Group assignment – The impact of the global COVID-19 pandemic on MNEs
Report task
Your consulting firm, ConsultingNow, was hired by [insert your assigned MNE’s name here] to provide an academic report on the current and expected implications of the global COVID-19 pandemic on the MNE.
Report structure
1. Report introduction
• Provide a very brief background of the MNE and the international business activities and operations of the company
• e.g., all locations of international operations and international activities
2. Two country assessments
• Provide an assessment of the business environments for A) the country of the firm’s headquarter location and B) one country in which the firm is operating (at least one of these countries needs to be recognized as a developing country).
Debate how the COVID-19 pandemic has impacted these business environments.
• e.g., use all country related assessments you learned in Com 361
3. Assess strategy implications of COVID-19
• Provide an analysis of the impact of COVID-19 on the firm’s internationalization strategy
• e.g., what pressures is the MNE facing and how is COVID-19 impacting these pressures
4. Assess organizational implications of COVID-19
• Provide an analysis of the impact of COVID-19 on the MNE’s international organizational structure
• e.g., how is the MNE structured and what impact is COVID-19 having on the organization
Report writing objective
This is an assignment aiming to develop your research skills based on your ability to identify rigorous sources, collect the relevant data and contrast different sources of information to formulate a robust judgment.
We encourage you to use:
• Company reports
• Sources detailed in your reading list
• Journals available via the library
• Data from supra-national organizations (e.g. EU, WTO, IMF, UNCTAD)
• Business press
• Industry reports
• Keep always in mind for what purpose and audience these documents/articles/sources are written! Be critical and beware of ‘fake news’!
Report assessment criteria
• The group report is written together with your group members and one group mark will be given to all group members
• You are expected to work together and submit one coherent report not a compilation of different independent sections
• As the aim of the group report is to assess your knowledge of the course content and your research skills the assessment criteria are divided accordingly
• Also see grading rubric
