ASSIGNMENT IS AN OUTLINE ONLY.  OUTLINE GUIDE ATTACHED!Please make sure you only submit an outline using the template provided.  Here are some general hints and suggestions for the assignment.ASSIG

ASSIGNMENT IS AN OUTLINE ONLY.  OUTLINE GUIDE ATTACHED!

Please make sure you only submit an outline using the template provided.  

Here are some general hints and suggestions for the assignment.

ASSIGNMENT IS AN OUTLINE OF MEMORANDUM.  An Outline Template is attached.   You must use this format.  DO NOT make up your own outline format.  USE THE FORMAT IN THE PROVIDED TEMPLATE.   You do not have to label the sections but please use the section numbers so I can tell what part of the rubric you are addressing. 

At the top of the outline template are some general instructions, highlighted in yellow.  Follow these instructions but if you are working directly from this template please delete this instruction section before you submit your outline.  In other words, do not submit the instructions. 

As the outline template instructions state, you do not need to always use complete sentences in an outline and you do not need to be detailed.  However, you must provide enough detail so that I know what you are writing about.  Usually, a 2 or 3 word outline section is not sufficient to convey your thoughts in a meaningful manner.  Provide enough detail so I know what you mean but don’t get carried away.  If you are writing complete paragraphs here you are getting very carried away. 

***  Before you begin this assignment, pick a country:  Mexico or Japan.  Focus on only one country.  You do not need to address both countries in either milestone but you need to address the same country in both milestones.  In my opinion, Mexico is much easier to write about than Japan but, of course, you may choose either. 

Here are the outline sections with brief explanations of what is expected:

I.  What pertinent aspects of U.S. law should the company be aware of in its goal to do business internationally?   Simply put, what US laws will you still have to deal with if you choose to move your business to Mexico or Japan?  In the outline it is sufficient to simply point out the applicable laws and state very briefly how these laws apply.  But, in your memorandum you will need to analyze the details of these laws.  Stick to the basics on this part.  For example, you don’t need to get into the laws of comity or most favored nation status but you should consider trade laws. 

II.   Assess the legal implications of moving business abroad specific to your chosen country. What are the advantages and disadvantages?   For your chosen country, what are the legal implications of moving there?  What are the pros/cons of each of these legal implications?  Remember, this is about legal implications, not practical or business implications.  For example, Mexico’s proximity to the US is a business or practical implication, not legal.  An example of a legal implication would be the way Mexico’s court system works. 

III.  What are the ethical implications involved in this business decision?   What are the ethical issues involved when moving a business from the US to your chosen country?  To begin, think of the ethics of outsourcing.  You should think about ethical issues from both the US and your chosen country perspective.

IV.  Explain how other domestic companies have managed to comply with the U.S. laws related to this business decision in the past.  How did these companies address potential compliance issues?   Explain in general terms how companies handled these US law issues related to moving to a foreign country.  Then provide some specific examples of US companies that do business in your chosen country.  Some obvious choices are McDonald’s, Wal-Mart, Starbucks, Google, etc.   What internal/external processes did they set up?  How have they complied?

Some general guidelines:

You do not have to cite cases or journal articles and you do not need a references page in your Outline.  

Review the rubric for this assignment.  Make sure you understand what is required to maximize your grade on each milestone. 

Prompt 

For the second part of your summative assessment, you will assume the role of an employee at a fictional company and prepare an executive memo pertaining to the legal and ethical implications of a company doing business internationally. Scenario You are working for a major U.S. corporation that wants to expand its reach globally and has narrowed the search to either Mexico or Japan. Your supervisor has asked you to prepare a memo that analyzes potential compliance issues with respect to aspects of law and ethics that are specific to one of the two countries. You will choose to prepare your memo for either Mexico or Japan and address the critical elements below. This will help inform the final executive decision. Because you have some fluency with domestic laws, and given your background and history with the corporation, you have been asked to assess the pros and cons of the decision, and to provide your insights with respect to the ethical and legal implications of the expansion.  

Specifically, the following critical elements must be addressed: I. What pertinent aspects of U.S. law should the company be aware of in its goal to do business internationally? II. Assess the legal implications of moving business abroad specific to your chosen country. What are the advantages and disadvantages? III. What are the ethical implications involved in this business decision? IV. Explain how other domestic companies have managed to comply with the U.S. laws related to this business decision in the past. How did these companies address potential compliance issues?