SM9729 International Business and Development Impacts Level 7 Assignment , Northumbria University

Assignment Brief

Part A: Case Assessment: 

A. Students are required to select a case company from the set list approved in class by the tutor. This is a mandatory task. Research the approved company and answer the set questions.

• Identify two host markets in which the selected CASE COMPANY operates in (currently or has operated in the past). Outline the multinational company’s home market, its key products and services, and nature of its business links to these host markets. Support your answer with evidence and relevant learning.
• Discuss two (2) positive and two (2) negative development impacts linked to the multinational company in the host market: support your answer with relevant evidence from the country and company.
• Evaluate WHY these issues are important to the host country’s development and its targets towards National and Sustainable Development Goals: support your answer with reference to theory, and class learning, using relevant evidence from the host country and company.

Part B. Answer only ONE (1) question from the options below 

•  Discuss the role of foreign direct investment in addressing the development challenges you evaluated in the host countries. How can multinational enterprises contribute towards FDI and the Sustainable Development Goals targets in the host countries? Make reference to relevant theory, company and host country and class learning. 
•  How can the private sector support collaborative and credible business action that supports policymakers towards achieving SDG objectives? Evaluate the effectiveness of multilateral initiatives such the UN Global Compact in contributing towards sustainable development goals in host countries. What challenges exist in relying on such initiatives? discuss whether other alternatives may be effective. 
• Discuss the role of exports and international trade participation in addressing the development challenges you identified in the host countries in Q1. How can Multinational enterprises influence exports and international trade in your host countries? Make reference to theory, company and host country evidence and class learning.
• Discuss the role of technology and innovation in addressing the development challenges you evaluated in the host countries in Question 1. How can Multinational enterprises influence technology and innovation to support the host countries achieve national and Sustainable Development Goals targets? Make reference to theory, company and host country evidence and class learning. 

Part 3: Reflection on International Business and Development impacts  

•  Reflect on your weekly Learning Logs and the classroom group tasks. Based on the reading tasks and group exercises, which two societal grand challenges have been of most interest to your learning? Explain your answer with examples from the completed class tasks.
• Reflect on the overall module and your learning on the role of international businesses in the development impacts in host countries. Summarise how the insights gained may be of relevance to you personally and to your future career after the course.