Reference no: EM132203084
Learning outcomes:
1. Choose and apply appropriate strategic management models to analyse differentexternal environment and organisational scenarios.
2. Generate, evaluate and justify specific views for differing organisational scenarios.
3. Construct and defend arguments regarding specific contemporary issues based on research conducted into an industry (dynamics, key success factors, etc.).
4. Discuss current business issues with business managers and demonstrate this knowledge and understanding through an assessed reflective paper.
DETAILED ASSIGNMENT BRIEF
1.0 Introduction
The module's purpose is to investigate current issues that impact upon business organisations. On completion of this element of the module you should be able to:
- Have greater awareness of critical business issues.
- To be able to discuss knowledgeably current business issues.
- Refine investigative skills.
- Source contemporary business issues debating forums.
- To be able to participate in the discourse of contemporary issues.
- Apply the issues in a critical analytical way; as to the effect of contemporary forces have on business success and economic growth.
Exposure to the module should have the outcome of raising your awareness of current business issues, their management, rational modelling and effect upon business; whilst forming effective Business Relationships.
2.0 Organisation of the Assessment
2.1 Overview
There are three main sections to the assessment for BUS5057. First, an in-class debate that will take place during week's six to eleven, during the seminar class each week. Second, two short papers regarding Contemporary Business Issues affecting a major international company's business. This business will be drawn from the top 50 global businesses, as listed in the Fortune Magazine's Global 500 listing. You will pick your company during week 2. Finally, a reflective paper about your experience of undertaking the module and its assessments.
Your assessment for this module therefore has FOUR parts that make up a single portfolio of work. The following section details the parts, but briefly, these are:
1. TASK 1: a detailed description of the selected firm's business (maximum 800 Words)
2. TASK 2: ONE report of maximum 1000words in length, selected from ANY ONE of eighttopics covered in class, about your selected firm
3. TASK 3: A reflective paper, of maximum 1000 words, about your experience of the module.
4. TASK 4: An in-class debate, in a small group, on an aspect of your selected firm that will be assessed in class. The mark will be shared by all of the group members
2.2 Selecting your Organisation and Working on the Written Assessment Elements
In week 2you will select an organisation that is listed in the Fortune Magazine Global 500 list of the world's largest firms. This will be done by blind ballot in your Seminar Groups, so it is important to attend this seminar.
The organisation you select in the ballot will be the company you must research and report on for tasks 1 and 2of theelements of this assessment (NOT the reflective paper or the group debate).
2.2.1 Task 1 A detailed description of the firm's business
You must do some research on your firm and its industry if you wish to do well in the task. For all of the tasks we give you a marking proforma that shows in detail what needs to be done to pass the task, and we suggest you look closely at this proforma, and the tasks and sub-tasks it contains, as these guide what you need to include in your report.
This should be a MAXIMUM of 800 words long. It is very easy to write a very long answer (2,000 words or more) and also very easy to write a very short one - but if you do not actually write about the tasks then your answer will likely fail. Similarly, it is easy to write an excellent answer in 2,000 words, but you have to think more and work smarter, to get the job done in the 800 limit here.
2.2.2 Task 2 A report on any one of these eight topics covered in the lectures
The Weekly Schedule indicates elevenlecture topics, which will form the basis of the seminar discussionand debates. EIGHT of them form the choices you can make for your second paper reporting on your firm's activities:
Week 02: The problems facing managers
Week 03: Analysis of your Firm's global spread
Week 04: Analysis of aspectsof your firm's technology approach and use
Week 05: Financial Analysis of your firm
Week 06: Climate Change: is it really happening, and if so, who is responsible for it?
Week 07: Sociological trends - we are all living longer and moving about the globe more - and it is causing problems!
Week 08: Analysis of your firm's activities in the field of globalisation, such as off-shoring, outsourcing, migration, etc
Week 09: Report on one aspect of your firm's management of mass media
Week 10: Report on your firm's issues with working conditions etc.
Week 11: Report on your firm's Corporate Social Responsibility and its Ethical behaviour
You should select ONE of these topics, and research it for your firm.
2.2.3 Task 3 A reflective Paper
The third task is to produce a report that reflects on your learning and experience of the module.
2.2.4 General Advice
You are advised to begin work on researching the organisation, preparing for your two submission papers, preparing for your Group Debate and making notes that reflect upon your learning on the module FROM WEEK ONE onwards - DO NOT leave it until the last minute to try and compile your work, as experience tells us that if you leave it late you will have about a 90% chance of failing the module and a 100% chance of achieving a very low grade for it.
