Transnational corporations
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The Module Team would like to welcome you to the Transnational Corporations and Global Production module (CRN 15415). We hope you enjoy the learning experience. If you wish to contact us, the best way to do so is by email. Email is an excellent way to resolve minor queries or to arrange meetings. If you want to raise more complicated or protracted issues, the best approach is to email either the module leader or the relevant tutor and arrange a mutually suitable time to meet up. But please remember, members of the Module Team cannot grant extensions for the submission of assignments.
Transnational Corporations and Global Production
CRN: 15415
Academic Year: 2018-19 Level: 6 Semester: 2 Module Team: Rose Bowl 520 Steven Gregory Email: [email protected] Razaq Raj Email: [email protected]
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Scheme of work Week commencing
Lecture topic Seminar
28/01/19 The changing map of transnational activity
Introduction to the module & assessment. Discuss draft chapter titled The Global Context.
04/02/19 Market imperfections and failure
The changing transnational map of activity
11/02/19 Growth of TNCs – internalisation theory
Market imperfections and failure
18/02/19 Growth of TNCs – Radical perspectives
Growth of TNCs – radical perspectives
25/02/19 TCNs & global political economy
Growth of TNCs – Monopoly capitalism
04/03/19 Transnational Corporations & the spread of innovation
TNCs & global political economy
11/03/19 Transnational Corporations & labour issues
Transnational Corporations & the spread of innovation
18/03/19 Transnational Corporations & the scale and distribution of international trade
Transnational Corporations & labour issues
25/03/19 The assessment of effects – assumptions and alternatives
Transnational Corporations & the scale and distribution of international trade
01/04/19
Critical evaluation - Internalisation and monopoly capitalism theories re-visited
The assessment of effects – assumptions and alternatives
08/04/19 Review and key advice on completing the assessment
Critical evaluation - Internalisation and monopoly capitalism theories re-visited
15/04/19 Easter Break
22/04/19
Easter Break
29/04/19
Private study/drop in session
Drop in session
06/05/18 Submission date Thursday 9th May 2019 before midnight
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Transnational Corporations and Global Production The most significant development in the world economy during the past few decades has been the increasing globalisation of economic activities. Whilst the ‘internationalisation’ of economic activities (i.e. the increasing geographical spread of economic activities consequent on the expansion of international trade) is not new, what is new is the extent to which the world is becoming ‘globalised’ (i.e. a more advanced and complex form of functional integration between internationally dispersed economic activities). The prime movers of this process of ‘globalisation’ are Transnational Corporations (TNC’s). These comprise of the world’s largest corporate entities and it is these corporations, operating through the strategy of foreign direct investment (FDI) that are responsible for an increasing proportion of global, output, trade and investment. AIMS This module aims to develop students’ critical awareness and evaluative skills with respect to the process of globalisation, the role played by TNC’s as both cause and consequence of this process, and the implications for TNC stakeholders. LEARNING OBJECTIVES On completion of the module students will be able to: ü Collect, compile, interpret and present data on the changing nature of
globalisation and the role of TNC’s in the project: ü Critically evaluate the role of foreign direct investment in the globalisation
process and the resulting distribution of the costs and benefits ü Critically analyse the impact of TNC’s on global political economy ü Work independently and in groups in academic, vocational and
professional situations: ü Demonstrate professional written communication skills. LEARNING METHODS Each lecture introduces the broad outlines of the recommended reading. Seminars for each topic address key issues in more detail. Students are expected to introduce key themes at the start of each seminar, and engage in further discussion of the topics/questions during each session. The seminar programme includes time for supporting students in the completion of the assessment.
