SM9532 International Expansion Strategy Report Assignment:  CAGE, PND & AAA Analysis

SM9532 Distributed On:

December Hand in Date: Refer to the Assessment

submission point

Further information about general assessment criteria, ARTA regulations, referencing and plagiarism can be found on the module’s site on the e-Learning Portal. Students are advised to read and follow this information.

SM9532 Instructions On Assessment:

The module assessment comprises of an INDIVIDUAL research-based assignment that requires you to write an essay that represents 100% of the module mark. You are required to produce a report covering all four tasks of the assessment.

Focussing on a company of your choice that has some international presence, and assuming that the company is considering further international expansion into new countries, conduct a research-based strategic analysis addressing the following tasks.

1. Applying the CAGE framework, identify similarities/differences between the home country of the company and two potential host countries (each in two continents that are different from the home country of the company). Discuss the strategic implications of those CAGE similarities/differences, and recommend one of the two countries for the company to invest in.
   (30 marks, 900 words maximum)
2. Using Porter’s National Diamond (PND) framework, evaluate the competitiveness of the recommended country focusing on the relevant industry the company is interested in, and summarise the strategic  mplications of the findings from the PND analysis for the company (25marks, 750 words maximum)
3. Based on the findings of the above analyses, identify what should be the relatively most important strategy out of the AAA (Adaptation, Aggregation or Arbitrage) strategies to focus on for the company to create value in the recommended host country to start with, and justify your recommendation. Reflect on how this strategy may shift over time as the firm continues to
   operate in the recommended country. (25 marks, 750 words maximum)
4. Drawing on the above analyses and supported with other relevant sources, briefly discuss THREE cross-border challenges in operating in the recommended country that should be considered by the company. Make your strategic recommendations for the company that could be useful in coping with those challenges. (20 marks, 600 words maximum)

SM9532 Assignment Guidance Notes:

• The word limit for the overall assignment is 3000 words.
• Write a report addressing the assigned tasks. Use numbered headings and subheadings under each task. All the figures, charts and tables should be numbered and titled, and they should be referred to and used in the report.
• There should be no first-person references (I, we, us) in the report. If self-reference is required, you may refer to yourself as “the author” or “this report”.
• Assignments require you to demonstrate that you understand, and you are able to apply theoretical concepts, models and frameworks, studied on the module, in your analysis in the report. Detailed descriptions of the frameworks that you use are not necessary.
• This is a research-based assignment. Your analytical discussion must be supported by relevant sources of information (using in-text citations).
• Clarity and concision are encouraged and will be rewarded. You should be thorough and detailed in your analysis, and all the points should be fully explained and justified. You could present the discussions under each question in the body of the report and include relevant tables, charts, graphs, and any other supporting evidence in the appendices. Do NOT clutter the tables with text. Use concise text/data to make sure the table is easy to understand.
• The reports should have the following structure:
  • Cover page (with the module code, title, word count, your programme, and student ID)
  • Table of contents (with the page numbers)
  • Q1
  • Q2
  • Q3
  • Q4
  • List of references
  • Appendices
• Appendices may be used only if they are necessary to support your discussion. The appendices should be properly organised and there should be in-text references to all the appendices.
• The work must be word-processed and saved in DOC format for final submission. Line spacing 1.5, font size 12 and font type Arial should be used in the body of the report.
• Do NOT mention your name, or tutor’s name anywhere on your assignment. Insert the page numbers and your student ID in the header or footer of every page of the report.
• Badly written, badly organised and/or badly presented work will attract a low grade.
• DO NOT copy text from any sources! Use the information to produce your own analysis. Please familiarise yourself with what constitutes plagiarism and academic misconduct. For
• further information on plagiarism, see the Referencing and Plagiarism related topics on Skills
  Plus (www.northumbria.ac.uk/skillsplus). Use only high quality and reliable sources.
• You should use the APA (7th ed.) referencing style. Quick guide to Referencing APA 7 th ed on Skills Plus (https://cragside.northumbria.ac.uk/Everyone/skillsplus/database_uploads/55389635.pdf.) The official APA
  website: https://apastyle.apa.org/style-grammar-guidelines/references/examples.The official APA style guide is available in print to borrow from the library: American Psychological Association (2020) Publication manual of the American Psychological Association: the official guide to APA style, 7th ed. (Located at 808.06615 PUB).

Please ensure that all the materials and sources used in your work are properly referenced!

