Faculty of Business and

Management
Assessment Brief 2019/20
A: Assessment Details

Module Title Business Management

Module Code BU4061
Module Leader
Component Number A1
Assessment Type, Word Count & Weighting Essay, 100% weighting, 4000 words
Submission Deadline Before 12 noon, 5th December 2019
Submission Instructions Online to Chester. See Section F below.
Feedback Return Date 2nd January 2020

B: Learning Outcomes
On successfully completing this module, students should be able to:

1. Assess the roles and skills of managers at various levels of the business hierarchy
2. Evaluate different approaches to management and motivation in organisations
3. Examine the nature of groups and group behaviour within organisations and discuss the key
factors that influence teamwork
4. Explore the impact of key environmental factors on decision making and organisation behaviour.

C: Assessment Task
Question 1
Using a multinational organisation of your choice examine how managers can use communication models to
effect a successful change management at teams supervisory and director levels. Use relevant theory to
illustrate your answer.
25 marks 1000 words

Question 2
Examine how Micro and Macro environmental factors may influence UK matrix teams both from an
organisational and individual perspective.
In your answer, consider how BREXIT will influence decision making with your chosen organisation. You
are required to use relevant analytical models to examine the potential impact on UK working teams especially
taking into account the roles and skills of individuals in organisation structures hierarchy across borders.
25 marks 1000 words

Question 3
Using an organisation of your choice analyse different approaches to management and motivation. Your
essay should refer explicitly to how that organisation uses reward to motivate staff to create efficacy.
Use relevant theory to illustrate your answer.
25 marks 1000 words

Question 4
Explore how managers can use specific Employee Engagement theories, both at the individual and team level,
to create a more effective workforce. Use relevant theory and example to illustrate your answer.
25 marks 1000 words

Page 1 of 5
D: Specific Criteria/Guidance

Essay Writing Essentials

Preparation:
 Begin with researching via the library online journals
 You will need journal references for a basic essay try to search 2012+
 Keep a copy of all journal references used in the APA Referencing System
 Make a Plan!
 Remember to write in the 3rd person Passive Voice (no “I”)
 Use academic English with no slang or colloquialisms
 Remember to edit your work for spelling and grammar solecisms

Introduction: (not labelled Introduction: essays have no headings)

Paraphrase the Question and state its relevance.
Give a referenced Definition from the journal literature and not the dictionary Signpost: list
all the areas you intend to cover when addressing the topic You will need approximately
3- 5 points for a good essay.
Remember to including opposing views. Promise referencing

Body: (this is not labelled the Body but is the main part)
Go through the items on your signpost list in individual paragraphs and
Point Evidence Analysis ~

Point: state the point you want to make or finding you wish to discuss
Evidence: support this with a quote or applied reference from your research (name, date) or an
example in a modern organisation
Analysis: offer some critique on its relevance to the area under discussion – it is vital to engage with the
literature and not merely describe or report it. This shows that/means that/ suggests that/indicates that/…
etc

PEEL: Point + Evidence + Explanation + Link to the Question asked is an PEA alternative or State
Support and Comment
Remember to use linking sentences between paragraphs

2019/2020 Application

Find a relevant 2019/20 item in the news to relate to your area of investigation.
Apply at least one of your models and several references to it to demonstrate your ability to apply
theory to practice, integrating to a practical topic.

Conclusion (this is not labelled conclusion but is a separate paragraph)

Summarise the relevant points
Link these points explicitly to the question asked, to demonstrate that you have addressed it fully.
Bring the ideas together to draw a cohesive conclusion. Convincing exit line

There should be no new material in the conclusion.

E: Key Resources
Essential Reading:
 Cole, G. G., & Kelly, P. (2011). Management (7th ed.). Andover: Cengage Learning.

Indicative Reading:
 Knights, D., & Willmott, H. (2013). Introducing Organisational Behaviour and Management,
Andover: Cengage Learning.
 Mullins, L. J. (2013). Management and Organisational Behaviour (10th ed.). Harlow: Pearson.
 Price, A., & Price, D. (2012). Management: A Practical Guide. London: Icon.
 Shermerhorn, J. R. (2012). Management, [S.I.]: Wiley.

Journals:
 Harvard Business Review
 Journal of Management Studies
 Academy of Management Journal
 Academy of Management Perspectives
 McKinsey Quarterly

F: Submission Guidance
 Students should submit work before 12 noon on the deadline date via the appropriate ‘Turnitin
submission’ link on the Moodle module page. Please check your email confirmation to ensure you have
submitted to the correct place.

 Assessments should be submitted in Microsoft Word (.doc and .docx), Microsoft PowerPoint (.ppt, .pptx.
.pps and .ppsx), Excel (.xls and .xlsx) or PDF format (generated from the word-processing or
presentation software you are using, not a scanned document. Do not upload Open Office
documents (.odt, .odp).

