Submission Deadline Marks and Feedback Before 10am on: 20 working days after deadline (L4, 5 and 7) 15 working days after deadline (L6) 10 working days after deadline (block delivery) 23/04/2020 Click or tap to enter a date. Unit title & code Referral MAR023-6 Thriving in a Competitive Global Context Assignment number and title Assessment 2: Written Report Assessment type Individual Written Report Weighting of assessment 70% Size or length of assessment 3,500 words Unit learning outcomes 1. Demonstrate knowledge and understanding of the changing nature of the global business environment, buyer behaviour in a global context and the factors which influence the implementation of an organisation’s competitive business strategy in a global context 2. Demonstrate skills and abilities in collecting and analysing appropriate information, applying a range of strategic business and financial tools and techniques available, to plan and evaluate global business and e-business operations. What am I required to do in this assignment? Your Referral Task: Identify the reasons and factors that have resulted in the following strategies in the global pharmaceutical industry: a) Internationalisation b) Consolidation through mergers and acquisitions. Assessment 2 will be based on an extended case study of the Pharmaceutical industry (this is the SAME case study as used in the main assessment). Please ensure that you read this case study thoroughly and please build on this case study by carrying out your own research to update and add further context to the international business environment for this particular sector. What do I need to do to pass? (Threshold Expectations from UIF) In order to pass Assessment 2 Referral you will need to:  Identify and assess some of the current strengths and weaknesses of the international organisation(s) relative to its global environment  Recommend a logical outline strategy / plan to enhance its global competitiveness. How do I produce high quality work that merits a good grade? We will be filling this section in together in class on Click or tap to enter a date. make sure you have downloaded/printed out the Assignment Brief and bring it to the session with you. How does assignment relate to what we are doing in scheduled sessions? This referral assessment will allow you to reflect upon some of the core concepts which contribute to the foundational themes of the unit. This assessment will allow you to demonstrate your knowledge in understanding the nature of the global business environment within one particular sector; the pharmaceutical industry. You will be expected to think laterally about the global business environment (with particular focus on the macro environment) and the unique set of challenges an increasing level of interdependence can have on business activities/operations. How will my assignment be marked? Your assignment will be marked according to the threshold expectations and the criteria on the following page. You can use them to evaluate your own work and consider your grade before you submit. 2 3rd Class – 40-49% Lower 2nd – 50-59% Basic use of academic literature, with basic use of course concepts, models and theories but lacking in depth and/or breadth in some areas. Good use of academic literature in connection to problem set and good overall application of multiple course concepts, models and theories. Very good use of academic literature in connection to problem set and very good overall application of multiple course concepts, models and theories. Excellent use of academic literature in connection to problem set and excellent overall application of multiple course concepts, models and theories. Some basic ability to synthesize different perspectives, but lacks evaluation of the international business environment and analysis of contemporary research to explain the complex interrelationships between internationalization/M&A and the pharmaceutical sector Good ability to synthesize different perspectives, but limited evaluation of the role of T.H.E. and limited analysis of contemporary research to explain the complex interrelationships between internationalization/M&A and the pharmaceutical sector Attempt to develop a consistent argument, but lacks critical depth Argument lacks consistency, critical thought and appropriate conclusions Conclusions are made, but not supported Very good ability to synthesize different perspectives and evaluate the role of T.H.E., and to analyse contemporary research to explain complex interrelationships between internationalization/M&A and the pharmaceutical sector Evidence to construct a consistent argument (which is not critical throughout) and derive relevant conclusions Excellent ability to synthesize different perspectives and evaluate the role of T.H.E., and to critically analyse contemporary research to explain complex interrelationships between internationalization/M&A and the pharmaceutical sector Strong evidence to construct a consistent and critical argument and derive relevant conclusions 3 Presentation & Structure (20%) Basic presentation skills but major inconsistencies in terms of structure and flow that hinder understanding Basic style of writing without using adequate terminology and vocabulary, major spelling and grammatical errors Good presentation skills, but inconsistencies in terms of structure and flow Good style of writing; however, limited in using appropriate terminology and vocabulary and some minor spelling and grammatical errors Very good presentation skills, but minor inconsistencies in terms of structure and flow Very good style of writing in terms of terminology and vocabulary, grammar and spelling; however, some minor issues in terms of clarity of writing Excellent presentation skills evidenced by a clear structure and coherent flow Excellent style of writing in terms of clarity of expressions, terminology and vocabulary, grammar and spelling 4 Relevance and Quality of Sources & Referencing (20%) (Basic) identification of some sources; however, sources lack relevance and quality and are not used effectively to support ideas Good identification of relevant sources, however, weaknesses in using sources to support arguments effectively Very good identification of and use of a range of relevant and quality sources in an effective manner Excellent identification and use of a wide range of relevant and high-quality sources that support arguments effectively Basic referencing following the university’s standard (both in-text and reference list), but with major inconsistencies Good referencing following the university’s standard (both in-text and reference list), but with some inconsistencies 1 Knowledge & Understanding (30%) 2 Interpretation & Evaluation (30%) Upper 2nd – 60-69% Very good referencing following the university’s standard (both in-text and reference list) to a large extent 1st Class – 70%+ Excellent referencing following the university’s standard (both in-text and reference list) without any flaws 3 Thriving in a Competitive Global Environment Individual Report Help Sheet (Pharmaceutical Industry: A2) It is important to stress that this help sheet is just a guideline, it is not a definitive framework for you to base your report on. There is not just one approach to the TASK set. This assignment is an opportunity for you to be able to demonstrate not only learning from the MBA programme but also your ability to show critical understanding of the key forces of change in a very competitive global industry and to build on the information given to you in the case study with your own research. Please take note of the following: • • • • • • • It is crucial that read and clearly understand the case study, it describes and gives an overview of the Global