Australia Live Cattle Export To China: Prospects and Challenges of Free Trade Agreement

ASSESSMENT

(1)    International Business Research Project (4000 words – 40%)
(2)    Final written examination: (60%)

The International Business Research Project is an individual research project.

The Research Project: Details
TOPIC: Prospects and Challenges of Free Trade Agreements
You have been appointed as anInternational Business consultant to investigate potential international business opportunities which can arise out of Free Trade Agreements (FTAs) which Australia has signed with China, Japan and South Korea in recent years.

You can explore a number of options including:
(1)    Potential export, import and investment opportunities for Australian businesses in these three countries.
(2)    Potential export, import and investment opportunities for Japanese, S Korean and Chinese businesses to Australia.

For your assignment you are required to submit a written report which undertakes a comprehensive assessment of:
(1)    Relevant elements of the specific FTA which you are considering. How does the FTA open up new opportunities in the country and sector/industry under consideration.
(2)    Detail analysis of the business environment of the location which the firm is likely to face. Your report should consider the economic, social, political, environmental, legal and technological environments in the location which you have chosen. You should also include any other factors which you believe are critical to consider particularly how these are likely to change under the FTA and their implications.
(3)    Discussion of how the industry/sector/business is likely to benefit under the FTA.
(4)    Recommendations of the implications of the particular FTA and the challenges facing the sector/industry/business etc.

The project consists of two stages:

(1)    Initial Research Proposal(10%): (max: 1000 words)
Due date: August 9, 2015 (5pm – only electronic submissions will be considered).

The main purpose of the research proposal is to engage you in deciding on the topic, ensure that the topic is feasible and that you have a plan for executing your research. For your research project, you need to choose an industry and country for you to focus on and identify an international business issue / problem currently facing the industry/country. This can be a manufacturing business or a service provider wanting to expand overseas through foreign investment, exports, import etc. Plenty of ideas are available from international business news papers (e.g financial times) magazines (e.g the Economist) and trade journals.

Your proposal serves as the initial stage in executing your research. The research proposal is to ensure that:

(1)    you have a viable and feasible topic for you to research
(2)    you have given plenty of thoughts to the topic
(3)    you have done some preliminary scoping of the resources which you will require for your project, including the availability of research material and statistical data
(4)    you have a workable plan to execute the project on time.

The research proposal must address the following:

(a)    Project Title: Come up with a meaningful title which captures the problem which you are investigating

(b) Introduction and background:
(1) Briefly describe the business/industry which you are investigating and state why this topic is relevant within the context of the FTA.  You need to introduce the topic to the reader in such a way that the reader has an appreciation of the issues at hand and why you are investigating these issues. The relevance of the FTA and its implications are central to this project.

(2) objectives of research(100 words).
Clearly outline the problem which you are investigating – this is what is known as the ‘research problem’.  Once you identify the main issue(s), you will be able to articulate the main research problem which you want your research report will focus on. For example, A topic such as ‘Live cattle export to Japan” is very broad and generic. You will need to tell the reader what precisely your report will be focusing on in the context of the FTA.
Ideally you should identify 2-3 main objectives which the report aims to fulfil in point form.

(c)Provide a list of resources which you have identified and which will assist you to execute your research. The research resources could include books, government reports, statistical sources such as the Australian Bureau of Statistics, the World Bank, OECD, IMF and WTO etc, journal articles, and material provided in class.

Stage 2: Complete Research Report Due: September 27, 2015.

You will receive feedback on your research proposal from your lecturer. Once you receive feedback, you should take into consideration the suggestions and comments before proceeding with the development of the rest of the report.

You should follow the format provided below to execute your research project.

International Business Research Report: Format

Title:    Provide a title not exceeding 15 words. The title must capture the essence of the project.

Name:    Provide your full name and student number here

Abstract:    Provide a short abstract (150-200 words) which briefly describes the purpose of the project, and what the main findings are. You may want to do the abstract once the project is done.

Introduction:
This section must cover two main things (a) a brief introduction and background to the study (600-800 words) (b) the objectives of the study (75-100 words).