This is a year two module and so you will be required to do more than make simple comments. Each element requires you to do a number of things:
1. Some researchon your selected company - this should go beyond just reading the first few pages of their website, if you wish to be successful
2. Reading around the subjectareas and paying attention to the lecture given on the topics that you will use to make your reports, and presentation
3. Ensure that you make use of appropriate theoryin your answers
4. Ensure that you use the theory in an applied way
5. Make sure that your reports are clearly structured, using appropriate headings, etc. and are understandable - marks are given for appropriate use of diagrams, use of English, etc.
6. Reflect on your learning experience. This may be something new to you. You are advised to Read the instructions and look carefully at the marking criteria to get an idea of what is required, then write some notes EACH WEEK about the things you have learned, under each heading.
2.3 Detailed briefing for each element
The Module will be assessed by ONE Portfolio of work, containing FOUR elements.
1. Task 1: A short report on your Selected Firm
The first element is to be a short report (800 words maximum: we take this to mean that the maximum word count should be 880 words. We recommend you DO NOT write less than 750 words - there is a skill [which you will need to develop for the workplace] in writing concise and precise reports, and this is meant to be learned/practised here.
2. Task 2: A Report on your selected firm, based on a theme from ONE of the week's lecture
You should then select any ONE of the 8 weekly Lecture subjects that were listed above and for this topic produce a report on your firm's activities, policies, behaviour, etc., that relate to the chosen topic.
Word length for this should again be a MAXIMUM of 1100. We also recommend that you do not write less than 900 words.
You should use not just your selected firm's own website, but other appropriate websites to help you gather information, such as magazines and newspapers like: the New York Times (US companies) and for example, Le Figaro or Le Monde for French companies (French newspapers, great if you read French, or go to their websites in English if you don't [almost every major newspaper in every country around the world, publishes an English version of its newspaper on its website, so there is always a source for information this way]), Financial Times, Times, Guardian or Telegraph or in a suitable magazine like the Economist, Fortune, Forbes, and websites like BBC News, which are searchable.
Also, by all means use Wikipedia as a START point for your research, as it is very informative - but DO NOT cite Wikipedia as a reference, and DO NOT use it as your only source of information. Wikipedia is not academically reviewed and is not peer assessed and is open to anyone to edit, so it cannot be regarded as a legitimate source for reliable information - you should always check out what it tells you.
3. Task 3: A reflective Paper
Finally, for the written work, you must write a reflective paper. This article should have a maximum length of 1000 words(our recommendation would be: not less than 900 and no more than 1100 words). You should comment and reflect upon, four specific areas:
1. Thoughts on the course's subject matter [specifically on themes, theories and so on you found more useful/less useful, more enjoyable/less enjoyable, and so on].
2. Summary of what you think you have learned from studying the module - this might be new knowledge about a subject, some new theory, a new insight into some aspect of running a business
3. How knowledge of these subject areas and the knowledge you have gained will make you a better manager
4. A brief summary of your feelings for the module
You are advised to keep notes on your reflections in these four areas, after EVERY session - lecture and seminar. When working on your document, note the marks allocation for each section and relate this to your word count - you should use up the most words for part (b), and the least for part (d), for example. Note also the specific points made under each section heading and try to ensure that you cover adequately EACH of these, if you want to maximise your mark.
4. Group Debate: The Group Debate will comprise 35% of your overall portfolio mark
On the day and at the time specified, your sub-group must take the class for a period of about 40 minutes and lead a debate on the given subject. There is a separate, detailed briefing for this activity, which you should read and act upon, in good time to be ready for your group's debating slot. Your debate can make use of appropriate visual aids, but there is no prescribed format for this.
Your debate will be assessed on both Content and Process. By these terms we mean:
CONTENT the actual material presented, including appropriate information about the subject of the debate, clear rendition of arguments for and against the subject, the use of, and dealing with, questions; appropriate selection and use of relevant course theory and the discussion of issues as they relate to the theme of the debate.
PROCESS the physical process of staging and running the debate - How clear is the presentation of the basic arguments for and against, to the audience, in terms of its flow and the speaking abilities of the presenter, the style of the session (animated, lively and interesting or incomprehensible, dull and boring?), and how well any visual aids have been used?
Attachment:- Assessment Briefing.rar