MMM306 – Global Strategy and International Management

MMM306 – Global Strategy and International ManagementIn today’s world, sustainability has become one of the most important issues that organizations face, and it isplacing increased pressure on all goods-producing and service-providing organizations worldwide’ (Collier & Evans,2013, p. 17)1.TASK:Select an Australian business organization of your choice (or an international business organization with a sizeableAustralian presence). It can be either a service or a manufacturing business or a combination of both. Write a 3000-word research report critically analysing the key sustainability aspects of the organization’s current supply chain. Inyour write-up, you are expected to demonstrate appropriate understanding and usage of relevant supply chainmanagement (SCM) theory, concepts, tools and techniques covered in the weekly lectures and prescribed readings.Your submitted report should specifically address the following:1. Provide a brief descriptive profile of your chosen business organization clearly rationalizing your choice;2. Provide a detailed description of the current SCM practices of the organization;3. Provide a detailed description of the sustainability management practices of the organization;4. Provide a critical appraisal of the extent to which you perceive a match between 2 & 3, and gaps if any;5. Provide a set of recommendations to improve the match between current SCM & sustainability practices.ASSIGNMENT PARTICULARS:NOTE THAT THIS IS AN INDIVIDUAL ASSESSMENT TASK: PLEASE DO NOT WORK IN GROUPS FOR THIS ASSESSMENT.Submission due: Online via designated Assignment 1 drop box on CloudDeakin by 11.59pm Monday, 05/09/16.Allotted marks: This assignment is worth 40 marks and is worth 40% of the total assessments in this unit.Word limit: 3,000 words maximum (+/- 10% allowance, excluding tables, figures, references and appendices).1Collier, D. A & Evans J. R, (2013), OM 2012-2013, Australia: Cengage Learning Australia, Second Edition.References – academic and non-academic sources:You must reference a minimum of six (6) academic/scholarly sources. These can include academic journal articles orchapters from academic books (including your textbook). Academic journals can be found by conducting a search ofthe Deakin Library academic databases.Much of the information regarding your selected organizations required can be obtained from only non-academic(sometimes identified as professional or industry) sources. This is often the only way to find out up-to-dateinformation about a business or organization. Any non-academic sources, if used, must be included in yourReferences list, but these will NOT be counted as part of your academic/scholarly sources.Following are some of the suggested non-academic sources:Organization web sites:– Annual Reports– Annual Reviews– Media Releases– Stock Market AnalysisCredible media websites (including but not limited to):– The Age– The Australian– The Australian Financial Review (AFR)– The ABC– Business Review Weekly (BRW)Non-academic sources:Deakin Library Homepage: →click on a-z databases and type the database name, choosing from these excellentoptions:– IBIS World (industry market reports and company research)– Factiva (articles in the media)– Newsbank– Informit (TV news broadcasts)– Informit Ed TV (documentaries)– Library Press Display (Australia – recent newspapers and magazines)Any other non-academic sources (please give details if used)Citations and references: all ideas from reading sources must be correctly cited and referenced using the Deakinauthor-date (Harvard) system.Formatting:– Font: Size 12 Times New Roman, Calibri or Arial– Line spacing: 1.5, no indentation, but one extra line spacing between paragraphs– Margins of 2.54 cm– Headings and sub-headings– Alphanumeric or decimal outline/numbering system up to three levels for sections– Page numbers: Roman numbering and Arabic numbering used appropriately– Header and/or footer: student name, ID number, unit code and assessment task nameStructure:This is an academic case study and must therefore adopt an analytical and critical perspective. You need to researchyour selected organization thoroughly, demonstrate a sound grasp of the current literature on SCM, and draw froma range of theoretical frameworks and concepts from your textbook/lecture materials/external research to informand underpin your analysis. This critical analysis then flows on to the specific recommendations that you make.