International Business Assignment 1
MODULE CODE MS60014E
Module Learning Outcomes Assessed:
- Reveal understanding of key contemporary international business issues.
- Ability to identify and evaluate the global context within which organisations must function.
- Explain why companies may decide to internationalise.
- Comprehend the impact of multinationals on both home and host nations.
Assignment 1 Task
Offshoring is the shifting of production or services to a foreign country and has been a controversial issue over the last twenty years, a new trend of ‘reshoring’ that is returning work back to the home country is now taking place.
Critically evaluate whether you consider offshoring has been of benefit to society and is ‘reshoring’ a correction to offshoring or a reaction to a change in circumstances and a rethinking of strategy by companies.
General guideline
You may commence with a brief survey of offshoring and how this links with globalisation.
The major part of your report must critically evaluate the rationale of offshoring and ‘reshoring’. You should also consider ethical issues that arise through offshoring and reshoring.
Chapters one and five from your core text book together with Special Report Outsourcing and Offshoring published in the Economist January 19th-25th 2013 issue cover the key elements of this assignment. Additional research will be expected, your work must include relevant illustrations and statistics to support your analysis and critical evaluation.
The format should be a report and you must not exceed 1500 words.
Deadline: TBA Weighting: 40%
Marking criteria
Your work will be marked as follows:
RESEARCH 30% of total marks, (evidence of careful selection of data and opinions required.)
ANALYSIS 30% of total marks (ability to explain and analyse the issues involved in this assignment.)
EVALUATION 30% of total marks (critical appraisal of current opinions, recommendations from your analysis.)
PRESENTATION 10% of total marks (clarity of format, content and expression)
Marking guidelines
70-100: Carefully organised and synthesised piece of work with key insights into the most recent opinions and critical evaluation of the statement.
60-69: May be mostly analysis, although synopsis is well organised in terms of selecting key points relevant to the discussion as referred to immediately above. Good theoretical underpinning where appropriate, applied to facts but lacks a broad critical stance.
50-59: Descriptive synopsis covers most but not all key points. Reasonable understanding of relevant theoretical issues but lacks detailed application to the facts that have been stated.
40-49: Descriptive synopsis without much organisation or insight; often displays a patchy depth and gaps in coverage of the major key issues. Theoretical understanding is mostly superficial and there is not much by the way of application to the facts that have been stated.
0-39: Lacks understanding of the major issues raised. Very little underpinning of relevant theory and fails to apply it to facts stated.
A further detailed general marking guideline is provided in your Module Study Guide.
Pass requirements
The regulations state that students must attempt each component of formal assessment. Students failing to attempt one assessment component for the module will automatically fail the module. To pass the module, students must achieve an overall mark of at least 40%.
Anonymous Marking
Student work is marked in accordance with the University’s policy on anonymous marking.
Assessment Feedback
First assignment
All written work is marked in accordance with the written marking criteria. Students are always given the opportunity to discuss their feedback with the tutor. Work is double marked and externally moderated in accordance with University regulations.
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