model adopted Independent learning: Sources range beyond textbooks and lecture material and are used effectively to illustrate points and justify arguments. Writing skills: Arguments are presented logically and coherently within a clear structure and are justified with appropriate supporting evidence; capably written with good use of English throughout; free from significant errors; complex ideas are expressed clearly and fluently using specialist technical terminology where appropriate. Data and analysis: Some minor slips in the steps of the analysis and some minor gaps in understanding underlying principles of opportunity evaluation, assessment and new venture creation. The analysis is relevant to the problem and primarily complete, a reasonable interpretation which conveys most of its meaning. |
| 50-59% | Scholarship: Some but limited engagement with, and understanding of, relevant material but may lack focus, organisation, breadth, and/or depth; relatively straightforward ideas are expressed clearly and fluently though there may be little or no attempt to synthesise or evaluate more complex ideas throughout the assessment and evaluation of the entrepreneurial opportunity; exhibits limited independent creative thought; adequate analysis but some key points only mentioned in passing; arguments satisfactory but some errors and perhaps lacking completeness and relevance in parts. Independent learning: Sources restricted to core lecture material with limited or no evidence of wider reading. Writing skills: The question is addressed in a reasonably clear, coherent and structured manner, but some sections may be poorly written, making the essay challenging to follow, obscuring key points or leading to over-generalisation; competently written with good use of English throughout (few, if any, errors of spelling, grammar and punctuation). Reasons and recommendations are not adequately justified. Data and analysis: Minor slips and occasional basic errors in analysis. Underlying principles are mostly understood, but clear gaps are apparent.Analysis falls short of completeness and is a little irrelevant in place, but a reasonable interpretation which goes some way to convey its meaning |
45-49% | Minimum requirements have not been met. Scholarship: Inadequate understanding of key issues and concepts regarding entrepreneurial opportunities and new venture creation; some material may be used inappropriately; uninspired and unoriginal; relies on limited knowledge; analysis poor or obscure, superficial or inconsistent in places; arguments incomplete, partly irrelevant or naive. Independent learning: Restricted to a basic awareness of course material and textbooks; meagre use of material to support assertions. Writing skills: Poor use of English exhibiting errors. The answer may be poorly focussed on the question, lack rigour and/or consist of repetitive, poorly organised points or unsubstantiated assertions that do not relate well to one another or the question, although some structure is discernible. Data and analysis: Inadequate knowledge of the analysis to be followed, with frequent errors. Some attention is paid to underlying principles, but lacking in understandingand is frequently irrelevant. Some interpretation is given, but it does not place the analysis in any real context or industry. |
| 40-44% | Scholarship: Poor knowledge of relevant material; omission of key ideas/material; significant parts may be irrelevant, superficial or factually incorrect; inappropriate use of some material; mere paraphrasing of course texts or lecture notes; key points barely mentioned; very weak grasp or a complete misunderstanding of the issues; inclusion of irrelevant material; does not address the topic or question. Independent learning: Restricted to a basic awareness or no awareness of course material and textbooks; very meagre use of supporting material or unsupported assertions; use of irrelevant or unconvincing material. Writing skills: Unacceptable use of English (i.e. comprehension obscured by significant and intrusive errors of spelling, punctuation and grammar); poor and unclear, or incoherent, structure. Answers that ‘run out of time or miss the point of the question may fall into this (or a lower) class. Data and analysis: Erroneous analysis with mistakes. Very little attention was paid to the underlying principles of the analysis. Far from complete with little relevance to the problem. A limited interpretation that reveals little, if anything, about the key concepts or tools in identifying entrepreneurial opportunities and new venture creation |
| 20-39% | Scholarship: Displays a superficial appreciation of the demands and broad context of the question but is largely irrelevant, fundamentally flawed, or factually incorrect; inappropriate use of material; mere paraphrasing of course texts or lecture notes; key points barely mentioned; complete misunderstanding of the issues; inclusion of irrelevant material. Independent learning: Restricted to limited awareness of basic course material; unsupported assertions; use of irrelevant or unconvincing material. Writing skills: Minimal structure though may only list key themes or ideas with limited comment or explanation. Data and analysis: Analysis has very significant omissions demonstrating little understanding of the process of opportunity identification, analysis, evaluation, and new venture creation Analysis may be ill-suited to the problem. Very little interpretation of the meaning of the analysis. |
| 0-19% | Scholarship: No recognition of the demands or scope of the question and no serious attempt to answer it. Complete misunderstanding of the issues; inclusion of irrelevant material. May have failed to address the question/topic set. Independent learning: No evidence that the most basic course material has been understood; unsupported assertions; use of irrelevant or unconvincing material. Writing skills: Without structure, comprehension may be completely obscured by poor grammar, spelling, and punctuation. Data and analysis: Virtually complete failure to carry out analysis. There is no evidence of understanding of underlying principles and no relevance to the problem. No attempt to interpret or explain the meaning of the analysis. |
Plagiarism
Plagiarism is taking another person’s work and using it as if it were one’s own in such a way as to mislead the reader. Whole pieces of work can be plagiarised (for example, if a student put their name on another student’s essay), or part pieces, where chapters or extracts may be lifted from other sources, including the Internet, without acknowledgement. Sometimes plagiarism happens inadvertently when students fail to read instructions or do not understand the rules governing the presentation of work which require sources to be acknowledged. In such cases, the problem is usually identified early in the course and can be put right through discussion with tutors. However, deliberate attempts to mislead the examiners are regarded as cheating and are treated very severely by boards of examiners. Any plagiarism in assessments that contribute to the final degree class are likely to lead, at the very least, to downgrading the degree class by one division. In the worst cases, expulsion from the University is a possibility.
Referencing
Ensure you use a single and consistent referencing style throughout the report. You are required to use the Harvard Referencing style for your work. Please ensure that you have read the advice on referencing, which is available at:
Note: Academic writing style, proof-read your work for correct spelling and grammar.