Outline

Overview

This unit aims to build a systematic approach to analysing contemporary developments in the global business environment. Topics covered include political regulation and political risk, international cooperation on trade and investment, the diversity of capitalism, technological and social change, and business responses to climate change. Business responses to the global business environment is a focus, with students actively learning through real-world cases, problem-solving and workshops. The unit provides students with the opportunity to develop skills in comparative and country analysis, assessing and managing risk and identifying business opportunities, designing risk identification and forecasting systems, as well as a consideration of ethics and human rights in business.

Unit details and rules

Academic unit	International Business
Credit points	6
Prerequisites ?	None
Corequisites ?	MIBS6002
Prohibitions ?	IBUS6001 or IBUS6002
Assumed knowledge ?	None
Available to study abroad and exchange students	No

Teaching staff

Coordinator	Catherine Welch, catherine.welch@sydney.edu.au

Type	Description	Weight	Due	Length
Final exam (Take-home short release)	Final exam Short-answer take home exam	30%	Formal exam period	1.5 hours
Outcomes assessed:
Small continuous assessment	Class exercises In-class group exercises	10%	Multiple weeks	n/a
Outcomes assessed:
Assignment	Group assignment Presentation of final recommendation	20%	Week 07 Due date: 12 Nov 2021 at 16:00 Closing date: 19 Nov 2021	3000 words
Outcomes assessed:
Assignment	Individual report Country attractiveness assessment	30%	Week 08 Due date: 05 Oct 2021 at 16:00 Closing date: 12 Oct 2021	3000 words
Outcomes assessed:
Participation	Participation Active participation in weekly seminars	10%	Weekly	Week 2 to Week 13
Outcomes assessed:
= group assignment ? = Type D final exam ?

Assessment summary

I. Individual Assignment

SCENARIO: In this task, you have been engaged as a consultant to conduct a country attractiveness assessment for an Australian lamb producer which is seeking to expand its business offshore. The company has heard about recent changes in trading relationships with the UK so has engaged you to provide advice on this country as a prospective market. The company is intending to expand into foreign markets by exporting via a distributor.

This consulting assignment requires you to assess the country risks and market opportunities your client faces. You should cover the following topics in your report: international trading, economic and social environments.

It is important to note: your analysis should focus on those aspects of the environment that are most relevant and useful to your client.

In the conclusion of your report you should make an assessment as to whether the country is potentially an attractive market for your client, based on your analysis. You need to make this recommendation clear to your client.

Please remember that you are not making the country selection decision yourself - that is for the company to do. However, you need to provide some of the critical information which will inform that decision.

This is a research assignment so the quality of your research effort, as well as how well you analyse and incorporate your data, is critical. You need to ensure you have evidence for the points you are making in the assignment.

You will be introduced to the key library sources you are expected to use for your report, and additional resources for each theme will be posted on Canvas. Your report is being used to help inform a business decision so you need to use quality, trustworthy data from reputable sources. It is a requirement to use an appropriate range of library databases that are relevant to your report. For a list, see: https://libguides.library.usyd.edu.au/market_intelligence/PESTLE

The class material and discussion each week will provide essential preparation for the report. A special workshop on the report will also be held.

Word length: 3000 words excluding references (maximum 3500). Please state the total word count (excluding references) underneath the conclusion to your assignment.

The required format/structure is follows:

-2.5 cm margins

-double spacing, 12 point font

-complete reference list

-no executive summary is required

Your report should consist of an introduction and conclusion (recommendations), as well as sections on each aspect of the business environment specified above, with appropriate sub-headings.

A clear structure, as well as a professional and readable writing style, is an important aspect of this task. The report needs to be properly and fully referenced throughout. Please use the style guide recommended by the Business School recommends, i.e. APA 7th Style. For a comprehensive guide see https://libguides.library.usyd.edu.au/citation/apa7

More details on the assignment will be made available on Canvas.

You will need to submit your assignment through the Turnitin link “Individual Assignment” provided in Canvas before the due date. Late penalties apply as specified in the Business School and University policies and procedures:

http://sydney.edu.au/business/currentstudents/policy

If you have technical problems submitting the report, please contact the ICT Service Desk below:

https://sydney.edu.au/students/learning-in-canvas-and-blackboard.html

Assessment Criteria

1. Disciplinary knowledge:

- Are the appropriate concepts and frameworks from the course applied to the report scenario?

