ECO3BWE: Assessment 1 - Business in the World Economy
Business, Accounting & Economics
22nd May 2025
3
ECO3BWE - Business in the World Economy
Group Industry Assignment (50%)
Due date: Sunday 27 October 2024 (23.59 h)
General Instructions
In this group assignment students are required to write a case study on an international business experience of a firm (preferably an exporting experience). The case study will be based on an interview that the group will conduct to a representative of the firm.
**Note: The interview is about the firm and will not contain any personal information of the interviewees (unless required by the interviewee). The information collected at the interviews is not for publication and will be only used for teaching and learning purposes within the subject. Interviewees provide written consent to participate.
General Objective: The general objective of the assignment is to learn about the experience of the firm in the international market.
Specific Objectives: Students will define specific objectives once they have confirmed a firm to interview. For example, some specific objectives may be to describe how the firm initiated its international operations, how the firm penetrated a selected market overseas, how the firm launched a particular product in the global market, the obstacles faced in international operations, the solutions found, how the firm developed and implemented an export plan, whether the firm received support from governmental agencies and the type of assistance received, if the firm had to adapt its products and how, the characteristics of the firm’s international supply chain, etc.
**Note: the examples above are just for guidance, please feel free to define any relevant specific objectives that are appropriate to the firm you interview. Guidance on how to define objectives will be provided in class.
Analytical Approach: To write the case study students will follow an analytical approach. This implies that the focus of the case study is on the description of facts: what happened, how it happened and why. Although it is possible to identify problems faced by the firm in relation to the experience described, students are not required to suggest solutions to unresolved problems.
Group formation: Maximum 5 students per group. All students should belong to the same class.
Submission Instructions
S
ubmit
the case study
on a Word document via Turnitin using the link provided
on LMS
.
The case study should not exceed
1
,000 words per student
(
+/- 10%)
, including illustrations
,
tables and references.
More information on the structured of the
case study will be provided in the workshop
“How to conduct a research interview and how to write a case study”
(Week 6).
A
document with a
required
detailed structure
of the case study
and contents
across its different sections will be
attached to these instructions in Week 6
.
Submissions after the due date without an extension will be subject to La Trobe University late submission
penalties
.
If you are not able to complete your assignment by the due date, please apply to special consideration to avoid mark deductions. For more information
,
please click on this link:
https://www.latrobe.edu.au/students/admin/forms/special-consideration.
Please use
APA
7
Referencing Style
, or later version
. For more information
,
please check the following
site
:
https://latrobe.libguides.com/apa7
P
re
sentation instructions will be provided on LMS and discussed in class before week 10.
Timeline of Group Activities
|
Week 6
|
CLASS – Training Workshop Training Workshop 1 : How to Approach Firms Professionally - LTU Industry Engagement Team.
Introduction to the Group Assignment G roups final formation. TASK 1 - Students form groups and initiate the search for firms to be contacted for the interview. TASK 2 - Submission of Activity Week 6 (by Sunday 23.59h - Week 6) |
|
Mid-semester Break |
TASK 3 - Search for firm continues if not completed, initial contact or follow up contact actions. If the interview has been confirmed, students initiate the design of the interview. |
|
Week 7 |
CLASS – Training Workshop Training Workshop 2 : How to conduct a team research interview. Training Workshop 3 : How to write a case study. TASK 4 - Students confirm the group formation and initiate contact with firms to confirm an interview. |
|
Week 8
|
CLASS Feedback on groups’ progress. TASK 5 – Once firm has been confirmed, students submit Activity Week 8 (by Sunday 23.59h – Week 8), including draft questionnaire. Instructor to provide feedback. TASK 6 - Group Industry Assignment Industry Coaching (first 30-min meeting) |
|
Week 9
|
CLASS Feedback on groups’ progress. TASK 7 – Interview and writing of case study. |
|
Week 10
|
CLASS Feedback on groups’ progress. TASK 8 – Interview and writing of case study. |
|
Week 11
|
CLASS Feedback on groups’ progress. TASK 9 - Students should be completing the writing of the case study and preparing the presentation. TASK 10 - Group Industry Assignment Industry Coaching (second 30-min meeting) |
|
Week 12
|
PRESENTATIONS TASK 11 - Group presentations (Order TBA) TASK 12 - Submission of case study: Sunday 27 October at 23.59 h |