Coursework 2 – Individual Assignment

COURSEWORK INSTRUCTIONS
Description: This is an individual report with 70% module weight.
Maximum word count: 2,000 (10%) excluding tables, graphs, charts, and references.
Submission format: Microsoft Word document (pdf submission will be invalid).
Submission procedure: via GCU Learn/Turnitin link set up for ‘Coursework 2’. Any submission sent to the Module Leader or Seminar Tutor’s email is invalid and will not be marked. Also, any ‘mistaken’ submission of other student’s work as yours will be referred to the disciplinary committee.

COURSEWORK 2 OBJECTIVES
The objectives of this assignment are to develop your critical knowledge skills in the understanding of the ethical dilemmas and choices that global business organisations face; examine and debate some of the contested issues and complex international management, governance, and sustainability which international business leaders’ encounter; and evaluate alternative responses to contemporary challenges in international management, governance, and sustainability. This is an individual assignment worth 70% of the module weight. You may reflect on your group presentation findings in writing this assignment if they are relevant and helpful.

The Coursework 2 assignment also develops students’ postgraduate skills such as:
• Independent management of time and secondary research projects.
• Critical thinking and analysis skills in tackling dynamic international management problems.
• Creative problem-solving skills in governance and sustainability relating to international businesses.
• Taking responsibility for your own learning and development in the IMGS module.
• Critically examining texts and extracting the meaning
• Effective communication of strategic ideas about governance and sustainability in a synthesised and coherent manner.
• Being a self-motivated and independent learner.
• Harvard referencing skills (In-text and bibliography).

DETAILS OF THE ASSIGNMENT
1. Adopt one Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) that underpins your work, and critically justify the rationale from a professional practice or academic paradigm focused on an international business organisation (not necessarily UK-based). Students are at liberty to choose the SDG that underpinned the group presentation or another one entirely.

2. Critical analysis of the international management environment relevant to a chosen business organisation, and how the chosen international business organisation has adapted to changes in the international business environment over the past 5 years. This is an opportunity for the student to reflect on relevant theories and concepts on the uncontrollability of the international business environment. The chosen international business organisation may or may not be the same as the one applied as a case study in the group presentation.

3. Critical analysis of the corporate governance system demonstrated the chosen international business organisation. This is an opportunity to reflect on the UK Corporate Governance Code or any other National or International Code, as well as relevant ethical theories and concepts.

4. Critically analyse of how the business is addressing the focused SDG in (1) above. This is an opportunity to reflect on the latest progress report and UN Global Compact recommendations as well as the latest relevant academic reports.

5. Discuss actionable recommendations based on your findings and analyses.

SOME RELEVANT SOURCES FOR THE SECONDARY RESEARCH
1. Recent published annual reports of the chosen company.
2. Codes of Corporate Governance for the chosen country/jurisdiction: https://www.frc.org.uk/getattachment/88bd8c45-50ea-4841-95b0-d2f4f48069a2/2018-UK-Corporate-Governance-Code-FINAL.pdf
3. G20/OECD Principles of Corporate Governance: https://www.oecd-ilibrary.org/docserver/9789264236882-en.pdf?expires=1667072353&id=id&accname=guest&checksum=31900F708A3B04B85A08F3A4F7C9A401
4. Sustainable Development Goals: https://sustainabledevelopment.un.org/content/documents/21252030%20Agenda%20for%20Sustainable%20Development%20web.pdf
5. Website of the chosen business organisation
6. Ethical theories and concepts
7. Relevant news analyses on the latest developments in the international business environment and sustainability practices relevant to the business being analysed.
8. Relevant academic articles on the relevant concepts, theories and latest developments in International Business, Corporate Governance, and Sustainability.
9. How your company can advance each of the SDGs: https://www.unglobalcompact.org/sdgs/17-global-goals
10. Country by country SDG index: https://dashboards.sdgindex.org/profiles

Assessment criteria Distinction 70-100 Merit 60-69 Pass 50-59 Fail 0-49
Knowledge and understanding of IMGS (30%) Pervasiveness in evaluating and applying of comparative management theories/concepts and awareness of current/emergent issues in IMGS Application of relevant theories and awareness of comparative management theories or awareness of current/emergent issues in IMGS Description with little or no evaluation of relevant theories and awareness of current/emergent issues in IMGS. Little or no evidence of underlying knowledge and understanding of IMGS through outdated knowledge and personal assertions.
Applied knowledge, skills, understanding and generic cognitive skills (30%) Evidence of evaluation and analysis of range of current academic sources and industry standards in supporting positions/conclusions Evidence of comparative evaluation or analysis of current academic sources or industry practices in supporting positions or conclusions Description of current academic or industry practices with little or no supporting academic references Little or no evidence of applied knowledge and/or academic practices, little/no supporting academic references.
Communication, ICT, and numeracy (20%) Excellent knowledge synthesis and coordination supported by relevant graphs, charts, and tables and proper referencing Good knowledge synthesis and coordination, and some supporting graphs, charts, and tables with proper referencing. Little evidence of knowledge synthesis and coordination and/or supporting graphs, charts, or tables with little or no referencing. Lack of coordination and communication, little evidence of knowledge synthesis and/or coordination. No evidence of the use of relevant graphs, charts, and tables.
Autonomy, accountability and working with others (20%) Excellent practical suggestions and recommendations based on the data collected and analysed. Some evidence of good practical suggestions and recommendations based on the data collected and analysed. Plausible suggestions and/or recommendations based on the data collected and analysed. Suggestions and/or recommendations that are either implausible or not related to data collected and analysed. Missing evidence of secondary research.