global business
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analysis.docxAssignment 1: Country Analysis Report( Phillipines)
In this assignment, you will be analyzing a country for its potential as a market for doing international business (from the perspective of a U.S. investor/company). Please read the following instructions and upload your Word or PDF document with your numbered answers only to facilitate grading.
Due: November 10th via Canvas. 80 points
· Assignment #1 is an individual assignment. The purpose of the assignment is trifold: 1) for you to learn about and report on the political, economic, legal, and socio-cultural characteristics of a particular country; 2) for you to learn how to make use of some of the resources available for international business analysis; and 3) for you to show your analytical thinking and writing skills.
· Please submit a two to three page report of your findings. This means you have to be efficient in understanding and clear in explaining the key issues, in your own words!! Please write in sentences and paragraphs, not bullet lists.
· Do NOT copy and paste paragraphs or sentences straight from the websites to your report. (See “academic integrity” section in the syllabus). Always use proper citations.
· The maximum number of pages for the report is three , single-spaced pages with a 12 font. Please use APA formatting for the report, citations and references. Include graphs, tables and any other information at the end of the report in an appendix (these appendix pages do not count towards the page limit). You are allowed to copy/paste graphs and tables onto the appendix section, use proper citations.
· While you are you are being provided with specific direction as to where to get the information, you are free to look beyond these resources. Use proper citations for your references.
Your country analysis should have the following four section headings, with numbered answers:
· Country commercial guide
· Index of Economic Freedom
· Cultural dimensions
· Conclusion
· Each section will account for 20 points (20 X 4 = 80 total points). Make sure you complete each section, spell and grammar check, and that you answer every question to the full extent as what you are being asked to do.
Country Commercial Guide.
· The U.S. Commercial Service of the U.S. Department of Commerce utilizes its global network of 108 offices in more than 75 countries to gather the latest information on doing business internationally. With all this information and partnerships, the U.S. Commercial Service puts together a “ country commercial guide ” for most countries, every year!
· Each commercial guide provides readers with an excellent introduction of what it would be like doing business overseas (in a specific country), detailing important factors that help users decide if a particular market (country) is right or not for their product or service.
· To get the country commercial guide for your country, go to this link and select your country:
Each commercial guide includes eight sections: Doing business in…, leading sectors, regulations, etc. Please focus on the following sections when answering the questions:
Doing Business in ...
1. Of the listed reasons to export to this particular country, which do you consider to be the top two reasons and why? Explain your answer.
2. Which of the challenges listed for doing business in this country do you consider would be the most difficult to deal with? Explain your answer in your own words
3. What is the recommended market entry strategy into this market? Briefly summarize.
Leading Sectors for U.S. Exports and Investment
4. Select one (1) of the leading sectors that are presented as being good for U.S. exports for this country and summarize what are the factors that make it a good opportunity for international businesses. Select a sector that interests you.
Customs, Regulations & Standards
5. Is there an existing trade agreement between the U.S. and this country? If so, list the trade agreement and when was it implemented. If negotiations are in progress, comment on that.
6. List any major findings in regards to import tariffs and any labeling requirements. You can list examples of types of tariffs or examples of label requirements in certain products.
Business Travel
7. Summarize all the findings in this “business travel” section in regards to business customs
8. Summarize any findings in regards to language and etiquette.
Index of Economic Freedom
· For the past 20 years, the Heritage Foundation has published the Index of Economic Freedom, an annual guide that measures how “free” a country’s economy is or not. The reports, interactive graphs and data allows users to learn about a country’s economic and political environment. The index uses macroeconomic data to track 186 different economies. You are able to compare and contrast multiple countries.
· For the second part of the assignment, you should go to the index’s main page (https://www.heritage.org/index/ ) and look for your selected country. You can use the “find” tool on the top right of the page or click on the “see all rankings” link at the bottom right of the page to see how the country compares to all the others in the list. Take a look at the country’s report and analyze the individual items in the score (property rights, government integrity, etc….). You can also download a PDF version of the report for you to review.
· Once you have read and analyzed the country’s economic freedom, answer the following:
9. What seems to be the major challenges for the country in terms of improving its economic freedom? Explain each finding
10. In terms of its economic measures (population, GDP, unemployment, inflation and FDI ), how does the country you selected compare to the U.S? Briefly summarize which economic factors you would consider to be an opportunity and which would be a challenge for doing business in this market. (report on both the positive/opportunities you see and negative/challenges)
11. Copy and paste the “overall score” tables and “quick fact” tables for your county and for the U.S. into your appendix. (you can use the “ screen clipping” feature in Word to get the tables into your document: insert/screenshot/screen clipping) [in your answer for #11, just make a reference to the appendix]
Cultural Dimensions
· Understanding a different culture may take a lifetime, but a simple first step could be to use a framework like Hofstede’s to get a glimpse into the characteristics of a culture (as covered in chapter 4 in your textbook). Hofstede identified different cultural dimensions , and collected data on multiple countries. The result is a “picture” of what each culture is like in terms to those dimensions.
· Go to Hofstede’s website and do a “country comparison” (https://www.hofstede-insights.com/country-comparison/ ). You should first select your country and learn the characteristics of its culture. Then compare it to the United States to see where the cultures are similar and where are they different.
12. How are the cultures similar? Summarize what dimensions make the two country’s cultures similar.
13. What are the major differences in culture? Summarize what dimensions make the two country’s cultures different.
14. Include the bar chart from Hofstede’s website comparing the two countries in the appendix (Copy and paste). Note that you can have both countries in the same chart. Select your country first and then the United States. [refer to the bar chart as your answer to #14]
Conclusion
· Here you are writing your concluding thoughts and recommendations in regards to doing business with this country. Write a paragraph or two to answer the following question:
15. What would be your overall recommendation in regards to the potential to do business in this country? Is it a good/attractive market or not? Explain your answer.
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