Introduction to Project

It comprises TWO Parts, Part 1 and Part 2. Part 1 carries 80% weighting of this project assignment; Part 2 carries 20% weighting of this project assignment. It is an individual not a group-based assignment. The tasks/requirements are detailed later in this document.

Please take careful note of the flowing points:

- Part 1's focus is drawn from Topics 15, 16 and 17, although they are peripheral links with materials in prior topics and Topic 18. Your response to the requirement relating to Part 1 should be between 4,000 and 4,800 words.

- Part 2's focus is a reflective piece of work integrating the themes from across the module with significance for workplace application. Your response to the requirement relating to Part 2 should be between 1,200 and 2,000 words.

- Any work received after the submission deadline will receive a recorded mark of zero. There will be no extensions given.

- The upper limit of the word count should not be exceeded - see Section 2 immediately below - and it is essential that you state an accurate word count at the
end of each of Part 1 and Part 2. If you do not state an accurate word count at the end of each Part you will receive a 5 mark penalty for each omission.

- You should cite references using, preferably, the Harvard referencing system although other appropriate alternatives are acceptable. If you use another referencing system you should state the name at the start of your referencing list.

- No appendices (other than the list of references) are allowed.

- At the end of your response to each Part you should state your word count, excluding your list of references. (References relating to each Part should be detailed at the end of the Part they relate to.)

- Submitted coursework/project assignments are subject to a range of quality control and scrutiny checks including, as appropriate, double marking and/or moderation and/or scrutiny by the module's Internal and/or External Examiners. All submitted coursework assignments are subject to Turnitinchecking for plagiarism (see point 2 below on page 2). All results when first published are provisional until confirmed by the Examination Board.

- Assessment criteria are referred to later in this document.Tasks and requirements

There are two sections. Submit both within one document.

Section 1

This Part is weighted at 80% of marks available for this project assignment,

There is one requirement in this section. Your response to the requirement should be between 4,000 and 4,800 words. Penalties apply for exceeding the word count. No formal penalties apply for using fewer than 4,000 words but in so doing you may be penalizing yourself as it is likely to be challenging to respond to the requirement in less than 4,000 words.

State an accurate word count at the end of this Part. Failure to do so will result in 5 marks being deducted from your score.

Context and Requirement
Context
This assignment draws upon topics covered in Theme 5 of the programme. In the current financial environment Mergers and Acquisitions (M&A) activity is high. Firms find it relatively easy to borrow money at low rates of interest and these funds are then used to acquire other companies either in the same or different sectors. There are many motives for M&A activity and 2017 has continued the trend seen in the second half of 2016 which witnessed a period of record M&A volumes as measured globally.

Required
Critically assess the process by which Merger & Acquisition targets are identified and in addition examine why so many M&As fail. Your answers should include relevant examples and a detailed explanation of why the failure occurred. Your conclusions should present key points that acquiring companies should focus on to ensure that M&A they enter are successful. Your answers should also include an introduction which sets the scene appropriately.

In responding to this requirement, you should certainly refer to relevant MPAcc materials as appropriate. You are encouraged to also draw upon other materials, as appropriate, from journal articles and/or business reports and/or news reports.

Section 2

This Part is weighted at 20% of marks available for this project assignment,

There is one requirement in this section. Your response to the requirement must be between 1,200 and 2,000 words. Penalties apply for exceeding the word count. No formal penalties apply for using fewer than 2,000 words but in so doing you may be penalizing yourself as it is likely to be challenging to respond to the requirement in less than 2,000 words.

"We do not learn so much from experience as we do from reflecting on our experience." - John Dewey

"It is fine to celebrate success but it is more important to heed the lessons of failure" - Bill Gates

Self-reflection can be used to understand yourself, where you are, what you are doing and where you are going given the current learning you have. It will also help you to develop yourself in terms of professional work environment and it will help your leadership abilities in terms of driving individuals and the firm in which you work.

Reflection is important within educational experiences. A reflective statement is a statement that captures thoughts about, perceptions of, a past experience, such as that you have experienced in your study of this module. They help us to understand past events and associated experiences and to learn lessons. Having written a reflective statement, it is then possible to analyse it and draw lessons about future decisions, behaviour and actions. Such a statement can focus on the consequences of the educational experience for work-related decisions, behaviour and actions, not least in the arena of confirming or amending professional work practices.

Required
Look back over your studies in this GIFP module made up of six themes. Identify any two ideas from within the six themes, ideas which you feel are relevant to work practice, be that previous work, and/or current work, and/or work you aspire to. Justify the ideas identified for inclusion in your list of two. It may be appropriate to identify ideas which are perhaps very new to you and/or ideas which although you were already familiar with, your studies have thrown new light on them, prompting new insights.

Note: a total of TWO ideas are required, not two from each of the six themes. You may if you wish draw your two ideas from within one theme.

Take time to think about what you have studied and learnt about each of the two ideas. Capture and articulate the new learning that has taken place both in terms of the nature and theory of the idea, and practical applications.

Extend the practical applications context to include ‘real world' situations - past, and/or current, and/or potential - leading you to illustrate how each idea has already impacted upon or will impact in the future upon your professional practice when dealing with matters financial. Where appropriate this should include a statement of changes you will have to enact to ensure that your professional practice is enhanced, and how you will set about enacting them. You should utilise the word count as you see fit.

Background reading (optional) - "Why you should make time for self-reflection (even if you hate doing it)", J. Porter, Harvard Business review, March 2017.

In responding to this requirement, you should, clearly, certainly refer to relevant MPAcc materials as appropriate. You are encouraged to also draw upon other materials, as appropriate, from other sources. Ensure that your response is not just descriptive but also reflects analysis, evaluation, conclusions, and plans. There are a number of sources freely available concerning the art and science of reflection. Feel free to draw upon such sources. Alternatively, you may wish to read Appendix B of this document.