International Business - Seminar Room Questions

Individual weekly contribution to Seminar Topic 1 discussion and questions

Read the short case 'Political and economic reform in Mayanmar'.

It is located on pp. 87-88 in your textbook or you can access it from the e-Library resources provided for this course on the learnonline site.   

Answer the questions below. Do NOT answer the questions at the end of case in the textbook.

Attach a word document for each post with the following format:

FAMILYname-Firstname-week#.doc

"A number of factors explain the economic stagnation of Myanmar until quite recently. The government of Myanmar has also instigated a range of reforms both politically and economically since 2010" 

In light of this statement discuss the following questions:

1. How would you characterise the nature of the economic reforms now being implemented in Myanmar? What is the government trying to achieve to you think? What do you think the likely outcomes will be?

2. What potential impediments do you think might prevent the way forward for further improvements in Myanmar?  

(300-600 words)

Individual weekly contribution to Seminar Topic 2 discussion and questions

Read the short case ''Bitcoin as an Ethical Dilemma”.

It is located on pp. 157-158 in your textbook or you can access it from the e-Library resources provided for this course on the learnonline site.   

Answer the questions below. Do NOT answer the questions at the end of case in the textbook.

Attach a word document for each post with the following format:

FAMILYname-Firstname-week#.doc

"Some suggest that bitcoins are close to being termed unethical monetary instruments without technically carrying a similar value to ‘real’ money. If bitcoins are used to buy drugs, firearms, or other products that are considered as illegal in the country in which the bitcoins are being used, it is argued that this makes bitcoins unethical". 

In light of this statement discuss the following questions:

1. Do you regard the bitcoin system as pernicious, unethical of ‘evil’ as suggested by Paul Krugman? Do you think it is similar to the Ponzi scheme?

2. Do you think that bitcoins were created as a weapon intended to damage or disrupt central banking and money-issuing banks?  

(300-600 words)

Individual weekly contribution to Seminar Topics 3 discussion and questions

Read the short case '' Sugar subsidies drive candy makers abroad”.

It is located on p. 221 in your textbook or you can access it from the e-Library resources provided for this course on the learnonline site.   

Answer the questions below. Do NOT answer the questions at the end of case in the textbook.

Attach a word document for each post with the following format:

FAMILYname-Firstname-week#.doc

"There are winners and losers in terms of benefits from subsidies to US sugar producers, including local and international stakeholders. The question is whether the benefits of US government support to the US sugar industry outweigh the losses. What would be the impact locally and globally if the US government removed all support for US sugar producers? Incredibly, government support programs for sugar producers were introduced in the 1930s, yet they still remain today, long since the original rationale disappeared. It says a lot about the political decisions relating to international trade". 

In light of this statement discuss the following questions:

1. Which of the International Trade Theories best explains the history behind the US government subsidies for the sugar industry? What are some of the limitations of the theory you have selected?

2. If you had the power to make changes to the US government support to the sugar industry, what would you do and why? What theory do you draw upon to explain your decision?  Why?

(300-600 words)

Individual weekly contribution to Seminar Topic 4 discussion and questions

Read the short case ''Volkswagen in Russia”.

It is located on p. 225 in your textbook or you can access it from the e-Library resources provided for this course on the learnonline site.   

Answer the questions below. Do NOT answer the questions at the end of case in the textbook.

Attach a word document for each post with the following format:

FAMILYname-Firstname-week#.doc

"By 2015, Volkswagen had invested over $1 billion in production in Russia. General Motors and Toyota had also announced investments of over $1 billion to boost Russian production up to 300,000 units by 2010, and Fiat had indicated that it would make investments to bring its Russian production up to 300,000 as well. In total foreign carmakers had invested over $5 billion in Russian assembly operations by 2014. Meanwhile, analysts continued to predict that the Russian car markets would grow at a healthy pace and exceed that of Germany by 2020. In 2014, however, the market took a sharp turn for the worst". 

In light of this statement discuss the following questions:

1. Political ideology is an important determinant of government policy toward FDI. Ideology ranges from a radical stance that is hostile to FDI to a noninterventionist, free market stance. Between the two extremes is an approach best described as pragmatic nationalism. Given the scenario outlined above and detailed in the case, what approach best describes the Russian government approach? Why?

2. The benefits and costs of FDI to the host (foreign) country and to the home (source) vary considerably. In light of Volkswagen’s experience what are the benefits and costs? And to the host country? What theories do you draw upon to explain your arguments?  Why?

(300-600 words)

Individual weekly contribution to Seminar Topic 5 discussion and questions

Read the short case ''The IMF & Iceland’s economic recovery”.

It is located on pp. 338-339 in your textbook or you can access it from the e-Library resources provided for this course on the learnonline site.   

Answer the questions below. Do NOT answer the questions at the end of case in the textbook.

