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7MG001
Business Analysis Project
January Iteration Start
2011-2012 Block 2 & 3
Assessment Portfolio
Group:
Complete portfolio 2 x 3000 words to be handed in at the end of blocs 1 & 2
The university rules require that modules of the same level set assignments with more or less equivalent intellectual difficulty and time demands. This is a level 7 post graduate module. As this module is designed to help you think through a range of problems and acquire a broad base of skills we have chosen to examine it by a portfolio of bite sized assessment chunks that are designed to build up as the course progresses. In total they should involve a similar amount of work and time to the traditional assignment.
Weighting Words Submission dates for parts
Part 1
Task 1 (a) Formative Start week 3
(b) Summative 50% 1500 words Friday March 2
Task 2 16.6% 500 words Friday March 16
Task 3 33% 1000 words Friday March 30
Part 2 Weighting Words Submission dates for parts
Task 1 12.5% 750 words Wednesday June 6
Task 2 12.5% 750 words
Task 3 12.5% 750 words Monday June 18
Task 3 12.5% 1 page
Post Graduate Performance Descriptors
Work will frequently where appropriate/required/relevant, demonstrate:
A Grade
B Grade
C Grade
D Grade
. E Grade
Work of an excellent standard. Work of a very good standard. Work of a sound/ solid standard. Work of a satisfactory standard Work of an unsatisfactory standard but recoverable.
An excellent capacity to express views and conclusions in an articulate and concise manner. Excellent, well founded argument, and use of appropriate criteria and evidence A very good capacity to express views and conclusions in an articulate and concise manner. Appropriately based argument, and use of appropriate criteria and evidence Soundly based capacity to express views and conclusions in an articulate and concise manner. Some soundly based argument, and use of appropriate criteria and evidence Satisfactory capacity to express views and conclusions in an articulate and concise manner. Some soundly based argument, and use of appropriate criteria and evidence Insufficient capacity to express views and conclusions in an articulate and concise manner. Lacking in soundly based argument, and insufficient use of appropriate criteria and evidence
Clear evidence of a comprehensive overview of an area of concern, including a comparative and critical review of a range of theories, concepts, knowledge claims, alternative frames of reference, methodologies, etc. Evidence of a very good overview of an area of concern, including a comparative and critical review of a range of theories, concepts, knowledge claims, alternative frames of reference, methodologies, etc. Evidence of a sound overview of an area of concern, including a comparative and critical review of a range of theories, concepts, knowledge claims, alternative frames of reference, methodologies, etc. Some evidence of an appropriate overview of an area of concern, including a comparative and critical review of a range of theories, concepts, knowledge claims, alternative frames of reference, methodologies, etc. Weak overview of an area of concern. Limited comparative and critical review of a range of theories, concepts, knowledge claims, alternative frames of reference, methodologies, etc.
Possibly overly descriptive. No counterarguments or alternative frames of reference are generated or considered.
Clear evidence of an excellent ability to successfully synthesise theoretical issues into practice and evaluate likely implications. Evidence of a very good ability to successfully synthesise theoretical issues into practice and evaluate likely implications. Evidence of a solid ability to synthesise theoretical issues into practice and analyse likely implications. Some evidence of an ability to synthesise theoretical issues into practice and analyse likely implications. Limited discussion of the issues. Some limited insight into the subject area but with an overly simplistic one-sided perspective. Weak analysis, synthesis or evaluation. Only minimal interpretation.
