MSM7051 International Business Strategy Assignment Brief Semester 2, 2024-25 | CMU

MSM7051 Task/Assessment Brief:

Reflective Journal – Portfolio

There are two elements of PORT1: a reflective journal (Summative part of the assessment) and a group presentation (Formative part of the assessment). For reflective journal entries, students need to reflect upon their learning every week, with the final submission of their reflective journal at the end of the module (100 words per week). Your reflection should be structured according to themes such as why companies internationalise, how they internationalise, how they manage their operations, how they transfer their competitive advantage abroad, etc. You are not required to discuss what reflective reporting is; instead, you should discuss your learning from this module.

The group presentation should focus on the WRIT1 topics, such as the choice of a particular foreign market entry strategy and the management of the company’s foreign operations (for further details, see Assessment Brief). Formative feedback will be provided on the group presentation in week 10. This feedback should help students improve their summative submission of WRIT1 (individual report).

PORT1 element of the assessment captures not only the research done by students but also helps students develop a range of cognitive and transferable skills, which they have developed throughout the module delivery, such as acquisition of new knowledge, critical analysis of the situation or scenario, problem-solving, developing persuasive arguments, and developing self-confidence.

The work is to be fully referenced throughout and should contain a complete and correctly Harvard-cited list of references. 

The marking rubric for this work is supplied, setting out the criteria against which this work will be evaluated, and the relative weight these criteria elements have in deciding your final grade. Please note that country evaluations will be largely descriptive elements within this work, and that the more analytical and evaluative content will be in the ‘recommendation and justification’ sections. Make sure that you balance your work appropriately. You must stick to the 1,200-word limit of this assessment.

Academic or Technical Terms Explained:

In this work, you are required to critically evaluate knowledge and/or situations.

“An assignment question that asks you to critically evaluate something is seeking a balanced debate. Your answer should consider the positive aspects of the argument or debate alongside the negative aspects.

There is a specific rationale for asking you to consider both. Very often, when first reading about a theory or a concept, the response is to form a value judgement; that is, to either agree or disagree. However, by thinking of both sides of the debate, both good and bad, you develop and refine your analytical skills. These skills are important as they form the foundation for robust problem solving and decision making. Other useful terms are explained below.

Analyse    

Break an issue into its constituent parts. Look in depth at each part using supporting arguments and evidence for and against, as well as how these interrelate to one another.

Critically Evaluate

Give your verdict as to what extent a statement or findings within a piece of research are true, or to what extent you agree with them. Provide evidence taken from a wide range of sources that both agree with and contradict an argument. Conclude, basing your decision on what you judge to be the most important factors and justify how you have made your choice.

Explore    

Adopt a questioning approach and consider a variety of different viewpoints. Where possible, reconcile opposing views by presenting a final line of argument.

Identify    

Determine what the key points to be addressed are and the implications thereof.

Interpret

Demonstrate your understanding of an issue or topic. This can be the use of terminology by an author, or what the findings from a piece of research suggest to you. In the latter instance, comment on any significant patterns and causal relationships.

Justify

Make a case by providing a body of evidence to support your ideas and points of view. To present a balanced argument, consider opinions that may run contrary to your own before stating your conclusion.

Outline    

Convey the main points, emphasising global structures and interrelationships rather than minute detail.

Review    

Look thoroughly into a subject. This should be a critical assessment and not merely descriptive.

Summarise 

Give a condensed version, drawing out the main facts and omitting superfluous information. Brief or general examples will normally suffice for this kind of answer.

MSM7051 Assessment Criteria

MSM7051 Learning Outcomes Assessed

This assessment evaluates all Learning Outcomes (1-6) as set out in the Module Descriptor. (see Module Descriptor for details)

L1: To identify and analyse the opportunities and risks 
L2: Develop and use strategic decision-making skills
L3: Learn about international business theories, frameworks, and strategic choices 
L4: Critically assess the relevance of internationalisation theories to practice
L5: Understand the motivating forces behind different foreign market entry decisions and evaluate the appropriateness of each entry method in a range of circumstances.
L6: Demonstrate critical understanding of how international business operations work.

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Other skills/attributes Developed

This includes elements of the Cardiff Met EDGE (Ethical, Digital, Global and Entrepreneurial skills) and other attributes developed in students through the completion of the module and assessment. These will also be highlighted in the module guidance, which should be read by all students completing the module. Assessments are not just a way of auditing student knowledge. They are a process that provides additional learning and development through the preparation for and completion of the assessment.

This module will provide students with the tools, techniques and competencies to enhance their academic learning, professional and personal development. Through PORT1, the module is designed to enhance a wide range of transferable skills, such as presentation, data collection, project management, and self-management. There is also the opportunity within this module to develop a wide range of soft skills, recognise the importance of differences of opinion, and the need to explain things as professionally as possible. Cardiff Met EDGE (Ethical, Digital, Global and Entrepreneurial skills) is the focus of this module, and students can develop these skills through the completion of the module and assessments.

MSM7051 Marking/Assessment Criteria