Financial Accounting Principles and Analysis

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Unit 3 Assignment

GB518: Financial Accounting Principles and Analysis

 

 

Case Study Part 1: Details and Rubric

 

Initial Notes:

1. Only the Title Page, Abstract, Headings and Subheadings for the final analysis paper and preliminary Reference List are due in Unit 3.

2. The Full Case Study will be due in Unit 4.

3. A PowerPoint Presentation for the Case will be due in Unit 5.

4. The Case Project is developed over 3 Units: 3, 4 & 5. The Case Project should be considered a single assignment, not 3 separate assignments. Therefore, do not overemphasize the score on any single component of the Case. Rather, take a broader and more accurate view, of the Case as a single, unified assignment worth a total of 175 points. The Case point distribution is as follows:

 

a. Part I (Due Unit 3) -The Initial formatting/outline =   25 Points

b. Part II (Due Unit 4) – The Full Paper (Analysis) = 100 Points

c. Part III (Due Unit 5) – The Case PowerPoint Presentation =   50 Points

Total Case Assignment Points = 175 Points

5. The Textbook, Continuing Problem Assignment Instructions, Classroom/course assignment instructions, etc. use several terms interchangeably. The following terms can be understood as referring to your Project or individual elements of the project: Case Project, Continuing Problem, Continuing Case, “CC”, “CCC.” If you have any questions about any of the terminology, please do not hesitate to ask in the Virtual Office.

6. Much of the Case Project will be an exercise in developing your skill at following instructions. Therefore, be sure to read all assignment instructions (All Units – 3, 4 and 5) very carefully before starting the writing process.

 

VERY IMPORTANT INITIAL GENTLE REMINDER: If you do not understand Plagiarism and how to avoid violating the rules of Academic Integrity, please review the tutorial in the classroom title “Plagiarism”. It can be found under the “Academic Tools” tab. All written papers (and many of the Discussion Posts) will be submitted to Turnitin to determine originality of content. In particular, do NOT simply “cut and paste” ANY content from ANY source unless you intend to use the material as a properly formatted and attributed Direct Quote. If you do not understand the rules for proper attribution of unoriginal sources, please carefully review the information available in the Writing Center in the material related to “Using Sources.”

 

Unit 3 Case Part 1 Assignment Specifics:

Part 1 of the Continuing Case, due in Unit 3, includes creating the Title Page, Abstract and preliminary Reference List for a formal analysis paper. For the Case, you are to complete a series of “Continuing Problems” from your textbook.  Those Continuing Problems involve a series of business issues related to the “Cookie Creations” company progressive narratives in the textbook end-of-chapter resources.

 

This is the list of Continuing Problems you will complete:

Textbook’s “Continuing Problems:”

· CC  1 – page 37 In the physical text.

· CC  2 – page 83 in the physical text.

· CC  7 – Part 1, ONLY, page 366 in the physical text.

· CC  8 – Requirement (a), ONLY, page 415 in the physical text.

 

NOTE: Although not due in the Case Paper, Part 1 or 2, the following additional Continuing Problem will be included in the Unit 5 Case Part 3 PowerPoint Assignment:

 

· CC 11– Part 1, (a), ONLY, page 581 in the physical text.

· You should preview the Unit 4 & 5 Assignment Instructions.

 

Special Note: The full Continuing Problem Narratives may NOT be included in the physical textbook pages. The full CC narratives can be located at the Textbook Companion Website: www.wiley.com/college/kimmel

 

The order of presentation MUST follow the grading rubric order.

You should consider using the CC Problem elements or the grading rubric as a basic “Outline” (ie, Headings and Subheadings) for your paper. You may use the individual CC Problem parts to build your headings and subheadings. The rubric is provided at the end of this document.

Thinking ahead to Unit 4, Do NOT simply answer the components in each CC Problem. Be thorough! Short answers do not provide the necessary analysis for critical thinking. Be sure to complete all required sections for all CC problems.

 

IMPORTANT NOTES:

1. Your Unit 3 Assignment should ONLY include sufficient page length to include: Title Page, Abstract, Full Paper Headings and Subheadings (for the full analysis) and a preliminary Reference List.

2. Use the APA Template provided in the classroom as the basis for constructing your Unit 3 Assignment.

3. The physical Textbook only supplies a portion of the complete Narrative in some CC Problems. Therefore, you MUST use the additional resources available in WileyPLUS or the Textbook Student Companion Website.

As a preview: The final paper must be presented in a single Word document. The full paper due in Unit 4 must be between 6 to 8 pages in length , not including the title and reference list pages. The paper must use proper APA Publication Manual, 6th Edition formatting, including title page, running head, abstract and reference list with properly formatted citations in the body of the paper. Headings and sub-headings are REQUIRED.

 

Additional NOTES:

1. Use the APA Template here.

2. Part 2 is an Analysis; do NOT present an “Interview” format with “questions and answers”. Do not simply provide “short-answers,” use a more formal approach in the communication style. In case you do not understand the difference between formal and informal styles, please review the information provided by the Writing Center in their link related to “Formal versus Informal Writing.”

3. A properly formatted Title Page with Running head and abstract is required.

4. Do NOT include a table of contents.

5. Do NOT repeat or copy the assignment question narratives. You may use abbreviated versions of the questions as headings and sub-headings. Anything that artificially increases the length of the paper but does not add value to the analysis will result in a reduced score.

6. The Unit 5 Case PowerPoint cannot be submitted until the Unit 4 Case Paper has been completed and the feedback returned to you. The Unit 4 Case Paper cannot be submitted until after the Unit 3 Case Part I Outline has been completed and the feedback returned to you.