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INDICATIVE LEARNING RESOURCES You must purchase: letto-Gillies, G. (2012) Transnational Corporations and International Production: Concepts, Theories and Effects. 2nd Edition. Cheltenham: Edward Elgar.
o Available from Blackwell’s University Bookshop at a competitive rate
PLEASE MONITOR THE MYBECKETT 15415 SITE REGULARLY WHERE NOTICES AND OTHER SOURCES WILL BE POSTED. Other required readings and recommended references Buckley, P.J. (2014) Forty years of internalisation theory and the multinational enterprise. Multinational Business Review. 22 (3), pp.227-245 Casson, M. (2014) The economic theory of the firm as a foundation for international business theory. Multinational Business Review. 22 (3), pp.205- 226 Cowling, K. and Tomlinson, P. (2005) Globalisation and Corporate Power. Contributions to Political Economy, 24, pp.33-54 Dicken, P., (2014) Global Shift. 7th Edition. London: Sage Publications Financial Times, Global 500 Rating 2011. Available from: <http://im.ft-static.com/content/images/95edc490-9d61-11e0-9a70- 00144feabdc0.pdf> Gillespie, A. (2013) Business Economics. Oxford: Oxford University Press. Gregory, S. (2018). Chapter 2, ‘The Global Economy’, in Hamilton, I & Webster, P (ed.) The International Business: OUP, pp. 44 - 78. Sackrey, C., Schneider, G., Knoedler, J. 2013. Introduction to Political Economy. Boston M.A. Dollars & Sense. Chapter 8. Shaxson, N. (2012) Treasure Islands – tax havens and the men who stole the world. London: Vintage Press. Sheehan, B. (2014) The global context. Chapter In Managing the Global Economy [forthcoming] Toronto, Monopoly, Imperfect Competition and Oligopoly [Internet]. Available from: < http://homes.chass.utoronto.ca/~reak/eco100/100_6.htm > UNCTAD World investment Report 2018. Available from: https://unctad.org/en/PublicationsLibrary/wir2018_en.pdf My Beckett – Module website CRN: 15415 Research resources and readings folder This folder contains the World Investment reports you will need for seminar and assessment research, the weekly seminar readings (not contained in the Ietto-Gillies text) and case study links (Asda/Walmart, Starbucks & Nissan) for seminars 6 - 9
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WHAT’S EXPECTED OF YOU? There is a requirement of 200 hours of study per 20 credit module. You are expected to attend lectures, prepare for seminars, participate in seminars, actively undertake group work, and complete the components of assessment. At level 6 the responsibility for learning is your own. Lectures and seminar guide you in your learning but the majority of the work required to be successful in your modules is self-directed. You should create and maintain a clear structure to your own learning and ensure that essential reading, seminar activities and assignments are fully prepared in good time.
Maximising your marks on this module To ensure that you are awarded a decent mark during this module it is important that you engage with the following advice.
• There is no substitute for inquisitiveness; that is the eagerness to learn new knowledge. Inquisitiveness cannot be manufactured by the tutor it must come from you; it’s what you bring to the learning process. Without inquisitiveness you are unlikely to have sufficient motivation to learn about and understand new things.
• Thinking is a cognitive attribute that requires mental effort and occurs over time. With the discipline to apply effort and invest time you should attain better learning outcomes.
• You need a work discipline to spend a minimum of 10 hours each week outside formal class contact time to: read recommended material; create study notes from recommended reading using the lecture outlines as a guide; prepare for seminars or assessed work.
• You need to develop time management skills - you must have a diary which lists important events, deadlines, meetings etc.
All these attributes are consistent with the development of a sense of professional responsibility. They are also vital professional/vocational skills that will greatly assist your future careers.
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Seminar 1, Week 1 Introduction to the module and the assessment
1. THE MODULE AND ITS AIMS AND OBJECTIVES 2. REMINDING STUDENTS OF PROGRESSIVE PROBLEM
SOLVING 3. ESTABLISHING STUDENT AND TUTOR ROLES IN
SEMINARS 4. OUTLINING ASSESSMENT REQUIREMENTS
• BUY THE RECOMMENDED BOOK!!! • letto-Gillies, G. (2012) Transnational Corporations and International
Production: Concepts, Theories and Effects. 2nd Edition. Cheltenham: Edward Elgar.
o Available from Blackwell’s University Bookshop at a competitive rate
Read the draft chapter titled The Global Context by Brendan Sheehan and be prepared to discuss it contents. The chapter is available via the 15415 MyBeckett site.
