INBU9 Research Assignment & Presentation
Team Hand-in Value 20% & Presentation Value 20%
Canada is a world leader in supplying high-quality, environmentally responsible forest products
including wood lumber, pulp and other forestry products. Forest products contribute significantly to
Canada's exports. We are developing new markets for innovative products such as biofuels and
engineered building materials, and for related services, including building design and forest
management.
The task is to study your assigned country and come up with a comprehensive and well researched
report. It is as if you have been asked by your boss to prepare a study on whether your forest product
company should undertake to conduct operations there!
There is no page minimum, but it should not exceed 12 pages of text (appendices and exhibits may be
extra, and should follow the text), prepared in the APA format noted later in this outline. The paper
must include the following elements (the following list is not a Table of Contents, but a list of required
elements):
★ Introduction and description of the country geographically, demographically, and in terms of its
natural resources and transportation/distribution advantages or challenges
★ A brief history of its political systems, especially for the past 50 years, but with some summary of
earlier history as it applies to understanding its economy and political/trade relationships
★ Current and recent historical economic sector and trade statistics and commentary (note: these must
be multi-year to show a trend line you can discuss), including which other countries are their principal
competitors on key products or services that they export
★ Description of existing trade relationships and association/consortium memberships relating to trade,
including multi-year national trade accounts, and discussion of how trade relationships appear to affect
these
★ Identification and information about leading companies (domestic or foreign) and economic sectors
operating in the country, with an analysis of their strategic niche or comparative advantage they have
exploited in becoming successful
★ Description of its monetary system and how it has been judged by the international monetary and
banking community in recent years
★ Current status of legal and physical infrastructure (e.g., courts and legal system, roads, airports and
flight connections, power and sewer/water availability, etc.) and what implications these have for
business and trade opportunities
★ Current status of its intellectual and research/innovation infrastructure (e.g., universities, research
institutes, education levels, etc.) and trends in its investment in these resources, including multi-year
statistics on their public (and private, where available, investments in research, development and
innovation spending),
★ Where the country ranks on a number of international rankings related to its economy, human
development and quality of life, corruption, productivity, etc.,
★ Cultural and linguistic values in the country, with discussion on how they impact on business and
trade
★ Current country tax structure as it relates to domestic businesses and foreign direct investment
★ What relationship, if any, Canada has with the country in terms of trade or aid
★ Challenges to achieving business or trade objectives, and how some of those challenges might be
addressed (and how they are currently being addressed – or not -- by the government of the country)
★ At the end of the paper, you must include recommendations to your “boss” as to what, if any
business investments in your chosen company or industry sector that you recommend in this country
and the reasons why.
You are not limited to the above items (feel free to include other things you think may be important to
understanding the country and doing business there), but each of these MUST be covered. You must
also relate this information to key ideas and frameworks covered in our text and class discussions – this
is critical!
Also, note that internet-based and other research must be referenced in footnotes and bibliographies of
your paper. Believe it or not, instructors can usually tell when you have “cut and pasted” without
attribution. Please note that direct quotations from other sources must be in quotations, indented and
in single-space format. No more than 10-12 per cent of the body of your paper should be made up of
direct quotations or “pastes” from other sources, even if they are footnoted! To do otherwise is
academically dishonest and is called plagiarism, and can result in you failing the paper and/or the
course, as well as other academic penalties in extreme cases.
Your individual country study must be submitted electronically in Word or Acrobat PDF format (as an
attachment) no later than midnight on the due date noted.
IMPORTANT
*****Your paper must include not only a title page, but a Table of Contents, and an Executive
Summary. The papers should be prepared in APA (American Psychological Association) format, which
is the most widely accepted format for academic papers. The basic guidelines include:
★ The left-hand, right-hand, and top and bottom margins of the paper should each be set for 1 inch.
★ Using left margin line justification with a ragged right margin is traditional, but full justification may
be used.
★ Hyphenation of words is permitted only with full justification. Do not break words at the end of a line
in a ragged-right margin document.
★ Double-space the main text of the document. Single-spacing may be used for table titles, captions,
indented quotations, footnotes, and references (BUT double-spacing is required BETWEEN references).
★ The first line of each paragraph must be either indented or you must use “double double-spacing”
between paragraphs.
A very clear guide on APA style is at http://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/560/01/
The SLC Library offers on-line access to research guides and a selection of excellent business-oriented
databases (You may want to make an appointment with Jessica, our librarian).
Remember: Proper spelling, punctuation and other grammar will not get you extra points on written
papers – the expectation is that, of course, it will be well-written and proofread. However, if spelling,
punctuation and grammar are poor and the paper has clearly not been proofread, you can lose up to 5
of the total 25 marks for the paper.
The Presentation
Your presentation will be 15-20 minutes long and content, presentation skills and props (PPT or
equivalent is acceptable) will all be accessed. DO NOT just read sections of your paper. You are
providing the listener a summary of what you’ve learned in doing your paper, and the
recommendations you are making, and why.
Due Date:
Hand in component is due by MIDNIGHT on AUGUST 04, 2021
LATE SUBMISSIONS WILL LOSE UP TO 25%
Presentation Date: AUGUST 11, 2021i and times will be assigned to each team.
TEAMS:
TEAM 1 DENMARK
1. MELVIN
2. ANURAG
3. MARCO
TEAM 2 FINLAND
1. PAUL
2. ABHISHEK
3. SEBASTIAN
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