How is the general environment likely to impact New Zealand business in the next 10-15 years? In making your argument, discuss three general environment factors and their impact on a New Zealand business of your choice.115108_1601: Assessment Guide
Assessment
Assessment Due Date Weighting
1. Essay Monday April 11th, 11.55pm 15%
2. Case Study Monday May 23rd, 11.55pm 25%
3. Final Examination Wednesday 15 June 60%
115.108 is assessed according to the schedule above (2 internal assessments and an
examination). Your final mark is an aggregate of the 3 assessment items. You MUST sit the
exam, but you do not have to pass the exam to pass the paper.
Assignment requirements are set out in this part of the stream site.
Academic Honesty/Plagiarism
The university needs to know that any assignments are your own, independent,
original work.
115.108 requires you to submit an electronic version of your assignment to Stream. Stream
then submits on your behalf to Turnitin®, which is a text matching web application, and is
one of many tools available to deal with the problem. The electronic version you submit will
be compared with material available on the world wide web including many electronic
books, journals, newspapers, cheat sites (or paper mills), web pages and previously
submitted assignments.
Plagiarism is defined by Massey University as:
Presenting as one’s own work the work of another, including copying or paraphrasing of
another’s work without acknowledging it as another person’s work through full and
accurate referencing. It applies to material presented through written, spoken, electronic,
broadcasting, visual, performance or other medium.
Link to the Academic Integrity policy of Massey University
http://www.massey.ac.nz/massey/staffroom/teaching-and-learning/centres_tl/centrestlstudents/our-resources/academic-integrity-student-guide/academic-integrity-studentguide_home.cfm
Plagiarism can be avoided by correctly acknowledging the authorship of any material in your
assignment that is not your own work. The above website also provides links to guidance on
how to avoid plagiarism.
Note that any form of plagiarism is considered to be academic misconduct and is viewed
seriously by this university.
Assignment Submission and Return
Your written assignments (Assessments 1 and 2) must be submitted online by 11.55 p.m. on
the due date (New Zealand time).
The assignment is checked for plagiarism (copying) and markers will mark your assignment
on an electronic marking site. DO NOT RE-USE MATERIAL YOU HAVE WRITTEN FOR
PREVIOUS ASSIGNMENTS/COURSES – YOUR ESSAY AND REPORT MUST BE ORIGINAL WORK
PREPARED FOR THIS PARTICULAR OFFERING OF THIS COURSE.
If your assignment is submitted either before or on the due date you will be able to access
your marked assignment (on-line) approximately three weeks after the due date for the
assignment. Please check the Stream site as a message will be posted about release dates
and about how to retrieve your marked assignment. Do not send us your assignment by
email or post – only submit via the drop box for the appropriate assignment – these are in the
Assessment guide.
Please get assignments in by the due date. Like any deadline you would face in the business
world you must prioritise to meet it. Please note, however, that assignments submitted
BEFORE the due date (e.g. a week or two early) are not marked first. All assignments are
batched out to markers at the same time. Your written assignment must be submitted ON
or BEFORE the due date and time in order to be accepted as a valid submission.
We aim to mark assignments submitted on time within 15 working days from the official
due date.
Assignments submitted after the due date are marked within 15 working days from the
date of submission.
NB: “working days” means Monday – Friday and does not include weekends, public
holidays or days on which the University is officially closed.
To access your assignment feedback and grade, go to the assignment dropbox you
submitted through.
Follow these steps to submit your assignments:
1. Check that your assignment meets the assignment instructions.
2. Check your assignment against the grading sheet in the Assessment Guide
3. Read this: Copying or paraphrasing of another person’s work, published or
unpublished, without clearly acknowledging it, will be considered as plagiarism, and is
unacceptable. The University Calendar contains a plagiarism policy. There are strict
penalties for plagiarism. Note that, in submitting your assignment, you acknowledge
that you have read this notice.
4. Please do not attach an Honesty Declaration or an Extramural Coversheet.
5. Check that your document has been saved with the correct file name and file-type as
described below:
a. File name (compulsory format): InitialsSurnameCourseAssignment (no spaces or
extra full stops etc.).
e.g. RJMccaw115108A2
b. File-type:
Your application should automatically add a file-type extension when you save the
assignment.
