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NBS8060 Assignment Task:
You should select an international company of your choice BUT NOT ONE that you have used for coursework essays in other modules (e.g. such as NBS8045 International Business Environment) and NOT ONE OF THE FOUR that we are using in the Seminars for this module. You should submit a Company Nomination Form. You will need to ensure you can collect secondary data on this company to write a report style essay that critically evaluates the following four key areas covered in the module:
1. The international strategy adopted by the firm. If the strategy has changed across time or seems to be inconsistent, then briefly explain this.
2. The firm’s international operations and management structure. You should focus on at least one of the following depending on the data available to you: (a) the role of the HQ versus the subsidiary; (b) the ability of the firm to leverage learning across country borders; (c) the ability of the firm to implement a significant global change (this might, for example, be a new environmental strategy; a change in the way it structures R&D activity; or a change in its HR policy).
3. The firm’s strategic use of joint ventures, alliances, or mergers and acquisitions. You should select one or more instances where you can evaluate and learn from failure or success in the actions taken. You should ask key questions about the goals, processes and appropriateness of the chosen instances for the firm.
4. The international dimensions of the firm’s social responsibility strategy of the firm. A range of questions may be addressed here depending on the data available and we suggest you focus on one of the following: (a) taking one CSR issue, address the extent to which the firm engages with multiple stakeholders in different countries and across the organization to develop and implement its strategy; (b) does the firms try to implement a ‘home country’ dominant policy or is it responsive to local perspectives?; (c) evaluate the role of the firm in contributing to a regional or international CSR alliance or NGO.
You MUST also conclude your work with an overall assessment of the firm’s ability to develop and implement a coherent and effective international strategy.
If you wish you may select a case study from the core text (except those used for the seminars) as the starting point for this essay but you MUST do additional research on the company to update the material. You will also find most case studies focus on some aspect of a firm’s international strategy rather than covering all areas of the module so you must ensure you can find additional material.
To help you structure your work so that you do not leave this task until the last moment, you should aim to undertake research in each of the four areas above at appropriate times of the module related to the seminar programme. You may be asked in the seminar to briefly highlight how your company’s experience relates to that of the case study company being discussed.
Research Sources:
The essay will require you to draw on academic literature to demonstrate your grasp of the core theory and for this you are expected to read beyond the core text. We will expect to see evidence of using additional academic sources that you can obtain mainly via Business Source Complete (EBSCO database in the library). You should use scholarly books and academic articles (rather than the Internet) as reference sources for theory.
You will also be expected to draw on evidence (data) to support your analysis and evaluation of the company. As a general principle the library database NEXIS and non-academic publications (see below) will be used as sources of ‘data’ about your company. When you use such data it is important to demonstrate awareness and some judgment as to its possible partiality, bias or inaccuracy. Data may be drawn from a range of sources, many of which are located on the Library’s Business webpage http://libguides.ncl.ac.uk/business.
· An academic case study (such as from your core text).
· Academic articles that use the company as an example. For this the easiest approach is to search Business Source Complete and use the COMPANY NAME option in the search field along with a relevant SUBJECT TERM.
· Press articles and analyst reports (again using Company Name and Subject Term Keyword searches). A good source for press articles is NEXIS. Nexis also allows searches within non-English language newspapers. When using NEXIS it is a good idea to use ‘limiters’ to restrict duplicates, avoid ‘newswire’ announcements, and avoid short articles or article where there are fewer than three mentions of the subject term.
· Company Annual Report. This will be available on the company’s Corporate or Investor Website and may be associated with a separate CSR report.[Note: this is usually not the same as the product or service or ‘brand’ website but you may find a link to it from there].
Format and Limits.
Your work should take the form of a written essay of conforming to the word count specified (3,500 +/- 10%, excluding reference bibliography and any appendices). The assignment should be produced in WORD using 1.5 spacing in 12-point font (either Times New Roman or Calibri). All pages should be numbered. Work that does not comply will not be marked. Use headings and sub-headings appropriately to make clear the structure of your essay.
