International Business MC

Tian Xiaowen has defined culture as «ways of thinking and feeling, consciously or unconsciously, that are shared by all members of a society and that determine their behavior at a fundamental level». Which cultural aspect does not belong to traditional Chinese culture?

Samsung’s Electronics core business is manufacturing appliances and electronic products. In 2012, Samsung acquired the manufacturing plants of Amica, a Polish home appliance company. By acquiring Amica’s manufacturing plants, Samsung was able to expand its production capacity.

This is an example of _____________ integration.

Select the statement which best describes the role of the human resources element of the Value Chain Support Activities (VCSA) for international firms.

In promoting their products, Germans may often appear to be less enthusiastic than their counterparts from other cultures. Rather than trying to create a positive emotion in their customers, German salespeople prefer to emphasize the "objective" characteristics of the product and often use complex, pseudo-technical terminology to describe the product's advantages. When a new product is launched, it is therefore often more important to convince one's customers of the benefits of the product rather than appealing to their emotions.

Using Trompenaars and Hampden-Turner’s cultural dimensions, which value orientation would Germany represent in this case?

EMAC Electronics is a Swedish-based maker of software products for the health care industry. Recently EMAC has been looking at whether it would be financially viable to externalize some of its value-chain activities. EMAC has asked a consulting group to inform them which, if any externalized or internationalized value-chain activities would lead to business growth. The consultants identify two health care software development companies in China who may offer programming services at a lower cost than EMAC's current rate for programming. Further, international market research that shows that French health care companies have a strong demand for the type of software that EMAC offers.

Which of the following would be most important for the consulting group to consider when deciding whether to recommend that EMAC internationalize its sales efforts to France?

In his international management class, Prof. Ananda organizes a debate on the societal effects of market globalization. Tracy Primo takes a position that emphasizes the negative consequences of globalization. She highlights how multinational corporations can wield so much influence that they may weaken national sovereignty. She also notes the how firms offer low wages and poor working conditions firms with cheap labor abroad. Tracy then presents the adverse effects of corporate pollution on the environment, and she ends her argument by explaining how market globalization helps homogenize national cultures. Marie Ingólfsson is assigned to counter Tracy's position.

Which statement most likely to counters Tracy's argument concerning the homogenization of national cultures?

EMAC Electronics is a Swedish-based maker of software products for the health care industry. Recently EMAC has been looking at whether it would be financially viable to externalize some of its value-chain activities. EMAC has asked a consulting group to inform them which, if any externalized or internationalized value-chain activities would lead to business growth. The consultants identify two health care software development companies in China who may offer programming services at a lower cost than EMAC's current rate for programming. Further, international market research that shows that French health care companies have a strong demand for the type of software that EMAC offers.

 Which of the following would be most important for EMAC to determine before outsourcing its programming services to China?

Widget Electronics has recently decided to expand its operations overseas. Hans Muster, Deputy President of International Business, assigned a team of investigators to analyze the risks faced by the company in making this move. Risks that might affect the success of a new production plant to be located in one of three potential countries were of particular interest.

Sue Jones reported on her analysis of cross-cultural risks involved with establishing the plant in Country A. Each of the following was most likely discussed in her report EXCEPT ________.

Mobile Computer International (MCI) recently opened a customer service facility in Singapore. Managers of the Alabama-based firm have been displeased with the local manager hired to run the Singapore facility because of a variety of problems that took place. MCI managers believe that a representative from the headquarters should manage the Singapore facility for one year in order to train personnel and to improve the quality of customer service. Two MCI executives have expressed a desire to work and live in Singapore: Patrick Jefferson and Robert Moore. The MCI human resources department is comparing the qualifications and characteristics of the two men in order to determine which candidate would be the most successful in Singapore.

Which of the following would be the most important for human resources managers to determine before deciding who should manage the Singapore facility?

Lindsey Brown, an American citizen, works in a global conglomerate based in Boston. A few months ago, Lindsey was assigned to work in the company’s office in Shanghai and live there for the next three years. Which of the following can Lindsey be best described as?

Mobile Computer International (MCI) recently opened a customer service facility in Singapore. Managers of the Alabama-based firm have been displeased with the local manager hired to run the Singapore facility because of a variety of problems that took place. MCI managers believe that a representative from the headquarters should manage the Singapore facility for one year in order to train personnel and to improve the quality of customer service. Two MCI executives have expressed a desire to work and live in Singapore: Patrick Jefferson and Robert Moore. The MCI human resources department is comparing the qualifications and characteristics of the two men in order to determine which candidate would be the most successful in Singapore.

