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 - 2023
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 UC observation
Changes are needed after AI risk assessment in 2023.
Continue to improve all assessments to reduce AI writing. Changes might be needed for Assessments 2 and 3 to reduce AI-assisted writing.
- 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 - Online Quiz(zes) - 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 - Online Quiz(zes) - 40% | ||||||||
Textbooks
There are no required textbooks.
IT Resources
- CQUniversity Student Email
- Internet
- Unit Website (Moodle)
All submissions for this unit must use the referencing style: American Psychological Association 7th Edition (APA 7th edition)
For further information, see the Assessment Tasks.
h.le@cqu.edu.au
Module/Topic
Topic 1: Business and Governance Structures
Chapter
Chapple, E., Copp, R., Baumfield, R., Cunningham, R., Harpur, P., Baumfield, Richard, & Cunningham, Rosemary. (2016). Company Law (1st ed.). Melbourne: Wiley. Module 1: Business Organisations
For additional recommended texts, journal readings, podcasts, current events, and video information refer to the unit Moodle site.
Events and Submissions/Topic
- Unit Introduction
- Details of Moodle and unit resources
- Expectations of student engagement with the unit
Module/Topic
Topic 2: Impact of Environmental Forces on Organisations
Chapter
Hitt, M. A., Ireland, R. D., & Hoskisson, R. E. (2012). Strategic management cases: competitiveness and globalization. Cengage Learning. Chapter 2.
For additional recommended texts, journal readings, podcasts, current events, and video information refer to the unit Moodle site.
Events and Submissions/Topic
Details of Assessment 1
Module/Topic
Topic 3: Risks Confronting the Firm
Chapter
Henderson, D. (2017). The Manager's Guide to Risk Assessment. Brooksfield: Rothstein Associates, Incorporated. Chapter 1.
For additional 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
Boxall, P., & Purcell, J. (2016). Strategy and human resource management (4th ed., Management, work, and organisations). Chapter 3.
For additional recommended texts, journal readings, podcasts, current events, and video information refer to the unit Moodle site.
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Topic 5: Business Functions of a Diverse Range of Firms
Chapter
Preston, D., Watson, G., & Fryer, M. (2013). An Introduction to Business Studies. The Open University. Chapter 6- Introduction to Business Functions.
For additional recommended texts, journal readings, podcasts, current events, and video information refer to the unit Moodle site.
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
No classes will be held during this week.
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Topic 6: Innovation and Entrepreneurship
Chapter
Frederick, H. H., Kuratko, D. F., & O'Connor, A. (2015). Entrepreneurship: Theory/Process/Practice with Student Resource Access for 12 Months. Cengage AU. Chapter 1.
Tidd, J., & Bessant, J. (2014). Strategic innovation management. John Wiley & Sons. Chapter 1.
For additional resources refer to the unit Moodle site.
Events and Submissions/Topic
Details of Assessment 2
Assessment 1- BUSINESS CASE ANALYSIS ESSAY (Individual) Due: Week 6 Monday (21 Aug 2023) 9:00 am AEST
Module/Topic
Topic 7: Knowledge Management, Technology and eCommerce
Chapter
Laudon, K., & Traver, Carol Guercio. (2017). E-commerce 2017 (13th edition, Global ed.). Essex: Pearson Education Ltd. Chapter 1: Introduction to Ecommerce.
For additional 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
Robbins, S., Bergman, R., Stagg, I., & Coulter, M. (2018). Management (8th Ed), Pearson Australia. Chapter 4: Global Management.
For additional 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
Livermore, D. (2015). Leading with Cultural Intelligence: The Real Secret to Success. Chapter 1: Culture matters: Why you need Cultural Intelligence.
For additional 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
Reuvid, J. (2014). Managing business risk a practical guide to protecting your business (10th ed.). London ; Philadelphia, PA: Kogan Page. Section 1.1: Beyond resilience.
Whitfield, R. (2013). A Primer on Sustainability: In the Business Environment. Chapter 3
For additional recommended texts, journal readings, podcasts, current events, and video information refer to the unit Moodle site.
Events and Submissions/Topic
Details of Assessment 3 (Online exam)
Module/Topic
There is no topic covered in class this week. The group led presentations and discussions will be completed in class.
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
The group led presentations and discussions undertaken during the class.
Assessment 2 - PRESENTATION AND ESSAY (Group work) Due: Week 11 Monday (25 Sept 2023) 9:00 am AEST
Module/Topic
There is no topic covered in class this week. The group led presentations and discussions will be completed in class.
