I was wondering how much it would be for a 10 page paper on Little Caesars Pizza.  Throughout the course I had various questions that I need to incorporate into the paper.  I could not find a lot of information on that company so it has been a bit challenging. 

Assignment Instructions

Completion of Portfolio Project

This  assignment requires you to compile Parts 1, 2, and 3 into one document,  which will be your final report on the global aspects of your selected  company. Do not just copy the material from weeks 2, 4, and 6 into the final paper. Make necessary edits before submitting the paper.

• Your report should be 8-10 content pages, not including title page or references. 
• APA  format is required, typewritten in double-spaced format (Times New  Roman styles), page margins Top, Bottom, Left Side and Right Side = 1  inch, with reasonable accommodation being made for special situations  and online submission variances.
• In your report, make certain that you include at least 5-7 outside references from search engines or scholarly sources from the APUS Online Library.
• Your  paper will be automatically submitted to Turnitin in the assignment  dropbox. Originality reports will be returned to the faculty and  student. Multiple submissions are allowed. For full credit, make sure  that your Similarity Index does not exceed 20%.
• In the Assignment dropbox, please attach your paper as a file, do not copy & paste. I will grade and return your file. 

Refer  to the Grading Criteria for specifics in content, organization, writing  style, grammar, and APA 6.0 format. Please name your assignment file as  LastnameFirstinitial-BUSN601-Portfolio and submit by midnight ET, Week 7, Day 7.

A template is provided for this assignment.

QuinonesRV, Week 2 Assignment

Identify three major countries with which your chosen company operates. Preferably, the three countries are in different continents.

Zumba operates out of Miami, Florida.

Are these three countries members of the IMF, the World Bank, and WTO?

US is member of the International Monetary Fund, an organization of 189 countries working to foster global monetary cooperation, secure financial stability, facilitate international trade, promote employment and reduce poverty around the world.

US was the leading force in the establishment of the world bank in 1944 and it remains the largest shareholder today.

US is a member of the world trade organization since January 1, 1995.

Do you believe that these three countries actively follow guidelines of these three major international institutions?

Because Zumba is performed in over 180 countries, it has definitely become an international institution.

Compare the institutional structure of these three countries to determine if they promote globalization, i.e., (a) are their political institutions transparent and (b) do they have a functioning judiciary system?

Yes US promotes globalization, American influence has spread throughout the world, which allows cheaper products for Americans to purchase at a lower prices. US has a functioning judiciary system since the constitution was adopted in 1789.

Do you believe that the three countries under consideration practice policies that promote globalization? For example, what are those countries’ policies toward (a) governance, (b) competitive markets, (c) property rights, and (d) corruption?

The U.S. has retained its position of being the world’s largest economy since 1871. They are property rights/laws set in place by the US constitution, 5th amendment. In 2018, Transparency International ranked the United States as the 22nd least corrupt country.

Determine whether your company is a producer of goods or services. What are the major products and/ or services provided by your company? Are those outputs sold only domestically or are they also exported?

Zumba is an exercise fitness program. Some of the major products is certifying instructors around the world to teach Zumba. Their offerings include video games, DVD’s, fitness concerts and Zumba apparel. These outputs are sold internationally.

Do these products and services face tariff or non-tariff barriers in the target export markets? What are the tariff rates or non-tariff barriers imposed on these items?

I could not really find anything in regards to Zumba facing Tariff rates. If they do have tariff due for music license royalties use as a backgrounds for workouts would be included in the fee that instructors perhaps already pay on the monthly basis for membership.

Identify regional trading blocs with which your chosen company operates as well as the benefits that your company gains because it is part of those trading blocs.

I don’t believe Zumba operates as part of the trade blocs.

Would your company be better off under a system of multilateral trade liberalization like the WTO, or with bilateral or regional trading blocs?

Zumba is not a company to import or export products, but it would probably fall under WTO, since the presenter needs to coordinate with other countries to open the market and introduce their fitness program to their community. In some countries there might be some cultural limitations to introduce dancing, because it might not be permitted in certain countries to practice such a program due to religion or foreign government.

