Assignment 3 – Individual Reflective – Report
Weight: 45%
1350-word limit
DUE
Assignment 3 must be submitted via Turnitin. Please click here to find out more about Turnitin.
Assignment 3: Report – 45% (1350-word limit)
Task:
- Write a report analysing International strategy, particularly Porter’s Diamond.
- Explore and evaluate international entry strategies i.e., Mergers, Acquisitions and Alliances.
- Reflecting on what you have done in assignment 1 and 2, apply these strategies in practice to the organization you selected.
- Recommend the best strategy for this organization, reflect about what you did in assignments 1&2 in your consideration.
Guidance:
- Word count: ±1 350 words (Excluding references and Appendices)
- Your report should include a cover title page
- Use MS Word
- Font Size: 12pt
- Font: Arial
- Insert page numbers at the bottom of your pages
- You have to submit your Assignment via Turnitin. If you are unfamiliar with this tool please refer to the orientation module.
Report Writing Guide:
This is a report, with the following layout
Title page
- This should normally include the title, your name and the name of the tutor to whom it is being submitted, date of submission, your course/department, and if applicable, the name of the person and/or organization who has commissioned the report. Avoid “fancy” fonts and effects and do not include any clip art.
Content’s page
- A clear, well-formatted list of all the sections and sub-sections of the report. Do not forget to put the page numbers. If applicable, there should be a separate list of tables, figures, illustrations and/or appendices after the main index. Make sure that the headings in this list correspond exactly with those in your main body. It is best to do your list of contents right at the end.
Introduction
- This should show that you have fully understood the task/brief and that you are going to cover everything required. Indicate the basic structure of the report. You should include just a little background/context and indicate the reasons for writing the report. This where you set the scene, introduce what you are going to be covering…
Main Analysis
- This is the substance of your report, with headings and sub-headings used to clearly indicate the different sections (unlike an essay). A “situation>problem>solution>evaluation” approach may be appropriate. It is not sufficient to simply describe a situation. We will be looking for analysis and for a critical approach, application of implementing strategies theory, when appropriate, charts, diagrams, tables, and appropriate Harvard referencing must be used to reinforce your arguments, although sometimes it may be better to include these as an appendix. Do not include opinions, conclusions, or recommendations in this section.
Conclusion
- Your conclusion should draw out the implications of your findings, with deductions based on the facts described in your main body. Do not include any new material here.
Recommendation/ New strategy implementation
- These should follow on logically from your conclusion and be specific, measurable, and achievable. You should propose how the situation/problem could be improved by suggesting action to be taken or new implementation plan. A statement of cost should be included if you are recommending changes that have financial implications. Recommendations can be numbered if you wish.
Bibliography/Reference list
- This is a list giving the full details of all the sources to which you have referred within your text. The recommended style is the Harvard method.
Appendices
- An appendix (plural=appendices) is detailed documentation of points you outline in your findings, for example, technical data, questionnaires, letters sent, tables, sketches, charts, leaflets etc. It is supplementary information which you consider to be too long or complicated or not quite relevant enough to include in your main body, but which still should be of interest to your reader. Each appendix should be referred to in your text. You should not include something as an appendix if it is not discussed in the main body.
Grading:
Assignment 3 will contribute 45% towards your final mark. A rubric for assignment 3 can be found at the end of this document. You can expect feedback within 3 weeks from the due date of submission. You need at least 40% to pass this assignment.
Due Day:
You will need to submit Assignment 3 on Monday, Week 9 by 13.00 UK time.
Rubric:
| Assessment Criteria | Marks
Available |
Marks
Awarded |
|
| 1. | Knowledge and Understanding of theories and concepts, | 10 | |
| 2. | Critical analysis of factors involved in analyzing International strategy, Porter’s Diamond; evaluation of international entry strategies; applying strategies to practice; recommending the best strategy and making connections to assignments 1&2 | 15 | |
| 3. | Evidence of original thinking, creativity and use of credible examples | 7 | |
| 4. | Presentation of work including coherence, language, grammar and structuring | 8 | |
| 5. | Accurate use of the author/date Harvard referencing system. This criterion relates to whether you have used the author/date appropriately and accurately, not to whether you have made a good selection of resources | 5 | |
|
Total |
45 |
|
|
Master Level Marking Criteria
| No work has been submitted in the time allowed, or the work submitted demonstrates little or no understanding of the task or the subject matter. This may be evident where the work is substantially incoherent, irrelevant or lacking in factual content, or where these shortcomings are present in combination such that the work as a whole is unsound. Major errors of fact or evidence of substantially poor cognitive or other relevant skills will also lead to a fail.
|
Fail:
Marks below 30% |
| The work shows some knowledge and required skills are present to a degree. There may be appreciable error or omission of facts, poor structure, misdirection to the task, or poor conceptualization or illustration of the work. Evidence of analysis and evaluation is weak. There will be indications in the work that the candidate is capable of improving it by further application to the task.
|
Fail:
Marks in the range 30% – 39% |
| The work contains sufficient descriptive information. There is some analysis and explanation with appropriate illustration and example, and some attempt to evaluate. The work will generally be coherent and relevant, it will contain some useful proposals or solutions related to familiar solutions and there will be some attempt at originality. It will be communicated clearly. | Pass:
Marks in the range of 40% – 49% |
| The work contains all the necessary contextual information. There will be adequate analysis, explanation and conceptualization, with appropriate illustration and example, and sound attempts to evaluate and judge. The work will be substantially coherent and will contain relevant and feasible proposals or solutions related to familiar situations, some responses to uncertainty or ambiguity and some acknowledgements of the implications of change.
|
Pass:
Marks in the range of 50% – 59% |
| The work will contain complete explanations using most available information. There will be substantial analysis; the ability to recognize evidence, use ideas, conceptualize, evaluate and judge in familiar situations will be clearly demonstrated. Proposals or solutions will be contextually relevant and useful, with substantial evidence of the skill necessary to ope-rationalize them in a variety of situations, including those in which uncertainty, ambiguity or change are present. The work will provide evidence of originality and of useful knowledge transfer to novel situations. It will be coherent and convincing.
|
Pass:
Marks in the range of 60% – 69% |
| The work will clearly demonstrate the ability to analyze accurately, reliably and fully, all relevant information; to use evidence; to conceptualize, evaluate and judge; to propose and ope-rationalize effective solutions, and to show substantial originality and creativity in a variety of familiar situations or in the face of ambiguity, uncertainty or change. It will demonstrate valuable knowledge transfer and propose feasible solutions for a wide range of situations. Evidence of the ability to innovate will be present. | Pass:
Marks in the range of 70% and above |