- Is there a high level of understanding shown of the course knowledge/resources?

2. Critical thinking and problem solving

- What is the extent and quality of research effort, including use of library databases?

- How have the data been selected, interpreted and critically analysed?

- Is the report relevant and useful to the client?

3. Communication (Written)

- Is the written expression clear (including accuracy, spelling, grammar, punctuation)?

- Is there clear articulation and justification of recommendations and conclusions?

- Does the report conform to instructions (e.g. word length, font, other instructions)

II. Group assignment

The group assignment requires you to work in a team of three to present a final recommendation to the client for which you compiled your individual report.

Your presentation will need to cover:

Your assessment of the political, economic, social, trade and ecological environments for the company
Your weighting of the opportunities and threats that the UK business environment poses for your client
A scenario analysis of the UK business environment for the period 2021-2026

The group report consists of three components: 1) a Zoom recording of the presentation, which should be no more than 20 minutes in length, 2) the slides from the presentation with accompanying written script (including references), and 3) an appendix detailing the minutes of all meetings that the group held in the course of the semester. There will therefore be an oral AND written component to this task.

As per your individual assignments, your group report should be based on a thorough and quality research effort.

Your group will be allocated a work space in Microsoft Teams in order to share files and ideas. You will be expected to make regular contributions in this space, and the extent of your active participation will form part of your mark for this assessment task.

Assessment criteria:

1. Disciplinary knowledge:

- Are the appropriate concepts and frameworks from the course applied to the report scenario?

- Is there a high level of understanding shown of the course knowledge/resources? Is there an improvement in this understanding as compared to the individual reports?

2. Critical thinking and problem solving

- What is the extent and quality of research effort, including use of library databases?

- How have the data been selected, interpreted and critically analysed?

- Is the report relevant and useful to the client?

3. Communication (Written)

- Is the written expression clear (including accuracy, spelling, grammar, punctuation)?

- Is there clear articulation and justification of recommendations and conclusions?

- Does the report conform to instructions (e.g. word length, font, other instructions)

III. Participation

Active participation in the unit is expected; that means it is not enough just to attend each class. There is a variety of ways to make an active contribution, e.g., raising your hand to ask or answer a question, contributing to Jamboard posts, presenting group answers from breakout room exercises, and making relevant comments in the chat on Zoom. You will be rated on the quality and not just quantity of your participation to each class, i.e. quality responses are those that demonstrate your knowledge of the readings and course material, and that contribute to the class discussion in a respectful and polite manner.

If you are not able to participate in class for reasons outside your control, please advise the unit coordinator, and alternative arrangements can be made so your absence does not affect your grade.

IV. Group exercises

In Weeks 2, 5, 9 and 11 questions related to the global business environment will be allocated to groups. You will need to work in your group to provide and present a comprehensive answer by the end of the class. The aim of the exercises is to gain up-to-date knowledge of recent trends and changes in the global business environment, and to apply your knowledge of the course material to concrete events and business problems. You will be assessed on the basis of your demonstrated ability to apply the concepts and frameworks you have been learning to current events in the business environment, and understand their implications for companies doing business across borders.

V. Final Exam

The final exam will require you to demonstrate your understanding of and ability to apply the key concepts from the unit. The exam questions will cover the assigned readings and material from all the lectures, as well as the content of class discussions and exercises from Weeks 1-13. It may also include news items about recent world events. The exam will be run according to an open-book format. The exam will require you to answer a series of short-answer questions related to the course content. The exam will be 1.5 hours, and will be submitted to TurnItIn on Canvas. A revision session to prepare you for the exam will be held in Week 13.

If you cannot attend the exam due to sickness or other reasons, you need to be aware of the conditions and procedures to apply for special consideration under the Business School Policy for Special Consideration:

https://sydney.edu.au/students/special-consideration-and-arrangements.html

Assessment criteria

The University awards common result grades, set out in the Coursework Policy 2014 (Schedule 1).

As a general guide, a high distinction indicates work of an exceptional standard, a distinction a very high standard, a credit a good standard, and a pass an acceptable standard.

