Managing in the Global Economy: A Field Project

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Part 1

Select a well-known manufacturing company that does business across a variety of national boundaries. This could be a computer company such as Dell or HP, a consumer products company such as Procter and Gamble or Unilever, and so forth. Assume that this company is in the planning stages to build a new manufacturing facility overseas. You have been asked to take the lead in identifying two possible locations for the facility in two different regions of the world and then prepare an analysis of the pros and cons of locating the facility in each of the two sites. The new venture will require skilled, dependable local workers. Product quality, operating costs, long-term operational stability, and ease of delivery to targeted markets will be the principal determinants of success in this new venture. With this in mind, please include the following in Part 1 of your report:

Criteria Does not meet Expectations

Minimally meets expectations

Meets Expectations

Company and Corporate Strategy

0-7 8-14 15-20

Identify and describe which company you would like to focus on and provide a brief description of the company's scope of operations, its product lines, where it currently does business, and the company's long-term business strategy.

Student failed to identify and/or fully describe a company for this research.

Student identified a company for this research but only partially described the company and its operations.

Student clearly identified and described the choice of company for this research.

Selection of Countries and Cultural Profiles

0-7 8-14 15-20

Select two possible countries suitable for a location for your new overseas facility that are on different continents and are not your home country, providing a detailed and logical explanation about why you chose these two countries. Include in your description a cultural profile of both countries that includes the principal cultural differences between the two countries that may affect the success or failure of business practices in each country.

Student failed to select two potential countries, did not select countries in two different continents, and/or selected his/her home country. Little or no cultural profiling was included.

Student may have selected only one country and/or selected his/her own country. The cultural profile data was unclear, incomplete or confusing.

Student selected two potential countries located on different continents and not in his/her own continent, providing a detailed and logical explanation for these choices. Student provided a cultural profile of each country that highlighted cultural differences that may impact operations.

Economic, Political, and Legal Assessment

0-7 8-14 15-20

Describe the economic situation in both countries, including the principal industries and products, population bases, GNP, transportation, and infrastructure. Also highlight any potential political or legal issues the firm may encounter that may adversely affect operations.

Student provided no or minimal economic, political, and/or legal information about both countries that would impact operations in those countries.

The information provided about the economic, political, and/or legal environments was incomplete, unclear, and/or contradictory.

Student provided a thorough discussion of the economic, political, and legal environment that could impact operations in the two countries identified at the beginning of the project.

Mode of Entry and Final Site Recommendation

0-7 8-14 15-20

Make a recommendation about whether your firm should initiate the venture alone or as part of a joint venture or strategic alliance with another firm. From all of the research and analysis done thus far, make a recommendation for which of the two possible sites you would recommend for the company's new facility.

Student did not identify a mode of entry and/or did not make a site recommendation for one country over another.

Student's analysis and reasoning for the mode of entry and/or site recommendation was incomplete, lacked sufficient detail, or was confusing.

Student made a reasoned analysis for which mode of entry would be most successful and presented clear recommendations for which of the two sites should be chosen.

Formatting & Documentation 0-7 8-14 15-20 Paper uses accurate grammar, spelling, and sentence structure. The paper is at least 6 pages in length, has a cover page, and uses Arial or Times New Roman font. Margin and spacing requirements are met.

Submission requirements are not met. Tone and/or style are not appropriate for the audience.

Submission requirements met for the most part. Tone and style are generally appropriate for the audience.

Submission requirements fully met. The tone and style are appropriate for the audience.

The project must:

1. be typed, double-spaced, in 12-point Times New Roman or Arial font, with margins no wider than one inch

2. have a title page with your name, the course name, the date, and the instructor’s name. 3. have footnotes or endnotes, with correct citations 4. have a bibliography of sources used. 5. be prepared using word processing software (Microsoft Word preferred). Projects may

not be submitted in pdf or docm

Steers, Richard M., and Nardon, Luciara. Managing in the Global Economy. Armonk, NY, USA: M.E. Sharpe, Inc., 2005. ProQuest ebrary. Web. 14 March 2015. Copyright © 2005. M.E. Sharpe, Inc.. All rights reserved.

