7-1 final submission

INT 113 Final Project Guidelines and Rubric

Overview
The final project for this course is the creation of a country analysis PowerPoint presentation that will answer the following prompt: What country-specific
information is important in the consideration of market entry? How do cultural differences impact business communication and decisions?

Your assessment for this course will require you to place yourself in the role of an international business professional. Imagine you work for an organization that
has decided it wants to enter a foreign market, but has not settled on the region or country. Your boss has received the directive to research some countries for
market entry and, in turn, has asked you to select a country and perform a country analysis for market entry. Your boss expects you to present your research and
general recommendations for market entry.

Keeping this scenario in mind, select a country other than the United States for your research. When selecting a country, consider the following:

 What countries have you visited?
 What countries would you like to visit?
 Does your company maintain a presence in another country?
 What is your heritage?

Once you have selected your country, you will begin your research on the relevant forces—including cultural, political, and economic—that could impact business
operations and decisions. You will then determine your final recommendations, communicating all in a PowerPoint presentation. The research will be
communicated in presentation format, giving you the opportunity to practice business communication skills.

Checkpoint submissions will be posted within Modules Three and Six, which will allow the opportunity for you to upload your project-in-progress for a
participation score. You should follow the Final Project Guide and use research incorporated into the weekly discussions to complete the checkpoints. Project
elements will be covered in the weekly discussions to scaffold learning and ensure quality final submissions. Your comprehensive final PowerPoint presentation
will be submitted in Module Seven.

In this assignment, you will demonstrate your mastery of the following course outcomes:

 Apply macroenvironment business research to an analysis of international market conditions
 Analyze the dimensions of culture as they apply to and inform market analyses and business communication
 Examine market entry strategies and multinational business practices applicable to global organizations in preparation for market entry
 Articulate the impact of forces of global trade for informing international business opportunities and determining risks

Prompt
Your country analysis should answer the following prompt: What country-specific information is important in the consideration of market entry? How do cultural
differences impact business communication and decisions?

Specifically, the following critical elements must be addressed in consideration of your country of choice:

I. Introduction and Country Choice
A. Rationale: Select your country and share why you chose your specific country for further analysis.
B. Location: In what region is your country located? Is the country landlocked or does it have water access? Describe the geography of the region

and include a map for visual impact.

II. Macroenvironment: Address the following with respect to your chosen country.
A. Sociocultural Environment

i. Country Composition: What are elements of country composition that impact business decisions? Consider literacy rates, urbanization
rates, heavily populated cities, age structure, major religions, and educational data.

ii. Values and Communication: How do cultural values shape communication and behaviors? Highlight cultural norms that align with
Hofstede’s and/or Trompenaars’s cultural dimension models. Outline major languages and nonverbal communication. For example, you
could include nonverbal cues, physical contact, and body language.

iii. Etiquette: What are some behaviors in business that are driven by culture? Highlight five rules of business etiquette that are
pertinent in the region. For example, consider gift giving and greetings.

iv. Observation Deck: In what ways do sociocultural elements apply to business practices and market entry? For example, highlight cultural
issues that impact marketing or consider the following areas: employment, consumer demand, managerial approach, and business
etiquette.

B. Political–Legal Environment
i. Government and Ideologies: Who is the ruling political party and leader? Has there been a recent change in ruling parties? Does a large

opposition group exist?
ii. Corruption: How do unethical practices impact business? What are three measures of corruption that characterize risks in the market?

Explain your findings.
iii. Trade Regulations and Legal Considerations: What are four measures of government influence on trade and employment? Consider

sanctions, tariffs, labeling requirements, restricted items, or other barriers to trade, minimum wage rates, employment-discrimination
laws, or environmental regulations.

iv. Observation Deck: How would a company apply political and legal information to market-entry decisions and business practices? Make
an observation regarding political and legal risks or opportunities. For example, consider safety risks, additional costs, industry barriers,
high corruption rates, risky ideologies, and so on.

