RECENT ASSIGNMENT

Paper Study Guide Semester 1, 2014
218100 Strategic Hospitality Management: A Global Approach

Paper Coordinator/lecturer name: Warren Goodsir
Email: warren.goodsir@aut.ac.nz
Phone 921 9999 Ext: 8374
Office: WH514
Office hours: By email appointment.
Paper Level: 8
Paper Credits: 30

Paper Requirements

To successfully complete this paper, the following conditions must be met:
• Obtain a final minimum mark of 50% overall in the paper;
• Submit all assessments. If any assessment is not handed in, a DNC grade will be awarded for the paper. NOTE: As per the General Academic Regulations of AUT University, if you do not submit a completed compulsory component, you may be withdrawn from the paper.


Learning outcomes

On completion of this paper, successful students will be able to:
1 Demonstrate an ability to think strategically
2 Identify key elements of strategic management theory and practice
3 Critically appraise a range of contemporary topics from the hospitality management and strategic management literature
4 Analyse the competitive environment for the hospitality industry
5 Evaluate a range of strategic management tools and process
6 Analyse and synthesise solutions to contemporary hospitality business issues

Readings
Required text
Thompson, A., Strickland III, A., & Gamble, J. (2010). Crafting and executing strategy text and readings (17th ed.). Boston: McGraw-Hill Irwin.
Second hand copies are available from the AUT bookstore
Or
Thompson, A., Peteraf, M., III, A. J. S., & Gamble, J. (2011). Crafting & Executing Strategy: Concepts and Readings (18th ed.). McGraw-Hill/Irwin.

A variety of required online readings will be posted on AUT online. Please ensure these readings are accessed and read prior to class the beginning of class.

Recommended Texts (copies available from the library):
Enz, C. (2010). Hospitality strategic management concepts and cases (Vol. 2). New Jersey: Wiley.
Hill, C., Jones, G., Galvin, P., & Haidar, A. (2007). Strategic Management An Integrated Approach (2nd Australasian ed.). Sydney: John Wiley & Sons Australia.

Olsen, M. D., West, J., & Tse, E. (2008). Strategic Management in the Hospitality Industry (3 ed.). New Jersey: Pearson Prentice Hall.

