...nance Chapter 1 Multinational Financial Management: An Overview 1. The commonly accepted goal of the MNC is to: A) maximize short-term earnings. B) maximize shareholder wealth. C) minimize risk. D) both maximize short-term earnings and minimize risk. E) maximize international sales. 2. With regard to corporate goals, an MNC is mostly concerned with maximizing _______, and a purely domestic firm is mostly concerned with maximizing _______. A) shareholder wealth; short-term earnings B) shareholder wealth; shareholder wealth C) short-term earnings; sales volume D) short-term earnings; shareholder wealth 3. For the MNC, agency costs are typically: A) non-existent. B) larger than agency costs of a small purely domestic firm. C) smaller than agency costs of a small purely domestic firm. D) the same as agency costs of a small purely domestic firm. 5. The valuation of an MNC should rise when an event causes the expected cash flows from foreign to _______ and when foreign currencies denominating these cash flows are expected to _______. A) decrease; appreciate B) increase; appreciate C) decrease; depreciate D) increase; depreciate 6. Which of the following theories identifies specialization as a reason for international business? A) theory of comparative advantage. B) imperfect markets theory. C) product cycle theory. D) none of these. 7. Which of the following theories identifies the non-transferability of...
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...Chapter 1 Multinational Financial Management: An Overview Specific Objectives • Identify the main goal of the MNC and conflicts with that goal • Describe the key theories that justify international business • Explain the common methods used to conduct international business Outline Goals of the MNC Maximize shareholder wealth Problems encountered in meeting goals: 1) Agency problems larger for MNCs than purely domestic firms because: a) monitoring more difficult because of geographic distance b) different cultures c) MNC size d) subsidiary managers may maximize the value of their subsidiary but not of the MNC as a whole 2) Centralized vs. decentralized management a) centralized reduces agency costs because it gives parent more control; downside is that local managers may be better informed b) decentralized management increases agency costs but may result in better decisions c) Internet may facilitate monitoring of foreign subsidiaries 3) Corporate control used to reduce agency problems a) executive compensation with stock b) threat of hostile takeover c) monitoring by large shareholders Constraints encountered in meeting goals 1) Environmental - other countries may be tougher (e.g., pollution controls) 2) Regulatory - e.g., currency convertibility...
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... 9. _______ 10. _______ 11. _______ 12. _______ 13. _______ 14. _______ 15. _______ 16. _______ 17. _______ 18. _______ 19. _______ 20. _______ 1. The commonly accepted goal of the MNC is to: A) maximize shortterm earnings. B) maximize shareholder wealth. C) minimize risk. D) A and C. E) maximize international sales. 2. For the MNC, agency costs are typically: A) nonexistent. B) larger than agency costs of a small purely domestic firm. C) smaller than agency costs of a small purely domestic firm. D) the same as agency costs of a small purely domestic firm. 3. Which of the following is not a form of corporate control that could reduce agency problems for an MNC? A) stock options. B) hostile takeover threat. C) investor monitoring. D) all of the above are forms of corporate control that could reduce...
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...CHAPTER 1 GLOBALIZATION AND THE MULTINATIONAL FIRM SUGGESTED ANSWERS TO END-OF-CHAPTER QUESTIONS QUESTIONS 1. Why is it important to study international financial management? Answer: We are now living in a world where all the major economic functions, i.e., consumption, production, and investment, are highly globalized. It is thus essential for financial managers to fully understand vital international dimensions of financial management. This global shift is in marked contrast to a situation that existed when the authors of this book were learning finance some twenty years ago. At that time, most professors customarily (and safely, to some extent) ignored international aspects of finance. This mode of operation has become untenable since then. 2. How is international financial management different from domestic financial management? Answer: There are three major dimensions that set apart international finance from domestic finance. They are: 1. foreign exchange and political risks, 2. market imperfections, and 3. expanded opportunity set. 3. Discuss the three major trends that have prevailed in international business during the last two decades. Answer: The 1980s brought a rapid integration of international capital and financial markets. Impetus for globalized financial markets initially came from the governments of major countries that had begun to deregulate their foreign exchange and capital markets. The economic integration...
