Transnational corporations

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Transnational Corporations and Global Production

Key advice on completing the assessment

Additional guidance 2019

Steve Gregory

[email protected]

@SG_LeedsBeckett

Cohesive, academic work

A single piece of work with three distinct but related elements

A short overall introduction and conclusion will be needed

To further add to the sense of a single, cohesive piece of work it is entirely likely that in parts B and C, reference might be made to a particular trend or feature mentioned in part A and that in part C, a concept or arguments mentioned in part B might be used to provide further support for the evaluation/assessment provided

It is importanct that you cite the crucial arguments of key authors that you have expressed in your own words

Citation in the essay must follow the Harvard referencing system

Think carefully before including a quotation. Ask why are you including it? Can you summarise it in your own words? Are you including it because you do not have the confidence to summarise material in your own words? You must have a good and clear reason for including a quote (e.g. it is a famous quote, or it so well written it sums up a key point succinctly)

Lots of quotes included for no apparent reason suggests a lack of confidence on the part of the writer, which means a lower mark

Finally, all quotations must be properly cited using the Harvard referencing system

Example of a general introduction

Example

A better example

Part A – Trends in the data

For the first part you are required to extract the relevant data from the 2018 World Investment Report and present it in a clear and concise summary form

The best way to do this is in a series of carefully/accurately labeled tables/charts/graphs, each followed by a short paragraph or two explaining succinctly what is shown by the data in the table/chart etc.

Note

You are not required to interpret the data or speculate on causes or reasons for the trends

You do not need other sources

Do not cut and paste graphics from the WIR report

How not to approach Part A

Do not copy and paste

Part A - Example

Footnotes used elsewhere in Part A

Part A – Example

Part B – Internalisation/Monopoly Capitalism

In the second part you are asked to critically evaluate internalisation theory and transnational monopoly capitalism theory as explanations for the growth of Transnational Corporations

There are a number of ways to approach this but one is to set out clearly the main tenets of the body of theory based on Casson and Buckley and then ask, what would the other perspective say was missing, flawed or inconsistent

You could then reverse the process and look at the second body of theory based on Cowling and Tomlinson in the same way; questioning it from the internalisation perspective

Remember that critical evaluation implies consideration of the extent to which a theory explains what it purports to do (completeness) and the extent to which it is free from contradictions (internally consistent)

This note might have been better in the main text

(Part C/final part) Assessment of effects (chose one firm and one criteria)

For the third part you need to select your chosen firm and evaluate its impact on the UK economy using one of the four criteria. This will require some empirical research but theoretical insights from the literature are also important

Whilst some initial investment, direct/indirect employment and trade/export numbers etc. may be available, in other areas detailed data may not be readily accessible. However, other sources including reputable media reports might also be useful to indicate the validity or otherwise of theoretical concepts from the module

Key concepts needed for this part depending on the criterion chosen include:

Innovation: Product innovation; process innovation; degree of embeddedness; absorptive capacity; spillover effects.

Labour: direct and indirect employment effects; wages/rewards; employee welfare; longevity of employment; strategic behaviour (in the case of NIDL).

Trade: Intra-firm trade; inter-firm trade; resource-based production; market-orientated production; rationalised or integrated production, effects on Balance of Payments

Political sovereignty: TNC versus state size; dominance versus mutual benefits; regulation issues; policy and regulatory capture; terms of market access; rules of conduct within jurisdiction; distribution issues (profits, tax yields and transfer pricing), effects on Balance of payments.

This is not intended to be a definitive list

Thirty years ago, the first Nissan Bluebird rolled off the production line at the new Washington Plant

Since then, the car giant has been an integral part of the region’s economy. It’s provided employment for thousands, generated millions of pounds of local business.

The region’s Nissan story began back to 1981 when the Japanese manufacturer decided to establish a base in Europe. In February 1984, the company and the British government signed an agreement to build a car plant in the UK

The following month, the 799-acre greenfield site, once Sunderland airfield was chosen. There were several reasons for this. The region had undergone a period of rapid industrial decline with shipyard closures, and the gradual closure of the once booming County Durham coalfield. This meant Nissan had a large, eager and skilled manufacturing workforce to draw upon.

The site was close to large ports on the Tyne and Tees, within easy driving distance of Newcastle International Airport, and close to major trunk roads.

At the time Sunderland was an Enterprise Zone and qualified for financial assistance from the government, Nissan receiving in total about £100 million in grants – although the company was quick to point out this added up to a small percentage of its investment in its plant totalling well over £1 billion.