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Seminar 2, Week 2 The changing map of transnational activity Aim: To describe and analyse the changing global map of economic activity. Learning outcomes A clear understanding of the dynamics of the global economy and the role and importance of TNCs in both generating and responding to the process known as ‘globalisation’. This seminar highlights the changing geographical and sectoral composition of global activity. This seminar will also discuss the evolution of concepts to analyse transnational corporations. Key reading Letto-Gillies Chapter 1 Dicken, Chapters 1 & 2 extract (Reader 1 and available on My Beckett) Gregory, Chapter 2 extract (Reader 1 and available on My Beckett) Seminar activities Student-team-led discussion question Define ‘globalisation’ and outline the conflicting perspectives as discussed by Dicken. (Dicken, Chapter extract available on My Beckett) In-class questions
a) Outline the key defining elements of transnational corporations and their subsidiary enterprises
b) Distinguish between FDI and domestic capital formation. What is the significance of this distinction?
c) What elements of investment are recorded in FDI data and why might international production be considerably larger than indicated by FDI data?
d) What does Dicken mean by the phrase, “the global economic map is always in a state of ‘becoming’.”?
e) Why according to Dicken why has international trade grown faster than output (GDP) and why has FDI outpaced trade?
f) Why might GDP not be a good indicator of social welfare? g) What is meant by ‘structual imbalances’ in the world economy and
what is the significance of such imbalances?
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Seminar 3, Week 3 Market imperfections and failure Aim: To examine market imperfections and failure. Learning outcomes To have a clear understanding of market imperfections and failure, and its relevance to the growth of TNCs. Key reading Stillwell, Part V, chapter 21 (My Beckett) Gillespie, pp. 247-248, 277-278 and Chapter 11 (Reader 1 and available on My Beckett) Seminar activities Student-team-led discussion question Explain diagrams 11.1 and 11.2 from Gillespie. In-class questions
a) Explain the concept of perfect competition. Why is it an ‘ideal’ structure?
b) Distinguish between monopolistic competition and oligopoly. What is the role of barriers to entry and inter-dependence in these two models?
c) What is a perfect monopoly?
d) Consider Table 9.1 in Gillespie. What does the top-5 concentration
ratio imply about real world market structures?
e) Outline how different market structures affect the conduct and performance of firms, especially their efficient resource-use.
f) Why might a market for a lemon collapse due to adverse selection?
g) What is moral hazard and how does it relate to the principal-agent problem?
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Seminar 4, week 4 The growth of Transnational Corporations – internalisation theory Aim: To provide an overview of the explanations for the growth of transnational corporations provides by new institutional (NI) economists. Learning outcomes: To analyse and evaluate the mainstream (internalization) theory of the firm and TNC growth. Key reading letto-Gillies, Chapters 8, (and pp. 125-126 of chater 11) Casson, M. (2014) The economic theory of the firm as a foundation for international business theory. Multinational Business Review. 22 (3), pp.205- 226 (Reader 2 and available on My Beckett) Buckley, P.J. (2014) Forty years of internalisation theory and the multinational enterprise. Multinational Business Review. 22 (3), pp.227-245 ((Reader 2 and available on My Beckett) Seminar activities Student-team-led discussion question Outline the key elements of both Coase and Williamson’s explanations for the growth of the firm. In-class questions
a) Consider how the impracticality of perfect price discrimination by a monopoly seller of intellectual property can justify internalisation
b) Explain how heterogeneous intermediate products can cause corporate
decision-makers who experience bounded rational to consider downward vertical integration.
c) Consider how internalisation addresses the problem of dishonest
traders? How does internalisation deal with the problem of dishonest managers?
d) What are the costs of internalisation which might limit the growth of an
TNC?
e) Consider letto-Gillies’ and Cantwell’s critical comments on the internalisation hypothesis. Is the internalisation hypothesis convincing?
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Seminar 5, week 5 The growth of TNCs – Monopoly capitalism Aim: To provide an introduction to explanations of the growth of TNC’s provided in the business strategy literature. Learning outcomes: To analyse and evaluate various pluralist explanations for the growth of TNCs. Key reading letto-Gillies, chapters 2 and 13 (chapters 4 & 6 are also useful) Cowling, K. and Tomlinson, P. (2005) Globalisation and Corporate Power. Contributions to Political Economy, 24, pp.33-54 (but especially pp.33-43) Sackrey, C., Schneider, G., Knoedler, J. 2013. Introduction to Political Economy. Boston M.A. Dollars & Sense. Chapter 8. (Reader 2 and available on My Beckett) Seminar activities Student-team-led discussion questions According to Baran and Sweezy what is the role of tacit collusion, price leadership and the sales effort in giant firms In-class questions
a) What role does the concentration of industry, the maldistribution of income and wealth, under-consumption and surplus savings (surplus value) play in radical and Marxist explanation of the growth of TNCs’? What is the importance of non-capitalist societies in this process?
