Management homework help
UNDERGRADUATE
ASSIGNMENT
SPECIFICATION
Programme: BABS Module Level (3,4,5 or 6): 4
Module: Managing Information and
Technology
Module code: SBLC4001
Contribution to Overall
Module Assessment (%): 75% Assignment No(s): 1
Turnitin: All assignments must be submitted to Turnitin unless otherwise instructed by the Lecturer.
Note: the Turnitin version is the primary submission and acts as a receipt for the student. Late
submission of the electronic version of the assignment will result in a late penalty mark. Penalties for
late submission: Up to one weeks late, maximum mark of 50%. Over one week late, Refer. Only the
Extenuating Circumstances Panel may grant an extension.
YES X
NO
Referencing: In the main body of your submission you must give credit to authors on whose research your
work is based. Append to your submission a reference list that indicates the books, articles, etc.
that you have read or quoted in order to complete this assignment (e.g. for books: surname of
author and initials, year of publication, title of book, edition, publisher: place of publication).
Disclosure: Please include the following statement on the title page of the submitted assignment, followed
by your name:
I declare that this assignment is all my own work and that I have acknowledged all materials
used from the published or unpublished works of other people. All references have been duly
cited.
2
Learning Outcomes tested
(from module syllabus)
Assessment Criteria To achieve each outcome a
student must demonstrate the ability to:
1. Evidence understanding of Information technology
and its application to “real life”
2. Demonstrate understanding of the relationships
between theoretical and practical applications of
information technology
• Assess the importance of IT in organisations as a
store for data, information and knowledge
• Discuss the different social contexts and
stakeholder perspectives of IT
• Understand the relationship between IT and process
change within organisations
• Explain how IT contributes to the management of
knowledge within organisations
• Analyse how interactions with customers and
external parties can be managed using IT
3
TASK DESCRIPTION – ASSIGNMENT 1 – 75%
Smartville
Mercedes-Benz car manufacturers have plants in many countries including one in France, Hambach in a
factory named Smartville. They assemble several models of Smart cars from parts imported from the head
office in India and also obtained from their partner manufacturing organisations in France. Complete cars
are then shipped to car dealerships; they do not sell cars to individual customers.
The Smart production site in Hambach (France) with its 2,000 workers is among the most modern automobile
production plants. It has been built for 450 million Euros and has started production in 1998. In order to
achieve optimized production processes the plant is arranged in the shape of a cross; in each of its four
extensions different assembly works are provided. The centre, the so-called market place, serves as a test
room for completed vehicles and for refinishing operations. The centre is multi-storied; thereby all the
administrative, IT and changing rooms could be implemented in one central place.
Smartville, like other plants in the rest of the world, are technology based and they make full use of the
relevant information/enterprise systems. The senior management at Smartville are mostly from India and
the middle management consists of a mix of Indian and French managers; other staff are hired from the local
community in France.
The above is a very brief description of Smartville. In this scenario, you are not required to know how
Smartville operates or what their policies or decision-making processes are. However, you are required to
write a report including the points provided below, based on the above broad scenario, providing your
opinions based on the knowledge and research that you acquired through the study of this module using
Harvard Reference Style.
Assignment Type: Individual Report – 75%
As a consultant, you are required to write a report about Smartville including the below points:
• THREE (3) relevant information systems (IS) that, in your opinion, form the core of Smartville
business. Provide a brief summary of the general purpose of each of these IS.
• Michael Porter suggests that two generally accepted strategies organisations often adopt are: cost
leadership and differentiation. Discuss what these strategies are and make a judgement as to which
of these would be more appropriate for Smartville – explain reasons for your choice.
• It is important that data kept within an organisation remains accurate, private and confidential. If any
data within Smartville gets stolen or compromised, discuss whether the situation would fall under
the Data Protection Act. Mention THREE (3) core aspects of the relevant Act.
4
FORMATTING AND LAYOUT
Please note the following when completing your written assignment:
1. Writing: Written in English in an appropriate business/academic style
2. Focus: Focus only on the tasks set in the assignment.
3. Length: 3000 Words +/- 10%
4. Formatting: Typed on A4 paper in Times New Roman or Arial font 12 with at least 2.5 centimetre space at
each edge, double spaced and pages numbered.
5. Document format: Ensure a clear title, course, and name or ID number is on a cover sheet and a bibliography
using Harvard referencing throughout is also provided.
6. Research: Research should use reliable and relevant sources of information e.g. academic books and journals
that have been peer reviewed. The research should be extensive.
The use of a range of information sources is expected – academic books, peer reviewed journal articles, professional
articles, press releases and newspaper articles, reliable statistics, company annual reports and other company
information. All referencing should be in Harvard style.
