CDBM Sample Exam Questions Scan

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Sample exam questions

- Ethics and Corporate Social Responsibility

All questions must be answered in relation to your chosen organization and/orits industry sector as defined in your 'organization! industry profile'.These are 'short-answer questions so think about how much you can write in15-20 minutes. The marking scheme awards marks for relevance, applicationand originality so avoid irrelevance, generality and unoriginality.

I. In relation to your chosen organization and/or industry sector what in youropinion are the most important and/or difficult ethical issues?

2. In relation to your chosen organization and lor industry sector, what are themain ethical and business arguments in favour of 'corporate socialresponsibility'?

3. What is meant by 'corporate social responsibility'? Illustrate your answerwith examples based on your chosen organization and/or industry.

4. What are some of the main argument for and against 'corporate socialresponsibility'? Illustrate your answer with references to your chosenorganization and/or industry.

5. In relation to your chosen organization and/or industry who are the main'stakeholders' and how do they compare in terms of power and interest?

6. Draw a power-interest matrix giving positions for the main stakeholders ofyour chosen organization and/or industry and give some justifications fortheir positioning.

7. Attitudes to what constitutes corruption vary from culture to culture. Howdoes this affect business practice for your chosen organization and/orindustry?

8. How do attitudes to COlTUption vary from country to country and how dothese differences affect business practice for your chosen organization and orindustry.

9. Ethical standards vary from culture to culture. How do such differencesaffect your chosen organization and/or industry?

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IO.Using examples discuss some of the major ethical challenges thatglobalization presents to business and in particular to your chosenorganization and/or industry.

II."Ethno-centrism" and "cultural relativism" are different approaches toethical considerations. Using examples based on your chosen country,organization and/or industry, illustrate how these two approaches differ.

12.The United Nations considers that child labour infringes the basic humanrights of children and should be banned. How do issues of child labourapply to your chosen country, organization and/or industry?

I3.How do ethical considerations apply to labour standards and labour rightsand how might such considerations affect your chosen organization and/orindustry?

14.How does your chosen country score on the Transparency International,'Corruption Perception Index' and what are the implications of this for yourorganization and or industry?

IS.How does your chosen country score in terms of human rights abuses andhow does this affect your chosen organization and/or industry?

16.The United Nations' Global Compact identifies four main areas of ethicalconcern in relation to business: ecological environment, corruption, labourstandards (including child labour) and human rights. Discuss, with examples,one of these in relation to your own organization and/or industry.

17.In relation to your chosen organization/industry discuss the relevance of eco­environmental issues to corporate social responsibility.

Sample short-answer questions - Lecture 2 Introduction

All questions must be answered in relation to your chosen organization and/or its industrysector as defined in your 'organization! industry profile'.These are 'short-answer questions so think about how much you can write in 15-20 minutes.The marking scheme awards marks for relevance, application and originality so avoidirrelevance, generality and unoriginality.

1. For your chosen organization and/or its industry sector what are the maininputs, outputs and processes?

2. For your chosen organization and/or its industry sector outline the mainexternal, internal, task and general environmental factors which would needto be considered by a potential outside investor when making a majorinvestment decision.

3. Explain how some of the major operational and/or operational environmentalfactors impact on functional areas within your chosen organization ororganizations in your chosen industry sector.

4. In relation to your chosen organization and/or its industry sector explain ingeneral terms what meant by the various PESTLE-C categories? For eachcategory give at least one organization/industry-specific example.

5. In relation to your chosen organization and/or its industry sector brieflyexplain one of the forces in Porter's Five Forces Analysis. Illustrate youranswer with organization/industry-specific examples.

6. In relation to your chosen organization and/or industry-sector explain thedifferent types of substitution that could occur. Be as organization/industry­specific as possible.

7. What are the main conditions for competitive rivalry in an industry and howdo they apply to your chosen organization and/or industry sector?