For the introduction and background, you must provide a brief introduction to the reader about the project, its relevance and importance etc. You must focus on the FTA, what it is , why is it important, what is its relevance to the ongoing debate on the subject etc etc. Overall, you must convince the reader that your research topic is on an important issue which is either new or has been overlooked previously or on which not much is known. So, your research will contribute to our understanding of a phenomenon which is timely and relevant to the industry or company or country etc. Remember, the implications of the FTA is the central theme.

Objectives: You need to clearly state the key objectives of the study. Please come up with 2-3 specific objectives which will form the basis of your investigation.

[ Note: Much of  the above should come from your research proposal]

Analysis of Business Environment in the context of the FTA

In this section you need to demonstrate a clear understanding of the various business environments which are likely to impact on the decision to do business in your chosen location.  You may want to develop a conceptual model from the lectures to analyse how the FTA is likely to impact on the various business environments and their relevance to your particular business.
Consider how the FTA will affects specific and relevant business environments facing your business (e.g the political, economic, social, technological, cultural, environmental and legal environments environments).You need to substantiate your arguments with hard statistical data and make sure that you provide the sources of your data.

Discussion and recommendations (500-700 words)
In this section you briefly discuss the main findings from the analysis undertaken above. Identify the challenges which are likely to arise and the main risks and opportunities and suggest ways in which these can be mitigated.Based on the main findings, come up with 4-5 recommendations which will assist the company/country to make a decision on the international business issue.

Conclusion (300-500 words)
Write a short concluding comments which reminds the reader what the main purpose of the research was, how you went about addressing the objectives of the study, what data you used and what the main findings were.

Also write a short paragraph on the main limitations of the study…i.e. what is / are the main weakness(es) of the study which you would like to bring to the attention of the readers.

References: Include a list of relevant references in alphabetical order.

Submission of Final report: September 27, 2015.
Your final report should not exceed4000 words. (appropriate appendices and references are in addition to the 4000 words).  Your report should be typed, double spaced and well referenced.

Submission. On-line submission only will be accepted. All reports MUST be accompanied with a turn-it-in report. If a turn-it-in report is not attached, your report will not be accepted.

SUMMARY TIME TABLE: LECTURES, ACTIVITIES and DUE DATES
The following table lists the topics and other activities in the unit week-by-week during the trimester. It is a guide only and there may be variations in order to accommodate any special needs of the class, public holidays or other circumstances.
Week number    Week beginning
Topics
Activities    Important
Due dates      Tute Activities
1    13 July 2015    Introduction to International Business (Chapter 1)    •    On line tutorial        Case discussion: Shoes of Prey: p 66
2    20 July 2015    International Business Theories (Chapter 2)    •    On line tutorial; seminar
Case discussion: Bangladesh textile trade: p 74
3    27 July 2015    International trade and investment environment (Chapter 3)    •    On line tutorial; seminar        Case discussion: 20 Year Beef hormone War: p 146
4    3 August 2015    Foreign Exchange and international monetary system (Chapter 4)    •    On line tutorial; seminar    Research proposal Due: August 9, 2015
1000 words (10%)    Case discussion: The Eurozone Crisis p 220.
10 August – 16 August : Intra trimester break
5    17 August 2015    Cultural environment of business (Chapter 5)    •    On line tutorial; seminar         Feedback on  and discussion of research proposal
6    24 August 2015    Political and legal environment (Chapter 6)    •    On line tutorial; seminar        Practice questions based on Chapters 1-3
7    31 August 2015    Economic environment (Chapter 7)    •    On line tutorial; seminar        Practice questions based on Chapters 4-6
8    7 September 2015    Country Market analysis (Chapter 9)    •    On line tutorial; seminar
Case discussion: Panasonic and Japan-changing cultures. p. 228 (Chapter 5)
9    14 Sep 2015    Foreign market entry (Chapter 11)    •    On line tutorial; seminar        Class debate on Free trade
10    21 Sep 2015    International production and Outsourcing (Chapter 13)    •    On line tutorial; seminar    Final Research Report
DUE: Sep. 27, 2015.
Max 4000 wds (30%)    Class debate on international outsourcing
11    28 Sep 2015      Synthesis and conclusion    •    On line tutorial; seminar        Discussion of questions (Chapter 7, 9, 11 &13).
5-9 October     Study Period
12-23 October      Examination Period        Final Exam

Australia Live Cattle Export To China: Prospects and Challenges of Free Trade Agreement

ASSESSMENT

(1)    International Business Research Project (4000 words – 40%)
(2)    Final written examination: (60%)

The International Business Research Project is an individual research project.

