Broader Conceptions of Development: Assignment Essay Example

business formation in India during the 1947-1990 time frame? How do you think these factors affected the rate of economic growth in India during this time frame? 3. How would privatizations, deregulation, and the removal of barriers to foreign direct investment effect the efficiency of business, new business formation, and the rate of economic growth in India during the post-1990 time period? 4. . India now has pockets of strengths in key high-technology industries such as software and pharmaceuticals. Why do you think India is developing strength in these areas? How might success in these industries help to generate growth in the other sectors of the Indian economy? 5. Given what is now occurring in the India economy, do you think the country represents an attractive target for inward investment by foreign multinationals selling consumer products? Why? ------------------------------------------------- Chapter 3 McDonald's in India P86-87 Opening Case

Questions: The opening case explores the unique challenges faced by McDonald’s in India. The cow is considered sacred in India’s Hindu culture prompting McDonald’s to alter its menu to offer mutton and chicken alternatives to its traditional beef burgers. McDonald’s now has over 130 restaurants in India and that number is expected to triple by 2011. However, the company was recently the target of negative reports when it was discovered that its French fries were cooked in oil that contained beef extract. Discussion of the case can revolve around the following questions: 1.

McDonald’s has been reasonably successful in India, despite the country’s very different food culture. Why? 1. Do you think that McDonald’s could have and should have foreseen the problems it ran into in India when using beef extract

in its oil? What could it have done differently? 2. How did McDonald’s change its product line to meet the needs of the Indian market? Does the Indian version of McDonald’s still maintain the company’s identity? ------------------------------------------------- Chapter 3 Wal-Mart's Foreign Expansion P118-119 Closing Case Questions: 1.

Do you think Wal-Mart could translate its merchandising strategy wholesale to another country and succeed? If not, why not? 2. Why do you think Wal-Mart was successful in Mexico? 3. Why do you think Wal-Mart filed in South Korea and Germany? What are the differences between these countries and Mexico? 4. What must Wal-Mart do to succeed in China? Is it on track? 5. To what extent can a company like Wal-Mart change the culture of the nation where it is doing business? ------------------------------------------------- Chapter 4 Siemens Bribery Scandal P122-123 Opening Case Questions:

The opening case explores the bribery scandal involving German electronics firm, Siemens. Siemens recently agree to pay $1. 6 billion in fines after charges of paying bribes were brought by the U. S. and German governments. According to the legal suits, since 1999, Siemens has paid out $1. 4 billion in bribes to various government officials around the world in an effort to secure contracts it might not otherwise have been awarded. In addition to the fines, Siemens has agreed to invest $1 billion to improve its compliance process, and perhaps in doing so, change its unethical corporate culture.

Discussion of the case can revolve around the following questions. 1. Siemens recently admitted to paying bribes to a number of government officials to secure contracts. Reflect on how Siemens helped create a culture of corruption in some countries.

What are the implications of bribery for the giver? What does bribery mean for the receiver? 2. How did the organizational culture at Siemens encourage unethical behavior like the use of bribes? What role did senior management play in the process? 3. Why did Siemens feel it was necessary to pay bribes? What did the company hope to gain from the practice?

How does this type of behavior affect the competitiveness of a firm? ------------------------------------------------- Chapter 4 Wal-Mart's Chinese Suppliers P148-149 Closing Case Questions: 1. Is it legitimate for an enterprise like Wal-Mart to demand that its suppliers adhere to a code of ethics? What are the benefits of this practice to Wal-Mart? What are the costs? Wal-Mart has been accused of buying from companies that use sweatshop labor. In your opinion, is it ethical for Wal-Mart to use suppliers in developing countries where sweatshop conditions might exist? . Wal-Mart is known for constantly demanding the very lowest prices from its suppliers. How might this impact upon ethical behavior at its suppliers? 3. Is Wal-Mart doing enough to ensure that suppliers adhere to its code of ethics for them? What else might it do? 4. Given that several cases have come to light where Wal-Mart suppliers falsified their books to give the impression that they are conforming to Wal-Mart’s code of ethics, should the company even be doing business in countries where such behavior is widespread? -------------------------------------------------

Chapter 12 The Evolving Strategy of IBM P400-401 Opening Case Questions: 1. Using the framework developed in this chapter, how would you describe IBM’s strategy for competing internationally when it originally expanded into foreign markets in the 1970s? What were

the strengths of this strategy? What were the limitations? Why was it important for IBM to establish “mini-IBMs”? 2. What factors prompted IBM to change its strategy? Why does IBM want its senior managers to view themselves as global citizens? What are the benefits of this type of perspective? . What challenges do you see for IBM as it pursues its new globally integrated approach to markets? How might this strategy create economies of scale and scope for the firm? ------------------------------------------------- Chapter 12 Evolution of Strategy at P&G P423 Mgmt. Focus: International strategy Questions: 1. What strategy was P&G pursuing when if first entered foreign markets in the period up until the 1980s? 2. Why do you think this strategy become less viable in the 1990s? a) What strategy does P&G appear to be moving toward?

What are the benefits of this strategy? What are the potential risks associated with it? ------------------------------------------------- Chapter 13 Nestle P430-431 Opening Case Questions: The opening case explores the changes Nestle has made in its organizational architecture and strategy. Nestle has shifted from a localization strategy and an organizational architecture that supported that strategy to a transnational strategy and an organizational architecture that supports the new strategy. Discussion of the case can revolve around the following questions: 1.

Describe the strategy and organizational architecture at Nestle that has historically been followed at Nestle. Why did the company pursue this strategy and structure? What made it work? 2. Recently, Nestle made some significant changes to its strategy and organizational architecture. What factors prompted Nestle to make these changes? 3. How would you describe Nestle’s new strategy and organizational architecture? In your opinion, does

the new strategy and structure reflect current market conditions? In your opinion, does the new strategy and structure reflect current market conditions? ------------------------------------------------ Chapter 13 A decade of Organizational Change at Unilever P465-466 Closing Case Questions: 1. Why did Unilever’s decentralized organizational structure make sense from the 1950s through the 1970s? Why did this structure start to create problems for the company in the 1980s? 2. What was Unilever trying to do when it introduced a new structure based on business groups in the mid-1990s? Why do you think that this structure failed to cure Unilever’s ills? 3. In the 2000s Unilever has switched to a structure based on global product divisions.

What do you think is the underlying logic for this shift? Does the structure make sense given the nature of competition in the detergents and food business? ------------------------------------------------- Chapter 14 General Electric's Joint Ventures P468-469 Opening Case Questions: 1. General Electrics has traditionally followed a strategy of expanding into new markets using wholly owned greenfield ventures. More recently however, the company has shifted to a strategy of forming joint ventures with local companies.

Explain why General Electrics has made this strategic shift. 2. What are the disadvantages of General Electric’s new strategy of using joint ventures to enter foreign markets? ------------------------------------------------- Chapter 14 Tesco's International Growth Strategy P472 Mgmt. Focus: Timing of Entry Questions: Reread the Management Focus on Tesco. Then answer the following questions: 1. Why did Tesco’s initial international expansion strategy focus on developing nations? 2. How does Tesco create value in its international operations? 3.

In Asia, Tesco has a long history of entering into joint venture agreements with local partners. What are

the benefits of doing this for Tesco? What are the risks? How are those risks mitigated? 4. In March 2006, Tesco announced that it would enter the United States. This represents a departure from its historic strategy of focusing on developing nations. Why do you think Tesco made this decision? How is the U. S. market different from others Tesco has entered? What are the risks here? How do you think Tesco will do? -------------------------------------------------