7. For more specific information and guidance, please access the following resources available in the Writing Center:

a. How to Write an Abstract.

b. How to Get Help with Your Writing.

c. APA Headers and Title Page Tutorial.

d. Using Headings and Subheadings in APA.

e. APA Reference Page.

f. Formal versus Informal Writing.

g. Using Sources (or, unoriginal content)

 

After you have completed the Unit 3 Case Paper Title Page, Abstract, Outline and Preliminary Reference List, upload your Word document to the Unit 3 Assignment Dropbox before 11:59 PM (ET), on Tuesday of Unit 3.

Name your assignment filename using this format: LastName_FirstName_Unit#_AssignmentName

For example, this assignment will be named: Smith_Joan_Unit03_CasePaper Part 01

Assignments submitted late will be subject to the Late Policy described in the Syllabus.

 

 

GB518  Unit 3 Assignment Grading Rubric
Category/Description Points Possible Points Earned Instructor Additional Comments (If necessary)
Part 1) Create the Continuing Problem Case Title Page:
Properly formatted Running head with page numbers in upper right corner, only. 1   NOTE: Please review all guidance and feedback presented in the margins and within the paper.
Properly formatted Title Page body. 1    
Are ONLY the 3 required elements for the Body of the Title Page included? 1    
Other considerations, as appropriate. For example, no graphics or color in Title Page 1    
Part 2) Write an Abstract
Properly formatted Abstract page.

i. Proper Length (150 to 250 words).

ii. Proper margins and paragraph format.

 2

1

    
Is the Abstract Content appropriate? 2    
Other considerations, as appropriate. 1    
Part 3) Heading and Subheading Outline.
Are ALL CC Problem Narrative elements represented in the Outline as Headings or Subheadings? 1    
Are the Headings and Subheadings appropriately formatted in Level One and Level Two APA style? 1    
Other considerations, as appropriate. 1    
Part 4) Preliminary Reference List:
Heading centered and properly formatted. 2    
Proper “Hanging Indent” paragraph format used. 2    
Minimum of Four or 5 References included. 2    
Preliminary References formatted properly. 2    
Preliminary References include all required reference list elements. 2    
Preliminary References in alphabetical order. 1    
Other considerations, as appropriate. 1    
Content Subtotal 25    
Deduct Late Penalty in accordance with Syllabus if necessary.      
Total 25    

 

 

 

Case Study Part 2: Details and Rubric

 

Initial Notes:

5. The Full Case Study is due in Unit 4.

6. A PowerPoint Presentation for the Case will be due in Unit 5.

7. The Case Project is developed over 3 Units: 3, 4 & 5. The Case Project should be considered a single assignment, not 3 separate assignments. Therefore, do not overemphasize the score on any singe component of the Case. Rather, take a broader, and more accurate view, of the Case as a single, unified assignment worth a total of 175 points. The Case point distribution is as follows:

d. Part I (Due Unit 3) -The Initial formatting/outline =   25 Points

e. Part II (Due Unit 4) – The Full Paper (Analysis) = 100 Points

f. Part III (Due Unit 5) – The Case PowerPoint Presentation =   50 Points

Total Case Assignment Points = 175 Points

7. The Textbook, Continuing Problem Assignment Instructions, Classroom/course assignment instructions, etc. use several terms interchangeably. The following terms can be understood as referring to your Project or individual elements of the project: Case Project, Continuing Problem, Continuing Case, “CC”, “CCC.” If you have any questions about any of the terminology, please do not hesitate to ask in the Virtual Office.

8. Much of the Case Project will be an exercise in developing your skill at following instructions. Therefore, be sure to read all assignment instructions very carefully before starting the writing process.

 

VERY IMPORTANT INITIAL GENTLE REMINDER: If you do not understand Plagiarism and how to avoid violating the rules of Academic Integrity, please review the tutorial in the classroom title “Plagiarism”. It can be found under the “Academic Tools” tab. All written papers (and many of the Discussion Posts) will be submitted to Turnitin to determine originality of content. In particular, do NOT simply “cut and paste” ANY content from ANY source unless you intend to use the material as a properly formatted and attributed Direct Quote. If you do not understand the rules for proper attribution of unoriginal sources, please carefully review the information available in the Writing Center in the material related to “Using Sources.”

Part 2 of the Continuing Case, due in Unit 4, builds on the work completed in Unit 3. The Title Page, Abstract, Outline and preliminary Reference List completed in Unit 3 will be the foundation for the continued effort in Unit 4.

For the Case Part 2, you are to complete a series of “Continuing Problems” from your textbook. Those Continuing Problems involve a series of business issues related to the “Cookie Creations” company progressive narratives in the textbook end-of-chapter resources.

 

This is the list of Continuing Problems you will complete:

Textbook’s “Continuing Problems:”

· CC  1 – page 37 In the physical text.

· CC  2 – page 83 in the physical text.

· CC  7 – Part 1, ONLY, page 366 in the physical text.

· CC  8 – Requirement (a), ONLY, page 415 in the physical text.

 

NOTE: Although not due in the Case Paper, Part 1 or 2, the following additional Continuing Problem will be included in the Unit 5 Case Part 3 PowerPoint Assignment:

 

· CC 11– page 581 in the physical text.

· You should preview the Unit 5 Assignment Instructions.

 

Special Note: The full Continuing Problem Narratives may NOT be included in the physical textbook pages. The full CC narratives can be located at the Textbook Companion Website: www.wiley.com/college/kimmel

 

The order of presentation MUST follow the grading rubric order.