C. Economic-Infrastructural Environment
i. Economic Measures: What are some economic measures and development data that impact business? Include data on interest rates,

unemployment, inflation, GDP growth rate, exchange rates against the USD, exchange rate regime, GDP, labor force, major industries,
and FDI rates.

ii. Trade: Describe the important aspects of trade in your country of choice. Specifically, answer the following questions:
a. Trade partners: Who are the most significant trading partners? What percentage of trade do they fulfill?
b. Imports: What are major imports to the region?
c. Exports: What are major exports to the region?
d. Trade agreements: What are some important regional trade agreements (RTA) impacting the country? Who are the members of the

agreement?
iii. Transportation and Telecommunication: How does infrastructure impact trade? Identify major airports, seaports, railway stations,

internet users, mobile providers, and the Logistics Performance Index rating.
iv. Observation Deck: What economic and infrastructural elements apply to multinational business practices and market entry? For

example, consider ease of distribution, economic growth, and telecommunication barriers.

III. Final Recommendations
A. Market Entry Strategies: Based on the research findings and your knowledge of market entry strategies gained in this course, which market

entry strategy is most attractive? Considering the risks, should the company enter this market?
B. Cultural Awareness: What specific cultural considerations should be addressed if the company were to enter this market?

Checkpoints
Checkpoint Submission One
In Module Three, you will submit your project-in-progress. Use the work completed in Modules One through Three discussions and transfer your work into the
Presentation Template document. This will cover the following critical elements of the final project: Rationale, Location, Country Composition, Values and
Communication, Etiquette, Sociocultural Environment Observation Deck, Government Ideologies, and Corruption. This checkpoint submission is for
participation credit only.

Checkpoint Submission Two
In Module Six, you will submit your project-in-progress. Use the work completed in Modules Four and Five discussions and transfer your work into the
Presentation Template document. This will cover the following critical elements of the final project: Trade Regulations and Legal Considerations, Political-Legal
Environment Observation Deck, Economic Measures, Transportation, and Telecommunication. This checkpoint submission is for participation credit only.

Final Submission: Country Analysis Presentation
In Module Seven, you will submit your country analysis PowerPoint presentation. It will include cultural, political, and economic research that may impact
business operations and decisions. You will determine your final recommendations, communicating all in your PowerPoint presentation. The research will be
communicated in presentation format, giving you the opportunity to practice business communication skills. It should be a complete, polished artifact containing

all of the critical elements of the final product. It should reflect the incorporation of feedback gained throughout the course. Your final submission will be graded
using the Final Project Rubric.

Final Project Rubric
Guidelines for Submission: Your PowerPoint presentation should be approximately 11 to 15 slides—not including the title slide and reference slide—with all
references in the most recently published APA format.

Critical Elements Exemplary (100%) Proficient (85%) Needs Improvement (55%) Not Evident (0%) Value

Introduction:
Rationale

Meets “Proficient” criteria and
rationale is exceptionally well
detailed or includes examples
to emphasize rationale

Provides detailed rationale for
country choice

Rationale is present but is
unclear and/or includes few
details

Does not provide rationale for
country choice

3.04

Introduction:
Location

Meets “Proficient” criteria and
is exceptionally detailed or
informative

Accurately illustrates the
location and geography of the
chosen country with a map for
visual impact

Illustrates the location and
geography of the selected
country with a map but with
gaps in accuracy

Does not illustrate the location
and geography of the selected
country with a map

4.6

Sociocultural
Environment:

Country
Composition

Meets “Proficient” criteria and
includes substantive details to
illustrate country composition

Accurately identifies elements
of country composition,
including literacy rates,
urbanization rates, heavily
populated cities, age structure,
major religions, and educational
data

Identifies elements of country
composition but information is
limited or inaccurate

Does not identify elements of
country composition

4.6

Sociocultural
Environment: Values
and Communication

Meets “Proficient” criteria and
includes examples to support
the analysis

Analyzes cultural norms of the
country that correspond to
Hofstede’s and/or
Trompenaars’s models and
describes the cultural values
that shape communication,
including major languages and
non-verbal communication

Analyzes cultural norms of the
country that correspond to
Hofstede’s and/or
Trompenaars’s models and
describes the cultural values
that shape communication but
analysis includes gaps in details

Does not analyze cultural norms
and values of the country

7.66

Sociocultural
Environment:

Etiquette

Meets “Proficient” criteria and
description is supported by
examples

Describes five rules of business
etiquette pertinent to the
region

Describes five rules of business
etiquette pertinent to the
region but with gaps in accuracy
or key information

Does not describe five rules of
business etiquette pertinent to
the region

7.66

Sociocultural
Environment:

Observation Deck

Meets “Proficient” criteria and
shows keen insight into
applying sociocultural elements
to business practices of the
chosen country