Attach a word document for each post with the following format:

FAMILYname-Firstname-week#.doc

"There are a range of 'internal' and 'external' underlying factors that have contributed to Iceland’s economic troubles in 2008. While some argue that it was facing a classic currency crisis, others take a different view, arguing that it faced a banking crisis". 

In light of this statement discuss the following questions:

1. How did Iceland recover from its 2008-2009 crisis? Has this been completed? What important lessons can be drawn from this case?

2. Interestingly, Iceland did not implement the austerity policies that are so often associated with IMF loans, and yet the economy appears to have recovered. Does this suggest that austerity policies do not work? Why? 

(300-600 words)

Individual weekly contribution to Seminar Topic 6 discussion and questions

Read the short case ''Lincoln Electric & Culture”.

It is located on p. 419 in your textbook or you can access it from the e-Library resources provided for this course on the learnonline site.   

Answer the questions below. Do NOT answer the questions at the end of case in the textbook.

Attach a word document for each post with the following format:

FAMILYname-Firstname-week#.doc

"Lincoln Electric competes in a business that is very competitive, where cost minimization is a key source of competitive advantage. Lincoln’s culture and incentive systems both encourage employees to strive for high levels of productivity, which translates into the low costs that are critical for Lincoln’s success. However, a culture that leads to high performance in the firm’s home nation may not be easily imposed on foreign subsidiaries. Lincoln’s culture has clearly helped the firm achieve superior performance in the US (home) market, but this same culture is very ‘American’ in essence and difficult to implement in other host (foreign) markets". 

In light of this statement discuss the following questions:

1. The managers and employees of several of Lincoln’s European subsidiaries found the culture to be alien to their own values and were reluctant to adopt it. The result was that Lincoln found it very difficult to replicate in foreign markets the success it has in the US. Lincoln compounded the problem by acquiring established enterprises that already had their own organizational culture. What other organizational structures could it have adopted in foreign markets? What are the advantages and disadvantages of other organizational structures that you could suggest, from the perspective of both the home and host markets?

2. In trying to impose its culture on foreign operating subsidiaries, Lincoln had to deal with two problems: how to change the established organizational culture of those units, and how to introduce an organizational culture whose key values might be alien to the values held my members in that society. Drawing on examples from the case and elsewhere, what would you suggest Lincoln do to address both problems? Why?

(300-600 words)

Individual weekly contribution to Seminar Topic 7 discussion and questions

Read the short case ''General Motors Corporation”.

It is located on pp. 455-456 in your textbook or you can access it from the e-Library resources provided for this course on the learnonline site.   

Answer the questions below. Do NOT answer the questions at the end of case in the textbook.

Attach a word document for each post with the following format:

FAMILYname-Firstname-week#.doc

"General Motors (GM) entered the Chinese market at a time when demand was quite limited. There were a number of rationale for the decision both in the short term and in the long term. It also chose to enter China through a joint venture with SAIC. There are both advantages and disadvantages in entering China through this type of entry strategy. There are also considerable risks. For example, it could have simply licensed its technology to SAIC. It could also have easily exported cars from the US to China". 

In light of this statement discuss the following questions:

1. Why do you think the joint venture has been so successful to date? Do you see any concerns in the future? Why?

2. As of 2015 GM appears to be increasing its strategic commitments to China, building more factories and opening more dealers. Why is the company making these decisions do you think? Do you have any concerns with this strategy? What potential risks do you also see here? Why?

(300-600 words)

Individual weekly contribution to Seminar Topic 8 discussion and questions

Read the short case ''H&M: The retail giant”.

It is located on pp. 512-513 in your textbook or you can access it from the e-Library resources provided for this course on the learnonline site.   

Answer the questions below. Do NOT answer the questions at the end of case in the textbook.

Attach a word document for each post with the following format:

FAMILYname-Firstname-week#.doc

"It might be surprising to know that the second-largest clothing retailer in the world is selling in stores in only 54 countries plus an additional 10 countries on line. It does not seem to want to cover more of the world’s countries, despite what might appear as numerous advantages for doing so. Moreover, H&M does not actually own any of the factories that produce its clothes. Instead, it prefers to rely on some 1,900 factories and over 900 suppliers to create what its team designed. These factories and suppliers are mostly in Europe and Asia. Why would they do this? How can H&M ensure that its customers receive the quality expected in clothing?" 

In light of this statement discuss the following questions:

1. H&M stresses sustainability in its promotional campaigns. Yet, how can it ensure that the working conditions are appropriate for the 1.6 million people that serve in its supplier networks? Is it even H&M’s role to ensure that the working conditions and environmental impact are great in every market in engages in? What are the complex arguments for and against this proposition? Why?

2. If you were an employee of H&M, what would you suggest that it focus on to become even larger than it is now? Should it have its own factories? Should it expand to more than 64 countries (54 with stores and 10 online) than it is in now? Should it control more of the global supply chains? Why?

(300-600 words)