| Course | BUSI 605 Environment of International Business (BUSI605) |
|---|---|
| Module/Week | 1 |
| Assignment | Group DB Forum 1 |
| Paper type | Group discussion thread |
| Length | about 288 words (thread and replies). Course guide: a thread of at least 250 words answering a forum question and demonstrating course-related knowledge; replies are not required in Module/Week 1 |
| Format | APA 7 citations and reference list |
| Points | 50 |
| School | Liberty University Online |
| Program | MBA |
| Where it sits | Module/Week 1 in Liberty's published BUSI 605 course guide; current sections can differ |
| Updated | October 2026 |
Free sample paper for BUSI 605 Week 1
Group Discussion Board Forum 1: The State of Globalization
BUSI 605 Environment of International Business, Group Discussion Board Forum 1 (thread)
Thread by [Student Name]
The forum question is a composite standing in for the course's own question list; the data and research cited are real, and the requirements follow Liberty's public course guide for BUSI 605.
Thread
Globalization has slowed and changed shape since 2008, but it has not reversed. World Bank (2026) data show that world trade in goods and services rose from about 50% of global output in 2000 to 60% in 2008, fell to 52% in the 2009 recession, reached a new high of 62% in 2022 and eased to about 57% in 2024. Trade remains near historic highs. Foreign direct investment tells a different story: inflows fell from 4.6% of world output in 2000 to 3.7% in 2008 and to only about 1.2% in 2024.
The gap between the two trends is the most important fact about globalization today. Firms are still buying and selling across borders, but they are less willing to make long-term investments in foreign plants and subsidiaries. Witt (2019) explains why: rivalry between the United States and China and the rise of populist politics have made deep cross-border commitments riskier, encouraging firms to keep their options open. Investment is the most exposed form of integration, because a factory cannot be moved when a tariff or sanction arrives.
Baldwin (2016) adds a longer view. Globalization has proceeded in stages as the costs of moving goods, ideas and people fell, and the newest stage is driven by communication technology that lets services and knowledge cross borders even when goods do not. Remote engineering, design and back-office work continue to globalize. For a manager choosing where to locate production, the lesson is to plan for continued international trade but greater political risk, which favors flexible arrangements, such as contract manufacturing in several countries, over large single investments. Proverbs 16:9 reminds us that people plan their way while the Lord establishes their steps, a fitting caution for anyone forecasting global business.
References
Baldwin, R. (2016). The great convergence: Information technology and the new globalization. Harvard University Press.
Witt, M. A. (2019). De-globalization: Theories, predictions, and opportunities for international business research. Journal of International Business Studies, 50(7), 1053-1077. https://doi.org/10.1057/s41267-019-00219-7
World Bank. (2026). World development indicators [Data set]. https://databank.worldbank.org/source/world-development-indicators
What the BUSI 605 Week 1 instructions ask
BUSI 605 begins with Module 1 of Geringer, McNett and Ball's International Business, a presentation, two start-of-course tasks, the first MiniCase and Group Discussion Board Forum 1. The guide places students in groups and asks each to write a thread answering one of the forum's questions in at least 250 words that demonstrate course-related knowledge. In most weeks the student must also reply to two classmates in 250 words each, and both parts are required for credit, but replies are not required in Module/Weeks 1 and 7. Each forum carries 50 points; the weekly MiniCase, a case essay of 500 words or more, carries another 40.
How this BUSI 605 Week 1 example is built
Its opening line gives the verdict, that globalization has slowed and changed form since 2008 but has not reversed. It supports the claim with World Bank series on trade and foreign direct investment as shares of world output, explains why investment flows have fallen more than trade, drawing on Witt's account of deglobalization, and adds Baldwin's argument that falling communication costs are globalizing services and ideas even as goods trade plateaus. The final paragraph turns the data into advice for a manager choosing a production site, then adds a brief reflection from Proverbs on the limits of forecasting. The whole thread stays under 300 words, which leaves the data room to speak.
BUSI 605 Week 1 grading rubric: where the points go
Forum threads are graded on reaching 250 words, answering the chosen question directly and demonstrating course-related knowledge, accurate use of the module's concepts and, in later weeks, on two substantive replies of 250 words each. Instructors look for claims supported by evidence, such as data from an official source or research, rather than general impressions of the news, and for correct use of terms such as globalization, foreign direct investment, trade openness and global value chains. A thread that interprets data, explaining what a trend means and why it happened, demonstrates more knowledge than one that only reports numbers. Citing the data source and the years covered is part of demonstrating knowledge.
BUSI 605 Week 1 help: mistakes that cost points
Of the questions offered, take the one your evidence can settle, and let the opening line deliver the verdict. Use an official data source, such as the World Bank or the World Trade Organization, for any trend you describe, and give the years. Then explain the trend using the module's concepts and at least one scholarly source. Keep to roughly 250 to 350 words, since threads are short by design. Because no replies are required this week, use the time to start MiniCase 1 and to read your group members' threads, which will help you reply well in Module/Week 2. Group members will read your thread closely next week, so make your claim easy to find.
Related BUSI 605 sample papers
Other BUSI 605 weeks
- BUSI 605 Week 2: Forum 2: Who Pays for Tariffs?
- BUSI 605 Week 3: Forum 3: Does the WTO Matter?
- BUSI 605 Week 4: Forum 4: Managing Currency Risk
- BUSI 605 Week 5: Forum 5: Adapt or Standardize?
- BUSI 605 Week 6: Forum 6: Sizing Political Risk
- BUSI 605 Week 7: Forum 7: Offshoring and U.S. Jobs
- BUSI 605 Week 8: Final Project: Business in Mexico
More MBA sample papers
- BUSI 600 Week 1: Forum 1 Part 1: Framing the Problem
- BUSI 601 Week 1: Forum 1 Thread: Strategy and CSFs
- BUSI 603 Week 1: Forum 1: The Business Concept
- BUSI 604 Week 2: Forum 1: Deglobalization Thread
BUSI 605 Week 1 questions, answered
What is BUSI 605 Group Discussion Board Forum 1?
The opening group forum, one of eight worth 50 points each: students answer a single question from the list in at least 250 words of course-grounded analysis, and no replies are due in the first week.
Where can I find a free BUSI 605 Week 1 sample paper?
Read the complete Week 1 thread for BUSI 605 on this page; it uses World Bank figures on trade and foreign investment to test whether globalization is going into reverse.
Is globalization reversing?
Trade as a share of world output remains near its historic highs, while foreign direct investment flows have fallen sharply since 2008, suggesting globalization has slowed and changed shape rather than reversed.
How long are BUSI 605 forum posts?
Each thread must be at least 250 words, and in Module/Weeks 2 through 6 and 8 each of the two required replies must also be at least 250 words.
What else is due in BUSI 605 Module/Week 1?
Three start-up items: a 10-point checklist confirming the syllabus has been read, an ungraded greeting to the class and MiniCase 1, a 40-point APA case essay that must reach 500 words.
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