HI5016 International Trade and Enterprise T3

HOLMES INSTITUTE FACULTY OF HIGHER EDUCATION

Assignment 1 Specifications

Purpose:

Students are expected to demonstrate their knowledge and understanding of a chosen research topic by applying international trade theories and concepts learnt during Week 1 to Week 5 in their in-depth analysis of the chosen topic, which is to be supported by data/statistics and relevant literature.

A group of up to five students, will be provided with a set of topics (see below) from which the group must choose on a ‘first-come, first-served basis’. In this assignment, students are required to do better than recycle the lecture materials. Students are to research the chosen topic in more depth providing evidence of independent research.

Assignment Structure should be as the following:

Research Paper (worth 15%):

The research paper is to be structured and written as a seminar report. It, therefore, must begin with a Management (or Executive) Summary within which you state in stark form (i.e. unsupported by argument) what you are asserting in this paper and you must do that in less than two pages. You can begin the main body of the paper with some general background followed by a description and discussion of significance of the specific issues considered. This introduction will normally end with a brief paragraph outlining the plan of the rest of the paper. The next section which could be divided into 2-4 sub-sections containing an in-depth discussion of the relevant issues based on the existing literature and/or data. You must provide in-text references to your sources. The last section contains a brief summary followed by a complete list of references that are cited in the text of the paper. Follow a standard referencing method (APA style or Harvard Business) consistently.

Suggested limits are as follows:

• Management/ Executive Summary: ideally one page but no more than two,
• Section 1: Introduction 300-400 words,
• Section 2: Main body of the paper 2,000-2,500 words, Sections 3: Conclusion 200-300 words, §References (10-15 references).

Presentation (worth 10%):

The live presentation of the research findings is due in Week 6 and must be organised as a business presentation. Strict adherence to the ten-minute limit is expected so the time should be carefully allocated to allow for a very short introduction on the broad topic followed by a few minutes allocated to students to present their individual component.

The presentation is primarily assessed on presentation technique. Your lecturer will make suggestions on how the academic content can be improved and that will only be assessed on the written report due in end of Week 6 of the trimester.

To ensure that all students participate equitably in the group assignment and that students are responsible for the academic integrity of all components of the assignment. You need to complete the following table which identifies which student/students are responsible for the various sections of the assignment

This table needs to be completed and submitted with the assignment as it is a compulsory component required before any grading is undertaken.

Research Paper 1 Topics

1. Comparative advantage
• Choose any two countries and, for each country, identify an industry or industries in which the chosen countries have comparative advantage. You must use relevant data/statistics to support your analysis used in the identification
• Explain the reasons/sources of the comparative advantage in each of the chosen countries
• Suggest ways to improve the comparative advantage in each country
2. Terms of Trade (ToT)
• Choose any two countries from Australia, China, UK, US, Germany, India and Malaysia, and for each country, analyse its terms-of-trade trend over the last 10 years using relevant facts/figures
• Identify and analyse factors affecting the trend in the terms-of-trade for each of the chosen countries
• Analyse how the terms-of-trade has affected welfare in the chosen countries
3. Export Subsidies in Agriculture, Wind/Solar energy industr
• Choose either an agriculture or a wind/solar energy industry from any country that currently provides export subsidies to the industries. Discuss positive and negative aspects of the export subsidies on the country’s economy.
• Evaluate the effects of the export subsidies on the country’s welfare using relevant supporting data/statistics and literature
4. Pattern of Trade
• Choose any two countries from China, Australia, India, Vietnam, Mexico and UK, and for each country, describe its pattern of trade over the last 30 years using relevant data
• Identify and analyse factors responsible for a changing trade pattern in the chosen countries
• In your opinion, discuss if your findings conform with what the trade theories predict

Marking criteria