Do NOT simply use short answers for the components in each CC Problem. Be thorough! Short answers do not provide the necessary analysis or critical thinking. Be sure to complete all required sections for all CC problems.

 

IMPORTANT NOTES:

4. Use the APA Template as the basis for completing your Unit 4 Assignment.

5. The final paper must be presented in a single Word document. The full paper due in Unit 4 must be between 6 to 8 pages in length, not including the title and reference list pages. The paper must use proper APA Publication Manual, 6th Edition formatting, including title page, running head, abstract and reference list with properly formatted citations in the body of the paper. Headings and sub-headings are REQUIRED.

6. The physical Textbook only supplies a portion of the complete Narrative in some CC Problems. Therefore, you MUST use the additional resources available in WileyPLUS or the Textbook Student Companion Website.

 

IMPORTANT NOTES:

8. Use the APA Template here.

9. Part 2 is an Analysis ; do NOT present an “Interview” format with “questions and answers”.

10. Do not simply provide “short-answers,” use a more formal approach in the communication style. If you do not understand the differences between formal and informal writing, please carefully review the guidance available in the Writing Center.

11. A properly formatted Title Page with Running head and an Abstract are required .

12. Do NOT include a table of contents.

13. Do NOT repeat or copy the assignment question narratives. You should use abbreviated versions of the questions as headings and sub-headings.

14. Anything that artificially increases the length of the paper but does not add value to the analysis will result in a reduced score.

15. For more specific information and guidance, please access the following resources available in the Writing Center:

h. Writing a research paper.

i. Introductions and conclusions.

j. Plagiarism prevention.

k. Formal versus informal writing.

l. Critical thinking and the writing process.

m. Before submitting your Unit 4 Case Paper, submit it to the Writing Center for “Paper Review.”

n. Using Sources (or, unoriginal content)

After you have completed the Unit 4 Case Paper, upload your Word document to the Unit 4 Assignment Dropbox before 11:59 PM (ET), on Tuesday of Unit 4.

Name your assignment filename using this format: LastName_FirstName_Unit#_AssignmentName

For example, this assignment will be named: Smith_Joan_Unit03_CasePaper Part 01

Assignments submitted late will be subject to the Late Policy described in the Syllabus.

 

Note: You may only submit your unit 4 Case Paper after the Unit 3 Case Assignment has been submitted and returned to you with feedback.

 

GB518  Unit 4 Assignment Grading Rubric
Category/Description Points Possible Points Earned Instructor Additional Comments (If necessary)
Part 1) Introduction
All elements of the introduction conform to the guidance available in the Writing Center Resources. 2   NOTE: Please review all guidance and feedback presented in the margins and within the paper.
Content effectively communicates the introductory requirements. 2    
Any additional, relevant Introductory content appropriate to the assignment. 2    
Part 2) CC 1
Recommend business form. Discuss the benefits and weaknesses of each form that Natalie might consider. 2    
Accounting information needed? What information will she need / why? How often is the information needed? 2    
Identify specific accounts that Cookie Creations use. 2    
Open a separate bank account? Why or why not? 2    
Recommendations about keeping business and personal assets separate? 2    
Part 3) CC 2
Type of information each financial statement provides? 2    
Financial statements needed to evaluate whether cash meets current liabilities? Explain. 2    
Evaluate Long-term Viability of Biscuits? Explain. 2    
Financial statements needed to evaluate Biscuits’ profitability? Explain. 2    
Where can Natalie find out whether Biscuits has outstanding debt? How can Natalie determine whether Biscuits would be able to meet its interest and debt payments on any debts it has? 2    
How could we determine if Biscuits pays dividends? 2    
What other concerns should Natalie have? 2    
Part 4) CC 7
Identify weaknesses in internal controls in the system John is recommending. 2    
Suggest any improvements if John is hired. 2    
Part 5) CC 8
What calculations needed and how will the results help? 2    
Alternatives to credit extension for 30 days? 2    
Advantages and disadvantages of credit card payment. 2    
Part 6) Conclusion Segment
Create a Conclusion segment that incorporates the guidance found in the Writing Center. 10    
Content Subtotal 50    
Analysis and Critical Thinking:
Is the page-length requirement met? NOTES:

a) The Title Page, Abstract and Reference List are required. BUT, they do are NOT included in the 6 to 8-page length requirement.

 10    
b) This is an Either/Or grading component. That is: If any page length less than 6 full pages of properly formatted analysis is presented, the score earned here is 0/10. No partial credit allowed for this component of the rubric. 5    
c) IMPORTANT NOTE: If the work product submitted is significantly less than 6 pages, additional deductions may be warranted in other rubric segments. 5    
· Concise/precise language used / Appropriate formal language?

· Economy of Expression Used?

· Elements of Critical Thinking Used. (1- Identify premises & conclusions, 2- Clarify arguments, 3- Establish facts, 4- Evaluate Logic, 5- Final evaluation).

 10    
APA Format (Sixth Edition):
For example, is all content properly cited/referenced? 8    
Is all feedback/guidance from Part 1 incorporated? 5    
Grammar / Spelling / Punctuation Formatting. 7    
Deduct Late Penalty in accordance with Syllabus if necessary.      
Final Score 100    

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Continuing Cookie Chronicle

 

CCC1 Natalie Koebel spent much of her childhood learning the art of cookie-making from her grandmother. They spent many happy hours mastering every type of cookie imaginable and later devised new recipes that were both healthy and delicious. Now at the start of her second year in college, Natalie is investigating possibilities for starting her own business as part of the entrepreneurship program in which she is enrolled.

