Trade and Investment in Asia

The East Asian 'Miracle Growth' – especially of China and India, has heralded the dawn of a 'Pacific Century' and the world balance of political and economic power has shifted to this region.

This unit provides a business perspective on Asia-pacific trade and investment development, policies, practice and issues. It will begin with a brief overview of the macro-economic environment in the region, focused on the concept of globalisation. The unit will then examine the environment for international firms, particularly the political, social economic, technological and other configurations that support cross-border trade and investment in Asia. Amongst others, we will look at the role of national policies, cultures and business systems, the evolution of regional markets in goods, services and finance, as well as ongoing bilateral and regional trade and investment between the countries of Asia. The unit will then probe international firms engaging in Asia-pacific business ventures and develop a narrative analysis based on the company case studies in the larger picture of ongoing macro-economic trade and investment patterns. Discussion of current events/affairs and how these impact on Asia-pacific international trade and investment is a major part of the unit.

Learning Outcomes

On successful completion of this unit, students will be able to:

1. Critically evaluate the main features of the Asia-pacific international business environment;
2. Evaluate the political, economic, social, technological, environmental and legal (PESTEL) configurations that support trade and investment in Asia;
3. Critically analyse the key decisions that multinational firms make in relation to the choice of markets and investment strategies in Asia;
4. Cross-examine the different modes of engagement with Asian markets and explore the interconnectedness between these and PESTEL factors in which expanding companies operate; and,
5. Effectively communicate the concepts of global trade and investment in written and oral formats.