A) Prepare a cultural analysis for your selected country by:
Using the six Hofstede cultural frameworks discussed in class and any other cultural inputs that you feel are relevant (google the culture of your country). Keep in mind that this is a business paper and your inputs should relate to that. Things such as holidays, food, dialects, religion, etc. may or may not contribute to doing business. Be careful not to fill up your pages with non-relevant information. Describe:
1) Hofstede inputs and comparisons vs. the US. (Using the actual Hofstede numbers will help you clarify your descriptions / comparisons). Do not define the six dimensions (I already know what they are and what they mean). Go directly to how they affect / what they mean in relation to business and doing business in your country. Please put each Hofstede dimension in a separate paragraph.
2) The overall culture of the country. Only looking for things that effect the interaction of people and / or the interaction of business. Dont go into types of cuisine, art, architecture, etc.
B) Prepare a business analysis for your country by discussing:
3) What challenges you would face as an American manager moving to the country to assume the management of the native workforce in the country. (Dont mention learning the language). Using the Hofstede inputs and points you identified in question 2, include what changes in your management style you might have to undertake and why. One (of many) inputs could be the difference in the way decisions are made.
4) Any social cultural inputs that you feel relate to better understanding the country and how you would operate in that country (use some additional research).
C) Prepare an Economic Analysis of your country by discussing:
5) The economy of the country, go to the CIA World Factbook:
6) Business Environment / Doing Business In analysis for your country.
Explain the environment for doing business in the country. You can identify most factors from the following websites.
CIA World Factbook: copy and paste the link below into browser
https://www.cia.gov/the-world-factbook/countries/
Select country from alphabet on left. Example: click Cfor China, etc. Once country comes up, scroll down to get section menu on left. Good for inputs on economy.
globalEDGE: direct link below
https://globaledge.msu.edu/
Scroll down to Country Selector on left. Dropdown to find country, then Visit Country. Use menu on left for inputs. Youll find Economic Freedom under Government and various risk factors under Risk. Check out all items on menu to help build your view of the people, economy and doing business in the country.
Heritage Foundation: direct link below
https://www.heritage.org/index/
Simply type your country in the search bar
AM Best: direct link below
https://www.ambest.com/home/default.aspx
On left menu: Country Risk Information: Scroll down to list of countries and make selection
Check out all websites and find the ones you like the best. You should be able to cover everything from two of them. Remember to cite your inputs.
Find what you feel are the key points, use bullets and then provide a summary paragraph that ties up all your findings towards favorable or unfavorable. The AACSB objective is to be able to identify differences in business environments among countries, so please use your summaries to show this understanding. Things to consider in assessing the business environment:
*GDP and is it growing (PPP and nominal). World ranking
*GDP per capita and is it growing (PPP and nominal). World ranking
*Major economic sectors
*Imports / Exports
*Unemployment rate (going up or down)
*Demographics Just describe if the demographics (today and in the future) are positive (or not) for doing business in the country. Is the population growing, growth of a middle class (or not) and median age.
*Ease of Doing Business / Risk Factors. Rate key areas (Economic Freedom, Rule of Law, Intellectual Property Protection (patents & copywrites), Strengths & Weaknesses, others) and provide summary paragraph on overall positive or negative.
The paper:
Please breakdown your paper / answers by clearly identifying answers 1 through7 (above). Clearly identify by number and answer questions in order; 1, 2, 3, etc. Do not combine / run on answers. (Failure to do so will result in a lower grade).
Minimum 3000 words plus your reference page.
Reference all work that is not your own with 1, 2, 3, etc. in the body of the paper and then correlate the same 1, 2, 3 etc. with the actual source on your reference page. Again, reference pages do not count towards the word count. Take care to recognize all input that is not your own.