This written assignment is an individual essay (2500 words limit +/- 10%) on a given applied
international business economics topic that critically evaluates the impact of international
macroeconomics and finance issues on the operations of international businesses.
Topic 2019:
With explicit reference to the theories and concepts studied in this module, analyse the
implications of a ‘no-deal’ Brexit on the strategies of UK international businesses in the
automotive sector.
You will need to apply the theories and concepts covered in the module to this particular given topic.
In order to help you make the connections and give you feedforward in how to apply the relevant
literature, you will participate in student-led seminars centred on group presentations. In the
seminar of your choice, your group (up to 4 members) will lead the seminar by explaining and
analysing the seminar’s issue, which should take 30 minutes. Other members of the seminar group
will then have the opportunity to ask you questions and to seek clarification on particular points. All
relevant theories and concepts will be covered within the seminar group presentations.
You will then be assessed on your individual essay on the main given topic which should reflect all
the group presentations and discussions in the seminars as well as your independent reading on the
subject. You can achieve high grades in this assignment only if you have researched your topics
thoroughly and fully applied the relevant theories in a logical analysis of the issue. Suggested outlines
for the presentations on each topic and additional assessment criteria and marking rubric are
available on Course resources.
The essay will have to be submitted online in a word document via the Turnitin submission link that
will available on Courseresources. You must stay within the 2,500 words – going over the limit will
result in the following penalties:
i. 10 marks deducted for exceeding the word limit by up to 250 words
ii. 20 marks deducted for exceeding the word limit by 251-500 words
iii. 30 marks deducted for exceeding the word limit by 501-750 words
iv. 50 marks deducted for exceeding the word limit by more than 750 words.
Essay submission Deadline: 10 January 2020 11.59pm.
Feedback: The assignments will be returned with grades and feedback by 31st January 2020.
Brief advice on how to write the essay
Your essay should be similar to a journal article. You will have read many of these for the seminars in
this module as well as in other modules. Make sure your argument addresses the specific question
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given – don’t write about the topics covered in general. The essay should be well structured with an
introduction that says what the main argument is all about and introduces/explains the key concepts.
You should then write a series of paragraphs in which you develop your analysis of the issue. Be
“succinct” and “analytical” = you should not write generally and descriptively. It is also important to
have a clear conclusion that is of sufficient length to sum up your views and to state briefly the main
evidence that leads you to these conclusions.
What I require is that you use the relevant theory studied on the module. You need to show a critical
understanding of the theories and an ability to apply them to real data and real-world situations.
You need to give business examples and use statistical evidence to back up your statements and you
need to cite your sources and list their references at the end. This is very important – essays that do
not specify the sources of statistics / evidence and do not reference ideas will be penalised. It is
essential that, if you use any material from the web, you put the paragraph in inverted commas and
provide the reference. If you do not do this, I will consider it as plagiarism and you will be given a
mark of zero. For further help you can go to UDo and in the Library main page click on Study Skills.
You can write with or without headings – whichever you are more comfortable with. Your discussion
should cover the following issues:
– Introduction
– Discussion of UK’s BoP current account – main trade partners, main exports and imports,
balance of trade etc.
– Discussion of UK’s BoP financial account – inward and outward investment flows
– Discussion of UK’s areas of competiveness (underpinned by relevant theory)
– Discussion of the sterling exchange rate, its relatively recent past evolution and how it
affected trade and investments
– Discussion of current trade arrangements as full member of the EU (CU and SEM)
– Discussion of WTO global rules of trade and how they will impact the areas of
competitiveness identified previously
– Discussion of expectations of sterling exchange rate change post-Brexit
– Discussion of implications for strategies of UK MNCs