INT 113 Final
Project Guidelines and Rubric
Overview
The final project for this course is the creation
of a country analysis PowerPoint presentation that will answer the following
prompt: What country-specific information is important in the consideration of
market entry? How do cultural differences impact business communication and
decisions?
Your assessment for this course will require you
to place yourself in the role of an international business professional.
Imagine you work for an organization that has decided it wants to enter a
foreign market, but has not settled on the region or country. Your boss has
received the directive to research some countries for market entry and, in
turn, has asked you to select a country and perform a country analysis for
market entry. Your boss expects you to present your research and general
recommendations for market entry.
Keeping this scenario in mind, select a country
other than the United States for your research. When selecting a country,
consider the following:
·
What
countries have you visited?
·
What
countries would you like to visit?
·
Does your
company maintain a presence in another country?
·
What is
your heritage?
Once you have
selected your country, you will begin your research on the relevant forces—including
cultural, political, and economic—that could impact business operations and
decisions. You will then determine your final recommendations, communicating
all in a PowerPoint presentation. The research will be communicated in
presentation format, giving you the opportunity to practice business
communication skills.
Checkpoint submissions will be posted within Modules
Three and Six, which will allow the opportunity for you to upload your
project-in-progress for a participation score. You should follow the Final
Project Guide and use research incorporated into the weekly discussions to
complete the checkpoints. Project elements will be covered in the weekly
discussions to scaffold learning and ensure quality final submissions. Your
comprehensive final PowerPoint presentation will be submitted in Module
Seven.
In this assignment, you will demonstrate your
mastery of the following course outcomes:
·
Apply
macroenvironment business research to an analysis of international market
conditions
·
Analyze the
dimensions of culture as they apply to and inform market analyses and business
communication
·
Examine
market entry strategies and multinational business practices applicable to
global organizations in preparation for market entry
·
Articulate
the impact of forces of global trade for informing international business
opportunities and determining risks
Prompt
Your country analysis should answer the following
prompt: What country-specific information is important in the consideration of
market entry? How do cultural differences impact business communication and
decisions?
Specifically, the following critical elements
must be addressed in consideration of your country of choice:
I.
Introduction
and Country Choice
A. Rationale:Select your country and share why you chose your specific country for
further analysis.
B. Location:In what region is your country located? Is the country landlocked or
does it have water access? Describe the geography of the regionand
include a map for visual impact.
II.
Macroenvironment:
Address the following with respect to
your chosen country.
A. Sociocultural Environment
i.
Country
Composition:What are elements
of country composition that impact business decisions? Consider literacy rates,
urbanizationrates, heavily populated cities, age structure, major
religions, and educational data.
ii.
Values and
Communication:How do cultural
values shape communication and behaviors? Highlight cultural norms that align
withHofstede’s and/or Trompenaars’s cultural dimension models. Outline
major languages and nonverbal communication. For example, you could include
nonverbal cues, physical contact, and body language.
iii.
Business
Etiquette:What are some
behaviors in business that are driven by culture? Highlight five rules of
business etiquette that arepertinent in the region. For example,
consider gift giving and greetings.
iv.
Observation
Deck:In what ways do
sociocultural elements apply to business practices and market entry? For
example, highlight culturalissues that impact marketing or consider the
following areas: employment, consumer demand, managerial approach, and business
etiquette.
B. Political–Legal Environment
i.
Government
and Ideologies:Who is the ruling
political party and leader? Has there been a recent change in ruling parties?
Does a largeopposition group exist?
ii.
Corruption:
How do unethical practices impact
business? Explain how data regarding bribe index, corruption perception index,
and othertransparency ratings show risks in the market.
iii.
Trade
Regulations and Legal Considerations:What are four measures of government influence on trade and
employment? Considersanctions, tariffs, labeling requirements,
restricted items, or other barriers to trade, minimum wage rates,
employment-discrimination laws, or environmental regulations.
iv.
Observation
Deck:How would a company
apply political and legal information to market-entry decisions and business
practices? Makean observation regarding political and legal risks or
opportunities. For example, consider safety risks, additional costs, industry
barriers, high corruption rates, risky ideologies, and so on.
C. Economic-Infrastructural Environment
i.
Economic
Measures:What are some economic
measures and development data that impact business? Include data on interest
rates,unemployment, inflation, GDP growth rate, exchange rates against
the USD, exchange rate regime, GDP, labor force, major industries, and FDI
rates.
ii.
Trade:Describe the important aspects of trade in your
country of choice. Specifically, answer the following questions:
a. Trade partners: Who are the most significant
trading partners? What percentage of trade do they fulfill?
b. Imports: What are major imports to the region?
c. Exports: What are major exports to the region?
d. Trade agreements: What are some important
regional trade agreements (RTA) impacting the country? Who are the members of
the agreement?
iii.
Transportation
and Telecommunication:How does
infrastructure impact trade? Identify major airports, seaports, railway
stations,internet users, mobile providers, and the Logistics
Performance Index rating.
iv.
