Business Question

AssessmentModule Title:
Managing International Business
Assessment Title:
Essay (3500 words)
Individual/Group:
Individual
Weighting:
100%
Submission Date:
30/4/2024 before 15:00
Please note that you must submit your assignment via Blackboard and on Turn-it-in
Essay
Write a 3,500 word essay on how contemporary international firms practice the following
international management functions: political risk management, ethical behaviour, and human
resource management. See essay structure/content section below for specifics.
The central purpose of your essay is explaining and discussing the above international management
functions. However, you must also identify:
Any relationships or connections between the functions (ethics, political risk management
and HR management)
Any changes or new patterns of corporate behaviour that have emerged in each of these
areas.
The essay should include relevant academic literature/research in support. This means your
explanations and discussions have to be supported with citations and/or quotes. Although you will be
able to identify relevant studies in the reference list in the lecture slides, you are strongly advised to
identify and collect other studies through own research efforts on google scholar and/or through the
e-journal portals within library gate (such as pro-quest, emerald, business source complete).
But you should further support your discussion with recent corporate examples (from the last three
years). Use brief vignettes of corporate examples, and not to overboard the essay with examples.
Please ensure your examples are relevant to the argument (s) you are making and are
sourced/referenced.
Required Essay Structure and Content
•
Introduction (between 150 and 200 words)
•
Main section:
1
The main thrust of the essay should include a discussion on the following topics:
A. Explain and contrast the strategies to manage international political risk.
B. Explain and contrast the purpose and implications of two ethical theories for
managing ethics within international business.
C. Explain and contrast the various approaches to staffing (including the ethnocentric,
polycentric and geocentric staffing models, and the choice of women managers).
The space afforded to A, B and C should be fairly balanced but does not have to be exact.
•
Conclusion (between 150 and 200 words).
Answers to potential questions?
What do you mean by explain and contrast?
Within the respective functional area (e.g, political risk management), explain the various approaches
with adequate detail as opposed to a simple listing of the approaches. Then, contrast the approaches
– identify some points of difference and/or commonality.
Can I offer some critique of the approaches within the respective areas (political risk, ethics and
IHRM)?
Yes, you can. Pointing out some advantages and disadvantages is always useful for explaining and
comparing.
How many corporate examples do I use?
No precise number but make sure each topic area (A, B and C) has at least two examples. I would aim
to avoid having too many examples overall because this will only reduce the flow of discussion and
quality of content. We should see more academic literature/citations than corporate examples.
What should I do when I cannot find a corporate example for a specific approach?
Don’t worry about it. It is not necessary to assign an example for each approach.
Are there any other rules about using corporate examples?
Yes. They must be in the last three years. Following good practice for any formal document, please
also provide a source to the information on the example within the essay. The corporate examples
can be from any sector, nationality, and size of company. But if you want to use examples from the
same sector or nationality, then that’s fine.
What do mean by connections or relationships between the topics/themes?
This simply means where one theme impacts the other. For example, the company’s primary approach
to ethical management in foreign operations should impact their foreign staffing and vice versa.
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How do I present the material which teases out some connections between the topics?
It is best to state the connection within the relevant section and possibly cross-reference to the other
related section. Do not have a stand-alone section for this material. Rather the connections between
the topics (e.g., HRM and Ethics) should be integrated within the essay.
How many connections do I identify?
It is difficult nor unnecessary to state a precise number of connections. But suffice to say, the bulk of
the essay should be based on explaining and discussing the approaches in parts A, B and C. Even so,
aim to identify several connections between political risk management, ethic approaches and the
IHRM issues of staffing.
However, rather than seeking to list many, concentrate more on making credible connections with
relevant support from the literature (if possible). Quality over quantity!
How do I present the material on new developments or patterns of behaviour in the area?
Aim to integrate the new developments within sections A, B and C. For example, when explaining
political risk management strategies, you may identify how a political risk strategy has been
increasingly emphasized over others; maybe because of new developments in the political
environment. Or you may identify combinations of behaviour, or the use of certain strategies in certain
situations. It is one goal of the essay for you to check if any new developments exist and their nature.
Do I use the report format for this assignment?
No. It is an essay.
Do I write in the first or third person?
The format of writing does not matter. It is up to you.
Can I use tables or diagrams?
Yes. These are not included in the word count.
What’s also not included in the word count?
References.
Can I go below or above the word count?
Yes, by 10% below or above the 3,500-word cap.
Submission of Assignments
Please check blackboard for assignment deadline notification around the beginning of the module.
Late submissions without good reason will be penalised as per university regulations. Make sure you
keep a copy of all work submitted.
How will student feedback be obtained on this module and how will this be used?
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Marks and feedback for assignments will be available via grade centre.