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...1. FDI strategy Flagstaff Corp. has recognize numerous opportunities to expand in foreign countries and has assessed many foreign markets, including Brazil, Greece, Mexico, Portugal Singapore and Thailand. It has opened new stores in Europe, Asia, and Latin America. In each case, the firm was aware that it did not have sufficient understanding of the culture of each country that it had targeted. Consequently, in engages in joint ventures with local partners who knows their preferences of local customers a) What comparative advantage does Flagship have when establishing a store in a foreign country, relative to an independent variety store? b) Why might overall risk of Flagship decrease or increase as a result of its recent global expansion? c) Flagship Corp. has been more cautious about entering China. Explain potential obstacles associated with entering China. ANSWER: a. Flagstaff Corp. has name recognition, which could result in customer trust, and therefore a stronger demand for its products. It also has marketing expertise that it applies to each store. It also has economies of scale, because it could buy its products in bulk and distribute the products to the stores that need those products. b. Its risk may decrease because it has a strategy that allows it to utilize its expertise, while relying on foreign expertise for part of the business that requires knowledge about foreign cultures. Also, it has created more international diversification by spreading its...
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...forward contract, it is included the price adjustment clauses. In order to reflect certain exchange rates changes it’s based on the adjusted price. The forward contract also brings more benefit to the consumers that helps them can get lower price. Furthermore, Honda Company has used policy such as purchasing foreign currency by using the currency swaps. This helps to fix the price of the car across currency contract in advance. In the foreign market from Japan’s Honda Co. the car is priced in Yen that means the company faces with foreign exchange risk. Thus, above solution is helpfully to protect subsidiary and reduce transaction exposure. Translation exposure Translation exposure can be established as type of foreign exchange risk that MNC have subsidiaries operated markets oversea (Wang, 2005), which country faced with translation exposure. This is affected on the translation of the liabilities and assets denominated in the foreign currency into the home currency of the parent company when...
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...Wal-Mart entered the Mexican market in 1991 and hasn’t looked back. Using a form of globalization called glocalization, Wal-Mart achieved tremendous success in Mexico. The perception of Wal-Mart globally is less than stellar because of what has been coined as Wal-Martization. Some have also called Wal-Mart a ‘Cathedral of Consumption.’ But Wal-Mart learned the hard way how to become successful in the global marketplace. It didn’t just happen overnight. By utilizing five glocalization strategies, Wal-Mart became the largest private employer in Mexico. Wal-Martization is a philosophy where faster, better and cheaper are words used to describe their process. More words that define Wal-Martization are bigger, global and standardized. While Wal-Mart is known for its everyday low pricing, it also has a few negative connotations associated with it. They include its anti-union poilicies, downward pressure on manufacturers, low salaries for employees and its merciless expansion practices. When Wal-Mart comes to town local shop owners panic because Wal-Mart can reduce prices as much as it wants and the local businesses can’t compete with that. Sam Walton opened the first Wal-Mart in Bentonville, Arkansas, in 1962. By 1979 Wal-Mart was making $1 billion in annual sales. By 1993 it was making $1 billion in weekly sales. And by 2001, Wal-Mart began making $1 billion in sales each day. According to its official website, corporate.walmart.com, Wal-Mart is currently in 27 countries...
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...Assessing the Environment & Managing Interdependence, Social Responsibility, Ethics and Sustainability 30/09/2014 Dr Nick Papageorgiadis The notion of a firm with a unique national identity is quickly fading. A Bermuda-incorporated, Paris-headquartered firm, listed on the NYSE with US style investor protections and disclosure rules, a chief information officer in Bangalore, a chief finance officer in Brussels and a chief operating officer in Beijing may not sound nearly so fanciful in the near future. Desai, M. A. (2009). The decentering of the global firm. The World Economy, 32(9), 1271-1290. What is International Management? The process of developing strategies, designing and operating systems, and working with people around the world to ensure sustained competitive advantage The Global Manager’s Role Contents Assessing the Environment: • • • Understand the global business environment and how it affects the strategic and operational decisions which managers must make. Critically assess the developments, advantages, and disadvantages of globalization. Develop an appreciation for the ways in which political, economic, legal, and technological factors and changes impact the opportunities that companies face. Appreciate the complexities involved in the corporation’s obligations toward its various constituencies around the world. Understand the changing perceptions and demands of corporations doing business in other countries, in particular the responsibilities...