 Do not upload documents directly from Google Drive and One Drive.

 The file must be no larger than 40MB.

Please refer to Help with Assignment Submission section on Moodle for further guidance on online submissions.

G: Document Format
 The font size must be a minimum of point 12 Calibri (or equivalent).

 Line spacing in the body of the assessment must be 1.5 lines.

 Include the following details written on the first

page: Title of your work
Module title and code
Your student assessment number (J Number). Do not write your name or your student number.
Word count (Please note penalties for excess word count)
Module Leader and Seminar Tutor (if relevant)
 Number the pages consecutively.
H: Academic Integrity and Penalties

It is your responsibility to ensure that you are familiar with all of the information contained in this brief as
failure to do this may impact on your achievement.

Please refer to the various Assessment Guidance below for detailed information on:
 Academic Integrity
 APA Reference Guide
 Excess Word Count Penalties
 University Generic Marking Criteria
 Late Work Penalties: Unless you have an extension, any work submitted past the assessment
deadline will be subject to a penalty as per university regulations (5 marks per day deduction).
 Mitigating Circumstances: Please refer to the latest University guidance if for any legitimate reason you
are
unable to meet the assessment deadline.

I: Marking Criteria

Please see attached rubric for marking criteria.

CRITERIA AND 90–100 80–89 70–79 60–69 50–59 40–49 30—39 20–29 10–19 0–9
(1st class/FD (1st class/ FD (1st class/FD (upper (lower (third class/FD (Fail/FD Fail) (Fail/FD Fail) (Fail/FD Fail) (Fail/FD Fail)
WEIGHTING Distinction Distinction) Distinction) second/FD second/FD Pass) Pass)
Merit)
Understanding of Work produced Sophisticated Excellent, very Clear, sound Reasonable level Partial Very little Significant Devoid of No relevant
subject matter could hardly be understanding of sound understanding of of understanding understanding of understanding of weaknesses and understanding of understanding
and theory of bettered when complexities of understanding of subject matter, of subject matter, subject matter, subject matter, gaps in subject matter, evident; response
Management. produced under key theoretical complexities of theory, issues and theory and ideas; core concepts and ideas and issues; understanding of ideas and issues. to question
(30%) parallel models, concepts key theoretical debate. main issues relevant issues; may be issue of subject matter, virtually nil.
conditions. and arguments. models, concepts satisfactorily basic reference to misreading/ ideas and issues;
and arguments. understood. theory. misinterpretation misunderstanding
of question. of question.
Critical analysis Work produced Challenging, Very good depth Consistent Some attempt at Some evidence of Limited breadth Lacking or Isolated Isolated
using theory and could hardly be comprehensive and breadth of development of critical analysis rationale; minimal and depth of erroneous statements statements
their application bettered when critical analysis critical analysis; critical analysis using theory; may attempt to analysis, analysis; indicating lack of indicating lack of
to Business produced under sustained sustained, and questioning, be limited and examine strengths inadequate negligible thought. thought.
Management. parallel throughout. thorough using theory. lack consistency and weaknesses critical skills; evidence of
(30%) conditions. questioning or conviction. of an argument. shallow and thought.
informed by superficial.
theory.
Structure and Work produced Authoritative and Excellent Logically Reasonable Basic structure; Poorly structured, Structure Lack of Lack of evidence
argument in could hardly be persuasive organisation of structured; good structure; may be some little logic; confused or recognisable of reasoning
relation to bettered when argument. ideas; clear, organisation of organisation may repetition or may have incomplete; poor structure or
Business produced under coherent ideas; well- lack some logical deviation; some unsubstantiated if any relationship reference to
Management parallel structure and reasoned progression; ability to conclusions based between argument; no
concepts. conditions. logical, cogent discussion; attempt made to construct an on generalisation introduction, related evidence
(30%) development of coherent argue logically argument but middle and or conclusions
argument. argument. with supporting may lack clarity or conclusion; lack of
evidence, conviction, with evidence to
although some unsupported support views
claims may be assertion. expressed
unsubstantiated.
Range and Far-reaching Comprehensive Excellent Wide range of Reasonable range Background Scant evidence of No evidence of No evidence of No use of sources.
relevance of investigation and research and command of core and of reading; reading mostly background relevant reading. reading. No attempt at
reading and insight. coverage of topic highly relevant, background references relevant but over- reading; weak Referencing No attempt at referencing.
research and All sources integrating wide extensively- reading, relevant but not reliant on few investigation. inaccurate or referencing.
APA referencing. acknowledged range of academic researched effectively used. wide variety of sources. Referencing absent.
(10%) and meticulously sources. material. Sources sources. Sources incomplete or
presented. All sources All sources acknowledged Sources acknowledged; inaccurate.
acknowledged. acknowledged and accurately acknowledged references not
and meticulously and meticulously presented. and referencing always correctly
presented. presented. mostly accurate. cited/presented.