EXAMINATION
Code 1: Group Project
Lecturer’s Signature & full name
Program: VNU
Course Code: INS3019
Course Title: International Trade Management Lê Hương Linh
Level: Undergraduate Date: 7/11/2023
Time allowed: 7 days
Department’s Signature & full
Due date: name
Date: ………………………………
Instructions to students:
1. Opened-book and Research-Conduct Assignment
2. Submit your project as a hard copy (i.e., paper-based) to the Office of Academic Affairs
and a soft copy (i.e., pdf format) to MS Teams. The soft-copy version and hard-copy
version must be consistent. Any inconsistency will lead to the failure of your final
project.
3. One-day late submission will be deducted 30% of the points. Then, additional 24 hours
late submission will be deducted additional 10% points. Anti-plagiarism regulation is
applied.
4. The file name is Group name _Course code (Example: Group 1_ INS3019_01).
5. The list of members’ names and IDs must be included in the report.
This exam paper contains 6 pages, including the cover page.
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Final Exam Assignment – Code 1
Aim: This assignment aims to assess International Trade Theories (Chapters 6,7,8) and
International Trade Policies (Chapters 9, 10, 11, 12) for the unit of study.
Nature of assessment: Group task (4-6 members)
Word limit: 4,000 words (+/- 10%) excluding tables and appendices
Marks allocated: 60%
Submission: Submission of soft-copy, double-spaced pages, and pdf-version is compulsory. The
report should be in Times New Roman (12 points), with a 2.5 cm border on all sides.
Extension: Any request for an extension must be provided to the unit convenor well before the
assignment due date and accompanied by medical certification or other relevant documentation.
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The Brief
Developing an in-depth international trade analysis
This assignment requires students to discuss and analyze international trade for a selected economy
and examine a country’s international trade policies.
Part 1: Trade Situation Analysis
In this section, select a country in Europe and cover the following:
Overview of the country’s international trade situation
Provide an overview analysis of the international trade situation in the country in 2021 or 2022.
Conduct the following aspects (including but not limited to) major exports, import goods, and
major trading partners.
Based on the trade theories, including the gravity model and trade integration, please study the
determinants in the country’s trade with one of its major trading partners.
Use data to support analysis. Retrieve data from official/reliable sources like Trade Map
(trademap.org), WITS (wits.worldbank.org), the IMF, World Bank, OECD, National Customs
Offices, National Statistics Offices, official reports, etc. Students may also wish to apply graphs,
tables, etc.
For instance, if you choose France, first describe its major exports and imports products, major
exporters, and importers. Second, you can select one trading partner of France among its major
exporters or importers. Finally, apply trade theories, gravity model, and trade integration to study
the determinants in France’s trade with the selected exporter or importer regarding the type of
products, value, trends in recent years, etc.
Part 2: International Trade Policy Analysis
In this section, select ONE topic from the following:
Topic 1: Trade Policy and the Environment
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Concerns about the use of natural resources and the environment on one hand and the impact of
environmental policies on trade on the other are becoming increasingly prevalent in trade policy
discussions. Many developing countries view the linkage of environmental and trade issues as a
threat to their sovereignty and economy. In contrast, groups in industrialized economies see this
coupling as unfair, ecologically unsound, and unethical when trading and investing in countries
with lower environmental standards.
Question: What are the benefits and drawbacks (pros and cons) of using trade agreements to
achieve environmental goals?
Topic 2: Trade Standards and Labor
There are numerous conflicting views on international labor standards. Some argue that importing
from countries with low-enforced labor standards will harm wages and working conditions in the
importing (developed) country. Others contend that trade agreements should be used to ensure that
labor in developing countries is not exploited, underpaid, or subjected to abusive working
conditions.
Question: Are trade agreements, whether multilateral or regional, appropriate and effective
tools for monitoring and enforcing international labor standards?
Topic 3: The Economic Costs and Benefits of the Vietnam-US Bilateral Trade Agreement (BTA)
and Vietnam's WTO Accession
Before implementing the VN-US BTA, many in Vietnam were skeptical of the benefits, as the US
market was distant, large, and had numerous regulations. Conversely, before joining the WTO in
2007, enthusiasm was widespread in Vietnam, with many believing that WTO membership would
bring positive changes. However, the outcomes of these two events differed significantly from
expectations. Vietnam's exports surged shortly after the BTA took effect. At the same time, after
joining the WTO in 2007, Vietnam experienced an economic crisis marked by increasing trade
deficits, inflation, rising interest rates, and a more than 25% currency depreciation within two
weeks in May 2008.
Question: Why did Vietnam benefit from the BTA but not from WTO accession?
