International Strategic Plan

Order instructions:
Extensions:

Requests for extension must be made BEFORE the due date. Extensions may only be granted for serious circumstances, such as illness, and extensions will not extend beyond the date at which marked work is returned to students (usually within a week of submission).

Note that pressure of work is not considered an exceptional circumstance, as all our students must manage these.


Penalty for Late Submission of Assignments:

Projects must be submitted by the due date and time given by your instructor. Failure to do so will result in a deduction of 10% of your final grade for each day over the deadline.

It is the student’s responsibility to keep appropriate copies/backups of the project submitted.

 
The final project is a major piece of work that runs throughout the course. If you ever felt you had an international business idea (or dream) in you, this is your chance to pursue it! Even if it is unlikely that you will actively carry it through in real life, here is the opportunity to test your theories, and see if your learning can translate into a real overseas venture.

A business plan or strategic plan is a careful analysis of both the external and internal environments. The success depends on accurate forecasting of the external environment and a realistic appraisal of internal company strengths and weaknesses.

Students will be formed into groups of 4 (maximum) each. This group is responsible for putting together an international business plan for a UAE-based company.

The business plan will cover all aspects of a real business plan for doing business offshore. The business that you choose may be a new venture or an existing one. If you choose to establish a new venture, you must offer local product/s only and if you choose to select an existing company, it must be a local company. The completed business plan must be very professional in style and presentation.

The report should be 4000 words long. This word limit is meant to be an approximate guide only. Reports will be graded on the quality of your content.

A successful approach to formulating the strategic business plan should include the following:

1. Cover Page

2. Table of Contents

3. Executive Summary (less than two pages)

4. Introduction

5. Business Concept
• Company Profile (include mission statement and business goals)

6. Product Analysis
• Describe the products that you will be offering (include product characteristics such as functionality, design, style, color, etc.)
• Value Proposition

7. Environmental Assessment (for the market that you are entering)
• Socio-cultural forces
• Economic and socio-economic forces
• Legal forces
• Political forces
• Labor forces




8. Market Entry Strategy

9. Marketing Strategy

• Market Analysis ( including competitive analysis, market segmentation, target market)
• Product Strategies
• Place (including distribution strategy)
• Pricing Strategy
• Promotional Strategies

10. Competitive Strategy

11. Human Resources Strategy

12. Risk Analysis

• SWOT Analysis or PEST Analysis

13. Conclusion

14. References (in-text and end-text using the APA format)

15. Appendices



the marks will be
A successful approach to formulating the strategic business plan should include the following:

1. Cover Page

2. Table of Contents

3. Executive Summary (less than two pages) (5marks)

4. Introduction (3 marks)

5. Business Concept (5 marks)
• Company Profile (include mission statement and business goals)

6. Product Analysis (5 marks)
• Describe the products that you will be offering (include product characteristics such as functionality, design, style, color, etc.)
• Value Proposition

7. Environmental Assessment (for the market that you are entering) (30 marks)
• Socio-cultural forces
o Assessment of socio-cultural components such as aesthetics, attitudes and beliefs, religion, language. Major issues?
o Evaluation of the country using Hofstede’s four dimensions. Comparison to UAE business culture.
• Economic and socio-economic forces
o Assess 8 dimensions of the economy
o Major Issues? – International debt, age distribution, etc.
• Labor forces
o Labor quality and quantity
o Size of the work force
o Assessment of international labor trends
o Employer-employee relationship
• Political forces
• Legal forces

8. Market Entry Strategy (5 marks)

9. Marketing Strategy (25 marks)

• Market Analysis ( including competitive analysis, market segmentation, target market)
• Product Strategies
• Place (including distribution strategy)
• Pricing Strategy
• Promotional Strategies

10. Competitive Strategy (5 marks)
o Competitive Strategy?
o Why?

11. Human Resources Strategy (5 marks)

o IHRM Approach?
o Recruitment and Selection of employees?
o Expatriate training and services?

12. Risk Analysis (5 marks)

• SWOT Analysis or PEST Analysis

13. Conclusion (3 marks)

14. References (in-text and end-text using the APA format) (4 marks)

15. Appendices