Overview
This unit offers a series of lectures and tutorials that will provide foundation skills and knowledge in contemporary business issues, and organisational and business practices. You will have the opportunity to develop business skills, gain knowledge of various business contexts, and examine the functions of a diverse range of organisations. You will assess the impact of environmental forces on organisations, examine risks confronting the organisation and discuss the practices adopted to overcome these, including innovation, e-commerce, knowledge management, and cross-cultural management. The unit will enable you to engage in discussions about the governance options for different types of organisations and discuss the contemporary processes of regionalisation, emerging new world markets, global governance and globalisation. This foundation unit will develop your business skills for potential future business consulting, and your management skills for organisational management roles.
Details
Pre-requisites or Co-requisites
There are no requisites for this unit.
Important note: Students enrolled in a subsequent unit who failed their pre-requisite unit, should drop the subsequent unit before the census date or within 10 working days of Fail grade notification. Students who do not drop the unit in this timeframe cannot later drop the unit without academic and financial liability. See details in the Assessment Policy and Procedure (Higher Education Coursework).
Offerings For Term 2 - 2019
Attendance Requirements
All on-campus students are expected to attend scheduled classes – in some units, these classes are identified as a mandatory (pass/fail) component and attendance is compulsory. International students, on a student visa, must maintain a full time study load and meet both attendance and academic progress requirements in each study period (satisfactory attendance for International students is defined as maintaining at least an 80% attendance record).
Recommended Student Time Commitment
Each 6-credit Postgraduate unit at CQUniversity requires an overall time commitment of an average of 12.5 hours of study per week, making a total of 150 hours for the unit.
Class Timetable
Assessment Overview
Assessment Grading
This is a graded unit: your overall grade will be calculated from the marks or grades for each assessment task, based on the relative weightings shown in the table above. You must obtain an overall mark for the unit of at least 50%, or an overall grade of ‘pass’ in order to pass the unit. If any ‘pass/fail’ tasks are shown in the table above they must also be completed successfully (‘pass’ grade). You must also meet any minimum mark requirements specified for a particular assessment task, as detailed in the ‘assessment task’ section (note that in some instances, the minimum mark for a task may be greater than 50%). Consult the University’s Grades and Results Policy for more details of interim results and final grades.
All University policies are available on the CQUniversity Policy site.
You may wish to view these policies:
- Grades and Results Policy
- Assessment Policy and Procedure (Higher Education Coursework)
- Review of Grade Procedure
- Student Academic Integrity Policy and Procedure
- Monitoring Academic Progress (MAP) Policy and Procedure – Domestic Students
- Monitoring Academic Progress (MAP) Policy and Procedure – International Students
- Student Refund and Credit Balance Policy and Procedure
- Student Feedback – Compliments and Complaints Policy and Procedure
- Information and Communications Technology Acceptable Use Policy and Procedure
This list is not an exhaustive list of all University policies. The full list of University policies are available on the CQUniversity Policy site.
Feedback, Recommendations and Responses
Every unit is reviewed for enhancement each year. At the most recent review, the following staff and student feedback items were identified and recommendations were made.
Feedback from Multiple
Students valued the opportunities to interact with other students and the positive interactions that they had with their lecturers and tutors in this unit. In addition, the Deputy Dean of Teaching and Learning's new retention strategy encourages these positive interactions.
Opportunities for positive student to staff and student to student relationships should continue to be built into the unit.
Feedback from Multiple
Students have indicated that the application of theory and knowledge to real world and authentic learning and assessment enhance their learning in this unit. They also indicated that listening to guest lecturers, experienced in the weekly contextual topics enhanced their understanding of those topics.
Tutorials and lectures focus on real world activities and examples in class. This should be supplemented by including guest lecturers.
Feedback from Have Your Say
Despite overall satisfaction with assessment tasks, feedback, requirements and return, qualitative comments indicate that there is still room for improvement on these aspects of assessment.
Assessment communication, explanation, and feedback continue to be enhanced.