Observation
Deck:What economic and
infrastructural elements apply to multinational business practices and market
entry? Forexample, consider ease of distribution, economic growth, and
telecommunication barriers.
III.
Final
Recommendations
A.
Market
Entry Strategies:Based on
the research findings and your knowledge of market entry strategies gained in
this course, which marketentry strategy is most attractive? Considering
the risks, should the company enter this market?
B. Cultural Awareness:What specific cultural considerations should be addressed if the
company were to enter this market?
Checkpoints
Checkpoint Submission One
In Module Three, you will submit your
project-in-progress. Use the work completed in Modules One through Three
discussions and transfer your work into the Presentation Template document.
This will cover the following critical elements of the final project:
Rationale, Location, Country Composition, Values and Communication, Business
Etiquette, Sociocultural Environment Observation Deck, Government Ideologies,
and Corruption. This checkpoint submission is for participation
credit only.
Checkpoint Submission Two
In Module Six,
you will submit your project-in-progress. Use the work completed in Modules
Four and Five discussions and transfer your work into the Presentation Template
document. This will cover the following critical elements of the final project:
Trade Regulations and Legal Considerations, Political-Legal Environment
Observation Deck, Economic Measures, Transportation, and Telecommunication. This
checkpoint submission is for participation credit only.
Final Submission: Country Analysis Presentation
In Module Seven,
you will submit your country analysis PowerPoint presentation. It will include
cultural, political, and economic research that may impact business operations
and decisions. You will determine your final recommendations, communicating all
in your PowerPoint presentation. The research will be
communicated in
presentation format, giving you the opportunity to practice business
communication skills. It should be a complete, polished artifact containing all
of the critical elements of the final product. It should reflect the
incorporation of feedback gained throughout the course. Your final
submission will be graded using the Final Project Rubric.
Final Project Rubric
Guidelines for Submission:Your PowerPoint presentation should be
approximately 11 to 15 slides—not including the title slide and reference
slide—with allreferences in the most recently published APA format.
Instructor Feedback: This activity uses an integrated rubric in Blackboard. Students can
view instructor feedback in the Grade Center. For more information,review
these instructions.
|
Critical Elements |
Exemplary (100%) |
Proficient (85%) |
Needs Improvement (55%) |
Not Evident (0%) |
Value |
|
Introduction: |
Meets “Proficient” criteria and |
Provides detailed rationale for |
Rationale is present but is unclear |
Does not provide rationale for |
3.04 |
|
Rationale |
rationale is exceptionally well |
country choice |
and/or includes few details |
country choice |
|
|
detailed or includes examples to |
|||||
|
emphasize rationale |
|||||
|
Introduction: |
Meets “Proficient” criteria and is |
Accurately illustrates the location |
Illustrates the location and |
Does not illustrate the location |
4.6 |
|
Location |
exceptionally detailed or |
and geography of the chosen |
geography of the selected |
and geography of the selected |
|
|
informative |
country with a map for visual |
country with a map but with gaps |
country with a map |
||
|
impact |
in accuracy |
||||
|
Sociocultural |
Meets “Proficient” criteria and |
Accurately identifies elements of |
Identifies elements of country |
Does not identify elements of |
4.6 |
|
Environment: |
includes substantive details to |
country composition, including |
composition but information is |
country composition |
|
|
Country |
illustrate country composition |
literacy rates, urbanization rates, |
limited or inaccurate |
||
|
Composition |
heavily populated cities, age |
||||
|
structure, major religions, and |
|||||
|
educational data |
|||||
|
Sociocultural |
Meets “Proficient” criteria and |
Analyzes cultural norms of the |
Analyzes cultural norms of the |
Does not analyze cultural norms |
7.66 |
|
Environment: |
includes examples to support the |
country that correspond to |
country that correspond to |
and values of the country |
|
|
Values and |
analysis |
Hofstede’s and/or Trompenaars’s |
Hofstede’s and/or Trompenaars’s |
||
|
Communication |
models and describes the cultural |
models and describes the cultural |
|||
|
values that shape |
values that shape communication |
||||
|
communication, including major |
but analysis includes gaps in |
||||
|
languages and non-verbal |
details |
||||
|
communication |
|||||
|
Sociocultural |
Meets “Proficient” criteria and |
Describes five rules of business |
Describes five rules of business |
Does not describe five rules of |
7.66 |
|
Environment: |
description is supported by |
etiquette pertinent to the region |
etiquette pertinent to the region |
business etiquette pertinent to |
|
|
Business Etiquette |
examples |
but with gaps in accuracy or key |
the region |
||
|
information |
|
Sociocultural |
Meets “Proficient” criteria and |
Applies sociocultural research to |
Applies sociocultural research to |
Does not apply sociocultural |
5.75 |
|
Environment: |
shows keen insight into applying |
business practices in the chosen |
business practices in the chosen |
research to business practices in |
|
|
Observation Deck |
sociocultural elements to |
country |
country but with gaps in |
the chosen country |
|
|
business practices of the chosen |
appropriateness or detail |
