Cover Sheet
Cover Sheet
Maldives Business School

BTEC Higher National Diploma in Business (Management/HR/Marketing)
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Associate’s Degree in Business Management/HR Management/Marketing

The student must fill the relevant parts of the following table. Student First Name | Student Last Name | Student ID | Date submitted | | | | __/__/__ | Statement of authenticityI, the above named student, hereby confirm that this assignment is my own work and not copied or plagiarized. It has not previously been submitted as part of any assessment for this qualification. All the sources, from which information has been obtained for this assignment, have been referenced. (Harvard format). I further confirm that I have read and understood the Malé Business School rules and regulations about plagiarism and copying and agree to be bound by them. |

Assignment summary information Assignment type | Task 1: Individual, collaboration not allowed. Task 2: Group role play, collaboration allowed. | Activity title | How activities are managed to achieve results at (company name) | Assignment reference | 1 | Unit | 15. Managing Business Activities to Achieve Results | Date issued: | 1 October 2013 | Date due: | 14 December 2013 | Presentation Date | 21 December 2013 | Extensions | The due date will not normally be extended. The maximum number of days allowable for an extension to the deadline for this assignment is 5 days. An extension must be applied for in writing by individual students and will only be granted for valid reasons. | Late submissions | Late submissions will only be marked for a pass | Assessor(s): | Sandeep Sikerwar | Internal verifier: | Adam Umar |

Assessor(s) please fill the table below after evaluation. Pass Criteria | P1.1 | P1.2 | P1.3 | P2.1 | P2.2 | P2.3 | P2.4 | P3.1 | P3.2 | P3.3 | P3.4 | P4.1 | P4.2 | P4.3 | P4.4 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | Merit grades awarded | M1 | | M2 | | M3 | | | Distinction grades awarded | D1 | | D2 | | D3 | | | Assessor’s | | Name: | Signature: | Date: __/__/__ | |

This is the cover sheet for your assignment. Your assignment will be rejected if it does not have this cover sheet.

Assignment Rejection Your work will be rejected if: 1. Your assignment does not have the required cover sheet. (See previous page.) 2. Others’ ideas and words have not been properly cited and referenced. 3. The expected sources have not been properly cited in the body of your report. (The expected sources are books and articles that you MUST read for this assignment. The citations are required as evidence of your reading. See Assignment–specific Instructions to Candidates.) 4. You have plagiarized others’ work. 5. Your report does not have an adequate format. (See below.) |

Sample Assignment Report Format
Please follow this format if you have not been specifically instructed to follow a different format. 1. Cover sheet

2. Title page
The title page should contain the following. (a) Title of your paper/assignment (b) Your name (c) Course title (d) Institution name (Malé Business School) (e) Word count

The following is a sample title page.

Title of your paper/assignmentYour nameYour course (e.g. BTEC HND/Associate Degree (Management/HRM/Marketing))Malé Business SchoolDate 4,000 words |

3. Abstract/Executive Summary
This is a short section of about 100-130 words. The abstract/executive summary should consist of: (a) An introduction to the topic (b) A brief description of the research/activities you have done (c) A summary of your results/learning (d) A brief indication of the implications of the results/learning

Write this last. Here are two sample abstracts/executive summaries. AbstractIt is not uncommon to see The University of Montana students working while attending school. By conducting informal interviews it is clear that students work for a variety of reasons. The authors of this study have diverse thoughts about the impact work has on student’s academic performance. No study, which tries to explain factors affecting working university students, has ever been conducted at the Missoula campus. The purpose of this study was to discover and compile information regarding The University of Montana students who work. This study was carried out for the Financial Aid Department at The University of Montana, to help Financial Aid better serve student needs. This report includes background to the study, the objectives to be met, sampling methods, the survey questionnaire (see Appendix A), and the results of the research. | Executive SummaryNiche marketing has become a successful strategy for many CPA firms because it identifies target markets and resources, distinguishes a CPA firm from the competition and generates higher profit margins. Niche market specialties will focus both your firm's marketing program and your marketing professional's activities by providing a foundation for marketing plans and goal setting. This article will provide you with the keys to successful niche marketing as well as niche marketing success stories. |

