Main Examination Period 2024 – January– Semester A – Take Home Assignment
Module Code & Title: BUS326 Global Supply Chains
Date and time of submission: 18 January 2025, 16:00
Important: You must read carefully the instructions on “Guidance on Take Home Assignments” before attempting this paper
This paper contains 1 question. Answer 1 question
Word limit for each question:
Q1: 2000 Words
If you answer more questions than specified, only the
first answers (up to the specified number) will be marked.
Declaration of academic integrity for Take Home Assignments: In submitting your work you are formally confirming that during the allocated assignment period you have had no unauthorised conversation about this assignment with any persons. Further, you certify that the attached work represents your own thinking, and is entirely your own. Any information, concepts, or words that originate from other sources are cited in accordance with the citation conventions accepted by the School of Business and Management. You are aware of the serious consequences that result from improper discussions with others or from the improper citation of work that is not your own.
All exam papers will be run through plagiarism software (Turnitin) and QMUL’s standard Assessment Offences policy applies.
If you encounter errors in the exam paper or are unable to upload the exam to the QMPlus page for this module, please email the following asking for advice during UK office hours 09.00 to 17.00:
[email protected]
Examiner: Matan Kaminer
© Queen Mary University of London, 2024
BUS326
Global Supply Chains
Individual Take-Home Assignment
, 2000 words, 80%
Deadline:
18 January 2025 via QMPLUS
Assessment Brief
The purpose of this assessment is to give you an opportunity to apply the principles and theories introduced in class and in the readings by evaluating a real-life global supply chain from the perspective of an adviser working on behalf of a stakeholder within a global supply chain. Your final assessment will be written as a
briefing paper addressed to one of several possible stakeholders in a supply chain, advising them on how best to further their interests within the chain with reference to its structure, power relations within it, and the relevant institutional framework. In most cases, you will be working on the same supply chain which your group selected for its midterm assignment, but from a different perspective than your groupmates. You are encouraged to consult your groupmates, but each paper must be written individually and independently.
General instructions
Step 1:
Divide roles among group members (by
8 December 2024
)
Each group member will be advising a different stakeholder, chosen according to criteria provided below. There are more possible roles than group members, and you should have no problem making sure that no role is duplicated. Please fill in the
Topic Choice Google Form by this date. In exceptional cases students will be allowed to change the supply chain they are working on. If you would like to do this, you
must consult your instructor (Matan or Zafer) via email by
3 December.
Step 2:
Write and turn in your briefing paper (by
18 January 2025
)
Following selection of your stakeholder, you will write and submit a 2,000-word briefing paper. This word count
does not include the cover page, executive summary, table of contents, reference list and appendices. The following structure is recommended, but not required:
Title:
‘Briefing Paper for Stakeholder X in Supply Chain Y
’
Cover (containing your student IDs only)
Executive Summary (maximum 150 words)
Table of Contents
1. Background
· Characterisation of the supply chain using concepts and theories taught in the module
· Brief history of the supply chain
· Current state of the chain
2. The stakeholder
· The stakeholder’s identity and role in the chain
· The stakeholder’s interests
· Challenges faced by the stakeholder
· Relationships with other stakeholders in the chain (including common and conflicting interests)
3. Recommendations
· A list of recommended actions for the stakeholder
· Reasoning behind these
· Expected outcomes
4. Short conclusion
General guidelines and useful tips
· Your briefing is aimed at a stakeholder who you can assume is already familiar with the selected supply chain. Be specific and address key points by using theory to back up your arguments. You should explain the ‘why’ of every suggestion you make!
· You may use visuals (e.g. pictures, graphs), throughout the paper.
· Make sure you use academic references from credible sources, including those in the module’s reading list. It is strongly recommended you identify a minimum of
12 references.
· Your recommendations section should demonstrate an ability to synthesize theories taught in the module with your independent research and to provide practical suggestions.
· Your submission should be in either
MS Word or
Adobe PDF format. Failure to submit in the correct format may result in a mark of zero for non-submission.
· Please read and carefully follow the module guidelines on AI use (posted on QMPlus).
· A late penalty will be applied for submissions received after the deadline.
· You will be contacted if there are any problems regarding your submission, so please check your email account regularly after the submission date.
