UWBS038g Assessment Briefing for Students

Assessment brief number 1:

Module leader: Barry Whitehouse email address: b.whitehouse@wlv.ac.uk

Academic Year: 2014/5

Semester 1
(Please delete as appropriate. If “other” please specify)

Module assessment detail (approved at validation as amended by module modification)

Module code & title 6BE003 Strategic Management

Module Learning outcomes: Tick ()
if tested
here
LO1 
Apply appropriate analytical concepts, models and theories in
undertaking strategic analysis of both the external competitive
environment and internal strategic capability of an organisation.

LO2 
Examine contemporary and strategic change issues in the strategy
process.

LO3 
Determine creativity and enterprise skills in communicating strategic
issues

LO4

Assessment types Weightings

(%)

Group presentation
50 
Group Report 50 
Assessment type, weighting and LOs tested by this assessment indicated in the shaded area above by a 
Important requirements (Delete where appropriate, if other please provide detail)
Mode of Working: team
Presentation Format: report / verbal presentation
Method of Submission:
                                   Paper Submission to MX student Office
Mark required to pass this coursework: 40%
(Complete following detail)
Hand in date & time  Presentations and hand in for slides week beginning 17/11/2014
and 24/11/2014. Groups will be allocated a date
 Report to be handed in by 28th November 2014; 12 noon latest

Assessment should be marked for the attention of: Barry Whitehouse,
module leader BUT YOU MUST IDENTIFY YOUR MODULE TUTOR ON
THE FRONT SHEET.

Date & method by which you During timetabled sessions WB 15/12/14

will receive feedback

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Resit/retrieval date 14th July 2015
Assessment limits (in accordance No more than: 2,000 words, excluding appendices
with UWBS assessment tariff)
Presentation timing (where applicable) no more than 10 minutes
Do clearly state your student number when submitting work but do not indicate your name.
Always keep a copy of your work.
Always keep a file of working papers (containing, for instance, working notes, copied journal article
and early drafts of your work, etc.) that show the development of your work and the sources you have
used. You may need to show this to tutor at some point so notes should be clear and written in
English. This is an important requirement. There may be circumstances where it is difficult to arrive
at a mark for your work. If this is so you may be asked to submit your file within 3 working days and
possibly meet with your tutor to answer questions on your submission.

Explanation of submission requirements and further guidance

 Assessments are subject to a word limit to ensure consistency of approach across all
modules. Your work should not exceed the limit indicated (excluding references and
appendices). Do not feel that you have to “achieve” this word count in your work. What is
important is that the work satisfies the stated learning outcomes which are articulated through
the assessment criteria (see following page).
 Care is taken to ensure that work has been marked correctly. Checks are conducted by both
a second lecturer and an independent expert from outside the University on batches of work.
 Your work will not be returned to you but you will receive detailed feedback explaining how
your mark has been arrived at and how your work could have been improved upon.
 Always use the Harvard style referencing system. The University’s Learning Information
Services have produced a series of guides covering a range of topics to support your studies
and develop your academic skills including a guide to Harvard referencing
http://www.wlv.ac.uk/lib/skills_for_learning/study_guides.aspx
 Expensive or elaborate bindings and covers for submissions are not required in most
instances. (Refer to guidelines however in the case of dissertations).
 The Business School has a policy of anonymous marking of individual assessments which
applies to most modules. You should not identify yourself directly in the work you submit and
you may need to use phrases such as “the author of this assignment ….”in the detail of your
submission.

Avoid academic misconduct

Warning: Collusion, plagiarism and cheating are very serious offences that can result in a
student being expelled from the University. The Business School has a policy of actively
identifying students who engage in academic misconduct of this nature and routinely applying
detection techniques including the use of sophisticated software packages.
 Avoid Collusion. The Business School encourages group working, however to avoid
collusion always work on your own when completing individual assessments. Do not let
fellow students have access to your work at any stage and do not be tempted to access the
work of others. Refer to your module tutor if you do not understand or you need further
guidance.
 Avoid Plagiarism. You must use available and relevant literature to demonstrate your
knowledge of a subject, however to avoid plagiarism you must take great care to
acknowledge it properly. Plagiarism is the act of stealing someone else's work and passing it
off as your own. This includes incorporating either unattributed direct quotation(s) or
substantial paraphrasing from the work of another/others. For this reason it is important that
you cite all the sources whose work you have drawn on and reference them fully in
accordance with the Harvard referencing standard. (This includes citing any work that you
may have submitted yourself previously). Extensive direct quotations in assessed work is ill

