BBA 320ASIAN BUSINESS ENVIRONMENTS 2014ESSAY TOPICSAs much as possible, the essay topics reflect the nature of the Unit. The Unit crosses over a range of disciplines, and there is room in the essays for topics in Marketing, Sociology and even History, as much as for Business and Economics. I have therefore given you topics in what can be roughly divided into two streams, one broadly Commerce and Economics, and one from areas outside Economics. Theres no difference in terms of marks or difficulty between the two streams, only in terms of area of interest. As noted below, these questions are not easy which is good for you. As with the exams, the essays are hard, and will be marked easy. This is much better than exercises that are too easy, and that therefore need to be marked cruelly. So dont be scared of them by the time you have to complete them, you will have received in the lectures the basic information necessary for a good attempt, and a good attempt will be rewarded, even if it ultimately results, to some extent, in failure to get a solution to the problem posed in the question. Also, be prepared to disagree with the premise of the question the statement contained in the question might be wrong by any objective measure (I often deliberately put forward a proposition that I know or believe to be wrong). The answers to these essay questions are not readily visible in the literature youll have to think about it, and hunt around for evidence. Certainly there will be no ready-made answers that you can download using Google. Especially for the second (Non-Econ) set, youll probably need some hints from the lectures just to get you started, and for the Economics questions, well, youll need to know some basic Economics. In other words, these topics are hard, so a genuine attempt, and noble failure to get an answer, will be respected, and will receive generous marks.A point before we start this is a skills exercise, we want you to have the experience of writing in essay, not the trauma. A noble failure for your essay is perfectly acceptable. You may get a low mark, you may get a fail mark, but if you make a good and reasonable effort, this will not threaten your overall grade. Do not use anyone elses work than your own, write it in your own words, make sure the basics such as citation of sources and lists of references are supplied, and you will be fine..Click here to have a similar paper done for you by one of our writers within the set deadline at a discountedI know none of you would ever use an professional (but of course illicit) essay writing service. And with good reason, because their work very, very often fails. Write your own essay, use your sources but do not cut and paste from them, supply all the essay prerequisites, and if you dont get a Passing grade, relax. You will learn from the experience, and still have the other assessments upon which to base your passing the Unit.Having said that, lets cover some additional points based on experience from previous years (so dont be offended if it sounds harsh at times).1. Students dont pay enough attention to the fundamentals of essay writing as described later in this handout, such as writing in your own words (much easier than you think it is), giving citations of the correct number and type, and doing the necessary research. Read the last section of the handout regarding how and when to cite sources it matters. Any less than 20 citations of sources; or if the citations arent of a recognised style (there are only two); any less than 10 academic sources (mostly journal articles, plus a few books); anything apart from quotations that isnt written in your own words and youll fail the exercise. Doing these things is much easier than it sounds, and is worth it.2. Following on from 1., your essay should look like an essay. Citations in the right style (there are only two choices so consult my style guide); double line spacing; margins (c. 2.5 cm all round); list of references in the correct style; good font (the Macquarie standard is Arial 11).3. Research is now much easier than when I was a student. This is not so much because of the Internet generally, such as Google (which you shouldnt use unless it leads you to an actual academic source, which is quite rare since most are subject to copyright). Its more becauseof the specialist electronic search systems that are now available, such as Emerald and EconLit. Use them; youll find it takes a few minutes to get at least two or three sources on your topic, and not much more than an hour to get all the ones you need (remember, 10 minimum). Use EconLit and the other academic search systems available through the Library. They are fast and theyll help you.4. Following from the above, if you dont comply with these points, especially 1. and 2. which are easily checked by the marker, then your essay will be returned with a fix this and hand it in by the end of semester!! which means youll never see it again nor learn the mark (see below for explanation of the essay submission times).Now go to p.9 to see more on these points, and others crucial to your success in this exercise.Economics Stream essays:(Note that economists might have trouble recognising these as economics. They are more along the realm of business, or applied economics, and therefore hopefully of some directly practical use to you. For the most part they are as easily done by non-economics students as by economics majors):.Click here to have a similar paper done for you by one of our writers within the set deadline at a discounted1. As the Chinese economy modernises, and develops the business and legal institutions found in other industrialised countries, the reliance on guanxi relationships will decline and even disappear. Critically discuss this statement (remember, you do not have to agree with it).This question has been a popular one given that it straddles the divide between economics and socio-cultural issues. The lectures have given you some basis for discussion, so keep what youve heard in lectures in mind as