Topic 4: Trade Policy and Industry to Enhance the Domestic Value-added of Vietnamese
Exports
Domestic value-added accounts for a small portion of Vietnam's total export value. Many argue
that Vietnam should employ trade and industry policies to increase the domestic value-added of
its exports. At the same time, some proponents of increasing domestic value-added support
measures to integrate Vietnam into global supply chains.
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Question: Should Vietnam implement policies to increase the domestic value-added of its exports
(e.g., reducing reliance on imported inputs in export production)? If not, why not? If yes, what
measures should be recommended?
What you need to do:
Step 1: Group Allocation
Spend some time networking with fellow students during and outside workshops to form a group
for this assignment (the 4-6-member group is recommended). You will need to create a team and
self-assign into one team.
It is recommended that an initial meeting be held to assign a Team Leader, set some basic
rules/expectations (grade aspirations, contributions, etc.), and discuss the assignment brief in
detail before allocating tasks among members. Each team member should take notes during
meetings.
Step 2: Research conduct
Conduct research by using the below eight stages (see the recommended text for detailed analysis
conducting stage descriptions):
1: Identify and develop your topic
2: Do a preliminary search for information
3: Locate materials
4: Evaluate your sources
5: Make notes
6: Write your paper
7: Cite your sources properly
8: Proofread
Recommended Structure:
Your assignment should be presented in report format and include numbered sections and
headings, such as those below. The report must also be presented professionally in font size,
spacing, margins, design, and referencing.
Table of contents
Part 1: Introduce a country’s trade composition and major trading partners. Provide your
conclusion of the country’s comparative advantages, bilateral trade relations, and factors that
determine those relations based on the gravity model and trade integration.
Part 2: International trade policies
2.1. Executive summary
• Summarize critical points from your assignment
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• Contains 100 words
• Is NOT an overview of the conclusion of your report
2.2. Introduction
• Structure and scope of the report
• Research problem definition and framework, including the benefits of conducting
research.
• Issue description
2.3. Main Body Headings
• Use the eight stages of the research conducting framework as a guide.
2.4. Conclusion
• Summarize your report, including any clarification, explanation, and implications
You should not present any new information in this section of your report.
2.5. References (excluded from the word count)
• APA style of referencing (https://www.mendeley.com/guides/apa-citation-guide/)
• At least five academic journal articles (recommended 8 to 10) with high relevance.
• Other information (websites, newspaper articles, etc.).
Individual contribution
• Please elaborate on each member’s contribution to the assignment, including which
sections each member contributed to and the timeliness of your group work.
Declaration and Statement of Authorship
All students must agree to the following declaration when submitting assessment items.
1. I/we have not impersonated or allowed myself/ourselves to be copied by any person
for this assessment.
2. This assessment is my/our original work; no part of it has been copied from any other
source except where due acknowledgment is made.
3. No part of this assessment has been written for me/us by any other person except where
such collaboration has been authorized by the lecturer/teacher concerned.
4. I/we have not previously submitted this work for a previous attempt of the unit, another
unit, or other studies at another institution.
5. I/we permit my/our assessment response to be reproduced, communicated, compared,
and archived for plagiarism detection, benchmarking, or educational purposes.
I/we understand that:
• Plagiarism is the presentation of another person’s work, idea, or creation as your own.
It is a form of cheating and is a grave academic offense that may lead to exclusion from
the University.
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• Plagiarized material may be drawn from published and unpublished written documents,
interpretations, computer software, designs, music, sounds, images, photographs, and
ideas or ideological frameworks gained through working with another person or in a
group.
• Plagiarized material can be drawn from and presented in written, graphic and visual
form, including electronic data and oral presentations. Plagiarism occurs when the
origin of the material used is not appropriately cited.
I/we agree and acknowledge that:
1. I/we have read and understood the Declaration and Statement of Authorship above.
2. I/We accept that using my university account to submit this assessment electronically
constitutes my agreement to the Declaration and Statement of Authorship.
3. If I/we disagree with the Declaration and Statement of Authorship. In this context, the
assessment outcome may not be valid for assessment purposes. Therefore, it may not
be included in my/our aggregate score for this unit.
Evaluation
Criteria Details Ratings
Trade situation Comprehensive and enlightening review of the trend. The study 30%
analysis highlights critical insights, which clarify the direction.
International trade Addresses all stages of the research conducted clearly and 30%
policy analysis professionally.
Structure and Detailed attention to formatting and stylistic choices. Creative, 20%
visualization visually engaging, and logically structured report
Quality of writing Uses sophisticated, expressive, and appropriate business language 10%
with no grammatical errors.
Sources and High-quality and credible sources with more than ten relevant 10%
evidence sources. Correct use of the APA style of referencing throughout the
report
Member A list of members’ jobs and tasks should be provided.
contribution
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