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 advised because it represents a poor writing style, and it could lead to omission errors and a
plagiarism offence could be committed accidentally.
 Avoid the temptation to “commission” work or to cheat in other ways. There are
temptations on the internet for you to take “short cuts”. Do not be tempted to either
commission work to be completed on your behalf or search for completed past academic
work.
When you submit your work you will be required to sign an important declaration that the
submission is your own work, any material you have used has been acknowledged and referenced,
you have not allowed another student to have access to your work, the work has not been submitted
previously, etc.

Assessment Brief/ Task

The detailed requirements for this task are as follows:

Assignment 1 50% of Module Assessment

Part 1- Team Presentation (50% weight)

In a small team (Minimum of three & maximum of five students) you are required to
produce and present a Power-point presentation on an organisation mutually agreed
by the team and your tutor. The presentation should illustrate your ability to identify
and analyse the key elements of the competitive environment and internal
capabilities of the company you have selected.

The investigation and subsequent presentation must not be a brief history of the
business; instead it must clearly focus on key strategic issues. The investigation and
presentation is not just a marketing strategy case study, so the strategic issues
should go beyond just markets and products. The tools, techniques and models of
strategic management must be applied to your chosen organisation to evaluate the
impact of the external environment and their strategic capabilities. Simple descriptive
information is unlikely to meet the assessment criteria for the presentation.
Presentations must illustrate the changing external environment issues, competitors’
activity and appraise aspects of internal organisation.

You MUST attend development workshop sessions in sessions to present your

formative findings to your tutor and receive feedback on your analysis to date. The
assessed presentations dates and times will be allocated to your group by your
module tutor.

You are required to make a presentation on the organisation you have chosen
which must answer the following by applying the tools, techniques and
models of strategic management in two parts:

1. An external environmental analysis of the industry the organisation operates

within: How is the organisation and overall sector/industry being affected by
the current downturn? What competitive pressures exist within the sector/
industry? How does this impact on their positioning for competitive
advantage? What changes are likely to affect the organisation in the future?
This will require you to make reference to appropriate analytical tools or

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 techniques e.g. Porter’s ‘Five Forces’ analysis, amongst others. The important
point is that analytical tools are properly used and appropriate interpretation
given to your findings; i.e. what are the implications of this analysis for the
organisation? What are the opportunities and threats they face?

2. An analysis of the internal environment and the organisation’s strategic

capability.
You will be asked to critically evaluate the strategic resources and
competencies of the organisation, appropriate reference should be made to
analytical tools or techniques e.g. value chain analysis, core competencies
etc…This task focuses attention on the internal resources/ competencies and
capabilities of the company. What are their strengths and weaknesses and
how significant are they given the external analysis?

This question requires you to demonstrate your analytical skills and justify your
answers.

The group presentation must not exceed 10 minutes. All team members must be
present and active in presenting. There will be 5 minutes of questions from the
assessment panel after the presentation has been made. The slides used in the
presentation must be handed in as a hard copy prior to giving your presentation.

You will be strongly advised to consider carefully your groups’ choice of

organisation. Large well-known companies e.g. McDonalds and Coca-Cola, may be
difficult to examine or illustrate with sufficient clarity given their size and complexity,
you would certainly have to narrow this down to particular Strategic Business Units
within the company! Your tutor must agree your choice of organisation.

Note:-  Since this is a group assignment, in line with university practice on

group working, you will be asked to comment on the internal working of the
group and the way in which members managed the work involved.  Individual
grades awarded for this group activity may be reduced for members who are
identified by the group as not having engaged in the group activity, supported
with evidence of such.

Part 2 – Team report (50% weight)

This will be a 2,000 word summary of your analysis and findings. It will allow you to
cover in more detail the main points you have addressed in your presentation and
provide appropriate underpinning evidence from your research through appendix
material. This report is to be handed in latest by 28 th November 2014.

