4 pages briefing paper, MSc Engineering Management, York University

MSc Engineering Management
2022/23 Law Assignment
Produce a briefing document for the Board of Directors of a UK SME which is looking to
expand its business Internaonally. The company produces electronic products for the
consumer market. The company sells to distributers and large, mul-store retailers so has a
very wide range of potenal customers in each country. It has the reputaon in the UK of
honesty and integrity. This has helped build its reputaon as a top-class product provider.
Their products have associated patent, trademark and copyright IP protecon in the UK.
The company objecve is to expand its geographic coverage area and start selling its
products in a country which you can choose. The company is expecng to set up an office
(the “local office”) in the country and employ some local staff although management of the
business will be from the UK headquarters. To limit liability, the company will set the “local
office” and all in country sales and aersales support as a subsidiary company under the
parent holding company.
Your task is to produce a short briefing document specifically aimed at UK managers who will
be travelling to the country to set up the local business. Your brief should include:
● A list of cultural differences (in the business and social seng) and clear advice on
what the UK manager should and should not do;
● A clear statement of the legal differences between UK law and the law of your
chosen country. You should focus your aenon on the key areas where there is a
difference in the legal systems and hence the areas that the company should be
parcularly mindful of in planning to trade in the country;
● A clear statement of how the UK manager should set up the business in your country
including, where appropriate, the best locaon, the best business form, and the
steps they should take to set the business up;
● What steps the UK manager should take to acquire Intellectual Property protecon
for the products they will sell;
● A list of the important things that should be included in the employment contract for
staff from your chosen country;
The briefing document should provide SPECIFIC advice for the business that is RELEVANT to
their company. Generic text book discussions about legal maers are likely to receive low
marks. You should write the briefing paper as if you were giving the business instrucons on
what they should and should not do in each of the legal areas with as much specific detail as
you can provide.
Assignment form
The objecve of this assignment is to produce a business briefing paper. This should be
short, precise and focussed on the important points of difference. It should be no more that
4 sides of A4, neatly laid out with clear and appropriate secon headings with very brief
introducons. Ensure your submission has a meaningful tle. The key differences can be in
bullet point form, but each bullet point should be readable and clearly convey the point.
The following marks breakdown will be used:
● Document layout and structure 10%
● Document readability 10%
● Idenficaon of key:
o cultural differences 20%
o legal differences 10%
o seng up the business 10%
o protecon of IP 20%
o employing local staff 20%
The assignment will be submied in electronic form and should be in Word format. It
should have page numbers as part of a footer and should have a list of references (using the
numbering referencing system – ie [1], [2]) from where you obtained your informaon (the
reference list does not form part of the 4 page maximum – it can be of any length).