People and Global Organisations – UMODPX-15-M
The assessment brief is for the module “People and Global Organisations” with code UMODPX-15-M in the Faculty of Business and Law. It is a portfolio assessment consisting of two parts – Part 1 and Part 2. Part 1 requires students to write a 200-word reflective summary on each of the topics covered in the module (from week 3 to week 11) and a final 200-word reflective note on the overall experience of the module. Part 2 is a 2000-word critical analysis of a case study using at least two topics from the module. The assessment is worth 100% of the total module mark and must be submitted electronically in Word format via Blackboard by 14:00 on 5th May 2023. There is a 5-day late submission window, and marks and feedback are due on 2nd June 2023. The assessment is designed to assess the module’s learning outcomes, including the ability to critically evaluate theories, apply theoretical frameworks in a global context, and propose evidence-based recommendations for contemporary people issues in international organisations.Part 1:
In the first seminar, we discussed the key themes of the module and our expectations. We explored how globalization and the rise of global organizations have transformed the way we work, and the importance of understanding the dynamics of power, culture, and diversity within these organizations. We also discussed the key debates and discussions around these topics, such as the impact of globalization on local cultures, the role of leaders in shaping organizational culture, and the challenges of managing diversity in global organizations.
In the second seminar, we focused on the topic of culture, exploring how culture shapes our beliefs, values, and behaviors, and how it affects organizational practices and processes. We discussed the different dimensions of culture, such as national culture, organizational culture, and subcultures, and the challenges of managing cultural differences in global organizations. We also explored the role of culture in shaping leadership styles and the importance of developing cultural intelligence to navigate cultural differences effectively.
In the third seminar, we discussed the topic of leadership, exploring the different approaches to leadership, such as transformational, transactional, and servant leadership, and the role of leadership in shaping organizational culture and performance. We also discussed the challenges of leading in global organizations and the importance of developing cross-cultural leadership skills to manage diverse teams effectively.
Part 2:
For my final essay, I plan to analyze the case study of Google’s diversity crisis, focusing on the topics of diversity and change. I will examine how Google’s approach to diversity and inclusion has evolved over time and the impact of the James Damore memo on the company’s diversity efforts. I will also explore the challenges of managing diversity in global organizations, such as the role of cultural differences in shaping attitudes towards diversity and the importance of developing inclusive organizational cultures. Finally, I will analyze the strategies that Google has adopted to address its diversity crisis, such as unconscious bias training, hiring goals, and diversity metrics, and evaluate their effectiveness in promoting diversity and inclusion within the company.
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Assessment Brief
Submission and feedback dates
Submission deadline: Before 14:00 on 05/05/2023
Is eligible for 5 calendar day late submission window
Marks and Feedback due on: The marking deadline is the 02/06/2023
N.B. all times are 24-hour clock, current local time (at time of submission) in the UK
Submission details
Module title and code: People and Global Organisations – UMODPX-15-M
Component and type: Portfolio – Component A
Assessment title: Multiple elements building towards a summative executive summary.
Assessment weighting: 100% of total module mark
Size or length of assessment: Minimum 4,000 words
Module learning outcomes assessed by this task:
1. Appraise theory and research to critically evaluate the theories associated with people
and organisations, to better understand the complexity of relationships in multi-national
organisational environments
2. Apply a range of theoretical frameworks, concepts and research relating to the disciplines
of both Human Resource Management and Organisation Studies in a global context to
develop informed argument
3. Demonstrate critical insight into how different and multiple perspectives can be used to
analyse contemporary people issues in international organisations and propose evidence based recommendations
Completing your assessment
What am I required to do on this assessment?
People and Global Organisations has one submission assessment which forms Component
A. There are 2 parts to this submission. To pass the module students need a mark of 50% or
higher.
This module encourages students to engage critically and in some depth with academic and
non-academic literature, and to evaluate the way that this literature can be applied to a
real-life case study.
Part 1: A 200-word summary (reflective note) of each topic from PAGO to be completed each
week (from week 3 to week 11) plus a final 200-word reflective note on the overall
experience of the module and submitted together with Part 2 at the end of the module.
Length: the maximum word-count for this part is 2500 words, assuming that some students
might need more space for reflection in some weeks.
Part 2: choose at least two topics from this module, critically discuss them and then link
them to the case study in the form of an individual written assignment.
Length: 2000 words (max).
Note that examiners will stop reading your essay when they reach to the point of 2,000
written text. So, please, do not exceed the word-limit, it will not help you achieve a higher
grade; and it might imply a lower grade, since in that case, parts of your ideas will not be
read and assessed.
Part 1 and part 2 together should constitute a submission of min 4,000 words.
Electronic submission via Blackboard by 5
th May 2023. You must submit in Word format
and both Part 1 and Part 2 should be included as 1 document. Part 1 should be included as
an appendix.
1. Part 1
Part 1 should be completed each week. After each seminar, starting from week 3, you will
write approximately 200 words on the topic that was covered that week, addressing one or
more of the following:
1. A reflective summary of the topic and its key debates and discussions at the seminar,
and/or
2. A reflective summary of how you plan to integrate this topic into your final essay,
and/or
3. A reflective summary of the core reading of the week and/or the key ideas of the
lecture
In this way, at the end of week 11 you will have a set of 9 reflective notes of 200 words,
which means that you will have approximately 1,800 words all together. At that point, you
can write a final 200-word reflective note on the overall assessment of the module. This
might take different forms, answering different questions: did this module meet my
expectations? Can we apply these ideas to cases in real life? Why have I chosen these topics
and not other? Can I see links between topics? How could I use these topics in the essay?