Required readings:
The following readings can be found in the AUT e-library and the pdf files are also located on AUT online
Anderson, J. C., Narus, J. A., & van Rossum, W. (2006). Customer Value Propositions in Business Markets. Harvard Business Review, 84(3), 90-99.
Atkinson, H. (2006). Strategy implementation: a role for the balanced scorecard? Management Decision, 44(10), 1441-1460. doi:10.1108/00251740610715740
Bartkus, B., Glassman, M., & McAfee, R. B. (2000). Mission Statements: Are They Smoke and Mirrors? Business Horizons, 43(6), 23.
Bartkus, B., & Glassman, M. (2008). Do Firms Practice What They Preach? The Relationship
Between Mission Statements and Stakeholder Management. Journal of Business Ethics, 83(2), 207-216. doi:10.1007/s10551-007-9612-0
Casadesus-Masanell, R., & Ricart, J. E. (2011). How to design a winning business model. Harvard Business Review, 89(1/2), 100-107.
Chan Kim, W., & Mauborgne, R. (2004). Blue ocean strategy. Harvard Business Review, October, 76-84.
Drejer, A. (2004). Back to basics and beyond: Strategic management – an area where practice and theory are poorly related. Management Decision, 42(3/4), 508-520. doi:10.1108/00251740410523141
Eden, C., & Ackermann, F. (2000). Mapping Distinctive Competencies: A Systemic Approach.
The Journal of the Operational Research Society, 51(1), 12-20. doi:10.2307/253943
Evans, N. (2005). Assessing the balanced scorecard as a management tool for hotels. International Journal of Contemporary Hospitality Management, 17(5), 376-390. doi:10.1108/09596110510604805
Freeman, R. E. (2004). The Stakeholder Approach Revisited. Zeitschrift für Wirtschafts- und Unternehmensethik, 5(3), 228.
Freeman, R. E., Martin, K., & Parmar, B. (2007). Stakeholder capitalism. Journal of Business
Ethics, 74(4), 303-314. doi:10.1007/s10551-007-9517-y
Furnham, A. (2004). Management and Myths: Challenging business fads, fallacies and fashions. New York: Palgrave MacMillan.
Gray, B. J., Matear, S. M., & Matheson, P. K. (2000). Improving the performance of hospitality firms. International Journal of Contemporary Hospitality Management,
12(3), 149-155. doi:10.1108/09596110010320643
Jaworski, B. J., Macinnis, D. J., & Kohli, A. K. (2002). Generating Competitive Intelligence in Organizations. Journal of Market - Focused Management, 5(4), 279.
Johnson, M. W., Christensen, C. M., & Kagermann, H. (2008). Reinventing your business model. Harvard Business Review, 86(12), 50-59.
Kaplan, R. S., & Norton, D. P. (2001). Transforming the Balanced Scorecard from Performance Measurement to Strategic Management: Part I. Accounting Horizons, 15(1), 87-104.
Kaplan, R. S., & Norton, D. P. (2001). Transforming the Balanced Scorecard from Performance Measurement to Strategic Management: Part II. Accounting Horizons, 15(2), 147-160.
Neilson, G., Martin, K., & Powers, E. (2008). The secrets to successful strategy execution. Harvard Business Review, 86(6), 60-70.
Okumus, F. (2003). A framework to implement strategies in organizations. Management
Decision, 41(9), 871-882. doi:10.1108/00251740310499555
Okumus, F., & Roper, A. (1999). A review of disparate approaches to strategy implementation in hospitality firms. Journal of Hospitality & Tourism Research, 23(1), 21-39.
Ouchi, W. (1979). A conceptual framework for the design of organizational control mechanisms. Management Science, 25(9), 833-848.
Phillips, P. A. (2007). The balanced scorecard and strategic control: A hotel case study analysis. Service Industries Journal, 27(6), 731-746.
Porter, M. E. (1996). What is strategy? Harvard Business Review, 74(6), 61-78.
Rintamäki, T., Kuusela, H., & Mitronen, L. (2007). Identifying competitive customer value propositions in retailing. Managing Service Quality, 17(6), 621-634. doi:10.1108/09604520710834975
Stieb, J. A. (2009). Assessing Freeman’s Stakeholder Theory. Journal of Business Ethics, 87(3),
401-414. doi:10.1007/s10551-008-9928-4
Sufi, T., & Lyons, H. (2003). Mission statements exposed. International Journal of Contemporary Hospitality Management, 15(5), 255.

Assessment Grid:
Assessment Type Due Date Weighting Learning Outcomes
1. Mini Tests X 5 Between Week 2-12 10% 2
2. Critical reviews
(Two reviews) (First) Sunday 30 March WK 4
(Second) Sunday 13 April WK 6 20% 2, 3
3. Strategic Report Part A Sunday 11 May WK 8
11.00 pm 30% 1, 4, 6
4. Strategic Report Part B Tuesday 10 June WK 13
11.00 pm 40% 1, 2, 4, 5, 6

Student Responsibilities:
Class times and places
Your personal timetable can be obtained from the ARION website. https://arion.aut.ac.nz

AUTonline (also referred to as Blackboard)
Resources are posted online and it is your responsibility to download the appropriate course material and bring this to class. It is highly recommended that you prepare for each class and tutorial by reading the material prior to class. There is learning material available on AUTonline so please use this to enhance your study and assignments.
http//autonline.aut.ac.nz

Submitting your assignment
1. Save your assignment as a word document using your LAST NAME & ID NUMBER as the file name for the assignment
2. Ensure you have added your Name and ID number as a header or footer on every page of the assignment
3. Submit your assignment to turnitin (on AUT Online)
4. Once you have submitted your assignment to turnitin you can check the originality report. Note: it may take 24 hours for the report to be generated) If the originality report shows a high match please check with your lecturer and if required, resubmit the assignment to turnitin. DO NOT resubmit after the due date!

Note: By submitting to Turnitin you confirm that this assessment has been written by you and represents your own work. This work has not previously been submitted by anyone else. All sourced information has been appropriately acknowledged and referenced. You have maintained and will continue to maintain the confidentiality of any person/organisations referred to in this assessment. You permit this assessment to be copied for academic processes (such as moderation). You have retained a copy of this assessment electronically.



