Case Study Analysis: The World’s Largest Free Trade Deal Assignment

You will complete 2 Case Study Analysis Assignments in this course. Case Study Analysis Assignments involve an in-depth analysis of a real-world or hypothetical scenario to identify problems, apply theoretical knowledge, and propose solutions or recommendations. The process involves developing a thorough understanding of the case, analyzing its key issues, developing potential solutions, evaluating these solutions, and making justified recommendations substantiated by evidence and referencing. Please see the chart below for assignment due dates.
Module: Week Assignment Title
Module 3: Week 3 Case Study Analysis: The World’s Largest Free Trade Deal Assignment
Module 6: Week 6 Case Study Analysis: Acquisition Assignment

INSTRUCTIONS
For each assignment, you will write a paper in response to the matching prompt below.
Case Study Analysis: The World’s Largest Free Trade Deal Assignment
Case Summary
This case explores the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) between the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and Australia, New Zealand, China, Japan, and South Korea, which went into force in 2022, covering about one-third of the global population and GDP. The agreement will progressively reduce tariffs on goods between member states and allow companies to sell the same product across the trading bloc without having to meet individual nation requirements. While negotiations for the trading bloc started a number of years ago, efforts to come to an agreement took on a new urgency when, during his first term, Donald Trump pulled the United States out of the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) and fear grew that protectionism was on the rise. Some have suggested that the RCEP is a China-led agreement; however, the ASEAN nations argue that while China is a large voice in the agreement, it is not the leader of the agreement.
Questions
1. Are the relaxed rules of origin in the RCEP beneficial or harmful for (a) the global economy and (b) countries that are not members of the RCEP?
2. What are the limitations and potential negative consequences of the RCEP? How might these limitations impact regional and global trade going forward?
3. To what extent do you believe the exit of America from the TPP gave an impetus to the establishment of the RCEP, given that 7 of the 11 members of the Comprehensive Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP), which replaced the Trans-Pacific Partnership, are also now members of the RCEP?
Case Study Analysis: Acquisition Assignment
Case Summary
This case explores the acquisition of Sweden’s Volvo by Chinese giant Geely, now the second-largest private automobile manufacturer in China. Geely made the decision to acquire Volvo in an effort to gain the engineering and design skills it needed to successfully compete in the auto industry. So far, the acquisition has been a huge success. In 2023, Volvo sold a record number of cars. Geely has been able to combine Volvo’s brand allure and its engineering design skill with its own prowess as a manufacturer. Today, Volvos are designed, engineered, and tested in Sweden and then manufactured in China or the United States.
Questions
1. Which of the strategies described in Chapter 13 is Geely pursuing with Volvo? How might this strategy create value for Geely, enabling it to make a positive return on its investments in Volvo?
2. What are the risks associated with Geely’s strategy for Volvo? How might internal company factors and macro-environmental changes impact Geely’s ability to maximize its return on investment? What should Geely do to mitigate such risks? Is there anything else it should do?
3. In 2017, Geely doubled down on its international expansion with its acquisition of Lotus, a manufacturer of luxury sports cars. What do you think Geely’s objective is here? What strategy do you expect Geely to pursue with Lotus? Does this strategy make sense?
The paper must have the following structure:
• Cover/Title Page: Refer to the APA Format Quick Guide under Case Study Analysis Resources on the assignment page for an example of a Graduate/Doctoral Student cover page. Competency in current APA format is required of all Business graduates of Liberty University, as set forth by the policy of both the graduate faculty and the administration.
• Introductory Paragraph: Since the first paragraph or section of a document is assumed to be the introduction of the paper, the word “Introduction” is not needed. Do not begin a paper with the word “Introduction” as a heading. The paper’s title should be the first heading above the first body paragraph of your paper and must be bolded.
Briefly introduce the case and state the main problems or questions. Provide context and relevant facts about the situation and the rationale of what you intend to analyze through a summary (this is not an abstract page—no abstract is needed).
• The Problem: Clearly identify the central issues or challenges presented in the case.
• The Body
o Analysis: Examine the case using relevant theories, concepts, etc., from the assigned module, past modules, and research.
o Personal Perspective: Provide your personal perspective on the assessment by integrating Bible verses, theories, perspectives, and structures, along with alternatives on how to address the situation.
o Solutions/Recommendations: Propose viable solutions and a clear justification for why they are the best options.
• Conclusion: Summarize the key findings and the proposed actions or future steps. The conclusion is intended to help the reader understand why your paper should matter to them after they have finished reading it. A conclusion is not merely a summary of your points or a restatement of issues but a synthesis of key points.
• Format:
o The paper must have a minimum of 1,000 words and a maximum of 1,250 words. This excludes the word count from the title page and references.
o The paper must meet all writing and formatting expectations in the grading rubric.
o The paper must be submitted as a Word document and NOT a PDF document.
o Do not use bullets or list anywhere in the paper.
o Do not copy/paste passages/narratives from other authors or yourself (previous papers) into the paper.
o References must be as follows:
 Minimum of 4 peer-reviewed articles, not including the course textbook and other scholarly sources, cited in current APA format and the reference list formatted using a “hanging indent.”
 Where only 1 version of the Bible is cited in the narrative, do not include the version in the reference list. But when more than 1 version is cited in the narrative, then you can include the versions of the Bible in the reference list.
 All peer-reviewed articles and scholarly articles cited must have been published within the last 5 years.
 The main source of references must be the Jerry Falwell Library, other reputable and professional scholarly journals, and/or business/trade journals.
 References must include a Digital Object Identifier (DOI) number.
 Additional references can be from informational venues that deal with the content of the course. Do not select references from blogs, Wikipedia, newspapers, etc.
NOTE: The Difference Between Plagiarism and Paraphrasing
Some students do not fully understand the difference between plagiarism and paraphrasing. Paraphrasing is when you take a source or someone else’s idea and say it in your own words. When you paraphrase, you must still give the author’s name, date, title of the source, scholarly journal from where it came, and exact website address or book from where it came. However, when you directly quote a source, it must have quotation marks around the quote, or (if 40 words or more) it must be set in block-quotation format. Give detailed information about where you acquired the quote.
For the purpose of this assignment do not copy/paste passages/narrative from the original authors. You must paraphrase and cite the original authors. You can direct quote phrases, the Bible, mission statements, laws, etc. Do not use the same source more than a total of 3 times within the whole document for quoting or paraphrasing.
Note: Your assignment will be checked for originality via the Turnitin plagiarism tool.