The Research Project: Details
TOPIC: Prospects and Challenges of Free Trade Agreements
You have been appointed as anInternational Business consultant to investigate potential international business opportunities which can arise out of Free Trade Agreements (FTAs) which Australia has signed with China, Japan and South Korea in recent years.

You can explore a number of options including:
(1)    Potential export, import and investment opportunities for Australian businesses in these three countries.
(2)    Potential export, import and investment opportunities for Japanese, S Korean and Chinese businesses to Australia.

For your assignment you are required to submit a written report which undertakes a comprehensive assessment of:
(1)    Relevant elements of the specific FTA which you are considering. How does the FTA open up new opportunities in the country and sector/industry under consideration.
(2)    Detail analysis of the business environment of the location which the firm is likely to face. Your report should consider the economic, social, political, environmental, legal and technological environments in the location which you have chosen. You should also include any other factors which you believe are critical to consider particularly how these are likely to change under the FTA and their implications.
(3)    Discussion of how the industry/sector/business is likely to benefit under the FTA.
(4)    Recommendations of the implications of the particular FTA and the challenges facing the sector/industry/business etc.

The project consists of two stages:

(1)    Initial Research Proposal(10%): (max: 1000 words)
Due date: August 9, 2015 (5pm – only electronic submissions will be considered).

The main purpose of the research proposal is to engage you in deciding on the topic, ensure that the topic is feasible and that you have a plan for executing your research. For your research project, you need to choose an industry and country for you to focus on and identify an international business issue / problem currently facing the industry/country. This can be a manufacturing business or a service provider wanting to expand overseas through foreign investment, exports, import etc. Plenty of ideas are available from international business news papers (e.g financial times) magazines (e.g the Economist) and trade journals.

Your proposal serves as the initial stage in executing your research. The research proposal is to ensure that:

(1)    you have a viable and feasible topic for you to research
(2)    you have given plenty of thoughts to the topic
(3)    you have done some preliminary scoping of the resources which you will require for your project, including the availability of research material and statistical data
(4)    you have a workable plan to execute the project on time.

The research proposal must address the following:

(a)    Project Title: Come up with a meaningful title which captures the problem which you are investigating

(b) Introduction and background:
(1) Briefly describe the business/industry which you are investigating and state why this topic is relevant within the context of the FTA.  You need to introduce the topic to the reader in such a way that the reader has an appreciation of the issues at hand and why you are investigating these issues. The relevance of the FTA and its implications are central to this project.

(2) objectives of research(100 words).
Clearly outline the problem which you are investigating – this is what is known as the ‘research problem’.  Once you identify the main issue(s), you will be able to articulate the main research problem which you want your research report will focus on. For example, A topic such as ‘Live cattle export to Japan” is very broad and generic. You will need to tell the reader what precisely your report will be focusing on in the context of the FTA.
Ideally you should identify 2-3 main objectives which the report aims to fulfil in point form.

(c)Provide a list of resources which you have identified and which will assist you to execute your research. The research resources could include books, government reports, statistical sources such as the Australian Bureau of Statistics, the World Bank, OECD, IMF and WTO etc, journal articles, and material provided in class.

Stage 2: Complete Research Report Due: September 27, 2015.

You will receive feedback on your research proposal from your lecturer. Once you receive feedback, you should take into consideration the suggestions and comments before proceeding with the development of the rest of the report.

You should follow the format provided below to execute your research project.

International Business Research Report: Format

Title:    Provide a title not exceeding 15 words. The title must capture the essence of the project.

Name:    Provide your full name and student number here

Abstract:    Provide a short abstract (150-200 words) which briefly describes the purpose of the project, and what the main findings are. You may want to do the abstract once the project is done.

Introduction:
This section must cover two main things (a) a brief introduction and background to the study (600-800 words) (b) the objectives of the study (75-100 words).