If you are on a Mac please check when you save that it adds the file extension for
you.
– If you use Microsoft Word it will save as .doc (or .docx)
– If you use any software other than Microsoft Word, choose to save it as .rtf
(rich text format)
– You may save it as a PDF, but you MUST check that all text is selectable and
editable within your .pdf document before
submitting it.
e.g.: A Microsoft Word assignment file would look like this:
ABWillis115108A2.docx
6. Check you have selected the correct file when browsing your computer files to
upload your assignment

Extensions and Late Assignments
Extensions
Assignment extensions without penalty are granted in exceptional circumstances such as a
personal illness or family bereavement. We are aware that sometimes emergencies occur
that are not predicatable and we try to accommodate these. Contact the teaching staff on
the PRIVATE HOTLINE before the due date to negotiate a revised due date.
Documentary evidence of your circumstances (e.g. doctor’s or counsellor’s certificate) may
be required. If requested, you can attach medical certificates etc. via the HOTLINE as soon
as practicable.
Late Assignments (we strongly advise you to try to submit on time)
In the unlikely event that an extension to the due date has not been negotiated, you may
still submit your assignment via the Stream Drop box which will remain open after the due
date (see Assignment Submission and Return instructions). This option means that you are
subject to a grade deduction and may forfeit personalised feedback as detailed below:
1-7 days late: deduction of 1 grade point = 5% (e.g. B to B -)
8-14 days late: deduction of 2 grade points = 10% (e.g. B to C +) Grade only
15+ days late: assignment will be received but will not be marked No Grade
Assignments will normally be returned within 15 working days from the official due date
or,
if submitted after the due date, 15 working days from the date of submission.
Final Examination
Value: 60%
Date: 15 June
Format: Three hour exam
Learning Outcome/s Being Assessed: Learning Outcomes 1, 2, 3, 4
Preparation:
Exam preparation material will be placed on the Stream site for the paper by week 11.
The best way to prepare for the examination is to keep up with, and review, assigned
textbook readings, study guides and connect sessions. Also, focus on the advice provided by
the paper coordinator in the exam preparation materials.
Textbooks, study notes or other printed/written materials, pocket calculators, mobile
phones, laptops, electronic organisers or electronic dictionaries/translator are not allowed
into the exam room.
Assignment 1: Essay
Assignment 1: Essay 15%
Due date: Monday 11 April, 2016, 11.55pm
Submission: Online via Stream only in the Assignment 1 dropbox – no paper or
email submissions will be accepted
Format: Essay
Length: 1200 words (excluding references), plus or minus 10%
Topic:
On page 32 of your textbook, you will find Table 2.2. This table provides an overview of the
external organisational environment. The outer layer of the external organisational
environment is termed the general environment, which consists of sociocultural,
technological, economic, political/legal and global conditions in which organisations
operate. More information about each of these conditions is provided on pages 32-39 of
your textbook.
Question: How is the general environment likely to impact New Zealand business in the
next 10-15 years? In making your argument, discuss three general environment factors
and their impact on a New Zealand business of your choice.
Your essay must have a minimum of three scholarly citations and references in addition to
your textbook (i.e. a minimum of four references in total).
Guidance:
There is no one right or wrong answer to this question. You may legitimately argue that the
general environment will have strong or weak impact.
We will provide you with an optional essay structure in the Week 3 workshops but it is up to
you how you structure your essay.
Make sure you pay attention to the Week 3 lecture as the relevant topic will be covered.
Here are two examples of how a paragraph within your essay might look. We have given
examples using two different organisations (Middlemore Hospital and Massey University
respectively). However, remember that for your essay, you will only be discussing how
general environment factors impact ONE organisation.
Research
You will need to examine and cite at least 3 other scholarly sources in addition to the
textbook as part of this assignment. Scholarly sources include journal articles and books
sourced from the Massey University Library, the Massey Library online article database,
and/or Google Scholar.