b) Outline the behaviour of giant firms in terms of buy outs and mergers, FDI and labour according to Baran and Sweezy.
c) According to Baran and Sweezy what is the relationaship between giant firms and government.
d) According to Cowling and Sugden and Cowling and Tomlinson, how do
transnationals achieve strategic control over profits? What is ‘detection power’?
e) According to Cowling et al, why do corporations become
transnationals? Do global markets undermine interdependence between transnationals in an industry?
f) How is ‘retaliatory power’ said to keep deviant corporations in check?
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Seminar 6, Week 6 Transnational corporations and global political economy Aim: Provide an overview of the complex relationship between TNCs and the state in all its forms Learning outcomes: To consider potential conflicts between transnational corporations and nation states. Key reading Ietto-Gillies, Chapter 14 Dicken, Chapters 6 and 7 extracts (Reader 1 and available on My Beckett) Shaxson, Chapter 1 (Reader 1 and on My Beckett) Cowling and Tomlinson, pp. 43-45 (Reader 2 and available on My Beckett) Case study links – Starbucks) (My Beckett) Seminar activities Student-team-led discussion question Does the nation state really matter? Outline the case that it does under the Dicken’s heading of states as regulators. According to Shaxson, what role do tax havens play in the case of the states as competitors? In-class questions
a) Outline how letto-Gillies and Cowling and Tomlinson define regulatory regimes within a nation state? What are the differences, if any?
b) Given national differences in regulatory regimes, what is the response
of giant transnationals? Consider the explanations of letto-Gillies and Cowling and Tomlinson. In what ways do TNCs and host nations share mutually beneficial interests?
c) Define Dicken’s concept of obligated embeddedness. When can a host
nation state most effectively use obligated embeddedness in bargaining with a new entrant TNC?
d) Describe the concept of transfer pricing. Give a real-world example.
Consider Shaxson’s viewpoint of transfer pricing. Compare it with Buckley’s
e) What is a secrecy jurisdiction? Why do financial transnationals use
secrecy jurisdictions to avoid financial regulation? What other groups gain from this lack of transparency?
f) According to letto-Gillies, what benefits do TNCs gain from locating in
different nation states?
g) How might the issues discussed relate to the Starbucks case?
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Seminar 7, Week 7 Transnational Corporations and the spread of innovation Aim: To consider the direct and indirect effects of innovation on both short and long term economic performance. Learning outcomes: To better understand the economic, social, political and geographical context in which innovation is generated and disseminated. Key reading Ietto-Gillies, Chapter 17 Dicken, Chapter 4 Extract (Reader 1 and available on My Beckett) Case study links – Asda/Walmart (My Beckett) Seminar activities Student-team-led discussion question Outline the four broad types of technological change as discussed by Dicken and comment on their significance. (Dicken, Chapter 4, p.p. 76 – 78) In-class questions a) Outline the factors that according to letto-Gillies affect technology transfer within and between internal and external networks (Chapter 17, p.197) b) Based on letto-Gillies are TNC’s likely to be more or less innovative than uni-national companies? (letto-Gillies, Chapter 17) c) Dicken argues that there is a lot of evidence to show that the volume and characteristics of technological innovation vary greatly by country and that it is crucial to understand the economic, social, political and geographical context in which innovation takes place. Discuss the concepts of 'local buzz' and 'global pipelines' in the generation and dissemination of innovation. (Dicken, p.p. 102 – 106) d) Consider the Cowling and Tomlinson argument that transnationals tend to restrict innovation which favours many small rivals and open access. In this context, examine the proposed TTIP and the proposals for privacy on the internet. (Follow this link: http://www.independent.co.uk/voices/comment/what-is-ttip-and-six-reasons- why-the-answer-should-scare-you-9779688.html) e) How might the issues discussed relate to Asda/Walmart?
