Assignment 1: Modes of Entry and the International Strategy

When an organization decides to expand operations internationally, one important thing to be checked is how it will approach and enter the foreign markets being targeted. The choice of which entry mode(s) to be used in entering international markets should match a company’s international strategy. The entry mode must also be chosen to align well with an organization’s structure and the knowledge of the markets.

Using the University online library resources, locate a minimum of four different scholarly sources on modes of entering global markets:

• Compare and contrast the value of strategic alliances, mergers, and acquisitions as options for a company to expand their international operations in a successful way
• Recent examples from business news to illustrate your answers

Beginning Friday, February 6, 2015, post your responses to the appropriate Discussion Area.

Write your initial response in 300–500 words. Your response should be thorough and address all components of the discussion question in detail, include citations of all sources, where needed, according to the APA Style, and demonstrate accurate spelling, grammar, and punctuation

Assignment 2: Required Assignment—Global Strategy Analysis—The International/Global Operations and Their Key Markets and Potential Competitors

For this assignment, you will research the potential international markets and possible competitors of your chosen project ( a company of your choice). The combination of those two items enables you to create a powerful framework to perform a relevant organizational analysis.

In a 7-pages report, include the following:

Part I: Key Market 

In this part of this assignment, you are to:

1. Decide if all operations will be internationalized (or only some of them) and identify which ones.
2. Identify and assess different potential regions and/or countries to globalize operations.
3. Choose two or three that are the most relevant to your operations.
4. Justify choices made.

Specific evidence from scholarly sources should be used to support your choices. Generate separate analyses for each country and/or region chosen, addressing the following main points:

• Size and characteristics of the market
• Number and size of global, regional, and local competitors currently acting in the market
• Balance of trade
• Currency exchange rates (current and historical)
• Percentage of domestic production exported
• Percentage of domestic consumption imported
• Cost of labor
• Tax level for domestic and foreign companies
• Presence of government in the economy
• Percentage of ownership allowed to foreign companies and/or investors
• Local laws and regulations related to industry/product

Part II: Define Competitors

1. Identify and describe 3-5 major potential global and domestic competitors that will be considered for this project.

   Create one report for EACH competitor chosen. Include the following information:

• Market share, globally and in key markets considered in part 1 of this assignment
• Strategy and competitive advantages
• Relative prices of products and services being offered
• Quality-related actions and procedures, and relative quality

Note: You may want to prioritize competitors who have a global footprint or are the largest competitors in each lead country and/or major region you considered in Part I. Competitors with a great potential to become global players should also be included. Specific evidence from scholarly sources should be used to support your choices.

Your final document should be a 7-pages Word document and use a minimum of 5 professional sources to reinforce your conclusions. Write in a clear, concise, and organized manner; demonstrate ethical scholarship in accurate representation and attribution of sources; display accurate spelling, grammar, and punctuation. Use the APA format.

Apply APA standards to citation of sources. Use the following file naming convention: LastnameFirstInitial_M4_A2.doc. For example, if your name is John Smith, your document will be named SmithJ_M4_A2.doc.

By Tuesday, February 10, 2015, deliver your assignment to the M4: Assignment 2 RA Dropbox.