Competing in a Global Business Paper

Goal: To investigate business and social factors impacting the growth and success of a foreign country. You will be analyzing a foreign country to determine whether or not the country would be a good trading partner for the United States.
Why is this important? It’s a global economy! Understanding key factors impacting a countries growth helps to identify business opportunities globally.
Directions: You will write a 3 -4-page paper (either by yourself or with one partner) detailing the major economic and social factors affecting the countries growth.
The research criteria should include information relating to the following topics:
GDP (Gross Domestic Product) – This should be represented as share % in growth. Use year-over-year percentage % change (Consider 2-5-year comparison) to indicate the countries trend in GDP.
Unemployment Statistics – Again, use year-over-year percentage % change (Consider 2-5-year comparison) to indicate the countries trend.
Educational Levels (High School, College, Master’s Degree, etc.). Also, educational rankings vs the world
Countries major imports and exports (Include dollar value and volume per year)
Population trends (Again, consider showing year-over-year or decade-to-decade)
Household Income (This is can be average household income)
Infrastructure Analysis (What Transportation systems in the country that are in place to help with getting goods and services distributed (Plan, Roads, Shipping ports, etc.).
Political assessment – What are the current political conditions in the country? Who is the controlling party? Is this country’s system based on socialism, communism, capitalism or mixed economy?)
Social/cultural norms – What are the normal family roles, and social etiquette norms such as dinner manners, gift giving, etc.
Comparative advantages over the United States (Why would the United States want to partner with this country?)
Business Etiquette Guidelines– Clothing, Meetings, Business cards, Dinner, etc.

Paper Length: Your paper should be 3-4 pages in length, 1.5 spacing maximum. You can include images and graphics in the document. Images and/or graphics should enhance the information, not put in the paper to “take up space” (meaning the image cannot exceed 1/3 of the page).
Paper Outline:
Introduction (Overview)
Main Body (Address the criteria outlined above)
Conclusion (Summarize your findings and tell me if the United States should partner with this country)
Please proof read your document for grammar and spelling. Points will be taken off for misspelled words and poorly constructed sentences.

References: Include a page listing your information sources. Please list your sources in MLA Format. Use http://www.calvin.edu/library/knightcite/ to properly format your sources.

Some initial references for you to review:
Social and Cultural, Business Etiquette –
http://www.commisceo-global.com/country-guides/
www.executiveplanet.com

Political, Economic, Education and Cultural Information –
https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/
http://data.worldbank.org/country
http://www.tradingeconomics.com/