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Seminar 8, Week 8 Transnational Corporations and labour issues Aim: To explore employment issues that act as the basis of an examination of an assessment of TNC’s and labour issues’. Learning outcomes: To assess the effects of TNC’s/MNE’s on labour creation, patterns, quality and spatial distribution. Key reading Ietto-Gillies, Chapter 18 Cowling and Tomlinson, pp. 45-47 (Reader 2 and available on My Beckett) Case study links – Asda/Walmart & Nissan (My Beckett) Seminar activities Student-team-led discussion question Outline the key features of the "so called new international division of labour". (letto-Gillies, p.209) In-class questions a) Consider Cowling and Tomlinson’s and letto-Gillies arguments about how TNCs fragment labour interests, and pursue strategies of divide and rule. b) Is the potential for job creation higher for TNC's than that of uninational companies? c) What are likely to be the main direct and indirect employment effects of TNC activity? d) How might TNC activity affect the wider quality issues of labour and in particular what impacts might there be on wages, skills, women in employment and labour organisation? e) How might the issues discussed relate to the case study material?
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Seminar 9, Week 9 Transnational Corporations and the scale and distribution of international trade Aim: This section focuses on the role of TNC’s and foreign direct investment (FDI) as generators of output and trade and their importance in the process of ‘globalisation’. Learning outcomes: To better understand the relationship between international production and the volumes and patterns of world trade Key reading Ietto-Gillies, Chapter 19 Dicken, Chapter 2 extract (Reader 1 and available on My Beckett) Gregory, Chapter 2 extract Mini Case Study 2.2 Intra-firm Trade and Transfer Pricing—Is This Really Trade? (Reader 1 and available on My Beckett
Case study links – Nissan (My Beckett)
Seminar activities Student-team-led discussion question Based on Dicken, outline the reasons trade has grown faster than output (GDP) and foreign direct investment has grown faster than trade in almost every year since 1960. (Dicken, Chapter 2, pp. 18 – 25) In-class questions a) According to Cantwell (1994) cited in letto-Gillies (Chapter 19, p. 216) what effects will resource based production, market orientated production and integrated international production have on patterns and volumes of international trade? b) Why is intra-firm trade so large and increasing? How can the significance of this increase be characterised? c) Intra-industry trade seems to contradict a main pillar of neo-classical trade theory, i.e. that trade is the outcome of specialization in production by the various trading countries. ((letto-Gillies, p.221). How then can increasing volumes of intra-industry trade be explained? d) What are the issues in measuring such intra-firm and intra-industry trade? e) How might the issues discussed relate to the Nissan case?
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Seminar 10 The assessment of effects: assumptions and alternatives Aim: This seminar focuses on the issues involved in assessing the effects of TNC activity. These issues are directly related to the final part of the module assignment. Learning outcomes: To better understand the boundaries in the assessment of effects and the relationship between the assessment of effects and theoretical frameworks. Key reading Ietto-Gillies, Chapter 16 Case study links – (My Beckett) Seminar activities Student-team-led discussion question What does Ietto-Gillies mean by the ‘boundaries’ of effects and why are they important? In-class questions a) In what ways might there be a conflict of interests between different
groups of stakeholders affected by TNC activities? b) How does the level of ‘aggregation’ influence and help inform the analysis
of effects? c) What does Ietto-Gillies see as the relevance of multinationality per se?
d) According to Hufbauer and Adler (cited in Ietto-Gillies) how can the
implicit or explicit assumptions made when studying the effects of FDI be categorized and how might they influence the conclusions reached?
e) How might the issues discussed relate to the Nissan case?
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Seminar 11 Critical evaluation - Internalisation and monopoly capitalism theories re-visited and other assessment advice Key readings The readings from weeks 4, 5 and 6 by letto-Gillies, G. (2012), Casson, M. (2014), Buckley, P.J. (2014), Cowling, K. and Tomlinson, P. (2005) and Sackrey, C., Schneider, G., Knoedler, J. (2013) will be reviewed and discussed. All are essential reading in preparing for Parts B & C of the assessment. Week 12 Assignment drop in sessions Assignment submission: Thursday 9th May 2019
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Assessment - Key Information at a Glance This section of the handbook contains full details of the assessment and re-assessment requirements and also useful advice and guidance on how to approach the tasks and write a good essay.