Inward Greenfield investment

£1 billion credit in BoP Financial Account

Bargaining power issues

One of Nissan’s more controversial demands during the talks was that the plant be single-union. This was unprecedented in UK industry, but in April 1985, an agreement was reached with the Amalgamated Engineering Union (AEU).

Meanwhile, key staff were quickly being employed.

Oppama in Japan is the sister plant to Sunderland and was where, in 1985, the so-called ‘original 22’ were sent.

These were the 22 supervisors – or “super foremen” – taken on to learn the way Nissan operated and to pass on the philosophy to those employed to work on Wearside. The company laid the ground rules of production – the standard operation – ensuring there was only one way to do the job and thus guarantee quality.

A recruitment campaign was put in place with staff selected for heavy, body shop work coming largely from the mining and shipbuilding industry More than 10,000 people applied for the first 240 jobs.

While many moved from the traditional British industry roles, what awaited them at Washington was new and unique at that time.

Since then, well over five million vehicles have been built there as Nissan continues to go from strength to strength.

Bargaining power

Tacit knowledge/positive overspills/externalities

Exports are credit in the BoP current account

Part C – Innovation example

Part C – Labour example

Dicken (2015) argues that having related firms concentrated within a geographical location, as evident in Derbyshire, it greatly influences the likelihood of individuals within or between the organizations sharing knowledge and information links – thus facilitating the transfer of tacit knowledge, and perhaps boosting the innovative capabilities of both Toyota and the other firms located there.

However, it is the location of Toyota’s plant in Deeside that truly emphasizes the benefits of a cluster on innovation. Flintshire (Deeside) accounts for 20% of all manufacturing jobs in Wales, with Airbus and Toyota being market leaders (Daily Post, 2013). The region is now subject to on-going investment from the government, to create an Enterprise Zone – facilitating “the best conditions” for businesses to continue to innovate12. Furthermore, the establishment of the Toyota Lean Management Centre at the Deeside site has also led to the expertise of Toyota regarding Lean Production to be shared with other local companies; ‘the engine plant regularly host seminars to practically……..etc.

12 According to the Welsh Government (2017), the Deeside enterprise zone has the highest concentration of manufacturing jobs in the UK; with the key sector being advanced materials and manufacturing.

Part C – Example (Innovation)

Part C – Example (political sovereignty)

Part C – Example (Innovation)

Part C – Example (labour)

Additional points

The use of academic footnotes (not endnotes) is recommended

Footnotes should be included at the relevant time, referenced using the Harvard method. Footnotes allow material to be included which amplify or clarify points made in the main body of the essay, but which is not important enough to count towards the word limit. It also allows the writer to include a tangential point or aside of interest, which is not directly related to the question posed. Note, footnotes should NOT be used to cite references

Academic footnotes correctly used can add value and are not part of the word count

The bibliography should have references/sources set out using the Harvard method. These references must be cited in the main body of the essay and/or footnotes. Only include bibliographical references that you have consulted and read

You are expected to draw on and cite the key readings from this module

E.G. Chapters 8 and 13 of the Ietto-Gillies text book, the papers by Casson and Buckley and by Sackery et al. also the papers by Cowling & Tomlinson and the chapter from Shaxson may also be relevant.

Please also read and note the existing guidance in the Module Handbook p.p. 19 – 22

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?

Common faults

Part A

Wrong data/additional data not required

Attempts at interpretation when it is not required

Poor or incomplete labeling – e.g. currency

Part B

Key concepts of each body of theory not set out

Descriptive and lacking critical evaluation

Lack of or poor use of footnotes

Incorrect citations (cited in Ietto-Gillies if papers not read)

Part C

Largely descriptive -research on the firm carried out but concepts from the module not used or properly applied

Lack of footnotes

Final check list

When completing the final draft consider the following points:

Has the actual question/brief posed been answered (not the one you would like to answer)?

Is any irrelevant material included?

Does the introduction signpost the contents, and does the conclusion summarise the salient points?

Are footnotes included when appropriate?

Are all the relevant arguments properly cited?

Is the bibliography set out correctly; are bibliographical references consistent with the citations in the main body of the work and footnotes?

NOTE THIS IS A WIKIPEDIA/Tutor2U/UK Essays.com, etc. etc. FREE ZONE

The Leeds Beckett booklet: Quote, Unquote: A guide to the Harvard referencing and The Little Book of Plagiarism: What it is and how to avoid it. Are both available electronically on My Beckett

The End

Read and cite the relevant chapters and papers

Read the guidance notes

Come and see me at drop in sessions if you want/need further clarification/guidance

And no, I am not bitter than I didn’t get a single nomination for a Golden Robe Award!!!

It will not influence my marking in any way