A long-time friend insists that Natalie has to include cookies in her business plan. After a series of brainstorming sessions, Natalie settles on the idea of operating a cookie-making school. She will start on a part-time basis and offer her services in people’s homes. Now that she has started thinking about it, the possibilities seem endless. During the fall, she will concentrate on holiday cookies. She will offer group sessions (which will probably be more entertainment than education) and individual lessons. Natalie also decides to include children in her target market. The first difficult decision is coming up with the perfect name for her business. She settles on “Cookie Creations,” and then moves on to more important issues.

Instructions

(a) What form of business organization—proprietorship, partnership, or corporation— do you recommend that Natalie use for her business? Discuss the benefits and weaknesses of each form that Natalie might consider.

(b) Will Natalie need accounting information? If yes, what information will she need and why? How often will she need this information?

(c) Identify specific asset, liability, revenue, and expense accounts that Cookie Creations will likely use to record its business transactions.

(d) Should Natalie open a separate bank account for the business? Why or why not?

(e) Natalie expects she will have to use her car to drive to people’s homes and to pick up supplies, but she also needs to use her car for personal reasons. She recalls from her first-year accounting course something about keeping business and personal assets separate. She wonders what she should do for accounting purposes. What do you recommend?

 

CCC2 After investigating the different forms of business organization, Natalie Koebel decides to operate her business as a corporation, Cookie Creations Inc., and she begins the process of getting her business running.

While at a trade show, Natalie is introduced to Gerry Richards, operations manager of “Biscuits,” a national food retailer. After much discussion, Gerry asks Natalie to consider being Biscuits’ major supplier of oatmeal chocolate chip cookies. He provides Natalie with the most recent copy of the financial statements of Biscuits. He expects that Natalie will need to supply Biscuits’ Watertown warehouse with approximately 1,500 dozen cookies a week. Natalie is to send Biscuits a monthly invoice, and she will be paid approximately 30 days from the date the invoice is received in Biscuits’ Chicago office.

Natalie is thrilled with the offer. However, she has recently read in the newspaper that Biscuits has a reputation for selling cookies and donuts with high amounts of sugar and fat, and as a result, consumer demand for the company’s products has decreased.

Instructions

Natalie has several questions. Answer the following questions for Natalie.

(a) What type of information does each financial statement provide?

(b) What financial statements would Natalie need in order to evaluate whether Biscuits will have enough cash to meet its current liabilities? Explain what to look for.

(c) What financial statements would Natalie need in order to evaluate whether Biscuits will be able to survive over a long period of time? Explain what to look for.

(d) What financial statement would Natalie need in order to evaluate Biscuits’ profitability? Explain what to look for.

(e) Where can Natalie find out whether Biscuits has outstanding debt? How can Natalie determine whether Biscuits would be able to meet its interest and debt payments on any debts it has?

(f) How could Natalie determine whether Biscuits pays a dividend?

(g) In deciding whether to go ahead with this opportunity, are there other areas of concern that Natalie should be aware of?

 

CCC7 Part 1 Natalie is struggling to keep up with the recording of her accounting transactions. She is spending a lot of time marketing and selling mixers and giving her cookie classes. Her friend John is an accounting student who runs his own accounting service. He has asked Natalie if she would like to have him do her accounting.

John and Natalie meet and discuss her business. John suggests that he do the following for Natalie.

1. Hold onto cash until there is enough to be deposited. (He would keep the cash locked up in his vehicle). He would also take all of the deposits to the bank at least twice a month.

2. Write and sign all of the checks.

3. Record all of the deposits in the accounting records.

4. Record all of the checks in the accounting records.

5. Prepare the monthly bank reconciliation.

6. Transfer all of Natalie’s manual accounting records to his computer accounting program. John maintains all of the accounting information that he keeps for his clients on his laptop computer.

7. Prepare monthly financial statements for Natalie to review.

8. Write himself a check every month for the work he has done for Natalie.

Instructions

Identify the weaknesses in internal control that you see in the system that John is recommending. (Consider the principles of internal control identified in the chapter.) Can you suggest any improvements if John is hired to do Natalie’s accounting?

 

CCC8 One of Natalie’s friends, Curtis Lesperance, runs a coffee shop where he sells specialty coffees and prepares and sells muffins and cookies. He is eager to buy one of Natalie’s fine European mixers, which would enable him to make larger batches of muffins and cookies. However, Curtis cannot afford to pay for the mixer for at least 30 days. He asks Natalie if she would be willing to sell him the mixer on credit.

Natalie comes to you for advice and asks the following questions.

1. “Curtis has provided me with a set of his most recent financial statements. What calculations should I do with the data from these statements, and how will the results help me decide if I should extend credit to Curtis?”

2. “Is there an alternative other than extending credit to Curtis for 30 days?”

3. “I am thinking seriously about permitting my customers to use credit cards. What are some of the advantages and disadvantages of letting my customers pay by credit card?”

Instructions

(a) Answer Natalie’s questions.

 
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Intercultural Issues in Business and Management

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Heriot-Watt University

School of Social Sciences

Programme: IBM / BM / IBML

Course: C48IB – Intercultural Issues in Business and Management

Activity: 2nd Assignment: 2,000-word essay

You may already be quite comfortable writing essays and if so, you will have a definite feel for what works for you. If, on the other hand, you have not written academic essays before or don’t seem to be getting the marks you feel your efforts deserve, then we encourage you to follow the advice on preparation and research. The same applies to sections on structure, content and style. These sections can also serve as a basis for self-assessment – even for the experienced – before that final draft is submitted.

There is a checklist at the end – we recommend you use it!

1. Planning

· list the points you intend to cover, then try to group them according to some common factor

· summarise your answer to the question in one line, then list the evidence you have for that conclusion (strongest evidence first…?)