Module Title: Transnational Corporations and Global Production Pre-requisites: None
CRN: 15415
Academic Year: 2018/19 Level: 6 Semester: 2 Module Team The Module Team is Steve Gregory and Razaq Raj. We are members of the Economics, Analytics and International Business Subject Group. The Team is located in Rose Bowl 520. Steven Gregory Email: [email protected] Razaq Raj Email: [email protected] Assessment There is one assessment for this module: AN EXTENDED ESSAY OF NOT MORE THAN 3750 WORDS. The reassessment is of a similar character Assessment Weighting Hand-in
dates Feedback Method:
Feedback date:
Extended essay
100%
Thursday 9th May 2019
15415 MyBeckett site
Friday 7th June 2019
Reassessment Weighting Hand in date Feedback Method
Feedback date
Extended essay
100%
Monday 1st July 2019
15415 MyBeckett site
TBC
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ASSESSMENT BRIEF Students will be assessed by a single piece of submitted work. In completing the work it is essential to draw on the papers and other readings from this module. Transnational Corporations and Global Production assessment The assessment is a submission, not exceeding 3750 words, which addresses the following brief: Part A – Trends in the data (Data from World Investment Report 2018)
• Set out a clear summary (not an interpretation) of key changes relating to global foreign direct investment and international production based on the following requirements:
I. An accurate description of salient trends in the data for World (global figures) FDI inflows 2007 – 2017
II. Global trends in the value and number of net cross border M & A over the period 2008 - 2017
III. Global trends in the value and number of announced greenfield projects over period 2008 – 2017
IV. Changes in the value and number of cross border M & A in services, manufacturing and primary sectors between 2016 - 2017
V. Changes in the value and number of announced greenfiel projects in services, manufacturing and primary sectors between 2016 - 2017
VI. Increase in employment by foreign affiliates 1990 to 2017. • Extract only the data asked for. Construct your own tables and charts,
do not copy and paste from the report. Add a short paragragh or two under each item summarising the trends shown but remember, you are not being asked for an interpretation or reasons for the trends in the data.
• (Word-guidance 750). Part B – Extended essay – critical evaluation of theoretical explanations
• Critically evaluate the following two explanations for the growth of Transnational Corporations; the internalisation theory (Casson and Buckley) and the analysis of transnational monopoly capitalism (Cowling et al). (Word-guidance 1500).
Part C – Extended essay – assessment of effects • Assess the impact of one Transnational corporation on the UK using
one of the following criteria: innovation or labour or trade or political sovereignty (Word-guidance 1500).
The corporations to choose from are: McDonalds OR Jaguar Rover Us OR Amazon This submitted work will account for 100% of the total assessment package. The assessment must be submitted by Thursday 10th May 2018 via 15415 MyBeckett site.
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Guidance The most important guidance is: answer the question(s) posed (not the question you would have liked to answer). The most common cause of poor marks is that work submitted fails to address the question(s). Focus on the question(s) and these problems are avoidable. Remember the assessment is designed to test your knowledge of the module’s content, and your ability to critically evaluate materials. Put bluntly, if you demonstrate a reasonable degree of comprehension of the module’s content you increase considerably your chances of passing. In answering Part A you must engage with UNCTAD’s 2018 World Investment Report. Extracting only the data asked for and present it accurately and effectively. Construct your own tables and charts, do not copy and paste tfrom the report. You are not being asked for an interpretation of the data. For Part B, it is essential that you engage with the key recommended readings set out in Seminars 4 and 5. In particular papers by Casson, by Buckley by Cowling & Tomlinson and by Sackrey et. al. Chapters 8 & 13 in Ietto-Gillies are also particularly useful. This part should be based on your reading of Ietto-Gillies and the papers provided in Supplementary readings 2 to maximise your marks. In addressing Part C, you should begin by consulting Part IV of the letto- Gillies text, which sets out concepts related to each of the criteria from which you can choose and the other recommended references listed in the relevant seminar readings. Remember this is a single piece of work with three parts. It is quite possible that in parts B and C you might refer to an item of data presented in part A. Equally, when writing part C you may well refer a concept discussed in part B. Do not exceed the overall word-limit of 3750 words; this is a “hard” limit. The sectional word-guidance figures (for sections a, b and c) are softer, more flexible numbers, that offer a “steer” to the balance of your submitted work. If you include tables, make sure that each one has a complete title and is correctly cited using the Harvard referencing method. Remember footnotes do NOT count towards the word limit. So in the final editing process you must decide if materials included in the main body of the work can instead feature in footnotes. If you don’t know what a footnote is…ASK!!! Make sure you include citations for the arguments included in your answer. Moreover, include a complete bibliography at the end of the essay that has corresponding references for all the works cited. Citations and references must be set-out using the Harvard system. REMEMBER - This is a WIKIPEDIA FREE ZONE!
