Title
Coursework 2 (TWO):
Essay
Submission
Date:
9th January 2017
(before 23:55
hours)
Module Leader Richard Woodward
Submission
Time and Place:
Submission
through Turnitin
ONLY
Module Team Richard Woodward
Sujay Sinha
Module learning outcomes being assessed
1. Critically engage with competing explanations for economic globalisation since 1945
2. Analyse the global business environment in different industrial sectors and evaluate the
strategies corporations deploy to manage those environments
3. Demonstrate understanding of the global business environment by communicating, both
verbally and in writing, complex ideas and arguments about the evolution and dynamics of
the world economy
4. Locate, identify and synthesise appropriate information to design, conduct and report
research into business and management issues, both individually and as part of a team
Assignment Information
This assignment requires you to write a 2000 word essay on the following question:
Are multinational corporations or states the most important actors in the global business
environment? Illustrate your answer with reference to the OIL industry.
In writing your answer you may find it helpful to reflect on some of the following questions:
? What are the main powers and vulnerabilities of multinational corporations operating
in the oil industry?
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? What role do states and other public authorities such as international organisations
play in the oil industry? For instance, do they play a minimal role, merely providing
the framework of rules and regulations that facilitate the operation of global markets
or do they play a more interventionist role (perhaps as owners of multinational
corporations or factors of production)?
? What factors affect the relationship between multinational corporations and states in
the oil industry? Are these relationships cooperative or antagonistic?
? What factors affect the balance of power between states and multinational
corporations in the oil industry?
How to submit your assessment
The report must be submitted via Turnitin by 23.55 on 9th January 2017. No paper copies are
required. You can access the Turnitin link through the module web.
? Your coursework will be given a zero mark if you do not submit a copy through
Turnitin. Should you submit work on time but fail the assignment, you will be offered
a resit opportunity but the resit mark will be capped at 40%.
? All work submitted after the submission deadline without a valid and approved
reason (see below) will be given a mark of zero. Please note that a non-submission
is not the same as a failed submission; a failed submission counts as an attempt
whereas an absent mark does not necessarily allow you to resit the coursework.
? Students MUST keep a copy and/or an electronic file of their assignment.
? Checks will be made on your work using anti-plagiarism software and approved
plagiarism checking websites.
EXTENSIONS
The University wants you to do your best. However we know that sometimes events happen
which mean that you can?t submit your coursework by the deadline ? these events should be
beyond your control and not easy to predict. If this happens, you can apply for an extension
to your deadline for up to two weeks, or if you need longer, you can apply for a deferral,
which takes you to the next assessment period (for example, to the resit period following the
main Assessment Boards). You must apply before the deadline.
You will find information about the process and what is or is not considered to be an event
beyond your control athttps://share.coventry.ac.uk/students/Registry/Pages/Deferrals-andExtension.aspx
GUIDELINES AND BACKGROUND TO THIS ASSIGNMENT
This assessment will assess the module learning outcomes 1, 2, 3 and 4 and makes
up 50% of the overall module mark.
Word Count Limit
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Your word count includes in text citations but not the final references or appendices. If you
are more than 10% over or under the word count limit you may lose marks as a 10% penalty
applies.
The contents of your References and Appendices are not normally given a specific mark
(though they may contribute to your overall mark, as detailed in the assessment criteria). We
therefore recommend that you only use Appendices for supporting material and not for the
substantive part of your work.
Plagiarism
As part of your study you will be involved in carrying out research and using this when
writing up your coursework. It is important that you correctly acknowledge someone else?s
writing or thoughts and that you do not attempt to pass this off as your own work. Doing so
is known as plagiarism. It is not acceptable to copy from another source without
acknowledging that it is someone else?s writing or thinking. This includes using paraphrasing
as well as direct quotations. You are expected to correctly cite and reference the works of
others. The Centre for Academic Writing provides documents to help you get this right. If you
are unsure, please visit www.coventry.ac.uk/caw.
Turnitin includes a plagiarism detection system and assessors are experienced enough to
recognise plagiarism when it occurs. Copying another student?s work, using previous work of
your own or copying large sections from a book or the internet are examples of plagiarism
and carry serious consequences. Please familiarise yourself with the CU Harvard
Reference Style (on Moodle) and use it correctly to avoid a case of plagiarism or cheating
being brought. Again, if you are unsure, please contact the Centre for Academic Writing or a
member of the course team.
Return of Marked Work
You can expect to have marked work returned to you 2 weeks after the submission date.
Marks and feedback will be provided online. As always, marks will have been internally
moderated only, and will therefore be provisional; your mark will be formally agreed later in
the year once the external examiner has completed his / her review.