4. Table of contents
Here is an example Table of contents. You will have to write what goes into the

TABLE OF CONTENTS 1. Abstract …………………………………………………………………………………………….. 2. Introduction ………………………………………………………………………………………. 3. Title of fist main section ……………………………………………………………………… 4.1 First subheading …………………………………………………………………………… 4.2 Second subheading ………………………………………………………………………. 4. Title of first main section ……………………………………………………………………. 5.3 First subheading …………………………………………………………………………… 5.4 Second subheading ………………………………………………………………………. 5. Conclusion and recommendations ……………………………………………………….. 6. References …………………………………………………………………………………………Appendix AAppendix B | 1123456789 |

5. Introduction
This is a short section of about 450 words. The introduction should describe the background and academic context. Include a brief literature review and an explanation of the method used to collect and analyze data.

6. Main sections of report
This is the body of your report. It may contain up to 2,500 words depending on your assignment. In these sections you should present your data, analysis, findings and discussions. You can divide the main sections of your repo0rt into relevant headings and subheadings.

7. Conclusion and recommendations
This is a short section of about 150 words. Write your conclusions and recommendations clearly and with clear reasons or supporting evidence.

8. References
Write your references in the Harvard style.

9. Appendices
This is where you put information that is not essential to explain your findings, but that supports your analysis and conclusions. Include in the appendices such things as completed survey questionnaires and spreadsheets.

