Final Paper: Strategic Plan

[WLOs: 1, 2, 3] [CLOs: 1, 3, 5]

Prior to beginning work on this Final Paper, review Chapters 1 through 20 in the course textbook.

The Final Paper should demonstrate your understanding of the readings and other course material. By creating an international business or an international business venture, you will utilize your subject knowledge expertise in discovering and overcoming the challenges of expanding a business to a new host country. In a 2,000- to 2,500-word paper, you should integrate readings and class discussions, and you may include explanations and examples from previous experiences as well as implications for future applications. All opinions or ideas should be supported with credible and recent data. All data used must be cited with in-text citations and a bibliography on the references page.

In this paper, you will

• Create an international business or international venture outside of the U.S. (e.g., export/import, franchising, manufacturing, joint venture, etc.)
  • Define the name, nature of the business, and brief background of the company and industry. Be sure this venture is created and is unique and innovative.
  • State the specific target market for the venture.
• Create a strategic plan that includes the following (in any order you decide):
  • An analysis of the competitive advantage of your venture (Why will it be successful?).
  • A PESTLE analysis, or a similar business analysis process, of the host country.
  • A 6- to 12-month timeline of your venture's expansion.
  • A list of SMART goals.
  • A summary of startup human resources and marketing concepts.
  • A SWOT analysis of the venture that evaluates at least four challenges and advantages and/or opportunities and threats (e.g., cross-cultural, foreign currency, legal, etc.).
    • Suggest recommendations to overcome the challenges and threats from the SWOT you conducted.

Please note each step of the strategic plan is worth 1 point.

The Final Paper: Strategic Plan

• Must be 2,000 to 2,500 words in length (not including title and references pages) and formatted according to APA StyleLinks to an external site. as outlined in the Writing Center's APA Formatting for Microsoft WordLinks to an external site. resource.
• Must include a separate title page with the following:
  • Title of paper in bold font
    • Space should appear between the title and the rest of the information on the title page.
  • Student's name
  • Name of institution (University of Arizona Global Campus)
  • Course name and number
  • Instructor's name
  • Due date
• Must include an introduction and conclusion paragraph. Your introduction paragraph needs to end with a clear thesis statement that indicates the purpose of your paper.
  • For assistance on writing Introductions & ConclusionsLinks to an external site. as well as Writing a Thesis StatementLinks to an external site., refer to the Writing Center resources.
• Must use at least five scholarly and recent sources in addition to the course text.
  • The Scholarly, Peer-Reviewed, and Other Credible SourcesLinks to an external site.table offers additional guidance on appropriate source types. If you have questions about whether a specific source is appropriate for this assignment, please contact your instructor. Your instructor has the final say about the appropriateness of a specific source for a particular assignment.
• Must have minimal direct quotes (no more than 10% of the paper).
• Must not be a narrative (no first person or story telling).
• Must include, at least, level one APA Style headings.
• Must document any information used from sources in APA Style as outlined in the Writing Center's APA: Citing Within Your PaperLinks to an external site. guide.
• Must include a separate references page that is formatted according to APA Style as outlined in the Writing Center. See the APA: Formatting Your References ListLinks to an external site. resource in the Writing Center for specifications.

Carefully review the Grading RubricLinks to an external site. for the criteria that will be used to evaluate your assignment.

Creates an International Business or International Venture Outside of the U.S. as Stated in the Assignment InstructionsTotal: 5.00

Distinguished - Creates a comprehensive, clear international business or international venture outside of the U.S. as stated in the assignment instructions.

Proficient - Creates an international business or international venture outside of the U.S. as stated in the assignment instructions. Minor details are missing or slightly unclear.

Basic Creates a partial international business or international venture outside of the U.S. as stated in the assignment instructions. Relevant details are missing and/or unclear.

Below Expectations - Attempts to create an international business or international venture; however, the international business or international venture is not outside of the U.S. as stated in the assignment instructions, and/or significant details are missing and unclear.

Non-Performance - The international business or international venture outside of the U.S. as stated in the assignment instructions is either nonexistent or lacks the components described in the assignment instructions.

Creates a Strategic Plan That Addresses All Criteria in the Assignment InstructionsTotal: 7.00

Distinguished - Creates a comprehensive strategic plan that fully addresses all criteria in the assignment instructions.

Proficient - Creates a strategic plan that addresses criteria in the assignment instructions. Minor details are missing.

