Purpose:
To further develop the knowledge from Assignment 1, and to analyse developmental aspects of the
international management process with an understanding of the options relevant to the challenges.
Specifically, this assignment is designed to assist you in developing skills in analysing strategic challenges
and opportunities in the global context and competencies to anticipate the potential strategies of global
and local competitors in specific industries; in implementing strategies for mastering interpersonal
encounters, including conflict resolution, in multicultural environments; managing your own and the
personal growth of others in the global context.
Task:
Imagine you work in an international consulting firm. You have 3 office colleagues working with
you. There is also an office manager. Your lecturer is the director of the firm. There will be
4 tasks/activities for this assignment during this course.
Activity 5 will be part of the final exam.
For activities 1, 2 and 3, your lecturer will appoint one of you as the office manager to lead an office
discussion about how you should respond to the challenges/opportunities facing your firm.
Everyone must contribute to the office discussion. Activity 4 is an alternative for activity 3 but needs
approval from your lecturer to choose this topic.
The office manager must ‘report’ to the Firm Director by the deadline set by the office manager. The
office manager will change for each activity. The Firm Director will give the office manager
feedback about each task/activity and the office manager will in turn give this feedback to their
office colleagues.
Activity 1. A small manufacturing firm approaches your office and believes there is a market
for handheld tools that are carefully crafted for local markets. After spending two months in Europe, the
president of this firm believes that his company can create a popular line of these tools.
1. What type of organization structure would be of most value to this firm in its initial efforts to go
international?
2. If the company in activity 1 finds a major market for its products in Europe and decides to expand
into Asia, would you recommend any change in its organization structure? If yes, what would you
suggest? If no, why?
3. If this same company finds after three years of international efforts that it is selling 50 percent of
its output overseas, what type of organizational structure would you suggest for the future?
Activity 2. Your team has been asked to assist a local clothing chain/store to identify a suitable
international textiles manufacturer to produce a range of men’s fashion shirts. This company has a strong
reputation for high quality, fashionable shirts, but the closure of their local textile supplier has prompted
them to explore international options for the production of their designs.
Your team has quickly shortlisted several factories (located in China, Bangladesh, Vietnam and India) with
capability to produce the shirts and your client appears to be encouraged by the competitive quotes
received. However, with the emergence of customer concerns relating to ‘ethical clothing’ and the social
and environmental impacts of textile production, your team recommends more research into these shortlisted
prospective suppliers.
You and your team have scheduled a progress meeting with your client. To prepare for this meeting, you
need to draft a document for discussion – this document must:
explain your rationale for why this additional research is required;
discuss the risks associated with not undertaking this work;
Present a plan of how you intend to research these issues.
Activity 3. Read the following articles:
1. ‘Three skills CEOs need most’ by H. Sazena, Ivey Business Journal, May/June, 2015
2. ‘Managing Oneself’ by P.F. Drucker, Harvard Business Review, January, 2005
3. ‘What only the CEO can do’ by A.G. Lafley, Harvard Business Review, May, 2009
Reflect upon and assess your past experiences, current skills level and motivation, discuss with your
office manager:
What do you think are the skills need to lead effectively in a global environment?
Why do you think you don’t have those skills yet?
How do your office colleagues from different cultures view your identified skill shortages?
In a table, identify and categorize the required skills sets/factors and provide a report outlining the
constraints of the international capacity of your office, to be presented to your director to inform
next year’s professional development plan for your office.
Activity 4. Reflect back on the cases we have discussed over the past few BUMGT5920 workshops,
Assessment Task 1 and group activities. Based on these experiences, what would you say are the
key characteristics of an effective business leader in the global environment? Note: Be mindful of the fact
fdlGrades UD_BUMGT5920_2019/17_2019-07-23 13:57:42 CRICOS Provider Number: 00103D 8 /13
Course Description (Higher Education)
BUMGT5920 MANAGEMENT IN A GLOBAL BUSINESS ENVIRONMENT
that leadership happens at all levels of an organization – not just in the CEO suite.
(Tentative alternative for Activity 3)
Activity 5. This activity must be completed and submitted prior to your exam, and will contribute to your
exam grade.
“Knowing where one belongs can transform an ordinary person – hardworking and competent
but otherwise mediocre – into an outstanding performer.” Peter Drucker, “Managing Oneself’,
HBR, Jan. 2005
Where do you think you belong?
What is critical for you to be an outstanding manager in the multicultural environment?
Write one to two pages on your answers to those two questions. Reflect on your readings, on
what you heard and learnt in the previous course workshops. Make this a personally
meaningful statement and action plan for your future career goal (i.e. what skills should you
be working on developing between now and then to ensure you get off on the right foot?)
Note: You will also be asked to evaluate all team members at the end of the course. Please
keep a log of each team member’s contribution for each team activity.
