Midterm Paper Description

· The midterm paper should be 4-5 pages in length (not including title, reference, and appendices). 

· Papers should more than answer the questions; there should be a logical flow that includes transitions. 

· There must be a minimum of 5 unique reference sources, of which 3 non-internet, peer-reviewed written sources. The text MUST be one; others should come from peer-reviewed journal articles and the internet. You must cite the text.

· All papers are due on Blackboard’s Chalk+Wire link by midnight of the date listed. Late work will be accepted up to one week late, with 10% taken off for every day late. 

TOPIC: 

Starbucks Corporation is an American company, based in Seattle, Washington, that has become a global coffee company. Starbucks is the largest coffee house company in the world. As of March, 2013, Starbucks had 20,891 stores in 62 countries, including 13,279 in the United States, 1,324 in Canada, 989 in Japan, 851 in China, 806 in the United Kingdom, 556 in South Korea, 377 in Mexico, 291 in Taiwan, 206 in the Philippines, 171 in Thailand and 10 in India.(“Loxcel Starbucks Map”. Starbucks. March 22, 2013. Retrieved April 20, 2013.) 

Starbucks’ stores mainly serve hot and cold beverages that include whole-bean coffee, micro-ground instant coffee, full-leaf teas, pastries, and snacks. Many of their stores sell packaged food items that include hot and cold sandwiches. Starbucks sells merchandise items (such as mugs and tumblers) that bear its famous logo. Starbucks Evenings locations, in addition to the products noted above, offer a variety of beers, wines, and appetizers after 4 p.m. (http://www.starbucks.com/coffeehouse/starbucks-stores/starbucks-evenings, retrieved 4/20/2013) Starbucks also has an entertainment division with its “Hear Music” brand. The company markets books, music, and film. Many of the company’s products are seasonal or specific to the locality of the store. Starbucks also sells its own brand of ice cream and coffee at grocery stores. 

To fulfill one of your requirements for a business class, you and two of your college friends developed a plan to start a coffee house company (named “Friend-Z’s). After graduating from college, you and your friends have successfully built Friend-Z’s into a coffee house company that competes on regional basis in the United States. You and your co-owners realize that to continue Friend-Z’s growth, your company will need to consider becoming a global competitor. You decide to call a meeting with your co-owners to discuss this issue. You develop the following questions.

GP SLO.1 Identify how global competition can be an important consideration in business decisions. 

1. What      would the advantages and disadvantages be for Friend-Z’s if it decided to      be a global competitor?

GP SLO.2 Identify how cultural, economic, and/or political differences are important considerations when making global business decisions.

2. If Friend-Z’s management did decide to become a global competitor, the company must decide which foreign country (or region) to enter first. What environmental factors would you have to take into consideration?

GP SLO.3 Understand how businesses can compete on a global basis.

3. If Friend-Z’s management did decide to become a global competitor, what type of strategy (exporting, licensing, joint venture, direct investment) would you consider to be the best type of strategy to employ? Explain why you chose your strategy by describing its advantages over other types of strategies. 

GP SLO.4.MGMT Apply management practices when formulating a specific global business program or strategy.

4. Investigate how you would become a global competitor that would enable you to compete against other global competitors like Starbucks. The investigation should begin by identifying a country or region in which to compete. After you choose a country, perform an environmental scan by determining what the important considerations would be regarding your potential customers, any potential competitors, and any economic, technological, socio-cultural, demographic, and/or political/legal considerations your company would have to consider.

Midterm Paper Rubric

Midterm Paper  200 pts.

Criteria

Possible   Pts

Format:   

• Body of paper is 4-5 pages
• Double spaced (0 pt. before or        after paragraph)
• 12 pt. font
• 1” margins

• Paper has a title page, headings        for each section, and a reference page 

10

References:   Minimum of 5 references (3 non-internet, peer-reviewed written sources) and   they are properly cited within the paper and the reference page

10

Introduction   section (to be labeled introduction): should include a brief background about   the company, purpose or thesis statement, and provide a roadmap of what to   expect in the rest of the paper

20

Body   of Paper (to be given a unique heading): Grammar and Style: paragraphs should   include main ideas and should logically transition to the next paragraph;   make sure to cite your ideas with research and do not overly use quotes;   should offer some critical thinking, not just summarizing and agreeing with   the things you have read 

20

Body   of Paper: Content (see detailed rubric below)

120

Conclusion   section (to be labeled conclusion or discussion): summarize ideas in the body   of the paper; do not introduce new research or information; do not use   quotes, but your own words to explain the main idea you want the reader to   remember 

20

Total

200

Body of Paper, detailed content rubric:

Trait

Does   Not Meet Expectations (10 pts)

Meets   Expectations (20 pts)

Exceeds   Expectations (30 pts)

GP   SLO.1 Identify how global competition   can be an important consideration in business decisions.

Is unable to identify how   global competition can be an important consideration when making global   business decisions. 

Is able to identify many ways how global competition can be an important   consideration when making global business decisions.

Is able to identify nearly all ways how global competition can   be an important consideration when making global business decisions.

Important Considerations:   Advantages-opens or extends new markets, can market their products that same   way they do in home country (international company) or develop new products or variations for   each market (Multi-domestic)

GP   SLO.2 Identify how cultural, economic,   and/or political differences are important considerations when making global   business decisions.

Is unable to identify any   aspects of cultural, economic, and/or political differences that would be   important considerations when making global business decisions.  

Is able to identify many aspects of cultural, economic, and/or   political differences that would be important considerations when making   global business decisions.

Is able to identify nearly all aspects of cultural, economic,   and/or political differences that would be important considerations when   making global business decisions.

Important Considerations: Cultural   Diversity (Values, Customs, Cultural Symbols, Language), Economic   Considerations (Economic Infrastructure, Consumer Income and purchasing   power, Currency issues), and Political-Regulatory climate (Political   Stability, Trade Regulations,)

GP   SLO.3 Understand how businesses can   compete on a global basis.

Fails   to understand how businesses complete on global basis.

Adequately   understands how businesses complete on global basis.

Show   exceptional understanding of how businesses complete on global basis.

Important Considerations: Exporting,   Licensing, Joint Venture, and Direct Investment-from exporting to direct   investment, profit potential increases BUT firm’s financial commitment and   risk increase; marketing control also increases

GP   SLO.4 MGMT Apply management practices when formulating a specific global   business program or strategy.

(MGMT3183-186   to 192)

Unable   to apply how certain business practices could be incorporated into specific   global business programs or strategies.

Is   adequately able to apply how certain business practices could be incorporated   into specific global business programs or strategies.

Is   exceptionally able to apply how certain business practices could be   incorporated into specific global business programs or strategies.

Important Considerations: Must   consider how the various components are integrated: how the identification of   country or region in which to compete, decision is integrated with the   management practices that would be used. MGMT 3183 : Must consider how the country or region in which to   compete should be integrated with an environmental scan.