APPLIED CONCEPT PAPER PART ONE: ASSIGNMENT GUIDELINES
WHAT'S THE PURPOSE?
This paper is intended to demonstrate your understanding of certain key concepts and your critical thinking ability to relate them to the real business world.
How does this work?
You are expected to prepare one such paper during the term relating the concepts found in the chapters of modules A, C, D or E to real world business happenings. Each student will be randomly assigned to one of the modules for which notification will be made in a BlackBoard posting, on or about Wednesday, September 11. Chapter concepts and due dates are as follows:
Do I need to link all of the concepts in the assigned chapters?
No. As long as you link enough of them to demonstrate your comprehension and critical thinking ability, you may use concepts from any or all of the chapters in the module you selected. This should be between five and eight of them, depending on the depth of analysis for each. The key terms section at the end of each chapter may be helpful in making your selection.
Am I allowed to use more than one article?
Yes. You may use multiple articles if this helps to better illustrate the concepts. If that is your choice please be sure to include an abstract for each one and provide copies of all of them.
Can I work with another student on these papers?
These are individual assignments and group work will be viewed as plagiarism.
Can I select the Module on which to do the paper?
No. I will assign the work as indicated in 1.1 above. Past experience has shown that allowing students this choice resulted in most of the class waiting until the end of the term to submit the paper.
What happens if I don't submit my paper on time?
Students must submit their papers by e-mail before midnight on the due date. Penalties for late submission increase exponentially with the number of days and late and failure to submit a paper or doing so more than five days after the due date will result in a 0/15 grade. Documentation must be provided for medical or family emergency extension requests.
What are the guidelines for structuring the paper?
A sample paper, included as course information handout 6.1, and a sample grading sheet in 6.2 provide guidance for structuring the paper. A cover page that includes the following is also required:

• ? Your name and Z number, course name and section number, due date and instructor's name as well

as the module and chapter numbers addressed in your paper as well as...

• ? A printable copy of the published article(s) on which your work is based. E-mailing the URL or link will

not suffice. Articles should be relatively recent, that is published within the last 24 months.

• ? Remember to number the pages!
• ? Cite all sources, including the textbook in APA or MLA format in an appendix. In text citation is not

required for this paper. Wikipedia, Investopedia and similar open forum sites are not academically valid.
Module Conceptual framework Applicable chapters Due dates
A Link between five and eight concepts found in the designated chapters to one or more business news articles. Two and/or three Please refer to the Syllabus Appendix A schedule. (Dates are also on the preference form)
C Four and/or five
D Six, seven and/or eight
E Nine, ten and/or eleven
8. 1.9 Do writing skills count in grading my work?
Clear composition is vital to understanding what you mean and assessing your critical thinking skills. Most importantly, writing ability is crucial in the business world as well as being an important component of your grade.
1.10 How many pages are expected and what is the content?
Although I suggest that your paper be between six and nine pages in length, I tend to be fairly flexible as long as you avoid both padding and being so excessively brief that it becomes difficult to read or understand. Be sure that the content is relevant. Use a 12-point font, allowing approximately 11⁄2-line spaces. Structure your paper using titles to divide ideas and distinguish concepts from one another. Provide an abstract of one or two paragraphs summarizing the article(s) briefly in your own words. Approximately 20% of the paper should be devoted to defining the textbook and course document concepts that you intend to link to the article. The remainder, representing at least half, should be dedicated to an analysis showing how your article may be used to interpret the selected concepts. A one-paragraph conclusion should briefly explain what you learned from the exercise. Finally, APA or MLA formatted, source notes are essential. Your paper should be structured using the following segments.
Segment General content Page range
Executive In a couple of paragraphs sum up the purpose of your paper, provide a summary few explicit linkage examples and one sentence stating what you
learned from the exercise.
Abstract(s)* A factual summary, paraphrasing the article(s) very briefly in your own words without opinion or editorial comment. Include the article title, the
author's name and the date of publication. The number of pages shown
at the right depends on the number of abstracts, not the length of each.
Concepts An overview, defining the concepts that you intend to illustrate with your 2 to 3 article
Analysis Connect the article to the key concepts. Use subheadings 2 to 4 corresponding to each defined concept and frame your analysis using appropriate terminology.
Conclusion Clearly state what you learned from the exercise 1⁄2
Appendices Include a copy of the article(s), and cite your sources in APA or MLA* N/A format. Wikipedia and other "wiki" type sites are not academically acceptable sources
*If these terms are unfamiliar to you, please click on the links to research the web for their meanings.
1.11 How will my work be graded?
The grading rubric in course information handout 7.2 includes the following evaluation criteria.

• ? Executive summary 1.50 point
• ? Abstract(s)* 1.50 point
• ? Selected article(s): Inherent relevance 1.50 points
• ? Concept & terminology integration 2.50 points
• ? Analysis: links the concepts to the article 3.75 points
• ? Conclusion: What did you learn? 1.25 points
• ? Structure and organization of the paper 1.25 points
• ? Business writing skills: Syntax and style 1.25 points

1.12 How important is it to use the theoretical terminology?
It is critically important. You are expected to make use of and integrate the strategic management concepts, terminology in order to illustrate how the theory applies to real business world situation.
1- Issues in Board of directors responsibility in a company
2- Sarbanes-Oxley Act example about a company
3- Agency Theory issue faced by a company
4- Due care issue in a company
5- Moral relativism issues
6- Ethical decision making in a company
7- Environmental sustainability issues in a company
8- Social responsibility in a company