Feedback from Multiple
There are many resources on the unit Moodle site (written, aural, visual, interactive) that cater for a range of learning styles. Students continue to believe that they must interact with all of the material on the site despite a final slide being added to the lecture slides the indicates essential material to be consulted each week.
Expectations for student interaction with Moodle learning resources be better explained so that students are aware of essential and optional learning material.
Feedback from Multiple
There are 10 weekly lectures and various zoom sessions related to assessment and distance learning that are scheduled throughout the term. Students appreciate these but also indicate that the quality of the lectures and the frequency of zoom session could improve.
Weekly recorded lectures and frequent zoom sessions should continue to occur.
Feedback from Multiple
Good practice indicates that assessment should change on a regular basis and that doing so enhances skill development within students. There is always a group assignment which on campus and distance students often find challenging. The possibility of incorporating individual marks during group work should be explored.
Continue to change and update assessment on a term by term and yearly basis. Explore the incorporation of individual marks as well as group marks for group assignments.
- Critically analyse the impact of a range of internal and external contextual factors on the performance and decision making of organisations
- Synthesise and utilise key theories, concepts and terms relevant to internal and external contextual factors to examine organisational environments
- Communicate an understanding of contemporary internal and external contextual factors affecting organisations
- Evaluate complex problems relevant to internal and external contextual factors in organisational environments
- Recommend creative solutions to contemporary challenges facing businesses to a variety of audiences and stakeholders.
This is not applicable.
Alignment of Assessment Tasks to Learning Outcomes
| Assessment Tasks | Learning Outcomes | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | |
| 1 - Written Assessment - 30% | |||||
| 2 - Group Work - 30% | |||||
| 3 - Examination - 40% | |||||
Alignment of Graduate Attributes to Learning Outcomes
| Graduate Attributes | Learning Outcomes | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | |
| 1 - Knowledge | |||||
| 2 - Communication | |||||
| 3 - Cognitive, technical and creative skills | |||||
| 4 - Research | |||||
| 5 - Self-management | |||||
| 6 - Ethical and Professional Responsibility | |||||
| 7 - Leadership | |||||
| 8 - Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Cultures | |||||
Alignment of Assessment Tasks to Graduate Attributes
| Assessment Tasks | Graduate Attributes | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | |
| 1 - Written Assessment - 30% | ||||||||
| 2 - Group Work - 30% | ||||||||
| 3 - Examination - 40% | ||||||||
Textbooks
There are no required textbooks.
Additional Textbook Information
There is no compulsory prescribed textbook for this unit; instead, prescribed weekly reading material will be available in Moodle. However, in order to expand your knowledge and improve your success chances in this unit, it is important you carry out independent study and additional reading. Please find below a selection of recommended books, some of which you should peruse:
• Burrow, J. L., Kleindl, B., & Becraft, M. B. (2016). Business Management. United States: Cengage.
• Hill, C. W., & Hutt, G. T. M. (2016). Global Business Today (9th ed.). New York, USA: McGraw-Hill.
• Hill, C. W. (2015). International Business: Competing in the Global Marketplace (10th ed.). New York,
USA: McGraw-Hill.
• Palmer, A. & Hartley, B. (2011). The Business Environment (7th ed.). Maidenhead: McGraw-Hill.
• Solomon, M. R., Poatsy, M., & Martin, K. (2015). Better Business (4th ed.). USA: Pearson Higher Education.
• Worthington, I. (2014). The Business Environment (7th ed.). United Kingdom: Pearson.
IT Resources
- CQUniversity Student Email
- Internet
- Unit Website (Moodle)
All submissions for this unit must use the referencing style: American Psychological Association 6th Edition (APA 6th edition)
For further information, see the Assessment Tasks.
c.liang@cqu.edu.au
Module/Topic
Topic 1: Business and governance structures
Details of Assessment Item 1
Expectations of student engagement with the unit
Details of Moodle site and resources available
Chapter
For recommended texts, journal readings, podcasts, current events, and video information refer to the unit Moodle site.
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Topic 2: The impact of environmental forces on organisations
Chapter
For recommended texts, journal readings, podcasts, current events, and video information refer to the unit Moodle site.