For the introduction and background, you must provide a brief introduction to the reader about the project, its relevance and importance etc. You must focus on the FTA, what it is , why is it important, what is its relevance to the ongoing debate on the subject etc etc. Overall, you must convince the reader that your research topic is on an important issue which is either new or has been overlooked previously or on which not much is known. So, your research will contribute to our understanding of a phenomenon which is timely and relevant to the industry or company or country etc. Remember, the implications of the FTA is the central theme.

Objectives: You need to clearly state the key objectives of the study. Please come up with 2-3 specific objectives which will form the basis of your investigation.

[ Note: Much of  the above should come from your research proposal]

Analysis of Business Environment in the context of the FTA

In this section you need to demonstrate a clear understanding of the various business environments which are likely to impact on the decision to do business in your chosen location.  You may want to develop a conceptual model from the lectures to analyse how the FTA is likely to impact on the various business environments and their relevance to your particular business.
Consider how the FTA will affects specific and relevant business environments facing your business (e.g the political, economic, social, technological, cultural, environmental and legal environments environments).You need to substantiate your arguments with hard statistical data and make sure that you provide the sources of your data.

Discussion and recommendations (500-700 words)
In this section you briefly discuss the main findings from the analysis undertaken above. Identify the challenges which are likely to arise and the main risks and opportunities and suggest ways in which these can be mitigated.Based on the main findings, come up with 4-5 recommendations which will assist the company/country to make a decision on the international business issue.

Conclusion (300-500 words)
Write a short concluding comments which reminds the reader what the main purpose of the research was, how you went about addressing the objectives of the study, what data you used and what the main findings were.

Also write a short paragraph on the main limitations of the study…i.e. what is / are the main weakness(es) of the study which you would like to bring to the attention of the readers.

References: Include a list of relevant references in alphabetical order.

Submission of Final report: September 27, 2015.
Your final report should not exceed4000 words. (appropriate appendices and references are in addition to the 4000 words).  Your report should be typed, double spaced and well referenced.

Submission. On-line submission only will be accepted. All reports MUST be accompanied with a turn-it-in report. If a turn-it-in report is not attached, your report will not be accepted.

SUMMARY TIME TABLE: LECTURES, ACTIVITIES and DUE DATES
The following table lists the topics and other activities in the unit week-by-week during the trimester. It is a guide only and there may be variations in order to accommodate any special needs of the class, public holidays or other circumstances.
Week number    Week beginning
Topics
Activities    Important
Due dates      Tute Activities
1    13 July 2015    Introduction to International Business (Chapter 1)    •    On line tutorial        Case discussion: Shoes of Prey: p 66
2    20 July 2015    International Business Theories (Chapter 2)    •    On line tutorial; seminar
Case discussion: Bangladesh textile trade: p 74
3    27 July 2015    International trade and investment environment (Chapter 3)    •    On line tutorial; seminar        Case discussion: 20 Year Beef hormone War: p 146
4    3 August 2015    Foreign Exchange and international monetary system (Chapter 4)    •    On line tutorial; seminar    Research proposal Due: August 9, 2015
1000 words (10%)    Case discussion: The Eurozone Crisis p 220.
10 August – 16 August : Intra trimester break
5    17 August 2015    Cultural environment of business (Chapter 5)    •    On line tutorial; seminar         Feedback on  and discussion of research proposal
6    24 August 2015    Political and legal environment (Chapter 6)    •    On line tutorial; seminar        Practice questions based on Chapters 1-3
7    31 August 2015    Economic environment (Chapter 7)    •    On line tutorial; seminar        Practice questions based on Chapters 4-6
8    7 September 2015    Country Market analysis (Chapter 9)    •    On line tutorial; seminar
Case discussion: Panasonic and Japan-changing cultures. p. 228 (Chapter 5)
9    14 Sep 2015    Foreign market entry (Chapter 11)    •    On line tutorial; seminar        Class debate on Free trade
10    21 Sep 2015    International production and Outsourcing (Chapter 13)    •    On line tutorial; seminar    Final Research Report
DUE: Sep. 27, 2015.
Max 4000 wds (30%)    Class debate on international outsourcing
11    28 Sep 2015      Synthesis and conclusion    •    On line tutorial; seminar        Discussion of questions (Chapter 7, 9, 11 &13).
5-9 October     Study Period
12-23 October      Examination Period        Final Exam

Australia Live Cattle Export To China: Prospects and Challenges of Free Trade Agreement

ASSESSMENT

(1)    International Business Research Project (4000 words – 40%)
(2)    Final written examination: (60%)

The International Business Research Project is an individual research project.

