Power point Presentation about doing business in a country.

MGT 385 How to Do Business In…

Written Report (100 points):

Your written report on your country should be 8-10 pages, double spaced, with normal 12-point font and 1 inch margins, exclusive of any title information. You should use good business writing practices – an executive summary, headings for the report sections, page numbers, attributions (where did you get the information?) and a bibliography, both of the latter using APA format. Follow the format and model on Australia you got in class (i.e. include those topics) – these are some additional questions you may want to consider.

1. Provide some background information on the country that a business person would need to know: history/geography (if important for doing business), economic information (key businesses/imports/exports/resources – including what type of business opportunities exist), government AND legal considerations impacting business, currency and business implications, religion (if there is an impact on business), language, holidays, etc. (I would anticipate this would be about one half of your paper)

2. Also include information on how to get to your country (transportation infrastructure), business meeting tips, negotiation considerations, business entertaining, cultural considerations and customs that impact business, and any other optional information you think it would be important for a business traveler to know. (This would be the other half of your paper.)

3. Some additional considerations you should include (in the final summary for your paper):

a. What are the advantages of selling to/buying from this country? Advantages/disadvantages of having a business location in this country?

b. What are some of the business practices that you would want to observe/things you would want to avoid? (assuming you are from a U.S. based business) Are there social considerations as well?

c. What are the concerns a business needs to consider when doing business in this country? What could prevent a business from being successful?

Your written report should be turned in during the class with your presentation. Late reports will have a 10 point per class deduction. There can’t be any late presentations (too challenging with the class schedule) – if you aren’t ready on your given date you will lose 25 points – no exceptions .

Class Presentation (25 points):

You should prepare a 5 minute presentation on your country. Obviously you can’t cover everything in 5 minutes that you cover in your paper, so limit yourself to 5-8 key things you learned about doing business in your country that it would be critical for a prospective business person to know. And practice your presentation to make sure it’s 5 minutes long – you’ll be timed (and cut off if it runs too long; a short presentation will cost you points.)

Prepare PPT slides to use in conjunction with your comments. Turn in a copy of your PPT to me (2 slides to a page) prior to your presentation. (Part of your 25 points – can you follow directions?)

Some resources for you:

· Central Intelligence Agency, The World Factbook: https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/

· US Department of State: http://www.state.gov/countries/

· Michigan State University, Global Edge: http://globaledge.msu.edu/

· Kiss, Bow or Shake Hands by Terri Morrison and Wayne A. Conaway (there are also region specific versions)

· Cyborlink, International Business Etiquette, Manners, & Culture: http://www.cyborlink.com/

· The Hofstede Center (county culture): http://geert-hofstede.com/countries.html

· Infoplease, Countries of the World: http://www.infoplease.com/countries.html

· Kwintessential, Country Profiles - Global Guide to Culture, Customs and Etiquette: http://www.kwintessential.co.uk/resources/country-profiles.html

· And don’t forget about the Library Services guide: http://marymount.libguides.com/intlbusiness

This is just to get you started – I expect you to find other resources on your own. And remember, Wikipedia is NOT a reliable resource.