Where To Find Additional Assessment Support:

Please see the assessment and submission folder and other relevant resources that can be accessed through the module Blackboard site. More details will be provided in the assessment briefing session and during weekly seminars. There will also be an assignment surgery. A discussion board for assessment related Q&As will be available on the module Blackboard site.

SM9532 General Notes:

If the assignment is within +10% of the word limit, no penalty will apply.
The word count is to be declared on the front page of your assignment and the assignment cover sheet. The word count does not include:

• Title and Contents page
• List of References
• Appendices
• Appropriate tables, figures, and illustrations
• Glossary
• Bibliography
• Quotes from interviews and focus groups.

Please note, in text citations [e.g. (Smith, 2011)] and direct secondary quotations [e.g. “dib-dab nonsense analysis” (Smith, 2011 p.123)] are INCLUDED in the word count.
If this word count is falsified, students are reminded that under ARTA page 11 Section 1.13.2 this will be regarded as academic misconduct.

If the word limit of the full assignment exceeds the +10% limit, 10% of the total marks available for the assignment (i.e., 100 x 10% = 10) shall be deducted from the assignment mark. For example:
An assignment which would have scored 70% but that has a word count greater than 10% of the prescribed word limit will be allocated 60% (i.e., 70 -10 = 60).

Academic Misconduct

• The Assessment Regulations for Taught Awards (ARTA) contain the Regulations and procedures applying to cheating, plagiarism and other forms of academic misconduct.
• You are reminded that plagiarism, collusion and other forms of academic misconduct as referred to in the Academic Misconduct procedure of the assessment regulations are taken very seriously by Newcastle Business School. Assignments in which evidence of plagiarism or other forms of academic misconduct is found may receive a mark of zero.

Submission Of Assessment:

• • You MUST submit ONLY an electronic copy of the assignment in DOC format through Turnitin
    FINAL assignment submission link on the module eLP (Blackboard site) before the deadline.
  • You can submit draft assignments through the Turnitin DRAFT assignment submission link and you will receive a Turnitin similarity report that will compare your assignment to previously submitted or published work.
  • You will NOT receive a Turnitin similarity report for your Final submission through Turnitin and the
    final Turnitin similarity report will be accessible by staff only. The final Turnitin similarity report will compare your assignment to previously submitted or published work and also to your fellow students’ work.
  • Marked assignments will be returned to students via the eLP and the marks will be available under Grade Mark on the eLP.
  • It is important that you retain a copy of your assignment for your own records.

Late Submission Of Work

Where coursework is submitted without approval, after the published deadline, the following penalties will apply.

For coursework submitted up to 1 working day (24 hours) after the published hand-in deadline without approval, 10% of the total marks available for the assessment (i.e.,100 x 10% = 10) shall be deducted from the assessment mark.

For clarity: a late piece of work that would have scored 65%, 55% or 45% had it been handed in on
time, will be awarded 55%, 45% or 35% respectively as 10 marks will have been deducted.

Coursework submitted more than 1 working day (24 hours) after the published hand-in deadline without approval will be regarded as not having been completed. A mark of zero will be awarded for the assessment and the module will be failed.

For clarity: if the original hand-in time on working day A is 12:00 noon the 24 hour late submission allowance will end at 12:00 noon on working day B.

Mapping To Programme Goals And Objectives:

This assessment will contribute directly to the following programme goals and objectives.

Goal One: Knowledgeable about the theory and practice of responsible international
business in an international context

• 1. Assess knowledge of contemporary professional practice in international business informed by theory and research.
• 2. Critically apply knowledge of international business to complex problems in professional practice in order to identify justifiable, sustainable and responsible solutions.
• 3. Conduct and critique innovative and/or entrepreneurial project work and research.
• 4. Appraise an awareness of the cultural and ethical contexts in which international
  business operates

Goal Two: Skilful in the use of professional and managerial techniques and processes

• 1. Evaluate effective interpersonal communication skills and the ability to work in multi- cultural teams
• 2. Critique creative and critical thinking skills that involve independence, understanding, justification and the ability to challenge the thinking of self and others

Goal Three: Prepared for career and personal progression

• 1. Critically self-reflect as a means of informing personal development planning
• 2. Critique their personal skills and attitudes for progression to post-graduate contexts including professional work, entrepreneurship and higher level study.

SM9532 Assessment Criteria (NBS)