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BUS AD 10 / ONLINE Santa Rosa Junior CollegeAMERICAN BUSINESS in its GLOBAL CONTEXT Business Administration Department

RESEARCH PAPER 

DIRECTIONS:

1. Select one of the research topics listed below and write a paper of at least 1,500 words in length (approx. 6

pages). An additional page or two should be used for your bibliography and endnotes (citations). Do not

create your own topic. Select one of the topics listed below and respond to the research topic and questions just as they are stated.

2.  A minimum of five sources is required. These should be current (not more than twelve months old), and

should include business journals and periodicals, most of which can be accessed online and/or through the

SRJC Library website. Try to balance your paper among your five (or more) sources; donʼt rely on mainly one

or two sources. See "Start Your Research Here" at http://www.santarosa.edu/library

3.  Use citations (e.g., footnotes, endnotes) throughout your paper to identify the sources of your data,

conclusions, quotations, etc. Your paper should average 4 - 5 citations per page!  No citations, no points.

Your paper is not to be a personal opinion piece, but a research effort.

4. Once you have picked a topic and have begun to research it, send the instructor an email message 

indicating that you are doing a paper and which topic you have chosen to research. Indicate the topic number

in your message.

5. Papers must be produced using Micorsoft's WORD application (creating documents with a .doc or .docx

suffix). No other format is compatible with the college's email system. Send your finished paper as an

attachment in an email message addressed to: bmacpherson@santarosa.edu

6. Your paper will be evaluated on: 1) coverage of the topic; 2) adequacy of sources consulted; 3) quantity

and quality of citations; 4) documentation; and, 5) grammar, spelling, punctuation and proofreading.

7. Papers must be received by the date and time indicated in the Class Schedule. Late papers will not  be

accepted.

 TOPICS:

1. Business vs. global warming: What is global warming? What is the evidence; how strong is the evidence?

What are the likely consequences of global warming? What has been the response of the business community

to the problem of global warming?

2. The new investor: What should someone new to investing know about stocks and bonds before investing in

either? What are the inherent risks? How should those risks and investment opportunities be evaluated?

3. China: The next big business opportunity? Will China soon surpass the US economy? What are the

opportunities and perils of American firms doing business in China?

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4. The Asian Century? It is said that the 20th

century was the American Century and that the 21st

century will be

the Asian Century. What is the evidence for this assertion? How large a role will India and China (“Chindia”)

play in the 21st

century global economy?

5. Outsourcing/offshoring of jobs and Americaʼs competitive advantage: Is the "off-shoring" of jobs and

technology good for America? Will America lose it competitive advantage by the off-shoring of jobs and

technology? What are the likely impacts for American businesses and to the American labor force?

6. Employee health care: More employers are limiting, restricting, or abandoning employer-based employee

health care programs. Why? How will the recently-passed Obama health care reform address the problem of

health care for both the employed and the un- or under-employed?

7. A “jobless” economic recovery? The Great Recession is over, but the era of high joblessness may be just

beginning. Why is the economic recovery not creating jobs as in the past? What has changed? How will the

unwillingness/inability of American firms to create jobs affect new entrants to the labor market?

8. Women in management: Has the “glass ceiling” finally been broken? Are executive management positions

becoming equally available to both men and women? What are the issues surrounding women in

management? What has been accomplished so far?

9. Starting a small business: What are the most important steps involved in starting one? How are thosesteps achieved in practice? What are the pitfalls to be avoided? Give an example.

10. Undocumented workers: Is the growing use of undocumented workers (“illegal aliens”) a smart business

practice? What is the debate? What are the issues? Where do you stand?

11. Energy options: As we near the end of the petroleum economy, what energy options are likely to take the

place of oil? What is being reported about the likely future of nuclear power, renewable energy sources,

hydrogen, energy conservation? How painful will the transition be? Wherein lie the business opportunities?

12. Americaʼs trade imbalance: Our negative balance of trade (trade debt) has reached an all-time high. Is this

a major problem or nothing to worry about (as some argue). Describe the debate. What are the issues?

13. The fall and rise of the American auto industry: Over the past decade, the American auto industry all butdied. Today it has recovered and is poised for a dramatic decade. How did it happen? What facilitated such

a rapid turnaround? What role did the "Obama bailout" of the industry play?

14. Social networking and marketing: How can social networking sites be used to market products? Are such

channels effective? What marketers have been successful so far? Why? What did they do right?

15. Planning for retirement. Life expectancy now exceeds retirement age by 20 years. What must be done to

assure solvency and independence in your non-working years? What are some saving and investing

strategies for retirement that are useful for persons early in their worklife?

16. Career opportunities: Where are the greatest job opportunities to be found in the coming decade? Which

career paths are growing, declining, in potential for new job market entrants?

17. Finding your dream job: How does one go about finding the “right job”? What are the steps in effective

career research and placement? What resources are available for the aggressive job-seeker?

18. Graduate school: Is it worth getting an MBA? What are the advantages to getting a graduate degree in

Business Administration? Who should get one? How will it affect your work life, your salary range? Which

schools offer the best programs?

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