If you were visiting a foreign country to negotiate a transaction on behalf of this company, what cultural knowledge would you need to gain before the visit? How and from where would you get the information?

 Perhaps if Dancing is permitted and if it does not against their beliefs or human rights. A recent article by Haaretz, the Iranian government just banned Zumba dance exercise. Perhaps there are very few countries that do not practice this type of exercise; however, being a Zumba instructor I have been exposed to different walks of life and different cultures around the world. It is amazing how each country is so different but yet we all come together in the dance floor
. Comment by mark friske: More depth and a conclusion are needed. Also each reference listed needs cited within the paper.

Sources:

1. International Monetary Fund (2019). Retrieved from https://www.imf.org/en/About

2. The World Bank in the United States (2017, February, 10). Retrieved from https://www.worldbank.org/en/country/unitedstates/overview

3. Top 20 Economies in the World (2019, November, 19). Retrieved from https://www.investopedia.com/insights/worlds-top-economies/

4. USA Corruption Report (2017, December). Retrieved from https://www.ganintegrity.com/portal/country-profiles/usa/

5. Iranian Clerics and Ultra-Orthodox Rabbis Agree: Zumba is Sinful (2020, January, 15). Retrieved from https://www.haaretz.com/middle-east-news/iranian-clerics-ultra-orthodox-rabbis-agree-zumba-is-sinful-1.5486003

QuinonesRVQ Week 4 – Assignment

1.  Examine the countries where your company does business according to where they rank on the Hofstede cultural dimensions. Think of some examples of how a U.S. manager would need to modify his or her behavior when communicating with associates from one or more of these foreign countries.   

Becoming a manager for the first time is no easy task. One day you’re happily doing your own work and achieving your goals, and then, suddenly, your work life does a 180: Instead of focusing on yourself, you have to focus your attention on others. You have to motivate others, build relationships with your team, and give effective feedback. You need to have empathy and understanding, but command respect. You need to be direct and assertive, but not so much that you crowd out others’ contributions. You need to take responsibility, while at the same time giving others the autonomy to grow. The changes can be dizzying and often require an entirely new set of skills. 

Imagine now that you have to do all of this in a foreign country, not only outside your personal comfort zone, but outside your cultural comfort zone as well.   

Some of the countries in which Littles Caesars operates are:  Canada, Mexico, USA, Middle East (Saudi Arabia).  

Canada/USA:  can be characterized as an Individualist culture. Similar to its American neighbor to the south, this translates into a loosely-knit society in which the expectation is that people look after themselves and their immediate families. A high score (Masculine) on this dimension indicates that the society will be driven by competition, achievement and success, with success being defined by the “winner” or “best-in-the-field.”  

Canadian culture is more “uncertainty accepting.” This is indicative of the easy acceptance of new ideas, innovative products and a willingness to try something new or different, whether it pertains to technology, business practices, or consumer products.   

They exhibit great respect for traditions, a relatively small propensity to save for the future, and a focus on achieving quick results. Both countries exhibit a willingness to realize their impulses and desires with regard to enjoying life and having fun. 

Mexico/Saudi Arabia: People accept a hierarchical order in which everybody has a place and which needs no further justification.  They both are high in Masculine countries people “live in order to work”, managers are expected to be decisive and assertive, the emphasis is on equity, competition and performance and conflicts are resolved by fighting them out and have a preference for avoiding uncertainty. In these cultures there is an emotional need for rules (even if the rules never seem to work). They exhibit great respect for traditions, a relatively small propensity to save for the future, and a focus on achieving quick results.  

https://www.hofstede-insights.com/country 

https://opentextbc.ca/principlesofmanagementopenstax/chapter/hofstedes-cultural-framework/  

2.  Does your company operate in any countries that are considered very politically or economically risky?  Little Ceasar’s operates internationally.  One of the countries where is a franchise is located in in Jordan. Jordan is an Arab country in Western Asia, on the bank of the Jordan River.  Jordan is bordered by Saudi Arabia.  The risk is caused by political and assimilated events connected to cross-border transactions.   

