BSM934 Advanced Topics in International Business
Group Assignment/Oral Exam
The group assignment is worth 30% of the total mark for this module. The assignment will be assessed via an oral exam (45 min) during week 9 in term 2.
This is a group assignment and thus the preparation for the oral exam is expected to be undertaken as a group. The assignment is to be undertaken with reference to a country of your choice and on three firms which operate in the SAME industry. One “traditional multinational”, one born global firm and one emerging country multinational. Note, you may choose any firm but you must clear your choice with the lecturer before week 9.
Focus of the Coursework
The objective of the oral exam is test your ability to examine and critically appraise the extent to which globalisation and international business is affecting the country and firm and why.
The oral exam will cover the following areas:
- Describe the foreign operations of a traditional multinational in one host country. Assess both the positive and negative impact this FDI can have in the foreign country. Refer to literature in your answer.
- Critically examine, either a traditional or an emerging country MNE’s firm specific advantages, and to what extent does this determine their international activities abroad and the types of foreign subsidiaries they have. Refer to literature in your answer.
- Assess a born global firm’s internationalization process, to what extent does the Uppsala Model apply to this firm? Why was this firm able to expand so quickly? Refer to literature in your answer.
- Critically assess to what extent emerging country multinationals internationalization process differs to traditional MNEs, using your chosen multinationals as case studies. Refer to literature in your answer.
Each member of the group will be expected to prepare for all of the above areas and questions will be asked to individual group members in a random fashion. Marks will be given on an individual basis following the oral exam. The answers given in the oral exam should relate clearly to the relevant lecture material studied in the module.
