BUSI 360 Week 4 Research Paper Outline Example

Reviewed by Thomas Kerrigan, MBA, CPA · Liberty University · Updated

This BUSI 360 Week 4 sample is a detailed outline for a research paper on nearshoring, the shift of U.S. companies' production from China and other distant suppliers to Mexico. Its thesis holds that tariffs, supply chain shocks and the USMCA have made Mexico the leading alternative to China for many manufacturers, but that the move brings new risks, including rerouted Chinese inputs, infrastructure limits and renewed tariff threats, so firms should diversify rather than simply relocate. Seven sections set out the argument, each tied to its sources: research on the incidence of the 2018 tariffs, the return to protectionism, trade policy's effect on global supply chains, supply chain resilience and risk, and the course reader. Liberty University BUSI 360 awards the outline 150 points, the first graded step toward the research paper that BS in Business Administration students finish in Week 8.

CourseBUSI 360 Contemporary Issues in International Business (BUSI360)
Module/Week4
AssignmentResearch Paper Outline
Paper typeResearch paper outline
Lengthabout 337 words, 1 double-spaced pages plus title page and references. Course guide: a detailed, substantive outline of the research paper, 1-2 pages in current APA outline format, using a minimum of 5 sources
FormatAPA 7 student paper
Points150
SchoolLiberty University Online
ProgramBS in Business Administration
Where it sitsModule/Week 4 in Liberty's published BUSI 360 course guide; current sections can differ
UpdatedOctober 2026

Free sample paper for BUSI 360 Week 4

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Outline: Nearshoring to Mexico and the Redrawing of North American Supply Chains

 

[Student Name]

School of Business, Liberty University

BUSI 360: Contemporary Issues in International Business

Research Paper Outline

[Instructor Name]

[Date]

 

The topic is one a student could propose for approval; the outline is written as it would be submitted, the company example is a composite, and every source listed is real and checkable.

Why this part earns its pointsThe thesis comes first so every section can be checked against it.
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Outline: Nearshoring to Mexico and the Redrawing of North American Supply Chains

Thesis

Tariffs, supply chain shocks and the USMCA have made Mexico the leading alternative to China for many U.S. manufacturers, but nearshoring brings its own risks, so firms should treat Mexico as part of a diversified supply base rather than a simple replacement for China.

Outline

Why this part earns its pointsEach section states its purpose and attaches the source that will carry each point.
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I. Introduction

  • Purpose: define nearshoring and show why it is a contemporary issue.
  • Opening example: a composite Ohio maker of heating and cooling controls weighing a move of production from Shenzhen to Monterrey.
  • Context: globalization's growth and its uneven costs (Maidment, 2013).
  • State the thesis.

II. Why Firms Are Leaving China

  • The 2018 tariffs raised costs for U.S. importers, who bore nearly the full burden (Amiti et al., 2019).
  • The broader return to protectionism and retaliation changed the calculus for trade-exposed firms (Fajgelbaum et al., 2020).
  • Pandemic disruptions exposed the risk of concentration in one supplier country (Baldwin & Freeman, 2022).

III. Why Mexico

  • Proximity, shorter shipping times and time-zone alignment with U.S. customers.
  • The USMCA, in force since 2020, and its rules of origin for duty-free access.
  • Evidence that U.S. imports shifted toward countries such as Mexico and Vietnam after the trade war (Freund et al., 2024).

IV. The Risks of Nearshoring

  • Rerouting: countries gaining U.S. market share were often closely tied to Chinese supply chains (Freund et al., 2024).
  • Infrastructure, energy and water limits in northern Mexican industrial regions; security concerns.
  • Renewed U.S. tariff threats in 2025 against Mexico and Canada, with exemptions for goods meeting USMCA rules.
Why this part earns its pointsThe outcomes and strategy sections are where the paper will move from evidence to judgment.
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V. Projected Outcomes

  • Likely continued growth of Mexican manufacturing for the U.S. market, constrained by infrastructure.
  • Possible rise of policy risk as trade rules change with each administration.
  • Resilience depends on diversification, not location alone (Grossman et al., 2023).

VI. Strategic Response for the Example Company

  • Move final assembly for U.S. customers to Monterrey to qualify for USMCA treatment.
  • Keep a second source for key components in another country.
  • Map tier-two suppliers to identify hidden Chinese inputs.
  • Build tariff scenarios into pricing and contracts.

