FACULTY OF BUSINESS AND LAW

ACADEMIC YEAR 2020/21

Coursework Assessment Brief

Module Code: UMMDP4-15-2

Module Title: Service Operations

Submission Deadline: Sunday 18th July, 2021 – 11.59pm (23.59 hours)

Assessment Component: Component B – Individual Written Essay

Assessment Weighting: 50% of the total module mark

Marking and feedback deadline: 20 working days

N.B. all times are 24-hour clock, current local time (at time of submission) in the Maldives

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 Assessment Instructions

Component B: Individual Written Essay (1500 words)

Task

Linking to the theoretical concept of Servicescape, critically discuss whether ‘place’ has longevity
in the retail sector and explore how retail stores can provide high service quality to their
customers in a post Covid-19 world.

Background / Context

The retail sector has changed significantly over the past couple of decades due to the
development of the Internet, growth in social media usage, as well as more recently, the global
Covid-19 pandemic. Although ‘place’ has traditionally been seen as a crucial notion for businesses
to operate in (e.g. the marketing mix and the Servicescape) the above mentioned changes have
forced academics and practitioners to question the relevancy and need for physical places. Even if
physical places are still required, the post Covid-19 world is likely to demand that businesses re-
evaluate what these places look like, and what customers will expect and value from these.

The below is an extract from an editorial* entitled ‘Service Research in the New (post-COVID)
Marketplace’ from the Journal of Services Marketing (Rosenbaum and Russell-Bennett, 2020). In
this case, this paper was written by the editors of the Journal (Journal of Services Research) in
order to encourage further research by academics in this specific area.

The Servicescape Framework (Bitner, 1992; Nilsson and Ballantyne, 2014) provides an explanation
as to how physical surroundings impact on the behaviours of both customers and employees. The
three Servicescape dimensions are 1) ambient conditions, 2) space, function, and layout, 3) signs,
symbols, and artefacts. Although these dimensions remain intact, we posit that they have been
influenced by COVID-19. That is, ambient factors have been influenced by cleanliness, layouts now
determine customer patterns, and signs define consumers’ queuing positions in a line.
Furthermore, social interaction between, and among, customers and employees has been
influenced by facial coverings, concerns about spending time in closed settings, pick-up and
delivery options. One may then question the behavioural outcomes associated with a post-COVID
Servicescape.

*An editorial is an article written by senior editorial staff or publisher of a newspaper, magazine, or
journal.

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Assignment Structure

The assignment should be structured in the following way and include these three core elements.

1. Knowledge / Understanding:

Provide an overview of The Servicescape theory.

2. Application / Analysis:

Consider how firms may need to change or adapt the environmental elements of The Servicescape
Framework to deal with shifting consumer trends and a post Covid-19 world. What general
recommendations would you make?

3. Evaluation / Argument:

Highlight the strengths and weaknesses of the theoretical concepts, particularly in relation to a
post Covid-19 world. Explain your argument / conclusion as to whether you think ‘place’ is still a
relevant dimension in the retail sector.

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Marking Criteria

The following criteria will be used in evaluating this assessment:

Knowledge of the core theoretical concepts (15)

Understanding of the core theoretical concepts (15)

Application of the core theoretical concepts (15)

Analysis / recommendations (15)

Evaluation of the theoretical concepts (15)

Development of argument / conclusion (15)

Literacy / writing style (5)

Referencing (5)

The following criteria will be used in evaluating this assessment (Total mark: 100):

Please note, a detailed marking grid can be found at the end of this document.

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Formative feedback and support during the module

Formative feedback provides opportunities to reflect on your ongoing work and preparation for
your assignment. Formative feedback and support to your assignment will be available in each
tutorial. There will also be a full tutorial, specifically devoted to the coursework (see Module
Handbook for details). Tutors will not read full drafts but will provide support and guidance within
the tutorials.

Formatting

Please use the following file format(s): Word (.doc).

We cannot ensure that other formats are compatible with markers’ software – it is YOUR
responsibility to ensure the reader / marker can open the file.

All work should be word processed in 12-point font Arial, Calibri or Times New Roman and 1.5 or
double spaced

The first page of your coursework must include:

 Your student number (not your name)

 The module name and number
 Your word count

Word Limit

The maximum word limit for this coursework is 1500 words

 There is no +/- 10% on word count and anything after the maximum word count will not be
marked, in line with UWE Bristol’s Word Count Policy.
 This word count includes everything in the main body of the text (excluding tables).
 The reference bibliography is NOT included in this word count.
 There is no direct penalty for exceeding the word count, but the marker WILL stop reading
once the maximum word limit has been reached and nothing further will be taken into
account in the allocation of marks.

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Referencing and Assessment Offences

Please ensure you reference all sources used when developing your assessment, using the UWE
Harvard system. Failure to properly reference your work to original source material can be
grounds for the assessment offence of plagiarism and may result in failure of the assessment or
more serious implications. Further guidance on correct referencing is available on UWE’s Study
Skills referencing pages.

UWE’s Assessment Offences Policy outlines potential offences and it is your responsibility to
understand this policy and avoid potential offences. Details of what constitutes plagiarism and
how to avoid it can be found on UWE’s Study Skills pages about avoiding plagiarism.

Text-matching software (e.g. SafeAssign) is used to check every submission against other
submissions made at the same time, previous submissions to UWE and other universities, and
internet sources. We may also manually search for matches. When submitting your work, you will
be required to confirm that the work is your own.

It is an assessment offence to:

- copy work from any source, including your own previous assessments, and present it as
your own work for this assessment, or to provide your own work to others
- to work with others on the assessment in any way, or for anyone to make amends on your
work (including proof-readers, who may highlight issues but not edit the work)
- change individual words but keep, essentially, the same sentences and/or structures from
other sources: this will be detected by text-matching software. Please write in your own
words and style to convey your own learning.

