Word Limit: 3,000 words
Weighting This coursework accounts for 100% of the total mark for this module

Instructions on Assessment:
You are required to produce an individual assignment report that includes an analysis and reflection of the strategic position of your own (or a chosen) business organisation. (3,000 words)
Some rudimentary guidance on how to approach this assignment:
• You may wish to describe the market context within which the organisation operates, its challenges and opportunities
• You may wish to discuss the mission and corporate goals of the organisation
• You may wish to refer to the influence exercised over strategic policy formulation by the Governing Board, managers, as well as shareholders and stakeholders.
• You may wish to consider the use of a macro-environmental analytical tool, such as PESTLE, to inform your discussion.
• You may wish to arrive at a judgment about the competitive position of the organisation with reference to appropriate theoretical models, such as Porter’s Five Forces of competition.
Late submission of work
Where coursework is submitted without approval, after the published hand-in deadline, the following penalties will apply.
For coursework submitted up to 1 working day (24 hours) after the published hand-in deadline without approval, 10% of the total marks available for the assessment (i.e.100%) shall be deducted from the assessment mark.
For clarity: a late piece of work that would have scored 65%, 55% or 45% had it been handed in on time will be awarded 55%, 45% or 35% respectively as 10% of the total available marks will have been deducted.
The Penalty does not apply to Pass/Fail Modules, i.e. there will be no penalty for late submission if assessments on Pass/Fail are submitted up to 1 working day (24 hours) after the published hand-in deadline.
Coursework submitted more than 1 working day (24 hours) after the published hand-in deadline without approval will be regarded as not having been completed. A mark of zero will be awarded for the assessment and the module will be failed, irrespective of the overall module mark.
For clarity: if the original hand-in time on working day A is 2pm the 24 hour late submission allowance will end at 2pm on working day B.
These provisions apply to all assessments, including those assessed on a Pass/Fail basis.
Word limits and penalties
If the assignment is within +10% of the stated word limit no penalty will apply.
The word count is to be declared on the front page of your assignment and the assignment cover sheet. The word count does not include:
• Title and Contents page • Reference list • Appendices • Appropriate tables, figures and illustrations
• Glossary • Bibliography • Quotes from interviews and focus groups.
Please note, in text citations [e.g. (Smith, 2011)] and direct secondary quotations [e.g. “dib-dab nonsense analysis” (Smith, 2011 p.123)] are INCLUDED in the word count.
If this word count is falsified, students are reminded that under ARNA page 30 Section 3.4 this will be regarded as academic misconduct.
If the word limit of the full assignment exceeds the +10% limit, 10% of the mark provisionally awarded to the assignment will be deducted. For example: if the assignment is worth 70 marks but is above the word limit by more than 10%, a penalty of 7 marks will be imposed, giving a final mark of 63.
Students must retain an electronic copy of this assignment (including ALL appendices) and it must be made available within 24hours of them requesting it be submitted.
Note: For those assessments or partial assessments based on calculation, multiple choice etc., marks will be gained on an accumulative basis. In these cases, marks allocated to each section will be made clear.
Referencing your work
The APA method of referencing uses the author's name and the date of the publication. In-text citations give brief details of the work you are referring to in your text. References are listed at the end of the text in alphabetical order by the author's name. The general format of an electronic journal reference in the APA style is shown below:
Coutu, D. (2009). Why Teams Don't Work. Harvard Business Review, 87, 5, 98-105. Retrieved 29th April 2012 from EBSCO http://searchebscohost.com
Author/s name and initials are listed first, followed by year of publication in brackets. Then there is the title of article and the journal where the article appears, which is in italics. Then state the volume and issue number (in brackets) along with the pages where article can be located. Finally add the date the article was retrieved and then the name of the database, followed by the web address. Wherever possible use the homepage URL rather than the full and extended web address.
For further information on the APA style of referencing see the Concise Rules of APA style and the APA website http://www.apastyle.org/learn
Mapping to Programme Goals and Objectives:
Knowledge & Understanding:
6.1.1: Demonstrate critical understanding of key aspects of business, management and leadership knowledge, at least some of which are at or informed by, the forefront of aspects of the discipline.
6.1.2: Demonstrate an appreciation of the uncertainty, ambiguity and limits of knowledge
Undergraduate AOL Goals:

Undergraduate Goals and Objectives
Failed to meet Met Exceeded
Goal AOL 1.1: Acquire knowledge of business, management and/or leadership.
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Goal AOL 1.2: Apply their knowledge to business and management contexts.
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Goal AOL 1.3: Conduct contemporary research into business, management and/or leadership issues.
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Goal AOL 2.4: Demonstrate critical thinking skills.
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