You may also use extra non-scholarly citations to support your argument, however you must
be aware of the credibility of your sources. For example, a government website is likely to
be a credible source, but many commercial websites (ending with a .com address) will not
be regarded as credible sources (you may, however, cite your chosen business’
website). Please note that Wikipedia is generally not accepted as a credible source to use as
a reference in an academic essay. If Wikipedia is a useful starting point, by all means use it,
but wherever possible, be sure to find and cite the original source of the information. You
will be marked on the quality and quantity of credible sources you use and how effectively
you use the APA referencing style, so paying attention to these matters will make a
difference to your grade.
For other assistance with essay writing, see the Academic Support section of this stream
site.
For further information on how to format your essay, refer to the Presentation of Written
Assignments section of this Assessment Guide.
Before you submit:
Before you finalise and submit your essay make sure that:
? You have a clear introduction and conclusion.
? You have kept to the topic, answered the questions given, and excluded irrelevant
points and unnecessary padding.
? The main ideas or points are distinguished in separate sections.
? You offer your own analysis of the topic (with supporting evidence) and don’t just rehash
what others say.
? The argument evolves logically.
? Sentences are grammatically correct, clear and easy to understand.
? You have used a spell checker to check for typing mistakes.
? Central terms are adequately defined.
? There is adequate evidence (references and citations) to support your claims or
generalisations.
? Your style is active and likely to engage the audience.
Assignment 1: Essay Grading Framework
When your assignment is marked, the following will be assessed:
Presentation 20%
Correct use of essay format
Accurate spelling, punctuation and grammar
Clear, legible, professional presentation
Appropriate tone/language choice
Essay Content and Focus 50%
Sets the scene and identifies the main dimensions of the topic
Clear logical analysis and discussion using relevant management concepts
Thoughtfully applies theory from the text and other scholarly sources
Logically connects ideas within a coherent essay structure
Concise conclusion, restating main points

Supporting Evidence 20%
Integrates at least four (4) relevant scholarly sources
References all in-text sources using correct APA format
Reference list in correct APA format

Overall Quality 10%
Comprehensive exploration of topic
Coherence and clarity of writing
General excellence (e.g. a ‘model’ assignment)
Sample essay and further essay writing advice
Here is a sample essay from a previous year provided to give an idea of what a good essay
looks like. Not all aspects of each essay are necessarily top notch but overall are well written
and argued. It’s written in a very formal style, but makes good use of grammar, structure
and citations to support their viewp01oint.
The topic of the essay is different to your current assignment, but it covers material that we
will look at later in this paper. The question that this essay answers is:
What are the principles of scientific management and how are the relevant to New Zealand
organisations today?
Things the essay does well include the following:
? Strong introduction: The opening paragraph sets the scene well. It opens with a
statement that hooks the reader, and then leads you to the specific topic that the essay
is going to talk about.
? Explains scientific management principles, what they are, who developed them and
why. There is some personal background about Taylor to show us he was indeed human.
? Relates to practice: The essay states the principles then explains how they are still
relevant today with examples e.g., McDonalds.
? Mentions the critics: Not everyone was happy with scientific management, and this
essay explains who the doubters were and their concerns. All ideas are open to
challenge.
? Relates to modern day: The negative view about scientific management is related to call
centres as being like ‘sweatshops’ when the focus is too much on efficiency and task,
instead of people.
? Conclusion: There is a happy ending because scientific management survives to this day
and is used wisely in many cases in conjunction with other management theories that
ensure balance.
? Good use of citations – not too many, but nicely placed to support the arguments.
Accurate APA referencing.
So the lessons for us:
? Write according to your own style, but ensure it is easy to read, flows well and makes
sense.
? Make every sentence and paragraph count. If you’re writing something, ask yourself:
Does this help me answer the question? If not, leave it out.
? Make sure you have an introduction, body and conclusion – do not skip one or the other
or leave any one of these sections out.
? Some writers like to start with the introduction – set the scene – others like to write the
answer (body), and then come back to introduction and conclusion. Find your
preference and go for it.
? Do you search and start writing as soon as possible. Do not wait until you have a
complete grasp of what you have found and read…that might not come until long after
the course has finished.