Applies sociocultural research
to business practices in the
chosen country

Applies sociocultural research
to business practices in the
chosen country but with gaps in
appropriateness or detail

Does not apply sociocultural
research to business practices
in the chosen country

5.75

Political-Legal
Environment:

Government and
Ideologies

Meets “Proficient” criteria and
explanation is supported as
necessary with sources or
examples

Explains governing parties and
political ideologies in the
country, including research on
political leaders, opposition
groups, and any recent changes
to leadership

Explains governing parties and
political ideologies in the
country but misses key
information or is inaccurate

Does not explain governing
parties and political ideologies

7.66

Political-Legal
Environment:

Corruption

Meets “Proficient” criteria and
provides examples to
contextualize explanation

Accurately explains three
corruption measurements

Explains corruption
measurements, but with gaps in
detail or accuracy

Does not explain corruption
measurements

4.6

Political-Legal
Environment: Trade

and Legal

Meets “Proficient” criteria and
including examples to highlight
accuracy of explanations

Explains four elements of
government influence on trade
and employment

Explains four elements of
government influence on trade
and employment, but with gaps
in detail

Does not explain four elements
of government influence on
trade and employment

7.66

Political-Legal
Environment:

Observation Deck

Meets “Proficient” criteria and
shows keen insight in
identifying risk and opportunity,
based on political and legal
research

Applies political and legal
research to business practices,
identifying risks and
opportunities

Applies political and legal
research to business practices,
identifying risks and
opportunities, but with gaps in
details or accuracy

Does not apply political and
legal research to business
practices

5.75

Economic: Economic
Measures

Meets “Proficient” criteria and
description shows insight into
economic measures

Describes economic measures
of the country, including
interest rates, unemployment,
inflation, GDP growth rate,
exchange rates, exchange rate
regime, GDP, labor force, major
industries, and FDI rates

Describes economic measures
of the country but with gaps in
detail

Does not describe economic
measures of the country

4.6

Economic: Trade Meets “Proficient” criteria and
provides examples to support
the description

Describes aspects of trade in
the country, including major
trading partners, list of
imports/exports, and details of
RTAs and member countries

Describes aspects of trade in
the country but with gaps in
details

Does not describe aspects of
trade in the country

7.66

Economic:
Transportation and
Telecommunication

Meets “Proficient” criteria and
supports description with
examples or illustrations

Describes infrastructural
elements that impact trade,
including major
airports/seaports/train stations,
internet users, mobile
providers, and a Logistics
Performance Index rating

Describes infrastructural
elements that impact trade but
with gaps in detail or relevancy

Does not describe
infrastructural elements that
impact trade

4.6

Economic:
Observation Deck

Meets “Proficient” criteria and
provides examples to support
the accuracy of application

Applies economic and
infrastructural research
elements to business practices
and market entry

Applies economic and
infrastructural research
elements to business practices
and market entry, but with gaps
in detail

Does not apply economic and
infrastructural research
elements to business practices
and market entry

5.75

Final
Recommendations:

Market Entry
Strategies

Meets “Proficient” criteria and
recommendation is
substantiated with research,
examples, or substantive detail
to show keen insight into
market entry

Provides logical, applicable
market entry recommendation
based on previous research

Provides market entry
recommendation but lacks logic
or applicability based on
previous research

Does not provide market entry
recommendation based on
previous research

5.75

Final
Recommendations:
Cultural Awareness

Meets “Proficient” criteria and
elements described
demonstrate keen cultural
awareness regarding market
entry in the country of choice

Describes reasonable and
relevant elements of culture
that should be addressed during
market entry

Describes elements of culture
that should be addressed during
market entry but with gaps in
reason or relevancy

Does not describe elements of
culture that should be
addressed during market entry

7.66

Articulation of
Response

Submission is free of errors
related to citations, grammar,
spelling, syntax, and
organization and is presented in
a professional and easy-to-read
format

Submission has no major errors
related to citations, grammar,
spelling, syntax, or organization

Submission has major errors
related to citations, grammar,
spelling, syntax, or organization
that negatively impact
readability and articulation of
main ideas

Submission has critical errors
related to citations, grammar,
spelling, syntax, or organization
that prevent understanding of
ideas

5

Total 100%

INT 113 Final Project Guidelines and Rubric
Overview
Prompt
Checkpoints
Checkpoint Submission One
Checkpoint Submission Two
Final Submission: Country Analysis Presentation

Final Project Rubric