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
The group led presentations and discussions undertaken during the class.
Module/Topic
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
1 Written Assessment
This assessment item is a business case analysis essay of 1200-words (+/- 10%) (Excluding the reference list and Appendix)
1. ONE organisation listed on the Australian Securities Exchange (ASX) will be provided on Moodle for this assessment.
The ASX company directory is on the ASX website https://www2.asx.com.au/markets/trade-our-cash-market/directory
2. Conduct research on this selected organisation using the internet and library databases for your assignment. Write a business case analysis essay on your selected organisation using ONE or TWO of the below-mentioned topics (Topics from Week 1 to Week 5). Ensure that you focus on critically analysing relevant factors in your chosen topic(s) and their impact on the performance and decision making of the organisation.
- Week 1: What is the governance structure of your chosen organisation and why is it an effective structure for the activities it carries out?
- Week 2: Which external environmental factors are influencing your chosen organisation’s performance and decision-making?
- Week 3: What are the main risks your organisation faces and how could each influence its performance and decision-making?
- Week 4: What business practices does your chosen organisation adopt and which are most critical to its performance and decision-making, explain why?
- Week 5: What functional departments does your organisation have and how does each contribute to its specific activities?
3. Your business case analysis must include at least eight (8) recent and relevant peer-reviewed academic references (preferably post-2013 articles).
Note: further support on writing, referencing, recommended journals, etc. is given on the Moodle site for this assignment.
Week 6 Monday (21 Aug 2023) 9:00 am AEST
A late penalty @ 5% per day or part of a day will be applied
As per the CQU policy, marks and feedback will be returned in two (2) working weeks from the submission date for on-time submissions. Grades will be released on Moodle.
Criteria 1. Introduction * 3 marks
Clearly outlines the purpose, scope, and structure of the essay.
Criteria 2. Body—Theoretical knowledge * 8 marks
Demonstrates the ability to define key terms and apply the theories and concepts associated with the topic selected.
Criteria 3. Body—Research efforts and analysis * 12 marks
Level of research efforts demonstrated on the organisation and ability to critically analyse the impact of a range of contextual factors on the performance and decision making of the organisation through the application of one or two of the five proposed topics, supported by recent and relevant peer-reviewed academic and other references.
Criteria 4. Conclusion *3 marks
All aspects are drawn together in a brief and concise summary. Consistent with findings, no new material introduced however highlights implications or comments on the future of the company.
Criteria 5. Communication *2 marks
High quality of expression, grammar, spelling, punctuation, and proofreading.
Criteria 6. Referencing * 2 marks
Correctly use the APA referencing system to cite academic sources both in the in-text and in the reference list, including using recent and relevant peer-reviewed academic references and numerous non-academic references (industry/news/media/websites/databases on the company).
Please read the detailed assessment guideline and marking rubric available on the Unit's Moodle page before commencing work on the assessment.
- Knowledge
- Cognitive, technical and creative skills
- Research
- Ethical and Professional Responsibility
- 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
2 Group Work
This is a group assignment that involves a 15-minute student-led live presentation and a 2000-words (+/-10%) essay on the same topic. 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 topic (15 marks)
2) An in-class live group presentation on the essay (15 marks) - over Zoom for distance/offshore students and in-person for on-campus students
You must be enrolled in a lecture class and a workshop class by the census date. You will be able to enrol in Assessment 2 groups yourself on the unit's Moodle site or will be assigned a group by default. The members of your group must all be within your workshop group. Groups cannot be formed with students who are NOT in your workshop group as you are required to work together and present in class. More information on group formation will be provided on Moodle.
There will be no changes to Assessment 2 groups after the Census date, so please make sure that you have sorted out which lecture/workshop class you want to attend by the Census Date of 1st August (Week 4). Once the groups are finalised, your group is required to choose only one of the following four topics from weeks 6-9 (in consultation with your lecturer/tutor) as the focus of your group-led presentation and essay. You must include at least one real-life corporate example in your research efforts:
- Week 6: What creative solutions do you recommend to improve creativity and innovation in your chosen organisation? You should consider the differences between and relative benefits of each of sustaining and disruptive innovation for your organisation, with examples.
- Week 7: What challenges do contemporary internet-based organisations face in the management of big data, the internet of things and emerging new technologies? What creative solutions do you recommend to your chosen organisation on this issue?