5
MARKING CRITERIA AND STUDENT FEEDBACK – ASSIGNMENT 1
This section details the assessment criteria. The extent to which these are demonstrated by you determines your mark. The marks
available for each criterion are shown. Lecturers use a similar format to comment on the achievement of the task(s), including
those areas in which you have performed well and areas that would benefit from development/improvement.
Common Assessment Criteria Applied
Marks
available
Marks
Awarded
1. Research-informed Literature
Extent of research and/or own reading, selection of credible sources, application of appropriate referencing conventions.
10
Information Technology is ever changing field. Research here must be up-to-date. Selection of variety of
sources like latest journals, books etc. are recommended.
2. Knowledge and Understanding of Subject
Extent of knowledge and understanding of concepts and underlying principles associated with the discipline.
15
With respect to the assignment topic, students must have a sound knowledge and understanding of
different information technology concepts, which can be applied in their employment.
3. Analysis
Analysis, evaluation and synthesis; logic, argument and judgement; analytical reflection; organisation of ideas and evidence
40
Different collaboration technologies must be identified, their suitability for the current chosen
organisation must be assessed and analysed with logical arguments and justification
4. Practical Application and Deployment
Deployment of methods, materials, tools and techniques; application of concepts; formulation of innovative and creative solutions to solve problems.
25
As Information Technology is more practical based subject, examples must be provided.
5. Skills for Professional Practice
Attributes in professional practice: individual and collaborative working; deployment of appropriate media; presentation and organisation.
10
Report format normally includes the following sections: Executive
Summary, Introduction, Main Findings, Conclusions,
Recommendations, References and Appendices. Your report
should be written in a suitable academic writing style i.e. using the
third person.
TOTAL 100
Assignment Mark (Assessment marks are subject to ratification at the
Exam Board. These comments and marks are to give feedback on module work
and are for guidance only until they are confirmed. )
Late Submission Penalties (tick if
appropriate)
%
6
GUIDANCE FOR STUDENTS IN THE COMPLETION OF TASKS
NOTE: The guidance offered below is linked to the five common assessment criteria above.
1. Research-informed Literature
Your work must be informed and supported by scholarly material that is relevant to and focused on the task(s) set.
You should provide evidence that you have accessed a wide range of sources, which may be academic, governmental
and industrial; these sources may include academic journal articles, textbooks, current news articles, organisational
documents, and websites. You should consider the credibility of your sources; academic journals are normally highly
credible sources while websites require careful consideration/selection and should be used sparingly. Any sources
you use should be current and up-to-date, mostly published within the last five years or so, though seminal/important
works in the field may be older. You must provide evidence of your research/own reading throughout your work, using
in-text citations in the main body of your work and a reference list that is alphabetical at the end of your work. Please
use the Harvard referencing system.
2. Knowledge and Understanding of Subject
Your work must demonstrate the growing extent of your knowledge and understanding of concepts and underlying
principles associated with the subject area. Knowledge relates to the facts, information and skills you have acquired
through your learning. You demonstrate your understanding by interpreting the meaning of the facts and information
(knowledge). This means that you need to select and include in your work the concepts, techniques, models, theories,
etc. appropriate to the task(s) set. You should be able to explain the theories, concepts, etc. meaningfully to show
your understanding. Your mark/grade will also depend upon the extent to which you demonstrate your knowledge
and understanding; ideally each should be complete and detailed, with comprehensive coverage.
3. Analysis
Your work must contain evidence of logical, analytical thinking, evaluation and synthesis. For example, to examine and
break information down into parts, make inferences, compile, compare and contrast information. This means not just
describing What! but also justifying: Why? How? When? Who? Where? At all times, you must provide justification for
your arguments and judgements. Evidence that you have reflected upon the ideas of others within the subject area is
crucial to you providing a reasoned and informed debate within your work. Furthermore, you should provide evidence
that you are able to make sound judgements and convincing arguments using data and concepts. Sound, valid
conclusions are necessary and must be derived from the content of your work. There should be no new information
presented within your conclusion. Where relevant, alternative solutions and recommendations may be proposed.
4. Practical Application and Deployment
You should be able to demonstrate how the subject-related concepts and ideas relate to real world situations or a
particular context. How do they work in practice? You will deploy models, methods, techniques, and/or theories, in
that context, to assess current situations, perhaps to formulate plans or solutions to solve problems, some of which
may be innovative and creative. This is likely to involve, for instance, the use of real world examples and cases, the
application of a model within an organisation and/or benchmarking one organisation against others based on stated
criteria. You should show awareness of the limitations of concepts and theories when applied in particular contexts.