If an assignment is not submitted to Turnitin, it will not be marked and you will receive a DNC (Did Not Complete). Turnitin is software that determines if the work is your own and not someone else’s work. Therefore, you are required to submit an electronic version of your assignment through the link on AUTonline. Instructions for using Turnitin will be provided in class.
The submission title for Turnitin must be your Last name & student ID number. You will receive a confirmation of your submission to your email address.

Grades
In-course grades will be posted in Grade Centre on AUTonline. Note that grades posted on AUTonline are provisional only. Final results are available on Arion.

Refer to the Programme Manual for information on:
• Referencing, plagiarism and late assessments
• Special consideration for assessments
• Extension dates for assignments
• Examination Procedures
• Reconsideration of Marks
• Appeal for Paper results

Weekly schedule (Subject to change)
Academic Week Content Tests Readings
Wk 1
Introduction to strategic management Strategic thinking & perspectives of strategic management Thompson et al., (2010 or
2011) CH 1
Stacey, (2011 pp. 2-20) PDF file online week 1
Wk 2
Organisational direction, vision, mission & leadership Practice mini test (Thompson et al., 2010 or
2011) CH 2
WK 3 Critical analysis exercise – inclass Mini test 1 Sufi & Lyons 2003 Mission statements exposed
Wk 4

Ethics and corporate social responsibility
Assignment: Critical review (First)
Sunday 30 March 11:00 pm (Thompson et al., 2010 or
2011) CH 9
Wk 5
Environmental analysis, broad & industry environment
Mini test 2 (Thompson et al., 2010 or
2011) CH 3

Wk 6
The internal environment
Evaluating a company’s resources & competitive position Case Study Panera Bread
Assignment: Critical review (Second)
Sunday 13 April 11:00 pm (Thompson et al., 2010 or
2011) CH 4
Case study: Panera Bread
Wk 7
Competitive business strategies
Blue ocean strategy,
Mini test 3 (Thompson et al., 2010 or
2011) CH 5
Study leave 18th April – 2nd May
Wk 8
Competitive strategies continued
Experience economy
Applied Project Part A
Sunday 11 May 11:00 pm (Thompson et al., 2010 or
2011) CH 6

Wk 9
Competing in foreign markets
Diversification
Mini test 4 (Thompson et al., 2010 or
2011) CH 7 & CH8
Wk 10
Building an organisation capable of good strategy execution
Control, culture & reward systems Mini test 5 (Thompson et al., 2010)
CH 10
Wk 11
Managing strategy implementation Applied Project Part B:
Oral Presentations in class (Thompson et al., 2010)
CH 11
Wk 12
Corporate culture
Strategy evaluation (Thompson et al., 2010)
CH 12
Wk 13 Applied Project Part B: Written report Tuesday 10 June 11:00 pm


Assessments – details Mini tests
Due date: Five (5) Mini Tests between weeks 2 – 12
Assessment value: Total 10%
Submission details: These assessments will be carried out in tutorial class
Learning outcome: Identify key elements of strategic management theory and practice
Assignment format: Group and individual Multi Choice assessment
Assessment details: The assessments will be based on the assigned readings
from the required text book
The mini test consists of the following three components
Component Weighting
Individual test results 35%
Team test results 45%
Peer evaluation 20%

Assignment – Critical article review

Due date: First review: Week 4, Sunday 30 March, 11:00 pm
Second review: Week 6, Sunday 13 April, 11:00 pm
Assessment value: 20%
Submission details:



• Assignment: The file name must use the following format; your surname followed by student ID then assessment title (e.g., Smith 0123456.doc).
• Ensure your name and ID number and word count is on your assignment title page
• Submit a full copy of this assignment (including, title page & references) to turnitin through the link on AUTonline.
• Email the articles as pdf files to warren.goodsir@aut.ac.nz
Turnitin instructions This assignment must be submitted to turnitin through AUT online
Please read the turnitin instructions carefully
Learning outcome: 2. Identify key elements of strategic management theory and practice.
3. Critically appraise a range of contemporary topics from the hospitality management and strategic management literature
Assignment format: Review
Title: Article Review (2000 words total)

Cont. on next page...
Assessment details:
Review two peer reviewed journal articles relating to strategic management issues that have been published within the previous 10 years. At least one of the articles must be based on empirical research; the other article may be a Meta-analysis of literature or conceptual/philosophical argument. For each review: Write a maximum of 1000 words. The reviews (Frist & Second) are to be submitted separately as outlined above.

