International Business in Nairobi, Kenya
Part 1: Introduction and Project Outline
Write a brief 1- to 2-page introduction (250 to 550 words) and draft a detailed outline for the following:
Imagine you are the CEO of an international business in Nairobi Kenya and you are opening a new operation in a specific emerging economy in Africa. First, describe your fictional international business and an existing product.
Then, identify and describe a real-world emerging market in Africa where you will market the product.
Next, provide a brief synopsis of your new international venture’s operations (importing/exporting, manufacturing, franchising, joint venture). After this introduction, draft an outline based on the bulleted requirements below :
Introduction—Provide a focus statement and explain what the reader can expect. Establish the context and purpose of the project.
Country—Give an overview of the emerging economy host country where your business will expand.
Include location, population, culture, language, major imports and exports, trade policy (including trade barriers), business practices, industries, and any other characteristics that will be helpful to the reader in understanding the country.
Conduct a PESTEL analysis of the host country and the impact each sector would have on your firm. Include the country’s major financial institutions and the strength of its currency versus the U.S. dollar (USD). How would the firm use hedging tools to mitigate foreign exchange exposure and contribute to corporate social responsibility (CSR) in the host country?
Describe the host country’s place in the global economy. What are the aspects of the global economy that influence the economy of the country? Why are these important to the country? How could your firm leverage the country’s capital markets to successfully invest there?
What is the country’s Human Development Index (HDI) and world rank? Provide details on working conditions and human rights. Is the country a member of the World Trade Organization (WTO) and the International Monetary Fund (IMF)?
Where does the country fit into Hofstede’s cultural framework? What are the country’s preferred leadership styles from the GLOBE framework? How are values and ethics different in this culture?
International Business—Explain your (fictional) business’s history, locations of operation, success, products, sales, revenues, financial organizational structure, and any other details as appropriate.
Expansion and Analysis Strategy
Describe the product, brand, production, price, promotion and place pertaining to expanding in the host country. Describe the main business-related issue(s) that your firm is facing, and explain related subsidiary or peripheral issues. Give purpose and direction to the analysis that will follow.
Conduct a SWOT analysis pertinent to entering the new host country market, including your firm’s competition and how you will overcome the weaknesses and threats. How will you finance the firm and source needed materials?
What are the strategic circumstances that need to be considered with respect to cultural, ethical, and political differences between the United States and the host country?
Acknowledge and analyze the perspectives, assumptions, and biases of key stakeholder groups. How will stakeholders’ perspectives help you sharpen and finalize your business decisions? What is the relevance of the context of your firm’s position?
Evaluate the advantages and disadvantages of the different international strategies that firms use to enter foreign markets. Define the international strategy and entry mode your firm will use in the host country.
What management practices are appropriate in this global context? Justify the use of these practices.
Explain the cost pressures on the firm and the P-O-L-C management framework the firm will use. Discuss the infrastructure, distribution strategy, and supply-chain management strategy for the host country. What are the challenges of each and how will you overcome them?
What other theories or models are ideally suited for this specific global context? How will you apply them? What factors are necessary in order to apply these theories or models?
How will you incorporate organizational values into the decision-making process? What ethical principles, concepts, or theories will you operationalize, and how?
Describe the intended target market in the host country and how the product has been adapted for this group. Provide a 6- to 12-month timeline of the firm’s expansion. Will you join CTPAT? Provide your justification.
Suggestions and Recommendations—Provide logical, practical, and specific recommendations for managers and expatriates to expand in this country. (Expatriates could be sublevel managers or other positions that the firm brought from the home country to ensure running operations successfully.) Take into account the complexities of the business-related situation. Demonstrate to the reader you were able to reach reasonable conclusions and state outcomes (consequences and implications).
Summary—Provide a few concluding paragraphs about what your paper discussed and how it can be beneficial for practitioners.
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Finally, search for relevant sources you plan to use (Bibliography section). Sources should be academic books, trade journal articles (e.g., Fortune), business news publications (e.g., Forbes, Wall Street Journal, Bloomberg Businessweek), international organizations (e.g., IMF, World Bank, IADB) and/or credible online sources.