A Grade B Grade C Grade D Grade. E Grade
Excellent originality
/independence of thought Very good originality/
independence of thought Some originality and independence of thought Some independence of thought, but mainly reliant on the ideas of others Little independence of thought and no originality. Complete reliance on limited texts, thinkers, etc. Use of extensive quoted passages
Excellent literary and/or numeric ability. Very good literary and/or numeric ability Solid literary and/or numeric ability Satisfactory literary and/or numeric ability Unsatisfactory literary and/or numeric ability
Excellent understanding of key subject/topic concepts Very good understanding of key subject/topic concepts Sound understanding of key subject/topic concepts Satisfactory understanding of key subject/topic concepts Limited (incomplete, simplistic or one-sided) understanding of key subject/topic concepts
Excellent application of theory, practice and reflection Very good application of theory, practice and reflection Solid application of theory, practice and reflection Understanding of theory and practice, possibly lacking in integration or in reflection Limited understanding of theory and/or practice. Lacking in integration of both
Complete address of all aspects of the question. Complete address of all main aspects of the question. Address of main aspects of the question. Address of most aspects of the question. May “miss” the point of the question or fail to address the key parts sufficiently
Faultless referencing in the Harvard convention with complete bibliography/ references. Work presented to an excellent standard. Very good referencing in the Harvard convention with complete bibliography/ references. Work presented to a very good standard. Solid referencing in the Harvard convention. Well-constructed bibliography/ references. Sound presentational standard. Referencing in the Harvard convention, shows genuine endeavour but some mistakes. Bibliography/ references attached. Satisfactory presentational standard. Faulty, incomplete referencing with several mistakes. Possibly bibliography/ references incomplete or missing. Possibly poorly presented. Unduly descriptive rather than analytical throughout.
Excellent ability to critically evaluate literature, synthesise and contrast viewpoints and draw conclusions. Excellent use of sources beyond those indicated in the module. Very good ability to critically evaluate literature, synthesise and contrast viewpoints and draw conclusions. Very good use of literature including sources beyond those indicated in the module Ability to critically evaluate literature, synthesise and contrast viewpoints and draw conclusions. Effective use of literature Some evaluation of literature. Reflection of contrasting viewpoints. Will demonstrate some familiarity with prescribed literature. Descriptive approach to use of literature. Insufficient contrast of viewpoints. Limited familiarity with prescribed literature, or unduly narrow, out of date or irrelevant literature relied upon.
Please note that:
An F grade fails to meet the criteria for E, and as such it is more appropriate for the student to resit the entire the module rather than retrieve the work. F Grade work may suffer from some, or all, of the following defects:
• Failure to address the question set
• No attempt to integrate theory and practice
• Little or no understanding of relevant theory and/or business and management practice
• Little or no reference to appropriate literature.
• Little or no evidence of independent thought
• Little or no evidence that the candidate has grasped key ideas.
• Is incoherent or has severe faults in its construction
• Failure to cite works consulted
• Makes unsubstantiated statements or assertions.
• Is unduly descriptive and/or lacks analysis.
• Is badly presented
Block 2 Task 1
The Masters Skills Personal Development Plan
Assessment Briefing and Guide Notes
You’re Personal Development Plan for the Masters Skills component of 7MG001is the first assessed piece of work and is weighted 5% o your overall module grade. The design and content of your P.D.P brings together all the various research activity and study you have undertaken, with specific reference to how your Masters skills, knowledge and behaviour have developed since you first commenced the module and how you will evaluate yourself at the end of the Module. In particular, your P.D.P embraces elements from each of the key module learning sessions:
Overview of points covered in Masters Skills.
The points below are intended to clarify your thinking on areas we have covered in class/ workshops and areas you will have covered by your further reading and research this will help when developing your Personal Development Plan.
• Masters Strategising
o Exploring your strategic rationale and objectivity for studying your Masters Degree
o Your personal aims and performance targets arising from your studies
o Your personal future strategic intentions and plans regarding how you will use your Masters Degree to achieve your post University career ambitions and aspirations
o Strategic analysis of your Masters skills, knowledge and attitudes at the points of entering and exiting the module
o Your plans and priorities to improve and develop your Masters skills, knowledge and behaviours
o How you will transfer and apply learning from your Masters Degree studies into the real world when you graduate
o Adopting and accepting self-responsibility and maturity for your learning
o Working within teams; Interpersonal and social skills development
o Your own standards of Masters professionalism
• Masters Communications
o The importance of effective and efficient Masters communications
o Communicating in English language both orally and in writing
o Communications as a key business and management tool
o Communications in context with cultural diversity
o Reflective analysis of your first individual assessment and the feedback you received
• Masters Scholarship
o Analysis of the key processes, tools, techniques, methodologies, research sources and standards expected when conducting research and scholarly activities at Masters Level.
