SIM337 Contemporary Developments Business
Activity:
Prepare a management report of 3,500 to 4,000 words* on an organization within one of the following industry-sectors**:
- Postal and courier activities
- Programming and broadcasting activities
- Manufacture of rubber and plastics products
- Rental and leasing activities
- Airline / Sea Transport (Any airline, Sea Transport and Freights etc.)
- Note: [An organization profile must be included in your submission as “Appendix 1”.]
- Note that the use of retail organisations is not allowed. E.g. Tesco, McDonalds, Sainsbury’s, Waitrose, ASDA, LIDL and other retail organisations are not. The use of any of the retail organisation above will lead to 10% loss of the final marks on the module.
This report should assess the impact of external business environmental factors on the organization and evaluate the organization’s position and responses. In the case of a large organization it is permissible to confine your report to part of the organization. An organization’s activities may range beyond the designated industrial sector in which case the focus of your report must be on the organization’s activities within the designated sector.
* You are advised to write between 3.500 and 4,000 words and the word limit is 4,000 words. This word limit does not include the title page, the executive summary, the contents page, the organization profile, tables, diagrams, appendices or references. You must include an accurate word count on your title page.
** According to the “International Standard Industrial Classification of All Economic Activities”
Task 1
Give a brief overview of the primary external influences to which the organization is subject and briefly explain the particular importance of each to the organization.
This first task should contribute no more than one third of your overall report.
Task 2
Choose one of the following themes:
- International Technology Transfer
- Incremental and Radical Innovation
- Marketing Communications Mix
- Corporate Social Responsibility and Sustainability
In relation to your chosen theme:
- Analyse its relevance to your chosen organization and how it influences policies and decision-making within your chosen organization or industry-sector.
- Critically evaluate the effectiveness of the organization’s response.
iii. (If possible and appropriate) demonstrate some areas for improvement in the response of the organization.
Guidance notes:
Whatever organization you choose and whichever theme you chose, you must clearly demonstrate knowledge and understanding from research and reading wider than that contained in the module pack and core textbook. This is a REPORT and so must be presented in business report format and style. You must also structure your report to cover the tasks including points 2.i to 2.iii above. This is an academic piece of work therefore you are expected to link theory and practice. You should take care to ensure that the work you submit has a high standard of presentation. This is an individual assignment. You must acknowledge your sources of information and evidence using the Harvard referencing system. All assignments are subject to the University’s regulations on
collusion and plagiarism and must be submitted in electronic form for checking on Canvas for Turnitin and the Turnitin report must be submitted to JIRA along with your assignment.
Assessment Regulations
For further information regarding Assessment Regulations, extenuating circumstances or extensions and academic integrity, please refer to your Programme Handbook on the University of Sunderland in London information page on Canvas.
Reading List
Please access your reading list from the library website. To access it, please go to https://moduleresources.sunderland.ac.uk/ and search for your module.
Submission guidelines
There are currently two steps that you need to follow to ensure that you successfully submit your work for marking. Your submission links will become available approximately 3 weeks prior to your submission deadline, along with detailed instructions on how to submit your assignment, but in the meantime please feel free to also watch this Assignment Submission Instructions video.
Grading
You will be marked in accordance to the University of Sunderland assessment criteria attached below. The assessment criteria covers; Relevance, Knowledge, Analysis, Argument and Structure, Critical Evaluation, Presentation, Reference to Literature.
Summary Assessment Criteria
- Relevance: Directly relevant to the requirements of the assessment. (10%)
- Knowledge: A substantial knowledge of relevant material, showing a clear grasp of themes, questions and issues therein. (20%)
- Analysis: Good analysis, clear and orderly (20%)
- Argument and structure: Coherent and logically structured, using an appropriate mode of argument and/or theoretical model(s). (20%)
- Critical evaluation: Contains distinctive or independent thinking; may formulate an independent position in relation to theory and/or practice. (10%)
- Presentation: Well written, with standard spelling and grammar, in a readable style with an acceptable
- Reference to literature: Critical appraisal of up-to-date and/or appropriate literature. Recognition of different perspectives. Good use of a range of sources.
