The report should be around 3000 words and should be written in an academic style (abstract, Introduction, Literature, methodology, empirical analysis and results, and references list).
The following topics:
• Making use of examples and data on at least 2 contemporary MNCs, consider, first, the extent to which their business is influenced by the various models of the internationalization of business and focusing on the challenges faced by firms doing business in various countries including those of the Middle East, North Africa and others during the next decade.
The research should focus on the factors and issues likely to be faced by a “Western” firm doing business in each of the countries under study, and those to be faced by the hosting country. You might want to discuss the economic situation (recent economic history and future economic prospects, and how will affect foreign businesses); governmental, legal, and trade issues that might be a problem; infrastructure strengths or weaknesses; internal versus export prospects; domestic and international competition in the country….
Marking guidelines Project Report
Following are the guidelines given to the students of what they should include in their project:
Word count: 3000-4000 words (not including references).
Structure and Contents of Project report: The Project Report is an outline of your 15 points Project, providing information on the “What, Why, How conceptually and How practically” of your research. The purpose is to show the reader you have managed to arrange your broad Project research ideas into a logical account of research; and your work is justifiable and meaningful. It requires you to think clearly about your research objectives, research methods and relevant literature.
The following information needs to be included in your Project Report:
a. Title of your Project Report and abstract
Indicating the focus of your research
b. Introduction-Background
This section should explain the rationale and the context for identifying your research plans. You should provide sufficient background information on the issues you want to research for the reader to be able to understand the rest of your Project as well as its value. If you focus on an organization you should provide enough organizational information to put your research into context. (half a page , you should include the importance of the project contribution, research question and what I should expect to read, as well as how you will answer the question and what it will going to add to our knowledge )
c. Literature Review
This should be presented under a separate heading. This review is a detailed critical analysis of the literature provides an identification of themes from academic and other relevant recent and/or historically important literature which acts as the basis for your study and clarifies where your study fits into this debate. (What people have done about this project… example we will divide it to 4 parts idea 1, 2,3,4 and in each idea it should include Mary agree on this idea by saying …. , while Fatima disagree due to this reason …. )
Ex: idea 1: financial crises
Idea 2: political risk
Idea 3: relation
Idea 4 : impact
NOTE: you should write different ideas not the same as this example
d. Research Objectives and Research Questions (very important)
Your research objectives should make it clear to the reader exactly what is being planned by the proposed research. Well-defined objectives should identify what is to be analyzed, and to what purpose. Your objectives should provide sufficient scope for a Project of this size, but also be achievable within the resources available to you. They should not be vague or too general and should be leading to observable outcomes.
The research objectives will be used by the reader to judge the rest of your report, so make sure that your proposed research design, data collection and analysis fit with the objectives.
Specific research questions (or hypotheses, if relevant) should be easily identifiable in your Project Report.
e. Research Design (Methods and Methodology)
Overall view of the approach and methods chosen to achieve your research objectives, as well as a justification of these choices. Provide information and justification for the research methodology you propose (for instance case study, cross sectional, time trends, modeling …) and demonstrate your reading on the topic.
If relevant, it should also detail particular areas your research will focus on, such as sectors of industry or regions and the identity of your research population.
f. Data collection and analysis (you should put statistic)
In fieldwork based Projects, provide details of the data which need to be collected; the way in which you intend to collect these data (for instance investigation of secondary data, survey, questionnaires) and the way you intend to analyses these data.
Be as precise as possible. For instance: for secondary data collection, specify the exact data sources you use; for surveys specify survey strategy, population and sample size; for interviews specify interview population, interview duration and way of analysis etcetera.
Provide clear information on access to this data: have you made sure all necessary data is available to you? If relevant, do you have the agreement of essential people to use certain data or conduct interviews? Is your Project agreed with the organization you focus on if this is necessary?
Are there any other particular ethical considerations you need to abide by in your research?
g. Analysis
Now you will analyze your data using different methods and explain the results.
h. Conclusion
This part should summarize your work giving brief information about:
• your research question
• the methodology used
• The most important results and its relation with the literature.
• Your contribution what should we learn from you work.
I. First draft
You already know have first draft from your different sections; therefore it is time to put all your work in one document including the following sub sections:
Abstract , title page, table of contents, list of tables, list of graphs, introduction, literature review, data, methodology , empirical analysis, conclusion, references list, and appendices for your data and other information
J. Reference list (Harvard standard)
K. Submission of final draft of the project
A word file should be submitted with an excel file including your data and any other types of files( SPSS, STATA, EVIEWS) showing your analysis, also you have to send all available data set and designed questioners or any other sources of data.
L. Presentations
10/15 minutes presentation. No more than 10 slides (less is better). Every group member will present 2 slides or more. ( you should be aware by the presentation skills).