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Topic 3: Risks confronting the firm
Chapter
For recommended texts, journal readings, podcasts, current events, and video information refer to the unit Moodle site.
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Topic 4: Organisation and business practices
Chapter
For recommended texts, journal readings, podcasts, current events, and video information refer to the unit Moodle site.
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Topic 5: The functions of a diverse range of firms
Assessment 1 Due
Details of Assessment Item 2
Chapter
For recommended texts, journal readings, podcasts, current events, and video information refer to the unit Moodle site.
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
No classes this week.
Chapter
No classes this week.
Events and Submissions/Topic
No classes this week.
Module/Topic
Topic 6: Innovation and entrepreneurship
Chapter
For recommended texts, journal readings, podcasts, current events, and video information refer to the unit Moodle site.
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Topic 7: Knowledge management, technology and eCommerce
Chapter
For recommended texts, journal readings, podcasts, current events, and video information refer to the unit Moodle site.
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Topic 8: Regionalisation and globalisation
Chapter
For recommended texts, journal readings, podcasts, current events, and video information refer to the unit Moodle site.
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Topic 9: Cross cultural issues, diversity and international management
Chapter
For recommended texts, journal readings, podcasts, current events, and video information refer to the unit Moodle site.
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Topic 10: Contemporary issues:
Change, resilience, and sustainability
Chapter
For recommended texts, journal readings, podcasts, current events, and video information refer to the unit Moodle site.
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
There is no topic covered in class this week. Group led presentations and discussions will be done in class.
Chapter
No new information presented this week.
Events and Submissions/Topic
Group led presentations and discussions done during the lecture and tutorials for week 11.
Group Led Presentation and Essay Due: Week 11 Monday (30 Sept 2019) 11:59 am AEST
Module/Topic
There is no topic covered in class this week. Group led presentations and discussions will be done in class.
Details of Assessment Item 3
Chapter
There will be exam information available on the unit Moodle site.
Events and Submissions/Topic
Group led presentations and discussions done during the lecture and/or tutorials for week 12.
Module/Topic
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
1 Written Assessment
This is a business case analysis that will be 1600 words +/- 10%
Purpose
This individual written assessment is designed to assist you to develop your knowledge of management and business contexts. The secondary purpose of this assessment task is to give you the opportunity to enhance skills in research, professional responsibility, and written communication.
Task details
Your task is to write a business case analysis on one of the three companies provided using at least five recent (2009-2019) peer reviewed journal articles from the list of journals below. You cannot use articles from any other journals and you cannot use the journal articles that are on the unit Moodle site. You must include the doi for each journal article in the reference list.
Journals:
Asia Pacific Business Review
Benchmarking: an international journal
Business Strategy and the Environment
Business Strategy Review
Competition and Change: the journal of global business and political economy
Contemporary Pacific
European Business Review
European Journal of Work and Organizational Psychology
European Management Journal
Global Governance
Human Resource Development Quarterly
IIMB Management Review
International Journal of Organizational Analysis
International Journal of Productivity and Performance Management
International Journal of Strategic Decision Sciences
International Studies of Management and Organization
Journal of Business Strategy
Journal of General Management
Journal of Industrial and Management Optimization
Journal of Management and Organization
Journal of Organizational Behavior Management
Journal of Organizational Change Management
Journal of Organizational Effectiveness: People and Performance
Leadership
Management Decision
Measuring Business Excellence
Nonprofit Management and Leadership
Pacific Affairs: an international review of Asia and the Pacific
Qualitative Research in Organizations and Management
Quality Management Journal
The Journal of Applied Behavioral Science
The TQM Journal
You are required to:
1. You must first select ONE of the follow three companies as the subject of your business case.
Huawei Enterprise USA, Inc.
Adani Australia
Oxfam Australia
2. Conduct research on your chosen company in the aspects below, which correspond to week 1-5 topics, with a focus on critically analysing the impact of a range of internal and external contextual factors on the performance and decision making of your chosen organization:
(a). What is the business structure and governance structure of your chosen company? (b). Which environmental factors are influencing your chosen company’s performance and/or decision-making? (3). What are the top three risks your chosen company face and how are they influencing its performance and/or decision making? (4). What business practices your chosen company adopt and how are they influencing its performance and/or decision making? (5). What functional departments does your chosen company have?
