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http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/chi-0404040427apr04-story.html

http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/chi-0404050076apr05-story.html

The two links above describe a story about our very own city of Columbus and its main employer

Cummins. We couldn’t have a better perspective on how international business plays out in real life. The

author describes in great detail, how communities and lives get impacted through globalization.

Read through the article to answer only FIVE of the following questions. Some answers may not come

directly from the links above, and you may have to refer to other sources you have used.

1. At the time when this article was published, what were some measures was Cummins taking to

stay competitive? Mention at least five.

2. Think about the impact of globalization on people’s lives. How was everyday life in Columbus

affected by globalization and international business? Mention at least five.

3. Do you think Cummins would be at least as profitable as it is today, if it had refused to embrace

globalization, as it did in 2000-2004 (when this article was published)? Justify your answer with

arguments and some data.

4. This article also hints at ways in which general wage earners and communities can handle

globalization. Mention at least 3 of them.

5. Does globalization help? State your personal opinion on whether it has helped (a) local

community, (b) businesses, (c) consumers (d) employees and (e) shareholders. Which one has it

helped most?

6. There seems to be a growing movement against free trade and large trade deals. Would you

agree to the statement above or not? Justify with at least five reasons. (Think resistance to TPP,

EU, etc.)

7. How and why was India chosen as the destination for the new tech center for Cummins? What is

comparative advantage? What was India able to offer that was not present in US at the time.

8. Identify any ethical dilemmas that the CEO of Cummins might have been having at the time,

when the article was published. Is the employee in India as important as the employee in

Columbus?

9. Identify some trade agreements that exist between India and USA or USA and China. What are

the main ones, and how to do they help or hinder business between these countries?

10. What are some of the main cultural differences (Chapter 2) between India, China and USA?

Mention at least five.