International Business & Strategy (March 2016) – Individual Assignment 1
Order Description
Word limit 3000 words (+ / – 10%); the suggested word limits in the ‘Details of the Assignment’ are based on your using the extra 10% and are merely indicative.
Details of the Assignment Using Spotify (https://www.spotify.com) as a case company, prepare a report that:

1. Identifies a potentially attractive target market for the company’s future international expansion strategy. You will be provided with 3 specific countries to choose from. In order to identify which of these 3 countries represents a potentially attractive target market, you are required to undertake a comparative analysis of the macro-environmental factors of the 3 countries.
– Worth 20% of the overall mark; not included in the word count.
This background analysis must be included as an appendix.

2. Discusses your rationale for the selection of your chosen market. Your rationale should be justified with a more detailed discussion of your analysis of the macro-environmental factors of your chosen market which you have presented in the appendix.
– Worth 20% of the overall mark; 825 words.
Your rationale and more detailed discussion of your analysis of the macro-environmental factors of your chosen market should be presented in the first section of the main body of your report.

3. Critically analyses the key strategic issues the firm faces in expanding into your chosen market:
i) opportunities and threats in the firm’s industrial environment in your chosen market
– Worth 20% of the overall mark; 825 words.
PLUS
ii) strengths and weaknesses in the firm’s internal environment which may support or challenge the firm’s expansion into your chosen market
– Worth 20% of the overall mark; 825 words.
Your analysis of the key strategic issues the firm faces in expanding into your chosen market should be presented in the second section of the main body of your report.

4. Evaluates the various modes of entry available to the firm and recommends – with justification based on the findings of your analyses in Tasks 2 & 3 above – the most suitable mode of entry that will enable this strategic international expansion to be a success for the firm
– Worth 20% of the overall mark; 825 words.
Your evaluation of the various modes of entry available to the firm, and your recommended / justified mode of entry, should be presented in the final section of the main body of your report.

You are strongly advised to structure your report in the same order as the assignment tasks set out above.

Remember to include a list of references used at the end of the report (presented Harvard style).

Countries to choose from: You are required to undertake a comparative analysis of the macro-environmental factors of the following 3 countries in order to identify a potentially attractive target market for your case company (Task 1):

• Russia
• South Africa
• South Korea
Learning Outcomes to be assessed
This assessment assesses how well you can do the following (as outlined in the module specification):
• Critically review the strategy of an organisation in light of international business issues, applying relevant theories and concepts
• Produce a creative strategic solution to a business problem for an organisation facing diverse challenges, taking into account the firm’s external and internal environments
Key Skills to be practised / assessed
This assessment assesses how well you can do the following (as outlined in the module specification):
• Develop their analytical and problem solving skills.
• Improve their research skills and data analysis.
• Work both individually and collaboratively to solve a given problem.
• Develop effective written and oral communication and presentational skills.
• Improve their planning, organising and time management skills.
Assessment criteria Your assessment will be assessed according to these criteria which are reflected in the Assessment Feedback Sheet:
• Degree of knowledge and understanding of the module subject
• Ability to develop an argument which is clearly justified and relevant to the particular circumstances of the situation under consideration
• Ability to develop an argument which is well structured
• Breadth and depth of reading from the relevant academic literature
• Ability to critically synthesise and apply relevant theories and concepts from a range of sources
• Ability to apply the Harvard referencing system in the correct manner
• Ability to collect and analyse relevant data
• Ability to identify and evaluate a range of strategic options relevant to the particular circumstances of the situation under consideration
• Degree of originality in generating relevant and justified solutions to the business problem under consideration
• Professionalism of presentation
• Ability to manage time to submit by the deadline
• Academic good conduct