MNB3701
Assignment 2 Semester 2 2025
Unique #
Due Date: September 2025
Detailed solutions, explanations, workings
and references.
+27 81 278 3372
, Introduction
International business plays a crucial role in shaping the strategies of multinational
enterprises (MNEs) as they engage with foreign markets under diverse institutional
and cultural conditions. The study of global business requires an understanding of
both formal institutions such as political, legal, and economic frameworks, and
informal institutions such as culture, values, and social norms (Meyer & Peng,
2019:32). These institutional factors strongly influence trade, investment, and
production decisions. The two cases presented in this assignment, namely China’s
growing investment footprint in Africa and Apple’s reliance on manufacturing
partnerships in China, highlight how multinational firms balance opportunities and
risks in global operations. The China–Africa case demonstrates how comparative
advantage, resource access, and the eclectic paradigm shape foreign direct
investment strategies in developing economies, while the Apple case illustrates the
challenges of outsourcing, supply chain efficiency, and responsible business
conduct. By applying theoretical frameworks from international business, this
assignment critically evaluates how firms pursue global competitiveness, manage
risks, and respond to ethical considerations in complex international environments.
Question 1.1
Varsity Cube 2025 +27 81 278 3372
Assignment 2 Semester 2 2025
Unique #
Due Date: September 2025
Detailed solutions, explanations, workings
and references.
+27 81 278 3372
, Introduction
International business plays a crucial role in shaping the strategies of multinational
enterprises (MNEs) as they engage with foreign markets under diverse institutional
and cultural conditions. The study of global business requires an understanding of
both formal institutions such as political, legal, and economic frameworks, and
informal institutions such as culture, values, and social norms (Meyer & Peng,
2019:32). These institutional factors strongly influence trade, investment, and
production decisions. The two cases presented in this assignment, namely China’s
growing investment footprint in Africa and Apple’s reliance on manufacturing
partnerships in China, highlight how multinational firms balance opportunities and
risks in global operations. The China–Africa case demonstrates how comparative
advantage, resource access, and the eclectic paradigm shape foreign direct
investment strategies in developing economies, while the Apple case illustrates the
challenges of outsourcing, supply chain efficiency, and responsible business
conduct. By applying theoretical frameworks from international business, this
assignment critically evaluates how firms pursue global competitiveness, manage
risks, and respond to ethical considerations in complex international environments.
Question 1.1
Varsity Cube 2025 +27 81 278 3372
