writing a report introducing your chosen country and a Canadian product or service you intend to market in the host countryAssignment 1: Country Profile (10%) This assignment is divided into four parts. It will be marked out of 100 (10 marks for presentation) and is worth 10% of your final grade for this course. Introduction In Modules 1 and 2 you were introduced to some key elements of an international marketing plan, including economic, cultural, political, and legal variables. In this assignment you will integrate and apply the concepts you have learned so far. The assignment will also provide you with the opportunity to develop and apply research and critical-thinking skills and to analyze these variables within the context of the international marketing task model introduced in Module 1. The information from this assignment forms the first section of your international marketing plan, the Country Profile. The writing in the non-graded activities from the course modules will form the basis for your assignments. This assignment consists of writing a report introducing your chosen country and a Canadian product or service you intend to market in the host country. You will also examine aspects of the social, cultural, economic, political, and legal environments that are relevant for the marketing of your chosen product in your country of choice. Instructions Part I: Introduction (20 marks) · Introduce the country of your choice, mentioning the country’s relevant history, geography, living conditions, and language. Clearly state the reasons for choosing that country and write a brief description of the Canadian product or service you will be working on in the course assignments. Part II: Economic Analysis (20 marks) · Discuss population trends in the host country, worker shortage, and immigration. · Analyze economic statistics (e.g., GDP, per-capita income, international trade statistics, and balance of payments). Discuss communication infrastructures. · Discuss possible government restrictions (i.e., protectionism), tariffs, and nontariff barriers that might affect your product or service category. Part III: Social and Cultural Analysis (25 marks) · Describe social institutions and social groups (e.g., family, social classes, relevant lifestyles, and prominent religions). · What is the most recent corruption perception index of your host country? Compare with Canada’s corruption index for the same year. · Describe relevant local management styles and business customs (e.g., types of clothes worn at work, business ethics, time management, and negotiation styles). · Compare Hofstede’s cultural dimensions of Canada and the host country. Part IV: Political/Legal Analysis (25 marks) · Discuss the political environment, and identify issues that you must consider to assess political risk and reduce political vulnerability. Does the host government facilitate trade, or is it reluctant to engage in trade? · Briefly describe the legal system of the market you wish to enter, and discuss its relevance to your task as an international marketer. · Briefly discuss two possibilities of international dispute resolution between trade partners available for your company in the country of choice. · Discuss the most important differences and similarities between Canada and your country of choice in terms of the political and legal environment. Criteria for Evaluating Assignments The following criteria will form the basis for evaluating your assignment: Substance (90 marks) · Content: Addresses all points of information as outlined in the criteria and requirements for the assignment. · Knowledge: Demonstrates your knowledge, incorporates all the relevant elements and variables, and makes a compelling case for how the variables will influence the marketing of your product in that country. The report will be graded on the quality of the argument, not on the particular conclusion you reach. · Theory & Practice: Demonstrates your ability to connect your own experiences and opinions with the course material and any outside sources. · Critical Thinking: Demonstrates your ability to express your opinion clearly and to draw the best possible conclusions from your findings and analysis. · Resource: Research sources are relevant, current, and credible. They are clearly documented. Presentation (10 marks) Remember that you will be judged by the quality of your work, which in this case will be your report. The writing guidelines below will assist you with the quality of your written work, including writing style, referencing expectations, and format. These writing guidelines are to be applied to all assignments for this course. Writing Guidelines · All assignments are to be typed using double-spaced, 12-point Times Roman font and include a cover page (with your name and student number) as well as a reference list (included in the page count). · All sources used in the writing of your report have to be cited in APA style (TRU Library’s APA guide). To avoid plagiarism, be sure to use consistent and correct APA-formatted citations and references. The TRU library site also explains Plagiarism: What it is and how to avoid it. The webpage “Plagiarism,” provided by the TRU Faculty of Arts, provides some useful examples of plagiarism. · In addition, to ensure you are citing and referencing information correctly, the APA Citation Style – Quick Guide can be accessed through the TRU Library website. · To get assistance with your writing, see the Help Available section in your Course Guide and/or visit the TRU Writing Centre website. · Refer to the following rubrics as a guide for meeting general expectations for writing, critical thinking, and global awareness: 5. General Writing Rubric 0. Global Awareness Rubric Submission Guidelines You are advised to submit your assignments in the order they are assigned so that you can use your Open Learning Faculty Member’s feedback to improve your performance on the subsequent assignments. Be sure to save your assignment as a PDF document and name it MKTG4471_Lastname_Assign1. Before submitting your assignment, look over the following questions: · Did you put your name and student number on the document? · Did you complete all the required elements? · Did you use information and terminology learned in this course? · Did you support your statements with specific examples? · Did you include in-text citations and a list of references in APA style? · Did you number all the pages? · Did you ensure that there are no spelling mistakes? · Is your report grammatically correct, clear, and well-organized? NOTE: There are several steps to submitting your assignment and if not fully completed your assignment will only be submitted as a draft. See here for more information on how to submit your assignment. Grading criteria This assignment is divided into 4 parts. It will be marked out of 100 (10 marks for presentation) and is worth 10% of your final grade for this course. Part I: Introduction (/20 marks) a) Introduce the country of your choice, mentioning the country’s relevant history, geography, living conditions, and language. b) Clearly state the reasons for choosing that country and write a brief description of the Canadian product or service you will be working on in the course assignments. Maximum score20 Part II: Economic Analysis (/20 marks) a) Discuss population trends in the host country, worker shortage, and immigration. b) Analyze economic statistics (e.g., GDP, per-capita income, international trade statistics, and balance of payments). Discuss communication infrastructures. c) Discuss possible government restrictions (i.e., protectionism), tariffs, and non-tariff barriers that might affect your product or service category. Maximum score20 Part III: Social and Cultural Analysis (/25 marks) a) Describe social institutions and social groups (e.g., family, social classes, relevant lifestyles, and prominent religions). b) What is the most recent corruption perception index of your host country? Compare with Canada’s corruption index for the same year. c) Describe relevant local management styles and business customs (e.g., types of clothes worn at work, business ethics, time management, and negotiation styles). d) Compare Hofstede’s cultural dimensions of Canada and the host country. Maximum score25 Part IV: Political/Legal Analysis (/25 marks) a) Discuss the political environment and identify issues that you must consider to assess political risk and reduce political vulnerability. Does the host government facilitate trade, or is it reluctant to engage in trade? b) Briefly describe the legal system of the market you wish to enter and discuss its relevance to your task as an international marketer. c) Briefly discuss two possibilities of international dispute resolution between trade partners available for your company in the country of choice. d) Discuss the most important differences and similarities between Canada and your country of choice in terms of the political and legal environment. Maximum score25 Presentation (/10 marks) Assignment follows writing guidelines regarding the quality of your written work, including writing style, referencing expectations, and format. Maximum score10