Plagiarism and Referencing
The assignment should be your own work. Plagiarism is a serious offence that can lead to you failing the module and even to your suspension from studies. Make sure you understand the rules on plagiarism and collusion. Your markers are experienced at detecting plagiarism and use a range of tools to detect it. You are advised to take the Online Tutorial to help you understand the notion of what plagiarism is and how to avoid it at http://www.ncl.ac.uk/right-cite/Student/
You should demonstrate the range of your reading and research by referencing these in your essay using the Harvard system of referencing adopted across the Business School. For guidance on this, please consult the library help at http://libguides.ncl.ac.uk/referencing. Please avoid simply reproducing extensive general information from the textbooks or articles. Where you use direct quotations, try to keep them short and ensure that they make a direct and clear contribution to your argument. All quotes MUST be clearly cited with a page number. Above all else, you must submit your own work not the work of someone else.
Graphics
You may use diagrams, charts or summary tables if appropriate to illustrate points and to support your arguments. Ensure that these are relevant, based on your reading, and that their significance to your argument is clear. Do not simply reproduce diagrams from the textbooks or articles; instead use the frameworks but use your own data and examples about your company in the diagram or table.
Appendices
You may attach up to two pages of appendices to your work which will not be included in the word-count. Appendices may include, for example, certain tables or analyses, the conclusions or outputs of which you have included in the main text. They should not be the sole location for any information that is essential to your argument. While appendices can provide supporting evidence for your argument it must be possible to understand and assess the validity of your argument without reference to the appendix (for example, where statistics are drawn from data in an appendix make sure that the key statistics on which your argument depends are summarised or reproduced in the main text of your work). Just as appendices do not influence the word count, so they will not affect the mark you are awarded for the work.
Marking Criteria
The assignment will be marked according to criteria that are developed from the standard assessment criteria for post graduate studies to reflect the application of theory to practice that you are assed on in this module. Marks will also be based on coverage of all four areas specified in the brief as well as an overall conclusion containing your assessment of the firm’s ability to implement the strategy and an introduction. As a guide, you should spend approximately equal amounts of the essay on each of the topic areas:
|
Assignment Element |
Weight (%) |
|
Introduction |
5 |
|
Topic 1 (international strategy) |
22 |
|
Topic 2 (coverage of one of the issues of managing the EMNC) |
22 |
|
Topic 3 (use of alliances, JVs or M&As) |
22 |
|
Topic 4 (approach to CSR) |
22 |
|
Conclusion (assessing strategy) |
7 |
In approaching this assignment your goal should be to develop a well-structured, consistently referenced and clearly analysed assessment of your chosen company across each of the four topic areas listed above. Try to make sure that the structure of your work follows a clear pattern and that the themes develop in a way that is appropriate to your line of argument. You may include appropriate headings, sub-headings and other ‘sign-posts’ so that we can see the direction of your thinking and analysis.
You will earn marks for a well-supported argument and discussion that draws on relevant evidence (data), applies evidence and theory intelligently, and shows insight and judgment in drawing conclusions. Ensure that what you write makes a direct contribution to the topic and try to avoid including general or irrelevant information in your answers. You should avoid just describing factual information about the company you have selected – ask yourself: Why am I including this information? How does it relate to the topic area? What argument or insight that I am making does it help to support?
The marking criteria below will be applied in assessing your essay. Please review these and ask questions if you are unclear about any aspect. Please also be aware that this module is a core module on your MSc International Business Management programme. This means you will need to pass the module.
