Assignment instructions – ‘Global Environment of Business’
Choose two companies for an analysis of how the global business environment impacts firms and
their decision-making.
One company should be from an advanced economy, and the other company should be from an
emerging economy (as per the IMF country classification).
Answer one question:
Question one:
Using theories covered in the module, critically examine in an essay how these two companies are
affected by the same issue in their global business environment, namely the rise of nationalism, and
how it impacts their trade and foreign investment decisions.
Question two:
Using theories covered in the module, critically examine in an essay how these two companies are
affected by the same issue in their global business environment, namely converging varieties of
capitalism, and how it impacts their trade and foreign investment decisions.
Question three:
Using theories covered in the module, critically examine in an essay how these two companies are
affected by the same issue in their global business environment, namely the surge of global trade
conflicts, and how it impacts their trade and foreign investment decisions.
Essay writing instructions
The ‘Global Environment of Business’ replacement assignment is aimed at testing the (writing) skills
needed to effectively capture a debate on paper on topics in global business, and seeks to test how
you present and carefully weigh evidence. Key to this module was the understanding that in complex
and interconnected environments there is often no single correct answer and many issues can be
debated. Similarly, the assignment does not expect an answer that can be categorised as correct or
incorrect, but where awareness of debates and strength of argumentation is key. You were
encouraged to look for linkages between the different topics covered in the module, such as links
between the companies’ foreign investment decisions and international trade. As such, better
answers reflect an awareness of how topics are interrelated and connected. More analytical answers
are aimed at finding out why companies are doing what they are doing and rely on readings and
theory to present a coherent discussion that carefully weighed the evidence.
The following general advice holds in relation to essay writing:
– It might prove beneficial to start your essay with a hook, one or two opening sentences that serve
to capture the attention of readers, where you set the scene for the remainder of the essay.
– Present your view or take on the issue early on. This does not have to be done in great detail, as
you will have the remainder of the essay to develop your arguments.
– After an introduction, it is good to present some definitions of the key concepts, whereby you draw
on course readings and lectures. For the assignment we expect that you can link these concepts to
the main authors, e.g. when you talk about the OLI paradigm, make sure to reference Dunning.
– We are looking for balanced essays that can approach topics from multiple angles. In that sense it
may be a good strategy to carefully weigh the evidence presented by multiple sides in a debate,
before making your conclusions based on that evidence and theory. The choice you make is less
important than the way you support your argumentation, as it is often the case that answers are not
simply right or wrong. If you believe that the evidence does not clearly point in any direction, you do
not have to make a choice, of course, as long as you provide a logical and coherent justification for
your stance.
– Conclude by summarising your answer to the assignment question.
– Use headings to help structure your thoughts.
– Try to write in sections if not in ‘paragraphs’, not one continuous stream of information.
Frequently asked questions
What are the expectations for this replacement assignment?
As this assignment replaces the traditional GEB exam in a period in which you will have many other
assignments and online exams, you are not expected to do in-depth company research. We expect
you to do this assignment by using and reflecting on the content we have covered in our lectures
and seminars. That is, you will generally be able to produce an insightful essay by drawing on the
lectures, seminar notes, and additional readings that were already provided. As such, you are not
expected to research the 2 selected case companies but rather use cases with which you are already
generally familiar.
How do we select appropriate case companies?
The assignment asks you to choose two companies for an analysis of how the global business
environment impacts firms and their decision-making. One company should be from an advanced
economy, and the other company should be from an emerging economy (as per the IMF country
classification). In your essay, it is advised to briefly describe why you think these two companies are
suitable for your analysis. This may be because they are very much affected by the global business
issue that you are analysing or because they have changed their investment and trade decisions in
response to that issue. You can draw on some of the cases we have discussed during the lectures, or
describe companies you are familiar with, for example those from your respective home countries.
You are not expected to study the 2 selected case companies in depth, but rather use them to
illustrate your arguments, and explain how issues in the global business environment affect them.
The question presents a global business environment issue that is not entirely clear. How to deal with
that in the essay?
Generally, if the issue is not entirely clear, debate it. Key to this module was the understanding that
in complex and interconnected environments there is often no single correct answer and many
issues can be debated. This too holds for the three global business environment issues covered by
the replacement assignment.
With “discuss” and “examine” questions, are we supposed to support one side of the argument and
conclude the analysis by agreeing to one argument or stay neutral throughout and analyse the two
sides of the arguments equally with the conclusion only summarising the arguments without
personal reflection/views?
Many of the topics we covered throughout the module are not as clear-cut and can be approached
from different angles. It may be good to show that you are aware of that and present some of the
key debates. There is nothing wrong with taking a side in a debate, as long as it is supported well by
strong argumentation, based on evidence, data or theory. As we have said in the past, there may not
be a single correct answer to issues in global business, it is the support provided that counts.
How do I write a strong essay in 2,500 words?
Quality matters much more than quantity, of course, and strong answers typically present a wellstructured and detailed analysis in a clear yet concise manner. Please draw on the general essay
writing advice provided above, as well as your seminar notes from Week 10 when we discussed the
module writing task.
For the readings taken from my.wbs, are we required to reference the authors or source from those
readings? Do we need to reference the numerical data we mention in the essay?
Yes. Because it is an open book assignment, you are expected to provide proper referencing. In the
text of the essay itself, you may refer to names of main authors (e.g. people like Dunning, Hofstede,
or Ghemawat) and the years of publication. This way, you may also distinguish between different
versions of the same model, such as Johanson & Vahlne’s different Uppsala internationalisation
models from 1977 and 2009. Similarly, it is good to show your awareness of where you got
supporting data from, for example UNCTAD’s World Investment Report for FDI data or the WTO for
data on global trade. In the lectures we have covered how to access these reports. For FDI or trade
data from a given year, please refer to the specific report that published that data. For example,
UNCTAD’s World Investment Report from 2019 on Special Economic Zones that provided FDI data
from 2018.