Essay task:
For your essay of 2,500 words, first, select a topic within the international business strategy
area that you are interested in and examine it in greater depth.
Some topic examples might include:
 The effects of national culture on international operations of a multinational
enterprise (MNE);
 The environmental challenges facing an SME company from political and economic
perspectives when entering or expanding into a foreign country;
 How MNEs maintain the appropriate balance between global integration and local
responsiveness;
 How the MNE originating from an emerging market enters a developed country.
Next, once you have a clearly formulated topic, please select a relevant company for your
assignment. Your chosen company can be an MNE or an SME with an international
focus/international business strategy. Critically evaluate relevant literature / theoretical
models for your chosen topic within the international business strategy domain. Raise a
relevant research question. Collect information about the company of your choice (e.g., use
data from Twitter, FB, LinkedIn, a company’s website or secondary sources (e.g.,
information in newspapers and magazines) and analyse the data you collected to answer
your research question. Critically appraise an international business strategy of your chosen

company. Clearly present and discuss your findings. Ensure you answer your research
question(-s) with your findings and discussion.
Use lecture notes, class discussions and the wider academic literature (use articles from
journals such as Journal of International Business Studies, Harvard Business Review, Journal
of Management Studies, Strategic Management Journal, Journal of World Business, Journal
of International Development International Business Review, Management International
Review, Global Strategy) to critically address the topic of your choice within the
international business domain.
In this assessment the following learning outcomes will be covered:
LO1. Critically evaluate concepts and theories associated with international business and
their application.
LO2. Deal with complexity by identifying and explaining the changing context of international
business, including patterns of trade, as well as political, economic, social/cultural and
technological change.
LO3. Critically assess the impact of globalisation on international business strategies
of companies.
LO4. Critically evaluate international business strategies used by companies when
making internationalization decisions.
Grading Criteria:
Your essay will be assessed based on the critical evaluation of the literature / theoretical
model and its application to your chosen company, clarity of the discussion and
interpretation of the data analysis for your chosen company (see a table below with full
assessment criteria).