Marking Criteria
|
PASS WITH DISTINCTION (70% +)
Very good analysis, all material that would be expected, originality or extras |
Extremely thorough and authoritative execution of the brief. Containing evidence of significant independent research, reflective, perceptive, well-structured showing significant originality in ideas or argument, aptly focused and very well written. Few if any areas for improvement. Original contribution to knowledge that would be potentially worthy of publication. Accurate and complete demonstrating understanding and depth of analysis and drawing upon extensive reading that goes beyond the lecture material. Well-ordered and logically structured. Providing evidence of independent research and wider reading extending the breadth of the lecture material. In addition, providing original perspectives or insights, argued logically. Use of appropriate illustrative examples and data. Materials utilised and applied to the empirical setting in a sophisticated manner, with evidence of advanced critical assessment of the materials and/or setting arising from the application of theory to practice. |
90-100% |
|
Thorough execution of the brief, well-structured and well-written with a logical flow of argument. Signs of originality and/or independent critical analytical ability. Supported by independent research.. Well-focused and well written, displays mastery of the subject matter and of appropriate theories and concepts, but providing few or no original perspectives or insights. Materials well utilised and applied to the empirical setting, with evidence of critical assessment of the materials and/or setting arising from the application of theory to practice |
80-89% |
|
|
Very good execution of the brief; well-focused, knowledgeable, some evidence of reading beyond the basic texts and displays a very good knowledge of the subject matter. Good critical grasp of relevant theories and concepts. Materials well utilised and applied to the empirical setting, with evidence of some critical assessment of the materials and/or setting arising from the application of theory to practice. |
70-79% |
|
|
PASS WITH MERIT (60%- 69%) Good analysis, material that would be expected but nothing extra (a standard essay) |
Well-structured and well-focused answer. Comprehensive, although not complete. Showing understanding based on an ability to marshal information and to support arguments with appropriate examples. Some pieces of information or examples go beyond the lecture material in either depth or breadth. Sound grasp of relevant theories and concepts. Approach generally analytical but with some parts remaining descriptive or some reasoning unexplained. Materials are mostly utilised and applied to the empirical setting, with evidence of some forms of critical assessment of the materials and/or setting arising from the application of theory to practice.
|
65-69% |
|
As above but either occasionally lacking accuracy or with few examples or with lack of application of theory to practice.
|
60-64% |
|
|
PASS (50%-59%) Adequate analysis, minor omissions, minor errors |
Concise but accurate. Based largely on lecture material. Information presented clearly but lacking any originality, tending to be descriptive in approach. Limited evidence of reading beyond the basic texts. References to advanced texts do not show that they have been adequately read and understood and do not show application to the empirical setting. Some attempts to apply theory to practice, but without demonstrating critical assessment of either. May contain excessive use of quotations. May fail to address all areas of the brief appropriately. |
55-59% |
|
As above but with occasional lapses of accuracy or logic. Remains at surface descriptive level. Tends to be largely descriptive of data, or the empirical setting is described but not applied to theory.
|
50-54% |
|
|
FAIL (40%-49%) Major errors and/or omissions in understanding of materials
|
Answer incomplete, with lapses in accuracy, understanding, reasoning or logic. Examples are either not used or their relevance is not adequately explained. Heavy reliance on lecture materials. Almost entirely descriptive in approach, involving description of theory and practice without clear understanding of theory or application to practice explained. Limited knowledge and understanding of the subject matter displayed; partial and/or containing significant errors and/or irrelevancies, poorly structured. May contain excessive use of quotations |
45-49% |
|
As above but with serious omissions or major errors. Presentation poor. Examples inadequate. Some material relevant to the question. Evidence that the question has been understood in part at least.
|
40-44% |
|
|
FAIL (30%-39%) Complete omission and/or error in understanding materials coupled with lack of relevance |
Inadequate execution of the brief. Highly partial understanding of subject area and containing serious errors. Sections partly or substantially irrelevant. Poorly structured. Displays little knowledge of the subject matter. Remains at descriptive level without explanation of relevance to practice. Displays no scientific understanding and instead utilises vague general knowledge or unsupported assertions that are not backed up with evidence and not clearly made relevant to the question. Some key words or phrases repeated but without displaying understanding. May contain excessive use of quotations.
|
30-39% |
|
FAIL |
Seriously inadequate execution of the brief. Failure to focus upon the question. Seriously short or even devoid of theoretical under-pinning of understanding of subject area. Rudimentary knowledge of the subject area. Serious and fundamental errors in understanding. Claims to knowledge not supported or explained. Large sections irrelevant. Little or no relevant evidence of practice related to assignment task. No application of theory to practice. May contain excessive use of quotations. Errors serious and fundamental.
|
20-29% |
|
FAIL |
Little hint of any relevant knowledge. May be an answer to the “wrong” question.
|
10-19% |
|
FAIL |
No knowledge relevant to the question
|
1-9% |
|
FAIL |
Nothing written.
|
0% |