IMS 3310 Paper

Students must select option #1 or option #2 (one or the other but not both). Please pay attention to the rubric outlined below.

Option #1— International Business and CSR

This semester in class, we studied international business from the perspective of sustainability and corporate social responsibility (CSR). We studied different frameworks that allow businesspeople to "apply these concepts into practice." In other words, the frameworks we studied are tangible, practical, and pragmatic. They serve as a blueprint to help businesspeople carve out a strategy around CRS.

For the paper, select an organization of your choice. This can be a for-profit business or a not-for-profit organization. I strongly discourage students from selecting well known firms such as "Walmart" or "Amazon." Why? Be original. Do not be that student who uses a well-known firm because they think there may be a lot of information on the interest that relates to a common, household name. Select a firm that interests you!

Research this organization from the perspective of sustainability and corporate social responsibility (CSR). Rather than summarize what you learned about this organization form this perspective, I ask that you do the following:

1) Tie back as of the models, frameworks, concepts that we learned in class to the organization. For example (as one example), we studied the different "theatres" of CSR. Based on your research, what theatre has the organized chosen to pursue as a strategy? Show me that you researched the organization from the perspective of the different models, frameworks, and concepts that we studied in class. Refer to the class PPT that walks us through all the models and frameworks that we evaluated including things such as the EEM model (video), B-Corporation certification, etc.

2) Lastly, after researching and analyzing the organization, develop recommendations for improvement. In other words, what can the organization do better, differently, or more successfully in the context of sustainability and CSR? Conclude your paper by offering specific recommendations based on your research and analysis as opposed to conjecture and opinion.

 Rubric—Your grade is based on depth of research and analysis. There should be no spelling or grammatical errors. Select at least four (4) of the frameworks, models, or concepts that we covered in class. The paper should be at least two (2) pages, single-spaced. Include a cover page. On the cover page include your full name, date, title, and which option you selected (Option #1 or Option #2). Do not pick a common., well-known company (Amazon, Google, Walmart, etc.). Be original. Show me that you are not choosing a well-known firm in the hope that there is a lot of research out there on a well-known!

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Option #2 — International Business and Culture

This semester in class, we studied international business from the perspective of culture. We studied Hofstede's framework that essentially allows a CEO or businessperson to "apply these concepts into practice." In other words, the Hofstede framework is a tangible, practical, and pragmatic tool. It is a blueprint to help businesspeople avoid "cultural mishaps." More importantly, the Hofstede framework

allows us to develop cultural competence which we know can be a key point of differentiation from our competition.

For the paper, select two (2) countries of your choice. Similar to what we did with the "Culture and Germany" scenario in class where we put ourselves in the shoes of an American doing business in Germany and used Hofstede's work to help us be more effective in the German culture, I ask that you develop a similar scenario and think through the practical applications and implications of the Hofstede model. In other words, develop a unique scenario that interests you. Examples include (but not limited to), "You are asked to negotiate" or "you are asked to hire a person or fire a person" or "you are tasked with developing a strategy for entering a new market." Be original and do not just pick one of the examples that I produced. Regardless of what scenario you produce, put the framework to work.

For the paper. I ask that you do the following:

1) Tell me which two countries you selected and which country you are from for the purpose of this exercise.

2) Describe the scenario that you produced.

3) Put the Hofstede framework to work by applying it to your specific scenario. In other words, what would you expect your counterpart to say or think based on their culture? How would you conduct yourself as a businessperson in this culture? How would you frame certain questions? What would you say or do?

 4) Do not select Germany and the U.S. can use examples that I used in class based on the "Germany and Culture" PPT. You can select the U.S. and another country or Germany and another country but don't use the same combination of two countries that I used in class. Be original.

Rubric —Your grade is based on depth of research and analysis. There should be no spelling or grammatical errors. Use all Hofsted's dimensions of culture. The paper should be at least two (2) pages, single-spaced. Include a cover page. On the cover page include your full name, date, title, and which option you selected (Option #1 or Option #2). As you talk through the different dimensions of culture, apply these specifically to the scenario that you selected much like what we did in class per the U.S. and Germany example.