The following information is important when:

 Preparing for your assessment
 Checking your work before you submit it
 Interpreting feedback on your work after marking.

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Assessment Criteria
The module Learning Outcomes tested by this assessment task are indicated on page 1. The precise
criteria against which your work will be marked is as follows:
 To demonstrate knowledge and understanding of strategic analysis, tools and
techniques including environmental analysis and the evaluation of strategic
resources and competencies
 To demonstrate the application of the tools and techniques for diagnosing the
strategic business position of a chosen business organization and strategy
development options.
 To present findings by way of a group Power-point presentation and in a written
report.
 To respond effectively to questions from the assessment panel after the group
presentation
 To provide evidence of wider research and reading, with appropriate Harvard style
referencing

Performance descriptors
Performance descriptors indicate how marks will be arrived at against each of the above criteria. The
descriptors indicate the likely characteristics of work that is marked within the percentage bands indicated.
Level 6 Criteria

90-100% Exceptional level of analysis, showing deep critical engagement with the models and
theories and drawing on contemporary and wide ranging research. Original and creative
approach to the report and presentation which enhances the treatment of the
assignment tasks. Deep and wide ranging research, outstanding report structure with
application, synthesis and analysis. A highly professional presentation demonstrating
exceptional technique.
80-89% Excellent links between theories and practice, with excellent application of the
appropriate models and theories resulting in deep analysis of what are identified as the
key issues. The report is very well written, has an excellent structure and draws on wide
ranging research from up-to-date sources and excellent referencing. The presentation
shows clear evidence of high levels of preparation, planning and practice, to deliver a
timely and well balanced assessment with good flow and excellent presentation
technique
70-79% Very good links between theory and practice and appropriate application of models.
Comprehensive coverage of the assignment task with clear understanding of the key
issues. The report is very well structured and applies the models to produce some
reasoned and well-argued analysis based on appropriate wide ranging research Some
superficial errors in grammar and referencing. The presentation has a very good
structure and is well presented with smooth flow and appropriate eye contact and body
language
60-69% Clear link between theory and practice and some appropriate application of models.
Comprehensive coverage of the assignment task with clear understanding of the key
issues. The report is well structured and applies the models to produce some reasoned
analysis based on appropriate research Some superficial errors in grammar and
referencing. The presentation has a good structure and is well presented with good flow
and appropriate eye contact and body language
50-59% Identifies key issues and relevant theory with coverage of the assignment tasks. Partial
application of the models. The report has a reasonably effective structure with some
detrimental errors in grammar and referencing and is based on a narrow research base.

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 The presentation needed a tighter structure and some aspects of the delivery needed to
be improved to produce a better flow and more engagement
40-49% The theory and models are described rather than applied, treatment of key issues is
basic and rather simplistic. The report has a relatively poor structure and lacks
coherence and appropriate sequencing, is based on very limited research and fails to
support points effectively through referencing. The presentation suggests a lack of
preparation and planning, with poor balance, eye contact and body language
30-39% Some of the learning outcomes and assessment criteria are not met, poor
understanding of theory and models, inability to apply the models and analyse the
results. Inadequate research and referencing. The report is badly written with frequent
spelling and grammatical errors which damage the meaning being conveyed, poor
research and referencing. The presentation is poorly planned and presented, resorting
to reading notes or slides, poor time management and balance.
20-29% The learning outcomes have not been met, lack of understanding of the theories and
models and no application. The report is badly written with little or no referencing and
evidence of research. The presentation is very poorly planned and presented, resorting
to excessive reading of notes or slides, very poor time management and balance
10-19% Lack of understanding and engagement with the assignment brief, inadequate
demonstration of knowledge and understanding, no realistic research and referencing,
the report is incoherent and the presentation is disorganised
0-9% No realistic attempt to address the learning outcomes and deliver a presentation

To help you further:

 Refer to the WOLF topic for contact details of your module leader/tutor, tutorial inputs,
recommended reading and other sources, etc. Re-sit details will also appear on WOLF.
 The University’s Learning Information Services offer support and guidance to help you with
your studies and develop your academic skills
http://www.wlv.ac.uk/lib/skills_for_learning/study_guides.aspx

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