– Title Page– Table of Content– List of Illustrations– Executive Summary– Background– Introduction– Body– Conclusion– Recommendations– ReferencesASSIGNMENT SUBMISSION INSTRUCTIONS:1. Students are required to submit their assignment (in MS Word) online in the CloudDeakin drop-box.2. Students MUST ensure the following: a. The paper is typed, with 1.5 line spacingb. Page numbers are includedc. We operate on absolute deadlines in this unit, which means that if you miss the submission date your work willNOT be assessed. We DO NOT operate on an x% per day reduction policy, so please do make careful note of this.3. No extensions will be granted for without the approval of the Unit Chair. If you believe you have circumstancesbeyond your control that make you eligible to apply for an extension, you must apply directly to the Unit Chair, viae-mail and before the due date for assignment submission. Supporting documentation must be provided.ASSIGNMENT RESULTS:Your results and assessor’s comments will normally become available to you after 15 business days from thenotified submission due date (unless an extension has been granted). The papers are assessed using a rubric andmarks can be accessed via CloudDeakin. A notification will be posted when the marks are available.Please note that before results are returned to students, the unit team will moderate the marking process to ensurethat the same marking standards are applied to all students within the unit. We do our utmost to ensure completeequity in the results, but should you wish to have your mark reviewed then you are able to do so via the Facultyupon completion of the unit. We do not undertake in-trimester reviews. When making the request for the Facultywill not accept a review based on statements like “I think I deserve more marks” or “I disagree with the mark” –getting a disappointing mark is not deemed a sufficient ground for a review request.Plagiarism and other forms of cheating:Plagiarism occurs when a student presents the work of another person as the student’s own work, or includes theideas of others as quotations, summaries or paraphrases, without acknowledgement as to its authorship.Collusion occurs when a student obtains the agreement of another person for a fraudulent purpose with the intentof obtaining an advantage in submitting an assignment or other work.Assignments may be checked for plagiarism (via Turnitin) and disciplinary procedures will be initiated if anystudent’s work is found to include plagiarism (i.e., penalties will be imposed relative to the degree of infringement.Please see Plagiarism and Collusion Policy, and Academic Misconduct Policy on the Portal under Forms).Plagiarism is the copying of another person’s ideas or expressions without appropriate acknowledgment andpresenting these ideas or forms of expression as your own. It includes not only written works such as books orjournals but data or images that may be presented in tables, diagrams, designs, plans, photographs, film, music,formulae, web sites and computer programs. Plagiarism also includes the use of (or passing off) the work oflecturers or other students as your own.Plagiarism is a form of cheating that Deakin University regards as an extremely serious academic offence. Thepenalties associated with plagiarism are severe and extend from cancelling all marks for the specific assessmentitem or for the entire unit through to exclusion from your course.It is important to realise, however, that it is certainly not cheating to use the work of others in your essay. On thecontrary – a well-constructed essay should normally refer to and build on the work of others for positioning,supporting and strengthening your work and advancing knowledge. Plagiarism occurs when due recognition andacknowledgement of the work of others is not provided. Therefore, whenever you are using another person’sresearch or ideas (whether by direct quotation or by paraphrasing) you must appropriately cite the source. If youare ever in doubt about the most appropriate form of referencing, you should consult your lecturer or the AcademicSkills Advisor. Talking about your assignment with other students is acceptable and encouraged. However, jointlywriting up the assignment, or using the same written words from your discussion, is a form of cheating because weare not able to identify whose idea the information is. Unauthorised collaboration involves working with others withthe intention of deceiving examiners about who actually completed the work. If there has been any collaboration inpreparing individual assessment items, this must be disclosed (clearly stated that it is a joint effort). In the case ofgroup project work, lecturers provide guidelines on what level of collaboration is appropriate and how the work ofeach participant in the project is to be presented. If you have any doubt about what constitutes authorised andunauthorised collaboration you should consult your lecturer or the Academic Skills Advisor.Writing and referencing skills:In this assignment students have the opportunity to demonstrate their understanding ofoperations management through a practical and realistic review of organizational practice inrelation to the taught theory.Researching, writing and referencing are valuable management skills. Effective writing is anessential skill for good managers because written documents provide busy executives withaccurate information and appropriately informed viewpoints from reliable sources.Students are also expected to be constructively critical and analytical when writing about whatthey have read. This ensures that the conclusions drawn are not biased, and that presented casestudy has objectively reviewed the issues under consideration.Please note that all ideas within your essay which have been obtained from your sources, willneed to be cited and referenced using the Harvard system. It is highly recommended that youobtain and use the following booklet:Gaspar, M. & Shepherd, M. (2009). Guide to assignment writing and referencing, 4th ed.,Geelong, Deakin University.