Basic - Creates a partial strategic plan that somewhat addresses criteria in the assignment instructions. Relevant details are missing.

Below Expectations - Attempts to create a strategic plan that addresses criteria in the assignment instructions; however, significant details are missing.

Non-Performance - The strategic plan that addresses all criteria in the assignment instructions is either nonexistent or lacks the components described in the assignment instructions.

Develops Recommendations to Overcome the Challenges and Threats From the Created SWOTTotal: 3.00

Distinguished - Develops clear, comprehensive, and accurate recommendations to overcome the challenges and threats from the created SWOT.

Proficient - Develops recommendations to overcome the challenges and threats from the created SWOT. Minor details are missing, slightly unclear, or inaccurate.

Basic - Develops partial recommendations to overcome the challenges and threats from the created SWOT. Relevant details are missing, unclear, and/or inaccurate.

Below Expectations - Attempts to develop recommendations to overcome the challenges and threats from the created SWOT; however, significant details are missing, unclear, and inaccurate.

Non-Performance - The recommendations to overcome the challenges and threats from the created SWOT are either nonexistent or lack the components described in the assignment instructions.

Intro, Thesis, & ConclusionTotal: 1.00

Distinguished -The paper is logically organized with a well-written introduction, thesis statement, and conclusion.

Proficient -The paper is logically organized with an introduction, thesis statement, and conclusion. One of these requires improvement.

Basic -The paper is organized with an introduction, thesis statement, and conclusion. The introduction, thesis statement, and/or conclusion require improvement.

Below Expectations -The paper is loosely organized with an introduction, thesis statement, and conclusion. The introduction, thesis statement, and/or conclusion require much improvement.

Non-Performance -The introduction, thesis statement, and conclusion are either nonexistent or lack the components described in the assignment instructions.

Written Communication: Control of Syntax and MechanicsTotal: 2.00

Distinguished -Displays meticulous comprehension and organization of syntax and mechanics, such as spelling and grammar. Written work contains no errors and is very easy to understand.

Proficient -Displays comprehension and organization of syntax and mechanics, such as spelling and grammar. Written work contains only a few minor errors and is mostly easy to understand.

Basic -Displays basic comprehension of syntax and mechanics, such as spelling and grammar. Written work contains a few errors which may slightly distract the reader.

Below Expectations -Fails to display basic comprehension of syntax or mechanics, such as spelling and grammar. Written work contains major errors which distract the reader.

Non-Performance -The assignment is either nonexistent or lacks the components described in the instructions.

Written Communication: APA FormattingTotal: 2.00

Distinguished -Accurately uses APA formatting consistently throughout the paper, title page, and reference page.

Proficient -Exhibits APA formatting throughout the paper. However, layout contains a few minor errors.

Basic - Exhibits limited knowledge of APA formatting throughout the paper. However, layout does not meet all APA requirements.

Below Expectations -Fails to exhibit basic knowledge of APA formatting. There are frequent errors, making the layout difficult to distinguish as APA.

Non-Performance -The assignment is either nonexistent or lacks the components described in the instructions.

Written Communication: Page RequirementTotal: 2.50

Distinguished -The length of the paper is equivalent to the required number of correctly formatted pages.

Proficient -The length of the paper is nearly equivalent to the required number of correctly formatted pages.

Basic -The length of the paper is equivalent to at least three quarters of the required number of correctly formatted pages.

Below Expectations -The length of the paper is equivalent to at least one half of the required number of correctly formatted pages.

Non-Performance -The assignment is either nonexistent or lacks the components described in the instructions.

Written Communication: Resource RequirementTotal: 2.50

Distinguished -Uses more than the required number of scholarly sources, providing compelling evidence to support ideas. All sources on the reference page are used and cited correctly within the body of the assignment.

Proficient -Uses the required number of scholarly sources to support ideas. All sources on the reference page are used and cited correctly within the body of the assignment.

Basic -Uses less than the required number of sources to support ideas. Some sources may not be scholarly. Most sources on the reference page are used within the body of the assignment. Citations may not be formattedcorrectly.

Below Expectations -Uses an inadequate number of sources that provide little or no support for ideas. Sources used may not be scholarly. Most sources on the reference page are not used within the body of the assignment. Citations are not formatted correctly.

Non-Performance -The assignment is either nonexistent or lacks the components described in the instructions.