5. Skills for Professional Practice
Your work must provide evidence of the attributes expected in professional practice. This includes demonstrating
your individual initiative and/or collaborative working. You must communicate effectively in a suitable format, which
may be written and/or oral, for example, essay, management report, presentation. Work should be coherent and wellstructured in presentation and organisation.
7
UNDERGRADUATE – COMMON ASSESSMENT AND MARKING CRITERIA
OUTRIGHT FAIL UNSATISFACTORY SATISFACTORY GOOD VERY GOOD EXCELLENT EXCEPTIONAL
Assessment Criteria 0-29% 30-39%* 40-49% 50-59% 60-69% 70-79% 80-100%
1. Research-informed
Literature
Extent of research
and/or own reading,
selection of credible
sources, application of
appropriate referencing
conventions
Little or no evidence
of reading.
Views and findings
unsupported and
non-authoritative.
Referencing
conventions largely
ignored.
Poor evidence of
reading and/or of
reliance on
inappropriate
sources, and/or
indiscriminate use
of sources.
Referencing
conventions used
inconsistently.
References to a
limited range of
mostly relevant
sources. Some
omissions and
minor errors.
Referencing
conventions evident
though not always
applied consistently.
Inclusion of a range
of researchinformed literature,
including sources
retrieved
independently.
Referencing
conventions mostly
consistently applied.
Inclusion of a wide
range of researchinformed literature,
including sources
retrieved
independently.
Selection of relevant
and credible
sources. Very good
use of referencing
conventions,
consistently applied.
A comprehensive
range of research
informed literature
embedded in the
work. Excellent
selection of relevant
and credible
sources. High-level
referencing skills,
consistently applied.
Outstanding
knowledge of
researchinformed
literature
embedded in
the work.
Outstanding
selection of
relevant and
credible
sources. Highlevel referencing
skills
consistently and
professionally
applied.
2. Knowledge and
Understanding of
Subject
Extent of knowledge and
understanding of
concepts and underlying
principles associated
with the discipline.
Major gaps in
knowledge and
understanding of
material at this
level. Substantial
inaccuracies.
Gaps in knowledge,
with only superficial
understanding.
Some significant
inaccuracies.
Evidence of basic
knowledge and
understanding of
the relevant
concepts and
underlying
principles.
Knowledge is
accurate with a
good understanding
of the field of study.
Knowledge is
extensive. Exhibits
understanding of
the breadth and
depth of established
views.
Excellent knowledge
and understanding
of the main
concepts and key
theories. Clear
awareness of
challenges to
established views
and the limitations
of the knowledge
base.
Highly detailed
knowledge and
understanding
of the main
theories/concep
ts, and a critical
awareness of
the ambiguities
and limitations
of knowledge.
3. Analysis
Analysis, evaluation and
synthesis; logic,
argument and
judgement; analytical
reflection; organisation
of ideas and evidence
Unsubstantiated
generalisations,
made without use
of any credible
evidence. Lack of
logic, leading to
unsupportable/
missing conclusions.
Lack of any attempt
to analyse,
synthesise or
evaluate.
Some evidence of
analytical
intellectual skills,
but for the most
part descriptive.
Ideas/findings
sometimes illogical
and contradictory.
Generalised
statements made
with scant evidence.
Conclusions lack
relevance.
Evidence of some
logical, analytical
thinking and some
attempts to
synthesise, albeit
with some
weaknesses.
Some evidence to
support findings/
views, but evidence
not consistently
interpreted.
Some relevant
conclusions and
recommendations,
where relevant
Evidence of some
logical, analytical
thinking and
synthesis. Can
analyse new and/or
abstract data and
situations without
guidance.
An emerging
awareness of
different stances
and ability to use
evidence to support
the argument.
Valid conclusions
and
recommendations,
where relevant
Sound, logical,
analytical thinking;
synthesis and
evaluation. Ability
to devise and
sustain persuasive
arguments, and to
review the
reliability, validity &
significance of
evidence. Ability to
communicate ideas
and evidence
accurately and
convincingly.
Sound, convincing
conclusions /
recommendations.
Thoroughly logical
work, supported by
evaluated evidence.
High quality
analysis, developed
independently or
through effective
collaboration.
Ability to investigate
contradictory
information and
identify reasons for
contradictions.
Strong, persuasive,
conclusions,
justifiable
recommendations.
Exceptional
work; judiciously
selected and
evaluated
evidence. Very
high quality
analysis,
developed
independently
or through
effective
collaboration.
