Assignment 2: Executive Brief (Weight: 15%)
Due: Monday 9 am (eastern), Week 6
Instructions
In Assignment 2, you will analyze the data collected in your GUIDES Worksheet. Now that you have researched the economic conditions of the target country, using the Indicators and other resources, you are ready to make a recommendation. You will present your conclusions and proposed next steps in an Executive Brief of three to four pages. In this document, you summarize your key findings, recommend a course of action, and provide a rationale for your proposal. Your home country data is an important benchmark for interpreting the data on the target country which you have been researching.
As an Executive Brief is a succinct business communication, it is helpful to make notes on your ideas and work through your recommendation before writing the final document. To prepare in this way, examine your data from Assignment 1 and make notes, using the prompts in the Sample Outline provided below. When you are ready to proceed with writing your Executive Brief, use the same Sample Outline to structure the sections of your Executive Brief document.
Note: Use this format for your filename:
o LastName_FirstName_JWI515_Exec_Brief.docx (e.g,. Doe_John_JWI515_ GUIDES_Worksheet.docx)
Sample Outline
Use the following Outline of sections to organize the body of your Executive Brief. Use the underlined headings as section headings in your assignment. Use the prompts in each section to make sure you include the required content.
No Cover page is needed. Instead, use the following heading at the top of your Executive Brief:
TO: Your Instructor
FROM: Your Name
DATE: Submittal Date
RE: Managerial Economics 515 – Assignment 2 – Executive Brief
Introduction
• Specify your home country, target country, company and the industry it operates in
• Give an overview of the task you have done researching Indicators and explain its purpose
Target Country Economic State
• Describe the economic health and business trends of your target country
• What three Indicators were key in assessing the target country’s economic health? Why?
• What stage of the business cycle is your industry in for the target country?
• What does this data imply for growth opportunities for your company in the target country?
Recommendation
Choose ONE of the following options to recommend:
Enter new market in target country
Do Not enter new market in target country
Expand existing market presence in target country
Plan for withdrawal from the target country’s market
Based on the option you selected, respond to the prompts below:
• Briefly explain the rationale for your recommendation, with reference to your research
• What two Indicators were key in assessing the business outlook for your company and its industry in the target country? Why?
References
Professional Formatting Requirements
• Typed, double-spaced, professional font (size 10-12), include headings and subheadings, with one-inch margins on all sides
• In place of a Cover page, provide the following heading at the top of Page One of your Executive Brief:
TO: Insert Professor’s Name
FROM: Insert Your Name
DATE: Insert Date Submitted
RE: Managerial Economics 515 – Assignment 2 – Executive Brief
• Include a References page that enables the reader to locate original sources. Application and analysis of course materials and resources are expected, and additional research is welcome • The References page is not included in the required length
RUBRIC: Assignment 2: Executive Brief
CRITERIA Honors High Pass Pass Low Pass Unsatisfactory
1. Describe the overall economic health and business trends of your target country.
Weight: 20%
Exemplary description of the overall economic health and business trends of the target country.
Very good description of the overall economic health and business trends of the target country.
Satisfactorily describes the overall economic health and business trends of the target country.
Partially describes the overall economic health and business trends of the target country.
Does not describe the overall economic health and/or business trends of the target country.
2. What three Indicators helped most in assessing the
target country’s economic health? Why?
Weight: 20%
Identifies three indicators that helped in assessing the
target country’s economic health and provides an excellent explanation of why they helped.
Identifies three indicators that helped in assessing the target country’s economic health and provides a very good explanation of why they helped.
Identifies three indicators that helped in assessing the target country’s economic health and satisfactorily explains why they helped.
Identifies three indicators that helped in assessing the target country’s economic health and partially explains why they helped.
Identifies fewer than three indicators that helped in assessing the target
country’s economic health and/or does not explain why they helped.
3. What is the business cycle stage in your industry in the target country? Explain its implications for growth opportunities.
Weight: 15%
Identifies the business cycle stage for the industry in the target country and provides an excellent explanation of its implications for growth.
Identifies the business cycle stage for the industry in the target country and provides a very good explanation of its implications for growth.
Identifies the business cycle stage for the industry in the target country and
satisfactorily explains its implications for growth.
Identifies the business cycle stage for the industry in the target country and partially explains its implications for growth.
Does not identify the business cycle stage for the industry in the target country and/or does not explain its implications for growth.
CRITERIA
Honors
High Pass
Pass
Low Pass
Unsatisfactory
4. Select an appropriate recommen-
dation and explain its rationale, based on your research.
Weight: 20% Selects an appropriate recommendation and provides an exemplary explanation of its rationale, with excellent reference to the student’s research. Selects an appropriate recommendation and provides a detailed explanation of its rationale, with very good reference to the student’s research.
Selects an appropriate recommendation and satisfactorily explains its rationale, with good reference to the student’s research.
Selects an appropriate recommendation
and partially explains its rationale, with adequate reference to the student’s research.
Does not select an appropriate recommendation and/or does not clearly explain its rationale with reference to the student’s research.
5. What two Indicators helped most in assessing the business outlook for your company and industry in the target country?
Why?
Weight: 15%
Identifies two indicators that helped in assessing the business outlook for the company and industry and provides an excellent explanation of why they helped.
Identifies two indicators that helped in assessing the business outlook for the company and industry and provides a very good explanation of why they helped.
Identifies two indicators that helped in assessing the business outlook for the company and industry and satisfactorily explains why they helped.
Identifies two indicators that helped in assessing the business outlook for the company and industry and partially explains why they helped.
Identifies fewer than two indicators that helped in assessing the business outlook for the company and
industry and/or does not explain why they helped.
6. Clarity, logic, writing mechanics, and formatting.
Weight: 10% Few to no
mechanical
errors; text flows and concisely, clearly, and exemplarily expresses the student’s position in a manner that rationally and logically develops the topics.
Few mechanical
errors; text flows and concisely and clearly expresses the student’s position in a manner that rationally and logically develops the topics. More than a few mechanical
errors; text flows but lacks conciseness or clarity; assertions and conclusions are generally justified and explained. Several mechanical errors make parts of the
text difficult for the
reader to understand; the text does not flow;
the discussion fails to justify
conclusions and assertions. Multiple mechanical
errors; much of
the text is difficult to understand or the text does not flow; fails to follow formatting instructions.
