Assessment 2: Simulation: Business Game
In Practice Week 3 you will participate in a competitive business game designed to simulate a realistic management situation and give you the opportunity to demonstrate your ability to think through the implications of applying the knowledge and skills acquired through the taught elements of the course. You engage in the business game as a group. You will need to set a strategy for your company within the competitive industry and make decisions about all aspects of the business in order to implement the strategy effectively. Over successive periods in the game you monitor the performance of your own business and the competition, adjusting your strategic and tactical decisions accordingly.
You will write an individual report of 1,600 words on your performance in the game, showing how theory which you have learnt on the course was demonstrated both in your management of your business and in the way the players in your industry competed. Some specific questions will be provided for you to address and you will also have the opportunity to highlight other areas of your own choice.
Coursework Information Sheet
To be supplied to students when they receive the coursework assignment task
Unit Co-ordinator: Pauline Loewenberger
Unit Name: Management Practice
Unit Code: SHR078-6
Title of Coursework: Assignment 1b: Written Report on Simulation
40% weighting of final unit grade
Feedback details
The university policy is that you will receive prompt feedback on your work within 15 working days of the submission date. Exceptionally where this is not achievable (for example due to staff sickness) you will be notified as soon as possible of the revised date and the reasons behind the change.
Submission Date: 8th March 2015
Feedback Date: 29th March 2015
Details of how to access the feedback: Turnitin

Core Learning Outcomes
Learning Outcomes
On completion of this unit you should be able to: Assessment Criteria
To achieve the learning outcome you must demonstrate the ability to:
1 Identify, reflect upon and evidence key areas for development and to stipulate areas of excellence in management practice • Critically evaluate your practice skills, for example, contributions to effective team work, decision making, problem solving and the generation of creative ideas, presentation, elevator pitches and business plans.
2 Develop positive and enquiring approaches to management and enterprise and to challenge existing preconceptions so as to integrate new knowledge for future application. • Deliver feasible solutions for a consultancy project negotiated with a client organisation
• Research, select and use creatively appropriate business and management theory to manage and complete a project in the context of a new situation.
• Use theory and show independence of thought in evaluating its usefulness in practice.
• 40% Weighting towards unit grade
• Please submit your assignment to Turnitin in the assessments section of the Breo unit site by the stated deadline. You are allowed a single submission only so make sure you are happy with your work and that you submit the correct document.
• Feedback will be provided through Turnitin within 15 working days.
• Please refer to the Assessment Evaluation Criteria
Your task:
1. Acting as the Human Resources Director for a medium sized business apply theory and tools from the MBA toolkit to the simulated task in a rapidly expanding industry to meet increasing productivity goals within a budget.
2. You will need to monitor performance and adjust decisions in the light of the success or failure in aligning strategic and operational HRM with particular emphasis on HR Planning and analysis, staffing, compensation, training and development.
3. Critically evaluate your use of theory in making decisions during the simulation. How useful was this and how might this help you analyse and evaluate how your company fared.
4. You will need to reflect on the effectiveness of your personal and professional practice skills and the effectiveness of your contribution to teamwork, and identify areas of excellence and areas where you need to improve.
5. This must be a professionally written and presented business report clearly and concisely communicating your ideas through integration of theory and practice (1600 words).

Section / Title Details / Guidance
Title page Title of your report. Address (to/from) and date the report.
Executive Summary 150 word maximum summary of your report, including key recommendations.
Contents Page Include page numbers.
Introduction Short (approximately 200 words) introduction to the report setting out what the aims and objectives of the report are, what the report will cover and why.
Analysis Using appropriate tools from the MBA Toolkit critically evaluate their effectiveness applied in practice to the case. You should make reference to relevant models, and frameworks and include critical analysis. (Approximately 500 words)
Conclusions This section should initially answer the report aim and objectives and draw together the main points from your analysis.It summarises what has been learned from undertaking this consultancy project. It should also begin to weigh up the options available to the organisation and what would impede implementation and based upon option evaluation, begin to identify the way forward. No new information should be presented in the conclusions. (Approximately 200 words)
Recommendations Make recommendations for improvement based upon your conclusions, clearly stating how they can add value to the organisation. Recommendations should be fully feasible and justified considering costs, priority level, time-scale, resources, who is responsible, benefits and any further implications to the organisation. Your proposals should be actionable (‘immediately implementable’) not just a list of ideas. You can use a table to help structure your action plan. (Approximately 200 words)
Reference List A list of all sources cited directly in the text. Harvard style
Bibliography List The sources you consulted but which you do not cite.
Reflective account Identify, reflect upon and evidence key areas for development and to stipulate areas of excellence in management practice. Critically evaluate your practice skills, for example, contributions to effective team work, decision making, problem solving and the generation of creative ideas and presentation. (Approximately 350 words)