Table of Contents
Online Help on MMM710 Discussion Paper
Description
Purpose
This task provides you with opportunities to account for international and sustainability perspectives, examine the operational environment of a global firm, apply relevant theories and frameworks, analyze and evaluate strategies, recommend strategic propositions, and learn discipline-specific knowledge, digital literacy, critical thinking, and problem-solving (ULO 1, ULO 2, ULO 3, GLO 1, GLO 3, GLO 4 and GLO 5). By completing this task, you will develop your skills in researching, understanding, applying, evaluating, and presenting information required of business professionals.
Context/Scenario
For this task, assume you are presenting a series of short discussion papers to the board or management of a Global Organization based in the Asia Pacific region. The intent of the paper will be to bring the board members up to speed with key issues such as Governance, Innovation, and Sustainability by incorporating the use of the relevant frameworks, such as EPIC Framework, to inform their decision-making processes for the business.
Choice of Organization: You are welcome to use the same organization that you used in Assignment Task 1 (AT1). Alternatively, you can select another organization with its headquarters based in the Asia Pacific region.
Specific Requirements
Your task in this written assignment is to answer the following questions after thoroughly understanding the selected focal firm. You will draw on your knowledge of the topics covered within the course. You will provide comprehensive but concise answers to the questions presented below. This written assignment will challenge your ability to apply what you have learned from this unit to stimulate the board members of the company to consider the issues that you raise within their strategic planning.
In this assignment, you will do well if you build on the theories, concepts, models, and frameworks that we have covered in this unit to date (i.e., textbook, lectures, tutorials, workshops, readings, and links through our Cloud Deakin unit site) when you answer the questions below. You are free to adapt your style, approach, and layout to present your answers to these questions in a formal written report. In other words, if you think you can give your arguments/ideas in narrative, tabular, graphic, or bullet-list forms (or a combination of these forms) clearly and persuasively, then please do what you think is best. However, there is a word limit for each question (i.e., 500 words per question).
The assignment has a total word limit of 2500 words (5 answers X 500 words). Please indicate the ACTUAL number of words at the end of your answer to each of the 5 questions. There is no minimum number of words nor a minimum number of references (a few lines over the limit in terms of no. of words are reasonable). Please indicate the actual total number of words on the cover page of your assignment.
Please use Times New Roman or Calibri, font 12, double space, and a 1-inch margin on all sides. Cite the references you have used using the Harvard referencing style (author-date system). The reference list you will provide is NOT counted in the maximum number of words.
You may have appendices for some supporting analyses but use these sparingly as these are not counted in the word limit and will not be marked. You will submit/upload your assignment in a Word document file to an Assessment Task 2 folder on our Cloud Deakin unit site. Please refer to the evaluation rubric, which the unit’s teaching team will use in marking your assignment.
You are expected to draw on our unit’s teaching and learning resources, such as our class and seminar resources and other learning resources found on our Cloud Deakin unit site.
THE BRIEF
Select a firm that has international operations with headquarters based in the Asia-Pacific region. Prepare a report answering each of the 5 questions. The intent of the report is that it will be presented to the board to stimulate their thinking about the future of the organization and the decisions and strategies that they will implement to ensure the continued survival of the organization.
You can write these questions in your report at the start of each question. However, a simple title to each section would be a more intelligent solution to the presentation of the information. i.e., either a simple descriptor (Sustainability) or a more useful title (Sustainability Issues and Solutions of the ……… Industry).
Each answer is to be 500 words +/-10%.
Q1. How can the EPIC framework/model be used to guide our decision-making about long and/or short-term ventures, partnerships or business relationships that will occur in foreign countries? In your answer identify the limits of the EPIC framework for your company (if appropriate) and discuss other relevant factors or concepts that need to be considered (e.g., reshoring, friend-shoring).
(Approximately 500 words)
Q2. What are the governance challenges that this organization needs to consider in our planning over the next 5 – 10 years? In your answer, clearly define and describe the nature of governance and include governance challenges associated with the Global Value Chain (GVC).
(Approximately 500 words)
Q3. What can this organization learn from Schumpeter’s notion of creative destruction about the way that we do business internally, but also when we consider the implications of creative destruction throughout the Global Value Chain (GVC)?
(Approximately 500 words)
Q4. What does this organization need to focus on over the next 5 years to address the 17 Sustainability Development Goals (SDGs)? Your answer will need to describe where the organization currently sits in this area (initiatives, successes, failures) and address the ways in which the focus on sustainability may impact the financial performance of the organization in the short, medium, and longer term.
(Approximately 500 words)
Q5. Given what you have written in Q1 – 4, what is the strategy, or set of strategies, that you will recommend to the board for the next 5 – 10 years? In this answer, you are free to include other aspects of the global issues that have been covered during the semester (e.g., forecasting). Remember that the strategy needs to address some aspects of international operations.
(Approximately 500 words)
NOTE: The best papers will include
- A Title for the Report.
- Title Page
- Title
- Name, Student ID
- You can assume the role of CONSULTANT to the company.
- Subject, Semester, Submission Date
- Response to Q1
- Response to Q2
- Response to Q3
- Response to Q4
- Response to Q5
- A Reference List
- Academic Papers
- Industry papers or other relevant but non-academic sources
- Appendices as Appropriate
- This may include Assignment 1, uploaded as a separate document if relevant.
- Tables and Diagrams
- All tables and Diagrams need to have Titles.
- e.g., Table 1: Global Value Chain for XYZ Company
- Any tables included within the report need to be referred to in the text.
- e.g. Table 1 presents the Global Value Chain for XYZ Company.
- Intelligent Use of the Header and Footer, e.g.,
- Page Numbers
- Title of the Report
- Subject
- Date
- All tables and Diagrams need to have Titles.