Email me a copy (PDF file) of each of the articles used for your review. Use the first authors surname and article publication date (e.g., Jones 2003) as a file name when you save the pdf file. Note: These pdf files are not submitted to turnitin

Specifically you are required to:
1. Record the details of your articles on the article review blog
• To ensure that everyone is using different articles for this assignment, please post the name, author and publication date for both of your articles on the blog titled ‘Blog: Article Review’. Also use this blog to ask questions about this assignment, read other questions and my responses.
2. Give the bibliographic reference (APA 6th) for the article at the beginning of each review
3. Conduct a critical review of each article (1000 words each)
• The following web site provides excellent information on how to assess research literature http://www.gwu.edu/~litrev/a01.html

What I am looking for in each review is evidence that you have;
• Appraised the information in a clear and concise manner that shows you have read, and understood what is being discussed in the article.
• Shown evidence of clarity of thought and critical analysis of the discussed journal articles.
• Identified major and minor issues and the strengths and weakness of each article.
• Discussed the relevance of the topic for the hospitality industry.




Assignment: Strategic Analysis Part A: Vision, Mission & Competencies

Due date: Sunday 11 May 11:00 pm
Assessment value: 30%
Submission details:



• Assignment: The file name must use the following format; your surname followed by student ID then assessment title (e.g., Smith 0123456 & Chan 0345678 Report A.doc).
• Ensure your name/s and ID number/s is/are on your assignment title page
• Submit a full copy of this assignment (including, title page & references) to turnitin through the link on AUTonline.
Turnitin instructions This assignment must be submitted to turnitin through AUT online If the assignment is completed in pairs, only one assignment is to be submitted by one team member.
Learning outcome: 1. Demonstrate an ability to think strategically
4. Analyse the competitive environment for the hospitality industry
6. Analyse and synthesise solutions to contemporary hospitality business issues
Assignment format: Report maximum 3500 words
This Report may be completed individually or in pairs (2 x students). One report is to be submitted by the due date and time. The assignment will be marked and ONE GRADE will be assigned for the entire report (the same mark for both participants)
Title Report: Strategic Analysis Part A: Vision, Mission & Competencies

Assessment details:
A hospitality organisation is looking to expand their business into a new region. You have been asked by the company to prepare a strategic analysis assessing the viability of opening their business in the determined region.

Report:
Choose an existing, established hospitality organisation (business) and prepare a strategic analysis of the organisation and the significant opportunities and threats associated with opening in a new location. Note: The organisation must not be currently operating in your chosen city. This report will be presented in two parts.

Note: Approval must be gained from the lecturer for the choice of organisation and location for this assignment. If you have a specific strategic management project that you would like to undertake, please discuss with me how this assignment can be adapted to meet your needs.

Cont. on next page...
Part A: Specifically you are to complete the following:
1. Write an introduction to the report
a. Follow normal report writing convention
b. Include a general overview of the organisation and the planed location to provide the reader with background information.
2. Conduct an analysis of the organisation to identify their purpose (mission)
a. Establish a criteria for analysis of the organisations purpose (mission)
b. Outline what you believe the strategic purpose (mission) is for the organisation
i. If the organisation has a published mission statement this may be used as a part of the analysis. However, you also need to look at general information about the organisation (e.g., the company documents, web sites, your own observation and/or knowledge of the organisation), to identify key indicators that suggest what their purpose (mission) could be.
3. Analysis of organisational competencies and value proposition:
a. Identify and discuss the competencies that the organization has developed to achieve its purpose.
b. Discuss how the organization is building value into its product and service offering.
4. Conclusion
a. Bring the discussion and analysis together (synthesis) to provide a summary of the report.
b. Based on the discussion so far, briefly discuss why you believe this organisation would be successful in your chosen location.



