Multinational Business Chapter 1
Showing posts with label Multinational Business Chapter 1. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Multinational Business Chapter 1. Show all posts

In a short essay, identify and explain three competitive factors that influence international businesses.

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In a short essay, identify and explain three competitive factors that influence international businesses.



Answer:

a. Product strategy—A company's choice of strategy, either cost or differentiation, plays a part in determining how and where the company will operate.

b. Company resources and experience—A company's size, resources, and experience in comparison to competitors' affects how it will operate in international markets. In addition, a company's national market share and brand recognition will affect the operating tactics it employs.

c. Competitors faced in each market—Success for a company in any market will always be influenced by the strategies and operations of competitors within the market.

What is foreign direct investment? What social factors in the external environment might affect FDI?

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What is foreign direct investment? What social factors in the external environment might affect FDI?




Answer: In foreign direct investment (FDI), sometimes referred to simply as direct investment, the investor takes a controlling interest in a foreign company. Control need not be a 100 percent or even a 50 percent interest; if a foreign investor holds a minority stake and the remaining ownership is widely dispersed, no other owner may effectively counter the investor's decisions. A nation's political policies of course affect how international business is conducted within its borders. In particular, political disputes can disrupt the flow of international business. Domestic law, which includes both home- and host-country regulations on issues such as taxation and employment, affects how a company can operate internationally. International law—the legal agreements between countries—also obviously affects FDI.

What is a multinational enterprise (MNE)? How do physical and social factors affect how an MNE functions in a foreign country?

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What is a multinational enterprise (MNE)? How do physical and social factors affect how an MNE functions in a foreign country?



Answer: The multinational enterprise (MNE) is a company that takes a global approach to foreign markets and production. It is willing to consider market and production locations anywhere in the world. However, most writers use the term to mean any company with operations in more than one country. Physical factors, such as a country's geography or demography, and social factors, such as its politics, law, culture, and economy, influence the functioning of an MNE. Physical and social factors can affect how companies produce and market products, staff operations, and even maintain accounts. Geographic barriers—mountains, deserts, jungles, and so forth—often affect communications and distribution channels. And the chance of natural disasters and adverse climatic conditions (hurricanes, floods, droughts, earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, tsunamis) can make business riskier in some areas than in others, while affecting supplies, prices, and operating conditions in far-off countries.

What is globalization? What modes of international business are used by firms that want to globalize? Briefly describe each method.

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What is globalization? What modes of international business are used by firms that want to globalize? Briefly describe each method.



Answer: Globalization refers to the widening set of interdependent relationships among people from different parts of a world that happens to be divided into nations. The term can also refer to the integration of world economies through the elimination of barriers to movements of goods, services, capital, technology, and people. Firms have many options available when they want to globalize their operations including licensing, franchising, turnkey operations, management contracts, and direct/portfolio investment.

a. Licensing and franchising—Licensing agreements are used when companies allow others to use their assets, such as trademarks, patents, copyrights, or expertise under contract. Franchising is a mode of business in which one party allows another party the use of a trademark that is an essential asset for the franchisee's business.

b. Turnkey operations—Refers to business operations, performed under contract, that are transferred to the owner when they are ready to begin operating.

c. Management contract—Refers to arrangements in which one company provides personnel to
perform general or specialized management functions for another company.

d. Direct and portfolio investment—A direct investment is one that gives the investor a controlling interest in a foreign company. A portfolio investment is a noncontrolling interest in a company or ownership of a loan to another party.

What are the differences between merchandise and service imports and exports? Provide examples to illustrate your answer.

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What are the differences between merchandise and service imports and exports? Provide examples to illustrate your answer.



Answer:

a. Merchandise exports are tangible products—goods—sent out of a country. Merchandise imports are goods brought into a country. When a Chinese contractor sends toy action figures from China to Hasbro in the United States, the contractor exports and Hasbro imports.

b. Service exports and imports generate non product international earnings. The company or individual receiving payment is making a service export. The company or individual paying is making a service import. When an American tourist stays at a hotel in London, the hotel stay is the service export.

What is international business? What are the primary reasons that companies engage in international business?

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What is international business? What are the primary reasons that companies engage in international business?



Answer: International business is all commercial transactions—private and governmental—between two or more countries. Private businesses undertake such transactions for profit; governments may or may not do the same in their transactions. These transactions include sales, investments, and transportation.

Firms engage in international business for three main reasons.

1. To expand sales—The number of people and the amount of their purchasing power are higher for the world as a whole than for a single country, so companies may increase their sales by reaching
international markets.

2. To acquire resources—Manufacturers and distributors seek out products, services, and components produced in foreign countries.

3. To minimize competitive risk—Many companies enter into international business for defensive reasons. They want to counter advantages competitors might gain in foreign markets that, in turn, could hurt them domestically.

In a short essay, discuss why governments have been liberalizing cross-border movements of goods, services, and resources.

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In a short essay, discuss why governments have been liberalizing cross-border movements of goods, services, and resources.



Answer: Generally, governments today impose fewer restrictions on cross-border movements than they did a decade or two ago. They have lowered them for the following reasons:

a. Their citizens have expressed the desire for easier access to a greater variety of goods and services at lower prices.

b. They reason that their domestic producers will become more efficient as a result of foreign competition.

c. They hope to induce other countries to reduce their barriers to international movements.

What are three factors that have led to the increased growth in international business in recent decades? Which do you think has been most important and why?

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What are three factors that have led to the increased growth in international business in recent decades? Which do you think has been most important and why?



Answer:
a. Rapid increase in an expansion of technology—By increasing the demand for new products and services, technology has tremendous impact on international business. As the demand increases, so do the number of international business transactions. Improved communications and transportation speed up interactions and improve managers' ability to control foreign operations.

b. Liberalization of cross-border movements—Although the past decrease in restrictions has been erratic, governments have lowered barriers because their citizens have expressed the desire for better access to a greater variety of goods and services at lower prices. Governments also reason that their domestic producers will become more efficient as a result of foreign competition, and they hope to induce other countries to reduce their barriers to international movements.

c. Increase in global competition—The pressures of increased foreign competition can persuade a company to expand its business into international markets. Today companies can respond rapidly to many foreign sales opportunities. They can shift production quickly among countries if they're experienced in foreign markets and because they can transport goods efficiently from most places.

d. Growing consumer pressures—Consumers are savvier and have more income. They want to be able to buy the variety and low-cost products available from anywhere in the world.

e. Development of supporting services—Companies and governments have developed services that ease international business. Today, producers can be paid relatively easily for goods and services sold abroad because of bank credit agreements, clearing arrangements that convert one country's currency into another's, and insurance that covers damage en route and nonpayment by the buyer.

f. Changing political situations—The schism between communist and noncommunist countries is basically over, as communist countries have moved toward transitioning their economies; therefore, trade between these countries has increased.

g. Expanded cross-national cooperation—Countries realize they can't go it alone. They cooperate to gain reciprocal advantages, to attack problems jointly, and to deal with areas outside the confines of any country.

Why should domestic managers have an understanding of globalization and international business? What are the current views regarding the future of globalization?

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Why should domestic managers have an understanding of globalization and international business? What are the current views regarding the future of globalization?



Answer: International business comprises a large and growing portion of the world's total business. Global events affect almost all companies. A company operating internationally will engage in modes of business, such as exporting and importing, that differ from those it is accustomed to domestically. To operate effectively, managers must understand these different modes.

The three main views of the future of globalization are as follows: further globalization is inevitable, or international business will grow regionally rather than globally, or forces working against globalization will slow both trends. The view that increased growth in international business is inevitable is supported by the power of MNEs who have multiple production and distribution networks and are able to pressure governments to place fewer restrictions on international business. The view that growth will occur regionally rather than globally is based on studies that show that most "global" transactions actually occur between neighboring countries. Finally, the view that globalization will be slowed by pressure from the antiglobalization movement to raise barriers and reject international treaties and organizations stems from the success of such groups in the past.

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