• Masters Learning Reflections
o Your own personal reflective statements regarding what you have learned from the module and how you can apply and integrate such learning across all your other Masters modules
*****
Your Assessment Task
To design and write a professional Personal Development Plan of maximum 1500 words (including all sections but excluding appendices, references and bibliography). The P.D.P. contents could ideally touch on some or all of the areas covered below:
This is a Post Graduate Academic assignment and as such your work has to go past description and narrative of you and your life to date. It is expected as a minimum you include Harvard reference citations from your core reading list and taught input to support your assertions as well as alluding to WOLF slide content.
It is expected you allude to and adapt the models and concepts you have been introduced to in class and workshops. To achieve a high grade and to develop deeper understanding and knowledge of the subject, you will be expected to conduct and evidence your wider reading and research beyond the directed reading/teaching materials.
This MUST!! Be evidenced by regular/frequent use of appropriate Harvard Reference citations to support assertions and findings…
Indicative points to consider when writing your P.D.P.
These indicative points below are intended to give you guidance as to what content could be included within your personal development plan assignment.
Your Strategic Rationale, Masters Objectivity and Self Analysis
In this section you could report and include…
• By what means and processes did you come to study your Masters Degree at UWBS? Who was involved in the processes and decision making?
• What or who influenced your decisions and why and how did you decided to choose UWBS to study your Masters Degree?
• What is your rationale and objectivity for studying your Masters Degree and how is your Degree positioned as part of your longer term personal strategising?
• What are your personal and career ambitions and how does your Masters Degree help you to achieve your future expectations, career ambitions and success factors?
• What Masters performance results, target outcomes and achievement standards have you set for yourself whilst studying the various modules of your Masters programme?
Strategic Analysis of your Masters Abilities
Before writing this section, reflect back to what you have written in Section One and clarify your rationale and objectivity for studying your Masters Degree at UWBS.
In this section you must report and include…
• At the point of your entry and commencement of your Masters studies, analyse your personal and academic abilities as they were at that time in you commenced studies and in context with your preparations to study at Masters Level. . In particular reviewing…
o Your personal and interpersonal skills necessary to perform as a future international business person in your future career
o Your academic and intellectual Masters skills necessary to achieve your Mastership targets, results, outcomes and performance expectations
o Your academic and intellectual business knowledge necessary to achieve your personal Mastership objectives
o Your personal maturity, attitudes and behaviour necessary to perform at a high standard of Mastership performance
• At the point of completing and exiting your Masters Learning studies on the you should be able to compare and contrast your Masters skills, knowledge, attitudes and behaviour to how you were when you started 7MG001. Comment and evaluate if and where you have developed and identify key skills, knowledge and attitude areas where you feel you need further development.
o See if you can present this part of your Portfolio as a personal model that illustrates your self-evaluation
o Design your personal action plan for your studies at the University, indicating priority areas for your action and attention.
Communications and Assessment One
In this section comment and make amendments where appropriate on the formative feedback given to you by your tutors…
• A brief analytical statement of the following…
o What would you do differently now?
o How would you approach future assessment tasks?
o In what key areas did the feedback help you improve your Masters abilities?
o This section is about reflecting on and doing something about feedback by your tutors on assignment one formative feedback
o It will also inform and update your personal S.W.O.T.
o This in turn will inform your on-going Skills assessment and development needs.
o It will further update and inform your S.K.A. and finally it will inform your Personal Development Plan and allow you to set new goals and targets.
Working in Teams
In this section you could report and include…
o How will your individual teamwork skills assessment support your effectiveness as a team member?
o What is the importance of teamwork and what can it contribute to you and your studies.
o Critically analyse and evaluate the theories and concepts of teamwork and there application in a University study context
Developing your Academic and Scholarship Abilities
In this section you could report and include…
• How the guidance and advice given to you during the Masters Skills sessions helped you:
o To understand and apply the Masters standards expected when conducting academic research?
o To write and communicate to high level Masters Standards, using a range of Mastership research sources, tools and techniques?
o How Masters Skills has assisted you to study your other modules
o To positively avoid any forms of academic misconduct? (Session Three)
Masters Learning Personal Reflections
In this section you must report and include…
• In overall terms, and as a result of studying 7MG001
o What have you learned during the module?
o Have you personally developed?
o Have your skills and knowledge improved?
o Has your attitude changed in any ways?
o Have your self-management abilities changed?
o Are you now more self-responsible?
o Are you more or less confident about yourself?
o Are you progressing towards ‘Mastership’ with a set of abilities that will positively help you in your life and career after University?