8. In relation to your chosen organization or industry what are the main barriersto entry which limit new entrants into the industry?

9. In relation to your chosen organization and/or its industry sector brieflyexplain one of the forces in Porter's Five Forces Analysis. Illustrate youranswer with organization/industry-specific examples.

10. In relation to your chosen organization or an organization in your chosenindustry how strong are the forces of supplier-power and buyer-power?

1l.Explain how some ofthe major operational and/or operational environmentalfactors impact on functional areas within your chosen organization ororganizations in your chosen industry sector.

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Sample short-answer exam questions- Lecture 3 GlobalizationAll questions must be answered as far as possible in relation to your chosen organizationand/or its industry sector as defined in your 'organization! industry profile'.

These are 'short-answer questions so think about how much you can write in 15-20 minutes.The marking scheme awards marks for relevance, application, quality and originality so giveyour best answer avoiding irrelevance, generality and unoriginality.

I. What is meant by the term 'globalization'? Illustrate your answer with references to yourchosen organization or industry.

According to Held et al (1999) globalisation is "the widening, deepening and speeding up ofworldwide interconnectedness in all aspects of contemporary social life, from the cultural tothe criminal, the financial to the spiritual". The main indicators of globalization are trade andforeign direct investment (FDI). There has been a recent rapid increase in international tradefrom 1950 to now (more than 27 fold). FDI is the investment by a firm based in one countryin production and/or operating capacity in another country (i.e. not mere 'portfolioinvestment'). The major players in this expansion of international trade and in the evengreater increase in FDI are the multinational or transnational corporations (MNCs or TNCs).

These increases have led to increased economic interdependency on a global scale butglobalization is also manifested by increased political, legal, technical, social, cultural andecological interdependency.

The trade in cocoa has long been highly internationalized beginning with the arrival of cocoabeans in Spain in 1585 and the long-term existence of major cocoa exchanges in New York(est. 1925), London, Amsterdam and Hamburg. The trade in chocolate has been far lessinternationalized this is partly evidence by the fact that the major brands of British,American and 'European' chocolate have been very distinct. In recent years the chocolateproducers have sought to extend their sales into more distant markets. Cadbury's 2008company report emphasised the company's increasingly global position and its strength indeveloping economies. It has been argued that Kraft's takeover of Cadbury was prompted byKraft's desire to quickly increase its strength in global and developing markets.

We can expect that the chocolate industry and markets will become increasingly globalisedover the next few years leading to a wider range of chocolate choices for consumers andperhaps an increased convergence of tastes and preferences.

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I. What are the main indicators of globalization? Illustrate your answer with references toyour chosen organization or industry.

The two main indicators of globalization are international trade flows and internationalcapital flows. These two have resulted in greatly increased economic integration andinterdependency. Other important indicators of globalization are increased political, legal,socio-cultural, and ecological integration. Since 1950 international trade had increased bymore than a multiple of27. This was over three times the increase in world economicactivity. Over an even shorter period foreign investment ('direct' and 'indirect') has increasedeven more rapidly than the increases in trade.

According to UNCTAD world production and grindings of cocoa beans has increased fromImn. tonnes in 1960 to an estimated 3.5 mn. tonnes in 2005. [In order of annual productionsize, the eight largest cocoa-producing countries at present are Cote d'Jvoire, Ghana,Indonesia, Nigeria, Cameroon. Brazil, Ecuador and Malaysia. These counllies represent 90%of world production. (The major exporting countries do not include Brazil or Malaysia asthese coulllries consume their own production and Brazil also impOlts cocoa.)]

Although cocoa is largely produced in developing countries, it is mostly consumed inindustrialized countries. [The following countries are in order the major conswners of cocoa:U.S.A (32.7%), Germany (11.6%), France (10.3%), Britain (9.2%) and Russia (7.7%).] Forcocoa, the buyers in the consuming countries are the processors and the chocolatemanufacturers.