· start writing and see what develops

· summarise each intended paragraph in one line, and see how they relate to the question

· write a series of separate paragraphs (one for each area you want to cover), each on a separate piece of paper, and then try to order them

· leave the introduction and conclusion until you’ve written the rest of the essay (a strong favourite)

1.1 Relevance to Question

Although this may sound obvious, many essays lose marks for containing material that is simply irrelevant. Make sure that you read the essay question thoroughly and are sure about what it asks for before you start the reading for the essay. While you are reading, bear in mind what sort of material you are looking for in order to address the assigned topic. Even if you do come across a lot of interesting material when researching for your essay, be selective. Interesting material won’t gain you extra marks unless it is relevant.

Remember that relevance does not only apply to the material you use, but also the way that you use it. Summarising each relevant research area for an essay does not constitute an answer: you have to orient the material you use towards the assigned topic. Part of what you need to learn consists of relationships among ideas.

It is also a good policy to check your final draft with this in mind. Read each paragraph and ask yourself whether it addresses the topic. It is all too easy to drift away from the point.

2. STRUCTURE

An important skill of essay writing is learning how to structure what you want to say. All essays should have an introduction and a conclusion. In most cases, this will be your first and last paragraphs respectively. The order of parts in an essay is often prescribed or logically dictated by the contents. The following order of parts is suggested:

· Title page with word count stated
· Introduction (10% of word count recommended, i.e. 180-200 words)

In your introduction,

· Contextualise the topic (why it is relevant, latest developments, current importance, different opinions).

· (in the case of a quote as the essay question: relevant information about the author, publication and date).

· Identify the focus and the purpose of the essay.

· Explain how your essay is going to progress (different parts).

· State what argument you intend to follow ‘This essay will suggest that…’

Make sure the transitions between these points are smooth. Avoid presenting them as if they were bullet points.

· Body of the Essay (80% of word count recommended, i.e. 1,500-1,600 words). This consists of:

· Theoretical framework (approx. 200-300 words)

The theoretical framework aims at identifying most relevant theories linked to the topic under discussion and also at clarifying the meaning of the crucial concepts involved. This is where you provide definitions of the concepts you are using – do not use dictionaries for definitions, but academic sources! Your course reading list is the first port of call.

· Argumentation (approx. 1,300-1,400 words)

· Orderly progression: A well-structured essay should consist of a series of paragraphs which progress logically through the series of points that you intend to cover. Obviously, the difficult part is working out what that order should be. In essence, an essay is an argument, so your structure should be based on what your argument is.

· Establish first the main issues to be discussed (and explain why you believe them to be the most relevant).

· Explain and analyse your arguments. Make sure you have selected the appropriate sources for your arguments and make sure you reference them properly.

· Critically evaluate. You must take into account conflicting ideas, evidence and information, in order to be critical. Critical evaluation is crucial for your essay. Remember that good essays don’t just give evidence for their point of view, but also demonstrate why opposing views are flawed. Imagine a reader, then try to predict their objections to your argument, and then demonstrate why they are wrong. You may not be the first to make these connections, but that doesn’t make them any less valid or interesting. This shows the person reading your essay that you have engaged with the topic, and really thought about it, rather than just regurgitating what you read in the course textbook.

· Quotations: Don’t quote for the sake of quoting. You should only use a quotation when you are unable to say it better, not just because you can’t be bothered to summarise a point of view! For example, if an author has summed up their argument in one pithy phrase, then it might be worth repeating. If you do use quotations, they should be enclosed in quote marks ‘like this’. Longer quotations – if absolutely necessary – may also be set off from the main body of the text, slightly indented and perhaps in a slightly smaller type size. All quotations should always be referenced by author, date and page number!

In a 2nd year level essay, you should look around to see whether anyone else has already made an argument which you believe you have been the first to work out.

Reading through some other books/papers, in addition to, say, the two or three that everyone else is using, is also likely to help you to gain a wider perspective on the question you are studying. All published academic works contain bibliographies which can point you to other papers. Use the on-line library catalogue to search for the books held by the University Library. In some areas, the Social Science Citation Index (SSCI), now available from the University Library on-line (via Web of Knowledge, for example), will allow you to search for any publication mentioned in the bibliography of any journal article. It will also let you search for any publication citing your target article in its bibliography. The Librarians at the service desk will be happy to advise you.

You are encouraged to always stick to academic sources and official websites, and avoid popular accounts of ideas, including those appearing on unofficial websites on the Internet (including Wikipedia).

· Conclusion (10% of word count recommended, i.e., 180-200 words)

Your essay should have a definite ending, in the form of a conclusion. Here you should summarise what it is that you have said in your essay, stating what your answer to the question is and why. Often, there is no simple answer (which is why you are writing an essay, and not a two-mark answer on a class test), so you should state what the complexities of the issue are. You may feel that you are repeating yourself, as the body of your essay should have made your argument clear already, but the reader will appreciate a good summary. Do not offer any new arguments in the conclusion.

· Reference list

Lastly, you should provide a list of references at the end of the essay. This list is not included in the word count. The list of references presents all the in-text citations in alphabetical order by author’s last name.

There is no set number of references you need to use (although 10-15 would be appropriate), but you need to use a combination of books, academic journals and other relevant and reliable sources. Please see referencing guidelines below!

3. LENGTH

Length (2,000 words, ±10%). Please state the word count on your title page.

Use this requirement to gauge the level of detail, and degree of coverage that is expected. Being able to extract what is important about a particular paper, and summarise it, is an invaluable skill that can be applied in all kinds of real-world situations (to use the jargon, it is a “transferable skill”). Note that markers will penalize essays which are too long. Keeping to the limit tells the marker that you understand what is important in your argument.

