1.

Discuss the interconnection between societal needs and scientific knowledge and examine
the place and role of engineering between this two domains.[10 marks]
Societal needs anything that is related to the society, Science influences society through its knowledge
and world view. Scientific knowledge and the procedures used by scientists influence the way many
individuals in society think about themselves, others, and the environment. The effect of science on
society is neither entirely beneficial nor entirely detrimental. Societal challenges often inspire questions
for scientific research, and social priorities often influence research priorities through the availability
of funding for research. E.g. scientist might get interested on researching about the effects of polluted
water on livestock. Engineering and scientific knowledge, these connections are important! Though
people tend to think of science and engineering are separate things, they’re actually closely connected.
For example, scientists use the technologies that engineers create (such as microscopes, monitors, and
meters) to conduct their research. And when engineers start to design a new technology, they call on
the knowledge of the natural world developed by scientists (for example, the law of gravity or how fluid
flows). Engineering and science connect to and influence each other.
Engineering and science, also influence and are influenced by society. Our human values, needs, or
problems often determine what questions scientists investigate and what problems engineers tackle.
Meanwhile the technologies that are the products of science and engineering influence society and
change human culture for example the impacts of cars and cell phones. Transportation has been made
easy and communication is simplified to share information unlike in the old days where you could take
days to receive an update. On the other hand cars cause pollution to the environment and smokes
produced causes health problems to other people.
Science seeks to describe and understand the natural world and its physical properties and also to make
predictions while Engineering seeks solutions for societal problems, needs, and wants aims to produce
the best solutions given resources and constraints.

2. Define the notion of globalisation and briefly discuss 3 factors that are influencing the
current international business operations.[10 marks]
Globalization is the spread of products, technology, information, and jobs across national borders and
cultures. In economic terms, it describes an interdependence of nations around the globe fostered
through free trade. On the upside, it can raise the standard of living in poor and less developed
countries by providing job opportunity, modernization, and improved access to goods and services.
On the downside, it can destroy job opportunities in more developed and high-wage countries as the
production of goods moves across borders. Globalization motives are idealistic, as well as
opportunistic, but the development of a global free market has benefited large corporations based in
the Western world. Its impact remains mixed for workers, cultures, and small businesses around the
globe, in both developed and emerging nations. Factors influencing the current international business;
Technology: has been the other principal driver of globalization. Advances in information
technology, in particular, have dramatically transformed economic life. Information technologies have
given all sorts of individual economic actors, consumers, investors, businesses, valuable new tools for
identifying and pursuing economic opportunities, including faster and more informed analyses of
economic trends around the world, easy transfers of assets, and collaboration with far-flung partners.
The social environment: encompassing religious aspects, language, customs, traditions and beliefs,
influences buying consumption habits. Many companies face failure in foreign countries, due to their
inability to understand the social cultural environment. For example whenever any company
establishes business in some African countries, the local population expects that many jobs will open
up for them. Very few countries perceive that they may be exploited.
Legal Environment: This relates to the laws and regulations governing the conduct of business
activities in the country. Before entering any country, firms avail of the services of local legal firms to
understand business interpretations pertaining to labour legislations, taxes, environment, pollution,
investment, distribution, contracts, logistics etc. This laws can be home, host or international laws.
Competitive environment: Competition is a threat imposed by an environment, which may effector
hamper or challenge the operation of an international business firm. Competition either could be from
the firm’s home country or host country or third country. Sometimes product related competition may
crop up through substitutes or low cost production process or technology or cost reduction through
economies of scale. The current international business operation has to encounter competition as various
levels such as entry, operation, production, administration, human resource, technical resource, and
financial resource. Distribution and logistics. Motorola had to face the competition from Nokia,
soon Nokia concentrated in fast growing markets of India and China resulting the follower became
leader in the world and another example is and iPhone and Huawei phone competition.