Result name	Mark range	Description
High distinction	85 - 100	Awarded when you demonstrate the learning outcomes for the unit at an exceptional standard, as defined by grade descriptors or exemplars outlined by your faculty or school.
Distinction	75 - 84	Awarded when you demonstrate the learning outcomes for the unit at a very high standard, as defined by grade descriptors or exemplars outlined by your faculty or school.
Credit	65 - 74	Awarded when you demonstrate the learning outcomes for the unit at a good standard, as defined by grade descriptors or exemplars outlined by your faculty or school.
Pass	50 - 64	Awarded when you demonstrate the learning outcomes for the unit at an acceptable standard, as defined by grade descriptors or exemplars outlined by your faculty or school.
Fail	0 - 49	When you don’t meet the learning outcomes of the unit to a satisfactory standard.

For more information see guide to grades.

Late submission

In accordance with University policy, these penalties apply when written work is submitted after 11:59pm on the due date:

Deduction of 5% of the maximum mark for each calendar day after the due date.
After ten calendar days late, a mark of zero will be awarded.

This unit has an exception to the standard University policy or supplementary information has been provided by the unit coordinator. This information is displayed below:

Late penalties apply as specified in the Business School and University policies and procedures:http://sydney.edu.au/business/currentstudents/policy. If you have technical problems submitting the report, please contact the ICT Service Desk below:https://sydney.edu.au/students/learning-in-canvas-and-blackboard.html

Academic integrity

The Current Student website provides information on academic integrity and the resources available to all students. The University expects students and staff to act ethically and honestly and will treat all allegations of academic integrity breaches seriously.

We use similarity detection software to detect potential instances of plagiarism or other forms of academic integrity breach. If such matches indicate evidence of plagiarism or other forms of academic integrity breaches, your teacher is required to report your work for further investigation.

Use of generative artificial intelligence (AI) and automated writing tools

You may only use generative AI and automated writing tools in assessment tasks if you are permitted to by your unit coordinator. If you do use these tools, you must acknowledge this in your work, either in a footnote or an acknowledgement section. The assessment instructions or unit outline will give guidance of the types of tools that are permitted and how the tools should be used.

Your final submitted work must be your own, original work. You must acknowledge any use of generative AI tools that have been used in the assessment, and any material that forms part of your submission must be appropriately referenced. For guidance on how to acknowledge the use of AI, please refer to the AI in Education Canvas site.

The unapproved use of these tools or unacknowledged use will be considered a breach of the Academic Integrity Policy and penalties may apply.

Studiosity is permitted unless otherwise indicated by the unit coordinator. The use of this service must be acknowledged in your submission as detailed on the Learning Hub’s Canvas page.

Outside assessment tasks, generative AI tools may be used to support your learning. The AI in Education Canvas site contains a number of productive ways that students are using AI to improve their learning.

Learning support

Simple extensions

If you encounter a problem submitting your work on time, you may be able to apply for an extension of five calendar days through a simple extension.  The application process will be different depending on the type of assessment and extensions cannot be granted for some assessment types like exams.

Special consideration

If exceptional circumstances mean you can’t complete an assessment, you need consideration for a longer period of time, or if you have essential commitments which impact your performance in an assessment, you may be eligible for special consideration or special arrangements.

Special consideration applications will not be affected by a simple extension application.

Using AI responsibly

Co-created with students, AI in Education includes lots of helpful examples of how students use generative AI tools to support their learning. It explains how generative AI works, the different tools available and how to use them responsibly and productively.

Weekly schedule

WK	Topic	Learning activity
Week 01	Current state of globalization	Seminar (3 hr)
Week 02	Analyzing the business environment	Seminar (3 hr)
Week 03	Library and report writing workshop	Seminar (3 hr)
Week 04	International trade- key concepts and themes	Seminar (3 hr)
Week 05	International trade - current issues	Seminar (3 hr)
Week 06	Economic environment - key concept and themes	Seminar (3 hr)
Week 07	Social change - key concepts and themes	Seminar (3 hr)
Week 08	No class - Labor Day	Seminar (3 hr)
Week 09	Social and economic change - current issues	Seminar (3 hr)
Week 10	Political risk and regulatory environment	Seminar (3 hr)
Week 11	Ethics and international trade	Seminar (3 hr)
Week 12	Group report - final consultations	Seminar (3 hr)
Week 13	Review and exam revision	Seminar (3 hr)

Attendance and class requirements

Lecture recording: All lectures and seminars are recorded and will be available on Canvas for student use. Please note the Business School does not own the system and cannot guarantee that the system will operate or that every class will be recorded. Students should ensure they attend and participate in all classes.

