business. The module aims to develop solid foundation in a vast interdisciplinary field of international business, covering conceptually important topics and furthering analytical skills to analyse and understand complex nature of businesses operating internationally. It then focuses on some of the approaches being used by multinational enterprises both to establish and maintain their competitive advantage. Most importantly, this module seeks to show how the international economic and political environment acts as a very powerful influence over companies’ policies.
This module is delivered by a combination of lectures, case studies, tutorials, exercises and other student-centred learning activities as appropriate. Online students will have access to a range of materials and online tools to facilitate their learning, including topic guides, online chats, exercises, group-work areas and discussion fora.
This guide contains important information about the module. It contains information about what you are expected to achieve and what you can expect from your tutors. However you are reminded that the final responsibility for what you achieve is yours. Please make sure you read this guide and keep it in a safe place. You are strongly advised to bring it to all teaching sessions.
Throughout there is the opportunity through formative assignments to get feedback which will help you with the formal assessments. Please note that this module will also support the other modules you do during the semester and the module tutors may assess contributions to group work for the other modules. Teaching will be timetabled to support assessments with other modules you are undertaking.
As with any other module on a degree programme, the amount of benefit that you will gain from the module is related to the amount of effort that you put in. This includes regular participation and contact with your peers, contact sessions, active participation in class discussions, and regular visits to the Blackboard site for this module.
We hope you find this module thoroughly enjoyable, challenging and above all an education that supports your continuous personal and professional development
Teaching Expectations
Students can expect from tutors:
• Constructive formative feedback on one assignment draft per assessment
• Lecture slides made available on blackboard prior to lecture
• Assessment marks and summative feedback given within fifteen working days from the assessment submission deadline
Tutors expect that students:
• Attend all teaching and activity sessions and arrive punctually
• Behave professionally in classes and avoid disruption to class and other students
• Inform tutor via email beforehand when not able to attend any classes
• Participate and communicate professionally in class and with tutors
• Attempt all assessments by submission deadline and communicate with the tutor if there are any extenuating circumstances to explore extensions requests and/or mitigation claims
1.2 Learning outcomes to be assessed
On the completion of the module, you will be able to:
LO1 Debate key contemporary issues relating to organisations involved in international business.
LO2 Identify and evaluate the global context within which international business must function in the twenty- first century.
LO3 Appraise alternative methods of entry into foreign markets.
LO4 Explain why companies may decide to internationalise and alternative theories of Internationalisation.
LO5 Discuss the impact of multinationals on both the home and host nations.
LO6 Select analyse and evaluate data on country markets.
 
Assessment brief including criteria mapped to learning outcomes
Assessment 1 – Individual Report
There will be one summative assessment for this module:

• Individual International Business Report (100%)

The summative assessment will be submitted in week 15. In the run-up to submission you will have the opportunity to submit different sections comprising the final report for feedback. You must achieve a minimum mark of 40% to pass the module and achieve 20 academic credits at Level 6.
Assessment brief: a detailed case-study including the necessary guidance would be provided to all the students at least two weeks prior to the start of the term.
Learning outcomes covered by the Assessment
LO1 Debate key contemporary issues relating to organisations involved in international business.
LO2 Identify and evaluate the global context within which international business must function in the twenty-   first century.
LO3 Appraise alternative methods of entry into foreign markets.
LO4 Explain why companies may decide to internationalise and alternative theories of internationalisation.
LO5 Discuss the impact of multinationals on both the home and host nations.
LO6 Select analyse and evaluate data on country markets.