A few multinational companies dominate both processing and chocolate manufacturing. Themain companies for the production of industrial and speciality chocolate are led by Barry­Callebaut with 51 % of the market [followed by ADM with 11 %. The mass-market forbranded chocolate is dominated by large international food companies and the largest threechocolate producers Nestle (27%). Fe\Tier (17%) and Cadbury (15%) accounted for 58% ofthe market in 2003. With the rccent takeover by I':raft of Cadbury raises Kraft's share to 28%.If we combine the illClustrial and consumers markets the top three producers (Barry­Callebaut), Nestle and AVlil) together had 58°,'0 of Ule market in 2003.] Barry-Callebaut is theproduct of a merger between a Belgian firm and a French firm but the company is nowregistered on the Swiss stock exchange. The company has a full range of production, salesand development facilities located in 26 countries including Europe, North and SouthAmerica, Africa, India, China and Japan. The company claims to be the only fully integratedchocolate company operating on a global scale.

(N.b. Barry-Callebaut may be a better choice than Cadbury. www.barry-callebaut.com)

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2. Recent rapid increases in world trade are a major indicator of globalization. To whatextent is this reflected in the trade statistics for your chosen industry?

3. Recent rapid increases in foreign direct investment (F.D.r.) are a major indicator ofglobalization. To what has F.D.J. affected your chosen organization and/or its industry?

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4. Briefly explain what are some of the main drivers of globalization. Illustrate your answerwith references to your own chosen organization, industry and/or country.

The main drivers of globalization are economic, political and technological. Economicfactors include economies of scale and the access to cheaper inputs. Technological factorsinclude improved and cheaper transportation and communications.

Economic factors include economies of scale and the access to cheaper inputs. Economies ofscale are when a larger scale of production results in lower unit costs. Finns will seek toexpand their markets in order to increase the scale of their sales, allowing increasedproduction, lower costs and increased competitiveness. This pushes the finns tointernationalize and globalize their operations. Access to cheaper inputs can also lowerproduction costs particularly the availability of cheap labour. Cocoa processing and chocolateproduction are both industries that are likely to benefit from economies of scale.

Political factors include the role of the World Trade Organization (WTO) in reducing tariffbarriers to trade. The WTO, and before it GATT, exists to reduce the barriers to trade first ingoods and more recently in services. This reduction of tariff barriers makes it much easier totrade abroad. Most countries are now members of the WTO which means that they cannotdiscriminate against other member states. The collapse of communism in Russia and EasternEurope, and opening-up ofthe Chinese economy have also contributed to trade liberalization.Something which is likely to be beneficial to the chocolate industry is the internationalstandardization offood quality regulations. Certainly the agreement of the EU to allowvegetable fats in chocolate (2002) was beneficial to British chocolate producers butdetrimental to cocoa producers.

Technological factors include improved and cheaper transportation and communications.Ships are larger and more efficient. The world-wide web (WWW) makes globalcommunications almost instantaneous and allows for the rapid transfer oflarge amounts ofdata. These facilitate trade but also make possible integrated global production. Barry­Callebaut the world's largest chocolate producers claims to be a fully integrated chocolatecompany operating on a global scale and will have benefited considerably from improvedtransportation and communications.

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5. Political and regulatory liberalization are a major driver of globalization. With referencesto your own chosen organization and or industry briefly explain how this is so.

6. Economic factors are a major driver of globalization. With references to your own chosenorganization and or industry briefly explain how this is so.

7. Technological change is a major driver of globalization. With references to your ownchosen organization and or industry briefly explain how this is so.

8. The 'triad' countries continue to dominate world trade and FDI but there is an increasingchallenge to this position from China, India and to a lesser extent from Brazil and Russia.How do these affect your chosen organization and/or industry?

9. Briefly explain what are some of the main barriers to globalization. Illustrate youranswer with references to your own chosen organization, industry and/or country.

