Reference no: EM132476624

BUS-2275 International Business - Lethbridge College

Analysis of Norway as a potential location for Tim Hortons expansion

Project: Country Analysis

Select a country that you are interested in researching. Assume you work for a company that is interested in making an investment in the country you have selected. It may help to pick a product or company to use as an example (BUT it is NOT required that you do this) - a good example would be opening a Timmy's in another country. Assess the various challenges - economic, political, legal, ethical, and cultural-of doing business in your chosen country.

Part 1) Culture
- For the country you are studying, list several of their peoples' manners and customs. What values do people hold dear?
- Describe their attitude toward time, work, and cultural change.
- What religions are practiced there?
- What language(s) are spoken?
- What ethnicities reside in the nation, and do they form distinct subcultures?

Part 2) Politics and Law
- For the country you are studying, what type of political and legal systems do they have?
- Do free elections take place?
- Is the government heavily involved in the economy?
- Is the legal system effective and impartial?
- Do political and legal conditions suggest the country could be a potential market?
- If so, for what kinds of goods or services might the market be appealing?
- Is legislation pending that may be relevant to international companies?

International Ethics
- What is the corruption perception index score?
- What ethical dilemmas or challenges might you encounter in the country?

Part 3) Demographics
- What are the population demographics of the country
- What are income levels, distribution, etc for the population
- What is the educational system like?
- Describe the nation's social structure.

Part 4) Economics and Emerging Markets
- What type of economic system does it have?
- Has it always had this type of economic system?
- Is it a developed, newly industrializing, emerging, or developing country?

- How does it rank on the various measures of economic development?
- Has it undergone any form of economic transition within the past 20 years?
- If so, how has that transition affected the culture and the country's political, legal, and economic systems?
- What trade patterns can you observe?
- Is there evidence of products being imported? Exported?
- List the methods each government uses to promote and restrict trade.

Part 5) Foreign Direct Investment
- Does it attract large amounts of FDI?
- Is it a major source of FDI for other nations?
- What is the nation's balance-of-payments position?
- What is its current account balance? List some possible causes for its surplus or deficit.
- How is this surplus or deficit affecting the nation's economic performance?
- What is its capital account balance?
- How does the government encourage or restrict trade with other nations?

Part 6) Regional Economic Integration
- Identify any regional integration efforts in which the nation may be participating.
- What other nations are members?
- What economic, political, and social objectives drive integration? So far, what have been the positive and negative results of integration?
- How are international companies (domestic and non-domestic) coping?
- Explain why companies' coping strategies are, or are not, succeeding.

Part 7) International Financial Markets and Foreign Exchange
- Does it have a city that is an important financial centre?
- How has its stock market(s) performed over the past year?
- What is the exchange rate between its currency and that of Canada?
- What factors are responsible for the stability or volatility of that exchange rate?
- Are there any restrictions on the exchange of the nation's currency?
- How is the forecast for the country's currency likely to influence business activity in its major industries?
- How have inflation and interest rates affected the nation's exchange rate with other currencies?
- What impact has the country's exchange rate had on its imports and exports?

Attachment:- International Business.rar