Stakeholders you may address in your briefing
Please note that some of the stakeholders below, such as management or labour unions, are specific to a particular firm or economic activity participating in the chain, while others, like governments and NGOs, are not. If you choose one of the former, you should specify the particular firm/stage when filing your form.[footnoteRef:1] [1: Stakeholders can be fictional (i.e. a non-existent NGO) but their relevance should be clear. If you have any doubts, consult your instructor via email by 3 December.]
· Management of a firm in any part (upstream/downstream, driver/non-driver) of the supply chain;
· Labour union representing the workers of a firm in the supply chain;
· Government of a country participating (or wishing to participate) in the supply chain;
· International non-governmental organisation (NGO), multinational organisation, or local civil society organisation working on an issue relevant to the supply chain (e.g. fair trade, biodiversity, workers’ rights).
Other stakeholders may be suggested but
must be confirmed via email with your instructor by
3 December.
2018-19 Assessment Feedback Form
BUS326 Global Supply Chains
80% Individual Take-Home Assignment
|
Student ID number: QM username: |
Marker(s): |
Agreed Provisional Mark: Extension: Late: Penalty Mark: |
|
Marking Criteria |
Proportion of marks |
Excellent |
Good |
Average |
Poor |
Fail |
|
Analytical presentation of theory; · State and dynamics of the supply chain · Position and interests of the stakeholder |
35 |
|||||
|
Critical analysis and practical suggestions for promoting the stakeholder’s interests · Coherent and reasonable suggestions · Cogent presentation of reasoning behind these |
35 |
|||||
|
Appropriate use of structure |
10 |
|||||
|
Appropriate use of academic references |
10 |
|||||
|
Presentation (English use, grammar, syntax) |
10 |
|
Marking Scheme: |
|||||
|
The assignment represents 80% of total mark in the module, and is evaluated as follows: Take-home assignment (80%): Analytical presentation of theory: 35% Critical analysis and practical suggestions: 35% Structure 10% Appropriate use of academic references: 10% Presentation (English use, grammar, syntax): 10% |
|||||
|
Take-home Assignment (80%) |
A |
B |
C |
D |
F |
|
Analytical presentation of theory 35% |
Excellent presentation of chosen theory |
Very good presentation of chosen theory |
Good presentation of chosen theory |
Satisfactory presentation of chosen theory |
Poor presentation of chosen theory / off topic |
|
Critical analysis and practical suggestions 35% |
Excellent analysis and practical suggestions |
Very good analysis and practical suggestions |
Good analysis and practical suggestions |
Satisfactory analysis and practical suggestions |
Poor analysis and practical suggestions |
|
Structure 10% |
Excellent structure |
Very good structure |
Good structure |
Satisfactory structure |
Poor structure |
|
Appropriate use of academic references 10% |
Excellent use of academic references |
Very good use of academic references |
Good use of academic references |
Satisfactory use of academic references |
Poor use of academic references |
|
Presentation (English use, grammar, syntax) 10% |
Excellent grammar and syntax |
Very good grammar and syntax |
Good grammar and syntax |
Satisfactory grammar and syntax |
Poor grammar and syntax |
Mark Scheme
70% and above First Class
As for the (60-69.9%) below plus:
· Shows evidence of wide and relevant reading and a careful engagement with the conceptual issues
· Develops a rigorous argument
· Shows a sophisticated understanding of relevant source materials. Materials are evaluated directly and their assumptions and arguments challenged and/or appraised
· Shows independent thinking, originality and/or creativity
60-69.9% 2:1
As for the (50-59.9%) below plus:
· Shows strong evidence of analytical insight and critical thinking
· Shows a clear understanding of the major factual and/or theoretical issues
· Directly engages with the relevant literature on the topic
· Develops and sustains a focussed argument
· Shows strong evidence of planning and appropriate choice of sources
50-59.9% 2:2
· Shows a reasonable understanding of the major factual and/or theoretical issues involved
· Shows evidence of planning and selection from appropriate sources
· Demonstrates some knowledge of the literature
· The text shows, in places, examples of a clear train of thought or argument
40-49.9% 3rd (pass)
· Addresses the learning objectives at the minimum required level
· Shows some understanding but very little development.
· Severe misunderstandings evident
· Considerable amount of irrelevant material included
0-39% Irredeemable fail
· Fails to address the learning objectives
· Does not engage with the relevant literature or demonstrate knowledge of the key issues
· Contains serious conceptual or factual errors or misunderstandings
1
