...A06-97-0002 Crosswell International It is August 4, 1995, and the Mathieux brothers, Doug and Geoff, were concluding a summer-long effort of developing the Brazilian market for Crosswell International (U.S.). Crosswell’s president and CEO, Hector Lans, is convinced that Precious Ultra Thin Baby Diapers will be a big seller in Brazil. In their role as brokers for Crosswell, the Mathieuxs have been exploring a number of different distribution channels in the Brazilian market. To date, the distributor response to Precious diapers has been enthusiastic, particularly in light of Precious diapers’ superior quality compared to locally manufactured alternatives. The problem, however, is the price. Brazilians base many purchasing decisions — at least in regard to disposable diapers — on cost, not on quality. The Mathieuxs find that distributors do not believe they can compete in the market with the relatively high prices offered by Crosswell, even with higher quality diapers. After much debate over how to improve the price competitiveness of Precious diapers, the Mathieuxs believe they may have found a solution. Their proposal is to combine extended credit terms to local distributors with Brazil’s high domestic interest rates to effectively lower the diapers’ price to Brazilian consumers. The Brazilian Diaper Market Until the latter part of the 1980s, most Brazilians had never heard of a disposable diaper, and not surprisingly, the disposable hygiene market in Brazil...
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...C H A P T E R 19 International Trade Finance Financial statements are like fine perfume: to be sniffed but not swallowed. —Abraham Brilloff. LEARNING OBJECTIVES ◆ Learn how international trade alters both the supply chain and general value chain of the domestic firm, thereby beginning the globalization process in the trade phase. ◆ Consider what the key elements of an import or export transaction are in business. ◆ Discover how the three key documents in import/export, the letter of credit, the draft, and the bill of lading, combine to both finance the transaction and to manage its risks. ◆ Identify what the documentation sequence is for a typical international trade transaction. ◆ Learn how the various stages and their costs impact the ability of an exporter to enter a foreign market and potentially compete in both credit terms and pricing. ◆ See what organizations and resources are available for exporters to aid in managing trade risk and financing. ◆ Examine the various trade financing alternatives. The purpose of this chapter is to explain how international trade, exports and imports, is financed. The contents are of direct practical relevance to both domestic firms that just import and export and to multinational firms that trade with related and unrelated entities. The chapter begins by explaining the types of trade relationships that exist. Next, we explain the trade dilemma: exporters want to be paid before they export and importers do not want to pay until...
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...Page 39 International Trade Finance The purpose of this chapter is to explain how international trade—exports and imports—is financed. The contents are of direct practical relevance to both domestic firms that merely import and export and to multinational firms that trade with related and unrelated entities. The chapter begins by explaining the types of trade relationships that exist. Next we explain the trade dilemma: exporters want to be paid before they export and importers do not want to pay until they receive the goods. The next section explains the benefits of the current international trade protocols. This discussion is followed by a section describing the elements of a trade transaction and the various documents that are used to facilitate the trade’s completion and financing. The next section identifies international trade risks; namely, currency risk and noncompletion risk. The following sections describe the key trade documents, including letters of credit, drafts, and bills of lading. The next section summarizes the documentation of a typical trade transaction. This section is followed by a description of government programs to help finance exports, including export credit insurance and specialized banks such as the Export-Import Bank of the United States. Next, we compare the various types of short-term receivables financing and then the use of forfaiting and countertrade for longer term transactions. The mini-case at the end of the chapter, “Crosswell International’s...
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...End-of-Chapter Question Solutions 1 ____________________________________________________________________________________________ CHAPTER 23: INTERNATIONAL TRADE FINANCE 1. Trade dilemma. What is meant by the term ‘trade dilemma’? International trade must work around a fundamental dilemma. Imagine an importer and an exporter who would like to do business with one another. They live in different countries located far apart. They have never met. They speak different languages. They operate in different political environments. They worship different gods (each capitalizes “God” in the home religion and uses a lower case “god” for foreign religions!). They come form cultures that have different standards for honoring obligations to other persons and different ways to settle disputes. They both know that if they default on an obligation, the other party will have a hard time catching up to seek redress. Although it might be too harsh to say they don’t trust one another, each has perfectly valid reasons for being very cautious in dealing with the other. Because of the distance between the two, it is not possible to simultaneously hand over goods with one hand and accept payment with the other. 2. Basic documents of trade. What are the three basic documents used in trade with unrelated parties? The fundamental dilemma of being unwilling to trust a stranger in a foreign land is solved by using a highly respected bank as intermediary. A greatly simplified view is described in Exhibit...