Appendices, References and Bibliography
*****
Presentation format of Your Personal Development Portfolio:
To include…
• A front page with the title and barcode sheet- Personal Development Plan, your full name, student number, module code, module title and the name of the Masters Degree you are studying.
• A Portfolio contents page with page numbers
• Word processed using 12 point font setting in Times New Roman script style and 1.5 line space setting.
• Each P.D.P. will be secured with all pages bound together with and a front acetate sheet.
• Hand in date Friday 2 March 2012
Block 2 Task 2 Tracing a Fad
The object of this short assessment exercise is to get you to (a) to use the EBSCO database to measure how a fad develops (b) graph the fad using Excel. (c) comment on it (500 words)
1. Using the EBSCO Business Data base chose a term or concept of two words that you have come across and then do an analysis by decade of the number of times the concept (e.g. entrepreneurial leadership) is referred to using the abstract search.
2. Create a table in Excel and graph the decadal data creating a clear chart (your choice)
with title etc. Make sure that the table is in black and white and not colour.
3. Briefly comment (500 words) on what you think your chart shows
Block 2 Task 3 Critical summary of Academic Paper 1000 words maximum
The final task of part one is to write a summary of an academic paper. Your summary should :
1. Identify the main arguments of the author(s). (Don’t get stuck in examples!)
2. Identify the explicit theory used in the paper and any implicit approach that the author(s) might have.
3. Identify the evidence base used
4. Briefly note any concerns you have about
(a) use of theory
(b) reliability and validity of evidence base
You may wish to look at other papers by the author(s) or others but you are restricted to no more than 3 additional ones.
The paper you are to analyse is
R.Wilkinson and K.Pickett, ‘Greater Equality: the Hidden Key to Better Health and Higher Scores’, American Educator, Spring 2011.
Part Two
Please note that in these exercises you will be penalised if you go over the word limit.
Block 3 Task 1 Cognitive bias (750 words maximum excluding any references)
You are talking over coffee about dissertations and your friend says ‘Mine is going great – I had a gut feeling that I knew what the answer was to my dissertation question and my Google search has shown that me that there is lots of support for my argument.’
Explain how it might help your friend to think about the impact of cognitive biases on the research process.
Block 3 Task 2 Social Desirability Bias (750 words maximum excluding any references)
You are asked to advise some researchers employed by the university who are undertaking a study of how a much time a diverse group of post graduate masters students spend on academic work each week and what they do in this time. Write a short briefing note explaining how and why social desirability bias might affect the study.
Block 3 Task 3 Deconstructing What We See (750 words maximum excluding any references)
Your task here is to look at these two pictures of bank buildings and suggest what they tell us about banking.
We have looked at the different ways in which evidence can be analysed. Here you are invited to apply your skills to the task of analysing visual evidence. You may recognise the first picture as an old one of the Lloyds Bank building in Wolverhampton. The second picture is of a branch of Northern Rock the British demutualised building society that had to be rescued by the UK government in the economic crisis.
Your task is to ‘read’ these two buildings. This is NOT primarily an exercise in architecture. Technically it is more about the building as a symbol or sign, the analysis of which is called semiotics. Your analysis should pay attention to the ways in which socio-economic relations, the nature of banking etc might be reflected in the appearance of the building. See the building as telling you a story, communicating with you.
Block 3 Task 4 Presentation: The President Can Only Read One Page (Line from US TV Series The West Wing)
A banker, a manufacturing company CEO and a representative of the Citizen’s Advice Bureau have been invited to a TV debate on banking regulation. You must brief the one that is your boss – you may choose which. BUT each boss only has time to be briefed in the car to the studio. Write and set out effectively a one page document in Times New Roman 12 summarising the points they should expect to make.
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