- Assessment Overview
- Rationale
This module is assessed through one piece of coursework assessment in the form of a report as outlined below. The assessment tests all the learning outcomes for this module. The assessment requires you to apply knowledge obtained in class and through independent further reading. This assessment allows you to demonstrate your ability to use appropriate tools and techniques to develop a solution to a given situation. It also allows you to reflect on your journey through the module to the point of assessment
You will demonstrate knowledge, analysis, synthesis and evaluation from your choice of the different Contemporary Global Management Issues literature and their impact in different organisational settings that you will have learned throughout the module. You are expected to draw on your choice of conceptual and theoretical frameworks covered in the class to review how the businesses tackle issues related to dynamic business environment, the appraisal of the role of the political economy, international culture and related set of ethics, international trade theory, foreign direct investment, trading blocs and international strategic alliances. This may be used using the core text and further reading.
This assessment method is relevant and appropriate for this module as it allows the students to consider their learning by critically reviewing literature on various academic, theoretical and practical domains and test the theories and models in a real environment through academic investigation, analysis, evaluation and subsequent recommendations. This form of assessment prepares the students for the real world where they may be working at strategic level and/or be involved in the change processes.
To pass this module, you must achieve a final overall mark of at least 40%.
- Assessment Brief
- Required task(s)
The students are required to work with a topic of their choice from (preferably) one or combination of the following,
- The lecture slides
- The list of topics from the indicative content
- Book chapters from the core textbook
- In particular, there is a large number of questions and ideas to choose from which are published on Moodle as “critical thinking and class discussion”
The 3000-word report would be in three-part.
First, the report will start with the introductory paragraph that would set the scene. A good introductory paragraph would start with re-stating the topic, i.e. what is that the report has set out to do. This is followed by clearly stating the aims and objectives, the structure of the report, the mention of the theories/literature used followed by the case intended to be used and some remarks about how the report would end.
Second, it is expected that the report is built on the heels of a robust literature review about the chosen topic. For example, if a student chooses to pursue the topic “difference in cultures”, the requirement is that there are a thorough analysis and appraisal of the literature of this topic with a greater degree of critique. This should be accomplished by research and the analysis of the literature, either from the library sources and/or from google scholar. It is suggested that this is limited to no less than five and no more than eight academic sources. By academic literature, it is meant the books, the journal articles and credible magazines, i.e. the Economist, Forbes, and the likes.
Thirdly, the findings derived and knowledge acquired from the second part are applied to the topic of your choice from the list above with the bullet points. This section will take the shape of a case study. The report should not be a mere description of literature and the selected case, rather a critical account following a logical structure. This section will be informed by the learning from the literature review section.
Typically, a good report at Level 6 would start with a brief introduction (~250 words), a literature review (~1250 words) and the case study (~1250 words). Finally, a conclusive paragraph should sum up the arguments (~250 words). It is a requirement that there is a minimum of 15 references with majority from academic sources. The students may wish to add, as appendices, pictures, diagrams, tables or figures if necessary (the table of contents, the list of references and appendices do not count towards the word count).
- Word count
The maximum word count is 3000 words (+/- 10%).
The word limit is for your coursework assignment, and does not cover material submitted as appendices. Material submitted as appendices provides background for your coursework, but it will not be marked unless specified in the brief. In addition, it is important that you cross-refer between the main text of your assignment and any appendices, in order to demonstrate the linkage, and that the appendices do not constitute additional material unrelated to that included in the body of your assignment. If you do not refer to this work in the Appendix, then this included work in the Appendices are not marked.
Your references page will not be included in the word count, but inline citations used in the main body of the assignment (e.g., Smith and Jones (2010) identified that…) will be included in the word count.
You are required to declare the number of words used in your assignment. If you produce less than or exceed the stipulated word count by more than 10%, a deduction of the mark awarded will be made to reflect that you have not met the assessment requirements.
- Submission
Your report should be submitted online only using through TurnitIn via the link provided in the Assessment area of the module’s Moodle site. Hard copy submissions/email and assignment drop will not be accepted. Please follow the University policy regarding online submission and submitting assignments on time (see Page 1).
You should also submit your work through the ‘test’ Turnitin to ensure you abide by the rules on plagiarism. You should attach the assessment feedback form together with the marking criteria to your work before submitting for marking.
- Formatting and presentation
The assignment should be word-processed and single line spaced. Use of bullet points should be avoided or used sparingly.
Use Arial or Times New Roman minimum 11 and maximum 12 point, full justified with the normal margins 2.54 applied all around.
Each page should be numbered except for the contents pages (if any)
Presentation must be formal in language and style and must adhere to the structure given above.
- Referencing
All work should be referenced using the Harvard format – there are handouts available online at the library website and are available as hard copy in the library if you are unsure of this.
Do not use popular websites like Wikipedia, Google or Yahoo – the former is not peer assessed and the work is not always reliable and the latter are search engines.
Use textbooks and journal articles (newspaper articles may at times be acceptable). You should however, make use journal articles, as these are peer reviewed and are often more recent than textbooks. If you are to use textbooks, these should be the latest so it is important to check whether you have the latest edition.
Citations should be used very minimally and in limited circumstances, you may reference lecture material such as handouts and presentation slides.
