International Business
GBU 201-001 International Business
•
CRN
20399 •
T,R 12:30 PM to 1:45 PM • Combs 213
Copyright
©2005 C.Siegel
•
Take this link to subscribe to the Wall
Street Journal Online
Search
Instructions for the Wall Street Journal Online
MKT309
•
MKT401
•
GBU201
Exam
1 Readings
•
These articles will be discussed in class. Print
the articles and answer the questions.
Articles without a hot link are available in Crabbe Library,
Periodicals Collection.
a) In one sentence, summarize the main point of this article. Use your own words! Do NOT copy verbatim from the article.
b) What is the WEF? Who are the members? Why were they meeting?
c) Why has the Davos Summit recently become more socially conscious?
d) What is happening in Africa that makes the continent such a concern?
e) What is the sentiment of the group toward the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, North Korea, and Iraq?
f) What did actress Sharon Stone do at Davos?
a) In one sentence, summarize the main point of this article. Use your own words! Do NOT copy verbatim from the article.
b) Oops! How are the U.S. and Japan different in electric power from most other countries? How does this differ from dual voltage products?
c) Why are some U.S. manufacturers designing electronic products that only work in the U.S. and Japan?
d) How do prices for Apple's iMac G5 differ in the U.S. and the U.K.?
e) What is H-P's "region coding" and what is it designed to do?
f) Why are consumer groups opposed to such regionalization?
g) What approach is typically cheaper for manufacturers?
a) In one sentence, summarize the main point of this article. Use your own words! Do NOT copy verbatim from the article.
b) Although there is no evidence of it yet, what must happen with the avian flu in order for the worst fears of the world health experts to be realized?
c) Thus far, where is the virus mainly found?
d) Although we certainly hope a bird-flu virus pandemic never happens, what might be the effect on international business if localized outbreaks occur? Might this be considered an "external influence" on international business?
a) In one sentence, summarize the main point of this article. Use your own words! Do NOT copy verbatim from the article.
b) China now outranks the U.S. on FDI for several reasons. What are they?
c) Why is the government of China concerned about too rapid growth? What is the government's response?
a) In one sentence, summarize the main point of this article. Use your own words! Do NOT copy verbatim from the article.
b) What is the world role of the U.S. forecast to be by 2020?
c) What countries are forecast to grow in economic influence? What is behind their rapid rise in power?
d) What organization is making these predictions and how were the data obtained?
e) What will be the main driver of world trends? Explain what this means.
f) What are the major risks facing the world during this perod? What are the projections for the EU and Russia?
3.
Jonathan Eig, "Christmas Embargo:
A Mom Bans China From Under the Tree,"
Wall Street Journal, 24 December 2004, link,
accessed 12/24/04.
a) In one sentence, summarize the main point of this article. Use your
own words! Do NOT copy verbatim from the article.
b) Why did this family take this unusual action?
c) Why do Wal-Mart and Target purchase products like leotards from China?
What is "pressuring" their decision?
d) Why couldn't the family shop online?
e) What dollar amount of goods is the U.S. expected to import from China
in 2005 compared to 2004? What is happening to the U.S. trade gap with
China?
f) Why does the former China trade official believe that "American
is the biggest beneficiary" of trade between the two countries?
2.
David Barbosa, "In Roaring China,
Sweaters
Are West of Socks City,"
The New York Times, 24 December 2004, link,
accessed 12/24/04.
a) In one sentence, summarize the main point of this article. Use your
own words! Do NOT copy verbatim from the article.
b) What is happening in Datang, China? Where is Datang on this map?
Locate the are where Datang is located on the CIA World Factbook map.
c) What does Datang's specialization illustrate?
d) What happened on 1 January 2005 that will affect apparel makers worldwide,
but particularly in the United States?
e) What is "lump" economies and why do they give China a competitve
advantage?
f) What is the U.S. doing temporarily to restrict Chinese imports?
g) Contrast Datang in the late 1970s and today. How has the Chinese government's
attitude toward Datang changed?
h) What will restrain China from dominating apparel exports worldwide,
at least for the immediate future?
i) How much U.S. apparel already comes from China and what is China expected
to account for in the next five years?
j) What factors make China attractive to apparel industry buyers? (It's
more than just cheap labor!)
a) In one sentence, summarize the main point of this article. Use your own words! Do NOT copy verbatim from the article.
b) Note the date of this article. Given the passage of time since it was written, if the article were rewritten today, what concern should be added?
c) Explain how the "boxes" have revolutionized world trade.
d) What is the link between the cargo container business and JIT?
e) How are computers driving the box business?
f) Explain the statement: "This ship is the inventory."
g) Read about Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) and Smart Containers. How is the RFID technology used in container tracking? What are the benefits for the shipper and in anti-terrorism activities? Consider: Only about 4 percent of the over 7 million containers shipped to the U.S. annually are inspected physically. RFID is used for a myriad of purposes including retail inventory tracking, ticketing and wireless payment, traffic control (smart pass), product and document authentication, automotive tracking, timing of athletic events, etc.