Study commitment

Typically, there is a minimum expectation of 1.5-2 hours of student effort per week per credit point for units of study offered over a full semester. For a 6 credit point unit, this equates to roughly 120-150 hours of student effort in total.

Required readings

All readings for this unit can be accessed on Canvas. You will be expected to complete the ssigned readings for each seminar.

Learning outcomes

Learning outcomes are what students know, understand and are able to do on completion of a unit of study. They are aligned with the University's graduate qualities and are assessed as part of the curriculum.

Outcomes
Graduate qualities

At the completion of this unit, you should be able to:

LO1. use conceptual frameworks for analysing the political, economic, social, technological and ecological factors impacting on global business operations
LO2. apply your knowledge about the global business environment to actual business situations
LO3. conduct a country attractiveness assessment and understand the implications of country risks and opportunities for a firm expanding internationally
LO4. enhance your report-writing and written communication skills
LO5. incorporate ethical and social responsibility into business decision-making.

Graduate qualities

The graduate qualities are the qualities and skills that all University of Sydney graduates must demonstrate on successful completion of an award course. As a future Sydney graduate, the set of qualities have been designed to equip you for the contemporary world.

GQ1	Depth of disciplinary expertise Deep disciplinary expertise is the ability to integrate and rigorously apply knowledge, understanding and skills of a recognised discipline defined by scholarly activity, as well as familiarity with evolving practice of the discipline.
GQ2	Critical thinking and problem solving Critical thinking and problem solving are the questioning of ideas, evidence and assumptions in order to propose and evaluate hypotheses or alternative arguments before formulating a conclusion or a solution to an identified problem.
GQ3	Oral and written communication Effective communication, in both oral and written form, is the clear exchange of meaning in a manner that is appropriate to audience and context.
GQ4	Information and digital literacy Information and digital literacy is the ability to locate, interpret, evaluate, manage, adapt, integrate, create and convey information using appropriate resources, tools and strategies.
GQ5	Inventiveness Generating novel ideas and solutions.
GQ6	Cultural competence Cultural Competence is the ability to actively, ethically, respectfully, and successfully engage across and between cultures. In the Australian context, this includes and celebrates Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures, knowledge systems, and a mature understanding of contemporary issues.
GQ7	Interdisciplinary effectiveness Interdisciplinary effectiveness is the integration and synthesis of multiple viewpoints and practices, working effectively across disciplinary boundaries.
GQ8	Integrated professional, ethical, and personal identity An integrated professional, ethical and personal identity is understanding the interaction between one’s personal and professional selves in an ethical context.
GQ9	Influence Engaging others in a process, idea or vision.

Outcome map

Learning outcomes	Graduate qualities
Learning outcomes

Responding to student feedback

This section outlines changes made to this unit following staff and student reviews.

No changes have been made since this unit was last offered.

Additional information

Disclaimer

The University reserves the right to amend units of study or no longer offer certain units, including where there are low enrolment numbers.

To help you understand common terms that we use at the University, we offer an online glossary.

Current students

Overview

Overview

Unit details and rules

Teaching staff

Assessment

Assessment

Assessment summary

Assessment criteria

Late submission

Academic integrity

Learning support

Learning support

Simple extensions

Special consideration

Using AI responsibly

Weekly schedule

Weekly schedule

Attendance and class requirements

Study commitment

Required readings

Learning outcomes

Learning outcomes

Graduate qualities

Outcome map

Responding to student feedback

Responding to student feedback

Additional information

Additional information

Disclaimer

On this page

Useful links

Media

Student links

About us

Connect

Current students

MIBS6001: Global Business Environment

Semester 2, 2021 [Normal evening] - Camperdown/Darlington, Sydney

Overview

Overview

Unit details and rules

Teaching staff

Assessment

Assessment

Assessment summary

Assessment criteria

Late submission

Academic integrity

Learning support

Learning support

Simple extensions

Special consideration

Using AI responsibly

Weekly schedule

Weekly schedule

Attendance and class requirements

Study commitment

Required readings

Learning outcomes

Learning outcomes

Graduate qualities

Outcome map

Responding to student feedback

Responding to student feedback

Additional information

Additional information

Disclaimer

On this page

Useful links

Media

Student links

About us

Connect