10. MNCs/TNCs are major actors in the globalization process. How do the activities ofMNCs/TNCs relate to your organization and or industry?

11. How impo11ant are MNCs/TNCs and FDI to your chosen organization and/or industry?

12. To what extent is your chosen organization or industry globalized?

13. The main aim ofthe World Trade Organization is to encourage the expansion ofinternational free-trade. How have the activities of the WTO affected your chosenorganization and/or a finn(s) in your chosen industry sector?

14. Give a brief explanation of the role of a regional trade agreement or regional trading blocand how it affects your chosen organization, firms in your chosen industry sector or thecountry in which your chosen firm or chosen industry is based or trades.

15. When considering barriers to trade we make a distinction between tariff barriers and non­tariff barriers. Explain what is meant by non-tariff barriers and how they apply or couldapply to your chosen organization and/or a firm(s) in your chosen industry sector.

16. Globalization has resulted in increased migration and yet restrictions on immigration aregenerally stricter than before. Briefly explain in relation to a country in which yourorganization or industry operates how it has been affected by migration pressures andrestrictions on immigration.

Sample exam questions - The Political Environment

All questions must be answered in relation to your chosen organization and/or industry sectoras defined in your 'organization! industry profile'.

I. Outline the political system of the main country or countries within which your chosenorganization and/or firms in your chosen industry operate.

2. How does your chosen country score in terms of democracy and how does this affect yourchosen organization and/or firms in your chosen industry?

3. Outline the economic system of the main country or countries within which your chosenorganization and/or firms in your chosen industry operate.

4. How is your chosen organization and/or firms in your chosen industry sector affected bythe political system or systems within which it or they operate?

5. How is your chosen organization and/or firms in your chosen industry sector affected bythe economic system or systems within which it or they operate?

6. How does your chosen country rank in tenns of "ease of doing business" and how doesthis affect your chosen organization and/or fim1s in your chosen industry?

7. The ability to enforce property rights including intellectual property rights are animportant factor in the 'ease of doing business'. How does this affect your chosenorganization and/or firms in your chosen industry?

8. How does the existence of, or the absence of, monopoly and/or oligopoly market poweraffect your chosen organization and/or firms in your chosen industry?

9. How and to what extent does govemment in your chosen country attempt to limitmonopoly and/or oligopoly power?

10. There are great differences between the wealth and incomes of people living in the richestand poorest countries ofthe world. How do these differences affect your chosenorganization and/or firms in your chosen industry?

II. Within countries there are often great differences of wealth and incomes. How do thesedifferences affect your chosen organization and/or firms in your chosen industry?

12. Countries can be characterised as "eastem" or "westem". How do these differences affectyour chosen organization and/or firms in your chosen industry?

13. With increasingly integrated world economy world political organization are increasinglyimportant. Consider one ofthese (examples: UN, G8, G20, WTO) and explain itsimportance.

14. With increasingly integrated world economy regional political/economic organization areincreasingly important. Consider one of these (examples: EU, NAFTA, ASEAN) andexplain its importance.

15. Consider two foreign countries that your chosen finn or a finn from your chosen industrymight want to invest in. Compare the two countries in tenns of economic and politicalattractiveness.

Sample exam questions - Legal Environment

All questions must be answered in relation to your chosen organization and/or its industrysector as defined in your 'organization! industry profile'.These are 'short-answer questions so think about how much you can write in 15-20 minutes.The marking scheme awards marks for relevance, application and originality so avoidirrelevance, generality and unoriginality.

I. Briefly describe the main features of the legal system in your chosen country.

2. Briefly explain why knowledge of different legal systems is useful for firms involvedin international trade and investment. Give examples related to your chosenorganization and/or industry.

3. For a country in which your chosen organisation or industry operates, what are someof the most important areas oflegislation for your chosen organisation or industry?

4. In relation to your chosen organization or a firm in your chosen industry operatingacross national boundaries consider which laws are most important.

