Participants are required to undertake a pre-assignment in preparation for this course. The reason for this pre-assignment is to ensure that all students are prepared to actively engage with the lecturers and the lecture material from the start of the course. Instructions: For assignment one, choose a country (any independent nation recognised by the U.N.) other than Singapore or Malaysia. Imagine that you are a manager in a global organization. You must send one of your team on a two year assignment in the country you have selected. You need to be sure that he is prepared for the assignment and is aware that the country where he will live for the next two years is very different from Singapore or Malaysia. The person you have chosen to take up the assignment is married and has two children, one of whom has just started school. Your task is to research the country and its culture and to prepare a report focusing on the cultural aspects that characterise living and working in that country. Your report will help this person, and his wife, to decide if they will agree to take up the assignment. You should consider the following areas: 1. General information about the country: demographics, language(s), food, religions, appropriate dress, traditions, places of interest, and anything else that you think is important. 2. Information about working in the country such as the business etiquette, dress code for work, gift giving, how to address people, importance of being on time, gender equality, and anything else that you think is important. Using, the internet, travel books or brochures, you personal experience and any other sources of information, you will need to research the country and its culture and to prepare your assignment. Suggested length: 1,000 words plus/minus 10% (excluding tables, diagrams and appendices