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...INTERNATIONAL DOCTORAL STUDY ADMISSION APPLICATION PROCESS Application submitted via eVision Internationa Office send to department for approval Returned to International Office and processed Returned incomplete, sent back to department Emailed to GRS for approval at the weekly GRC meeting Candidate awaits outcome of Scholarship application Doctoral office emails result to the International Office who then update eVision Candidate accepts offer in eVision International Office emails confirmation of start date to GRS Awarded Declined Candidate Declines offer of place via eVision Doctoral Office processes enrolment Candidate completes declaration in eVision FINISHED! Updated 19 December 2014 INTERNATIONAL DOCTORAL STUDY ADMISSION APPLICATION PROCESS DEFINITION: International candidate = First year, never studied at the University of Otago before. Candidate makes application (Candidate has already received unofficial approval from the primary supervisor and their department before beginning the process) Candidate contacts the International Office and applies via eVision and the application goes to the International Office portal. Application is sent to the department for approval/signing by the following people; Primary supervisor, HOD primary department (if applicable), Dean (if applicable), PVC delegate for the Division If there are co-supervisors in any other departments it then goes to the following people within...
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...SCHOOL OF BUSINESS AND MANAGEMENT LEN RUSHFIELD MBA 610.63 INTERNATIONAL FINANCE SPRING 2005 WEDNESDAY 6:00 PM – 10:00 PM WESTLAKE VILLAGE CENTER SYLLABUS 1 International Finance MBA 610.63 Westlake Village Center Wednesday 1/5-2/16/05 Len Rushfield (310) 474-5848 (603) 843-9683 (efax) leonard.rushfield@pepperdine.edu/ asiaptner@aol.com Course Objectives MBA 610.63 is intended to provide a foundation of understanding of international finance and the critical options for corporate financial management within the global markets. Intensive reading will establish the basis of information on international financial structure, processes and techniques. Cases will identify important real issues and provide experience in understanding alternative solutions and developing methods to reach these solutions. Course Description The course explores the responsibilities of financial managers of multinational firms or firms with multinational affiliates, suppliers, or product markets. Topics covered emphasize exchange rate risks and hedging using derivative securities such as futures contracts, forward contracts and options. International payment mechanisms and financing and trade strategies are examined and applied in a shareholder-value maximization framework. Texts and Course Materials Fundamentals of Multinational Finance, 2003, Moffett, Stonehill and Eiteman; Addison Wesley; ISBN-0-201-84484-2. Cases in International Finance, 2000; Moffett; Addison Wesley; ISBN 0-20170086-7 ...
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...employees fall under some type of labor union to protect the employee’s job security and vestments in the company. Will interview, analyze and research employee background information in the different countries as well as understand how Wal-Mart decided to execute labor contracts in some countries unlike in the United States. 2. Wal-Mart has another issue regarding how the suppliers are treating the workers internationally. According to the International Herald Tribune, some of the shareholders of Wal-Mart are requesting that some of the countries have to disclose how the suppliers are treating the workers. It would be interesting to further investigate how the suppliers treat their workers in the United States. 3. Wal-Mart is considering a five year plan to reduce the cost of their healthier foods and request food manufacturers produce healthier products at a lower cost according to The Globe and Mail (Canada). Wal-Mart is a stickler for trying to get the cheapest wholesale cost of everything and sale to the massive of international consumers. With that being said, acting as a shareholder would like for Wal-mart to disclose the progress of the five year plan proposed in...