Unit outcomes, criteria and evidence requirements Outcome | Criteria | Evidence for the criteria | Feedback | Assessor’s decision | LO1 Understand the importanceof business processes indelivering outcomes basedupon business goals andobjectives | P1.1 Evaluate the interrelationship between the different processes and functions of the organization. | 1. An organisation has been selected for the purpose of this assignment. 2. The organisation’s mission, vision, goals, objectives and culture have been described. 3. A process (with process goals and critical success factors) in place to achieve a selected objective from those described above has been briefly explained. 4. Important functions in the orgnisation have been briefly explained. 5. The relationship between the functions and the process in 3 above has been explained. 6. A brief conclusion has been made whether or not this relationships helps to achieve the organizational objective selected in 3 above. [Evaluate - Review the information then bring it together to form a conclusion. Give evidence for each of your views or statements] | | | | P1.2 Justify the methodology to be used to map processes to the organization’s goals and objectives. | 1. A method for mapping the process selected in P1.1 above to the organizational goals and objectives has been described. 2. The method has been justified with valid reasons or evidence.[Justify: Show adequate grounds for decisions and conclusions; answer the main objections likely to be made to them; prove or show grounds for decisions. In such an answer, evidence should be presented in convincing form. To argue in support of some decision or conclusion, to show sufficient evidence or reason in favor of something. Whenever possible, try to support your argument with both logical reasoning and concrete examples.] | | | | P1.3 Evaluate the output of the process and the quality gateways. | 1. The quality gateways in place in the organisation have been described. 2. The output of the quality gateways has been described 3. The output of the process identified in P1.1 has been described. 4. A conclusion has been drawn whether or not the process output and the final output of the quality gateways match the process goal as stated in P1.1.[Evaluate: Review the information then bring it together to form a conclusion. Give evidence for each of your views or statements] | | | LO2 Be able to develop plans for own area of responsibility to implement operational plans | P2.1 Design plans which promote goals and objectives for own area of responsibility | 1. Goals for own area of responsibility in your organization have been stated. 2. Objectives for own area of responsibility in your organization have been stated. 3. Using any one of the following methods, a short-term plan has been written that promotes the goals and objectives in 1 and 2 above. (a) Work breakdown structure (b) Charts (c) Network analysis (d) PERT (e) Critical path analysis (f) Work flow(Note: You must address P2.2 before P2.1.)[Design - Create a plan, proposal or outline to illustrate a straightforward concept or idea.] | | | | P2.2 Write objectives, which are specific, measurable, achievable, realistic and time-based to align people and other resources in an effective and efficient way. | 1. The resources available for own are of responsibility have been briefly described. 2. Objectives for own area of responsibility have been written, which are: (a) specific, (b) measurable, (c) achievable, (d) realistic, and (e) time-based. 3. The ways in which your objectives align the resources identified in 1 above have been described. 4. The alignment has been justified in terms of: (a) Effectiveness, and (b) Efficiency.[Effective - If something is effective, it is able to achieve the objective, regardless of cost and time taken.][Efficient - If something is more efficient, it is able to achieve the objective faster and at less cost.] | | | | P2.3 Implement appropriate systems to achieve objectives in the most efficient way, on time, to budget and meeting organizational standards of quality. | 1. One of the following systems has been implemented to achieve one of the objectives that you wrote for P2.2. (a) Just-in-time (b) Total Quality Management (TQM) (c) Value added chains 2. The implementation has been judged to see if it is: (a) Effective (b) Efficient (c) On time (d) To budget (e) Meets your organization’s quality standards. 3. Two ways to improve the implementation have been suggested.[Implement: Do a set of planned activities to achieve an objective. As such, to implement a plan, you must list the plan’s objectives, activities, costs, expected difficulties, and schedules. At the end of the implementation an evaluation is usually made to find out if the objectives were achieved.] | | | | P2.4 Carry out work activities meeting the operational plan through effective monitoring and control. | 1. Three objectives of the operational plan of your organization pertaining to own area of responsibility have been briefly described. 2. Work activities that you carry out to meet these objectives have been briefly described. 3. The ways to monitor these activities have been explained. 4. The ways to control these activities have been explained. 5. The extent to which the monitoring and control ensures that the work activities meet the objectives above has been judged.[Carry out: Do] | | | LO3 Be able to monitor appropriate systems to improve organizational performance | P3.1 Design systems to manage and monitor quality standards specified by the organization. | 1. Three quality standards set by your company for own area of responsibility have been briefly described. 2. The following systems for own area of responsibility to manage and monitor the quality standards specified by your organization have been designed: (a) TQM (b) Quality circles[Design - Create a plan, proposal or outline to illustrate a straightforward concept or idea.] | | | | P3.2 Demonstrate a quality culture to ensure continuous monitoring, evaluation and development of the process. | 1. Quality culture has been defined. 2. The quality culture in own area of responsibility of your organization has been briefly described with examples. 3. How the quality culture ensures that the process is continuously (a) monitored, (b) evaluated, and (c) developed has been explained.Note: You can provide photos and attach internal documents to the report as Appendix A as evidence of this practical application in your report.[Demonstrate - Provide several relevant examples or related evidence which clearly supports the arguments you are making. This may include showing practical skills.] | | | | P3.3 Recommend improvements which align with the organization’s objectives and goals and which result inImprovements. | 1. A set of four improvements to the systems that you designed for P3.1 that align with (match) the organization’s goals and objectives stated in P1.1 have been suggested. 2. From the improvements suggested above, two improvements which will result in improvements have been recommended with justifying reasons or evidence.[Recommend - Make a proposal, declare a plan for something. Give evidence or reasons in support of your recommendations.] | | | | P3.4 Report on the wider implications of proposed changes within the organization. | The following implications of the changes that you proposed in P3.1 and P3.3 above have been described and justified with reasons or evidence: (a) Ethical implications (b) Implications for stakeholders (c) Environmental implications.[Implication - The effects of doing something on something else. The consequences of doing something for something else. (I.e. what might happen as a result of doing it.) The conclusion that can be drawn from something although it is not explicitly stated.][Report on – Write on a topic, giving the result of an investigation or inquiry. Include positive and negative aspects and evidence to support judgments.] | | | LO4 Be able to manage healthand safety in the workplace | P 4.1 Carry out risk assessments as required by legislation, regulation and organizational requirements ensuring appropriate action is taken. | 1. The risk assessments required by legislation for own area of responsibility have been explained. 2. The risk assessments required by regulation for own area of responsibility have been explained 3. The risk assessments required by own organisation for own area of responsibility have been explained. 4. One such risk assessments has been carried out and reported.[Carry out: Do] | | | | P 4.2 Demonstrate that health and safety regulations and legislation applicable in specific work situations are correctly and effectively applied. | Data has been collected and presented that demonstrates that health and safety regulations in own area of responsibility have been correctly and effectively applied.[Demonstrate - Provide several relevant examples or related evidence which clearly supports the arguments you are making. This may include showing practical skills.] | | | | P 4.3 Carry out a systematic review of organizational health and safety policies and procedures in order to ensure they are effective and compliant. | 1. A brief plan has been prepared to for a systematic review of health and safety policies and procedures in own area of responsibility. 2. The review has been carried out according to the plan above. 3. A conclusion has been drawn stating whether or not these health and safety procedures are effective and compliant. 4. Recommendations have been made, with reasons or evidence, to improve the effectiveness and compliance of these health and safety policies and procedures.[Carry out: Do] | | | | P4.4 Carry out practical application of health and safety policies and procedures in the workplace. | 1. Three health and safety policies and three safety procedures for own area of responsibility have been described. 2. One of the safety policies and one of the safety procedures have been carried out.Note: You can provide photos and attach internal documents to the report as Appendix B as evidence of this practical application in your report.[Carry out: Do] | | |

