Assignment 2 - Major Essay Questions (CHOOSE ONE) You are required to choose one (1) of the those essay topics and respond to it in 1500-2000 words with reference to any relevant readings set from this subject and additional readings from your own academic research library. Choose from one (1) of the following topics: Explore the main implications of the European Union extending its membership to include the former communist countries of central and eastern Europe. Consider the implications for the business world and in so doing, consider the various aspects of the business environment. The countries of Latin America often seem to be held back from achieving their economic potential. Investigate the possible reasons for this hindrance. Consider the patchwork of regional integration across North, South and Central America and discuss the prospects for a possible future Free Trade Area of the Americas. With reference to their recent economic performance, investigate the likelihood of countries in South-East Asia becoming significant players in the global economy in the next few years. Consider the possible implications for the role of the US dollar and the policies of international institutions such as the IMF and WTO, if China becomes the dominant world economic power in the next few years. An emerging phenomenon in sub-Saharan Africa is the economic growth being experienced in some of the region's poorest countries. Investigate and discuss the extent to which this economic growth can be described as an 'African economic renaissance'. Consider recent FDI in Africa and evaluate the arguments for and against the modern 'scramble for Africa' by China and other investing countries, from an African perspective. Major Essay (40%) Week 8 - Friday 22nd Jan 11:59pm More specifically, the following aspects will be taken into consideration by the marker when marking the research essay: 1. Depth of literature review: your scope of review should be broad enough to sufficiently cover the focal topic. Although it is not the only (or the best) indicator, ideally, the number of core references (the papers you actually analyse and discuss in your essay) should be around 15 to 20. 2. Quality of references: use articles from academically peer reviewed journals, research books, and publications by government or institutions. 3. Quality of your review: you should not only summarize major findings from the literature, but also critically evaluate them and identify contradictory issues or research gaps (if any). 4. Your own analysis of the issue: provide your own arguments which can be derived from the literature or logically developed by yourself. 5. Supporting your arguments: use real world examples (statistics, cases, etc) to support your arguments. These examples need to be relevant and from reliable information sources. 6. Overall writing: essay structure (intro-body-conclusion), cohesive and coherent writing, appropriate paragraphing, free of typographic and grammatical errors. 7. Referencing style: use APA. 8. Presentation: use font size 12 (Times New Roman), 1.5 line spacing, number the pages.