? Do not get too worried about how rough your first draft looks, just write!
? You must however proof your work before you submit.
? Write up the reference list as soon as you have settled on what material you going to
use in the essay. It will be easier to cite that way.
? Find out what Endnote is, purchase a copy and learn to use it. It will save you many
hours of constructing reference lists and citations in future courses. Available through
ITS and Library.
See http://www.massey.ac.nz/massey/research/library/help-andinstruction/endnote/endnote_home.cfm
So, based on the sample essay and our advice, here’s a brief checklist of things to consider
for your essays:
1. Has an overall structure (introduction/discussion/conclusion sections)
2. Is a thesis statement (point of view/argument) in the introduction that answers the
question?
3. There is a consistent focus on the topic throughout
4. There is support for the thesis in each paragraph linked to the thesis statement
5. Are the arguments/points in each paragraph linked to the question?
6. How well do they the academic literature to support the arguments (point of view)
7. Is the writing concise and compact or wordy and vague?
8. Is it fluid and logical?
Assignment 2: Case Study Report
Value: 25%
Due date: Monday May 23rd by 11.55pm
Submission: Online via Stream, in the assignment 2 dropbox – no paper or email
submissions will be accepted
Learning outcome/s being assessed: Learning Outcomes 4 and 5
Word limit: 1500 words, excluding references
Instructions: Read the case study titled ‘Case for critical analysis: Electra Products’ provided
under ‘Case Study’ and answer the three questions that follow in these instructions.
Case Report: You are a communications consultant writing a report advising the company
on the best way to address the problems outlined in the case. In your report, please
provide:
1) a discussion of one aspect of organisational behaviour that is a problem in the case
study;
2) an analysis of the two most important communication issues evident in the case study;
3) specific recommendations of how to address the organisational behaviour issue and the
communication issues in the case study.
(1500 words, excluding references).
The case report must be in the format given in the ‘Preparing Your Case Report’ document
and the ‘Example of a Case Report Format’ document available on Stream. Do not use the
three questions above as headers in your report.
To prepare for your report, read the Part Four chapters in your textbook, Chapter 12 in
particular. You may also want to refer back to other material covered earlier in the course
as well. As you progress through the course, identify key communication practices (both
within the organisation and the wider community) and organisational behaviours that
contributed to the successful development of your business and the examples you are
looking at in class. You may like to consider some of the challenges they faced, and how
these were overcome.
IMPORTANT NOTE ABOUT ASSIGNMENT 2: If you do not pass the communication
section of assignment two and you are a BBS student, you will need to enrol and complete
an approved communication paper in your degree in order to be eligible to graduate. The
‘communication section’ is outlined separately in the marking guideline.
Please review the Marking Guideline and APA referencing style carefully.
Assignment 2: Case Study
Electra Products
Barbara Russell, a manufacturing manager, walked into the monthly company-wide meeting
with a light step and a feeling of hopefulness she hadn’t felt in a long time. The company’s
new, dynamic CEO was going to announce a new era of empowerment at Electra Products,
an 80-year-old publicly-held company that had once been a leading manufacturer and
retailer of electrical products and supplies. In recent years, the company experienced a host
of problems: market share was declining in the face of increased foreign and domestic
competition; new product ideas were few and far between; departments such as
manufacturing and sales barely spoke to one another; morale was at an all-time low; and
many employees were actively seeking other jobs. Everyone needed a dose of hope.
Martin Griffin, who had been hired to revive the failing company, briskly opened the
meeting with a challenge: ‘As we face increasing competition, we need new ideas, new
energy, new spirit to make this company great. And the source for this change is you – each
one of you’. He then went on to explain that under the new empowerment campaign,
employees would be getting more information about how the company was run and would
be able to work with other employees in new and creative ways. Martin proclaimed a new
era of trust and cooperation at Electra Products. Barbara felt the excitement stir within her,
but as she looked around the room, she saw many of the other employees, including her
friend Harry, rolling their eyes. ‘Just another pile of corporate crap,’ Harry said later. ‘One
minute they try downsizing, the next re-engineering. Then they dabble in restructuring. Now
Martin wants to push empowerment. Garbage like empowerment isn’t a substitute for hard
work and a little faith in the people who have been with this company for years. We made it
great once, and we can do it again. Just get out of our way.’ Harry had been a manufacturing
engineer with Electra Products for more than 20 years. Barbara knew he was extremely
loyal to the company, but he – and a lot of others like him – were going to be an obstacle to
the empowerment efforts.
