Assessment

Contemporary Issues Report

Word Limit: 2,000 to 2,500 words

Task

Students will select a topic from those listed below and compile a report on the topic. Papers will cover a comprehensive review of the topic literature as it relates to current international marketing issues facing businesses operating between countries.

The audience for this report should be an Australian organisation. You will discuss the theory surrounding the issue and provide relevant, practical recommendations on how your organisation should manage its exposure to the issue.

Students are expected to have read widely in the area, exploring theory and current best practice. Wikipedia is not a reliable source and use of material from this source will result in an automatic zero grade. The emphasis in assessment will be on critical analysis and interpretation rather than description. No marks will be awarded for a paper that merely summarises or recapitulates the main argument or issue put forward in the supplied article. This will enable students to demonstrate all of the objectives of the course.

Topics

1. The concept of time varies across cultures and is an aspect of international marketing and negotiations that is often not appreciated. This, in turn, leads to significant frustration. Discuss the different ways that time is typically perceived and highlight some of the issues that may arise when business people operate using different assumptions.

2. Digital marketing tools (especially the internet) allow even small businesses to expand internationally. Explain the key factors in an international market that would help or hinder an Australian firm's potential success when marketing via virtual channels.

3. ‘Born globals' are firms who either from inception or shortly thereafter begin trading in international markets. What are the drivers leading to the creation of such a business model? Outline advantages and disadvantages of pursuing born global status for a small firm with which you are familiar.

4. Discuss the factors that encourage internationalisation of service organisations. For a service organisation with which you are familiar, explain which of these drivers are currently most relevant, and how this might change over time.

Rationale

This assessment has been designed in order to:

• allow you to develop your information searching and critical thinking skills;

• enable you to practice applying theory to real world situations; and

• provide you with further experience in academic writing

Marking criteria

Criterion Fail Pass Credit Distinction High Distinction

Critical analysis skills

This criterion is about describing and evaluating the information found when researching the context

Value 30% Can present limited reliable evidence supporting the recommendations and some is missing, incorrect or irrelevant. Can review and present some of the reliable evidence supporting the recommendations but some evidence is missing or incorrect. Can review and present most of the reliable evidence supporting the recommendations but lacks critical analysis and comparison Can clearly present the appropriate reliable evidence supporting recommendations with clear evaluations and conclusions Can critically review and present the appropriate reliable evidence with highly insightful and perceptive comparisons, evaluations and support for recommendations

Application skills

This criterion is about linking theory to a specific context, explaining how it relates to a product/company

Value 30% There is no or limited application to the context or case study, no examples provided The case study or context was described and identified. The context was connected briefly to theory. There were some recommendations, but they are not well supported by arguments The case study or context was described and identified. The context was connected to theory with clear links. There were relevant market recommendations and supported connections to theory The case study or context was described and identified and insightful evaluations were made. The context was connected to theory with clear logical links. The recommendations were relevant, well supported with explicit connections to theoretical arguments The case study or context was described and identified and insightful evaluations were made. The context is connected to theory with exceptional, logical and meaningful links.

The recommendations were highly relevant , realistic and supported with explicit connections to theoretical arguments

Recommendations & Realism

This is about strategic recommendations for the company which are realistic in the country context

Value 10% No recommendations are made There were some recommendations, but they are not strategic or well supported by real world information There were relevant market recommendations, partly strategic, supported by connections to the real world context The recommendations were relevant and strategic, well supported with explicit connections to the real world context The recommendations were highly relevant, strategic, realistic and supported with explicit connections to the real world context.

Communication Skills

This is about the presentation of the work including: Structure, Format, Grammar

Value 25% Poor grammar, spelling, punctuation, concepts were not clear, no paragraphing or formatting- no tables or figures Some grammatical errors, sentences were clear and complete, clear structure and formatting using headings, and sub-headings, some diagrams, but not explained and only decorative Minor grammatical errors, sentences were clear and complete, structure and format were used to aid the reader including diagrams, tables and images, that are relevant to argument, but are still not fully explained or described Free of grammatical errors

Structure and format were clear

Sentences were well constructed. Language was concise.

Excellent use of diagrams and tables that are clearly relevant and explained Free of grammatical errors

Structure and format were clear, logical and consistent.

Sentences were well constructed.

Exceptional use of diagrams and tables, clearly relevant, explained and insightful links made

Referencing Skills

This criterion is about the application of APA referencing

Value 5% There was limited or no attempt at in text or end of text referencing There was an attempt to apply referencing, but style and application were inconsistent There was consistent style, but application was not consistent with some errors The style is consistent throughout the text and end reference list. Application was still inconsistent with some points remaining unreferenced. Both in-text and reference list were consistent in terms of style and application of APA

Presentation

Your assessment should be prepared in report format and should include the following content:

• Introduction to the report (aims)

• Literature review (discussion of theory)

• Management implications (how does this apply to your selected organisation)

• Recommendations

• Conclusions

• Reference list (in APA format)

Written seminar papers should not exceed 2,500 words at not less than 11 point font with 1.5 line spacing format, exclusive of attachments. Papers must be fully referenced using APA citation and referencing standards. Papers submitted without a reference list conforming to either of these standards will not be graded.

Your assignment should be free of colloquial language and spelling, grammatical and typographical errors. Repeated errors of this kind will be penalised. Please provide generous margins ( 2cm) and 11/12pt font in your assignment, number every page, make sure and include a cover sheet, title page with student details, and a table of contents (none of which is included in the word limit). Assignments must follow the specified page length. Writing within a specified limit is a skill. Assignments over the limit may have marks deducted and/or all extra material beyond 2500 words will be ignored.