Business Finance Homework Help

Issue #3: Do We Really Have Free Trade?

BGEN 360: International Business

INSTRUCTIONS
Topic
The third issue we will cover in class is the topic of free trade. Does it really exist? The World Trade Organization
(WTO) states on its website that “its main function is to ensure that trade flows as smoothly, predictably and
freely as possible,” and that it helps countries negotiate agreements that are “aimed at reducing obstacles to
international trade and ensuring a level playing field for all, thus contributing to economic growth and
development.” Yet, the US and China are both members of the WTO and both countries have been engaging in a
trade war that just recently eased with the signing of trade agreements in February 2020. How can that be?
The purpose of topic is to see what you can find out about the realities of free trade in the world.

Assignment Requirements

The article must be from the last 5 years. One purpose of the assignment is to have you take the time to look at some of the international business newspapers and international coverage in business periodicals. For each issue presentation, you should find one article of interest on the assigned topic. The articles should be substantial – meaning a major story (as opposed to one or two paragraphs). You may use more than one article if you find interesting information, but the articles are shorter in length. Use the library’s electronic databases as well as the internet to find current and academically appropriate information. Along with reading the “starter” material mentioned in the introductory paragraph and the material in the textbook surrounding the topic, you should try to use such sources as Business Week, Wall Street Journal, NY Times, Financial Times (of London), or an equally significant business publication as your source for your article. You can access some of these sources through the library’s databases. From the link below you can access Business Source Complete which is a good database with many reputable publications like Bloomberg Business Week.

You can also use some reputable websites that have international business news like the following:

https://www.cnbc.com/world/

(CNBC website section for world news)

https://www.bbc.com/news

(British Broadcasting Corporation

– BBC)

https://globaledge.msu.edu/ (Global business website hosted by Michigan State University)

You can also use a podcast or a video in place of an article, but in either of those cases it must be long enough

to be equivalent to an article (which is hard to do), otherwise it can be part of a combination of an article and a

podcast/video on the topic. The podcast or video must also be within the last 5 years

Written Requirements

You will write a summary of and provide comments on the article. The summary and commentary should

include the following:

Content

A summary of the article, including how the article adds to the information in the textbook

.Your comments about what you learned, what you thought was surprising, what was most interesting,

what was most valuable from the article, etc. Format

.

The written assignment should be at least 2 pages in length

, with at least

1/2 page devoted to your

comments. The assignment should be double spaced. Use 1 inch margins

Use a font no larger than Times Roman 12 pt. font.

Citation and Article

Provide a citation of the article at the end of your paper using APA format. Information on writing a proper citation in APA format is provided in two links to Purdue University

Upload a copy of the article along with your paper. In the case of videos and podcasts, the citations will suffice

STARTER MATERIAL
Other Starter Material
Examine the website for the World Trade Organization to explore what the organization is, its history, the
functions it performs, and how it handles trade disputes.
• https://www.wto.org/
Explore via Google search the tariffs and quotas that are currently imposed by the US government on imports.
Also, investigate which crops receive the largest subsidies in the US and in the state of Montana.
As you look for articles to review as part of the assignment, find current events related to tariffs, quotas,
subsidies, dumping, and trade wars.