VII. Conclusion

  • Restate the thesis and the strongest evidence.
  • Nearshoring reduces distance, but it does not remove risk; it trades one set of risks for another.
  • Recommend periodic review of the supply base as trade policy changes.
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References

Amiti, M., Redding, S. J., & Weinstein, D. E. (2019). The impact of the 2018 tariffs on prices and welfare. Journal of Economic Perspectives, 33(4), 187-210. https://doi.org/10.1257/jep.33.4.187

Baldwin, R., & Freeman, R. (2022). Risks and global supply chains: What we know and what we need to know. Annual Review of Economics, 14, 153-180. https://doi.org/10.1146/annurev-economics-051420-113737

Fajgelbaum, P. D., Goldberg, P. K., Kennedy, P. J., & Khandelwal, A. K. (2020). The return to protectionism. The Quarterly Journal of Economics, 135(1), 1-55. https://doi.org/10.1093/qje/qjz036

Freund, C., Mattoo, A., Mulabdic, A., & Ruta, M. (2024). Is US trade policy reshaping global supply chains? Journal of International Economics, 152, Article 104011. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jinteco.2024.104011

Grossman, G. M., Helpman, E., & Lhuillier, H. (2023). Supply chain resilience: Should policy promote international diversification or reshoring? Journal of Political Economy, 131(12), 3462-3496. https://doi.org/10.1086/725173

Maidment, F. H. (Ed.). (2013). Annual editions: International business. McGraw-Hill.

What the BUSI 360 Week 4 instructions ask

Module/Week 4 brings the research paper outline, during a review of Unit 2 of Maidment, along with the Forum 2 replies. It follows the topic approved in Module/Week 2, since none of the research project's three graded parts can begin without approval. The outline must be detailed and substantive, one to two pages long, and in current APA outline formatting, with a minimum of five sources, and it is submitted through SafeAssign. At 150 points it is worth as much as the PowerPoint presentation, so it is graded as a real planning document. The same topic will be presented as slides in Module/Week 6 and written as an 8-10 page paper in Module/Week 8.

How this BUSI 360 Week 4 example is built

A thesis sentence sits at the top, then seven numbered sections in APA outline form. Each section names its purpose and the specific points it will cover, with citations attached to the points they support, so the outline is substantive rather than a list of headings. The sections follow the course's approach to contemporary issues: describe the development, explain its causes with research, project likely outcomes and recommend a strategic response for a company. A composite manufacturer appears as the running example the paper will use. Six sources are attached, one more than required, and they will carry forward to the presentation and paper.

BUSI 360 Week 4 grading rubric: where the points go

The outline is graded on whether it is detailed and substantive, follows current APA outline formatting, stays within one to two pages and uses at least five sources. Instructors look for a clear thesis, a logical structure that could support an 8-10 page paper and sources attached to specific points rather than listed at the end. Because the course emphasizes identifying issues, extrapolating outcomes and developing strategic responses, an outline that includes projection and recommendation sections fits the course's purpose better than one that only describes a trend. Sources should be scholarly and current enough to address a contemporary issue. An outline that previews the paper's conclusion earns trust.

BUSI 360 Week 4 help: mistakes that cost points

Make sure your topic is approved before you begin, and write the thesis first. Divide the paper into sections that describe the issue, explain its causes, project its outcomes and recommend a response. Under each heading, write specific points rather than single words, and attach the source you will use. Gather more than five sources so you can drop a weak one. Use peer-reviewed research for causes and effects and the course reader for context. Keep to two pages. Use the same sources and structure for the PowerPoint in Module/Week 6, which will save time later. Put each source's author and year beside the points it supports, which makes the outline easier to turn into the paper later.

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BUSI 360 Week 4 questions, answered

What is the BUSI 360 research paper outline?

A detailed outline of the approved research paper, 1-2 pages in APA outline format with at least five sources, worth 150 points in Module/Week 4.

Where can I find a free BUSI 360 Week 4 sample paper?

The sample below is a complete BUSI 360 Week 4 research paper outline on nearshoring to Mexico, with six sources attached to the points they support.

What is nearshoring?

Moving production or sourcing to a nearby country, such as a U.S. company shifting manufacturing from Asia to Mexico, to shorten supply chains and reduce some risks.

Why are companies moving production to Mexico?

Tariffs on Chinese goods, supply chain disruptions, the USMCA trade agreement and Mexico's proximity to U.S. customers have made it a leading alternative to China for many manufacturers.

What else is due in BUSI 360 Module/Week 4?

The Forum 2 replies are due with the outline, during a review module/week for Unit 2 of Maidment with one presentation. The outline is due through SafeAssign.

Use it as a model, or ask for your own

This paper is an original model written by our desk for study. It is not a submitted student paper and not an official Liberty University document. Read it for structure and reasoning, then write your own to the instructions in your Canvas course. If you want a version built to your exact prompt and rubric, the first custom sample is free and arrives in 24 to 48 hours.

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