4. PRESENTATION AND STYLE.

Presentation

Although there is no strict convention on layout, do consider how the essay looks on the page. Several studies have shown that presentation does have a subconscious effect on markers, even when they’re not explicitly marking on that criterion.

It is recommended to use headed sections referring to the different parts of the essay, as explained in these guidelines (Introduction, Theoretical Framework, Argumentation and Conclusion).

All essays should be double-spaced.

Style

What constitutes “good style” is one of the hardest things to state explicitly, and is perhaps the criterion most open to personal variation, but there are some points that you should bear in mind. One important thing to remember is that you are writing an academic essay, and as such, this requires a reasonably formal style of writing. This does not mean that you should be obscure, or use impossibly long sentences with multisyllabic words, but you should avoid being overly colloquial.

More importantly, you should:

· Be explicit. Remember that you should be writing your essay for someone who has a general background in the general subject area, but doesn’t necessarily specialise in that particular topic. Also, don’t leave the reader to infer your conclusions: state them explicitly.

· Use signposts. Make your essay easier to read by being explicit about your essay structure, e.g. ‘As it has been argued previously…’

· Avoid long sentences. Be wary of convoluted syntactic structures: they might be fun to analyse, but they can be difficult to read. Go for short sentences: if you have a sentence more than three or four lines long, then it probably needs to be broken into simpler structures.

· Avoid long paragraphs Try to avoid writing paragraphs more than 15 lines long. Long blocks of text have a negative subconscious effect on the reader. Of course, sometimes points take more space to make, but if you find yourself writing a long paragraph, ask yourself: Should I break this point in to sub-points? You could then connect the sub-points with linking sentences at the beginning and/or end of each of the smaller paragraphs.

Stylistic conventions

A few stylistic points are listed below. Use your own judgment: don’t use complicated structures simply to avoid these forms, but don’t deliberately wave the red flag if you don’t have to. Your tests should be ‘Does it sound awkward?’ and ‘Is my meaning clear?’

· Use of the First Person In any academic writing, the usage of I is generally inappropriate (although this in itself is a debated point). For the purposes of this essay, use passive sentences to convey the same meaning (i.e., ‘as it has been explained before’ instead of ‘as I explained before’; ‘it could be argued’ instead of ‘I should argue’.

· Masculine Generic Terms The use of masculine generic terms such as man and he to refer to both males and females is now avoided in most academic writing. A useful alternative to generic he is to use plural constructions that will permit the use of they.

· Poor spelling, reasonably or not, gives the impression of carelessness and laziness.  Your essay will be word processed, so use the spell checker.  But don’t rely on it exclusively – many common typos (such as that for than) can slip through if you do. Take the time to proofread your essay carefully as well.

5. REFERENCES.

Referencing is most important in academic writing. Here are some pointers that can help you understand why academic referencing is important:

Credit the work: When an idea is taken from the text of any other writer or author then you must cite the source to provide credibility to that author’s work. Through referencing you could easily credit the work of authors.

Proof: References are a sort of proof that allows the readers to consult the sources in case of confusions or further discussion. By referencing you allow the readers to verify the information that has been taken from the source.

Plagiarism: You will develop your opinions by researching about the topic of the assignment. The ideas which are taken from the work of other writers and authors must be cited accurately. Submitting the paper without adding citation to the main body of the paper may result in plagiarism. To keep yourself away from the plagiarism accusation you must cite the sources accurately (see referencing guidelines).

Heriot-Watt students now have access to Cite Them Right Online – a web-based citing & referencing resource from Palgrave MacMillan Higher Education. Use it to find out how to reference sources ranging from a printed book to a live performance in a number of different styles (Harvard, APA, MLA, Vancouver). Please note that Heriot-Watt favours Harvard system of referencing.

The site also has information on the basics of referencing, top 10 referencing tips, understanding plagiarism and lots more. An accompanying textbook called ‘Cite Them Right’ is also available in the library. For more information, see:

https://www.hw.ac.uk/services/information-skills.htm

http://www.citethemrightonline.com /

https://www.hw.ac.uk/schools/social-sciences/documents/Programme_Handbook_201718.pdf  (p. 10).

6. CHECKLIST

· Have I used the Course Cover page? (On Vision)

· Are my name, student number etc. on it?

· Is the word length OK? Have I stated it on the title page?

· Has the spelling been checked?

· Is the list of references correct?

· Is all cited material referenced?

· Are any handwritten symbols, diagrams, etc. correctly inserted?

· If someone read my introduction would they have a rough idea of the body of the essay?

· Does the conclusion encapsulate the main arguments of my essay?

· Were any of my arguments unsubstantiated or biased?

· If I changed anything while going through this checklist did I start again at the top of the checklist?

7. OTHER SOURCES (Only URL. All accessed September 2017)

http://www.internationalstudent.com/essay_writing/essay_tips/

http://www2.le.ac.uk/offices/ld/resources/writing/writing-resources/writing-essays

http://writingcenter.fas.harvard.edu/pages/essay-structure

C48IB essay guidelines 2017/18

 
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BSBINN601 Lead And Manage Organizational Change

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BSBINN601 Lead And Manage Organizational Change – Assessment 1 Last Updated: July 2016, Version No. 1

Page 1 of 6

Task 01: Identify change requirements (Written Report)

Submission details

The Assessment Task is due on the date specified by your trainer. Any variations to this arrangement must be approved in writing by your trainer.

Submit this document with any required evidence attached. See specifications below for details.