Top management assigned selected managers to several problem-solving teams to come up
with ideas for implementing the empowerment campaign. Barbara loved her assignment as
team leader of the manufacturing team, working on ideas to improve the way retail stores
received the merchandise they needed when they needed it. The team thrived, and trust
blossomed among the members. They even spent nights and weekends working to
complete their report. They were proud of their ideas, which they believed were innovative
but easily achievable: permit a manager to follow a product from design through sales to
customers; allow salespeople to refund up to $500 worth of merchandise on the spot; make
information available to salespeople about future products; and swap sales and
manufacturing personnel for short periods to let them get to know one another’s jobs.
When the team presented its report to department heads, Martin Griffin was enthusiastic.
But shortly into the meeting he had to excuse himself because of a late-breaking deal with a
major hardware store chain. With Martin absent, the department heads rapidly formed a
wall of resistance. The director of human resources complained that the ideas for personnel
changes would destroy the carefully crafted job categories that had just been completed.
The finance department argued that allowing salespeople to make $500 refunds would
create a gold mine of unethical customers and salespeople. The legal department warned
that providing information to salespeople about future products would invite industrial
spying.
The team members were stunned. As Barbara mulled over the latest turn of events, she
considered her options: keep her mouth shut; take a chance and confront Martin about her
sincerity in making empowerment work; push slowly for reform and work for gradual
support from the other teams; or look for another job and leave a company she really cared
about. Barbara realised there would be no easy choices and no easy answers.
Sourced from:
Samson, D., Catley, B., Cathro, V., & Daft, R.L. (2012). Management in New Zealand. (1st ed.).
South Melbourne, Victoria: Cengage Learning Australia Pty Limited.
Assignment 2: Case Report Grading Framework
Important Note about Assignment Two (Report):
? BBS students must pass the ‘communication section’ of Assignment Two in order to
comply with BBS Regulation 4. Regulation four states that students who do not pass the
‘communication section’ will need to enrol and complete an approved communication
paper to be eligible to graduate in their degree. The communication section is noted
below by the phrase COMM.
? A calculator is provided in the Assessment section on STREAM to help you in calculating
the mark you have received for the ‘communication section’. The entire ‘communication
section’ is worth 60% of the assignment marks, so 28% or higher in the calculation
denotes a ‘pass’.
? When your case study report is marked, the following will be assessed:
o The organisational behaviour (OB) part of the introduction, discussion, conclusion
and recommendation section is worth 20% of the overall mark.
o The communication issues part of the introduction, discussion, conclusion and
recommendation section is worth 40% of the overall mark.
o Clarity/Coherence, Tone/Language Choice, Accuracy and Technical Competence
together make up the final 40% of the overall mark.
PLEASE NOTE: The framework below is the marking guideline, not the report format. For
guidelines on how to structure your report correctly see ‘Guidelines for case Study Report
Format’.
