The International Business Environment, Second Edition

The International Business Environment, Second Edition, prepares students for the realities of global twenty-first-century business. Building on the success of the previous edition, it employs a wide range of examples from BRIC and CIVETS economies and offers chapters on CSR, the ecological environment, and corporate social responsibility. Authors Leslie Hamilton and Philip Webster discuss the process of globalization, the global economy, and the impact of that economy on international business organizations. Using a PESTLE framework, they analyze the economic, political, legal, financial, technological, socio-cultural, and ecological environments, clearly outlining the factors that affect the everyday business of organizations.

Adopting a truly international approach, this full-color, visually engaging text features a wealth of examples and case studies. Each chapter begins and ends with a one-page case study, and fifty additional mini-cases address such compelling issues as civil unrest in North Africa, the Japanese earthquake and tsunami, Wikileaks, and Google in China. Organizations including BP, Dell, Domino's Pizza, Apple, and Procter & Gamble are featured throughout the book.

NEW TO THIS EDITION:

• Fully updated to cover new developments, including the global financial crisis and the latest ecological issues
• An additional chapter on country assessment discussing how a company decides which countries to expand into
• Increased coverage of the service sector
• "Counterpoint" boxes that encourage critical thinking and cover such issues as GDP and quality of life; Porter's Five Forces Model and its critics; Investing in Africa; and the European Emissions Trading System

About the Authors

Leslie Hamilton is currently an associate member of staff at Leeds Metropolitan University and holds an MSc in Economics from the University of Hull. He has more than 30 years' experience of teaching at both undergraduate and postgraduate levels, mostly in the areas of the International Business Environment, and the European Union. In the Business School at Leeds Metropolitan Les was responsible for developing and leading a large module on the Global Business Context. He has taught in France, Germany, Hong Kong, Russia, and Spain. Les worked for two years in the Netherlands researching the economic and social implications of EU policies towards the regions, and examining issues around migration. His other publications cover a variety of topics including the EU, international business, and the business environment.

Philip Webster is an associate member of staff at Leeds Metropolitan University. He was formerly Director for Undergraduate Studies at Leeds Business School and Principal Lecturer in Business Strategy and International Business. He graduated from the University of Leeds with an MA in Economic Development and worked in financial services and the computing industry before moving into education. Phil has over 30 years' experience of teaching International Business Environment, Business Strategy and Business Ethics, and Corporate Social Responsibility. He has taught mainly in the UK but also in India, Sabah, and Hong Kong. Phil has also worked and lived in Malaysia.