5. Consider how membership of, or dealings with, a regional trade organization(examples: ASEAN, NAFTA, EU) affect your chosen organization or industry.

6. What are the main rules of the World Trade Organization (WTO) and how might theyaffect your chosen organization and/or industry?

7. What are the main features of European Union competition laws and how might theyaffect your chosen organization or industry?

8. Health and Safety (H&S) laws are important for all businesses. How do H&S lawsaffect your chosen organisation or industry?

9. Contract law is an important area of business law. Consider how the requirements ofcontract law affect your chosen organization or industry.

10. Property rights including intellectual property rights are an important area of businesslaw. Outline how intellectual or physical property rights laws affect your chosenorganization or industry.

II. What are the main forms of intellectual property and how can they be protected?What is the importance of intellectual property protection for your chosenorganization and/or industry?

12. Employment rights laws are important for all businesses. How do these laws affectyour chosen organisation or industry?

13. Human rights and related legislation are increasingly important. How do they affectyour chosen organisation or industry?

14. If disputes arise across national boundaries about the interpretation and/orimplementation of contracts how can they be resolved?

15. In a dispute over infringement of intellectual property rights why might anorganization choose to pursue the case in the USA rather than in the country wherethe offence occurred?

16. Bribery and corruption can have damaging effects on international trade. What aresome of the national and international laws that are most relevant in this area?

17. Product safety laws are important for many businesses. How do they affect yourchosen organisation or industry?

18. Data protection and internet security are increasingly important. How are theyrelevant to your chosen organisation or industry?

19. What are the main distinctions between contract law, tort, criminal law andinternational law? Give examples relating to your chosen organization and/orindustry.

Look through your lecture notes and the learning outcomesfor the legal environment and identify as many things as youdon't understand. Formulate one most important question.

Any questions that don't get answered in-class post on thegroup J discussion board.

For next week do the same in relation to the competitiveenvironment lecture notes and bring your questions to nextweek's workshop.

As soon as you can put your organization/industry profile inthe 'drop-box'.

Sample exam questions - Competitive Environment

All questions must be answered in relation to your chosen organization and/or its industrysector as defined in your 'organization! industry profile'.These are 'short-answer questions so think about how much you can write in 15-20 minutes.The marking scheme awards marks for relevance, application and originality so avoidirrelevance, generality and unoriginality.

I. The terms 'industry' and 'market' are often used inter-changeably but are also often usedto make a distinction between an 'industry' and a 'market'. Explain this distinction usingexamples and illustrations from you own chosen industry or market.

2. With reference to a standard industrial classification system with which you are familiar(E.g. ISCS) in which category does your or organisation sit. Explain.

3. What are the criteria that you have applied when defining the scope of your chosenindustry/market or the industries/markets within which your chosen organizationoperates.

4. Which market structure ('perfect competition', 'monopoly', 'oligopoly', 'monopolisticcompetition' or other) best applies to your chosen organization or industry? Explain.

5. How does the 'structure-conduct perfom1ance' model apply to your chosen organizationor industry?

6. Explain how the measures of industry concentration (CR3 and CR5) are calculated.Which is the more appropriate measure for your chosen industry or the industry in whichyour chosen organization operates?

7. In recent decades many previously state owned industries have been privatised. To whatextent has your chosen organization or industry been affected by such changes?

8. Most countries have anti-monopoly / pro competition laws. For one or more countriesexplain briefly how such laws impact on your chosen firm or industry?

9. What finns exist in your chosen industry/market and which ofthem are your finn'sclosest competitors? Which other more distant competitors could give useful informationand ideas for future development in your own industry/market?

10. Give an outline of Porter's Five Forces Analysis based on your chosen organization or afirm in your chosen industry.

11. Within the context of Porter's Five Forces Analysis and in relation to your chosenorganization or industry explain one ofthe following forces:competitive rivalry, customer power, buyer power, threat of new entrants, and threat ofsubstitutes.

