MGT9130M People and Global Organisations, Portfolio, University Of Lincoln

Description of Assessment Task and Purpose:

The assessment is an individual 3000-word (maximum) portfolio which demonstrates your learning on the module. The aim of the portfolio is to appraise students as responsible business managers through analysis and critique of a topic covered on the module with practical application to an organisation. Additionally, the assessment also aims to assess your ability to find and evaluate accurate and reliable information/evidence and present it in a clear, concise, and academic manner. Assessment will incorporate both formative and summative approaches, with the formative feedback feeding into the final piece of summative work. The portfolio should consist of two parts.

Part A: Essay - 2200 words

For part A, you are required to choose one of the three topics below and develop a 2,200- word essay to analyse the chosen topic within an organisation of your choice.

1.    Cross-cultural conflict and negotiations
2.    Diversity in global organisations
3.    Cross-cultural team-working

The purpose of the essay is to assess your knowledge of the subject area and your ability to employ the key theoretical concepts covered on the module in the analysis of an organisation.

In the essay, you must have the following aspects covered. (Please note that you do not need to use titles and subtitles for different aspects/sections, as this takes up valuable word count – but it’s your choice if you would like to have sub-sections).

Module Synopsis

This 15-credit module aims to introduce learners to the realities of the organisational context and the challenges of management practices in the global business arena. It will encourage you to view organisations as complex, process-based cultural systems, and continually emerging social structures operating based on people relations and interactions. The last four decades have been marked by significant developments within the international arena, including increased speed and volume of knowledge transmission internationally, reduced restrictions on international trade, the resultant acceleration in the flow of foreign direct investment, and increasing business participation from less familiar territories. Such developments have led to intensified worldwide competition as a growing number of firms from emerging and developing economies expand globally, and existing multinational companies (MNCs) continue to spread their activities around the world into less familiar territories.

In light of such developments, it is crucial to understand the impact of culture and national institutions on the business activities and practices of individuals within these firms. Cross-border activities are underpinned by cultural interaction as firms tend to be embedded in the society from which they emerged. Hence, this module will provide learners with the opportunity to develop knowledge and gain an understanding of how the national context impacts on the behaviour of people in organisations. To do this, the impact of various dimensions of culture on business will be explored, with particular attention to national culture. Additionally, students will be able to identify and examine alternative explanations (other than culture) for the differences in organisational and management practices across firms from varying national territories. Moreover, students will be given the chance to collect specialised insights into certain themes, firms, or cultures, through the focused module assessment.

Module Learning Outcomes

On completion of the module, you should be able to:

LO1 Explain organisational processes from the perspectives of individuals and organisations in the global context.
LO2 Evaluate global organisational contexts within which individuals operate and assess how economic, political, and social influences impact individual/team behaviour.
LO3 Analyse strategies for managing international teams and projects with particular emphasis on the impact of national culture on the function and culture of the organisation.
LO4 Evaluate organisation and management theory in relation to students’ own experience and/or competencies as manager.