Looking for some paper topic ideas

[CDNSushi]

Hey everyone,

As many of you know, I'm working on a Master's degree in business. Currently I'm in the middle of a course on international business, and I'm expected to submit my proposal for a brief final paper which is going to be about 10 pages...



Here's part of the instructions I was given...

Select a company that you are familiar with and write a paper that evaluates all aspects of the company’s organization with respect to the concepts that you learned in this course. In the Introduction, please provide some historical background of the company and its financial and international dealings. [...] Some concepts that you may want to consider are:

* Culture of the organization – values and norms.
* Ethics in international dealings
* Foreign Direct Investment
* Entry into the markets
* Accounting practices
* How it converts currency
* Its international strategy
* Strategic positioning
* Marketing tactics

You know, I'm really having some writer's block here. Anyone have any good ideas for a company that I could consider writing about? It has to be a company that I can readily get information about... Normally I'd have something in a jiffy, but maybe it's all the recent stress in my life, but this one's got me buffaloed!

[Hothir Ethelnor]

Seeing as this is a kilt website you could choose a woolen mill or Highland wear supply companies...

Lochcorran, Marton, D.C. Dalgliesh, Scotweb etc...

[joecool]

There is always Walmart....

[CDNSushi]

Hothir, I was actually thinking in that direction, especially as many of these companies pretty much specialize in international business. I think I'd have to do a bit of preliminary inquiring though to see if some of the people behind the business would be willing to give me some info and to what extent they are comfortable sharing it.

Joecool: Yeah. You're right -- there IS always Walmart. I'm trying to stay away from it however, because it's used as a case study in just about every business textbook in print today, which also means that most profs are intimately familiar with its workings, and probably tired of seeing it over and over again.

But as a "fall-back" option, it's an acceptable one.

[Big Mikey]

Perhaps the antithesis of kilts..............Levi Strauss.

[Heming]

I know a few people have already written about Microsoft, they have some very interesting practices (in a good way). They have offices in almost every country of the world, and are usually willing to give you the information you need.

You could also try a smaller company, like a local import/export business.

[macwilkin]

What about InBev? There's lot of information about them, especially after their take-over of Budweiser last year.

T.

[Kilt_Em_All]

You could always use one of the Japanese auto manufacturers. Almost all of them do business internationally. Honda is in Minato, Nissan is down in Kanagawa, Toyota's in Aichi, and Subaru is a bit further away in Gunma. When I was in Japan the first time, I made a presentation on Subaru, but I was unable to actually visit the plant because we were way down in Hirakatashi at Kansai Gaidai and that would've been one heck of a long train ride. Good luck, whatever you decide.

-Elliott

[Coinneach]

High tech: Hewlett-Packard, Apple, Dell, Sony, etc.

Automobiles, someone has already mentioned

Banking: Chase, Citigroup, etc.

Food: I'm not sure who all the parent companies are and who owns what, but...: Pepsi, Nestles, Nabisco, Campbells (hey, there's a Scottish one! ), etc.

Disney has international businesses, as well, but they've also been done a lot.

Airlines.

Tesco from the UK has started opening stores in the US...how is that going for them?

Good luck!

[Oldhiker]

here is a twist to set you apart from the rest of the students.

look for a company that failed this year. I always learn more from failure than success. Compare and contrast to companies that thrived. What made them choose a path to failure?

Geez I sounds like one of my ancient professors