3. Your business case analysis must include at least five (5) peer reviewed journal articles published after year 2009 from the list of journals provided.
You cannot use articles from any other journals and You must include the doi for each journal article in the reference list.
Note: further support on writing, referencing, etc. is given on the Moodle site for this course.
Week 5 Friday (16 Aug 2019) 11:59 am AEST
All submissions must be uploaded through the Assessment Item 1 link on the unit Moodle page. The essay can be uploaded as a pdf or word document. Penalties for late submission are applied according to the policy.
Week 7 Monday (2 Sept 2019)
Every effort will be made to return your assignment by the date indicated. You will find your mark and feedback through the Feedback Studio portal on Moodle.
Criteria 1. Introduction * 3 marks
Clearly outlines the purpose, scope, structure of the essay.
Criteria 2 Body—Theoretical knowledge * 8 marks
Demonstrated ability to define key terms and utilize the theories and concepts presented in Topics 1-5.
Criteria 3. Body—Research efforts and analysis * 12 marks
Level of research efforts demonstrated on the chosen company and ability to critically analyse the impact of a range of internal and external contextual factors on the performance and decision making of the chosen company through addressing the five proposed topics.
Criteria 4. Conclusion *3 marks
All aspects drawn together in a brief, concise summary. Consistent with findings, no new material introduced but highlights implications or a comment on the future of the company.
Criteria 5. Presentation *2 marks
High quality of expression, grammar, spelling, punctuation and proofreading.
Criteria 6. Referencing * 2 marks
Inclusion of an accurate reference list on a separate page listing only the sources that actually have been used. The reference list is arranged in alphabetical order according to the authors’ last names. At least 5 academic references post 2009 have been used, together with a numerous number of non-academic references.
- Critically analyse the impact of a range of internal and external contextual factors on the performance and decision making of organisations
- Synthesise and utilise key theories, concepts and terms relevant to internal and external contextual factors to examine organisational environments
- Knowledge
- Cognitive, technical and creative skills
- Research
- Ethical and Professional Responsibility
2 Group Work
This is a group assignment that involves a 25 minute student-led presentation and a 2000 word (+/-10%) essay on the same topic.
Purpose
This assignment aims to develop your knowledge of contextual factors and ability to develop this knowledge in others. The objective is to develop your research, cognitive, creative, communication, professional responsibility and self management skills within the context of a group assignment. It provides you the opportunity to develop your leadership skills as a member of a group.
Task details
This assessment item accounts for 30% of your final grade for this unit and must be completed by students as a group. This assessment consists of two parts: (1). An essay addressing your chosen topic (15%); (2). An in-class presentation (15%).
You must be enrolled in a lecture class and a tutorial class by census date, Tuesday 6 August. You will be able to enroll in Assessment Item 2 groups yourself on the unit's Moodle site. The members of you group must all be either within your lecture or your tutorial group. Groups cannot be formed with students who are not in your lecture or tutorial group. There will be a maximum of 5 group members in each group. There will be no changes to these Assessment Item 2 groups after Friday 16 August so please make sure that you have sorted out which lecture and tutorial class you want to attend by 6 August. Lecture and tutorial classes can only be changed with the permission of the Student Administration Office and Unit Coordinator (subject to class capacity) after 6 August and no adjustments to presentation and discussion groups will be made after 16 August.
Once group is finalized, your group is required to choose ONE of the following four topics from week 6-9 (in consultation with your tutor to make sure all topics are covered) as the focus of your group led presentation and essay. You must include real life corporate examples in your research efforts:
1. Should contemporary organizations abandon sustaining innovation and focus solely on disruptive innovation? What creative solutions do you recommend to companies on this issue? (Week 6 topic); 2. In the new world of E-business, what challenges do organizations face in knowledge management? What creative solutions do you recommend on this issue? (Week 7 topic); 3. What advantages and disadvantages does globalization bring to contemporary organizations? What creative solutions do you recommend for organizations to manage the globalization-induced challenges? (Week 8); 4. What challenges do contemporary organizations face with their international staffing approaches in the context of cultural differences? What creative solutions do you recommend for organization on this issue? (Week 9)
The PPT for your presentation and essay (prior to presentation in class) are due in Week 11 via Moodle. Only one member of the group should upload the files. Your group led presentation will take place in lectures and/or tutorials, specific dates as scheduled by your tutor.