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The guidelines for the submission of the essay assignment are as follows.
Ø Submit an electronic version of your work via My Beckett. Ø The submitted work should be word processed. It should not exceed
3750 words in length. Ø The submitted work should be properly referenced throughout. It
should include a bibliography, and where appropriate endnotes. Ø Please ensure the submitted work has no appendices. Ø Ensure the submitted work includes a word count on the first page -
this figure does not include tables, endnotes or the bibliography; Ø The submitted work should be produced with a typeface of Arial font
size 14. Please use the same typeface throughout. Ø The submitted work should be set out double-spaced (including
bibliography and endnotes). Ø All text should be ranged left and unjustified. Ø The submitted work should include the following statement of
authenticity.
“I confirm that this submission is my own work. Any quotations are properly cited using the Harvard referencing method. All errors and omissions are my responsibility alone.” Date
Ø The order of the submitted work should be as follows:
• Your name (forename and then surname) • Assessment brief in full • The name of your Module tutor • Statement of Authenticity (make sure you sign and date the statement) • Word Count Figure • Main body of submitted work • Bibliography
The failure to fulfil one or more of these requirements will mean that marks will be deducted at the discretion of the Module tutors. Any submitted work handed in late will be subject to the University penalties for the late submission of work.
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ASSESSMENT CRITERIA CONTENT (50%) • Does it fully address the assessment brief? • Does it fully engage with the essential reading and key data
sources? • Are appropriate materials from key sources selected and
synthesised into a cohesive whole? • Are the arguments of key authors fairly summarised; are
essential concepts/ frameworks properly applied? • Has the skill of critical evaluation been demonstrated effectively? COMMUNICATION (40%) • Are professional written communication skills evident, with the
author using his/her own words where possible? • Does it include an effective introduction and conclusion? • Does it have a logical, balanced structure? • Is any irrelevant material included? ACADEMIC TECHNIQUES (10%) • Are appropriate footnotes included, and are arguments in the
body of the submitted work properly cited? • Do citations and references conform to the Harvard referencing
system? REMEMBER USE THE HARVARD REFERENCING SYSTEM FOR ALL CITATIONS AND REFERENCES. ASK IF YOU DON’T KNOW THE DISTINCTION BETWEEN CITATIONS AND REFERENCES. NB: You are expected to cite papers and other readings from THIS MODULE.
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RE-ASSESSMENT BRIEF Students will be assessed by a single piece of submitted work. NOTE: There are important conditions attached to the third part of this re-assessment – different firm and different criterion must be selected Transnational Corporations and Global Production The re- assessment is a submission, not exceeding 3750 words, which addresses the following brief:
* Set out a clear summary of key changes relating to global foreign direct
investment and international production over the previous year using data from the World Investment Report 2018. You should include an accurate description of salient trends in the data e.g. Greenfield investment and cross border M&A. [Word-guidance 750]
* Critically evaluate the following two explanations for the growth of multinational enterprises: the internalisation theory (Casson and Buckley) and the analysis of transnational monopoly capitalism (Cowling et al). (Word-guidance 1500).
* Assess the impact of one of three multinational enterprise/transnational corporations listed below (this must be a different one from any previous submission) on the UK business environment, using one of the following criteria: innovation or labour or trade or political sovereignty. (again this must be a different criterion from that used in any previous submission) [Word-guidance 1500]
The corporations to choose from are: McDonalds OR Jaguar Rover Us OR Amazon. N.B. BOTH FIRM AND CRITERION MUST BE DIFFERENT FROM ANY PREVIOUS SUBMISSION This submitted work will account for 100% of the total assessment package. The assessment must be submitted at a time to be notified.