Introduction
Describes the context
States the report objectives
Clarifies any limitations or assumptions in the report
Indicates the OB issue that will be discussed
Introduction (COMM)
Indicates two key communication issues
Discussion
Uses evidence from the case study to describe the OB issue
Is well focused on one OB issue
Clear, appropriate critical analysis, evaluation and discussion of the OB issue
Thoughtfully applies theory from the text and other scholarly sources in relation to
the OB issue
Discussion (COMM)
Uses evidence from the case study to determine main communication issues
Is well focused on key communication issues
Clear, appropriate critical analysis, evaluation and discussion of the communication
issues
Thoughtfully applies theory from the text and other scholarly sources in relation to
the communication issues
Conclusion aligned to OB issue
Is linked logically to the report’s objectives
Flows directly from discussion
Is specific and clearly summarises the main points
Conclusions aligned to communication issues (COMM)
Are linked logically to the report’s objectives
Flow directly from discussion
Are specific and clearly summarise the main points
Recommendation aligned to OB issue
Is action-oriented and practical
Logically connects with discussion and conclusion
Recommendations aligned to communication issues (COMM)
Are action-oriented and practical
Logically connect with discussion and conclusions
Clarity and Coherence 10%
Transitions between ideas are very clear
Ideas and thoughts conveyed clearly
Tone/Language Choice (COMM) 10%
Appropriate tone for the audience/discipline
Appropriate vocabulary for the audience/discipline
Technical Competence 10%
Models the style and format appropriate for the report
Quality of references used (including the textbook and at least one journal article)
Accuracy (COMM) 10%
Accurate spelling, punctuation and grammar
Concise writing style
Exemplary sentence, paragraph structure and word choice
Comprehensive APA referencing of at least 3 scholarly sources (including the
textbook and at least one journal article)
Guidelines for Case Study Report Format
Please read the below guidelines in conjunction with the marking guide and the general
instructions for 115.108 assessments. The marking guide outlines what each section should
include and the specific requirements in terms of numbering for the discussion, conclusions,
and recommendations sections.
The numbering and content of each main point/conclusion/recommendation must link. For
example, Discussion Subheading 2.1 would link to Conclusion 3.1 and Recommendation 4.1.
While the marking guideline has separate marking criteria for the OB aspect and the
communication issues, please note that these should be discussed under one section in your
report respectively. For example, the OB issue and the two communication issues should be
discussed under one ‘Discussion’ section in your report even though the marking guide has
two ‘Discussion sections’.
Please contact Angela (A.J.Feekery@massey.ac.nz) or Niki (N.S.Murray@massey.ac.nz) on
Stream if you have any general questions.
Title Page
1. Introduction
2. Discussion
2.1 Subheading One
2.2 Subheading Two
2.3 Subheading Three
3. Conclusions
3.1
3.2
3.3
4. Recommendations
4.1
4.2
4.3
References
NOTES:
• An executive summary or abstract is not required but if included will not impact on the
mark at all.
• Contents pages are not usually needed in short report.
• All of the major sections (1, 2, 3, 4, References) begin on new pages. Sub-sections within
each section do not need a new page
• The introduction heading is numbered. However, the introduction itself should be written
in paragraph format. The Discussion sub-sections are also written as paragraphs.
• Conclusions and Recommendations are short, concise statements of 2-3 sentences. They
are not paragraphs.
• The Conclusions are the key points that the Recommendations will address.
Recommendations are actions the manager can take (what, how and when). They often
start with an action verb (eg. Create a schedule, Hold a meeting, Change processes).
Assessment support
Massey’s Online Writing and Learning Link (OWLL) contains information to help you with
writing your assignments, APA referencing, studying for exams, and a whole lot more! Take
a look at the OWLL here.
Presentation of Written Assignments
You MUST follow these formatting/presentation requirements:
? Create a title page with assignment title, date, paper number, your name and ID,
Coordinator name and number of words used.
? Use font size 12.
? Number all pages and include name/ID on each page.
? Use 1.5 spacing between lines.
? Provide standard (2.54 cm) margin on both left hand and right hand side of the page.
? Reference using the correct APA format.
If you don’t know how to use APA format referencing, then go to this page in
OWLL http://owll.massey.ac.nz/main/referencing.php – assessment of your work includes
assessing whether you have referenced correctly!
Keep to the word length specified in the assignment description or you may have marks
deducted. It is acceptable to go 10% over or under the specified length, but no more than
this. Word count excludes cover page, reference pages and appendices.
Quality of Writing
? Use correct spelling, punctuation and grammar.
? Write in complete sentences.
? Use paragraphs where appropriate.
? Make sure your ideas fit logically together.
? If English is not your first language or you are not experienced in academic writing we
encourage you to use the pre-reading service to get feedback on the quality of your
work before you submit it. Go to the academic writing skills section on the home page of
this course (top left hand corner).
Please also take note of the following advice on quality on written work for BBS students:
BBS writing guide