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...In 2008 when the global economy took a turn for the worst Canada managed to come out on top. This is thanks to the export of natural resources and commodities. The Canadian government immediately took charge and start making budget cuts in order to have a full recovery by 2015. (D.R., 2011) Canada has a large threat in its path; its dependence on the outside world. Canada fared much better than was expected while other countries throughout the world declined and fell into a recession. There are nine specific key indicators that are important to consider when talking about Canadian economy. These are employment, unemployment, composite leading index, housing starts, consumer price index, real gross domestic product, retail sales volume, merchandise exports, and merchandise imports. (Statistics Canada, 2011) Employment and Unemployment In November 2011 the unemployment rate was set at 7.4%. The average unemployment rate in Canada from 1976 to 2010 was 8.53. (Trading Economics, 2011)The employment force is the number of people employed plus the number of people looking for employment. (Trading Economics, 2011) Unemployment includes those not looking for work, people in the military, and people institutionalized. (Trading Economics, 2011) Canada was able to add 93,000 jobs in June 2011, in effect dropped the unemployment rate to below the 8% mark. The gains in the labour force will offset nearly all of the losses that were a result of the downturn in 2008. (Contenta...
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...Week 2 University of Phoenix Eco/GM 561 When a country decides on something that they are going to produce this product has to set them apart from other countries. A country bases their product on factors such as how much it costs them to produce it and if it sets them apart from the competition. A comparative advantage is the driving force of production for every country. In this paper we will discuss comparative advantage, abundant factors in the production of certain products, recommendations for the country to specialize in, and industries the country of my choice protects (if any). For the purpose of this paper I have chosen to explore the Netherlands and their comparative advantage. I chose this country for personal reasons as my father was born and raised in The Netherlands until he came to the United States at sixteen years of age. When you first think of the Netherlands you might think cheese or Tulips as they are well known for both of those products. The Netherlands has a high comparative advantage when it comes to skilled labor intensive work. First, let’s explore what comparative advantage is. Investopedia.com explains comparative advantage as “an economic law that demonstrates the ways in which protectionism is unnecessary in free trade. Comparative advantage argues that free trade works even if one partner in a deal holds absolute advantage in all areas of production- that is, one partner makes products cheaper, better and faster than its trading partner”...
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...which is not subject to any trade barriers or tariffs, and 56.8 percent of Italian exports, went to other EU countries in 1999. Italy's main export destinations within Europe are Germany (16.4 percent), France (12.9 percent), the United Kingdom (7.1 percent), Spain (6.3 percent), and the Netherlands (2.9 percent). The country's biggest commercial partner outside Europe is the United States, which takes 9.5 percent of Italy's export goods. Trade (expressed in billions of US$): | | exports | Imports | 1975 | 34.988 | 38.526 | 1980 | 78.104 | 100.741 | 1985 | 76.717 | 87.692 | 1990 | 170.304 | 181.968 | 1995 | 233.998 | 206.040 | 1998 | 242.332 | 215.887 | | | | SOURCE: International Monetary Fund. International Financial Statistics Yearbook 1999. | Recently, a number of Asian countries have...
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...Introduction: Foreign Aid any capital inflow or other assistance given to a country which would not generally have been provided by natural market forces. In Bangladesh, foreign aid serves to bridge the gap between savings and investments and make up the deficits in the balance of payments. Foreign aid is a major means of financing the country's economic development. Economic literature generally classifies foreign aid into four main types. First, the long-term loans are usually repayable by the recipient country in foreign currency over ten or twenty years. Secondly, the soft loans repayable in local currency or in foreign currency but over a much longer period and with very low interest rates. The softest are the straight grants often given to the less developed countries. Sale of surplus products to a country in return for payment in the country's local currency is the third type and finally, the technical assistance given to the developing countries comprises the fourth type of foreign aid. Foreign aid is more like an investment in a risky market situation. The relative weighting of advantages and disadvantages depends on the planning behind the foreign aid and how well-orchestrated it is. Economic advantages: stimulated economic development in the receiver's country (better infrastructure, more education etc.) leads to economic growth. It can also create jobs as increased investment leads to more employment; this means less needs to be spent on unemployment benefits...