EXTENSIONS
These may be granted, but ONLY by the Student Support Officer and NOT by the Module Leaders or
seminar tutors. Please contact the student support officer for your course or speak to SHIP
SUPPORT FOR YOUR WORK
Do not hesitate to contact your tutors and module leaders for advice and guidance regarding
successfully completing the module.
REFERENCING
This must be carried out thoroughly, and all work must be fully referenced in the APA style. Detail on
APA style referencing is available on Library website.
This is an academic programme of study and failure to reference and acknowledge sources could be
deemed as academic dishonesty or plagiarism and penalised.
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Criteria
80 – 100%
Outstanding work
70 – 79%
Excellent work
60 – 69%
Very good work but
some scope to improve
Coverage of question
requirements;
relevance and
justification of
content
There is comprehensive
coverage of the question
requirements. The
content is highly relevant
and very well justified.
There is very good
coverage of the
question
requirements. The
content is all relevant
and well justified.
There is generally good
coverage of the
question requirements.
The content is relevant
and generally well
justified.
Range of relevant
academic literature
or theory used and
level of academic
understanding
demonstrated
The answer uses a broad
and appropriate range of
relevant literature/theory
and demonstrates an
outstanding level of
theoretical understanding
throughout.
The answer uses a
broad and
appropriate range of
relevant
literature/theory and
demonstrates an
excellent level of
theoretical
understanding
throughout
The answer uses an
appropriate range of
relevant
literature/theory and
demonstrates a
generally good level of
theoretical
understanding, though
there may be minor
errors.
Effectiveness of
analysis, in terms of
producing insightful
literature-informed
arguments and
drawing sound
conclusions
The answer has
extremely effective
theoretical analysis, with
very sound and wellargued conclusions.
There is critical
awareness and originality
in the answer.
The answer has highly
effective theoretical
analysis, with sound
and well-argued
conclusions
throughout. There is
some critical
awareness.
The answer has
generally effective
theoretical analysis,
with frequent good
arguments and largely
sound conclusions
50 – 59%
Good work with
some limitations
There is fairly good
coverage of the
question
requirements. The
content is mostly
relevant and
sometimes justified.
The answer uses
some but not all of
the relevant
literature/theory and
demonstrates a fairly
good level of
theoretical
understanding, but
there are also some
errors.
The answer has some
effective theoretical
analysis but lacks
consistency. There
are some good
arguments in places
and some valid
conclusions are
drawn.
40 – 49%
Adequate work with
significant limitations
There is adequate
coverage of some of
the question
requirements. The
content is partially
relevant but not very
well justified.
0- 39%
Inadequate work with
major weaknesses
There are significant
omissions. Much of
the content is of
questionable
relevance. Content is
poorly justified.
The answer uses a
limited amount of
relevant
literature/theory and
demonstrates some
theoretical
understanding but
there are also some
notable errors.
The answer uses little
literature/ theory and
does not demonstrate
sufficient theoretical
knowledge or
understanding for
Level 5 at university.
The answer has
partially effective
theoretical analysis in
places, but the quality
is patchy. Arguments
may lack clarity.
Conclusions are
sometimes
questionable.
The answer has very
little effective
theoretical analysis.
Arguments are weak
or unclear.
Conclusions are
largely absent or
erroneous.
5
Evidence of effective
use of corporate
and/or industry
examples as
supporting evidence
Structure,
Presentation and
referencing
There is systematic and
highly effective use of
supporting examplebased evidence
throughout.
Highly effective structure.
A highly professional
standard of presentation.
Referencing is
comprehensive and
flawless throughout.
There is very effective
use of supporting
example-based
evidence throughout.
Effective structure. A
professional standard
of presentation.
Referencing is
comprehensive and
precise.
There is evidence of
good research on the
chosen industry/firms.
There is generally
effective use of
example based
supporting evidence.
A very good standard
of structure and
presentation; there
may be scope to refine
further. Referencing is
generally accurate
(there may be some
errors/omissions).
There is some
effective use of
supporting examplebased evidence but
scope for more
A good standard of
structure and
presentation but
some scope to
improve. Referencing
is often accurate but
there are also
errors/omissions
Use of supporting
example-based
evidence is limited
and/or ineffective
There is only limited
and inadequate
example-based
evidence.
An adequate
structure, standard of
presentation but
significant scope for
improvement.
Referencing is
adequate but
patchy/inconsistent.
An inadequate
standard of structure,
presentation;
significant
improvement
necessary.
Referencing is
inadequate;
unacceptable at Level
5.