Marking Schedule: Strategic Analysis Part A

Mark allocation: Name & ID:
10
Introduction
Very poor; Inadequate; Significant gaps; Just adequate; Good, but minor flaws; Very good;
0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 Excellent
10

35
Discussion of organisational purpose (mission)

Very poor; Inadequate; Significant gaps; Just adequate; Good, but minor flaws; Very good;
0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 Excellent
10

25
Discussion of organisational competencies and value proposition
Very poor; Inadequate; Significant gaps; Just adequate; Good, but minor flaws; Very good;
0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 Excellent
10

10
Conclusion
• Logical conclusion established from presented argument(s) / analysis
•
Very poor; Inadequate; Significant gaps; Just adequate; Good, but minor flaws; Very good;
0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 Excellent
10

15
Literary Style
Academic writing standards: structure, grammar, spelling

Very poor; Inadequate; Significant flaws; Minor flaws; Good, but minor flaws; Very good;
0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 Excellent
10

5
Referencing: APA style
Very poor; Inadequate; Significant flaws; Minor flaws; Good, but minor flaws; Very good;
0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 Excellent
10

100 0 (grade weighted at 30%)



Assessment Four Title – Strategic Analysis Part B: Environmental & organisational analysis

Due date: Oral presentation In-class week 11
Written report: Week 13 Tuesday 10 June 11:00 pm
Assessment value: 40%
Submission details:



• Assignment: The file name must use the following format; your surname followed by student ID then assessment title (e.g., Smith 0123456 & Chan 0987654 review.doc).
• Ensure your name and ID number is on your assignment title page
• Submit a full copy of this assignment (including, title page & references) to turnitin through the link on AUTonline.
Turnitin instructions This assignment must be submitted to turnitin through AUT online If the assignment is completed in pairs, only one assignment is to be submitted by one team member.
Learning outcome: 1. Demonstrate an ability to think strategically
2. Identify key elements of strategic management theory and practice
4. Analyse the competitive environment for the hospitality industry
5. Evaluate a range of strategic management tools and process
6. Analyse and synthesise solutions to contemporary hospitality business issues
Assignment format: Oral Presentation (10 minutes)
Written report, maximum 4000 words
This report may be completed individually or in pairs (2 x students). One report is to be submitted by the due date and time. The assignment and presentation will be marked and ONE GRADE will be assigned for the entire report (the same mark for both participants) Please ensure your name and student ID number (and partners) is on every page
Title of Report: Strategic Analysis Part B: Environmental analysis

Assessment details:
This report is Part B of the scenario presented in the previous assignment ‘Strategic Analysis Part A’ and includes the following:
• Oral presentation
• Written report

• Oral Presentation of draft report
In week 11 present a 10 minute key point overview of your draft report. The presentation must use power point to help convey significant findings and issues. Include in the presentation:
a. an introduction to the organisation, including purpose and business level strategy
b. a summary of the environmental and industry analysis, and the organisations position among its competitors
c. why you believe this organisation will be competitive in the chosen environment • Written Report
Specifically, you are to include the following:
1. Introduction to the report
a. Follow normal report writing conventions
b. Include a very brief summary of the organisation’s purpose and business level strategy (this information should be obtained from assessment three)
2. Strategy identification and discussion:
a. Identify the organisations corporate level strategy. Discuss the benefits of this strategy.
b. Identify the business level strategy and discuss the key elements of this strategy. Use examples to support your argument.
3. Conduct an analysis of the broad environment that the organisation will operate within.
4. Conduct a competitor analysis
a. Identify the main competitors for the organisation and establish where the organisation is positioned in relation to the competitors.
5. Based on the information from Part A and Part B of the project provide summary of the organisations SWOT analysis.
6. Conclusion
a. Based on the above analysis present a summary of the evaluation outlining the areas of competitive advantage that the organisation holds and any key issues the organisation will face in the new location.

Ensure that a full search has been undertaken of the topic and that all conventions of academic report writing are adhered to.
Oral presentation marking schedule:
218100 Strategic Management: Strategic Analysis Part B Oral Presentation of draft report
Criteria 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 Scores
Intro to org. Location, purpose
and CVP
Introduction and overview of organisation, its purpose and CVP
Geographical region is introduced
Information is well structured & clearly and logically described
Corporate &
business level
strategy
Subject knowledge is evident
Information is clear, appropriate, and justified
Broad
environmental analysis Subject knowledge is evident
Information is clear, appropriate, and justified
Competitor analysis

Subject knowledge is evident.
Information is clear, appropriate, and justified
Evidence of analysis and synthesis of information
Evidence of clarity of thought and logical discussion

