Aspects of the assignment case will have been used throughout semester to provide a practical context for the application of specific theories (for example writing job descriptions or creating structural charts) and will then be used as part of a 1 - 2 day business simulation where student groups will undertake a number of role-based activities associated with managing and operating the case study company (day-to-day activities such as those associated with order fulfilment, procurement and production are simulated using a computer-based information system). Armed with this knowledge and experience and their studies throughout semester, they should then be assigned the following problem to solve in their groups. They will present their analysis and recommendations through a 15 min presentation to their Managing Director (MD). Students should develop their problem-solving, group working and presentation skills and their knowledge of human resource and information system theories (in an international context) in the build-up to this assignment. The assignment should be conducted within the constraints of the module group work policy. In particular, there will be a requirement for all group members to participate in the simulated business activities and group presentation in particular.

TASK DETAIL

You should brief the MD and the management team (the remainder of your colleagues) through a presentation lasting 15 minutes (after which there will be a five minute question and answer session). You will be notified of the next management team meeting which will take place towards the end of semester. The MDs secretary will provide you with details of the venue, date and start time. The room will contain a data projector should you wish to make a PowerPoint presentation.

1. Critically analyse and review core-PROCESSES. Presenting a range of flow charts, showing the “As-Is” and recommended approach, suggest where efficiency improvements (in terms of cost, differentiation and time compression) may be made. You should consider the use of human, information (to include knowledge) and technological resources in your answer and discuss competitive and sustainable competitive advantage.

2.      Consider whether it would be feasible and desirable to implement an off-the-shelf enterprise SYSTEM in the new organization. In your answer, you should provide a TELOS and CBA. You should evaluate the existing UK system (strengths and weaknesses), identify short term improvements to the existing system and identify high-level requirements for any new system. You should be able to defend/ argue any suggested changes.

3.     Create a STRUCTURE chart for the UK domestic operation “As-Is” which incorporates recently appointed staff. Then develop a structural chart for the new international organisation (“As-Is”) and finally present a recommended organisational design for future implementation. International organizations like the one in the case study must constantly determine which activities to centralise and which to decentralise. Consider the primary and secondary activities/ business functions and present structural arguments about which should be centralised and which should be decentralised. Finally, in making changes, international organizations must consider culture at the national and organizational level. Distinguish these two types of culture and then discuss how Scaters may develop their organisational culture, suggesting whether they should seek to develop a strong or weak culture.

4.      EVIDENCE OF GROUP WORK AND PRESENTATION SKILLS, (25 MARKS).

Your presentation, hand out and answers to questions posed should demonstrate attainment of the module learning outcomes and that you have mastered the module content – showing critical wider reading and application. Your citations and references should demonstrate Masterliness and conform to the Harvard referencing system.

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Through reflective practice, students are encouraged to learn from experience by questioning what they did do and reviewing what they could have done. Critically review how you, as a group went about the group presentation assessment task. As a group, you should recount narratives about your group work practice (how you as a group set about the task you were given, discuss group formation, development and operating practices), such narratives must demonstrate your consideration and application of group work theory.  Identify critical incidents (problems that arose) and, through reference to theory, evaluate how you might have dealt with the problem and what you may do differently when working in groups in the future. The reflection should be more than a simple descriptive account of events and should use theory to make sense of what happened and explore what you may have done differently. Include any other documents specified by your tutor such as meeting records and spreadsheets used. Marks are available for the report introduction, structure, and conclusion and associated evidence of analysis and group work.

Having participated in the business simulation, students will submit a portfolio with an accompanying reflective practice essay/report. The report will reflect on (1) how the student went about the simulated business activities and (2) make recommendations for improvement to the simulated business.

The portfolio will contain

1.            Title page

2.            Critical Reflective report (Individual) 1500 words:

a.            Part 1 what you learnt from the simulation

may discuss group work, management theory, business processes and systems – a critical narrative

b.            Part 2 Your assessment of the company

Use theory to make sense of the company – where it is now, where it may be heading

3.            Portfolio (80 marks) containing:

a.            Job description for role played

b.            Organisational charts

c.             Integrated business process map for simulated company years

d.            Evidence of simulation:

e.            Year 1 memo

f.             Minutes of the meeting

g.            Individually created departmental budget

h.            Copy of slides used to deliver board presentation

4.            Reference list and report structure 

(Individual Memo

Following the Scaters business simulation activity, students, acting individually, will prepare for their forthcoming management team meeting.

Acting on their own, they should create a 1000 word (two pages) business memo (report/ essay) to circulate to colleagues in advance of their management meeting where they will discuss how they can improve the company.

The memo should present an (1) analyses of the company from the perspective of the role the student played during the simulation e.g. sales, warehouse, accounts, production or office manager. They should draw on data exported from the simulation system, observations and module theory (40 marks). Next, each student will (2) outline several suggestions for improvement within their role/ functional area of Scaters. Each suggestion should be numbered and should include a citation to supporting theory within the core text book (or similar), (40 marks).

You should write approximately one page for the analysis and one page for the recommendations. You should also include a brief reference list. Report structure (20 marks)