- Week 8: What advantages and disadvantages does globalisation bring to contemporary organisations? What creative solutions do you recommend to your chosen organisation to manage the globalisation-induced challenges?
- Week 9: Should contemporary organisations consider the cultural dimensions of a country before making staffing decisions, whether operating internationally or locally, with a diverse workforce? Why and how? What creative solutions do you recommend to your chosen organisation on this issue?
3. Your essay must include at least eight (8) peer-reviewed academic references (preferably post-2013 articles).
Please read the detailed assessment guideline and marking rubric available on the Unit's Moodle page before commencing work on the assessment.
Note: further support on forming groups, presentations, and writing is given on the Unit Moodle site for this assignment.
Week 11 Monday (25 Sept 2023) 9:00 am AEST
Upload the group presentation slides (PPT) and the group Essay (word document) on Moodle
As per the CQU policy, marks and feedback will be returned in two (2) working weeks from the submission date for on-time submissions. Grades will be released on the unit Moodle page.
1) Presentation
Criteria 1 - Quality of the ppt presentation (visual) * 3 marks
Demonstrates high quality of the ppt presentation, design, and visual aids. Develop a concise and structured presentation to the required professional standard.
Criteria 2 - Presentation style (verbal) and teamwork * 3 marks
Demonstrates good presentation skills and competencies within the time limit.
Criteria 3 - Content * 5 marks
Provides a summary of your essay including problem evaluation and solutions or recommendations.
Criteria 4 - Research * 2 marks
Provides strong key points in response to the chosen topic supported by research evidence.
Criteria 5 - Corporate example(s) * 2 marks
Provides the strength and relevance of the argument by incorporating at least one appropriate real-life organisation example in the presentation.
2) Written Essay
Criteria 1 - Complex problem evaluation * 4 marks
Demonstrates critical understanding of the problems associated with the selected contextual factor throughout the essay.
Criteria 2 - Creative solution * 4 marks
Recommendation of solutions regarding how organisations can deal with contemporary challenges posed by the relevant contextual factor. Every group member is expected to demonstrate contributions towards the assessment task and to propose creative solutions.
Criteria 3 - Research * 3 marks
Demonstrates strong key points in response to the chosen topic grounded in a wide breadth and quality of research by using a minimum of 8 recent and relevant academic sources, together with numerous non-academic references (industry/news/media/websites/databases) used to research and gather information for the essay.
Criteria 4 - Corporate example(s) * 2 marks
Demonstrates the strength and relevance of the argument by incorporating at least one appropriate real-life organisation example.
Criteria 5 - Referencing * 2 marks
Correctly use the APA referencing system to cite academic sources both in the in-text and in the reference list.
- Knowledge
- Communication
- Cognitive, technical and creative skills
- Research
- Self-management
- Ethical and Professional Responsibility
- Leadership
- 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.
3 Online Quiz(zes)
- Exam questions draw from learning contents covered in the Unit from Week 1 to Week 10.
- The exam paper has two parts: Part A and Part B. You must complete both parts. Part A = 20 marks (reflective essay 1); and Part B = 20 marks (reflective essay 2). You will be required to write these two (2) reflective essays (approx. 1000-words each) in response to two readings given.
- References are not required in the exam. However, you are encouraged to refer to relevant topics in this unit.
- You need to upload the exam paper as a single Word document on Moodle. Uploading a document on Moodle works in the same way as Assessment 1.
1
Other
Exam Week Monday (16 Oct 2023) 10:00 am AEST
The exam paper will be available on Moodle on Friday 10 AM (AEST) 13 October 2023
The marks for the online exam will be released on the certification of grades date.
Criteria 1. Description (* 8 marks)
Describe the exam article you are going to be reflecting on. Do this in the form of a brief narrative or story. Write in the first person.
Criteria 2. Analysis (* 12 marks)
Analyse the article. What is it about the article that made you think? Is there something about it that challenged your ideas about what you have learned in this Unit? or does it reinforce those ideas? How did your experience fit with the literature and unit learning material that you have read in this Unit?
Criteria 3. Evaluation (* 12 marks)
What will you draw from it? Will it lead you to change the way you do something? Will it lead you to change the way you think about something?
Criteria 4. Communication (* 8 marks)
Quality of the essay writing, expression, grammar, spelling, punctuation, structure, and flow within the word count.
- Knowledge
- Communication
- Cognitive, technical and creative skills
- Research
- 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
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?
