1. What is competitive advantage, how can we assess the competitive advantage of a company and why is it necessary for a company to have a clear product/service and/or business competitive advantage before that company can become active on a foreign market? Use at least 250 words to answer this question.

2. How, according to you, would it be possible for a local, physical retail fashion store at the city of Apeldoorn in The Netherlands, in terms of customer loyalty, customer targeting, fashion product portfolio choice, service, as well as any other possible business characteristic, to compete against internet-based global fashion competitors that ship their goods using couriers and parcel post to consumers all over the world? Use at least 250 words to answer this question.

3. Please discuss and explain what the effect of globalization is on the national culture of countries. To what extent – and how – does globalization, according to you, influence the individual global citizen’s thinking, behavior and consumption patterns? Use your own home country as an example of how globalization affects your country. Use at least 250 words to answer this question.

4. Discuss the economic and business implications of the dominant religion in a foreign country for a domestic company that wants to enter that foreign country. Describe how a firm should prepare itself before entering a foreign country with its products and services, taking that foreign country’s religion into account during its preparation before the actual market entry. As an example, think of a Dutch firm entering the market in Nigeria or think of a Vietnamese firm entering the market in Mexico. Use at least 250 words to answer this question.

5. The general idea of free international trade is that it benefits all the involved countries. Contrary to this, it can be argued that the current trade conflict between the USA and China is harmful to both countries and possibly is harmful to other countries all over the world as well. China is the world’s leading solar panel manufacturer, measured in output and export numbers.

If the USA decides to impose a 25% percent import tariff on Chinese solar panels, what – according to you – would be the consequences as regards the import of these products by the USA for the following 4 stakeholders:
a. Solar panel buying consumers in the USA,
b. Solar panel manufacturing companies in the USA,
c. Solar panel manufacturing companies in China, and
d. Solar panel buying consumers in Europe.
Use at least 500 words to answer this question and discuss all 4 stakeholders.

6. Imagine that, after you have finally obtained your Master of Business Administration degree, you are hired by the international business management department of a large multinational company (e.g. Procter and Gamble, Nestlé or Unilever) that is active with the production, marketing and sales of consumer food and consumer non-food products all over the world.

The head of the international department of that company asks you to select a possible new Asian country where the company could enter the market to sell its products. He is thinking about Australia, Vietnam or Japan. He adds that the means and resources of the firm will only suffice to make just one market entry, so the company is capable to launch only one market entry.

He therefore asks you to select one of the 3 countries where the company potentially would be most successful with its market entry and he asks you to do this in a clear and structured way in which you assess all 3 countries properly.

Please explain and describe how you intend to select one country and explain your approach to present a country, which, according to you, offer the best chances of success regarding a foreign market entry by your company. Use at least 500 words to answer this question.