Principles of Management CW5 Summative Assessment Management Report on Maersk | BPP

POM General Assessment Guidance

• Your summative assessment for this module is made up of this coursework submission, which accounts for 100% of the marks
• Please note that late submissions will not be marked.
• You are required to submit all elements of your assessment via Turnitin online access. Only submissions made via the specified mode will be accepted, and hard copies or any other digital form of submissions (like via email or pen drive, etc.) will not be accepted.
• For coursework, the submission word limit is 5,000 words. You must comply with the word count guidelines. You may submit fewer than 5,000 words but not more. Word Count guidelines can be found on your programme home page and the coursework submission page.
• Do not put your name or contact details anywhere on your submission. You should only put your student registration number (SRN), which will ensure your submission is recognised in the marking process.
• A total of 100 marks is available for this module assessment, and you are required to achieve a minimum 50% to
  Pass this module.
• You are required to use only the Harvard Referencing System in your submission. Any content that is already published by other author(s) and is not referenced will be considered as a case of plagiarism.
• You can find further information on Harvard Referencing in the online library on the Hub.
• BPP University has a strict policy regarding the authenticity of assessments. In proven instances of plagiarism or collusion, severe punishment will be imposed on offenders. You are advised to read the rules and regulations regarding plagiarism and collusion in the GARs and UPPs, which are available on the HUB in the Help and Support section under Documents and Forms.
• Use of AI in assessments is only allowed for the purposes of reviewing a draft, correcting language errors or if specified in the summative assessment brief. If you have used AI for any of these purposes, you should indicate this on the Assignment Cover sheet. For more information regarding acceptable and unacceptable use of AI, please enrol on the Generative AI Foundations course on the HUB.
• You should include a completed copy of the Assignment Cover sheet. Any submission without this completed Assignment Cover sheet may be considered invalid and not marked.

POM Assessment Brief

This module is assessed through one graded element worth 100%. You must achieve at least 50% to pass the module. For this assignment, you will produce a 5000-word management report on Maersk, including a skills development plan and a reflective statement, in an academic style.

By completing this assessment, you will achieve the following learning outcomes (LOs):

LO1 – Apply knowledge and understanding of the key management theories and concepts/practices to contemporary organisations.

LO2 – Critically analyse and highlight the key principles and functions of management, including planning, organising, leading and controlling.

LO3 – Evaluate the dynamics of the global business environment, and the need for effective management as a value-adding universal activity at global, national and local levels.

LO4 – Critically reflect on your own management competencies to design a skills development plan, which is aimed at their future career aims and objectives.

POM Assessment Scenario

Acting as a business consultant, you are required to analyse the management functions and practices and write a business report for the senior management team of Maersk. You must utilise the techniques and concepts you have covered in the module. You must also provide a skills development plan and a reflective statement.

Maersk – Becoming a Transnational Leader through Containerisation

Maersk Line, the global leader in container shipping, has become synonymous with innovation, operational excellence, and globalisation within the maritime industry. Originating from a modest Danish shipping enterprise, Maersk Line made a transformative decision in 1973 under the leadership of Mærsk Mc-Kinney Møller to enter container shipping. This strategic shift represented the largest investment in the company's history and catalysed its evolution into a formidable transnational organisation.

By 2019, Maersk Line operated 639 container ships serving approximately 59,000 customers worldwide, employing nearly 33,000 staff across 130 countries. It maintained over 300 company-owned offices globally, complemented by strategic global service centres in Denmark, the Philippines, India, and China. Through its sister company APM Terminals, Maersk had extensive access to 343 port terminals and inland facilities in 61 countries.

Maersk’s rise to industry leadership is significantly attributed to its revolutionary business model centred around providing superior customer service—captured succinctly by its motto "service all the way." By replacing third-party agency agreements with proprietary offices beginning in 1974, Maersk established direct control over local operations, enhancing responsiveness and consistency in service delivery. This extensive network enabled Maersk to effectively implement a global strategy while simultaneously responding adeptly to local market demands.

Central to Maersk’s competitive advantage was the integration of innovative operational practices. The company pioneered technologies and management systems that enhanced efficiency and effectiveness, notably through significant investments in information technology and specialised shipping equipment. High-level communication and sophisticated control systems supported the operational excellence required in managing complex global logistics networks.

Maersk Line’s approach to internationalisation exemplifies dynamic capabilities in practice. Through consistent strategic investments and organisational adjustments, Maersk successfully identified and seized global business opportunities. For instance, the company's proactive establishment of overseas offices, each operating as independent profit centres managed by carefully selected expatriate and local managers, allowed for entrepreneurial agility and robust market responsiveness.

The success of Maersk’s strategic orientation was further underpinned by a distinct management philosophy and robust internal culture. Employees underwent rigorous training programmes, such as the Maersk International Shipping Education (M.I.S.E.), which attracted over 85,000 global applicants annually for around 500 trainee positions. These initiatives fostered a globally unified yet locally responsive workforce capable of delivering Maersk’s high service standards.

Through deliberate strategic alignment and innovative management practices, Maersk Line not only navigated but actively shaped the dynamics of global maritime commerce. This case highlights Maersk's capacity to balance global standardisation with local differentiation effectively, serving as a benchmark for contemporary management practices in global enterprises.