12. Porter's Five Forces Analysis identifies five major forces which affect the competitiveenvironment. What other important force or forces could be included and how do theyaffect your chosen organization or industry/market.

13. What are differences between the Concentration Ratio (CR) and the Herfindahl­Hirschmann Index (HHI) methods of measuring industry/market concentration? Howwould these different measures give different results for your chosen industry?

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Sample exam questions - Social and Cultural

All questions must be answered in relation to your chosen organization and/or itsindustry sector as defined in your 'organization! industry profile'.These are 'short-answer questions so think about how much you can write in 15-20minutes. The marking scheme awards marks for relevance, application and originalityso avoid irrelevance, generality and unoriginality.

1. How do cultural factors affect the operations of your chosen organization or offirms in your chosen industry sector?

2. How do differences of culture between countries affect the operations of yourchosen organization or of firms in your chosen industry sector?

3. How do differences of culture within a country affect the operations of yourchosen organization or of finns in your chosen industry sector?

4. Choose one of the following elements of culture and explain how it affects theoperations of your chosen organization or of firms in your chosen industry sector?

• Language • Business etiquette• Religion • Aesthetics• Manners and customs • Educational levels and attitudes

5. Consider Hofstede's research into cultural differences and how his categories might affectthe operations of your chosen organization or of firms in your chosen industry sector.

6. What cultural changes are taking place in your chosen country and how might they affectthe operations of your chosen organization or of firms in your chosen industry sector inthe future?

7. How does population size and/or age distribution affect the operations of your chosenorganization or of firms in your chosen industry sector?

8. What demographic changes are taking place and are predicted and how might they affectthe operations of your chosen organization or of firms in your chosen industry sector?

9. Briefly describe the main demographic features of your chosen country. What are themost important demographic factors affecting your chosen firm and/or industry.

10. What is the most important demographic factor affecting your chosen organization and/orindustry? Explain your answer.

II. Increased population size can have advantages and/or disadvantage for business. Explainbriefly how population size affects your finn and/or industry.

12. How does age distribution within a population affect your chosen organization and/orindustry?

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13. What is meant by 'fertility rate' and how do falling fertility rates affect your chosencountry, firm and/or industry?

14. How might sex distribution within a population or ethnic diversity within a populationaffect a business organization and/or industry? Give examples based on your chosenbusiness organization and or industry.

15. Developed countries often suffer from aging populations. Developing countries oftenhave a 'Goldilocks' period ofa youthful population with low dependency. Which of theseaffects your chosen country and how does it or will it affect your chosen firm and/or firmsin your chosen industry?

16. How does increased urbanization affect your chosen firm and/or industry?

17. Male/female participation rates vary from country to country. How do these variationsaffect your chosen firm and/or industry.

18. How do social divisions such as 'social class' affect your chosen country, industry and/ororganization.

19. Chose one of the following categories of social structure: 'social class', tribe/clan orcaste; and discuss how it affects your chosen country, industry and/or organization.

20. In many countries there are large differences of wealth and income. How do suchdifferences affect your chosen country, industry and/or organization.

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Sample short-answer questions- The Technological Environment

All questions must be answered in relation to your chosen organization and/orits industry sector as defined in your 'organization! industry profile'.These are 'short-answer questions so think about how much you can write in15-20 minutes. The marking scheme awards marks for relevance, applicationand originality so avoid irrelevance, generality and unoriginality.

I. The discovery and/or invention of new materials are an important area oftechnological development. Give some examples of new materials that haveaffected your chosen firm or industry and/or give examples of imaginarynew materials that might affect your chosen firm or industry.

2. In relation to an area of technological development (examples:pharmaceuticals, genetics, transport or communications) give example ofsome of its main effects on your chosen organization and/or industry sector.

3. Explain what is meant by the terms: ' research', 'basic research', 'appliedresearch', and 'development' in the term 'R&D'. As far as possible illustrateyour answer with examples based on your chosen industry.

4. Using examples from your chosen organization and/or industry sector thedistinction between (a) product innovation, and (b) process innovation.

5. "New technology is a source ofopportunities and ofthreats and challengesin business. " Illustrate this statement with example and illustrations based onyour chosen organization an!of industry.

6. "A major factor in globalization has been the ability of multinationalcorporations (MNCs) to manage the value-chain internationally andglobally." Explain and illustrate this statement with examples based on yourchosen organization and/or industry.

7. Joseph Schumpeter (1942) popularised the term "creative destruction" as athreat to existing firms from new technology. Explain and illustrate some ofthe dangers and challenges of new technology using examples based on yourchosen organization and/or industry.

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8. Some firms, industries and countries invest more in research anddevelopment (R&D) than others. Explain some of the reasons for thesevariations. Illustrate your answer with examples based on your chosenorganisation and/or industry.

9. What are the main ways of protecting intellectual property and what aresome of the main problems. Illustrate your answer with examples (real orhypothetical) based on your chosen organization and/or industry.

10.Using examples from your chosen organization and/or industry sector showhow work activities within organizations have been affected by the increaseduse of computers and information technology.

II.In relation to your chosen organization and/or industry sector explain what ismeant by the following terms: 'e-business', 'e-commerce', 'B2B' and 'B2C'.

12.In relation to your chosen organization and/or industry sector explain hownew technology can be used to monitor employee performance, to monitoroutput or to monitor sales.

13.In relation to your chosen organization and/or industry sector what are mostimportant benefits of e-commerce.

14.In relation to your chosen organization and/or industry sector what are mostimportant benefits of e-business.

15.In relation to your chosen organization and/or industry sector what are mostimportant problems of e-business.

16.In relation to your chosen organization and/or industry sector what are mostimportant problems of e-commerce.

17.In relation to your chosen organization and/or industry sector, how does theexpansion of e-commerce affect Porter's five forces?

18.The invention and development of the internet during and since the 1990shas had a major impact on business. Explain and illustrate this statementusing examples based on your chosen organization and/or industry.

Sample exam questions - Financial Environment

All questions must be answered in relation to your chosen organization and/or its industrysector as defined in your 'organization/ industry profile'.These are 'short-answer questions so think about how much you can write in 15-20 minutes.The marking scheme awards marks for relevance, application and originality so avoidirrelevance, generality and unoriginality.

I. Consider exchange rates for your country's currency against that of its main tradingpartner over the last 10 years. What trends can you see and how might these trends affectyour chosen firm and/or industry? [see http://www.x-rates.com]

2. In relation to exchange rates what is meant by the 'law of one price'. To what extentmight it affect your chosen firm and/or industry?

3. If a basket of goods has been found to cost US$300 in New York, and 30,000 yen inTokyo. What is the PPP yen/dollar exchange rate? If the actual exchange rate is 130yen/dollar what would you expect to happen to that exchange rate in the future? (Feel freeto adapt this question to you own currency and that of your most important tradingpartner.)

4. Briefly explain why and how money supply, inflation and exchange rates are important toyour chosen finn and/or industry.

5. Different countries run different exchange rate regimes for their currencies. What is theexchange rate regime for your country? Compared to the alternatives, what are theadvantages and disadvantages of this exchange rate regime for your organization and/orindustry?

6. Consider the creation of the Euro currency. What are the advantages and/or disadvantagesof the Euro for your chosen organization and/or industry?

7. Consider the 2008/09 financial and economic crisis. What were its effects and, inparticular, what were its effects, if any, on your chosen organization or industry?

8. Inflation is generally considered to be damaging to international competitiveness. Whatmeasures can governments use to control inflation and how these measures have or couldaffect your chosen firm and/or industry?