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...be sub-divided into two which is off-shoring and home-shoring (home sourcing). Off shoring is moving business processes overseas in order to leverage opportunities such as cheap labour expenses, entrance into new markets, skilled labour and availability of resources (Sourcing Mag, 2003). Home shoring (home sourcing) on the other hand, is “the transfer of business processes to companies within the same country” (Brunelli, 2013). The form of outsourcing to be analysed in this report is off shoring because it is one of the effects of Globalization. Outsourcing became popular in the United states as at 1980s when critics began to raise eyebrows about it as they felt multi-national corporations (MNCs) where exporting a large portion of American jobs to other countries (handfield, 2006). Some MNCs that were popularly known and criticized for outsourcing were Boeing, AT&T, Coca-Cola, Pfizer, Microsoft, Oracle, Quaker oats, Dell computers, Yahoo and Motorola (Steve, 2012; CNN, 2012) . Also it went wide in 2012 that Apple which is one of America’s favourite brand was also partaking in this act which critics regarded as a “rip off”. They outsourced all their PC manufacturing to Quanta Computer Inc., Foxconn Electronics Inc. and occasionally...
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...orkMultinational Corporations 1. Multinational Corporations http://www2.econ.iastate.edu/classes/econ355/choi/mul.htm Definition of MNC | Multinational firms arise because capital is much more mobile than labor. Since cheap labor and raw material inputs are located in other countries, multinational firms establish subsidiaries there. They are often criticized as being runaway corporations.Economists are not in agreement as to how multinational or transnational corporations should be defined. Multinational corporations have many dimensions and can be viewed from several perspectives (ownership, management, strategy and structural, etc.) The following is an excerpt from Franklin Root, International Trade and Investment | Ownership criterion | Some argue that ownership is a key criterion. A firm becomes multinational only when the headquarter or parent company is effectively owned by nationals of two or more countries. For example, Shell and Unilever, controlled by British and Dutch interests, are good examples. However, by ownership test, very few multinationals are multinational. The ownership of most MNCs are uninational. (e.g., the Smith-Corona versus Brothers case) Depending on the case, each is considered an American multinational company in one case, and each is considered a foreign multinational in another case. Thus, ownership does not really matter. | Nationality mix of headquarter managers | An international company is multinational if the managers of the...
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...International Management, 7e (Deresky) Chapter 1: Assessing the Environment Political, Economic, Legal, Technological 1) Which of the following is characterized by networks of international linkages that bind countries, institutions, and people in an interdependent global economy? D) globalization 2) All of the following factors contribute to globalization EXCEPT ________. C) higher number of trade restrictions 3) Which of the following is the most highly globalized in regards to economic integration, technological connectivity, personal contact, and political engagement? A) Singapore 4) Most small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) are ________. C) contributing to their national economies through exporting 5) Gayle Warwick Fine Linen owes its success as a global business primarily to the firm's ________. B) labor outsourcing in Vietnam 6) Which of the following are the three dominant currencies in the world today? C) Euro, Japanese yen, U.S. dollar 7) Most of today's world trade takes place in which three trade blocs? C) European Union, Asia, and the Americas 8) The European Union currently consists of how many nations? B) 27 9) Which of the following is NOT one of the Four Tigers? D) Thailand 10) Which of the following best explains China's success in exporting? A) low costs and steady stream of capital 11) Which of the following is NOT a true statement about India? A) India's biggest contributor to growth is its excellent infrastructure. 12) India's economic boom is most likely...