Major and minor issues are highlighted
Discussion and evidence is objectively presented and relevant
Presentation skills are evident: confidence, clarity of speech, presentation style
Subtotal



Total out of 10 (this mark is transferred to overall marking schedule)


Marking Schedule: Strategic Analysis Part B



218100 Strategic Hospitality Management: A Global Approach, Semester 1, 2014
Grade Definitions for postgraduate assessment
Grade KNOWLEDGE COMPREHENSION ANALYSIS & EVALUATION SYNTHESIS LITERARY STYLE
A+
>90



A
85 – 89 Reconstructing:
Exceptional good use of knowledge from a wide range of relevant disciplines pertinent to the area of study. Use of recent and appropriate research. Exceptionally good use of explanation and summarisation. Met the purpose, or answered the question, fully and completely. Indentifies major and minor issues. Demonstrates exceptional level of critical thinking. Exceptionally well developed; logical presentation of argument; clear structure. Makes links between areas of work. Demonstrates clarity of thought. Exceptional level of independent, creative, abstract thinking to apply learning. Draws original conclusions from reflections. Generates new ways of looking at the topic Very well written; evidence of distinct personal style. No spelling or grammatical errors; all words used correctly. Paragraphs longer than one sentence but not longer than one page. Headings, if used, are of the same format & appropriate level. Unnecessary abbreviations not used; necessary ones explained. Numbers below 10 are written. Capital and lower case letters are used appropriately. Quotations are appropriately set out & referenced. No unnecessary parenthesis. Punctuation appropriate. Verbs active where appropriate & subjects in agreement.
Pronouns have clear referents. Parallel construction. Tone is not polemic. Sexist language and awkward constructions avoided. Referenced in approved format.
A-
80 – 84 Reasoning:
Demonstrates excellent use of relevant knowledge & principles. Use of research which is relevant and up-to-date. Excellent use of explanation & summarisation. Met the purpose, or answered the question, fully and completely. Excellence of critical thinking. Identifies
major & minor issues. Very well developed; logical presentation of argument; clear structure. Makes links between areas of work. Demonstrates clarity of thought. Very good level of independent imaginative, creative thinking. Applies own experience, extracts general principles, formulates a personal theory or takes a position on an issue. Frequently generates new ways of looking at things.
B+
75 – 79
B
70 – 74
B –
65 – 69 Relating:
Evidence of highly relevant knowledge & principles. Use of research which is relevant & up-to-date Very good use of explanation & summarisation. Met the purpose, or answered the question, fully and completely. Indentifies major and minor issues. Identifies strengths & weaknesses of material. Well developed, logical presentation of argument with clear structure. Concepts are explored, alternatives are considered. Makes most relevant links between areas of work.
Demonstrates clarity of thought. Clear evidence of independent imaginative, creative thinking. Integrates data into appropriate relationships that involves high level of transformation & conceptualisation e.g. theoretical concepts, personal experience. Often generates new ways of looking at things. Competent use of English. Fluent writing. Accurate spelling and grammar.
Little distinct personal flair.
C+
60 – 64
C
55 – 59
C – 50 – 54 Responding:
Evidence of relevant knowledge and principles. Mainly descriptive use of knowledge
Use of relevant, but not always recent research.
Adequate to fairly good use of explanation and summarisation.
Purpose not completely met, some aspects of the question are unanswered. Identifies some major/minor issues. Evaluates major strengths and weaknesses.
Balanced arguments with clear structure & generally logical presentation.
Some links between areas of work. Generally demonstrates clarity of thought.
Thinking occasionally confused. Some links between areas of work Some evidence of independent, imaginative, creative thinking. Occasionally generates new ways of looking at things.
Provides little added observations or insight Competent use of English. Reasonably accurate spelling and grammar. Reasonable structure
D
<49.5 Reporting:
Use of inadequate or outdated information. Evidence of research but not recent or relevant. Poor explanation and summarisation. Has only attempted to answer the question or meet the purpose. Does not explain. Does not evaluate or appraise. Is descriptive - describes, reports or re-tells. Indentifies few issues Weak structure. Little logical argument. Links between areas of work are missing or inaccurate. Thing sometimes confused No real evidence of independent thinking. Does not generate new ways of looking at things Difficult to understand. Poor use of English. Numerous spelling and grammar errors. Poor structure.