Task
The following collaborative research project requires you to work in groups, each group consisting of approximately 2 or 3 students. Please confirm your group composition with your lecturer.

Going BIG

You and a group of investors are interested in developing a tourist destination including a ‘Big’ tourist attraction, motel, café and a souvenir shop at a location in Australia. Examples of similar tourist attractions include the Big Merino in Goulburn and the Big Banana in Coffs Harbour.
The aim of this tourist destination is to provide an additional tourist experience for the tourists who already come into the Local Government Area (LGA). In order to do this successfully you need to ensure that the location you choose will support your business over the next 10 years.
Your minimum criteria are:
• significant tourism interest already in the LGA, and
• appropriate transport facilities for tourists to travel to your tourist destination.

These are the minimum criteria – you should identify additional criteria that you can use in making this business decision.

Your task is to prepare a report to be presented to your co-investors which identifies two locations in Australia which meet your criteria. Your report should demonstrate how these locations meet the minimum criteria above and the additional criteria which you have identified. You should also identify any additional statistical information that you have not been able to source that is required before a final decision is made to start building the tourist destination.

Making presentations and working in teams are important professional skills. As a graduate accountant with a Masters degree you are expected to be able to justify and communicate accounting advice and ideas in diverse collaborative contexts. In doing this assessment you are developing and demonstrating some of these skills.

Guidance for effective collaborative work is available in Resources.

Your report should be professionally presented as a PowerPoint with voice added to each slide. The voice addition that you make is your presentation to the other investors. It should not simply repeat what you have on the slide. Your presentation (5-7 slides not counting the slides with references) needs to sell what you have researched.
Here are some resources you can use to help you prepare the best presentation. Only one team member need submit the PowerPoint presentation but each team member must submit a 250 word individual reflection on the team process.
http://www.slideshare.net/damonnofar/8-tips-for-slideshare

You may choose how you want to work as a group. Some suggestions are to use one or a mixture of
Skype, Face time, Google Docs – there are many more. Initial information on how to use these can be found by doing an online search – see some suggestions below:
http://www.wikihow.com/Do-a-Video-Conference-in-Skype
http://www.wikihow.com/Use-FaceTime
http://www.wikihow.com/Add-Audio-to-Powerpoint-2010

Mark allocation
Development and explanation of criteria 1.5
Substantial data collection, analysis and conclusion 3
Quality of presentation 1.5
Individual reflection on the group process. 4

END OF ASSIGNMENT 2

Rationale
This assessment item assesses the following subject learning outcomes:
• be able to demonstrate problem-solving skills in assessing, organising, summarising and interpreting relevant data for decision making purposes;
• be able to apply decision theory to business situations;
The task also provides the opportunity for students to work cooperatively in groups and to communicate the results of their research.
Marking criteria
Criteria High Distinction Distinction Credit Pass
Demonstrate problem solving skills in building criteria, assessing, organising, summarising and interpreting relevant data for decision making purposes. Group has generated a range of innovative information criteria.

Demonstrate
high-level research skills working in a highly-motivated group to find and generate needed information.

Demonstrate
high-level analysis skills to identify additional information needed. Group has generated some meaningful information criteria.

Demonstrate reasonably high-level research skills working in a mostly motivated group to find and generate needed information.

Demonstrate reasonably high-level analysis skills to identify additional information needed. Group has generated some appropriate information criteria.

Demonstrate reasonably competent research skills working in a somewhat motivated group to find and generate needed information.

Demonstrate reasonably competent analysis skills to
identify additional information needed. Group has generated some information criteria.

Demonstrate
average-level research skills working in a group to find and generate needed information.

Demonstrate
average-level analysis skills to identify additional information needed.
Ability to articulate key performance criteria of successful teams and evaluate group performance accordingly. The individual can articulate the key performance criteria of successful teams and evaluate the team performance accordingly. The individual can state most of the key performance criteria of successful teams and draw related connections to the group performance. The individual can state some of the key performance criteria of successful teams and draw related connections to the group performance. The individual can state some of the key performance criteria of successful teams and draw at least one connection to the group performance.
Professional communication in the form of a Power point presentation with voice which follows good presentation practice. Appropriate resources and referencing. Excellent group participation and communication of the research findings demonstrating scholarly understanding of the issues involved via knowledgeable and engaging Power Point presentation.

A wide range of resources used and referenced. Good group participation and communication of the research findings demonstrating a reasonable understanding of the issues involved via informative and engaging Power Point presentation.

A number of resources used and referenced. Fair group participation and communication of the research findings demonstrating some understanding of the issues
involved via average Power Point presentation.

One or more resources used, not all resources referenced. Some group participation and communication of the research findings demonstrating lower level understanding of the issues involved via weaker Power Point presentation to other students in lecture group.

One resource used.

Requirements
This assignment must be submitted through Turnitin.
It is recommended that your name, student ID and page number are included in the header or footer of every page of the assignment.
Further details about submission in Turnitin are provided in On-line submission.