Pharmaceutical Industry for the year 2015. This may sound an obvious point but take your time to think about what the TASK is asking you. Please ensure that you read this case study thoroughly and build on this case study by carrying out your own research to update and add further context to the international business environment for the Global Pharmaceutical Industry. Evidence of a well-planned, organised and structured piece of work including clear conclusions and recommendations based on the analysis you have carried out. Content and coherence: relevance of the content to the TASK set; have the issues raised in the TASK been squarely and clearly answered? To what extent does the content develop coherent themes of argument in addressing the issues and the final conclusions? Analytical standard: emphasis on analysis rather than purely descriptive details; application of theoretical concepts and techniques. Presentation and referencing: use of diagrams and figures, quality of academic writing and use of English. Sources must be correctly referenced, and there needs to be a systematic Reference List at the end. Be aware that plagiarism, in the form of copying from unattributed sources or from other students, will result in penalties including failure. Simply put the TASK is concerned with the key forces of change in the Global Pharmaceutical Industry. A well-structured report is crucial, hopefully the following points may help you. 1. It will be important for you, in addressing the TASK, to have a clear understanding of the strategic environment of the Global Pharmaceutical Industry, so a structured approach is essential utilising learning and understanding from the MBA Course. 2. The core of the assignment should be based on PESTEL analysis and Porter’s 5 Forces. Whilst this may look straight forward, PESTEL and 5 Forces should not just be a descriptive list of factors, they should be the basis of a critical evaluative insight into the main issues affecting the Global Pharmaceutical Industry. Not all factors are equal in importance, some are secondary factors and some are primary. Make sure you have concluding sections for both your PESTEL and ‘5 Forces’ highlighting the salient points. 3. You could, in addition whilst utilising models such as Porter’s five forces in analysing the competitive environment of the Global Pharmaceutical Industry - add a 6th force under the explicit heading of ‘Government Policies’. 4. It is important to be able to identify the main sectors, segments and markets making up the Global Pharmaceutical Industry – for instance, ethical drugs, generics. 5. In addition an understanding of internationalisation issues – standardisation/adaptation pressures – and use of relevant international models such as Yip’s Globalisation Model would be helpful. 6. To reiterate, the case study is quite extensive, but it was written a few years ago, so it is OK to supplement your answers with some additional research in order to add value and detail to your answer. 7. Finally, there is not one right answer, you will be dealing with incomplete information and this is the reality of international business. What we are looking for is, a good use of research evidence and sound arguments. You should be able to make points with COHERENT REASONS and JUSTIFICATION that should form the basis of a CONSISTENT CONCLUSION. We both wish you all the best as you work on this assessment! Colin and Rukeya Thriving in a Competitive Global Context: Assessment 1 HELPSHEET Dear All Students, Colin and I have produced this short help-sheet to help you prepare for your first assessment. This worksheet is based on the questions which we were asked whilst out in Oman and guidance we think important – we hope you find it useful. Colin and I wish you all the best of success as you prepare and work towards your in-class test. Some points to remember/consider: 1. The in-class test will be based on the topic of RISK. There will be no other accompanying information for this in-class test. There will be ONE question you will be asked which will be composed of two related parts. As discussed, whilst we were out in Oman, you can either tackle each part of the question separately, or combine both parts to produce one answer. We do not mind which option you go for, as long as you respond to both parts of the question. 2. Please conduct your own research on the topic of risk. As Colin and I mentioned when we were in Oman, risk is a wide topic area and there are many different types of risk that could impact on International Business organisations. If you can bring in some of your own research, and contextualise, your answer will be much more interesting and impressive to read! 3. One of the things which Colin and I will be looking for is the use of examples in your work to illustrate the points which you are making. Please try to use as detailed and exact examples as you can when making points/arguments. If you can provide strong, detailed examples to support the points you are making, you will have a stronger answer. Please avoid vagueness and do not be descriptive…try to use as many examples as you can from the research you have been doing. 4. Building from the last point, please note that marks will not only be given to your recall of key knowledge/concepts, but we will be looking for application of that knowledge through the use of examples. So, it is important you get the balance right. 5. This is a one hour in-class test. We understand that under these conditions your spelling may not be perfect! However, we would like it if you could provide a few in-text references (there is no need for a detailed end reference list). Students who can add in their own research on average perform better. 6. Despite the short time for the in-class test, we will still expect students to consider and pay attention to the STRUCTURE of their work. Please think about how you write your: a. Introduction: What is the question asking you to do? How will you approach the question? What will you cover in your answer? Let the reader know… b. The main body: Think about the themes/main points you will cover, how will you organise them into paragraphs? How will you link your themes? Remember – always ensure that you are linking all your points back to the question. c. Conclusion: Synthesise what you have covered, reflect back on what the question has asked you to do and give your final thoughts on the topic area. Has your own research uncovered anything important you want to mention in your conclusion? 7. Demonstrate your breadth of knowledge, by listing several points on a particular issue/argument. But then select a couple of the most important points you can write about in detail – this will show your depth of knowledge. 8. Think about how you will include your taught lecture material and reading into this in-class test. Try to think about the theory/concept/key terms which are relevant to the case studies. a. For example only: if you are talking about Risk…be specific, what type of risk are you talking about as there are many different forms. b. If you are talking about Globalisation, again be specific; which processes are you referring to? Globalisation is a complex phenomenon and very much contested. 9. Please practice the questions which Colin and I gave you. Especially BS 1: Session 3: the question in the slide headed “Example Question 1” (Slide 15). 10. There is no set word limit on this assessment. Remember, we want to see quality not quantity! Ensure what you write is meaningful and always link your answer back to the question. Please prepare for the in-class test…and be confident in your own abilities! We wish you the very best! Rukeya and Colin
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