Explanation should include the four major categories of the international trading environment:
- Geography (the climate, terrain, seaports, and natural resources of a country)
- Culture and Society (the accepted behaviors, customs, and values of a society to include language, education, religion, values, customs, and social relationships)
- Politics and Law (the type of government, the stability of the government, and government policies toward business; and anti-corruption and anti-bribery laws, import and export regulations, labor laws, intellectual property protection and licensing, product safety, and consumer protection)
- Economy (the types of industries and jobs in the country and the stability of the country’s money supply)
Process/Skill Questions:
- What factors affect consumer behavior?
- How could geography create international business opportunities?
- How might religious beliefs and culture affect international business?
- What are the implications of political unrest on international business?
- How can the economic conditions of a country affect business decisions?
- What are some current international ethical and legal issues in the news?
- What do intellectual property protections include?
- Why should multinational companies follow foreign licensing requirements?
- What are some accepted practices of conducting business in other countries that would be illegal in the United States? Why might they be accepted in one country but not the other? How does this discrepancy affect global commerce?