||||
|
country |
|||||
|
Political-Legal |
Meets “Proficient” criteria and |
Explains governing parties and |
Explains governing parties and |
Does not explain governing |
7.66 |
|
Environment: |
explanation is supported as |
political ideologies in the country, |
political ideologies in the country |
parties and political ideologies |
|
|
Government and |
necessary with sources or |
including research on political |
but misses key information or is |
||
|
Ideologies |
examples |
leaders, opposition groups, and |
inaccurate |
||
|
any recent changes to leadership |
|||||
|
Political-Legal |
Meets “Proficient” criteria and |
Accurately explains corruption |
Explains corruption indicators, |
Does not explain corruption |
4.6 |
|
Environment: |
provides examples to |
indicators, including bribe index, |
but with gaps in detail or |
indicators |
|
|
Corruption |
contextualize explanation |
corruption perception index, and |
accuracy |
||
|
other transparency ratings |
|||||
|
Political-Legal |
Meets “Proficient” criteria and |
Explains four elements of |
Explains four elements of |
Does not explain four elements of |
7.66 |
|
Environment: Trade |
including examples to highlight |
government influence on trade |
government influence on trade |
government influence on trade |
|
|
and Legal |
accuracy of explanations |
and employment |
and employment, but with gaps |
and employment |
|
|
in detail |
|||||
|
Political-Legal |
Meets “Proficient” criteria and |
Applies political and legal |
Applies political and legal |
Does not apply political and legal |
5.75 |
|
Environment: |
shows keen insight in identifying |
research to business practices, |
research to business practices, |
research to business practices |
|
|
Observation Deck |
risk and opportunity, based on |
identifying risks and |
identifying risks and |
||
|
political and legal research |
opportunities |
opportunities, but with gaps in |
|||
|
details or accuracy |
|||||
|
Economic: |
Meets “Proficient” criteria and |
Describes economic measures of |
Describes economic measures of |
Does not describe economic |
4.6 |
|
Economic Measures |
description shows insight into |
the country, including interest |
the country but with gaps in |
measures of the country |
|
|
economic measures |
rates, unemployment, inflation, |
detail |
|||
|
GDP growth rate, exchange rates, |
|||||
|
exchange rate regime, GDP, labor |
|||||
|
force, major industries, and FDI |
|||||
|
rates |
|||||
|
Economic: Trade |
Meets “Proficient” criteria and |
Describes aspects of trade in the |
Describes aspects of trade in the |
Does not describe aspects of |
7.66 |
|
provides examples to support the |
country, including major trading |
country but with gaps in details |
trade in the country |
||
|
description |
partners, list of imports/exports, |
||||
|
and details of RTAs and member |
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|
countries |
|
Economic: |
Meets “Proficient” criteria and |
Describes infrastructural |
Describes infrastructural |
Does not describe infrastructural |
4.6 |
|
Transportation and |
supports description with |
elements that impact trade, |
elements that impact trade but |
elements that impact trade |
|
|
Telecommunication |
examples or illustrations |
including major |
with gaps in detail or relevancy |
||
|
airports/seaports/train stations, |
|||||
|
internet users, mobile providers, |
|||||
|
and a Logistics Performance |
|||||
|
Index rating |
|||||
|
Economic: |
Meets “Proficient” criteria and |
Applies economic and |
Applies economic and |
Does not apply economic and |
5.75 |
|
Observation Deck |
provides examples to support the |
infrastructural research elements |
infrastructural research elements |
infrastructural research elements |
|
|
accuracy of application |
to business practices and market |
to business practices and market |
to business practices and market |
||
|
entry |
entry, but with gaps in detail |
entry |
|||
|
Final |
Meets “Proficient” criteria and |
Provides logical, applicable |
Provides market entry |
Does not provide market entry |
5.75 |
|
Recommendations: |
recommendation is substantiated |
market entry recommendation |
recommendation but lacks logic |
recommendation based on |
|
|
Market Entry |
with research, examples, or |
based on previous research |
or applicability based on previous |
previous research |
|
|
Strategies |
substantive detail to show keen |
research |
|||
|
insight into market entry |
|||||
|
Final |
Meets “Proficient” criteria and |
Describes reasonable and |
Describes elements of culture |
Does not describe elements of |
7.66 |
|
Recommendations: |
elements described demonstrate |
relevant elements of culture that |
that should be addressed during |
culture that should be addressed |
|
|
Cultural Awareness |
keen cultural awareness |
should be addressed during |
market entry but with gaps in |
during market entry |
|
|
regarding market entry in the |
market entry |
reason or relevancy |
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|
country of choice |
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|
Articulation of |
Submission is free of errors |
Submission has no major errors |
Submission has major errors |
Submission has critical errors |
5 |
|
Response |
related to citations, grammar, |
related to citations, grammar, |
related to citations, grammar, |
related to citations, grammar, |
|
|
spelling, syntax, and organization |
spelling, syntax, or organization |
spelling, syntax, or organization |
spelling, syntax, or organization |
||
|
and is presented in a professional |
that negatively impact readability |
that prevent understanding of |
|||
|
and easy-to-read format |
and articulation of main ideas |
ideas |
|||
|
Total |
100% |