You must submit both printed copy and soft copy of your answers in a word document.

Submit the printed copy of required evidences (your answers) to your Trainer with the “Assessment Cover Sheet” (Filled out and signed appropriately) attached on top of your documents.

Upload the softcopy on the link provide in the eLearning site.

The Trainer/Assessor may further prompt and question in order to receive answers of appropriate quality or if further clarification required and to validate authenticity of your submitted work.

 

Word limit: Word limit for answering this task is minimum 1000 words

 

 

 

 

BSBINN601 Lead And Manage Organizational Change – Assessment 1 Last Updated: July 2016, Version No. 1

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Assessment description

Using the company information supplied, the candidate will identify strategic change needs, review existing policy, monitor trends in the external environment that impact on organisation’s objectives, identify operational change objectives, prioritise change requirements and consult experts or specialists to assist in identification of change requirements and opportunities. The candidate will then write a report to management outlining the change requirements.

Procedure

1. Review the scenario information provided (in the Appendix of this task) for Fast Track Couriers.

2. Prepare to write a report on change requirements for Fast Track by following steps 3–10 below.

3. Analyse the organisational objectives provided in the scenario to identify the change requirements for

Fast Track Couriers:

a. Identify requirements for change

b. prepare an explanation of how your identified change needs link to the organisation’s strategic

plan goal/s.

4. Review the organisation’s current state to understand how the current policies, practices and

operations deliver against the organisation’s strategic goals.

1. Review the organisation’s performance against objectives with regards to its:

a. people

b. processes

c. technology

d. structure.

5. Monitor external trends to identify events or trends which may impact on the achievement of the

organisation’s strategic plan goals:

a. identify two external trends

b. develop an explanation of how the trends currently impact or will impact organisational

objectives .

6. Identify major operational change requirements:

a. identify changes due to performance gaps

b. identify changes due to business opportunities

c. identify changes due to threats

d. identify changes due to management decisions.

7. Identify specialists to be consulted to assist with identifying change needs:

a. identify specialists you will engage to help identify change requirements and be prepared to

explain your reasons for engaging these specialists

 

 

 

BSBINN601 Lead And Manage Organizational Change – Assessment 1 Last Updated: July 2016, Version No. 1

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b. identify what consulting model you would adopt to engage the specialists and be prepared to

explain why you would use this model.

8. Assume your assessor is a specialist/expert of the kind you have identified in step 7. Consult with your

assessor to assist with identification of change management requirements and opportunities.

9. Identify the managers that need to be informed. Prepare a plan that identifies who, when and how

stakeholder managers will be engaged to review and prioritise change requirements.

10. Assume your assessor is a manager you have identified. Consult with your assessor to review the

changes you propose and to help you prioritise changes. Suggest and justify the priority you have

assigned to each change you recommend.

11. Prepare a 3–4 page report detailing change requirements for the organisation. Include all of the

information you identified and explanations that you prepared in steps 3–10.

12. Submit all documents to your assessor as per the specifications below. Ensure you keep a copy of all

work submitted for your records.

 

Task Specifications

You must provide:

 One report detailing change requirements for the simulated organisation.

Your assessor will be looking for:

 A 3–A4 page report including all information identified in the procedure above

 knowledge of the impact of external trends on organisational change

 knowledge of specific organisational requirements

 learning skills to incorporate new ideas into your report on change requirements

 planning skills to organise engagement with manager stakeholders

 teamwork skills to consult with relevant people for input

 verbal communication skills to describe, support, and negotiate change requirements and priorities with stakeholders.

 

 

 

 

BSBINN601 Lead And Manage Organizational Change – Assessment 1 Last Updated: July 2016, Version No. 1

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Appendix

Fast Track Couriers Pty Ltd

 

Task

It is the end of the 2011 financial year. You are an external change management consultant employed by Fast Track Couriers. You have been asked by the General Manager to prepare a report to identify opportunities and requirements for change for the organisation in the coming year.

You have been given some information about the organisation and the organisation’s strategic goals. Specific operational and human resources goals were developed to support the strategic goals.

The strategic goals were developed as a result of external market research indicating an opportunity for Fast Track Couriers to build market share in Sydney. The business has the opportunity to increase Sydney market share by 7.5% on the back increased efficiency and shorter delivery times from larger truck fleet and improved distribution systems.

You have also been given some information about employees and some background information regarding the organisation’s workforce relations.

Before submitting the final report, you will need to review your proposed changes with all relevant manager stakeholders. The General Manager is very concerned about identifying change requirements in close consultation with key management stakeholders within the organisation in order to ensure the least resistance to implementation.

 

 

 

 

BSBINN601 Lead And Manage Organizational Change – Assessment 1 Last Updated: July 2016, Version No. 1

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About Fast Track Couriers

Fast Track Couriers is a courier company that has been operating in New South Wales for the last 15 years. Its primary business function is delivering medium to large size packages across metropolitan Sydney.

 

Strategic plan goals

The organisation’s strategic goals are:

 to expand business in the metropolitan area so that small to medium package deliveries market share increases by 7.5%

 to develop an integrated approach to distribution management utilising technology such as PDA devices and GPS

 to develop and maintain a cohesive and well-motivated workforce.

Strategic goals are supported by the following operational and human resources goals.

Operational plan goals

 Testing of the distribution management system is to cease and allow implementation within the first quarter of the 2012 financial year.

 The truck fleet will need to be expanded by 8 trucks within the 2012 financial year.

Human resources goals:

 To incorporate a Human Resources function to facilitate the changes in workforce management in the first quarter of the 2012 financial year.