Coursework 2 M01SSL SEPJAN1617
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Assessment Criteria
Mark range Guidelines
70 ? 100% In order to secure a mark in this range, a candidate must submit an
outstanding answer that could hardly be bettered. In addition to the
criteria identified below for a mark between 70-85%, an answer
scoring a mark of 85-100% would show an excellent level of
understanding and critical/analytic skills and originality. For
example, such an answer would include new insights into the global
business environment of a specific industry sector which are not
drawn from the literature but from the student’s own critical
thinking, and which add something to the existing literature.
An essay in this range will demonstrate a strong understanding of
theories, concepts and issues relating to the global business
environment of a specific industry sector. There will be evidence of
wide-ranging reading from a variety of valid sources (as described
and presented in the marking criteria for 60-69%).
The assignment must be written in a clear, well-structured way with
a coherent and seamless flow and show evidence of independent,
critical thought. It must show extensive relevant reading on the
subject and intelligent use of the material to present a well-balanced
and well-argued assignment. For example, the student will have
considered a range of relevant issues and be able to assess the
strength and weaknesses of various approaches/arguments and put
forward a confident and articulate view of their own.
60 ? 69% An essay in this mark range will demonstrate a good understanding
of the requirements of the assignment and of theories, concepts and
issues relating to the global business environment of a specific
industry sector. An assignment in this percentage range will include a
balanced discussion of issues central to the question, how these are
addressed by different authors or sources and some critical thinking
into their relative merits or shortcomings.
The answer will be contain few errors and little, if any, irrelevant
material. It will show evidence of reading from a variety of sources
(i.e. more than 3 or 4) but not so many sources that the discussion
loses focus and becomes unclear or irrelevant. All sources should be
of some academic merit (e.g. books, journals, reports, media
publications). Unreferenced material from non-credible internet
sources MUST be avoided.
All sources must be included and properly referenced in the
references. The assignment will be well-organised and clearly
written/presented overall.
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Mark range Guidelines
50 ? 59% The answer will demonstrate some reasonable understanding of
relevant theories, concepts and issues relating to the global business
environment of a specific industry sector but also some minor errors
of fact or understanding.
The assignment will not be based on an extensive range of sources
(for example few references are included), or much evidence that
they have been read closely or well-understood. For example, the
assignment will retell sources rather than analyse them.
The assignment may be quite general in part. Some errors may be
present and some irrelevant material may be included.
The essay may not be particularly well-structured, and/or clearly
presented and contain some spelling mistakes and grammatical
errors. A few sentences may be unclear.
40 – 49% A mark within this percentage range will be given to an essay which:
– shows some limited basic understanding of the subject but is
incomplete. For example, if it answers one part of a question but
not the rest.
– makes only very general statements
– includes some factual errors or misunderstandings e.g. confusion
between different companies or misuse of certain key terms.
– shows limited use of material with limited reading/research on
the topic and includes only a very small number of references, not
all of which are included in the references
– includes spelling mistakes, is poorly structured with no clear
argument and grammar mistakes making it difficult to
understand.
– includes some irrelevant material.
35 ? 39% A mark within this percentage range will be given to an assignment
which:
– includes only a limited amount of relevant material.
– shows little evidence of reading/research on the topic. For
example, the essay includes only very few references, and relies
only on material or case studies used during the course.
– shows only a very basic understanding of the subject.
– is poorly presented with bad grammar, some spelling mistakes
and an incomplete reference list.
– has a poor structure and does not flow e.g. if there is no conclusion
or new facts are introduced in the conclusion rather than
introduction or main discussion.
– contains some fundamental errors.
20 ? 34% A poor fail on this assignment means the assignment submitted:
– is poor and suggests that the student has spent very little time on
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Mark range Guidelines
0 – 19%
it e.g. if the answer is considerably under the word requirement
and/or presented in note form rather than as a fully written up
essay.
– bears little relation to the assignment topic.
– shows a poor understanding of theories, concepts and issues
relating to the global business environment of a specific industry
sector and to the learning outcomes detailed in this document.
– contains some or many fundamental errors and
misunderstandings of the academic or other material used. For
example many of the facts cited are incorrect.
– uses literature or other material which is largely irrelevant or has
no academic value
– is poorly structured and poorly presented. For example, sentences
may be hard to understand and contain many spelling or
grammatical mistakes.
– contains no references.
Work within this mark range shows a complete failure to meet the
requirements of the assignment. A mark in this range will be given
for an essay which:
– is below 500 words in length.
– bears no link to the question chosen and shows very little or no
knowledge or understanding of any of the theories, concepts and
issues relating to the global business environment of a specific
industry sector. The answer may be fundamentally wrong or
trivial.
– contains no references and/or evidence of relevant reading.
– shows little understanding of the requirements of the assignment
and only a vague knowledge of the subject area.
– includes numerous fundamental errors in the understanding or
presentation of the material discussed. There is a general lack of
facts/evidence and what is provided is mostly incorrect and/or
irrelevant.
– is poorly structured and poorly presented. Spelling and grammar
are poor. Many sentences are incomprehensible.
– the examiners do not feel could be described as a serious attempt
by any reasonable standards.