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Level 5 – Generic grade descriptor: relationship of degree classification to Grade Point and equivalent percentage
Class
1st
1st
2.1
2.2
Category
Grade
Mark
range
%
General Characteristics
Exceptional breadth and depth of knowledge and understanding of the area of study, significantly beyond what has been taught in all areas; evidence of
extensive and appropriate selection and critical evaluation/synthesis/analysis and of reading/research beyond the prescribed range, in both breadth and depth, to
advance work/direct arguments; excellent communication; performance beyond expectation. The ability to make decisions and carry out tasks/processes with
autonomy; excellent leadership skills in group contexts; creative flair; extremely well-developed problem-solving skills; the ability to carry out sustained critical
reflection on practical work within the wider context of industry/workplace. Fully meets expectations set by the industry/employment context.
Exceptional 1st
16
93 100
96
High 1st
15
85 – 92
89
Mid 1st
14
78 – 84
81
Low 1st
13
70 – 77
74
High 2.1
12
68
Mid 2.1
11
67 – 69
64 -66
Low 2.1
10
60 – 63
62
High 2.2
9
58
Mid 2.2
8
57 – 59
54 – 56
Low 2.2
7
50 – 53
52
High 3rd
6
5
47 – 49
44 – 46
48
Mid 3rd
Low 3rd
4
40 – 43
40
Borderline Fail
3
30 – 39
35
Mid Fail
2
20 – 29
25
3rd
65
55
45
Fail
Zero
Outstanding/excellent knowledge and understanding of the area of study as the student is typically able to go beyond what has been taught (particularly for a
mid/high 1st); evidence of extensive and appropriate selection and critical evaluation/synthesis/analysis of reading/research beyond the prescribed range, to
advance work/direct arguments; excellent communication; performance deemed beyond expectation of the level. The ability to make decisions and carry out
tasks/processes with autonomy; creative flair and the ability to (re)interpret predefined rules/conventions to select and justify individual working practice;
highly developed problem-solving skills; accuracy and fluency; excellent command of skills appropriate to the task; the ability to reflect critically on practical
work within the wider context of industry/workplace. Broadly meets expectations set by the industry/employment context.
Very good knowledge and understanding of the area of study as the student is typically able to relate facts/concepts together with some ability to apply to
known/taught contexts; evidence of appropriate selection and evaluation of reading/research, some beyond the prescribed range, may rely on set sources to
advance work/direct arguments; demonstrates autonomy in approach to learning; strong communication skills. Broadly autonomous completion of practical
tasks/processes; ability to adapt in response to change or unexpected experiences; technical/artistic decision making is highly developed; a clear command of the
skills relevant to the task/process; ability to reflect on practical work and set future goals within the wider context of industry/workplace. Adherence to standards
set by the industry/employment context.
Good knowledge and understanding of the area of study balanced towards the descriptive rather than analytical; evidence of appropriate selection and
evaluation of reading/research but generally reliant on set sources to advance work/direct arguments; communication shows clarity, but structure may not
always be coherent. A confident approach to practical tasks; a solid grasp of the related processes, tools, technology; creativity in the completion of the task;
proficiency is demonstrated by an accurate and coordinated performance; tasks are completed with a good level of independent thought; some autonomy is
evident; an ability to reflect on practical work and set future goals. General adherence to standards set by the industry/employment context.
Knowledge and understanding sufficient to deal with terminology, basic facts and concepts but fails to make meaningful synthesis; some ability to select and
evaluate reading/research however work may be more generally descriptive; strong reliance on available support set sources to advance work; arguments may be
weak or poorly constructed; communication/presentation is generally competent but with some weaknesses. Competence in technical/artistic skills;
tasks/processes are completed with a degree of proficiency and confidence; tasks are completed with a basic level of independent thought; effective judgements
have been made; basic evaluation and analysis of performance in practical tasks is evident. Errors in workflow or completion of the task; general adherence to
appropriate rules/conventions set by the industry/employment context.
Insufficient knowledge and understanding of the subject and its underlying concepts; some ability to evaluate given reading/research however work is more
generally descriptive; naively follows or may ignore set material in development of work; given brief may be only tangentially addressed or may ignore key
aspects of the brief; communication shows limited clarity, poor presentation, structure may not be coherent. Practical tasks are attempted; skill displayed in
some areas; there are a significant number of errors; a lack of proficiency in most areas; guidance may be needed to reproduce aspects of the task and/or apply
learned skills. Tasks may be incomplete; failure to adhere to some of the rules/conventions set by the industry/employment context.
Low Fail
1
6-19
10
No evidence of knowledge or understanding of the subject; no understanding of taught concepts, with facts being reproduced in a disjointed or
decontextualised manner; ignores set material in development of work; fails to address the requirements of the brief; lacks basic communication skills. A
general level of incompetency in practical tasks; an evident lack of practice; set tasks are not completed; few or no skills relating to tasks are evident. No
adherence to rules/conventions set by the industry/employment context.
Zero
0
0-5
0
Work not submitted, work of no merit, penalty in some misconduct cases.
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