your write. Notice that it requires a prediction. So in answering it, youll need to discuss generally the meaning of guanxi, and its effect on current Chinese business practices; but in the end you will also need to make that specific prediction (either agreeing or disagreeing with the one made in the statement). Im guessing that you wont be able to download an answer from the Internet (I know you wouldnt do such a thing, anyway) and youll find it hard, I think, even to find sources which discuss the topic in this way. Youll need to make your own prediction, based on your research of the topic, and in particular on the causes of the Chinese emphasis on guanxi (you will find a lot of discussion of that in the literature). Remember, you should not feel any obligation to agree with the proposition put forward in the topic. You must however present a balanced argument if there is a point of view contrary to yours, what is it, and why do you disagree? This is just as important as presenting your own argument.Warning: not enough attention is paid to the obvious traps. Too often in the academic literature there is an uncritical acceptance that guanxi is a cultural phenomenon (rather than for example a response to transaction costs). The academic literature has no excuse for that sort of intellectual laziness; nor do you. Regardless of your prior assumptions (which you should leave at the door anyway) you must consider the other side of the argument even if you end up disagreeing with it. Any essay which is unbalanced in this way will fail. Lets say that again; any essay which is unbalanced in its approach will fail. If you cant be balanced in that way, if you have too many assumptions that lead you to pre-judge the answer, then this essay topic is too dangerous for you. You must apply scientific method to this if for example you want to argue that guanxi derives from Confucian thought, as is often attempted, then you would need to directly link Confucian principles such as the five essential relationships to guanxi. It would not be enough to simply recite the five bonds, and then claim that guanxi springs magically from them.Starting out: look at the textbook Min Chen 2nd ed. pp.45-55. Worth reading, even though, as you can guess, I would disagree with all its conclusions, and I would contend in fact that it is internally self-contradictory. If you can see why I would say that (without necessarily agreeing with me) then you have a firm foundation for your essay.Second Fair Warning!!!: to follow up on what is said above too many people attempting this essay rely on a We know guanxi is cultural because it is derived from culture. We know its derived from culture, because its cultural. It is possible to explain guanxi as a cultural phenomenon. Saying it is because it is is not the way to do it. If you do, it is a clear violation of scientific method, and would lead to a fail for this exercise (and is therefore one of the very rare instances where an essay could fail on content alone). If youre uncertain on this, choose another option.OR2. Japanese cultural traits such as an emphasis on harmony (wa) and teamwork, have been widely seen as a source of competitive advantage for Japanese firms. To what extent does the literature on the current Chinese economy see guanxi as a source of competitive advantage?This was a new question last year, and an alternative for those of you who would love to discuss guanxi but who just cant be objective about it (and for whom therefore Question 1 is just too dangerous). This seems a very mean thing to say but it comes from reading so many academic journal articles and student essays that use it is, because it is style of logic. This question leads you to more of a research essay, and does not explicitly require a conclusion (for example, as to whether guanxi actually is a source of competitive advantage) but you should feel free to give one (your essay will be the stronger for it). Just remember again that the closer you get to giving such a conclusion, the more vitally important it is to be objective about it. In the Japan as Number One period in the 1980s, many scholars (and students) found it very hard to be objective; it seemed such an attractive idea that lifetime employment and other Japanese employment practices were cultural in origin, and explained Japans economic success, that there was too little discussion of the fact (arguably) that the evidence was actually very weak, especially for the first part of the argument. Similarly now, much of the literature on China takes it for granted that guanxi is cultural (tracing its roots back to Confucius) and a competitive advantage, even the ones that claim to be investigating whether it is true. They argue the case by simply stating the case, and take it as a matter of fact that since they just wrote it on a piece of paper, it must be true. This is a very harsh criticism of the academic literature; if you disagree, then include that disagreement in your essay. Meanwhile you can avoid this debate by writing the essay as a survey of the literature; if you go beyond that, read the warnings regarding the first essay topic, and be very careful.OR3. The communes that typified the Chinese economy in the Maoist era have been criticised as a burden on the economic development of China. Yet they fulfilled a crucial economic role and were one of the building blocks of the success of China today. Critically discuss this statement.This has become very relevant (to me, at least). Not so long ago I attended a seminar in which it was argued that the entire Maoist Period sent China backwards, was a disaster, and that China s modern growth started in 1978 (or even 1992). Remember that this is crucial in understanding the Chinese economy today; you know from lectures that there is a contrary argument, found in sources such as Riskin, Sigurdson, and, well, me. Prove us right or wrong, but either way make sure you can back your argument up with evidence and logic. Dont fall into the common trap of thinking this is an