Recommendations

INT 6 5 0 Final Project Guidelines and Rubric Overview The final project for this course is the creation of a country competitiveness audit . Analyzing internati onal market competitiveness is an important skill for global managers and employees. Global org anizations are looking for research and analytical skills in aspiring practitioners in international business. This final project will exercise your ability to make recommendations to stakeholders based on real -world data. For your final project in this course, you will utilize theories and resources in conducting a comprehensive country competitiveness audit for a given international market. Your ultimate goal is to determine whether or not entering a specific market and specific industry is not onl y fea sible, but also profitable for a company of your choosing . You will select t he company, the industry in which it operates, and the international market with approval from your instructor. The project is supported by three milestones , which will be submit ted at various points throughout the course to scaffold learning and ensure quality final submissions. These milestones will be submitted in Modules Three , Five , and Seven . The final submission will occur in Module Nine . In this assignment , you will demon strate your mastery of the following course outcomes:  Determine trade policies conducive to company business in international markets by assessing the ir implications on business, the economic environment, company operations, and consumers  Suggest alte rnative trade barrier options that facil itate international trade and increase country competi tiveness based o n country competitiveness audits  Evaluate advantages and disadvantages of trade agreements and foreign trade zones in international markets for dete rmining their impacts on specific industries  Forecast the ramifications of tariffs and quotas on specific industries using appropriate economic calculations  Evaluate the overall competitiveness of international markets and industries in determining their value for prospective companies Prompt Your country competitiveness analysis should answer the following prompt : Imagine you are an international consultant. You are working on providing a client with a highly specific analysis of a particular internatio nal market, while keeping in mind the industry that the client is in. Your project should answer three major questions: 1) Are the trade policies in your selected international market sufficiently competitive to attract new companies in a particula r industry ? 2) Are the trade barriers in your selected market low and beneficial in order for new companies to succeed in a specified indust ry? 3) What changes in trade policies, trade barriers, or new trade agreement alliances would make the country more competitive an d desirable for your particular industry and company? Specifically, the following critical elements must be addressed: I. Overview : Provide a general overview where you select a specific international (non -U.S.) market, an industry, and a company within th at industry. Introduce the country, industry, and the company, including key details such as the location and general statistics of the co untry and the competition of the market. II. Trade Policies : Describe the country’s specific trade policies geared toward foreign multinational corporations (MNCs). A. Define trade policies in your specific international market. Consider drawing from multiple sources in your definition. B. Determine the implications of the trade policies on your company . Do these policies ease or hinder your company’s business? Why? C. Determine the implications of the trade policies on your industry . Do these policies ease or hinder the industry within the specific international market? Why? D. Determine the implications of the trade policies on cons umers . Do these policies hinder the consumer’s purchasing power within the specific international market? Why? III. Trade Barriers : Describe the country’s specific trade barriers geared toward foreign MNCs entering the market. A. Define trade barriers in your s pecific international market. Consider drawing from multiple sources in your definition. B. Determine the implications of the trade barriers on your company . Do these barriers hinder your company’s business? Justify your response. C. Determine the implications of the trade barriers on your industry . Do these barriers hinder the industry within the specific international market? Justify your response. D. Determine the implications of the trade barriers on consumers . Do these barriers hinder the consumer’s purchasi ng power within the specific international market? Justify your response. IV. Recalculating Parameters : Select the previously identified trade barriers and change their parameters for your selected industry, making appropriate economic calculations and repre senting the changes in charts. A. Calculate the effect of the change of a tariff on your particular industry. Illustrate the change visually in a chart. B. Calculate the effect of the change of a quota on your particular industry. Illustrate the change visually in a chart. C. Calculate the effect of the change of a government subsidy on the overall GDP. Illustrate the change visually in a chart. V. Trade Agreements and Foreign Trade Zones A. Describe your country’s specific trade agreements and applicable foreign trad e zones. B. Evaluate the advantages and disadvantages of the trade agreements on the specific international market. What is their impact on the industry in which your company operates? C. Evaluate the advantages and disadvantages of the foreign trade zones on the