Instructions for submission

You must submit your assignment before the stated deadline by electronic submission
through Blackboard. Notification that the electronic submission portal is open for your assignment
is displayed (usually two weeks before the submission date) in the Coursework tab in myUWE, the
Assignment link in Blackboard and via an announcement in the Blackboard course.

Please allow sufficient time to upload your assignment, as the system becomes busier and slower
as the deadline approaches. Only your final upload will be counted. Ensure all your information is
submitted at one attempt to avoid overwriting your intended submission. Always check and retain
your receipts.

Late submission in the 24 hours following the deadline will be accepted but the assignment mark
will be capped at a pass. Submissions after 24 hours will not be accepted. For full guidance on
online submission through Blackboard, see UWE’s Academic Advice pages on Assignments.

Submissions of coursework by any other method (including a paper copy, on disk or by email) are
NOT permissible for this module unless specifically agreed in advance of the submission date.
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Before submitting your work, please ensure that:

 You have proof-read you work thoroughly to ensure your work is presented appropriately

 You have addressed all the required elements of the assessment

 You have referenced in accordance with the guidance provided

 You have addressed each of the marking criterion

 The submission is in the correct format

Final feedback and marks release

Students will normally receive marks and feedback on their submission within 20 working days of
the submission deadline (not including public holidays or university closure days). Any delay in
returning students’ work will be communicated by the module leader via Blackboard.

Feedback on this module is not limited to the written comments you will receive on individual
written assessment submissions.

Feedback and marks for this module will be available by the date specified at the top of this
document.

Further guidance and support

There are a number of sources of support to improve your study skills, including:
 The UWE Library Study Skills pages – for online support and bookable workshops
 The Faculty of Business and Law’s Academic Success Centre for bookable workshops
 Guidance on using UWE’s Library.

For further guidance on UWE assessment regulations and terminology see UWE’s Academic Advice
pages.

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Personal Circumstances

If you are experiencing difficulties in completing a piece of assessment on time due to unexpected
circumstances (for example illness, accident, bereavement), seek advice from a Student Support
Adviser at the earliest opportunity. Appointments can be made via an Information Point or online
via the Student Support Pages.

Student Support Advisers can advise as to whether you should apply for ‘Personal Circumstances
(PCs)’, how to do so and what evidence is required to support the application. Further details on
PCs can be found on the Student Support Pages.

The module leader cannot grant personal circumstances or extensions.

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 Exceptional Very Good Good Competent Adequate Inadequate Poor

Exceptional knowledge of Competent knowledge of

KNOWLEDGE Very good, detailed Adequate knowledge. Inadequate knowledge. Poor knowledge.
theoretical concepts Good knowledge of theoretical concepts.
OF THE CORE knowledge of theoretical Partial definitions / Definitions / descriptions Definitions / descriptions
which is thorough and theoretical concepts. There may be a lack of
THEORETICAL CONCEPTS concepts. descriptions. are mostly inaccurate. are absent.
complete. detail at times.
(15)

Inadequate understanding
UNDERSTANDING Exceptional understanding Very good understanding At times lacking in detail
Good understanding of Understanding may be of the theoretical Poor understanding of the
OF THE CORE of the theoretical of the theoretical to demonstrate complete
the theoretical concepts. partial or incomplete. concepts. Irrelevant theoretical concepts.
THEORETICAL CONCEPTS concepts. concepts. understanding.
material included.
(15)

Excellent linkages with Poor linkages and virtually

APPLICATION OF THE Very good linkages with Good linkages with use of Competent linkages with Adequate linkages with a Inadequate linkages with
substantial use of no use of evidence from
CORE THEORETICAL strong use of evidence. evidence. some use of evidence. few examples of evidence. little use of evidence.
evidence. the case study.
CONCEPTS (15)

Exceptional Very good interpretations Competent Adequate interpretations Inadequate

Good interpretations and No interpretations or
ANALYSIS / interpretations and lots of and several interpretations and some made, with a couple of interpretations and no
recommendations. recommendations made.
RECOMMENDATIONS (15) recommendations. recommendations. recommendations made. recommendation. recommendations made.

Excellent ability to
Very good ability to Good ability to highlight Some ability to highlight a One or two strengths and No real consideration of
highlight a wide range of
EVALUATION OF THE highlight several strengths some of the strengths and few of the strengths and weaknesses of the strengths and weaknesses
strengths and weaknesses No evaluation made.
THEORETICAL CONCEPTS and weaknesses of the weaknesses of the weaknesses of the theoretical concepts are of the theoretical
of the theoretical
(15) theoretical concepts. theoretical concepts. theoretical concepts. identified. concepts.
concepts.

Some attempt to
DEVELOPMENT OF Exceptional, clear, and Very good, clear, and Good clear and strong A weak argument has Little argument has been No argument has been
formulate an argument
ARGUMENT / pervasive argument made. strong argument made. argument made. been made. made. made.
has been made.
CONCLUSION (15)

Narrative difficult to Weak narrative, which is Little or no obvious

LITERACY / WRITING Excellent narrative. Very strong narrative. Good narrative. Reasonable narrative.
follow in places. difficult to follow. narrative.
STYLE (5)

References and citations Minimal citations and

Citations match Citations match References generally Referencing and citations No citations and / or
adequately recorded but references which contain
REFERENCING (5) references and there is references and the accurately cited and may contain multiple references.
may contain occasional many errors.
100% accuracy. majority are accurate. recorded. errors.
minor errors.

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