Merit and Distinction Grade Descriptors Grade descriptor | Possible evidence | Feedback | Assessor’s decision | M1Identify and apply strategies to find appropriate solutions. | 1. effective judgments have been made 2. an effective approach to study and research has been applied | | | M2Select/design and apply appropriate methods/techniques. | 1. Relevant theories and techniques have been applied in designing the systems. 2. The selection of methods and techniques has been justified. | | | M3Present and communicate appropriate findings. | 1. The appropriate structure and approach has been used in the presentation. 2. Coherent, logical development of principles/concepts for the intended audience. | | | D1 Use critical reflection to evaluate own work andjustify valid conclusions | 1. Conclusions have been arrived at through synthesis of ideas and have been justified. 2. Realistic improvements have been proposed against the organization’s goals and objectives. | | | D2Take responsibility for managing and organizing activities. | 1. Autonomy/independence has been demonstrated. 2. Substantial activities, projects or investigations have been planned, managed and organized. | | | D3Demonstrate convergent/lateral/creative thinking. | 1. Convergent and lateral thinking have been applied 2. Problems have been solved | | | Pass criteria | P1.1 | P1.2 | P1.3 | P2.1 | P2.2 | P2.3 | P2.4 | P3.1 | P3.2 | P3.3 | P3.4 | P4.1 | P4.2 | P4.3 | P4.4 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | Merit grades awarded | M1 | | M2 | | M3 | | Distinction grades awarded | D1 | | D2 | | D3 | | Assessor’s | Name: | Signature: | Date: ____/____/______ |

ASSIGNMENT-SPECIFIC INSTRUCTIONS TO CANDIDATES
Expectations
(a) Individual: Task 1 (b) Group: Role play in Task 2 (c) Collaboration: Allowed for role play in Task 2. (d) Expected sources: 1. BPP Learning Media, 2010. Business Essentials – Management: Communications and Achieving Results, July 2010 ed. London: BPP Learning media. 2. Milgate, M. A., 2004. Transforming Corporate Performance Measuring and Managing the Drivers of Business Success, 2004 ed. Westport, CT: Praeger. [Available through: http://www.questiaschool.com/library/119702972/transforming-corporate-performance-measuring-and. Accessed: 10 September 2013.] 3. Payne, V., 2005. Planning and Managing Change, American Management Association. New York: American Management Association. [Available through: http://www.questiaschool.com/library/120078332/planning-and-managing-change. Accessed: 10 September 2013.] 4. Ashkenas, R. N., 1994. Beyond the Fads: How Leaders Drive Change with Results, Journal of Human Resource Planning. 17(2), pp. 25+. [Available through: http://www.questiaschool.com/read/1G1-16482369/beyond-the-fads-how-leaders-drive-change-with-results. Accessed: 10 September 2013.] (a) Tables of data: Required where relevant (b) Photos: Required as evidence of implementation of tasks carried out

