Reference no: EM133014616

Assessment Task

Assessment details:
A take home cases study is designed to examine your understanding and application of international trade and FDI theories as well as other knowledge learnt from this course. The take home cases study will be allow you to choose 2 from 3 given cases. The releasing date for the case study will be negotiated with the students and published in Moodle News Announcement

1. Criteria used to grade the task:
• Clarity of the underlying key issue or causes in the case
• Ability to apply relevant theory to analyse the case
• Clarity and coherence of the answers/arguments to the questions.
• Effective alternatives evaluation and sound recommendation.
• University standard spelling and grammar.

2. Task Assessor: Your lecturer will mark this examination.
3. Suggested time to devote to this task: The time recommended for preparation for the exam is approximately 20 hours
4. Submission details: The final assessment task will be conducted during the examination period. Students are required to submit the task via the Final Assessment Task submission link in Moodle.
5. Feedback and return of work: Students will receive the overall course result once the course has been ratified, this generally occurs within two weeks from the end of the exam period. Feedback for the final assessment task is available upon request.

Case A: Why Ford and Other American Cars Don't Sell in Japan

Case Questions: Watch this video case and answer the following three questions. Each question is the same value. Total 20 points for this case.

1. Donald Trump has criticized the imbalance in auto trade between the United States and Japan. Discuss his perspective. Why does the imbalance exist? Would typical trade policy tools such as tariffs improve the imbalance? Explain. How might efforts to improve the imbalance actually hurt Americans?

2. How are differences between the culture in the United States and the culture in Japan reflected in the car purchasing process? How do these differences put U.S. automakers at a disadvantage in Japan?

3. How have Japanese automakers been able to find so much success in the United States? Why is the reverse not true? How does the response of U.S. automakers to the preferences of U.S. consumers put them at a disadvantage in Japan? Consider both the product and the message about the product in your response.

Case B: Woolworths' corporate responsibility strategy

1. What challenges do you think a company like Woolworths Group faces when developing and implementing a company-wide corporate social responsibility strategy that takes into account more than 200 000 employees, diverse interests and stakeholders?

2. The focus on ‘People' is about encouraging diversity. One goal is to increase the number of Indigenous employees in line with the company's stated commitments under the Employment Parity Initiative. Does such a diversity approach enhance the company's sustainability strategy? Explain your answer.

3. Woolworths Group is trying to reduce its carbon emissions or footprint by 10 per cent. Based on where the world is now, is 10 per cent enough of a reduction? Perhaps global warming isn't real, despite what the vast majority of scientists say: what do you think?

4. Woolworths' targets are to achieve a top quartile ranking in how the business engages fairly and equitably with its suppliers. How do supplier relationships and fairness in dealing with suppliers relate to sustainability and ‘doing good' for society (and the company)?

Case C
Watch Video: China's Comac Aims to Rival Boeing and Airbus in the World's Biggest Market

1. Reflect on the notion of a technology decoupling between the United States and China. What are the potential implications of such a separation for companies? Consider the implications for global trade patterns of Trump's message to European companies that they either choose to do business with China or with the United States. How could this change the nature of U.S. trade policy?
2. Using the theories of absolute and comparative advantage, discuss the current standoff between the United States and China. What are the two countries trying to achieve? How do their objectives fit with what the two trade theories suggest?

3. Reflect on Trump's position that all technology from China should be viewed as being suspect. In your opinion, is the United States being reckless with its allegations that Huawei and TikTok are being used by Beijing for espionage? Could the administration's position ultimately result in the creation of new competition for U.S. companies?

Attachment:- Assessment Task.rar