The report length is 3500 words. When counting your words, please exclude the text in figures, tables, Section 1 (Title Page and Table of Contents) and Section 7 (References). The word count must be included in the Title Page.
This assessment uses the work undertaken in Coursework 1 as its foundation. This time however, you must take the opportunity to demonstrate your learning from all OR many of the units of the module to present a case study that shows how theory can be useful in appraising activities and performance of an organisation.
The formal learning outcomes that coursework 2 will contribute to are:
1. Evaluate the role of an organisations internal capabilities and how these may be structured to attain competitive advantage.
2. Appraise the role and scope of specific business functions and their contribution to an organisations success.
3. Analyse and evaluate the significance of key, cross functional processes essential to the delivery of customer value.
The Task: Written report (organisation case study)
The task requires you to:
briefly recap on the introduction to your chosen organisation from Coursework Summative Task 2 introduce the elements of theory that you are using.
discuss the ways in which you can see the theoretical principles being applied (or ignored) in the organisation.
The assignment should demonstrate your understanding of the concepts, the ability to select and discuss relevant literature and to apply knowledge of functional areas to the overall process.
The most important part of this assignment is critical appraisal of the extent to which the current models of good practice in management can be seen to contribute or not to the organisations success.
The report must include the following activities, which you will be grouping in 5 sections:
1. Identification and description of organisation
Using the same organisation as you did in Coursework Summative Task 2, you can then re-use most of the same data. If for some reason you have had to change the organisation you must make clear the background to the new organisation and justify the reasons for using it as a focus for your study. Details should be placed in an Appendix.
2. The Value and Supply Chains: Establishing relevant theoretical underpinning and application of theory to the particular organisation
This is essential to demonstrate that you are able to take the theoretical material included in each section of the module and apply relevant selected parts of it to use a foundation or framework for the examination of practice in a live organisation. There must be explicit use of, and referencing to, published academic sources. Evidence of wider reading and research will enhance your mark in this area.
The evidence presented by you of the practice in your organisation must be related to the theory you have chosen to use – there must be a fit between the theory and the practical evidence. The facts relating to your organisation must be relevant and clearly explained.
3. Appraisal of contribution of other models to organisational success including SWOT analysis
This is another very important ability for you to demonstrate. You are expected to come to a conclusion about the relevance and suitability of the theory in relation to the organisation you have chosen to study. This appraisal must be reasoned and grounded in the evidence you have presented. It is the strength of your reasoning that matters here and the justification of your conclusion.
4. Design and layout
Your work should communicate your ideas in an interesting and appropriate way that adds to the evaluation and discussion within the text.
5. Quality of text and diagrams or graphics as appropriate
Text, diagrams and any graphics should be clear, readable and used in an appropriate context.
Bibliography and references
The sources of ALL the information should be referenced in proper format. If you are unsure about the proper way to construct a bibliography and cite references, the library has guidance notes available.
The bibliography demonstrates the range of your reading. Remember that there must be evidence in the text that you have applied the reading you have done.
