BCO221 GLOBAL ECONOMICS
Task

This task is worth 40% of your overall grade for this subject and substitutes the final exam.

Due date: Sunday the 9th of May

Formalities

· Minimum length of the assignment 1500 words – Maximum 2000 words.

· Essay form

· Relate your answers to the concepts delivered in class.

· Font: Arial 12,5pts. Line-spacing: default. Text-align: Justified.

· Bibliography/References in Harvard style.

· You may use Appendixes. These and the References do not count for the total wordcount.

Look at the following discussion topic and answer the related questions:

Topic

Dibimilano (http://www.dibimilano.it/) is one of the brands of the company Alfaparf Group. (http://www.alfaparfgroup.com/) They are considering growth strategies and have identified two possibilities – a) continue expanding in Russia after having set up an office in Moscow by opening a second office in St. Petersburg or enter into the Latin American market through Brazil by setting up an office in both Sao Paolo and Rio de Janeiro. They have got in touch with you so that you prepare an economic study of the two options.

Question 1 Identify the economic indicators you consider would be of most relevance to company in comparing two BRIC markets (Related to the first evaluation criteria – see table below)

Question 2a

Supporting your answer with data, compare the ease of doing business and the openness to foreign trade of the two countries.

Question 2b

Evaluate how vulnerable each country is to external change – you should identify possible threats of external change such as changes in the value of the dollar; in the market price of oil, possible protectionist measures, increasing rivalry between the USA and China etc, and evaluate the impact that they could have on the economy of the two countries. (Related to the third evaluation criteria – see table below)

Question 3

On the basis of your analysis, recommend which country dibimilano should continue their expansion into.

It assesses the following learning outcomes:

· Critically examine economic principles used in managerial situations. Topics: global interdependence and the benefits of trade and the impact of exchange rates.

· Evaluate, analyze and contrast economic decisions and their impact of the global business context.

Rubrics

Excellent

90-100%

Good

80-89%

Fair

70-79%

Marginal fail

60-69%

Fail

<60% Relates the case to the specific knowledge delivered (20%) Demonstrates exceptional knowledge and understanding of concepts. Demonstrate good knowledge and understanding of key concepts- The report demonstrates a satisfactory level of knowledge and understanding of concepts at this basic level. Demonstrates limited knowledge and understanding of the key concepts. Demonstrates extremely poor knowledge and lack of understanding of the key concepts. Application (30%) All analytical tools are applied very well, and highly relevant insight is drawn from them. Most analytical tools are applied well, and relevant insight is drawn from them. Some analytical tools are applied well although there may be some minor misunderstandings. Some relevant insight may be drawn. Some misunderstandings may be in evidence for one or two tools. Limited insight drawn from analysis. There is almost no attempt to apply tools Evaluation (40%) There is exceptional evidence of evaluation and justification of recommendations There is some good evidence of evaluations of concepts and justification of recommendations There is some evidence of evaluation of the concepts and justification of recommendations There is little evidence of evaluation of concepts and justification of recommendations There is virtually no evidence of evaluation of concepts and justification of recommendations Critical skills (X%) Exceptional critical engagement using a range of sound, literature and data-based criteria to assess the effects Exceptional critical engagement and analysis of complex ideas. Excellent conclusions based on evaluation. Good critical engagement using some sound, literature and data-based criteria to assess the effects Good critical engagement and analysis of complex ideas. Well justified conclusions based on evaluation. Fair critical engagement using some criteria but the links to literature or data of these is not mentioned. Fair critical engagement and analysis of some ideas. Fair conclusions somewhat based on evaluation. Marginally inadequate critical engagement. Scarce attempt to question the concepts and analyze facts. Conclusions are very short and loosely linked to the data and facts. Inadequate critical engagement. Concepts and case completely taken at face value No conclusions or conclusions are completely unrelated to evaluation. Communication (10%) The assignment is communicated extremely coherently, and referencing is accurate throughout The assignment is communicated quite clearly, and referencing is accurate but there are some issues in terms of spelling and structure The assignment communicates the ideas in a mostly coherent way but there are some errors and some errors in referencing which are not accurate The assignment is understandable but is communicated poorly and referencing is inaccurate The assignment is extremely poor in terms of referencing (inaccurate or absent) and tends to be incoherent or insufficient (length) in terms of conveying ideas