The Research Project: Details
TOPIC: Prospects and Challenges of Free Trade Agreements
You have been appointed as anInternational Business consultant to investigate potential international business opportunities which can arise out of Free Trade Agreements (FTAs) which Australia has signed with China, Japan and South Korea in recent years.

You can explore a number of options including:
(1)    Potential export, import and investment opportunities for Australian businesses in these three countries.
(2)    Potential export, import and investment opportunities for Japanese, S Korean and Chinese businesses to Australia.

For your assignment you are required to submit a written report which undertakes a comprehensive assessment of:
(1)    Relevant elements of the specific FTA which you are considering. How does the FTA open up new opportunities in the country and sector/industry under consideration.
(2)    Detail analysis of the business environment of the location which the firm is likely to face. Your report should consider the economic, social, political, environmental, legal and technological environments in the location which you have chosen. You should also include any other factors which you believe are critical to consider particularly how these are likely to change under the FTA and their implications.
(3)    Discussion of how the industry/sector/business is likely to benefit under the FTA.
(4)    Recommendations of the implications of the particular FTA and the challenges facing the sector/industry/business etc.

The project consists of two stages:

(1)    Initial Research Proposal(10%): (max: 1000 words)
Due date: August 9, 2015 (5pm – only electronic submissions will be considered).

The main purpose of the research proposal is to engage you in deciding on the topic, ensure that the topic is feasible and that you have a plan for executing your research. For your research project, you need to choose an industry and country for you to focus on and identify an international business issue / problem currently facing the industry/country. This can be a manufacturing business or a service provider wanting to expand overseas through foreign investment, exports, import etc. Plenty of ideas are available from international business news papers (e.g financial times) magazines (e.g the Economist) and trade journals.

Your proposal serves as the initial stage in executing your research. The research proposal is to ensure that:

(1)    you have a viable and feasible topic for you to research
(2)    you have given plenty of thoughts to the topic
(3)    you have done some preliminary scoping of the resources which you will require for your project, including the availability of research material and statistical data
(4)    you have a workable plan to execute the project on time.

The research proposal must address the following:

(a)    Project Title: Come up with a meaningful title which captures the problem which you are investigating

(b) Introduction and background:
(1) Briefly describe the business/industry which you are investigating and state why this topic is relevant within the context of the FTA.  You need to introduce the topic to the reader in such a way that the reader has an appreciation of the issues at hand and why you are investigating these issues. The relevance of the FTA and its implications are central to this project.

(2) objectives of research(100 words).
Clearly outline the problem which you are investigating – this is what is known as the ‘research problem’.  Once you identify the main issue(s), you will be able to articulate the main research problem which you want your research report will focus on. For example, A topic such as ‘Live cattle export to Japan” is very broad and generic. You will need to tell the reader what precisely your report will be focusing on in the context of the FTA.
Ideally you should identify 2-3 main objectives which the report aims to fulfil in point form.

(c)Provide a list of resources which you have identified and which will assist you to execute your research. The research resources could include books, government reports, statistical sources such as the Australian Bureau of Statistics, the World Bank, OECD, IMF and WTO etc, journal articles, and material provided in class.

Stage 2: Complete Research Report Due: September 27, 2015.

You will receive feedback on your research proposal from your lecturer. Once you receive feedback, you should take into consideration the suggestions and comments before proceeding with the development of the rest of the report.

You should follow the format provided below to execute your research project.

International Business Research Report: Format

Title:    Provide a title not exceeding 15 words. The title must capture the essence of the project.

Name:    Provide your full name and student number here

Abstract:    Provide a short abstract (150-200 words) which briefly describes the purpose of the project, and what the main findings are. You may want to do the abstract once the project is done.

Introduction:
This section must cover two main things (a) a brief introduction and background to the study (600-800 words) (b) the objectives of the study (75-100 words).

