Dalhousie University Managing Global Operations Paper

Each team has taken over as managers of a multinational company
(MNC) and will be reporting on how the firm’s is currently conducting its multinational operations,
i.e., its value chain activities across different countries. As discussed below the key dimensions of
interest (which should guide your attention) are (i) local adaptation/standardization various
activities and business model (e.g., value proposition, product offering, price and revenue/profit
model, distribution channels etc), (ii) geography and capitalizing on location-specific advantages,
and (iii) centralization/dispersion of each activity (in one or multiple locations) and authority across
the world (e.g., among country managers or in the headquarter). For further elaboration on these
please refer to the “multinational (global) aspects” below. 

Please note that “operations” and “multinational” are NOT two different parts of your project.
These two aspects define your domain of interest. You are studying the firm operations with a
focus on multinational themes. 

My parts: Introduction: The report should start by an introduction or executive summary which give
us a flavour of your most important findings (and make the reader interested in reading the
rest of the report). You do not need to summarize the whole report, just give us a falavor of
some of your most important findings. Also give us some generic information about the
company and its international operations. This may include: the percentage of firm
revenue/profit coming from overseas markets, number of overseas markets, number of
countries in which the firm operates, where the bulk of revenue/profit comes from (if that’s
the case), do you see concentration of value chain activities in one location/region etc.
Exercise your judgment and tell us some of the main features of firm’s global operations
upfront.(200 words) 

Local adaptation (/standardization): To what extent does the firm adapts its
products/offerings, value proposition and activities? How does the 4P changes in different
markets (distribution channels, pricing and revenue/profit model, brand positioning etc)?
More broadly, think about the extended business model including the value chain activities:
how do processes and activities change in different markets. For example, does the
company need to adopt different degrees of vertical integration? This is a particularly
fruitful theme for companies more gravitated toward “multidomestic” strategy (you can
provide some suggestion here based on your own critical thinking too). Depending on your
company and its international strategy, you may find more material on one of these three
themes. Please give us concrete/specific examples for adaptation (particularly in your
presentation) to convince us and make this relatable. This means we are interested in
examples and details—similar to what you saw in the case studies—rather than generic
conclusions. For example, show us pictures of products, prices etc and tell us where
adaptations have occurred (rather than providing a conclusion that products are adapted
etc.) 700 words 

ALSO need to answer a few questions from Operations aspect: (don’t have to take these question out just for answer, can be include when you write local adaptation/ standardization, feel free to do your way)

1.Explain the business model & technology of the firm (comparative with other main models
in the industry). My experience says that while most teams cover the value proposition,
many groups disregard the revenue model/profit formula and customer clusters. What drives
the revenue: quantity (scale) or margin per unit? new products/customers or repeats? Do
customer clusters differ across countries of interest? Do the revenue model and customer
clusters change across target countries (local adaptation theme)?
2. Identify and discuss the international marketing of the firm. Remember that under each function (including marketing), your interest revolves around themes of multinationality
(see themes i-iii in “multinational” aspects). Actively look for information/data related to
those themes. 

feel free to add Figures/Tables and Financial statements:If you have the expertise, you can examine the financial statements (& annual reports) of your company to extract relevant information and support your points about the company’s value chain activities. You don’t need to report everything you find in financial statements:
it depends on the points you are making (and supporting with financial information).