This assessment comprises four online tests or quizzes. From Week Three to Week Six (inclusive), students will be required to complete one online quiz each week. The quizzes will comprise ten questions for each quiz. The maximum each quiz can contribute to the final result in the Unit is 5%. Students will have 20 minutes to complete each quiz. The quiz questions will test a student's understanding of the readings, lecture content and tutorial activities covering (but not limited to) management theories presented (e.g. Mintzberg’s Management Roles), the local and global business environment, business themes such as sustainability, technology and innovation. The quizzes will also cover the different forms of business ownership, such as, Sole Proprietorships, Partnerships, Corporations, Not-for-Profit and Cooperatives. In summary, the primary purpose of this assessment is to examine a students’ ability to review what has been learned, develop a student's confidence and to encourage students to engage early with the Unit and its learning materials. The quiz(zes) can be accessed from the 'Assessment block' in moodle.

Quizzes will be available for completion by students at the following times. Once a quiz closes it cannot be reopened for any reason.

Each quiz has 10 questions and each correct answer earns 0.5 marks. Consequently, the mark received by the student for each quiz is out of 5. This corresponds to the weighting for each quiz as 5% of the overall weighting for the Unit. The maximum mark that can be received for completing all four quizzes correctly is 20. The weighting for Assessment One (the Online Quizzes), in relation to the final result for the entire Unit, is 20%.

Please allow 20 minutes to attempt the quiz(zes). Students must access the quiz at least 20 minutes before the closing time of each quiz.

The purpose of this assessment item is to assess your ability to write an essay that demonstrates your critical thinking and communication skills. You are required to find, then read the following peer reviewed journal article:

Miller, D & Lee. J. (2001). The people make the process: Commitment to employees, decision making, and performance. Journal of Management 27(2) 163-189. https://doi.org/10.1177/014920630102700203

You are then asked to write a 1500-word Academic Essay answering the following topic question –

Managers are often quoted as having said “Our people make the difference". Do you believe that the peer reviewed scholarly literature from 2011 to 2018 builds a business case for managers to engage employees as a way to boost business performance?"

You are expected to demonstrate the critical thinking skills you have developed in tutorial (Zoom sessions for Distance students) to assess evidence and put forward an argument regarding employee engagement and business performance.

In writing this essay, you are also required to demonstrate your critical thinking and information literacy skills by including six peer reviewed scholarly journals to support your argument to pass this criteria in their 'Reference List'. It is recommended that you review the rubric for this assessment before starting on your Assessment.

CONTENT: Does your submission demonstrate:

1. Evidence of your critical thinking in arguing for or against the proposition that organisational performance can be boosted through employee engagement. 10 marks

2. Evidence of your critical thinking of the impact of this proposition in the global business environment. 10 marks

3. At least six (6) peer reviewed scholarly journal articles are to be used to support your argument and referenced in-text to pass this criteria. 5 marks

DOCUMENT: Does your written expression and formatting demonstrate:

4. Use of written communication skills including choices made regarding appropriate structure to essay (introduction, body, conclusion) and use of formal tone, length (approx. 1500 words), word choice, expression, grammar, punctuation and correct spelling using Australian English. 10 marks

5. Strict conformity to the exact requirements of the CQU APA Referencing Guide (in-text References are to be used throughout, as appropriate, and a reference list must be provided).5 marks

Total marks 40

The purpose of this assessment item is to assess students’ ability to: 

Part A. Prepare a Powerpoint presentation; and

Part B. Write a reflective essay that requires analysis and evaluation, and draw on scholarly sources that are referenced appropriately.

Your Powerpoint presentation will focus on the Australian Stock Exchange listed AGL Energy Ltd (ASX: AGL). Part A of the assessment should be written in the third person passive style apart from your introduction slide. The senior management team of AGL would like the following addressed in your Powerpoint presentation.

• A slide introducing yourself to AGL (one slide only);

• A summarised history of AGL's power generation business  (one slide only);

• Challenges currently facing the company regarding its planned closure of Liddell Power Station;

• A summary of recent developments in generating cleaner energy in Australia and how these developments may impact AGL; and

• Critically evaluate the social responsibility of AGL in relation to its customers and community?

Your reflective essay asks you to reflect on your own experience when writing and completing the PowerPoint presentation from Part A of this assessment and completing 12 weeks of Unit materials. Reflection is all about deepening your learning. By reflecting, you are able to make connections between your own experience and what you are learning. It also allows you to learn from your mistakes and thus become a better business practitioner.

Your own thoughts, feelings, experiences and ideas are central to reflective writing. Part B of the assessment should therefore be written in the first person style. Your submission should contain a clear structure with an introduction, body and conclusion, it should use formal language and omit colloquial language, contain correct grammar and spelling, and it should draw on scholarly references. Your Reflective Essay should be approximately 1000-words and be referenced using the CQU APA Referencing Style Guide. You need to provide at least six scholarly references to pass this criteria for this assessment.

Your reflective essay should answer the following questions;

• Analyse the experience of researching the material for the PowerPoint. What was it about the experience that made you think? How did it make you feel?
• Was there something about the experience that challenged your ideas about what you’ve learned? Or did it reinforce those ideas?
• How did your experience fit with the literature you’ve been reading, or with the course materials?
• Evaluate the experience. Was it overall a positive or a negative experience for you? What will you draw from it?

PART A – Powerpoint presentation - Marking Criteria for Part A Powerpoint Presentation (15%)

Your submission will be assessed on the extent to which it meets each of the following criteria:

CONTENT: Does your submission demonstrate:

1. Evidence of your critical thinking regarding slide content and ensuring an evaluation of the complex role of global emission targets for a company based in Australia. 2.5 marks

2. Evidence of your critical thinking in adopting an ethical position and provision of an intermediate analysis backing up this ethical position concerning the social responsibility of AGL and its planned closure of Liddell Power Station. 2.5 marks

3. Relevant and accurate use of (scholarly and non-scholarly) sources with six (6) scholarly references required to pass this criteria. 2.5 marks

PRESENTATION: Does your presentation demonstrate:

4. Professionalism of the PowerPoint presentation to an intermediate skill level including choice of background to slide, graphics, font and general style, overall design, structure, length, including grammar, punctuation and correct spelling using Australian English and presentation skills including appropriateness of speaking style to suit an audience of Senior Managers, clarity of vocal expression, voice projection, voice clarity in recording, emphasis, engagement and speaker transitions. 5 marks

5. Strict conformity to the exact requirements of the CQU APA Referencing Guide (in-text References are to be used throughout the PowerPoint slides as appropriate and a dedicated final slide provides the reference list). 2.5 marks

Total marks 15

PART B – Reflective Essay - Marking Criteria for Part B Reflective Essay (25%)

Your submission will be assessed on the extent to which it meets each of the following criteria:

CONTENT: Does your reflective essay demonstrate:

1. Evidence of intermediate level critical thinking when reflecting on self and evaluating your own experience. 10 marks

2. Relevant and accurate use of (scholarly and non-scholarly) sources with six (6) scholarly references required to pass this criteria. 5 marks

DOCUMENT: Does your reflective essay demonstrate:

3. Use of written communication skills including choices made regarding appropriate essay structure (introduction, body, conclusion), length (approx. 1000 words), word choice, expression, grammar, punctuation and correct spelling using Australian English. 5 marks

4. Strict conformity to the exact requirements of the CQU APA Referencing Guide for in-text referencing and Reference List. 5 marks

Total marks 25