Ability to
investigate
contradictory
information and
identify reasons
for
contradictions.
Highly
persuasive
conclusions
4. Practical Application
and Deployment
Effective deployment of
appropriate methods,
materials, tools and
techniques; extent of
skill demonstrated in the
application of concepts
to a variety of processes
and/or contexts;
formulation of innovative
and creative solutions to
solve problems.
Limited or no use of
methods, materials,
tools and/or
techniques.
Little or no
appreciation of the
context of the
application.
Rudimentary
application of
methods, materials,
tools and/or
techniques but
without
consideration and
competence.
Flawed appreciation
of the context of the
application.
An adequate
awareness and
mostly appropriate
application of well
established
methods, materials,
tools and/or
techniques.
Basic appreciation
of the context of the
application.
A good and
appropriate
application of
standard methods,
materials, tools
and/or techniques.
Good appreciation
of the context of the
application, with
some use of
examples, where
relevant.
A very good
application of a
range of methods,
materials, tools
and/or techniques.
Very good
consideration of the
context of the
application, with
perceptive use of
examples, where
relevant.
Evidence of some
innovation and
creativity.
An advanced
application of a
range of methods,
materials, tools
and/or techniques.
The context of the
application is well
considered, with
extensive use of
relevant examples.
Application and
deployment extend
beyond established
conventions.
Innovation and
creativity evident
throughout.
Outstanding
levels of
application and
deployment
skills.
Assimilation and
development of
cutting edge
processes and
techniques.
5. Skills for Professional
Practice
Demonstrates attributes
expected in professional
practice including:
individual initiative and
collaborative working;
deployment of
appropriate media to
communicate (including
written and oral); clarity
and effectiveness in
presentation and
organisation.
Communication
media is
inappropriate or
misapplied.
Little or no evidence
of autonomy in the
completion of tasks.
Work is poorly
structured and/or
largely incoherent.
Media is poorly
designed and/or not
suitable for the
audience.
Poor independent
or collaborative
initiative.
Work lacks
structure,
organisation, and/or
coherence
Can communicate in
a suitable format
but with some room
for improvement.
Can work as part of
a team, but with
limited involvement
in group activities.
Work lacks
coherence in places
and could be better
structured.
Can communicate
effectively in a
suitable format, but
may have minor
errors.
Can work effectively
as part of a team,
with clear
contribution to
group activities.
Mostly coherent
work and is in a
suitable structure.
Can communicate
well, confidently
and consistently in a
suitable format.
Can work very well
as part of a team,
with very good
contribution to
group activities.
Work is coherent
and fluent and is
well structured and
organised.
Can communicate
professionally and,
confidently in a
suitable format.
Can work
professionally
within a team,
showing leadership
skills as appropriate,
managing conflict
and meeting
obligations.
Work is coherent,
very fluent and is
presented
professionally.
Can
communicate
with an
exceptionally
high level of
professionalism.
Can work
exceptionally
well and
professionally
within a team,
showing
advanced
leadership skills.
Work is
exceptionally
coherent, very
fluent and is
presented
professionally.
8
Student Self Evaluation Form
Student name: Student number:
Programme: Year of
programme
Assignment Title:
This section repeats in brief the common assessment criteria detailed on previous pages. The extent to which these
are demonstrated by you determines your mark. Using these criteria, tick the box that best indicates the level of
achievement you feel you have achieved with regard to each of them. Please note that this self-assessment is used as
a developmental tool only and has no impact on the way in which your work will be marked.
Common Assessment
Criteria Applied
Level of Achievement
REFER 3
rd 2:2 2:1 1
st 1
st
OUTRIGHT FAIL UNSATISFACTORY SATISFACTORY GOOD VERY GOOD EXCELLENT EXCEPTIONAL
1. Research-informed
Literature
0-29% 30-39% 40-49% 50-59% 60-69% 70-79% 80-100%
2. Knowledge and
Understanding of
Subject
0-29% 30-39% 40-49% 50-59% 60-69% 70-79% 80-100%
3. Analysis 0-29% 30-39% 40-49% 50-59% 60-69% 70-79% 80-100%
4. Practical
Application and
Deployment
0-29% 30-39% 40-49% 50-59% 60-69% 70-79% 80-100%
5. Skills for
Professional Practice
0-29% 30-39% 40-49% 50-59% 60-69% 70-79% 80-100%
PLEASE COMMENT ON AREAS IN WHICH YOU FEEL
THAT YOU HAVE PERFORMED WELL
PLEASE COMMENT ON AREAS YOU FEEL THAT YOU
NEED TO DEVELOP
Student’s Name Date
Student’s Signature
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