FITTskills Feasibility of International Trade Project Requirements

FITTskills – Feasibility of Int ernational Trade Project Requirements © FITT 1 The Project To test your understanding of the knowledge and skill s presented in the FITTskills Feasibility of International Trade course, you must write a Feasibility Research Report for a potential international trade initiative. The research report must outline the research taken to determine the feasibility of an international business opportunity for either the company you work for or a fictitious company of your choice. It should relate to either an exporting or importing opportunity for an existing or new product or service for an identified target market . Based on your report , the organization reviewing it should have all the information it needs to determine the feasibility of the particular international venture. The steps to follow are: 1. Identify the potential international trade initiative, providing details on the product or service, whether the opportunity is for export or import , and which market you plan to target . 2. Outline the resear ch objectives, methodology and data sources used. Refer to Eva luation Criteria for more details on each of these components. 3. Conduct secondary research to gather data, trends and facts to inform your report. 4. Collect, organize and analyze the research data. 5. Write a comprehensive research report to assess the feasibi lity of the potential t rade initiative using the Evaluation Criteria as an organizational guide. Submission Format 1. Please submit your project ( Feasibility Research Report ) electronically via the Project Submission form available in your FITT Student accoun t (fittfortrade.com). Include all parts in a single document (PDF or Word file) or zip -folder . 2. The project must contain a title pag e with : a. the name of the company b. the product or service and target market FITTskills – Feasibility of Int ernational Trade Project Requirements © FITT 2 c. the course title ( Feasibility of International Trad e) d. FITT student ID number (s) of the person(s) who prepared the plan . If you do not have a FITT student ID, we recommend that you contact your coordinator. Please do not include your name (s) or that of the training institute. 3. The acceptable fonts are Time s New Roman (no smaller than 11pt) and Arial (no smaller than 10pt). Line spacing must be 1.5. Plagiarism is NOT tolerated. Evidence of plagiarism will result in a failed examination. NOTE: The Feasibility Research Report must not exceed 25 pages (excludi ng title page, table of contents , bibliography and appendices). Points will be deducted for additional pages according to the following scale: Additional Pages Point Deductions 1 to 5 pages -2 points 6 to 10 pages -4 points 11 to 15 pages -8 points ove r 16 pages -10 points Project Guidelines The CITPs who grade your project will be looking for several things, which you should keep in mind when developing your project: ? Present a well -organized, logical project that reflects both descriptive and analyti cal abilities . Consider options and alternatives, make recommendations and explain your rationale for the selection. The process of arriving at a recommendation or conclusion can be more important, in some cases, than the recommendation itself. FITTskills – Feasibility of Int ernational Trade Project Requirements © FITT 3 ? Structure the project in line with the Evaluation Criteria. Review the expectations related to each section of the project and ensure you address these thoroughly. Look carefully at the grading scheme. In general, if a section is worth twice as much as another, your project should reflect that proportion. ? Remember that these projects are your opportunity to demonstrate learning, understanding and retention of international trade concepts. Sometimes, considering an alternative and dismissing it (with supporting ration ale) can be very effective in demonstrating an understanding of the material. ? Metrics and financials are important elements of any serious report or analysis. Descriptions are important and qualitative analysis is valuable when properly done. Choose source s carefully and ensure that your project is well -supported with data, metrics and financials. Also, be sure to quote the source of all information and references provided. ? Each project provides the opportunity to earn points for the “Overall Format” of the project (see Evaluation Criteria). With minimal effort and a little creativity, you can make your paper visually interesting. Use supporting graphics effectively, organize sections and titles to assist with flow and readability and review grammar and spel ling. Pay attention to the quality and organization of your project. Usage of P revious FITT Projects If using information presented in a FITT project that you developed for another course, be sure to cite your own work in the Bibliography. Also, be sure n ot to simply copy the information from previous projects into your current project . It is acceptable to use research, layout, or conclusions drawn from previous FITT projects, but this information should only be used as a starting point to meet the Evaluat ion Criteria of the current project. Evaluation Criteria An evaluator will mark your project based on the criteria below . A separate section for each component listed here should be clearly identified in the plan. The maximum points per section is indicate d. FITTskills – Feasibility of Int ernational Trade Project Requirements © FITT 4 Criteria Maximum score This section should: Executive Summary 6 Summarize the content of your report and the important aspects. (Maximum one page) Research Objectives 10 Define the busine ss opportunity and outline the questions the research aimed to address. These questions should consider the feasibility of the proposed opportunity, including the viability of the import/export transaction (cost of the transaction) and the risk of the initiative. Explain why these issues are important in importing from or exporting to the markets identified. Research Design and Methodology 10 Identify the type of research or research strategy selected to collect the information needed . Describe which data sources and methodology will be used to address each objective. Presentation of Data and Analysis 15 Describe the key trends, issues and challenges identified , including the potential risks associated with trade in the selected target market, detailed market intelligence and information on competitors. Outline how t he data collected helps to address the research objectives. Charts and statistical analysis may be presented to show trends, forecasts and estimates. Implications for Cost and Pricing Analysis 10 Address how the information helps to refine a cost and p ricing analysis for the proposed transaction by highlighting how data collected allows you to analyze the costs, elaborate a pricing strategy and assess the overall viability of the transaction. FITTskills – Feasibility of Int ernational Trade Project Requirements © FITT 5 Criteria Maximum score This section should: Implications for Risk Analysis and Development of Mitigatio n S trategies 10 Address how the information helps to develop a more in -depth risk analysis and to propose mitigation strategies. Conclusion and Action Plan 12 Tie all the sections together and provide the reader with a full picture of the important issue s for doing business in/with the selected market . Present decisions on whether and how the organization should enter the selected market (address the questions if and how the venture is feasible). Highlight any main challenges anticipated and any areas whe re additional primary research may be beneficial (and how). Overall Format 12 Be clear and organized. A table of contents, title page, bibliography and appendices are required . Acknowledge secondary sources. When using information from outside sources, footnote the information on the page where the information is used. Look professional. The use of pictures, tables or graphs is recommended for illustration purposes . Remember that you are being tested on your knowledge of the principles of researching th e feasibility of international trade opportunities and your ability to analyze data to assess impact on the ability to do business in/with a specific international market . FITTskills – Feasibility of Int ernational Trade Project Requirements © FITT 6 Overall Project Value The Feasibility Research Report is marked out of 85 and cons titutes 100% of your final course mark with FITT. Bibliography Demonstrate the time and effort spent on research by providing a sound bibliography. List all the sources used in the pr eparation of your research plan Chicago Manual of Style or APA formattin g. Appendices Provide outside justification for the information contained in the body of the plan . Include titles of Appendices in the Table of Contents . Avoid direct downloads of data from the Internet.