Business Memorandum
Final Exam Part II: Written Essay
Important note about Part II: Under the supervision of your proctor, please type your essay in a
word processor, save it, and upload it using the button below. Direct input in a textbox is not
advisable because this page will time out after a short period, and any work would be lost.
Because of the potential of a timeout, we advise you to save this essay locally in case you need
to access it.
You should save the file as a doc, docx, rtf, or txt file.
Your proctor can clarify this information if you have questions.
PART II: You will spend the remainder of the two-hour time limit on Part II, which will contain a
pre-selected topic. You will write a 400-word essay in response to this topic. We have provided
two sources that you must use in order to earn full credit for the essay.
In writing this part of the final examination, you should format as a Memorandum. Once the time
limit expires, the proctor will require that you submit your essay.
Your essay will be graded on the following criteria:
Content Adherence to assignment instructions (including the required use of the sources we
provide) and objectives
Organization Clarity of main points, organization of information, paragraph structure
Support Elaboration of main points, use of examples, anticipation of the reader’s concerns,
provision of necessary explanations based on audience
Tone & Style Professionalism, word choice, appropriateness of tone, font style, and white space
Mechanics Grammar and punctuation, MLA-style formatting of in-text citations
BUS105: Business Communication
Proctored Final Exam: Written Portion
This written exam will assess the following BUS 105 objectives:
1. Production of high quality writing
o content, organization, style
o grammar, mechanics, usage
2. Analysis of audience and purpose
3. Formatting of business documents
4. Use of research and sources
Length: • At least 400 words
Format: • Business memorandum (memo)
• Memo heading
• Standard font
• Single-spaced, with a double-space between paragraphs
• MLA style for source citations
Primary Audience: Your direct supervisor and Board of Directors
Sources: Provided to you via PDF. Use only these sources, and do not consult your textbook or
any other source–either online or print-based–in writing this exam. If you do not comply with this
guideline, you will earn zero points for this portion of the exam.
TOPIC: Millennials in the Workforce
You are the assistant manager of recruitment at a small marketing firm that is expanding rapidly.
Your supervisor needs to recruit new employees, and you have been given the task of
researching one specific segment of the workforce: millennials. You have been given two
sources to review, and your job is to write a short report that can be used as a guide to inform
these recruitment strategies.
Your report should consider the following questions, in addition to any other points you feel are
important:
• What seem to be some of the pros and cons of millennial employees?
• What are some specific strategies for recruiting, managing, and retaining millennials?
• Would you recommend adopting a strategy to recruit millennials specifically? Why or why not?
Your supervisor has given you two resources to review in drafting your report. To earn full credit,
you will incorporate both of these resources into your report to support your arguments and
recommendations.
Because your findings will be presented to the Board of Directors, your supervisor has
specifically requested that you organize this short report using the indirect arrangement. Thus,
you will need a brief yet informative introduction that prepares your readers for your
recommendations. Presenting the supporting data before your ultimate recommendations will
prepare the reader to accept your solution to this problem.
Write up a short report of at least 400 words describing your findings and recommendations.
The primary audience for this report is your direct supervisor, and the secondary audience is the
Board of Directors. Thus, you should adopt an appropriate tone for this audience. Your
recommendations need to be clear so that your company can move forward with its recruitment
strategies.
You will format this report as a business memorandum (memo).
Required Sources:
• Required Source #1
• Required Source #2
Grading criteria Content: Adherence to assignment instructions (including use of sources
provided) and objectives Most key elements of the assignment unmet. Content is severely
lacking in substance. Work reflects a very little understanding and insight of assignment
objectives. Both of the required two sources were omitted. Many key elements of the assignment
unmet. Content not covered in a substantive and/or comprehensive way. Work reflects some confusion with important aspects of the assignment. Student illustrates some lack of
understanding and insight of assignment objectives. One of the required two sources was
omitted. Some key elements of the assignment are met, but substance and comprehensiveness
are merely average. Work reflects an average-level grasp of each important aspect of the
assignment. Student illustrates an average level of insight and understanding of assignment
objectives. Required two sources were used, but both sources may have been used ineffectively.
Most key elements of the assignment are met, but content not always covered in a substantive
and/or comprehensive way. Work reflects a solid grasp of each important aspect of the
assignment. Student illustrates above-average level of insight and understanding of assignment
objectives. Required two sources were used, but one source may be used ineffectively. All key
elements of the assignment met. Content is covered in a substantive and comprehensive way
with each important aspect of the assignment addressed. Student illustrates excellent insight and
understanding of assignment objectives. Required two sources were used effectively.
Organization: Clarity of main points, organization of information, paragraph structure Main points
are missing or not discernible to the reader; information is illogically arranged and/or irrelevant.
Paragraph structure may be illogical. Little to no organization apparent. Many main points are
unclear or missing altogether. Most ideas are arranged illogically and/or irrelevant. Paragraphs
structure, organization, and transitions are all below average. Some main points are clearly
stated while other may be unclear. Some ideas are logically arranged, and some paragraphs are
well-constructed, but these elements need work to raise above the level of average. Organization
needs work, and transitions are needed. Main points are clearly stated, but not always supported. Ideas are logically arranged, but sentences and paragraphs are not always wellconstructed. Organization reflects coherent thought, but transitions are needed to help connect
ideas. Main points are clearly stated and supported. Ideas are logically arranged. Sentences and
paragraphs are well-constructed. Organization reflects coherent thought with effective transitions
used to connect ideas.
Support: Elaboration of main points, use of examples and evidence to support claims,
anticipation of reader’s concerns (provision of necessary explanations) Points are not supported
with evidence. Student does not make an effort to anticipate the reader’s concerns. Many points
are not supported with evidence and examples, and examples may be irrelevant to the topic.
Student fails to anticipate the reader’s concerns, usually omitting relevant explanations, and
usually providing no clear support for arguments. Some points are supported with evidence and
examples while others are not. Student sometimes fails to anticipate the reader’s concerns,
omitting relevant explanations, and sometimes providing no clear support for arguments. Most
points are supported with evidence (facts, statistics when applicable) and examples. Student
makes an effort to anticipate the reader’s concerns by offering relevant explanations and clear
support for the author’s position. Main points are supported with effective evidence (facts,
statistics when applicable) and examples. Student anticipates the reader’s concerns by offering
relevant explanations and clear support for the author’s position.
Tone & Style: Professionalism, word choice, appropriateness of tone, font style and white space
Word choice is informal and is not directed towards appropriate audience. Tone and style are not appropriate for assignment. Font type and/or size are not appropriate for assignment. White
space may not be used effectively. Word choice is mostly inappropriate for the audience, and
more than a few issues related to tone and style are noted. Font type and size choices may not
be appropriate for assignment. White space may not be used effectively. Word choice is
sometimes inappropriate for the audience, and at least a few issues related to tone and style are
noted. Font type and size choices may not be appropriate for assignment. White space may not
be used effectively. Word choice is directed towards the appropriate audience, but some issues
related to tone and style noted. Font type and size choices may not be appropriate for
assignment. White space is used effectively. Word choice is directed towards the appropriate
audience. Tone and style are appropriate for assignment. Professional font type and size for
assignment purpose. Effective use of white space.
Mechanics: Grammar: fragments, run-ons, verb tense, verb form, subject-verb agreement,
pronoun agreement. Punctuation: commas, comma splices, semicolons, colons, apostrophes,
periods. Misspelled words/Typos MLA formatting More than 7 errors in mechanics. Errors hinder
readability and understanding of content. 6 – 7 errors in mechanics. Same identical error may be
repeated throughout. Errors affect readability, and some understanding of content may be
impeded. 4 – 5 errors in mechanics. Same identical error may be repeated throughout. Errors
may affect readability, but they do not prevent understanding of content. 2 – 3 errors in
mechanics. No repetition of errors. Errors do not impede readability. No more than 1 error in
mechanics. No repetition of errors.

