268 International Business Strategies
Individual Essay (100% of the total mark)
You are expected to write an essay of no more than 2,000 words.
Date of Submission:
All submissions must be presented in typescript (MS Word format), 12pt, 1.5 line spacing,Harvard style. Week 25 (22/03/2021, 12:00:00 on FASER).
Please read the additional notes below carefully.
` Essay Topic: Internationalisation path of Toyota
1. Critically examine:
a) Toyota’s international growth and its motivations.
b) Toyota’s pattern of international growth in term of mode of entry and geographical entrance.
c) Toyota’s value chain activities. Can you observe any changes in their value chain configuration in the last decade?
d) Advantages of the current internationalisation strategy adopted by the company.
2. Can you think of any potential risks Toyota may face in the future?
Guidance Notes:
The individual assignment is expected to cover the following issues:
Identification of international business strategies adopted in the context of the examples explored in the essay;
Clear reference to literature on theories/approaches to internationalisation;
Identification of motivations, mode of entry and geographical presence and clear references;
Identification of value chain activities and future risks and clear references;
Reference to examples/illustrations (either based on reliable, reputable and relevant secondary sources information) to show the process as to how the different approaches to international strategy and practices work
Evidence of the evaluation of the literature and data sources.
An essay (of no more than 2,000 words, plus/minus 10 per cent, excluding bibliography) should demonstrate the knowledge and critical understanding of the literature on the key aspects of international business strategy. Students should demonstrate a critical understanding of the external/internal contexts within which international businesses operate. The essay is designed to test the conceptual, analytical and written communication skills of the students.
The essay structure should clearly outline an introduction, main argument, conclusions and well as the evidence of the evaluation of the literature and data sources.
Notes: Writing an essay
An introduction to an essay should address itself directly to the question or topics you have been asked to discuss.
The main section of the essay should outline the argument(s) that describe your response to an essay question. It might be an idea or a notion which explores in a discursive manner. In this case the order of the topics being examined forms the structure of the essay argument.
The conclusion of an essay should draw together all the previous points of your argument into one general statement, which is then directly related to the essay topic or the question you have been answering.
Students are required to show evidence of an extensive use of various well established and reputable literature sources (i.e. journal articles, books and other reliable, reputable and relevant sources of information).
BE268: Learning Outcomes
Obtain a critical understanding of international business and strategy and theoretical approaches in this domain;
Critically assess and analyse global market opportunities for expansion of firms;
Understanding and critique different modes/forms of international expansion;
Obtain a critical understanding of how processes of internationalisation apply to SMEs and international new ventures;
Obtain a critical understanding of strategy and organisation in the international firms; Obtain critical understanding of global sourcing;
Critically assess and analyse opportunities for expansion in emerging and transition economies.