BUS4010
Contemporary Business Environment
Company Appraisal
Date for Submission: Please refer to the timetable on ilearn
(The submission portal on ilearn will close at 14:00 UK time on the date of submission)
Assignment Brief
As part of the formal assessment for the programme you are required to submit a Contemporary Business Environment assignment. Please refer to your Student Handbook for full details of the programme assessment scheme and general information on preparing and submitting assignments.
Learning Outcomes:
After completing the module, you should be able to:
1. Identifying different types of organisations, their structures and stakeholders
2. Discuss the role and impact of digitisation on the business structure, operations and strategies of contemporary business organisations
3. Explain the key components of micro- and macroeconomics theories and their impacts on organisational behaviour and the national economy
4. Examine leading theories of management, leadership and control and discuss the challenges posed by contemporary business models
5. Understand global issues and their place in a globalised economy, ethical decision-making and accountability. Adopt self-awareness, openness and sensitivity to diversity in culture
Graduate Attribute:
Socially intelligent and proactively inclusive, able to effectively navigate complex (working) relationships with others from any background or culture using teamwork, communication, and leadership skills. Demonstrates Distinguishable team engagement which is evidenced while recognising different views of others, including an understanding of equality, diversity, and inclusion. Operating with others in given situations, to meet specified objectives and own responsibilities, using given approaches/ technique.
All learning outcomes must be met to pass the module.
Guidance
Your assignment should include: a title page containing your student number, the module name, the submission deadline and the exact word count of your submitted document; the appendices if relevant; and a reference list in AU Harvard system(s). You should address all the elements of the assignment task listed below. Please note that tutors will use the assessment criteria set out below in assessing your work.
You must not include your name in your submission because Arden University operates anonymous marking, which means that markers should not be aware of the identity of the student. However, please do not forget to include your STU number.
Maximum word count: 2000 words
Please refer to the full word count policy which can be found in the Student Policies section here: Arden University | Regulatory Framework
The word count includes everything in the main body of the assessment (including in text citations and references). The word count excludes numerical data in tables, figures, diagrams, footnotes, reference list and appendices. All other printed words ARE included in the word count.
Students who exceed the wordcount up to a 10% margin will not be penalised. Students should note that no marks will be assigned to work exceeding the specified limit once the maximum assessment size limit has been reached.
Assignment Task
The assessment will take the form of a company appraisal by searching international businesses of your choice with accessible corporate site resources to fulfil the needs of the assignment.
You should research widely using a range of academic and industry sources to enable you to examine theory, concepts and models and show how these can be applied in practice of your chosen organisation.
You will need to ensure that the company appraisal includes a title page, contents page, introduction, main body including subheadings, a conclusion and references in the correct AU Harvard style as required by the University.
Task 1:
• Identify two or more different types of organisations, their structures, and stakeholders.
• Discuss how digitisation has impacted the organisations’ structure, operations, and strategies with examples.
• Explain at least one leadership and one management theory and the leadership challenges upon your chosen organisation.
(1200 words)
(LOs: 1, 2, 4,)
Task 2
• Explain at least one key component of microeconomics and macroeconomics theories and their impacts on organisational behaviour and the national economy.
• Select at least two global issues and then reflect on how the chosen organisation handles these issues.
Note: examples of global issues are cultural diversity, ethical decision-making, accountability etc).
(800 words) (Los: 3,5)
(Total 2000 words)
(Worth 100% of the total marks for the module)
(LOs:1, 2, 3, 4, 5)
End of questions
ASSESSMENT GUIDANCE
Guidance for Task 1:
➢ Identifying different organisations by the legal structure e.g. (public company, private company, voluntary, charity, public sector, etc.). in addition, organisation’s operations / purpose, its main objectives, vision/mission, key environmental pressures, industry, market and post Covid-19 challenges.
➢ Exploring organisations key stakeholders by including their needs and influences. Applying the stakeholder mapping in your organisational responsibilities.
➢ Exploring the global impact of the internet of things, evolving collaboration, networking, ecommerce, eBusiness and social technologies on organisational structures, operations, decision-making and ways of working from your organisations.
➢ Discussing the challenges posed to leadership by contemporary global business models in the context of modern theories and assessing the importance of control in effective organisational performance. Based on your company’s review, highlight the importance of strategic management and scanning in appraising real-world examples.
Guidance for Task 2:
➢ Microeconomics: Main tools used to analyse the internal and competitive environments include for the micro forces and its influences on your chosen organisation.
➢ Macroeconomics: Explaining the macroeconomics influences currently affecting your chosen organisation, by including the ‘economic problem’, supply and demand, market structures, circular flow of income, measures of macroeconomic activity, fiscal and monetary policies.
➢ Exploring areas of responsible global citizen, global issues and their place in a globalised economy, ethical decision-making, and accountability.