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...Tariff barriers Tariffs, which are taxes on imports of commodities into a country or region, are among the oldest forms of government intervention in economic activity. They are implemented for two clear economic purposes. First, they provide revenue for the government. Second, they improve economic returns to firms and suppliers of resources to domestic industry that face competition from foreign imports. Tariffs are widely used to protect domestic producers’ incomes from foreign competition. This protection comes at an economic cost to domestic consumers who pay higher prices for import competing goods, and to the economy as a whole through the inefficient allocation of resources to the import competing domestic industry. Therefore, since 1948, when average tariffs on manufactured goods exceeded 30 percent in most developed economies, those economies have sought to reduce tariffs on manufactured goods through several rounds of negotiations under the General Agreement on Tariffs Trade (GATT). Only in the most recent Uruguay Or Simply Import duties or taxes imposed on goods entering the customs territory of a nation. Imposes for revenue collection, protection of domestic industry, political control. Non Tariff Barriers Nontariff barriers (NTBs) refer to the wide range of policy interventions other than border tariffs that affect trade of goods, services, and factors of production. Most taxonomies of NTBs include market-specific trade and domestic policies affecting...
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...STRATEGIES FOR COMPETING IN INTERNATIONAL MARKETS: A GLOBAL INDUSTRY PERSPECTIVE Why Companies Expand into Foreign Markets Companies opt to expand outside their domestic market for any of four major reasons: * To gain access to new customers, raw materials, capital, skills and expertise – expanding into foreign firms offers the potential for increased revenues, profits, and long term growth even more so when home markets are mature. * To achieve lower costs and enhance the firm’s competitiveness - Sales volume from one country isn’t enough to fully capture manufacturing economies of scale. * To capitalize on its core competencies - A company with a competitively valuable competency or capability might be able to leverage themselves and make this competency work in a foreign market, too. * To spread its business risk across a wider market base - Companies may move abroad to diversify their risk associated with being in a single economy (e.g. foreign exchange risk, political risk). If the economy in one area falls, the firm might be ok in different economic markets. In addition to why companies expand into foreign markets, there are four other situational considerations unique to international operations: * Country to Country Cost Variations – Differences in wage rates, workers productivity, inflations rates, energy costs, tax rates, government regulations, etc crate sizeable variations in manufacturing costs from country to country. Plants in some countries...
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...labor practices in other countries but I also know that here in America they always hiring but decreasing the hours of current employees while capitalizing on their foreign business since they more than likely are getting “cheap labor” which is wrong. That goes back to the fact that even though international trade contribute to economic activity and employment, some still believe that the U.S. should not be a participant in international trading. Americans main concern here is job loss to countries like Asia and Latin America. The fact that economists have not done a particularly good job explaining international trade and how losses from trade, it is often highly publicized while the gains are less visible and spread around broadly it goes unnoticed. The loss of job fallacy comes into perception by not distinguishing between employment in specific industries and general employment levels in the economy. Open trade does not lead to loss of domestic jobs. It actually lead to increased domestic employment. But it is true that open trade can result in elimination of jobs in specific sectors of the economy. Government can save specific jobs but the cost can be substantial doing so. International trade allows other countries to specialize in what they do best and attain the things that are difficult to produce. Resources are more proficiently used on a...
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...Agricultural Subsidies and Development In recent decades, rich countries and organizations have taken measures to preserve their agro industry. In many of the largest countries as a measure to stimulate the production, subsidy is made for the proceedings or part of the necessary crops. Nowadays we are faced in a big question: What is the impact of these subsidies on world market prices and the producers do not receive subsidies for their production? There are many opinions from different parts of the world and it is like that because each country has its own point of view and depends how much are they involved in the situation. I will try to distinguish myself and to be objective. I think that if the subsidies were removed overnight the impact on the average consumer and producer will be very bad. Family farmers will be driven into bankruptcy and this will lead to production falls. With less production the market will have risen on food prices and this will reflect directly to the average consumer. Another thing that will probably happen is that big corporation will continue their growth and they will kill smaller farmers with their prices. This will cause no competition in the agriculture and will lead to unfairly high prices. Another important thing that may occur is the lower quality of the products, because every farmer corporation will try to get as much as they can and they will no longer care about the quality because the competition is gone. I think that the benefits...
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