Which of the following, if TRUE, would strengthen the argument in favor of hiring a local manager for the Singapore facility?

As Vice President of International Development for Mondo Telecommunications, Diana Marloff is tasked with preparing a comprehensive report on the company's global operations over the past 20 years. Diana assigns three strategists to collaborate on the History portion of the report, which details the rationale behind Mondo’s decisions to expand operations in particular areas. Robert Kloss focuses on early expansion to India, which occurred after India began to make its market more accessible to foreign companies. Yvonne Powers focuses on Mondo’s expansion to Eastern Europe, which was motivated by increased industry privatization in key countries. Jackson Pozwy focuses on expansion to Korea, which happened when the company's commercial bank expanded its service network to Asia. 

Jackson's research most likely to recognize _______ as the factor responsible for the company's expansion to Korea?

Easy-Clean Holdings, an Ireland-based company, manufactures small, inexpensive vacuum cleaners that work on rechargeable batteries. Easy-Clean customers typically live in small apartments where a large vacuum cleaner is neither necessary nor easy to use. Easy-Clean managers believe there is a market for the vacuum cleaners outside of the European Union, especially in communities where living space is limited. The Easy-Clean marketing department has been assigned the task of creating an advertising campaign to introduce Easy-Clean's offerings to global consumers.

Standardized advertising, if used by Easy-Clean, would most likely ________.

Mobile Computer International (MCI) recently opened a customer service facility in Singapore. Managers of the Alabama-based firm have been displeased with the local manager hired to run the Singapore facility because of a variety of problems that took place. MCI managers believe that a representative from the headquarters should manage the Singapore facility for one year in order to train personnel and to improve the quality of customer service. Two MCI executives have expressed a desire to work and live in Singapore: Patrick Jefferson and Robert Moore. The MCI human resources department is comparing the qualifications and characteristics of the two men in order to determine which candidate would be the most successful in Singapore.

Which of the following, if TRUE, most seriously undermines the argument in favor of hiring Robert Moore as manager for MCI's facility in Singapore?

Below-Zero Inc. manufactures refrigerators from its facilities in the United Kingdom (UK) and China and ships them to retail stores around the world. Kitchen sizes vary around the world, and as a result, refrigerator sizes must vary as well. UK retailers want large refrigerators, while Asian retailers demand smaller units. Below-Zero manufactures over 20 different models of refrigerators, which often vary in size by only a few inches. Below-Zero managers are concerned that the firm is losing money because of product adaptations. Below-Zero management is meeting to discuss the various cost-saving options for the firm.

Which of the following best supports Below-Zero making fewer refrigerator adaptations?

What is a learning from Abenomics?

Disney provides the right to use its cartoon characters to apparel and toy manufacturers in China, for a fee. This allows Disney to create synergies with foreign partners by adapting materials, colors and other design elements to suit local preferences.

What is the entry mode that Disney uses in the example above?

What is a forward contract?

Today, only five communist countries remain in the world, namely:

A late entrant to a market has following advantages:

Select the statement that least describes the role of the infrastructure element of the Value Chain Support Activities (VCSA) of the international firm.

Since early 2019, international investors have been alarmed by the increasing unrest in Thailand’s urban population, with mostly peaceful, student-led pro-democracy protests calling for the resignation of the Prime Minister, and constitutional reform, and the government’s response of banning gatherings of more than five people, and aggressive crackdown on protesters and organizers of these events.

What kind of international risk does this represent for international investors?

Select the statement that does not constitute a valid international pricing strategy.

Fill in the gap in the preamble of today’s federal constitution of the Swiss Confederation:

In the name of Almighty God! The ___, (…) adopt the following Constitution:

Select the statement that best describes the role of the Value Chain Support Activities (VCSA) for international versus domestic firms.

The Earth Fashion company is a successful fashion company based in Atlanta, USA. They are designing, manufacturing and selling clothes made with recycled PET. Earth Fashion’s procurement has signed an exclusive contract to source PET waste form the Fresh Soda company as raw material for their fashion products.

The Earth Fashion company has set up a/an ________ in its supply chain in support of its circular business model.

Which of the following characteristics apply to the global area organizational structure?

Advantages of using franchising as an entry mode include…

Select the statement that best describes the role of the technology development element of the Value Chain Support Activities (VCSA) for international firms.