This case study is adapted from the detailed analysis provided in the chapter by Henrik Sornn-Friese (2019) in Shipping and Globalisation in the Post-War Era. The detailed chapter can be found in the following reference:

Sornn-Friese, H, 2019, 'Containerization in Globalization': A Case Study of How Maersk Line Became a Transnational Company. in NP Petersson, S Tenold & N White (eds), Shipping and Globalisation in the Post-War Era: Contexts, Companies, Connections. Palgrave Macmillan, Cham, Palgrave Studies in Maritime Economics, pp. 103-
131. 

POM Assessment Tasks

You are to critically analyse and evaluate the current management practices at Maersk. You must recommend changes based on your evaluation that Maersk must implement to improve its success.

Task 1 – Key Management Theories, Concepts and Practices (LO1)

For Maersk, discuss how management theories, concepts and practices are currently adding value. Explain, with evidence, what these management practices have contributed to the success of the Maersk brand.

Support your arguments with reference to appropriate academic literature, case study materials and your independent research.

Task 2 – Management as a value-adding universal activity (LO3)

Evaluate the dynamics of the global business environment. Discuss how the management at Maersk has adapted its strategies and methods, at global, national and local levels, adding value to the company.

Support your arguments with reference to appropriate academic literature, case study materials and your independent research.

Task 3 – Key Principles and Functions of Management (LO2)

Critically analyse the management approach taken by the management at Maersk to address the key challenges. Highlight the key principles and functions of management (planning, organising, leading and controlling), with supporting evidence.

Support your arguments with reference to appropriate academic literature, case study materials and your independent research.

Task 4 – Critical Reflection and Skills Development Plan (LO4)

For this task, you are required to produce a Skills Development Plan (700 words) PLUS a 500-word Reflective Statement. You are required to reflect on your own management competencies, in line with your career goals.

Support your arguments with reference to appropriate academic literature and your independent research.

POM Assessment Guidelines

Introduction:

• Introduce Maersk and explain the context of your management report.
• Briefly discuss the current issues at Maersk.

Task 1 – Key Management Theories, Concepts and Practices (LO1)

• Explain how management is contributing to adding value.
• Discuss the four philosophies of the Competing Values Framework and identify ONE other relevant management theory that is driving the management approach at Maersk.
• The relevant management theory must be appropriate to your answer. You may choose to consider the following theories: Scientific Management Theory, Bureaucratic Theory, Administrative Theory, Contingency Theory, TQM Theory, etc. NOTE: This list is not exhaustive, and you should choose the most appropriate theory in your answer – DO NOT attempt to apply all theories.

Task 2 – Management as a value-adding universal activity (LO3)

• Consider applying the LoNG-PEST framework, or Porter’s 5 forces to evaluate what Maersk should do differently at global, national and local levels.
• Based on the above analysis, identify and evaluate one global factor that can create opportunities and one that can pose threats to Maersk.
• Refer to specific details of where the management of Maersk can add value.

Task 3 – The key principles and functions of management (LO2)

• Keeping in view the current/expected environmental changes from your findings in Task 2, identify and critically analyse one internal challenge faced by the management of Maersk.
• Highlight the key principles and functions of management, including planning, organising, leading and controlling, which can be applied by management to address this challenge.
• In your answer, you should justify your choice of one internal challenge with reference to the appropriate application of an academic model (for example: Value Chain analysis or VRIO, Mendelow’s matrix, etc.).

Task 4 – Critical Reflection and Skills Development Plan (LO4)

• Complete your Personal SWOT below:

• Complete the following Skills Development Plan, aimed at addressing your future career aims and objectives:

Provide a 500-word Reflective Statement on what you have learned about your own management competencies during this Module.

• This Reflective Statement should be written in the first person.
• Apply an appropriate personal reflection model such as Borton, Kolb's Cycle, Maslow's or GROW model.
• Focus your answer on the areas of key professional skills, including self-management, problem-solving, and decision-making.
• Your personal reflection should be based on your Personal SWOT and Skills Development Plan.

Conclusion

Provide a conclusion to summarise your recommended changes that Maersk should implement to improve its success.

Report Structure

Your report structure should include the following sections:

• Cover page (BPP University Administration Cover Sheet)
• Table of Contents
• List of Abbreviations (if appropriate)
• Introduction (100)
• Task 1    (1200)
• Task 2    (1200)
• Task 3    (1200)
• Task 4    (1200)
• Conclusion (100)
• References
• Appendices (if required)

Word count: 5000 words

If you have any further questions about this assessment, please contact the module leader or your tutor.

Academic Skills, Structure and References

• Work demonstrates intellectual originality, integrity, coherence, creativity and imagination.
• Professional academic standards are followed consistently.
• Structure is in line with the given instructions.
• Tasks 1, 2 and 3 must be written in 3rd person, using an academic style.
• Task 4 must be written in the first person.
• Give a professional appearance with consistent formatting.
• Spellings and grammar are correct.
• Each page has page number in the Footer.
• Any tables or figures are correctly labelled.
• Tables and figures do not cross boundaries, unless necessary
• Properly cite your sources in the text and in the list of references
• Use Harvard style for referencing and in text citations 

Tip for Mapping the Assessment towards Module Topics and Module Learning Outcomes (LOs)

The above table is an indicative word count for the planning of each section of the report. You must ensure that the final report is not over the 5,000 words as indicated in the guidance.

POM Marking Guide

The assignment is marked out of 100 and counts towards 100% of your module mark. The following table shows the tasks, marks and marking rubric: