Assessment Brief A1
BU059 Managing Resources for Competitive
Name/ No. Type Briefing week Week due % Weight
Assessment 1 Integrated Report and Presentation (Individual) 1 9 100
Aim
Demonstrate a critical understanding and application of the key concepts and theories of Managing Resources for Competitive Advantage, and develop effective presentation skills.
The Brief
The assessment for this subject should take the form of an integrated report on a selected company. The focus will be on the integrated nature of corporate functions, and this should be examined in terms of creating and sustaining competitive positioning. The analysis may be focused on an existing company, or on a new business or start up. The module assesses the students’ ability to demonstrate research, analysis, evaluation and critical reflection skills on an issue(s) of strategic significance for ‘SCA’ in an organisation of their choice. Students should critically outline the manner in which cross-functional integration facilitates enhanced organisational performance. They should also be given an opportunity to present their analyses.
Additional Info
Written assignment 5,000 – 6,000 words
Grading Criteria
Students are expected to address all the learning outcomes the case study is testing. As a general guide, marks should be allocated out of 100 as follows:
Background/Introduction 15
Knowledge of subject; Understanding of concepts/theory 25
Application of theoretical concepts 20
Information analysis/synthesis 15
Presentation (written expression, formatting, referencing, etc.) 10
Lessons learned/Conclusion 15
TOTAL 100
Individual presentation:
Presentation marks will be awarded to the presenter for: Weight
Content: well structured, relevant, correctly referenced 25%
Inclusion of speakers notes with each slide and appropriate use of media 25%
Delivery: enthusiastic, confident, interested, interesting, audible 25%
Preparation: well prepared/well organised, less prepared/less organised 25%
TOTAL 100%
Learning Outcomes / Competencies
1. Outline the critical functional areas in a company and be able to explain how they work, and must be managed synergistically to create a functioning organization. This should be done on a real-world, example basis, and should examine both internal and external relationship building in organizations. Students should develop a broad understanding of the critical functions of the corporate areas examined
2. Understand contemporary perspectives on the creating and sustaining of competitive operations and market positioning across a range of industries
3. Understand and critically appreciate the sources of sustainable competitive advantage (SCA) focused on the functional areas of an organisation
4. Critically evaluate the synergistic yet potentially conflicting business functions in given companies or organizations and analyse strengths and weaknesses in extant leadership and management practices
5. Develop recommendations based on practical problem solving processes for strategic decision-making across business functions
6. Critically evaluate and manage resources in an integrative was to promote SCA and enhanced stakeholder value.
Raffles Policy:
Late submission: All work submitted after the submission deadline will be limited to a maximum of 50% and will not be accepted after the end of the study period unless special circumstances apply.
Plagiarism and Cheating: Any form of cheating, collusion, or plagiarism will be punishable by the awarding of a failure grade in that subject. Repeat offenders may be expelled from the College at the discretion of the Academic Director.
A full description of all rules and regulations is available via the student handbook which is available via our web site.
Grading Bands
<48% Fail
48-49% Conceded Pass
50-64% Pass
65-74% Credit
75-84% Distinction
85-100% High Distinction