https://www.theglobaleconomy.com/Jordan/political_risk_long_term/  

3.  Does your company primarily operate in civil law or common law countries? What are some of the implications of this?  The company primarily operates in common law countries; however, there are many franchises in locations that operate in civil law mainly in Central and North American countries.  Some of the implications of this is the differences between both laws.  For example, the legal system for civil law originates in Europe, which core principles are codified into a referable system which serves as the primary source of law. As for common law its legal system is developed by judges through decisions of courts and tribunals.  Common law and civil law systems affect how business is conducted within a country’s specific jurisdiction. Such systems of law also affect how international business is supervised in terms of compliance issues and taxation laws. … Overall, a common law system is less prescriptive than a civil law system 

https://www.diffen.com/difference/Civil_Law_vs_Common_Law  

4.  Has your company purchased any insurance from the U.S. Overseas Private Investment Corporation (OPIC)?  I am not sure but most likely no.  I did not find any information or articles on Little Caesars purchasing OPIC in which provided innovative, comprehensive and cost effective risk mitigations products to cover losses to tangible assets, investment value and earnings that result from political uncertainty.   

5.  What are some key intellectual property protections, if any, that your company possesses? When do these protections (e.g., patents) expire? How does your company intend to recoup lost revenues due to any patent or other intellectual property protection expirations? Little Caesars has approximately about 22 Patents.  I could find any information as to when the patents expired.  Examples of some of the patents for the franchise are: System and method for managing the delivery of food product, Automated Pizza Assembly System, Digital Menu Board System w/cash register and kitchen Interface, Packaging for pizza etc… 

https://patents.justia.com/assignee/little-caesars-enterprises-inc  

6.  Find the Corruption Perceptions Index (CPI) score for two countries where your selected company does business, one country with a relatively high score and one country with a relatively low score. Search for news stories about corporate financial scandals in these two countries. Prepare a short summary of news stories about financial scandals in these countries. Briefly describe what you perceive are the risks of corruption, such as paying bribes, that your selected company might face in these countries. Mexico is one of the countries with a high score within CPI whereas Canada is consistently a top performer with a low score.   Mexico’s corruption is perceived by citizens and businesses alike as one of the main challenges in the country, and its effects have further aggravated the crisis in the judicial system, the failings of the police force and the wave of violence linked to organized crime. Drug traffic-related murders in the Latin American nation are often committed with weapons smuggled in from the US. Meanwhile, American overdose deaths, from drugs that frequently originate in or travel through Mexico, surged to about 70,000 annually in recent years, Canada contributed to corruption abroad.  Low enforcement of anti-corruption laws is evident in the recent case against SNC-Lavalin, a Canadian construction company, in which allegedly paid US$48 million in bribes to Libyan officials. 

https://www.dw.com/en/mexico-murder-rate-reaches-record-high/a-52081743 

https://www.occrp.org/en/daily/9878-canadian-engineering-company-set-for-trial-over-bribery-in-libya  

7.  Determine your company’s mode of entry into foreign markets. This should be based upon a serious analysis of your company’s risk-return tradeoff. In your opinion, has your company taken the right approach?  Much growth of Little Ceasar’s has been concentrated in Central America and Middle East.  In some countries the franchise only has one store which provides more opportunity for growth in the international markets.  

8.  Does your company have an exit strategy? Recall that exit strategies are to be determined before entry into the foreign market, rather than after entry.  Franchises in general should a written plan in place for either selling or transitioning ownership to a family member.  Also tax consideration when selling a franchise.   

https://www.forbes.com/sites/edteixeira/2018/08/22/franchisees-need-to-have-an-exit-strategy/#227bc5924cf3  

9.  Critically and objectively evaluate how ethical your company’s global operations are and determine if they are good corporate citizens (i.e., do they have a well thought-out corporate social responsibility program for the long term?). 