Marketing Plan Under Armour
Create an APA style formatted Word document that includes at least 3 references outside of the course text and contains paragraphs that cover the topics below.
The length of your marketing plan will vary based on your degree of succinctness.
Most documents fall between 9-13 double spaced pages.
For more details, including minimum lengths by topic, check out our sample McDonald’s marketing plan.
Note that you’ve already covered this first set of topics in your Week 2 situational analysis.
Feel free to revise your earlier work as needed.
A description of your selected company/brand The core products/services they offer
A brief history Key current competitors A SWOT (strengths, weaknesses, threats

Use all of the following players/agents (Board of directors and senior management, Accounting and auditing firms, Creditors and credit rating
firms) as they have the most influence on American Express.
Discuss how they influence the creation and maintenance of the governance of the firm and how this affects the value of the firm.
Connect the data/information with economic and finance theory.
Provide actionable information for decision-making.
You are assessed based on your unique discussion not just a compilation of external sources and analysis.
Other players you can switch out with:
Financial planners/Investment advisorsActivist shareholdersMerger and acquisition firmsSEC and other regulatory requirements
Formatting:
Cite your sources using APA style.
Include tables and charts.
Use headings to clearly show you are answering each part of the overall question.
Single-space within paragraphs and double-space between paragraphs.
Section headings to get you started:
Section 1: Overview of company data, players, issues, and information that pertains to governance.
Section 2: Analysis and synthesis of data and information. Make sure to delineate the three players.
Section 3: Conclusion with recommendations for managers including how and why to use this information/analysis for decisions.
Things to consider discussing in your answer:
Why did you select these three players and how do they exert their influence?
Where do they have common and conflicting issues in their governance approaches?
What ethical issues stand out the most strongly for your chosen agents?
How does “agency theory” enter the relationship?
How does the financial planner incorporate ethical considerations, relevant to your assigned firm, into developing a risk profile approach for clients with different values and objectives?
What role does corporate social responsibility play?
What role does cybersecurity play in governance for these agents?
What role does the diversity of the board of directors play?
What role do the compensation structure and other incentives play?