essay about the Great Leap Forward itisnt, so it would be a good idea to move as quickly as possible to the period after 1962. Try also to show the links to the more recent economic structure, such as the TVEs, if there are any such links.Warning: Dont just discuss the Great Leap Forward, which everybody seemed to do in previous years despite the specific warning above against doing that. The GLF lasted four years, the communes lasted twenty, and its the communes that are the topic here. Anything more than a paragraph on the GLF is dangerous; your answer wont be relevant to the essay question.Starting Out: You might start by reading:Sigurdson, J. Technology and Employment in China, World Development, March 1974, Vol. 2, Iss. 3, pp. 75-85.Sigurdson, J. Rural Industrialisation in China: Approaches and Results, World Development, July-August 1975, Vol. 3, Iss. 7&8, pp. 527-38.These are very old by academic standards, and I refer to them here for precisely that reason: to avoid the post-1978 habit in the literature and in your essays of a completely one-sided view of the PRC economy in the 1960s and 70s. You dont have to agree with them, and of course you will go on to read other sources, but be aware of the argument of this and other authors if you disagree, can you counter their arguments?OR4. The success of most firms and enterprises is based on clear lines of ownership of the firm and its assets. The secret of success of Chinas Town and Village Enterprises, was that no-one knew exactly who owned the firm and its assets. Critically discuss this statement (remember you do not have to agree with it).This is a new one, so I havent seen what traps will be fallen into. So no particular warnings on this one, but remember with all the essay topics there is no reason to fall into any traps as long as youre careful and follow basic principles of logic and scientific method. Note the was in the question; the heyday of the TVEs was arguably before 1995; in doing this essay you would probably start to reasons why they tended to decline after 1995. A search in ECONLIT (which in general is where you should always start) will give you a good selection of articles and a clear basis for an answer. Talk to me if you are having trouble..Click here to have a similar paper done for you by one of our writers within the set deadline at a discountedOR5. The economy of the Peoples Republic of China has reached its Lewisian Turning Point. A little earlier than expected, in fact, much earlier, and the consequences for China and for the global economy could be tremendous. Critically discuss this statement.A new one for 2014, precisely because after being speculated upon for the last few years this proposition is being increasingly loudly stated. Your essay should indicate that you understand the nature of the Turning Point, and review the evidence for it having occurred in the Chinese case. Then you have a chance to speculate on the consequences (and note that tremendous can mean tremendously good or tremendously bad). In other words you have a chance to use your imagination and a little theory to do what economists typically are not reliably good at using their theory to predict the future.Warning: Again, this is a new one for 2014, so we have no experience yet of the potential traps, but if there are any traps Im sure that with care and caution theyreeasily surmountable. It is do-able by non-Economics as well as Economics students. A lot of leeway will be given on the third task, assessing the likely impact on China and on the world, but make sure you cover the obvious issues.OR6. The East Asian Tiger economies never really recovered from the Asian Financial Meltdown of 1997. And the changes in their economic policies and their domestic economic structures mean they never really will.This is a new one. Look at the question; you dont need to explain the Asian Meltdown, the question is asking you to address the consequences. I suggest that, perhaps after a brief overview of all the Tigers, you pick a particular country Sth Korea is an obvious choice.Warning: Again, do-able by non-Economics as well as Economics students (as are all the Economics stream questions). Given the content of this Unit BBA 320, we would expect you to be aware of the growth strategy, including key institutions, adopted in the Tigers before the Crisis. Then to see to what extent that growth strategy has been abandoned (remember that to some economists, this is a good thing). An essay therefore that doesnt reference that pre-Crisis growth strategy would end up unbalanced.Getting started: Again, numbers are unavoidable, and here, rarely, conventional search engines such as Google are quite useful (at the beginning but not afterwards). Type in korea gdp growth and you should get a set of charts of growth rates not only for Korea but other countries as well. The software is quite easy to use, especially for direct comparison over time and between countries. This will start you on the path to determining whether the first part of the question is correct.7. Lets have one more, new for 2014 though related to one asked in previous years:Rostow and Gerschenkron appear to present radically different schemas of late industrialisation, but they are not mutually exclusive. Critically discuss this statement (remember, you do not have to agree with it.).As noted, this is a new one, and is a good straightforward research topic on an area widely discussed in the literature on East Asia.Warning: Only one; dont rely on the lecture summaries for this. In fact, avoid citing the lectures at all (this is a good general rule for all the topics). Youll need to reread a significant part of the original works of Rostow and Gerschenkron (this doesnt mean that you have to do more reading than is required by the other topics, just that you need to rely at least partly on the primary sources)..Click here to have a similar paper done for you by one of our writers within the set deadline at a discounted
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