They are good corporate citizens based on their companies’ values which consist: 

Integrity and Ethics 

Value, product quality 

Customer Service 

Excellence 

Urgency 

10.  What is the corporate mission statement of your target company, assuming it has one? How well do the company’s actions adhere to its stated mission? Their statement is “to be an innovative global leader by focusing on convenience, exceeding customer expectations with extraordinary value and great tasting products, provided by outstanding people resulting in strong returns to our stakeholders.”  — Little Caesars Inc. 

11.  With respect to its strategy formulation, would you categorize your company as a shareholder model or a stakeholder orientation? Why?  Shareholder because a person who buys the franchise becomes the owner and their main focus in return on their investment rather that the performance of the company. 

12.  Is the company a stateless corporation? If not, is the company on its way to becoming a stateless corporation? I could not find any information regarding if this franchise was a stateless business.  

13.  What type of organizational structure is the company currently using? S-Corp due to the tax benefits afforded to smaller businesses with few stakeholders.  A franchise is not a legal structure but a is a business model that can operate as a sole trader.  

14.  Do you think the company may benefit from a hybrid or matrix structure? Why or why not? I think it would benefit more a matrix structure because it combines both functional and a divisional organization at the same time.  Decentralized decision making, better product coordination, flexible utilization of manpower and other resources.  Hybrid structure requires of huge staff members both at the corporate level and operational level which make control difficult. 

https://online.pointpark.edu/business/types-of-organizational-structures/ 

QuinonesRV Week 6 – Assignment

Please address the following 11 questions for Part 3:

Are any employees of your company represented by labor unions or covered by collective bargaining agreements? Are any of these employees working outside of the United States?

Per the employee brochure nothing was really stated regarding labor unions. I did find an article of a labor deal for 830 workers represented by the union in Delaware. The deal was approval labor deal at the Little Caesars Arena.

https://www.crainsdetroit.com/article/20170927/news/640381/hospitality-workers-approve-labor-deal-at-little-caesars-arena

Does your company employ expatriates in any overseas operations it might have? If so, what resources does the company provide to train expatriates before they go to the foreign location? Does the company also provide training or support for expatriates during the repatriation phase?

Due to Little Caesar’s being a worldwide franchise, the owners of that specific country will hire local personnel. This will reduce costs for relocating or providing training to personnel transferring to foreign locations.

To what extent, or in what ways, does your company use the Internet for employee training and development?

The company provides the orientation on-the-job training for the first two weeks according to…. Their training program focuses on different tasks. The programs consist of preparing the product, cash management, finance, advertising, human resources, supervision, customer service and the handling of left over product.

What products are sold in the company’s international markets? Do they vary by country or by region?

The same products are sold in the Company’s international market. Because it is a Franchise, to help maintained the same standards for the restaurant image as outline in the Little Caesars specifications and procedures.

What types of promotion does your favorite company emphasize in its international markets? Do they differ from those used in its domestic market?

Some of the promotions in Mexico are the Party Package that consist of two large pizzas, one crazy bread and a liter of Pepsi for $189 Mexican pesos in US currency would be $10.17 USD. Another promotion is a large pepperoni pizza for only $79 Mexican pesos equals about $4.25 USD. Promotions will usually derive from Little Caesar’s International Headquarters. I am not sure how much leave way an owner has to offer local promotions. I know that certain discounts or coupons sometimes do not apply to the same store that are located in different locations. I could not find anything relating to the different promotions being offered in international market versus domestic market.

What kinds of distribution channels are being employed in your company’s international markets?

The dough is made fresh in stores every day; therefore, the ingredients will ship to the location. Some of the additional side products are sold to fit the local market depending on the country.

Is the company practicing global procurement? If the company is procuring globally, what goods and services is it procuring and from which countries?

Little Caesars uses basic ingredients that can be procured from local markets, (selection of sauces, vegetables, meats and cheeses) they really don’t practice global procurement. Most of the products come from the United States suppliers.

Is the company practicing global production? If the company is producing globally, what goods and services are produced globally and in which countries?

