QUESTION BANK FOR INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS

MODULE 1
1. What is IB? What is the nature and dimensions of international business?
2. Describe the economical factors affecting the environment of IB
3. Describe how political and demographic environment of a country affects how
it is able to participate in business
4. What are the social and cultural factors that affect how a company can enter
into a new country?
5. How does the legal environment affect how firms can work in a country? Give
examples for the same.
6. Describe the modes of market entry that are available for a company to enter
into a new country
7. What are the factors affecting the mode of entry to choose while entering
foreign markets?
8. Distinguish between franchising and licensing
9. Distinguish between joint ventures and strategic alliances
MODULE II
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What is globalization? What are the arguments for and against globalization?
What are the factors that have enabled globalization
Describe how some Indian companies have undergone globalization. What were
the modes of entry they chose?
What are the various international orientations that transnational corporations
can have when dealing with international companies?
What is the EPRG framework? Describe its effect on company attitudes, working
style and global organizational structure.
Distinguish between international and domestic businesses. What are the key
factors that are different in each case?
What is the transnationality index (TI)? On what basis are countries assessed?
Describe the evolutionary stages that a domestic company goes through as it
evolves into an international enterprise.
Why do firms seek to engage in international business? Describe in detail the
market seeking motives, cost reduction motives and strategic motives.
Distinguish between the bandwagon effect and cross subsidization? How can
companies overcome this?
. Describe the process of globalization. Using examples describe how significant
globalization has been achieved by Indian companies.
What are the significant motives for internationalization?
what are the arguments fueling the globalization debate. Describe the aspects
in support of globalization and concerns against globalization.

MODULE III
1.

What is the GATT? Describe its objectives and principles

2. Why did the GATT fail? Describe the evolution of the WTO.
3. What is the MFN Principle of the WTO? Describe the functions of the WTO.
4. . What is TRIMS and TRIPS? What are the WTO rules on IPR (Intellectual
property rights?)
5. What was the importance of the Uruguay round? What are the achievements
in the Doha round?
6. How is the GATS important in this era of importance in services.
7. What is UNCTAD? What is the purpose and functions?
8. Describe some of the major achievements of UNCTAD.
9. Describe the purpose of the UNIDO. What have been some of the initiatives
of UNIDO in India.
10. How has the ADB been helpful in improving the infrastructure needs of
developing countries in Asia.
11. What are the Millenium developments Goals? How have the international
economic institutions been able to achieve these goals?
12. What have been the specific focus areas of the ITC (International trade
center)? How has it improved the international trade activities of LDCs (lesser
developed countries) and DCs (developing countries)?
13. What has been the need for countries to enter economic integration? What
are the major types of trade blocs?
14. What are the characteristics that distinguish the different levels of
integration? Give examples with description
15. Describe the effects of economic integration? Describe the static and
dynamic effects of economic integration? What are the supply side economic
effects of economic integration?
16. What are the characteristics of NAFTA?
17. How has the ASEAN been beneficial to India? What have been the barriers to
truly effective intra regional trade?

18. Will regional trading blocs be beneficial for global free trade? Explain.
19.What are the significant features of the formation of the European Union (EU).
What are its characteristics and institutions?
20.How has India benefited from ASEAN? Describe the objectives and key
achievements of this regional trade association?
21.What is SAARC? What are the benefits and outcomes of being a member of
this regional integration for India? Describe
22.What are the significant commodity arrangements or agreements that have
been present in International trade. What is the use of a cartel?
23.What is the OPEC? How has it operated to control oil prices globally?

MODULE IV

1.

What is the state of foreign trade in India? Describe some of the

organizations that have been formed for export promotion.
2. Describe in detail some of the export incentives that have been employed for
export promotion in India

3.

What has been the government infrastructure and organizational support

structure to aid foreign trade development in India?
4. What is the international financial and monetary system? What is the need
for having this in international business?
5. Describe the evolution of the monetary systems till the present from the gold
standard to the post Bretton Woods system.
6. Describe contemporary exchange rate systems. What is the need of pegged
exchange rate systems. Give country examples
7. Distinguish between soft pegs and hard pegs in the conventional pegged
exchange rate system.
8. What are the types of floating exchange rate systems? How is it beneficial to
country monetary and fiscal policy?
9. What is currency convertibility? Distinguish between full convertibility and
partial convertibility
10.What are the characteristics of international financial systems? Who are the
participants of this systems?How does the foreign exchange market operate?
11.Distinguish the various types of foreign exchange rate quotations. What is the
meaning of spot and forward rates?
12.What is foreign exchange risk? How is it managed?
13.What is the outcome of foreign exchange risk? How are types of risk
overcome?
14.What are the types of foreign exchange exposures that a firm is subject to in
international financial exchange?
15.How are exchange rates determined ? what are the factors affecting rates of
interest?
16.How can a country maintain cross border forex reserves? How is it different
from reserves in home country?
17.What is a letter of credit? What are the different types of LC
18.What are the process of transaction of business using a letter of credit?
Describe with diagram.
19.What are the advantages of using an LC?
20.Describe how can FDI be used for entering into new markets.
21.What is the different kinds of wholly owned subsidiaries capable of entering
into new markets?
22. What are the different types of international production linkages through which
products are made and sold?

23. Describe the procedure to be followed to carry out an export order form the
country. What is the steps to be followed and the key documents required?
24. What are the steps required to import a product into the India? What is the
documentation required?
MODULE V
1. How is the social responsibility of business important in an international
setting? Describe some examples where financial discrepancy has caused
loss of business confidence?
2. Define corporate social responsibility. How is it relevant in a global context?
1. What is cultural relativism? How does it affect ethical and legal distinctions in
international business?
2. What is the importance of following basic moral norms in whichever country
business is carried out? What are these norms?
3. Describe the ten rights that multinational and domestic corporations must
follow while doing business.
4. Describe the international codes of conduct/policy for employment practices
and policies in international business.
5. Describe the international codes of conduct/policy for consumer protection in
an international context.
6. Describe the international codes of conduct/policy for environmental protection
to be globally followed.
7. Describe the international codes of conduct/policy for ensuring basic human
rights and fundamental freedoms while doing international business.
8. What is bribery and what are the main types of bribe in an international
context?
9. How can countries overcome the threat of corruption? Describe four corrupt
practices that companies can indulge in and international context.
10.Describe the harm callused by child labour issues in developing countries.
How can buying firms ensure that childe labour is avoided by their suppliers?
11.What is a sweat shop? Describe two incidences where companies were found
to have sweatshop conditions in their supplier firms. What was the method of
reducing the ill effects of this publicity?
12.What can companies do to ensure that ethics and business conduct are linked
in all operations of the company? How can it be enforced by responsible
companies?