For the introduction and background, you must provide a brief introduction to the reader about the project, its relevance and importance etc. You must focus on the FTA, what it is , why is it important, what is its relevance to the ongoing debate on the subject etc etc. Overall, you must convince the reader that your research topic is on an important issue which is either new or has been overlooked previously or on which not much is known. So, your research will contribute to our understanding of a phenomenon which is timely and relevant to the industry or company or country etc. Remember, the implications of the FTA is the central theme.

Objectives: You need to clearly state the key objectives of the study. Please come up with 2-3 specific objectives which will form the basis of your investigation.

[ Note: Much of  the above should come from your research proposal]

Analysis of Business Environment in the context of the FTA

In this section you need to demonstrate a clear understanding of the various business environments which are likely to impact on the decision to do business in your chosen location.  You may want to develop a conceptual model from the lectures to analyse how the FTA is likely to impact on the various business environments and their relevance to your particular business.
Consider how the FTA will affects specific and relevant business environments facing your business (e.g the political, economic, social, technological, cultural, environmental and legal environments environments).You need to substantiate your arguments with hard statistical data and make sure that you provide the sources of your data.

Discussion and recommendations (500-700 words)
In this section you briefly discuss the main findings from the analysis undertaken above. Identify the challenges which are likely to arise and the main risks and opportunities and suggest ways in which these can be mitigated.Based on the main findings, come up with 4-5 recommendations which will assist the company/country to make a decision on the international business issue.

Conclusion (300-500 words)
Write a short concluding comments which reminds the reader what the main purpose of the research was, how you went about addressing the objectives of the study, what data you used and what the main findings were.

Also write a short paragraph on the main limitations of the study…i.e. what is / are the main weakness(es) of the study which you would like to bring to the attention of the readers.

References: Include a list of relevant references in alphabetical order.

Submission of Final report: September 27, 2015.
Your final report should not exceed4000 words. (appropriate appendices and references are in addition to the 4000 words).  Your report should be typed, double spaced and well referenced.

Submission. On-line submission only will be accepted. All reports MUST be accompanied with a turn-it-in report. If a turn-it-in report is not attached, your report will not be accepted.

SUMMARY TIME TABLE: LECTURES, ACTIVITIES and DUE DATES
The following table lists the topics and other activities in the unit week-by-week during the trimester. It is a guide only and there may be variations in order to accommodate any special needs of the class, public holidays or other circumstances.
Week number    Week beginning
Topics
Activities    Important
Due dates      Tute Activities
1    13 July 2015    Introduction to International Business (Chapter 1)    •    On line tutorial        Case discussion: Shoes of Prey: p 66
2    20 July 2015    International Business Theories (Chapter 2)    •    On line tutorial; seminar
Case discussion: Bangladesh textile trade: p 74
3    27 July 2015    International trade and investment environment (Chapter 3)    •    On line tutorial; seminar        Case discussion: 20 Year Beef hormone War: p 146
4    3 August 2015    Foreign Exchange and international monetary system (Chapter 4)    •    On line tutorial; seminar    Research proposal Due: August 9, 2015
1000 words (10%)    Case discussion: The Eurozone Crisis p 220.
10 August – 16 August : Intra trimester break
5    17 August 2015    Cultural environment of business (Chapter 5)    •    On line tutorial; seminar         Feedback on  and discussion of research proposal
6    24 August 2015    Political and legal environment (Chapter 6)    •    On line tutorial; seminar        Practice questions based on Chapters 1-3
7    31 August 2015    Economic environment (Chapter 7)    •    On line tutorial; seminar        Practice questions based on Chapters 4-6
8    7 September 2015    Country Market analysis (Chapter 9)    •    On line tutorial; seminar
Case discussion: Panasonic and Japan-changing cultures. p. 228 (Chapter 5)
9    14 Sep 2015    Foreign market entry (Chapter 11)    •    On line tutorial; seminar        Class debate on Free trade
10    21 Sep 2015    International production and Outsourcing (Chapter 13)    •    On line tutorial; seminar    Final Research Report
DUE: Sep. 27, 2015.
Max 4000 wds (30%)    Class debate on international outsourcing
11    28 Sep 2015      Synthesis and conclusion    •    On line tutorial; seminar        Discussion of questions (Chapter 7, 9, 11 &13).
5-9 October     Study Period
12-23 October      Examination Period        Final Exam