Posted: February 8th, 2015

Your essay should also account for the sustainability and the ethical behaviour of your chosen MNE’s operation in the host country

The title should be chosen by the writer please.
The writer should choose the country and the MNE.
The assignment should be prepared in the style of an academic essay
Length: max2500 words (the word count excludes appendices and references). The word count should appear at the end of the essay. Your essay should also account for the sustainability and the ethical behaviour of your chosen MNE’s operation in the host country.
Things to consider in gathering and analysing data
• Selection of the MNE – data on characteristics of the MNE such as; sector of activity, country of origin, competitive position, size, business networks (intra and inter organisational network relationships), tangible and intangible assets, organisational culture including corporate social responsibility and, degree of ‘internationality’ are recommended.

• Key location factors of the host economy (country in which the MNE is investing) – think about the general political and cultural environment, rule of law, regulatory conditions, level of corruption and crime, infrastructure (roads, utilities, ports, communications), labour markets, demographics, ease of starting a business, intellectual property rights, clusters, size of the market are recommended.
Sources of Relevant Data
World Trade Organisation (WTO)
International Monetary Fund (IMF)
World Bank
Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD)
United Nation Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD)
Sources for Literature Review/Theoretical Framework/Analysis
Unit outline provides essential and further readings based on the resources identified below for each lecture/topic.
Academic Journals (Journal of International Business Studies, International Business Review, Journal of World Business, etc.)
Reports from reputable research, policy and financial organisations (e.g., European Commission, OECD, WTO, NESTA, national government agencies, IMF, World Investment Report)
Commercial Research Organisations and Databases (Datamonitor, FAME, Osiris)
Periodical Magazines (reputable) (e.g., The Economist, Businessweek, New Statesman, Spectator)
Newspapers (reputable) (e.g., Financial Times, Guardian, Observer, Times)
Trade Press (for information on specific sectors) (for example, Campaign [advertising], Design Week [product design], The Marketer [marketing])
Using MMU Library resources for your research, such as Business Source Premier and/or Infoskill

Abstract (not more than 200-250 words, this does not count towards the word count)
A brief summary of the problem/s, process and findings
Introduction (perhaps 10% of total word length – 300 words)
Include brief relevant background information – why is the question an important one, what ‘knowledge gap(s)’ are in play, how is your essay structured?
Main body of the Report (organised in three main sections – 75-80% of word length – 1800-2000 words)
Theoretical background/Literature Review
Establish the theories underpinnings your report by setting out the main contributions and arguments from key academic commentators (i.e., provide a short but focused literature review). Demonstrate some breadth of reading here – use the suggested core and additional readings from the unit guide as a basis for your review.
Empirical Evidence
Here you should introduce your case firm/MNE/examples and set-out on the development of your arguments. Present and draw upon relevant case study materials and other appropriate forms of evidence and commentary (these might include, for example, firm, industry and sector statistics, business reports, corporate annual reports etc.). Use data and evidence to build and support your ideas/arguments, and to highlight examples of theory in real-world practice. You should aim to explain the relevance (to the subject area and your line of thought) of any examples that you use.
Data Analysis, Interpretation and Discussion
This section provides an opportunity for you to expand upon your argument by analyzing and interpreting relevant data, evidence and commentary. Here you should compare various competing strands of argumentation (where relevant), and provide a structured, evidence-based discussion of your thoughts and findings with respect to the topic at hand. Also, consider here, how your ideas relate to (or are informed by) the theory and literature discussed in earlier sections.

Conclusion (10-15% of word length – 300-400 words)
This section should include short concluding remarks – refer back to the question and focus on (a) how you have addressed this, and (b) the main points and messages that emerge from your work. You may wish to summarise and highlight key findings, evaluate approaches and positions, or suggest alternatives and options with respect to policy, strategy or management.
References
A full list of references is required: references should follow standard academic conventions (i.e., the Harvard system).