SOE11146 Business Economics and Finance in a Global Environment

Economics Assignment Brief

  1. Assignment question

A major multinational corporation has appointed you as an economic advisor. You are requested to compile a report regarding the macroeconomic environment in two countries where the firm operates and explain how it might affect the company’s economic activity.

  1. Specifications
  2. You may choose to focus your analysis on any existing firm with international activity that can be of different types in the two countries.
  3. The two countries must be chosen from section C below as follows: one country from List 1 and one country from List 2.
  4. Your report must include:
  5. A brief description of the company and the product/market it operates in for both countries.
  6. An analysis of the market structure in which your company operates for the two countries.
  7. A comparative analysis of all major macroeconomic indicators (see section D below) for the two countries and their overall impact on firm’s economic activity.
  8. An analysis of the monetary and fiscal policy (instruments) for the two countries and their impact on the firm’s economic activity. You must include here an analysis of the interest rates (Section D, indicator 5).
  9. An analysis of the foreign trade policy instruments (international trade agreements) for the two countries and their impact on firm’s economic activity.
  10. Country Lists
List 1List 2
GermanyChina
FranceIndia
United KingdomBrazil
United StatesRussia
JapanMexico
  1. Macroeconomic indicators to be analysed (the last available 10 years):
GDP growth rate
GDP per capita at constant prices
Inflation rate (CPI)
Unemployment rate (ILO measure)
Interest rate (Monetary Policy Rate)
General government balances (% of GDP)
Balance of Payments (% of GDP)
Exchange rates (National Currency/USD OR National Currency/Euro)
  1. Project 1 Submission Guidelines
Length2,500 words, +/- 10% (excluding tables, graphs, footnotes and references)
PresentationArial 12 fonts, 1 ½ spacing,  justified text
ReferencesA minimum of 20 references using APA Referencing Style (textbooks, official data and information sources)
Completion date1:00 PM, Thursday 11th December 2020

  1. Marking criteria and weights
CRITERIAWEIGHTS
Brief description of the company and analysis of the market structure in which the company operates for the two countries20%
Data collection, comparative analysis of major macroeconomic indicators and impact on firm’s economic activity25%
Analysis of the monetary, fiscal and  foreign trade policy for the two countries and their impact on firm’s economic activity40%
Report structure, presentation and references15%