International business first took the form of commodity trade, i.e. exporting or importing goods produced in one country for consumption or resale in another. This form of trade is also referred to as visible trade. Later a different kind of trade in the form of transportation, communication, banking, insurance, consulting, information, etc. gradually became more and more important. This type of trade is called invisible trade.

Two political factors may also be at work in a firm’s choice to operate directly abroad through foreign direct investment (FDI). The first is to get around trade barriers such as quotas set by foreign countries. Saving tariff, the major form of trade barrier, is needless to say, an obvious motivation for undertaking FDI. Favorable investment policies practiced by host country such as tax reduction, rebated land-use fee, etc. are also an important incentive for FDI.

尽管公司的日常管理工作下放到跨国公司的子公司，但重要的决策由母公司作出。

进口商可以通过可转让的运输单据将货物在运输途中卖给新的买方，这类可转让单据用起来非常方便。

在国际贸易中进出口双方都面临风险，因为总存在对方不履约的可能。

浮动汇率制从没有真正自由地浮动过，因为中央银行为了稳定汇率采取了各种措施对货币价格进行干涉。

国际货币基金组织旨在向那些在付款方面有困难的基金会员国提供中期贷款。

favorable balance of trade

gross domestic product

fixed exchange rate system