International Business Strategy Project
(IBSP)
INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS STRATEGY PROJECT: (Value 25%)
The International Business Strategy Project (IBSP) – aim is to give students the opportunity to, in a hands-on way, better comprehend the complexities and differences between operating in a local, regional or national market, and that of operating a business in more than one country.
The project is designed to bring together all the topics covered in the syllabus. The (IBSP) requires a student to research a foreign country (to be assigned) as a future market for a Canadian Company.
This project involves the completion of 3 modules, each module building on the completed work of prior modules. Completion of all 3 modules results in the completed project.
Brief Overview
Module 1:
Country/Market Intelligence Report (MIR)
This first module results in a Market Intelligence Report (MIR) for the country/market you are researching including its people, economy, infrastructure, and business environment. (Value 5%)
Module 2
Business Assessment Report (BAR)
This second module requires an assessment of the Canadian company and its readiness for International expansion. (Value 5%)
Module 3
International Business Strategy (IBS)
This third module requires recommending a strategy for entry into the country, and or expansion of existing operations if the company is presently operating in that country. The strategy formulated must address both the challenges and opportunities in the country, considering the strengths and weaknesses of the company and the environmental factors impacting these. (Value 10 %)
Executive Summary. A summary of highlights of the report. (Value 5%)
Market Intelligence Report (MIR)
Objective:
This first phase of the project requires the student to develop a Market Intelligence Report (MIR) for an assigned country. The MIR is a structured learning experience that asks students to gather baseline data on the country for use in later project modules.
Requirements:
The students’ task is to gather, data that can be used to assess risk, the opportunities and challenges present in an International Market. In this section students should assess all the international environmental factors. Please look at past history, the current situation and future forecast for that country. A good tool to utilize for this assessment is a PEST analysis. This assessment should provide the reader with a good understanding of the country. Topics examined include the target nation’s people, culture, government, legal system, physical infrastructure, economy, technological infrastructure, competitive environment,
Sources: Please find below some recommended sources:
- Globe Edge ( Michigan State
University) http://globaledge.msu.edu/
- Export Development Corporation http://www.edc.ca/Pages/default.asp
- CIA World Fact book https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/
- World Bank Country Profiles: http://web.worldbank.org/WBSITE/EXTERNAL/COUNTRIES/0,,pagePK:180619~theSitePK:136917,00.html
- Atlapedia Online http://www.atlapedia.com/
- Target nation’s e-Government Web site
- Additional Resource links will be supplied by the professor on the course CMS website throughout the course.
Submission:
- The acceptable fonts are Times New Roman (no smaller than 11pt) and Arial(no smaller than 10pt). Line spacing to be 1.5.
- This report should not exceed 2 pages, excluding the bibliography.
Report Outline:
Research Plan
In this section describe how you approached this project and outline the key factors you were weighing when assessing this country. ie, political stability, economic strength etc.
Main Body (Relevance, reliability, currency of data)
In this section you should describe briefly the political climate in the country , the economic situation, current social situation, level of technological development and culture, the business operating environment, and the competitive environment. Describe the past history where relevant, the current situation and future forecast.
Recommendations
Briefly outline challenges and opportunities that exist within this market. Please explain these findings, provide supporting rationale.
Business Assessment Report (BAR)
Objective:
This second module requires a situational assessment of the readiness of the Canadian company to carry out international business in the selected market (country).
Requirements:
The student’s task for this module is to examine the company, to gather information and complete a detailed assessment outlining the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats facing this company. Your assessment should cover the current organizational structure, financial situation, and areas of expertise etc… Use knowledge and tools from prior courses to support this assessment.
Sources:
Students should access the company’s web site, annual reports, news releases, and industry reports to gather this information.
Submission: This report should not exceed 3 pages.
Evaluation Criteria:
Research Plan
In this section describe how you approached this project and outline the key factors you were weighing when assessing this company. ie, financial resources, international experience, etc.
Situational Analysis
In this section describe the company, and summarize their current situation. It is recommended that you complete a SWOT analysis and or, value chain analysis, Porters five forces etc. to support your answer.
Identify the challenges and opportunities facing this company
International Business Strategy Report
(IBSR)
Objective:
This third module requires student teams to recommend an International Business Strategy for the Canadian company in the selected market (country).
Requirements:
The students’ task is to apply critical thinking skills and creative abilities to formulate a fully-fledged international market entry strategy and or market expansion strategy. They should incorporate knowledge gained from the earlier MIR and BAR modules, thereby adding depth to their proposed strategy. Your report should discuss the following:
- Challenges the company faces in the market and recommendations to address these challenges
- A market entry strategy
- Recommended Operations ie. manufacturing, financing and marketing efforts etc.
- Conclusions, expected results.
Submission This report should not exceed 5 pages.
International Marketing Strategy
In this section describe your overall approach to this situation (overall strategy), and outline recommendations to address the issues facing this company. It is important that you support these recommendations with rationale.
Remember that this report should demonstrate your knowledge and understanding of the use of International Business Management as a foundation for sound strategic business decisions.