INSTRUCTIONS TO STUDENTS 1. This assignment is a compulsory part for the successful completion of this unit. 2. You have to complete this assignment within the submission date stated above. 3. Read the assignment carefully and make sure that you understand the work you should hand in and what is required of you. If you are uncertain, discuss it with your teacher. 4. The assignment requires you to work by yourself and to produce authentic and, wherever possible, original work. You should not share your work with any other students. For example, if you produce an illustration or diagram electronically, you should not give it to another learner. Similarly, you should not accept and use such information from others. You are required to sign that the work submitted is your own. 5. If you work in a group at any stage, you must present your own responses to each task for assessment. 6. Information taken from sources for research, e.g. internet and textbooks must be identified and not presented as your own work. You should list the sources used. 7. Some tasks may require Observation Records/Witness Statements. Your teacher will organize for these to be completed and you must attach these to your submitted work. 8. In presenting your final work, you should not include draft work or reference materials such as handouts, notes and leaflets, unless the tasks specifically ask you to do so. 9. Presentation of your work: (a) Check that you have completed all tasks (b) Label work with the appropriate task/sub task number (c) Present tasks in the correct order (d) Label each page with your name and page number (e) Submit all electronic materials in paper format (f) Clearly label video or audio tapes submitted as part of your assignment (g) Sketches and drawings must be your own work, and may be produced by hand or using appropriate computer software (h) Material from School handouts, books and other printed materials should not be included in the submission (i) All notes should be original and produced by you; where published material is referred to in the assignment, full references must be given (j) All papers should be securely bound (k) Use a standard business report structure (l) Word process the report (m) Use 12 point Arial script (n) Use the Harvard referencing system (o) The body of your report should not exceed 4,000 words. (p) Complete the title page and sign the statement of authenticity. (q) Late work will only be graded for a pass. (r) Any presentation should not exceed 5 minutes.

PLAGIARISM

Maldives Business School’s Rules and Regulations relating to plagiarism is described in the Academic Regulations. They are given below.

Plagiarism is the attempt to fulfill an academic requirement by using the ideas, words or work of another person and representing them as one's own. Academic conventions dictate that students and scholars must acknowledge the source of phrases and ideas that are not their own. Many ideas and phrases are so familiar that they have become the common property of all; these obviously require no documentation. However, the use of ideas or phrases [or entire works] that are clearly original with another author requires that the appropriate credit be given to the original author.
A student shall not plagiarize any idea, writing, data or invention belonging to another person. For the purpose of this rule, plagiarism includes:

1. Using another writer's words without proper citation. 2. Using another writer's ideas without proper citation. 3. Citing the source but reproducing the exact words of a printed source without quotation marks. 4. Borrowing the structure of another author's phrases or sentences without crediting the author. 5. Borrowing all or part of another student's paper or using someone else's outline to write own paper. 6. Using a paper writing "service" or translating the writing or creation of another person from one language to another. 7. Any form of plagiarism found in assignments will result in disciplinary action that may lead to dismissal.

Scenario
In an article titled, “Mastering the Management System,” Robert S. Kaplan and David P. Norton had the following to say.

In our experience, however, breakdowns in a company’s management system, not managers’ lack of ability or effort, are what cause a company’s underperformance. By management system, we’re referring to the integrated set of processes and tools that a company uses to develop its strategy, translate it into operational actions, and monitor and improve the effectiveness of both. The failure to balance the tensions between strategy and operations is pervasive: Various studies done in the past 25 years indicate that 60% to 80% of companies fall short of the success predicted from their new strategies.