 Introduce professional development and training to achieve organisational goals and promote understanding of organisation’s strategic goals in the first quarter of the 2012 financial year.

 Eliminate industrial relations problems in the 2012 financial year. Conclude negotiations with employees and union.

 Eliminate lifting injuries.

Employee profile

Fast Track Couriers employee the following people:

 General manager (GM) – Generally on the road; never in office.

 Chief financial officer (CFO) – Reports to GM and keeps office hours; 9–5, Mon–Fri.

 Accountant – Reports to CFO and keeps office hours; 9–5, Mon–Fri.

 Truck drivers (x20) – Report to office.

 Office team manager – Reports to GM and keeps office hours; 9–5, Mon–Fri.

 Office team members (x5) – Perform administrative, sales, customer relationship management duties. Monitor truck drivers and handle enquiries. Report to office team manager.

Head office employees

 Covered under individual contracts.

 Salary range $32,000–$75,000 annum.

 Small team of mainly female employees, ranging in age.

 Lots of opportunity to participate in learning and development programs due to management support; however little desire to participate.

 High employee engagement scores. Employees cite team work and opportunities as motivating factors affecting the business success.

 

 

 

BSBINN601 Lead And Manage Organizational Change – Assessment 1 Last Updated: July 2016, Version No. 1

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Drivers

 Covered by an award.

 Salary $45,000 per annum.

 Heavily unionised.

 Employee demographics are all male employees aged 25–65.

 Little opportunity to participate in learning and development programs due to being on the road; however, little to no interest to participate in development opportunities.

 Large number of workplace injuries due to heavy lifting.

 Low employee engagement scores. Drivers cite pay as an issue.

 Currently experiencing low turnover.

 History of industrial disputes regarding pay and previous change initiatives.

 

Background to workforce management and relations

The company communicates with employees via email for head office employees and a printed monthly newsletter for drivers. The company provides information regarding policies procedures through documented manuals that are held in each truck as an employee manual. Office-based staff can access copies of these manuals at the office.

All trucks are fitted with a GPS system to assist drivers with navigating to each pick up and drop off location. Trucks are also assigned a PDA that provides drivers with the details of each pick up and drop off and records when a job starts and finishes. The data from this device is sent back to head office to monitor job progress but is not used to complete productivity reporting. When this device was introduced, drivers were not happy as they felt the organisation was saying that it did not trust the drivers to manually record the time spent on each job. Many of the drivers also resented having to learn how to use the device and thought it was a waste of time.

Head office employees work very closely together and are a very cohesive and motivated team. They are positive about the organisation’s direction and respond well to change.

Drivers have historically reacted negatively to change. Change implemented in the past has met with resistance and was therefore difficult to implement. Drivers have in the past done their best to block any changes from being implemented, even going to the lengths of threatening strike action and having the union involved to assist with resolving the issue.

Fast Track Couriers currently allocates two drivers per truck to ensure that drivers are able to load and unload heavy packages. The strategy going forward is to remove the need for having two drivers per truck by installing an automatic lift gate on the back of each gate at a cost of $10,000 per truck. This will mean that only one driver is needed per truck as no heavy lifting will be required.

It is Fast Track Couriers intention to use these surplus drivers to drive the new trucks that will be purchased to enable the company to extend its services to regional NSW.

Drivers are currently happy with the work environment as they enjoy working as part of a two-man team. The organisation typically leaves the drivers alone and lets them do their job as this is what seems to make them happy. Management has tried in the past to have drivers participate in organisational activities. These activities were not received positively and the drivers complained and asked not to be involved. The drivers’ view is that their preferred team is their two-man driver team and they only see the benefits of that specific working arrangement. There is a high value placed on communication with trucking team members.

 
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Discuss The Primary Factors That Motivate Companies To Expand Internationally.

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Discuss the primary factors that motivate companies to expand internationally.

main post 300words min  with 2 APA references

reply post 150 words min

Reply classmate post:

Discuss the primary factors that motivate companies to expand internationally.

1. Culture

The cultural difference can be crucial   to consider when expanding globally. Understanding the culture and it needs come to play when expanding internationally as the businesses cannot ignore the needs to the new market, the community and what they value. It would be neglecting to underestimate the effects of cultural differences. The businesses need to invest a considerate amount of time and energy to pursue an overseas venture to be able to achieve their business goals and get a share in the local market.

2. Legal and regulatory barriers

Legal and regulatory barriers can be a big barrier for the business who are expanding in international markets. This can be due to the sensitivity of the product that is planned to be served, the regulations of the current government, and the business’s flexibility around navigating around these factors.

It is very crucial to invest time and budget on legal counsel before even planning to expand overseas. It could be seen a costly action; however, it would be more expensive to expand in a new market and not being able to sustain the business.

3. Foreign government consideration

In addition to legal and regulatory barriers, the economical flexibility and the stability of the local government play a big role in the success of the international business. Here are a few aspects to consider are:

  • Currency exchange rates
  • Access to needed resources and materials
  • Communication and transportation options
  • Government assistance programs for businesses
  • Immigration and Employment Laws

4. Business case

It is important that the services of the business respond to the challenges of the new market. To be able to make this judgment, here are some of the strategies to consider:

  • Perform a market study to understand the market’s personality, economic feasibility, market trends, financial cost patterns, and market forecasts
  • Do a financial feasibility study to determine if the move makes financial sense
  • Look into Partnership and liaison relationship development to get the know-how on the local market and the consumer behavior

Reference:

Abner, B. (February 2015). 4 considerations before taking your business international. Retrieved from https://www.bizjournals.com/bizjournals/how-to/growth-strategies/2015/02/considerations-for-taking-your-business-global.html

 
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