Reference no: EM133284374 , Length: word count:2900

Assessments Strategy

The varied knowledge, skills and competencies required by the successful Procurement & Supply Chain Specialist implies a critical and holistic assessment method that meets with individual module learning outcomes.

The assessment for this module is based on a piece of courseworkof 3,000 word count that will address keys issues in Procurement systems.

Assessment will be by an academic Essay 3,000 words [100%].

You may conduct a theoretical/conceptual study or relate your chosen topic to an organisation of your choice as a case study.

Topics:

1. The changing role of procurement in the twenty first century and the functions of procurement in supplier relationship management

2. Critically examine the distinctions and similarities between procurement and purchasing

3. Procurement negotiation is not to get a deal, but to get a good deal for in a win-win outcome - discuss

4. Analysis of Corporate Social Responsibility considerations in a procurement environment

5. Supply Chain Procurement and Global Value chains - A critical Analysis

6. Public-Private Partnerships: An alternative to provision of services by the public sector

7. The Iceberg concept - An analysis of the true cost of global sourcing

Your write-up should have the following structure:

Topic: Choose any topic from the list provided. If you have any other contemporary topic, you will need to discuss it with your module tutor for approval.

Aim and Objective of essay: This will includethe overall purpose of the study, the research problem(s) you are investigating and how you intend to achieve your aim.

Introduction: This should be 5% to 10% of your essay. You will introduce the main subject of the essay and why it is an important topic. Your introduction should provide an outline of the key argument(s) presented in the essay and how you are planning to answer the questions. You may also provide definitions for any ambiguous terms or concepts. You should make your reader to know what you mean when you say certain things.Your introduction should tell the reader what to expect from your essay. Stay focussed on the question and keep it brief.Do not give very broad background information on the general topic but focus instead on what is relevant to answering the set question.

Literaturereview /Body of essay: You will provide an analytic overview of the significant literature published on your chosen topic. You must demonstrate your level of familiarity, expertise and intelligence with procurement. In your literature review, you will be expected to discuss the major issues surrounding your topic; describe the relationship of your topic to procurement and supply chain management; identify and explain any gaps in the literature;

Methodology and design: explain the process of your research. An effective research methodology is grounded in your overall approach - whether qualitative or quantitative. In this situation, you may adopt the secondary case study approach due to lack of time or no access to primary data. You will adequately describe the methods you used and justify why you chose those methods over others, then explain how those methods will provide answers to your research questions.If you have adopted a qualitative research approach, you might have identified some key themes (Key issues/points for discussion). You will use the information you have already documented to develop your narratives (story) around your theme with reflections on the literature you have already documented. But if you undertook a quantitative type of study, you would structure your findings in relation to your research questions or your hypotheses.

Body of essay/ findings and discussions:The findings and discussion sections are the most rewarding sections of your total dissertation. At this stage, you will be writing about what you have done, rather than what others have said about your subject area. You need to tell your readers what they need to know right from the beginning. Relate theory to industry practice; identify and resolve conflicts or any contradictory opinions in previous studies; determine findings that make significant contribution(s) to body of knowledge and development of procurement practices; identify areas for further research in procurement on your topic; and provide conclusions as relevant to your topic.
Recommendations and conclusions: The Conclusions and Recommendations may be combined or, in long reports, presented in separate sections. If there are no recommendations to be made as a result of the project, just call this section Conclusions.

The Conclusions sectionshould sum up the key points of your discussion and the significant outcomes of your investigation. The function of a conclusion is to round off the story of your project.
It should therefore:
be written to relate directly to the aims of the project as stated in the Introduction
indicate the extent to which the aims have been achieved
summarise the key findings, outcomes or information in your report
acknowledge limitations and make recommendations for future work (where applicable)
highlight the significance or usefulness of your work to the field of procurement

The recommendations section should always address limitations and suggest how they might be overcome in future work.