By creating a closed-loop management system, companies can avoid such shortfalls. (See the exhibit “How the Closed-Loop Management System Links Strategy and Operations.”) The loop comprises five stages, beginning with strategy development, which involves applying tools, processes, and concepts such as mission, vision, and value statements; SWOT analysis; shareholder value management; competitive positioning; and core competencies to formulate a strategy statement. That statement is then translated into specific objectives and initiatives, using other tools and processes, including strategy maps and balanced scorecards. Strategy implementation, in turn, links strategy to operations with a third set of tools and processes, including quality and process management, reengineering, process dashboards, rolling forecasts, activity-based costing, resource capacity planning, and dynamic budgeting. As implementation progresses, managers continually review internal operational data and external data on competitors and the business environment. Finally, managers periodically assess the strategy, updating it when they learn that the assumptions underlying it are obsolete or faulty, which starts another loop around the system.

Most companies’ underperformance is due to breakdowns between strategy and operations. This diagram describes how to forge tight links between them in a five-stage system. A company begins by developing a strategy statement and then translates it into the specific objectives and initiatives of a strategic plan. Using the strategic plan as a guide, the company maps out the operational plans and resources needed to achieve its objectives. As managers execute the strategic and operational plans, they continually monitor and learn from internal results and external data on competitors and the business environment to see if the strategy is succeeding. Finally, they periodically reassess the strategy, updating it if they learn that the assumptions underlying it are out-of-date or faulty, starting another loop around the system.

This scenario of underperformance represents a common phenomenon. That is why this unit focuses on the effective and efficient planning and management of business work activities, thereby giving you the understanding and skills needed to design and implement operational systems to improve their effectiveness and efficiency and achieve the desired results for the business.

Reference:
Kaplan, R. S. and Norton, D.P., “Mastering the Management System,” Harvard Business Review, January 2008. Accessed online at http://hbr.org/2008/01/mastering-the-management-system/ar/1, Date: 01/03/2013.

Required
For a business of your choice, select an area of your interest in which you are required to analyze the operational systems in place, the interrelationship between business processes and the implementation of operational plans. You will analyze the quality systems in place and the role of health and safety in achieving desired results.
The following distinction criteria will apply to the whole assignment. 1. Take responsibility for managing and organizing activities. This includes meeting deadlines set in this assignment brief and submitting work that is unified, coherent and, to a large extent, free from logical and language errors. (D2) 2. Demonstrate convergent/lateral/creative thinking. (D3)

Task 1
Write a report of not more than 3,500 words discussing how activities are managed in a company of your choice to achieve results. Your report should give a description of its mission, aims, objectives, goals and culture and an analysis of the business processes and quality gateways in place to deliver outcomes based upon the stated business goals and objectives of the company. Your report should be unified, coherent and free from gross logical and language errors.
Title your report as “How activities are managed to achieve results at (company name).”
To successfully complete this task, in your report, you must: 1. Evaluate the interrelationship between the different processes and functions of the organization. (P1.1) 2. Justify the methodology to be used to map processes to the organisation’s goals and objectives. (P1.2) 3. Evaluate the output of the process and the quality gateways. (P1.3) 4. Design plans which promote goals and objectives for own area of responsibility. (P2.1) 5. Write objectives, which are specific, measurable, achievable, realistic and time-based to align people and other resources in an effective and efficient way (P2.2) 6. Carry out work activities meeting the operational plan through effective monitoring and control. (P2.4) 7. Design systems to manage and monitor quality standards specified by the organisation. (P3.1) 8. Demonstrate a quality culture to ensure continuous monitoring, evaluation and development of the process. (P3.2) 9. Recommend improvements which align with the organisation’s objectives and goals and which result in improvements. (P3.3) 10. Report on the wider implications of proposed changes within the organisation. (P3.4) 11. Carry out risk assessments as required by legislation, regulation and organisational requirements ensuring appropriate action is taken. (P4.1) 12. Demonstrate that health and safety regulations and legislation applicable in specific work situations are correctly and effectively applied. (P4.2) 13. Carry out a systematic review of organisational health and safety policies and procedures in order to ensure they are effective and compliant. (P4.3) 14. Carry out practical application of health and safety policies and procedures in the workplace. (P4.4) 15. Identify and apply strategies to find appropriate solutions. (M1) 16. Select/design and apply appropriate methods/techniques. (M2) 17. Present and communicate appropriate findings. (M3) 18. Use critical reflection to evaluate own work and justify valid conclusions. (D1) 19. Take responsibility for managing and organizing activities. (D2)