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...purpose of this assignment is to grasp a comprehensive understanding of the critical aspects of British Petroleum’s internationalization process, the implications it holds for the international business environment and achieving their internationalization objectives through contemporary context. Overview of organisation When discussing globalization it is critical to emphasis the importance a multinational corporation holds over the international business environment. A Multinational corporation (MNC) is an organisation that has registered facilities and assets in business endeavors in more than one country. MNC’s are highlighted for their success in incorporating products, ideas and cultures from more than one country in order to achieve a common goal. With reference to the definition of a MNC, British Petroleum (BP) is undoubtedly a MNC as it undergoes its business ventures throughout the entire world and in countries such as China, Australia, Canada and Mexico. A key aspect of MNC’s is to multi nationalize every aspect of your organisation when aiming to expand internationally, BP are successful in ensuring that every branch of BP around the world has the common sustainable goals. BP has a direct correlation in Foreign Direct Investment (FDI). A FDI is when an organisation finances into production or business ventures in an external country to the one they are operating in. There are many forms of FDI, however, BP are directly investing through expanding their own...
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...CHAPTER 1 GLOBALIZATION AND THE MULTINATIONAL FIRM SUGGESTED ANSWERS TO END-OF-CHAPTER QUESTIONS QUESTIONS 1. Why is it important to study international financial management? Answer: We are now living in a world where all the major economic functions, i.e., consumption, production, and investment, are highly globalized. It is thus essential for financial managers to fully understand vital international dimensions of financial management. This global shift is in marked contrast to a situation that existed when the authors of this book were learning finance some twenty years ago. At that time, most professors customarily (and safely, to some extent) ignored international aspects of finance. This mode of operation has become untenable since then. 2. How is international financial management different from domestic financial management? Answer: There are three major dimensions that set apart international finance from domestic finance. They are: 1. foreign exchange and political risks, 2. market imperfections, and 3. expanded opportunity set. 3. Discuss the three major trends that have prevailed in international business during the last two decades. Answer: The 1980s brought a rapid integration of international capital and financial markets. Impetus for globalized financial markets initially came from the governments of major countries that had begun to deregulate their foreign exchange and capital markets. The economic integration and globalization that began in the eighties...
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...considered as Multinational Corporation. Such companies have offices and/or factories in different countries and usually have a centralized head office where they co-ordinate global management. Very large multinationals have budgets that exceed those of many small countries. A Multinational Company is referred to as a Multinational Business Enterprise (MBE) or a Transnational Company (TNC) or International Business (INB). Multinational Companies (MNCs) are defined as firms that engage in some form of international business. Their managers conduct international financial management, which involves international investing & financing decisions that are intended to maximize the value of MNC.” An enterprise operating in several countries but managed from one (home) country is called a multinational corporation. Generally, any company or group that derives a quarter of its revenue from operations outside of its home country is considered a multinational corporation. The International Labor Organization (ILO) has defined an MNC as a company that has its management headquarters in one country, known as the home country, and it operates in several other countries, known as host countries. Oxford Dictionary of Business has defined as “A corporation that has production operations in more than one country for...
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...Chapter 01 Globalization and the Multinational Firm End of chapter question 1,2,4,5,6 Multiple Choice Questions 1. What major dimension sets apart international finance from domestic finance? A. Foreign exchange and political risks B. Market imperfections C. Expanded opportunity set D. All of the above 2. An example of a political risk is A. expropriation of assets. B. adverse change in tax rules. C. the opposition party being elected. D. both answers a) and b) are correct. 3. Production of goods and services has become globalized to a large extent as a result of A. natural resources being depleted in one country after another. B. skilled labor being highly mobile. C. multinational corporations' efforts to source inputs and locate production anywhere where costs are lower and profits higher. D. common tastes worldwide for the same goods and services. 4. Recently, financial markets have become highly integrated. This development A. allows investors to diversify their portfolios internationally. B. allows minority investors to buy and sell stocks. C. has increased the cost of capital for firms. D. answers a) and c) are both correct 5. Suppose your firm invests $100,000 in a project in Italy. At the time the exchange rate is $1.25 = €1.00. One year later the exchange rate is the same, but the Italian government has expropriated your firm's assets paying only €80,000 in compensation. This is an example of A. exchange rate risk. B. political...
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