Assessment is by:
 Individual Report (40%)
In the Individual Report you will have to select a consumer goods company of
your choice. If the company is active in more than a single business field, select
one business division (e.g., Marks & Spencer, Food).
First, you have to evaluate the overall attractiveness of two emerging markets of
your choice at the country level (e.g., Argentina versus Malaysia) in which the
selected company is not yet active.
Second, you have to evaluate the distance (e.g., cultural or administrative
distance) between the home-country of the selected company and the two
emerging markets (e.g., distance between UK and Argentina, and distance
between UK and Malaysia).
Third, you have to evaluate the attractiveness at the industry level (e.g.,
Argentinian versus Malaysian coffee house market).
After having summarized the results of the preceding steps, fourth, you have to
provide a recommendation which emerging market to enter.
Fifth, you have to provide a recommendation with regard to the appropriate
entry mode (e.g., joint venture, acquisition or Greenfield venture).
Justify all arguments put forward in the report. A wide variety of sources should
be used, including annual reports, journal and newspaper articles, corporate
reports, industry reports, data bases, company websites, etc.
This is an individual course work report. The word limit for the report is 2,500
(excluding appendixes and references; 10% tolerance level). Please submit your
report via Moodle. You will be expected to do some independent research to
answer the above-mentioned questions. A good level of detail is expected.
Reports should be fully referenced, applying theoretical concepts and
frameworks discussed in this module on the selected case study. Full regulations
and guidance on writing are given in the Royal Holloway University of London
– School of Management Student Handbook. You can hand in your reports early,
but no later than the deadline specified by your course administrator. You are
strongly advised to keep a copy of your work.
2.Individual Report Rubric-grading criterion.
Intellectual qualities expressed (weighting 30%)
Structure and organisation (weighting 30%)
Level of reading (academic sources) (weighting 15%)
Level of reading (academic sources) (weighting 15%)
Quality of referencing (weighting 5%)
Writing style (weighting 5%)
3.Structure [you are permitted to use sub-headings].
Introduction (approx. 250 words). Map-scope the study – set the
theoretical boundary of the study, signpost the consumer goods company,
host country and emerging markets focus etc. Also, provide an overview
of the structure of the writing.
Main body
First sub-section (approx. 400 words), you have to evaluate the
overall attractiveness of two emerging markets of your choice at
the country level (e.g., Argentina versus Malaysia) in which the
selected company is not yet active [reflect on 8 Jan, 15 Jan and 22
Jan lectures].
Second sub-section (approx. 400 words), you have to evaluate the
distance (e.g., cultural or administrative distance) between the
home-country of the selected company and the two emerging
markets (e.g., distance between UK and Argentina, and distance
between UK and Malaysia) [reflect on 22 Jan lectures].
Third sub-section (approx. 400 words), you have to evaluate the
attractiveness at the industry level (e.g., Argentinian versus
Malaysian coffee house market) [reflect on 22 Jan lectures].
After having summarized the results of the preceding steps, fourth
sub-section (approx. 400 words), you have to provide a
recommendation which emerging market to enter.
Fifth sub-section (approx. 400 words), you have to provide a
recommendation with regard to the appropriate entry mode (e.g.,
joint venture, acquisition or Greenfield venture) [reflect on 29 Jan
lectures].
†Note: you can tailor the words per section e.g. 500 words in a
particular sub-section, 300 words in a particular section. That said,
you must not undervalue any section – put another way – you must
substantively address each of the five points signposted in the
assessment brief. Attractiveness, distance and foreign entry mode
literature are all highly relevant and significant. Also, in subsection four – you are pooling together arguments from three
preceding sub-sections.
Conclusion (approx. 250 words). Short synthesis-summary of the writing,
in particular, reconsidering the background and main presentation of
theories, concepts and arguments.
Screen Jan Kolar’s (2014) ‘Policies to Support High Growth Innovative
Enterprises’ academic report funded by the EC. This report is useful for
understanding generally the style and purpose of academic report writingespecially, integrating theory and practical examples and illustrations to
corroborate theory as well as recommendations-options [ensure you use
Harvard Referencing]:
https://ec.europa.eu/research/innovationunion/pdf/erac/final_report_from_session_ii_of_the_2014_erac_mutual_l
earning_seminar.pdf
Tips
i. Organise your writings in distinct-identifiable paragraphs.
ii. Theory ‘should inform’ and underpin your arguments,
assertions and/or observations e.g country, industry and
company examples (see Saunders et al, 2007:33).
iii. Remember to rank-weight-assign importance pertaining to
core aspects of ‘overall attractiveness’, ‘distance’ and
‘industry attractiveness’ in your chosen consumer goods
company and countries-industry [less important and/or
peripheral aspects can be synthesised to ensure coverage].
v. In sub-section four, remember to provide an overview of
core arguments stressed in sub-sections one, two and three to
help inform the recommendation(s) e.g. revisit core
arguments.
vi. In sub-section five, remember to partially review foreign
entry mode choice scholarly literature, integrate practical
examples and provide a recommendation.