(This provides evidence for Learning outcome LO1 – assessment criteria P1.1, P1.2, P.1.3; Learning outcome LO2 – assessment criteria P2.1, P2.2 & P2.4 Learning outcome LO3 – assessment criteria P3.1, P3.2, P3.3 & P3.4; Learning outcome LO4 – assessment criteria P4.1, P4.2, P4.3 & P4.4; Merit criteria M1, M2 & M3; and Distinction criteria D1 & D2.)

Task 2
Collaboration is allowed with your classmates and you can ask for their help for role-play only.
Required
Prepare and deliver a role-play for your tutor demonstrating the implementation of appropriate systems to achieve objectives in the most efficient way, on time, to budget and meeting organizational standards of quality.

You must write your own short script for the role-play, act as moderator and practice it with the role-play participants prior to roleplaying for your tutor. You must play an important role in the role-play. Your role-play script must not exceed 450 words. Title your role-play script as “Systems role-play script” and submit it.

Make your role play realistic, interesting and rich in details. You may use appropriate props and creative devices.

To successfully complete this task, in your role-play, you must: 1. Implement appropriate systems to achieve objectives in the most efficient way, on time, to budget and meeting organizational standards of quality. (P2.3) 2. Demonstrate convergent/lateral/creative thinking. (D3)
(This provides evidence for Learning outcome LO2 – assessment criteria P2.3 and Distinction criteria D3.)
Timeline

Submission note 1: The report must be submitted as a single file named “Unit15MBAAR_Sept2013_Task1_Report_FirstLastName,” where FirstLastName should be replaced by your first name and last name.

Submission note 2: Submit the role-play script for Task 2 as a single file named “Unit15MBAAR_Sept2013_Task2_RP_FirstLastName,” where FirstLastName should be replaced by your first name and last name.”
Submission note 3: Do not submit the first draft of your reports. The reports you submit must be at least the second edited version. Do the final editing: proof read for logical errors, spelling and grammar.

Submission note 4: Remember to upload all the files before you click the “Send for marking” button, located at the bottom of the assignment submission page.

