Busm 4694 Assignment 1

Overview The first four weeks of this course discussed the way that international business is influenced by geopolitics. This assignment focuses on that relationship by asking about the potential transitions in the dominant models and structures of global businesses and industries according to today’s geopolitical realities. In a 1,500 word individual essay, you will build an argument that responds to the following question: Are global value chains being reshaped by geopolitical factors? The question will require you to draw from the content of weeks 2-4. You should not focus on a single case study firm or industry, but find many such examples (at least three) in the literature to build a case. Structure Note that you be given essay writing and structure advice in each of your tutorials in weeks 2-4. For this essay, we advise that you use the following structure: 1. Introduction (~150 words): introduce the topic, state your argument, and provide a map of how you will structure your essay 2. Theory/context (~500 words): what are global value chains and why do some suggest that their shape and structure is being increasingly influenced by geopolitics? 3. Analysis (~700 words): what evidence can we see that a transition in GVCs is actually happening? Look for examples of firms and industries where geopolitical factors are (or are not) changing due to geopolitical factors. Try to find at least three such examples rather than relying on one or two. 4. Conclusion (~150 words): return to your argument, restate it in light of the evidence that you have provided. Download Assignment 2 Cover Sheet.docLearning Outcomes The targeted Course Learning Outcomes for this assessment are: CLO1: Articulate and apply the core concepts and theories in the political economy of international business. CLO2: Integrate the key historical developments in international political economy so as to contextualise and respond to current issues and problems in international business. CLO3: Critically analyse and synthesise your conceptual knowledge of how international business and organisations impact on politics, culture and economics. CLO4: Develop independent and critical research skills to synthesise theoretical and empirical data relating to the real-world issues of international political economy and the role of global business therein. Assessment Criteria This assessment will measure your essay’s: Understanding of theoretical concepts relevant to the question (20%) Application of critical thinking to challenge assumptions (20%) Clarity and effectiveness of argument, prose, and structure (20%) Depth and quality of relevant empirical data (20%) Correct referencing of all sources using in-text citations and an alphabetised reference list (20%) Referencing guidelines Use RMIT Harvard referencing style for this assessment. You must acknowledge all the courses of information you have used in your assessments. Refer to the RMIT Easy Cite referencing tool to see examples and tips on how to reference in the appropriated style. You can also refer to the library referencing page for more tools such as EndNote, referencing tutorials and referencing guides for printing. Academic integrity and plagiarism Academic integrity is about honest presentation of your academic work. It means acknowledging the work of others while developing your own insights, knowledge and ideas. You should take extreme care that you have: Acknowledged words, data, diagrams, models, frameworks and/or ideas of others you have quoted (i.e. directly copied), summarised, paraphrased, discussed or mentioned in your assessment through the appropriate referencing methods. Any copied text must be presented in quotation marks AND be accompanied by a reference. Provided a reference list of the publication details so your reader can locate the source if necessary. This includes material taken from Internet sites If you do not acknowledge the sources of your material, you may be accused of plagiarism because you have passed off the work and ideas of another person without appropriate referencing, as if they were your own. RMIT University treats plagiarism as a very serious offense constituting misconduct. Plagiarism covers a variety of inappropriate behaviours, including: Failure to properly document a source Copyright material from the internet or databases Collusion between students For further information on our policies and procedures, please refer to the University website. Assessment declaration When you submit work electronically, you agree to the assessment declaration.