(10%)
(See marking scheme below for more detailed guidance)
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60 – 69%
to the requirements of the assessment
knowledge of relevant material, showing a clear grasp of themes, questions and issues therein
clear and orderly
logically structured, using an appropriate mode of argument and/or theoretical mode(s)
distinctive or independent thinking; may begin to formulate an independent position in relation to theory and/or practice.
with standard spelling and grammar, in a readable style with acceptable format
to-date and/or appropriate literature. Recognition of different perspectives. Very good use of source material. Uses a range of sources
50 – 59%
Some attempt to address the requirements of the assessment: may drift away from this in less focused passages
Adequate knowledge of a fair range of relevant material, with intermittent evidence of an appreciation of its significance
Some analytical treatment, but may be prone to description, or to narrative, which lacks clear analytical purpose
Some attempt to construct a coherent argument, but may suffer loss of focus and consistency, with issues at stake stated only vaguely, or theoretical mode(s) couched in simplistic terms
Sound work which expresses a coherent position only in broad terms and in uncritical conformity to one or more standard views of the topic
Competently written, with only minor lapses from standard grammar, with acceptable format
Uses a variety of literature which includes some recent texts and/or appropriate literature, though not necessarily including a substantive amount beyond library texts. Competent use of source material.
40 – 49%
Some correlation with
Basic understanding of
Largely descriptive or
A basic argument is evident, but mainly
Some evidence of a view starting to be
A simple basic style but with
Some up-to-date and/or appropriate
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the requirements of the assessment but there is a significant degree of irrelevance
the subject but addressing a limited range of material
narrative, with little evidence of analysis
supported by assertion and there may be a lack of clarity and coherence
formed but mainly derivative.
significant deficiencies in expression or format that may pose obstacles for the reader
literature used. Goes beyond the material tutor has provided. Limited use of sources to support a point. Weak use of source material.
Fail
35 – 39%
Relevance to the requirements of the assessment may be very intermittent, and may be reduced to its vaguest and least challenging terms
A limited understanding of a narrow range of material
Heavy dependence on description, and/or on paraphrase, is common
Little evidence of coherent argument: lacks development and may be repetitive or thin
Almost wholly derivative: the writer’s contribution rarely goes beyond simplifying paraphrase
Numerous deficiencies in expression and presentation; the writer may achieve clarity (if at all) only by using a simplistic or repetitious style
Barely adequate use of literature. Over reliance on material provided by the tutor.
The evidence provided shows that the majority of the learning outcomes and responsibilities appropriate to that Level are satisfied.
30 –
The work examined provides insufficient evidence of the knowledge, understanding and skills appropriate to the Level of the qualification. The evidence provided shows that some of the learning outcomes and responsibilities appropriate to that Level are satisfied. The work will be weak in
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34%
some of the indicators.
15-29%
The work examined is unacceptable and provides little evidence of the knowledge, understanding and skills appropriate to the Level of the qualification. The evidence shows that few of the learning outcomes and responsibilities appropriate to that Level are satisfied. The work will be weak in several of the indicators.
0-14%
The work examined is unacceptable and provides almost no evidence of the knowledge, understanding and skills appropriate to the Level of the qualification. The evidence fails to show that any of the learning outcomes and responsibilities appropriate to that Level are satisfied. The work will be weak in the majority or all of the indicators.
Links for Us
The Contemporary Travel and Tourism Industry Unit 1
Managing the Customer Experience Unit 2
Professional Identity and Practice Unit 3
The Travel and Tourism Business Toolkit Unit 4
Managing Aviation Services Unit 6
Managing Conference and Events Unit 7
Visitor Attraction Management Unit 8
Corporate Travel Management Unit 11
Marketing Essentials for Travel and Tourism Unit 16
Tourism Consumer Behaviour and Insight Unit 20
Local Area Networking Technologies Unit 44