Adopt self-awareness, openness, and sensitivity to diversity in culture.
Formative Feedback
You have the opportunity to submit a outline assessment tool on ilearn to receive formative feedback.
The feedback is designed to help you develop areas of your work and it helps you develop your skills as an independent learner.
If you are a distance learning student, you should submit your work, by email, to your tutor, no later than 2 weeks before the actual submission deadline. If you are a blended learning student, your tutor will give you a deadline for formative feedback and further details.
Formative feedback will not be given to work submitted after the above date or the date specified by your tutor – if a blended learning student.
Referencing Guidance
You MUST underpin your analysis and evaluation of the key issues with appropriate and wide ranging academic research and ensure this is referenced using the AU Harvard system(s).
Follow this link to find the referencing guides for your subject: Arden Library
Submission Guidance
Assignments submitted late will not be accepted and will be marked as a 0% fail. Your assessment can be submitted as a single Word (MS Word) or PDF file, or, as multiple files.
If you chose to submit multiple files, you must name each document as the question/part you are answering along with your student number ie Q1 Section A STUXXXX. If you wish to overwrite your submission or one of your submissions, you must ensure that your new submission is named exactly the same as the previous in order for the system to overwrite it.
You must ensure that the submitted assignment is all your own work and that all sources used are correctly attributed. Penalties apply to assignments which show evidence of academic unfair practice. (See the Student Handbook which is available on the A-Z key information on iLearn.)
Assessment Criteria (Learning objectives covered – all)
Level 4 is the first stage on the student journey into undergraduate study. At Level 4 students will be developing their knowledge and understanding of the discipline and will be expected to demonstrate some of those skills and competences. Student are expected to express their ideas clearly and to structure and develop academic arguments in their work.
Students will begin to apply the theory which underpins the subject and will start to explore how this relates to other areas of their learning and any ethical considerations as appropriate. Students will begin to develop self-awareness of their own academic and professional development.
Grade Mark Bands Generic Assessment Criteria
First (1) 80%+ Outstanding performance which demonstrates the ability to analyse the subject area and to confidently apply theory whilst showing awareness of any relevant ethical considerations. The work shows an outstanding level of competence and confidence in managing appropriate sources and materials, initiative and excellent academic writing skills and professional skills (where appropriate). The work shows originality of thought.
70-79%
Excellent performance which demonstrates the ability to analyse the subject and apply theory whilst showing some awareness of any relevant ethical considerations. The work shows a high level of competence in managing sources and materials, initiative and excellent academic writing skills and professional skills (where appropriate). The work shows originality of thought.
Upper second
(2:1) 60-69%
Very good performance which demonstrates the ability to analyse the subject and apply some theory.
The work shows a very good level of competence in managing sources and materials and some initiative. Academic writing skills are very good, and expression remains accurate overall. Very good professional skills (where appropriate). The work shows some original thought.
Lower second
(2:2) 50-59%
A good performance which begins to analyse the subject and apply some underpinning theory. The work shows a sound level of competence in managing basic sources and materials. Academic writing skills are good, and expression remains accurate overall although the piece may lack structure. Good professional skills (where appropriate). The work lacks some original thought.
Third
(3)
40-49%
Satisfactory level of performance in which there are some omissions in understanding the subject, its underpinning theory, and ethical considerations. The work shows a satisfactory use of sources and materials. Academic writing skills are limited and there are some errors in expression and the work may lack structure overall. There are some difficulties in developing professional skills (where appropriate). The work lacks original thought and is largely imitative.
Marginal
Fail 30-39%
Limited performance in which there are omissions in understanding the subject, its underpinning theory, and ethical considerations. The work shows a limited use of sources and materials. Academic writing skills are weak and there are
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Arden University © reserves all rights of copyright and all other intellectual property rights in the learning materials and this publication. No part of any of the learning materials or this publication may be reproduced, shared (including in private social media groups), stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form or means, including without limitation electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without the prior written consent of Arden University. To find out more about the use and distribution of programme materials please see the Arden Student Terms and Conditions.
errors in expression and the work may lack structure overall. There are difficulties in developing professional skills (where appropriate). The work lacks original thought and is largely imitative.
Clear
Fail
29% and
Below
A poor performance in which there are substantial gaps in knowledge and understanding, underpinning theory and ethical considerations. The work shows little evidence in the use of appropriate sources and materials. Academic writing skills are very weak and there are numerous errors in expression. The work lacks structure overall. Professional skills (where appropriate) are not developed. The work is imitative.
Page 9 of 9 [2711]
Arden University © reserves all rights of copyright and all other intellectual property rights in the learning materials and this publication. No part of any of the learning materials or this publication may be reproduced, shared (including in private social media groups), stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form or means, including without limitation electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without the prior written consent of Arden University. To find out more about the use and distribution of programme materials please see the Arden Student Terms and Conditions.