Week 11 Monday (30 Sept 2019) 11:59 am AEST
Both the PPT for the presentation and essay are due on Moodle in Week 11, Monday, (Sept. 30th) 11:59 am AEST. The presentations are due in lectures and/or tutorials in week 11-12. Specific dates will depend on schedules arranged by your tutor.
Review/Exam Week Monday (14 Oct 2019)
Every effort will be made to return your assignment by the date indicated. You will find your mark and feedback through the Feedback Studio portal on Moodle.
Criteria 1 - Theoretical knowledge * 6 marks
Demonstrated ability to define key terms and utilise the theories and concepts relevant to their topic.
Criteria 2 - Complex problem evaluation * 6 marks
Demonstrated critical understanding of the problems associated with the relevant contextual factor throughout the presentation and essay.
Criteria 3 - Creative solution * 6 marks
Recommendation of solutions regarding how organisations can deal with contemporary challenges posed by the relevant contextual factor.
Criteria 4- Research efforts * 5 marks
Demonstrated strong key points in response to the chosen topic grounded in a wide breadth and quality of research by using a minimum of 8 academic sources.
Criteria 5- Corporate examples * 3 marks
Demonstrated the strength and relevance of argument by incorporating at least ONE real life corporate example
Criteria 6 -Presentation * 2 marks
Develop a concise and structured presentation to the required professional standard. Q&A session well handled.
Criteria 7 -Referencing * 2 marks
Correctly using the APA referencing system to cite academic sources both in-text and in the final reference list.
- Communicate an understanding of contemporary internal and external contextual factors affecting organisations
- Evaluate complex problems relevant to internal and external contextual factors in organisational environments
- Recommend creative solutions to contemporary challenges facing businesses to a variety of audiences and stakeholders.
- Knowledge
- Communication
- Cognitive, technical and creative skills
- Research
- Self-management
- Ethical and Professional Responsibility
- Leadership
Examination
As a CQUniversity student you are expected to act honestly in all aspects of your academic work.
Any assessable work undertaken or submitted for review or assessment must be your own work. Assessable work is any type of work you do to meet the assessment requirements in the unit, including draft work submitted for review and feedback and final work to be assessed.
When you use the ideas, words or data of others in your assessment, you must thoroughly and clearly acknowledge the source of this information by using the correct referencing style for your unit. Using others’ work without proper acknowledgement may be considered a form of intellectual dishonesty.
Participating honestly, respectfully, responsibly, and fairly in your university study ensures the CQUniversity qualification you earn will be valued as a true indication of your individual academic achievement and will continue to receive the respect and recognition it deserves.
As a student, you are responsible for reading and following CQUniversity’s policies, including the Student Academic Integrity Policy and Procedure. This policy sets out CQUniversity’s expectations of you to act with integrity, examples of academic integrity breaches to avoid, the processes used to address alleged breaches of academic integrity, and potential penalties.
What is a breach of academic integrity?
A breach of academic integrity includes but is not limited to plagiarism, self-plagiarism, collusion, cheating, contract cheating, and academic misconduct. The Student Academic Integrity Policy and Procedure defines what these terms mean and gives examples.
Why is academic integrity important?
A breach of academic integrity may result in one or more penalties, including suspension or even expulsion from the University. It can also have negative implications for student visas and future enrolment at CQUniversity or elsewhere. Students who engage in contract cheating also risk being blackmailed by contract cheating services.
Where can I get assistance?
For academic advice and guidance, the Academic Learning Centre (ALC) can support you in becoming confident in completing assessments with integrity and of high standard.
What can you do to act with integrity?
