Module outcomes assessed

1. Critically analyse international business practices, their management, and the environments in which they operate.
2. Critically evaluate international business theories and frameworks and their practical application.
3. Critically evaluate a range of international business strategies and formulate strategic business and management responses to opportunities and challenges facing international businesses.
4. Critically examine global contemporary business case studies and apply the relevant theory to practical business issues.
5. Critically evaluate the role of data metrics and analytical insights when it comes to decision-making within a global business environment.

Assessment task details

Ensure that you choose one organisation for the portfolio and submit this as one word document on Turnitin. This is an individual assignment.

Portfolio task 1 – Annotated Bibliography (1000 words)

You need to produce an annotated bibliography which is a list of citations to books, articles, and documents you will be using throughout the portfolio. Each citation needs to be followed by a brief (usually about 150 words)

• Support your analysis by critically examining global contemporary business case studies found in academic sources like journals and apply the relevant theory to your chosen business to address any issues.

Portfolio task 2 – Report (1500 words)

Choose an international organisation of your choice and write a report to including the following key points.

• A critical analysis of international business practices, looking at how your chosen organisation manages these, as well as in the environment they operate in.
• Evaluate international business theories and frameworks and their practical application in relation to your chosen organisation.
• Critically evaluate how data systems of measurements and analytical insights are utilised in decision-making by your chosen organisation to navigate the business environment and to gain competitive advantage.

Portfolio Task 3 – Poster (700 words)

Using the same organisation product an academic poster answering the following learning outcome:

• Critically evaluate a range of international business strategies and formulate strategic business and management responses to opportunities and challenges facing international businesses

Portfolio task 4 – Reflective practice (800 words)

Prepare a reflecting on your experience in completing this module as well as your preparation for your report. For this task you will need to choose a reflective model of choice. Reflect on the theory you learnt about and how that has impacted your knowledge comprehension. Think about reflective models like Gibbs, Kolb’s, Driscoll etc. Make sure to reflect on your own experience and how everything you have learnt has been put into practice

Portfolio Assignment Templates

Task 1 – Annotated Bibliography

• Annotated bibliographies are usually arranged in alphabetical order of citations. Long bibliographies or bibliographies covering several topics may be arranged into sections by theme.
• Each citation should include all the key bibliographic information you would include in an ordinary bibliography or reference list laid out in a recognised style e.g. Harvard.
•  The annotations are usually indented. The annotation is a single paragraph of 100-300 words. You should write using the present tense and third person and active voice and use academic vocabulary just as you would in an essay e.g. “The author identifies significant trends.”
•  You may either write using full sentences or in concise phrases.

Task 2 Report

Layout of report: Your report should have the following structure:

Title page

This should normally include the title, your name and the name of the tutor to whom it is being submitted, date of submission, your course/department, and if applicable, the name of the person and/or organisation who has commissioned the report. Avoid “fancy” fonts and effects and do not include any clipart.

Contents page

A clear, well-formatted list of all the sections and sub-sections of the report. Do not forget to put the page numbers! If applicable, there should be a separate list of tables, figures, illustrations and/or appendices after the main index. Make sure that the headings in this list correspond exactly with those in your main body. It is best to do your list of contents right at the end.

Introduction

This should show that you have fully understood the task/brief and that you are going to cover everything required. Indicate the basic structure of the report. You should include just a little background/context and indicate the reasons for writing the report. This is where you set the scene, introduce your chosen organisation and purpose of the report.

Main Analysis

This is the substance of your report, with headings and sub-headings used to clearly indicate the different sections (unlike an essay).                                        A “situation>problem>solution>evaluation” approach may be appropriate. It is not sufficient to simply describe a situation. We will be looking for analysis and for a critical approach, application of project management theory, when appropriate, charts, diagrams, tables and appropriate Harvard referencing style can be used to reinforce your arguments, although sometimes it may be better to include these as an appendix. Do not include opinions, conclusions, or recommendations in this section. Think about focusing on the following areas discussed in your lectures.
Focus on the following concepts in relation to your chosen organisation and the global business environment.

• the multinational strategy,
• organising strategy,
• corporate strategy and national competitiveness score

As well as a critical analysis of the following, based around the literature discussed in the lectures and wider reading

•  production strategies
• marketing strategies
• HRM strategies

Conclusion
Your conclusion should draw out the implications of your findings, with deductions based on the facts described in your main body. Do not include any new material here.

Recommendation

These should follow on logically from your conclusion and be specific, measurable, and achievable. They should propose how the situation/problem could be improved by suggesting action to be taken or new implementation plan. A statement of cost should be included if you are recommending changes that have financial implications. Recommendations can be numbered if you wish.
Think about the following.

• Make recommendations on how your chosen organisation can use the analysed strategies to improve their international function.
  Bibliography/Reference list

This is a list giving the full details of all the sources to which you have referred within your text. The recommended style is the Harvard method.

Appendices

An appendix (plural=appendices) is detailed documentation of points you outline in your findings, for example, technical data, questionnaires, letters sent, tables, sketches, charts, leaflets etc. It is supplementary information which you consider to be too long or complicated or not quite relevant enough to include in your main body, but which still should be of interest to your reader. Each appendix should be referred to in your text. You should not include something as an appendix if it is not discussed in the main body.

Task 3 – Academic Poster

The title of your academic poster is: ‘Develop a critical overview of international business strategies can advance an organisation’s competitive advantage?’  This piece of work will test the following learning outcome:

• Critically evaluate a range of international business strategies and formulate strategic business and management responses to opportunities and challenges facing international businesses

This piece of work is based on creating international business strategies that your chosen business will use to gain competitive advantage in an international business environment.  Please focus on one strategy for your academic poster.  Your strategy needs to align to your chosen organisation but explain via your poster how this strategy can advance an organisation’s competitive advantage.  In other words, how can strategy be best used by an organisation, to aide or give a greater competitive advantage.
It is important that you can demonstrate your knowledge and understanding and application of the learning outcome in your poster presentation.  Watch the You Tube video on how to develop an academic poster on BUS7C7 Moodle site, under Assessment and Feedback.

Task 4 – Reflective

• Use a reflective model of your choice for this.
• Reflect on your experience in completing this module as well as your preparation for your report and the guest speaker
• Reflect on the theory you learnt about and how that has impacted your knowledge comprehension