The focus of the company was carryout pizza two for the price of one. The franchise units are now located mainly in the US but also in Canada, Puerto Rico, The Philippines, Ecuador, Guam, Honduras, the Dominican Republic, Slovakia, Turkey, the Czech Republic, Mexico and South Korea.

Has the company outsourced goods and services? Has the company insource goods and services?

The company does not really outsourced goods. Most of the products come from the same country where the franchise is located. The dough and salsa is made at the business location. Only the spices are shipped from the US to the various locations to acquire the same taste for example the sauce.

Is the company a member of one or more supply chains? If yes, can you identify the major members of the supply chain(s)?

It has been a bit challenging doing research for my company because I have not been able to get specific information based on these questions. I looked up another pizza franchise to look up an example of their supply chain. I assumed that most pizza businesses have a similar supply chain. For example for Domino’s supply chain is divided in the three main stages. Stage two is comprise of suppliers for main ingredients for the pizza such as cheese, tomato sauce, flour. Stage one is the main distribution center where they supply all the ingredients to each of the franchise locations. Stage zero is the final stage where final locations received the ingredients and produce the pizza for customers. To ensure consistency and maintain the same quality standard, the company makes their own dough and tomato sauce just like Little Caesars.

In what countries does your company export goods? Import goods? How would changes in the values of these countries’ currencies relative to the U.S. dollar affect transactions and translation risks? Economic risk?

Because this is a fast food chain, no products are exported or imported. The preparation of pizza is made at the location of the restaurant where the franchise is located. Some of the ingredients are imported to make the product; however, they are not sold to the public. They are supplied to make a final product to be able to sell to the public. I am not sure if this would still be considered exporting goods. The only big difference is countries currencies where the franchise may be located. For example referring back to question number 5 of this assignment, a large pepperoni pizza for only $79 Mexican pesos equals about $4.25 USD. It may varied a few dollars from country to country depending on the cost of living and their foreign currency rate.

http://secure.efficientforms.com/uploads/ehx/policies/17bf2799-e24e-4fc2-8d1f-396fd8c77844.PDF

https://www.referenceforbusiness.com/history2/62/Little-Caesar-Enterprises-Inc.html

https://www.openpr.com/news/1878163/little-caesar-enterprises-inc-market-to-witness-an-outstanding

https://mexico.littlecaesars.com

https://www.worldfranchisecentre.com/brochures/little-caesars-pizza-franchise-brochure

http://www.gmu.edu/schools/vse/seor/studentprojects/graduate/2015Fall/Dominos_Pizza_CaseStudy/Supply%20Chain.html

Running head:

ASSIGNMENT TITLE HERE

1

ASSIGNMENT TITLE HERE

Typing Template for APA Papers

Student Name

University

Course

Date

Introduction

In this paragraph, identify your company and the reasons why you selected it for this project.

Foundations of Global Business

This section will include the information you researched to complete Part 1, which was due in Week 2.

Global Business Environment

This section will include the information you researched to complete the questions on the cultural environment, the legal and political environment of your company, and corruption and ethics in global business. You completed this in Part 2, which was due in Week 4.

Global Business Strategy and Organization

This section will include the information you researched to complete the questions concerning your business’s entry and exit strategies in global business, the controls set up for its global business, and the type of organizational structure. You completed these in Part 2, which was due in Week 4.

Managing Global Business

This section will include the information you researched to complete the second section of Part 3, which was due in Week 6.

Conclusion

Wrap up the major points about your company.

Samples References

Daresh, J. C. (2004). Beginning the assistant principalship: A practical guide for new school administrators. Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin.

Herbst-Damm, K. L., & Kulik, J. A. (2005). Volunteer support, marital status, and the survival times of terminally ill patients. Health Psychology, 24, 225-229. doi:10.1037/0278-6133.24.2.225

U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, National Institutes of Health, National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute. (2003). Managing asthma: A guide for schools (NIH Publication No. 02-2650). Retrieved from http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/
health/prof/asthma/asth_sch