Pass Verbs | Describe | Give a clear description that includes all the relevant features - think of itas ‘painting a picture with words’ | Define | Clearly explain what a particular term means and give an example, ifappropriate, to show what you mean | Design | Create a plan, proposal or outline to illustrate a straightforward concept oridea | Explain | Set out in detail the meaning of something, with reasons. More difficult than describe or list, so it can help to give an example to show what you mean. Start by introducing the topic then give the ‘how’ or ‘why’. | Identify | Point out or choose the right one or give a list of the main features. | Illustrate | Include examples or a diagram to show what you mean | Interpret | Define or explain the meaning of something. | List | Provide the information in a list, rather than in continuous writing. | Outline | Write a clear description but not a detailed one. | Plan | Work out and plan how you would carry out a task or activity. | State | Write a clear and full account | Summarise | Write down or articulate briefly the main points or essential features | Merit Verbs | Analyse | Identify separate factors, say how they are related and how each onecontributes to the topic | Assess | Give careful consideration to all the factors or events that apply and identify which are the most important or relevant. | Compare/Contrast | Identify the main factors that apply in two or more situations and explain the similarities and differences or advantages and disadvantages. | Demonstrate | Provide several relevant examples or related evidence which clearly support the arguments you are making. This may include showing practical skills | Design | Create a plan, proposal or outline to illustrate a relatively complex conceptor idea | Explain indetail | Provide details and give reasons and/or evidence to clearly support theargument you are making | Justify How/Why | Give reasons or evidence to support your opinion or view to show how youarrived at these conclusions | Distinction Verbs | Appraise | Consider the positive and negative points and give a reasoned judgment | Assess | Make a judgement on the importance of something – similar to evaluate | Commentcritically | Give your view after you have considered all the evidence. In particulardecide the importance of all the relevant positive and negative aspects | Criticise | Review a topic or issue objectively and weigh up both positive and negativepoints before making a decision | Drawconclusions | Use the evidence you have provided to reach a reasoned judgment | Evaluate | Review the information then bring it together to form a conclusion. Give evidence for each of your views or statements | Evaluatecritically | Decide the degree to which a statement is true or the importance or value of something by reviewing the information. Include precise and detailed information and assess possible alternatives, bearing in mind their strengths and weaknesses if they were applied instead | Other verbs, words and phrases | Implication | The effects of doing something on something else. The consequences of doing something for something else. (I.e. what might happen as a result of doing it.) The conclusion that can be drawn from something although it is not explicitly stated. | Reflection | Reflection is a ‘looking back’ on experiences. In a university and professional context, it is a looking back on experiences so as to learn from them. Therefore reflection is a means of constructing knowledge about one’s self and about the world. | Critical reflection | Critical reflection is the process of analyzing, reconsidering and questioning experiences within a broad context of issues. Critical reflection in a project means interpreting experiences and data to create new insights and agreement on actions. Here is how to do it. Step 1. The what? Describe the incident/experience with just enough detail to support doing your “So what?” section. For example, describe who, what, why, when, where. Step 2. So what? This is the sense-making section. You must analyze the incident/experience and discuss its significance, your position or view point, actions and emotions (pre-during-post). Step 3. Now what? This section makes connections from the incident/experience to further actions. For example, what would you do differently/the same next time? Why? What are the key points, lessons learnt to share with your colleagues, network and/or group outside the network? (e.g., idea, product, process, concept)? How will you do this? | Strategy | A strategy is a course of action, specifying the resources required to achieve an objective. It involves (a) Relating an organization’s activities to the environment in which it operates (Political, Economic, Social, Technological, Environmental, Legal - PESTEL) (b) Matching an organization’s activities to its resource capability. These are Financial resources (existing funds and ability to raise funds), human resources, physical resources (production facilities, marketing facilities, IT), intangible resources (goodwill, reputation, brands, intellectual property) (c) The values and expectations the people in power within the organization. | Tactics | Tactics are the details of the plan, indicating the development of resources in the agreed strategy. | Valid | Meaning: Correctly inferred or deduced from a set of premises. | Valid conclusion | All Maldivians eat fish. Premise 1Ali is a Maldivian. Premise 2Therefore Ali eats fish. ConclusionFor the conclusion to be correct or valid: 1. The premises must be true. 2. There must be a relationship between the two premises.Let us take the premises to be true. That is, it is true to say that “all Maldivians eat fish,” and that it is true to say that “Ali is a Maldivian.” So the first condition is satisfied.And, in this case, there are two relationships. (1) The relationship between fish and Maldives, and the relationship between Maldives and Ali. So, the second condition is also satisfied.The relationships cause a third relationship, the relationship between Ali and fish, which must therefore be true. That is, “Ali eats fish,” must be valid (true).However, you may question the truth of the premises. For example, is it true that all Maldivians eat fish? How do you know that all Maldivians eat fish? What evidence do you have that all Maldivians eat fish? Have you done a survey of all of them? Have they all told you that they eat fish? This premise will be false if you can show only one Maldivian who doesn’t eat fish!And, is it true that Ali is a Maldivian? You can argue that, yes, Ali is a Maldivian because he has a Maldives passport. So, is anyone with a Maldives passport a Maldivian? If Queen Elizabeth II gets a Maldives passport then she would be a Maldivian, right? Then you may argue that she is not, because she was not born in the Maldives. So, your definition of “Maldivian” has now changed. What about Hassan and Hawa’s (who both have Maldives passports) daughter who was born in India and is two weeks old and doesn’t have a Maldives passport? Is this baby girl a Maldivian? She wasn’t born in the Maldives. Then you may argue that anyone born of Maldivian parents is a Maldivian. Or a combination of all these and more. And why should others agree with your definition?Please read more on logical fallacies on the Web. |