Managing in the Global Economy: A Field Proiect

This project is designed to provide an opportuni ty to app ly what has been learned throughout this book. It involves the completion of a maj o r research project focusing o n identifying a su itable new plant location for a company ( in Part l ) and then con- sideri ng how you would prepare yourself to run thi s new plant (i n Part 2). Complet- ing this project will require research and a nal ysis, as well as reflecti o n and introspection. That is, it wiJI require you to look outside at the environment w here you plan to do business, as well as inside at the kind of globa l manager you plan to become. The end res ult of this project is a written paper tha t applies what has been learned to a real company doing business globally.

PART 1 . NEW FACILITY LOCATION DECISION

To begin the exercise, select a well-known man ufactu ring company that does business across a variety of national boundaries. This could be a computer com pany such as Dell Computer or Hewlett-Packard, a consumer produ c ts com pany such as Procter and Gamble or Unilever, and so forth. Now, assume that thi s company is in the planning stages to build a new manufacturing facil ity overseas. Yo u have bee n asked to take the lead in id entifying two possible locations for the faci lity in tw o different regions of the w orld and then prepare an analysis of the pros and cons of loca tin g the facility in each of the two sites. The new venture will require skilled, dependabl e local workers. Prod- uc t q uality, operating costs, long-term operational stability, and ease of deli ve1y to targeted 1narkets will be the principal determinants of success in this new venture. With this info rmation in mind, begin your analysis here.

I . The co111pany. What company did you select for you r study? Briefly describe the company, including its current scope of operations, its prod uc t lines, and where it currently does business.

2. Global business strategy. Briefly summa rize your company's long-term glo- 361

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bal business strategy, as you understand it. What are the co1npany ' s princi - pal critical assets to help it achieve this strategy ?

3 . Initial location strategy. With this strategy in mind, select two possible coun- tries for a suitable location for your new overseas facility. (These countries must be located on two different continents; you may not select your home country.) Why did you select these two countries as possible sites for your company's future expansion?

4. Economic profiles. Develop a brief economic profile for each country, in- cluding principal industries and products, population bases, GNPs, transpor- tation and other infrastructure, and forms of government. From an economic standpoint, what are the principal advantages and disadvantages of each coun- try as a possible location?

5. Political risk. In your judgment, what are the principal political risks associ - ated with establishing your new facility in each of the two countries? What is your assessment of the pros and cons of investing in each location?

6 . Legal issues. Identify any laws or legal issues that may adversely affect your company's operation in each country. How can your company work to keep its employees (both home country and host country) out of trouble with the local authorities?

7 . Cultural profiles. Describe the principal cultural differences between the two countries as they may affect the success or failure of the new venture. This assessment can be based on the big five classification as a starting point, but should go well beyond this to highlight principal cultural differences as they affect business practices in the two countries.

8. HRM/labor relations. What can we learn about prevailing HRM and labor relations practices in each country that may affect either the company's se- lection of a country or its success in operating there?

9. Mode of entry. Should your company initiate this new venture by itself or as part of a j oint venture or strategic alliance with a local firm ? Why ?

10. Site recommendation. Finally, based on your analysis, which of the two pos- sible sites wou ld yo u recommend to your company for its new facility ? Why ?

PART 2. PREPARING FOR THE OVERSEAS ASSIGNMENT

In Part 2, assume that your company has agreed with your site recommendation. Construction will begin shortly, and you have been asked to move to the new loca- tion to oversee the construction. Once the new facility is complete, you will take over as its first managing director. You should plan to be there for about three years. You will begin your new assignment i1nmediately and must be prepared to leave for the new site in ninety days. Upon arrival, you will need to hire a compe- tent workforce-both workers and local area managers-to staff the fac ility. More- over, as ma naging director, you will be responsible both for a successful start-up and for subsequent operations of the entire facil ity. Indeed, this will be a good career move for you, so Jong as you succeed . As you approach this new assign- men t, however, it is important that you be fully prepared. Your supervisor has there-