9. Interest rates are the price of borrowing money. How have or could changes in interestrates affect your chosen organisation and/or industry?

10. The exchange rate is the value of one currency expressed in tenns of another. How haveor could changes in exchanges rates affect your chosen organization and/or industry?

II. What are some of the main financial services and institutions? Briefly explain theirimportance for your chosen organization and/or industry.

12. What are some of the main international financial institutions? Give examples of howtheir decisions could affect your organization/industry.

13. Chose one of the main international financial institutions, briefly explain its work andhow it could affect your organization/industry.

14. Within a country or currency zone what are the main functions of the central bank or itsequivalent? Give examples of how its decisions could affect your organization/industry.

15. What are some of the main private-sector financial institutions? Give examples of howtheir activities have/could affect your organization or industry.

16. The financial system has become increasingly concentrated and increasingly integratedinternationally. What are some of the advantages and disadvantage of thesedevelopments?

Sample exam questions - Ecological Environment

All questions must be answered in relation to your chosen organization and/orits industry sector as defined in your 'organization! industry profile'.These are 'short-answer questions so think about how much you can write in15-20 minutes. The marking scheme awards marks for relevance, applicationand originality so avoid irrelevance, generality and unoriginality.

1. Identify one key issue in eco-environmental policy thatparticularly affects your organisation or industry. Explainbriefly and illustrate your answer withorganization/industry specific examples.

2. What were the main features of the Kyoto protocol (1997)and how does, will or might its provisions impact on yourchosen organization or industry?

3. How do EU environmental policies impact on your chosenorganization or industry?

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4. Consider Figure 8.1 or similar data for your own country.How might a shift from GDP driven policies to policiesbased on a broader measure of welfare such as the ISEW

impact on your organization or industry?

5. Consider the Kyoto target for reducing C02 emissions fromthe viewpoints of individual consumers, society in general,governments and your own company or industry.

6. Consider the outcome of the Cancun conference onclimate change (2010l from the viewpoints of individualconsumers, society in general, governments and your owncompany or industry.

7. Consider the activities of your chosen firm and/or industryfrom the viewpoint of each of a range of differentstakeholders. Give examples of concerns that each groupmight have with particular reference to ecologicalconcerns.

8. To what extent would you recommend your firm orindustry to concentrate on the production and/or sale ofenvironment-friendly products?

9. What are the main eco-environmental commitments of your chosenorganisation or of organizations in your chosen industry? What do youthink they ought to be and why?

10. How does increasing ecological awareness of consumers affect your chosenorganisation or industry?

II.How do government policies and interventions on eco-environmental issuesaffect your organization or industry?

12.How might global warming and climate change impact on your organizationor industry?

13. How might measures to reduce C02 emissions impact on yourorganization or industry?

14. China and the USA are the two largest emitters of C02. With particularreference to one of these countries discuss the implications of C02reductions and/or continued global warming.

IS. China and the USA are the two largest emitters of C02. With particularreference to one of these discuss the particular difficulties of achievingC02 remission reductions.

16.Concepts such as 'private costs and benefits', 'social costs and benefits', and'external costs and benefits' are used in the analysis of the ecological effectsof business activities. Briefly explain these concepts using examples basedon your chosen organization and/or industry.

17.Pollution problems can be tackled using a range of policy tools such as'prohibition', 'environmental taxes', 'emissions standards', and 'tradeablepermits'. Consider which of these might apply to your chosen organizationor industry.

18. Global warming is the result of C02 emissions which have accumulatedduring industrialization and most of these have been generated by the richerindustrialised countries. How can C02 emission be reduced or stabilisedwhilst the economies of developing countries continue to grow?

19.1n relation to one of the following ecological problems discuss itsrelationship with your chosen organization or industry.

• acid rain,• ozone depletion,• reduced biodiversity/habitat loss,• over-enrichment of rivers and/or

seas,• disposal of dangerous substances• global warmi