specific international market. What is their impact on the industry in which your company operates? VI. Competitiveness A. Evaluate the overall competitiveness of your specific market based on the World Competitiveness Yearbook. For example, how attractive is this market to foreign direct investment? Support your response with evidence. B. Evaluate the overall competitiveness of your industry in the specific market based on the World Competitiveness Yearbook. For example, the produce industry in Chile has rest rictive accessibility and therefore a low competitiveness. Support your response with evidence. VII. Recommendations A. What existing trade policies would help the company to succeed in their industry and market? Support your answer with your findings from the previous sections of the report. B. Suggest alternative trade barrier options based on your findings to help your company succeed. Should any barriers be changed? Support your answer with your findings in the previous sections of the report. C. Recommend wheth er or not your company should enter the industry in your particular market. In other words, what is the value of this opportunity for your company in terms of feasibility and profitability? Support your recommendation with the data from World Competitivene ss Yearbook. Milestones Milestone One : Overview and Trade Policies In Module Three , you will submit the Overview (Section I) and Trade Policies (Section II) sections of the final project . This milestone should be submitted as a short paper that provides an overview of your chosen country, industry, and company and a description of your country’s specific trade policies. This milestone will be graded with the Milestone One Rubric . Milestone Two : Trade Barriers and Recalculating Parameters In Module Five , you will submit the Trade Barriers (Section III) and Recalculating Parameters (Section IV) sections of the final project . This milestone should be submitted as a short paper that analyze s in detail the trade barriers in your selected international market that impact your chosen industry, and recalculate s the parameters of the trade barriers of your selected industry. This milestone will be graded with the Milestone Two Rubric. Milestone Three : Trade Agr eements and Foreign Trade Zones ; Competitiveness In Module Seven , you will submit the Trade Agreements and Foreign Trade Zones (Section V) and Competitiveness (Section VI) sections of the final project . This milestone should be submitted as a short paper that analyze s and describe s trade agr eements and fore ign trade zones, i ndicat ing which ones would be more beneficial for your company and for your industry , and provide s a detailed analysis of competitors in your chosen global market and industry . This milestone will be graded with the Milestone Three Rubric . Final Project Submission : Country Competitiveness Audit In Module Nine , you will submit your country competitive audit. It should be a complete, polished artifact containing all of the critical elements of the final product. It should reflect the incorp oration of feedback gained throughout the course. For this final submission, you will be writing Recommendations (Section VII) and combining those with your revised milestones. The final project will be graded using the Final Pro ject Rubric (below) . Deliv erables Milestone Deliverables Module Due Grading One Overview and Trade Policies Three Graded separately; Milestone One Rubric Two Trade Barriers and Recalculating Parameters Five Graded separately; Milestone Two Rubric Three Trade Agreements and Fore ign Trade Zones; Competitiveness Seven Graded separately; Milestone Three Rubric Final Product + Recommendation Nine Graded separately; Final Pro ject Rubric (below) Final Pro je ct Rubric Guidelines for Submission : Your country competitiveness audit sho uld adhere to the following formatting requirements: 8–10 pages in length (plus an appendix), using 12 -point T imes New Roman font, double spacing, and the most current APA formatting. Include charts in an appendix . While completing this project, you must u se scholarly references as much as possible for full credit. At least six scholarly references should support your entire project. Please do not use W ikipedia and Investopedia as your resources. Instructor Feedback : This activity uses an integrated rubri c in Blackboard. Students can view instructor feedback in the Grade Center. For more information, review these instructions . Note about Rubric: Milestones One, Two, and Three use grading r ubric s with “Proficient” as the highest grade. If you would l ike to receive full points for the f inal project submission, you will need to follow the requirements in the “Exemplary” column in this rubric, expand ing on the “Proficient ” column from Milestones One, Two, and Three . Critical Elements Exemplary (100% ) Prof icient (90% ) Needs Improvement (70% ) Not Evident (0% ) Value Overview Meets “Proficient” criteria and expertly balances key details with brevity appropriate for business audience Provides a general overview of the international market, industry, and comp any, including key details Provides a general overview of the international market, industry, and company, but with gaps in key details Does not provide a general overview of the international market, industry, and company, including key details 2.5 Trade Policies: Define Meets “Proficient” criteria and uses multiple sources to inform definition Accurately defines trade policies in specific international market Defines trade policies in specific international market, but with gaps in accuracy Does not define trade policies in specific international market 3.8 Trade Policies:

Implications on Company Meets “Proficient” criteria and demonstrates in -depth understanding of how the trade policies ease or hinder company’s business Determ ines the implications of the trade policies on company, explaining why the policies ease or hinder company’s business Determines the implications of the trade policies on company, explaining why the policies ease or hinder company’s business, but with gaps in accuracy or detail Does not determine the implications of the trade policies on company 3.8 Trade Policies:

Implications on Industry Meets “Proficient” criteria and demonstrates in -depth understanding of how trade policies impact industr ies Determines the implications of the trade policies on industry, explaining why the policies ease or hinder industry Determines the implications of the trade policies on industry, explaining why the policies ease or hinder industry, but with gaps in accu racy or detail Does not determine the implications of the trade policies on industry 3.8 Trade Policies:

Implications on Consumers Meets “Proficient” criteria and demonstrates in -depth understanding of how trade policies impact consumers Dete rmines the implications of the trade policies on consumers, explaining why the policies do or do not hinder consumers’ purchasing power Determines the implications of the trade policies on consumers, explaining why the policies do or do not hinder consumer s’ purchasing power, but with gaps in accuracy or detail Does not determine the implications of the trade policies on consumers 3.8 Trade Barriers: Define Meets “Proficient” criteria and uses multiple sources to inform definition Accurately defines trade barriers in specific international market Defines trade barriers in specific international market but with gaps in accuracy or detail Does not define trade barriers in specific international market 3.8 Trade Barriers: Company Me ets “Proficient” criteria and demonstrates a nuanced understanding of how trade barriers can hinder the business of companies Determines implications of trade barriers on company, justifying response Determines implications of trade barriers on company, ju stifying response, but with gaps in logic or support Does not determine implications of trade barri ers on company 3.8 Trade Barriers: Industry Meets “Proficient” criteria and demonstrates a nuanced understanding of how trade barriers can hind er industries Determines implications of trade barriers on industry, justifying response Determines implications of trade barriers on industry, justifying response, but with gaps in logic or support Does not determine implications of trade barriers on indu stry 3.8 Trade Barriers:

Consumers Meets “Proficient” criteria and demonstrates a nuanced understanding of how trade barriers can hinder consumers Determines implications of trade barriers on consumers, justifying response Determines implicat ions of trade barriers on consumers, justifying response, but with gaps in logic or support Does not determine implications of trade barriers on consumers 3.8 Recalculating Parameters: Tariff Meets “Proficient” criteria and illustration evid ences a nuanced understanding of how tariff changes impact industry Calculates the effect of the change of a tariff on industry, illustrating change in a chart Calculates the effect of the change of a tariff on industry, illustrating change in a chart, but with gaps in accuracy or detail Does not calculate the effect of the change of a tariff on industry and illustrate with a chart 6.3 Recalculating Parameters: Quota Meets “Proficient” criteria and illustration evidences a nuanced understandin g of how quota changes impact industry Calculates the effect of the change of a quota on industry, illustrating change in a chart Calculates the effect of the change of a quota on industry, illustrating change in a chart, but with gaps in accuracy or detai l Does not calculate the effect of the change of a quota on industry and illustrate with a chart 6.3 Recalculating Parameters: Subsidy Meets “Proficient” criteria and illustration evidences a nuanced understanding of how subsidy changes impac t overall GDP Calculates the effect of the change of a government subsidy on the overall GDP, illustrating change in a chart Calculates the effect of the change of a government subsidy on overall GDP, illustrating change in a chart, but with gaps in accura cy or detail Does not calculate the effect of the change of a government subsidy on overall GDP and illustrate with a chart 6.3 Trade Agreements and Foreign Trade Zones: Describe Meets “Proficient” criteria and demonstrates a nuanced understa nding of applicable trade agreements between international markets and other countries Describes country’s specific trade agreements and applicable foreign trade zones Describes country’s specific trade agreements and applicable foreign trade zones, but wi th gaps in accuracy or detail Does not describe country’s specific trade agreements and applicable foreign trade zones 6.3 Trade Agreements and Foreign Trade Zones: Agreements Meets “Proficient” criteria and shows keen insight into how trade agreements benefit or hinder international markets and industries Evaluates the advantages and disadvantages of the trade agreements on the specific international market, including their impact on the industry Evaluates the advantages and disadvantages of the trade agreements on the specific international market, including their impact on the industry, but evaluation has gaps in logic or detail Does not evaluate the advantages and disadvantages of the trade agreements on the specific international market 6.3 Trade Agreements and Foreign Trade Zones: Zones Meets “Proficient” criteria and shows keen insight into how foreign trade zones benefit or hinder international markets and industries Evaluates the advantages and disadvantages of the trade z ones on the specific international market, including their impact on the industry Evaluates the advantages and disadvantages of the foreign trade zones on the specific international market, including their impact on the industry, but evaluation has gaps in logic or detail Does not evaluate the advantages and disadvantages of the foreign trade zones on the specific international market 6.3 Competitiveness:

Specific Market Meets “Proficient” criteria and demonstrates a nuanced understanding of h ow real -world data informs competitiveness evaluations of international markets Logically evaluates the overall competitiveness for the specific market based on the World Competitiveness Yearbook Evaluates the overall competitiveness for the specific marke t based on the World Competitiveness Yearbook, but with gaps in logic or detail Does not evaluate the overall competitiveness for the specific market based on the World Competitiveness Yearbook 6.3 Competitiveness: Industry Meets “Proficient” criteria and demonstrates a nuanced understanding of how real -world data informs competitiveness evaluations of specific industries Logically evaluates the overall competitiveness for the industry in the specific market based on the World Competitiveness Yearbook Evaluates the overall competitiveness for the industry in the specific market based on the World Competitiveness Yearbook, but with gaps in logic or detail Does not evaluate the overall competitiveness for the industry in the specific market based on the World Competitiveness Yearbook 6.3 Recommendations: Trade Policies Meets “Proficient” criteria and recommendations are especially well aligned to the goal of company success in the specific industry and market Recommends appropriate existing trade policies to help company in specific industry and market to succeed, supporting with findings Recommends existing trade policies to help company in specific industry and market to succeed, supporting with findings, but with gaps in appropriat eness or detail Does not recommend existing trade policies to help company in specific industry and market to succeed 3.8 Recommendations:

Trade Barrier Options Meets “Proficient” criteria and suggestions are especially well aligned to the go al of company success in the specific market Suggests appropriate alternative trade barrier options to help company succeed, supporting with findings Suggests alternative trade barrier options to help company succeed, supporting with findings, but with gap s in appropriateness or detail Does not suggest alternative trade barrier options to help company succeed 3.8 Recommendations:

Enter the Industry Meets “Proficient” criteria and recommendations are especially well aligned to the goal of compa ny success in the specific market Provides appropriate recommendations regarding whether company should enter industry in particular market, supporting with data from competitiveness report Provides recommendations regarding whether company should enter in dustry in particular market, supporting with data from competitiveness report, but with gaps in appropriateness or detail Does not provide recommendations regarding whether company should ente r industry in particular market 6.6 Articulation of Response Submission is free of errors related to citations, grammar, spelling, syntax, and organization and is prese nted in a professional and easy -to-read format Submission has no major errors related to citations, grammar, spelling, syntax, or organization Submiss ion has major errors related to citations, grammar, spelling, syntax, or organization that negatively impact readability and articulation of main ideas Submission has critical errors related to citations, grammar, spelling, syntax, or organization that pre vent understanding of ideas 2.5 Total 100 %