With this final addition you will have completed part 1 with approximately 2,000 words
(with a maximum total word count for Part 1 being 2500 words). Part 1 should be included
as an appendix to your essay (Part 2). Part 1 will not be formally marked. Yet, if reflective
notes are missing or they are of poor quality (i.e., there are no reflections that directly
discuss the module material), this can result a penalty of -10% in the final grade (-1 per each
reflective note). This weekly task will help you develop your understanding of the topics and
plan for your essay. Therefore, Part 1 helps you to prepare for Part 2.
2. Part 2
This is a 2000-word critical analysis of a case study using your knowledge and understanding
of the topics and academic theories that we have covered. You must choose at least two
topics from the topics we have covered throughout the term, so as to discuss and analyse
the case. When we say ‘at least two’, this means that two concepts is the minimum that we
expect, and that we would like to see more than two. Three, four or five topics (depending
on your preferred structure) is our suggestion; yet, our advice is to avoid choosing many
concepts for your analysis if you do not feel confident that you can clearly combine many
ideas from different topics in a short essay of 2,000 words. The restriction here is that you
must include at least 1 topic from Organisation Studies and 1 topic from HRM.
You must choose at least ONE topic from the following:
▪ Culture
▪ Leadership
▪ Power and Politics
▪ Change
You must also choose at least ONE topic from the following:
▪ International Strategic Human Resource Management
▪ Resourcing
▪ Learning
▪ Diversity
▪ Working Ethically
You may choose your third, fourth of fifth topic from either of these lists. Again, our advice
is that you should not choose more than five topics – just because there is always the risk of
being overloaded with much reading and of using many concepts that cannot be coherently
used in a short essay of 2,000 words. Use your time wisely, try to focus on certain texts and
ideas and avoid the possibility of pressing yourself more than is needed. Effective use of
topics and time-management goes hand in hand with successful academic writing.
The case study: ‘The Lidl International Career Opportunity: From Dream to Nightmare in 8
weeks’ By Matt Bladowski and Rosemary A. McGowan. (find it at the reading list)
This is our basic case study: students should discuss only the case of Lidl, by using this case
study. Of course, in your effort to support your analysis, you are encouraged to do your
research and find additional (academic and non-academic) sources about Lidl.
In your effort to tackle the essay question, you need to briefly define and explain key
concepts and ideas that are related to the topics you have chosen for the analysis, offer
comparative points among the academic articles which discuss these concepts and ideas,
offer your critical analysis of these ideas (with the help of additional literature), and then
relate your remarks and conclusions to the case study. Therefore, you are invited to find
supplementary academic and non-academic sources to support your argument and
narration. Your own research is essential for this task. Note that there will be supplementary
material and guidance for the completion of this assignment uploaded in Blackboard.
Remember that the module leader will explain possible structures and different “logics” of
argumentation at the seminars of week 5 and the final lecture at week 11. A document with
two proposed structures together with checklist for the preparation of the assignment will
be sent to students and will be uploaded to Blackboard by the module leader.
Remember to use citations (following Harvard style of referencing, see below) when you
refer to others’ ideas and not yours. Remember to read the marking criteria (See below).
Use the critical “I” (in both parts 1 & 2) when is need, when you refer to your ideas or critical
remarks or comparative points of yours. Also remember that quotations can be powerful
tools to support your arguments, as long as they are brief and characteristic. Long
quotations need to be avoided; if you decide that you really need a long quotation, then
spend a few words to explain its relevance.
Remember that we value quality over quantity. This means that you can write a satisfactory
or even an excellent essay by using 5-7 sources. The aim of the assignment is that you can
show that you can clearly, and following a step-by-step and coherent mode of
argumentation, show that you have a deep understanding of key ideas. Yet, in the academic
writing in this kind of modules, it is not enough to analyse a theory or compare two
theories. What is also needed is to link theoretical analysis with descriptions of a real case
study.
Remember that this is an open question. Use your imagination and critical thinking in order
to relate generic ideas and theories (that we have explained throughout the term) to the
case study. Clarity, consistency, precision and step-by-step analysis are what we are looking
for. Though there might be inconsistent, or not well-informed approaches, there is not one
and single right or optimal answer, that is, there is no single correct way to tackle the task of
the assignment or to structure it; so, we are inviting students to critically reflect on
academic and non-academic sources in their own original way.
Note that references to the current pandemic, if needed, should be brief and relevant. In
any case, students are invited to avoid unnecessary extended parts on Covid-19, they can
possibly harm the flow of the argument, and this is a frequent mistake.
What do I do if I am concerned about completing this assessment?
UWE Bristol offer a range of Assessment Support Options that you can explore through this
link, and both Academic Support and Wellbeing Support are available.
For further information, please see the Academic Survival Guide
1. In line with UWE Bristol’s Assessment Content Limit Policy (formerly the Word Count
Policy), word count includes all text, including (but not limited to): the main body of
text (including headings), all citations (both in and out of brackets), text boxes, tables
and graphs, figures and diagrams, quotes, lists.
2. UWE Bristol’s UWE’s Assessment Offences Policy requires that you submit work that
is entirely your own and reflects your own learning, so it is important to:
• Ensure you reference all sources used, using the UWE Harvard/OSCOLA
system and the guidance available on UWE’s Study Skills referencing pages.
• Avoid copying and pasting any work into this assessment, including your own
previous assessments, work from other students or internet sources
• Develop your own style, arguments and wording, so avoid copying sources
and changing individual words but keeping, essentially, the same sentences
and/or structures from other sources
• Never give your work to others who may copy it
• If an individual assessment, develop your own work and preparation, and do
not allow anyone to make amends on your work (including proof-readers,
who may highlight issues but not edit the work) and
When submitting your work, you will be required to confirm that the work is your
own, and text-matching software and other methods are routinely used to check
submissions against other submissions to the university and internet sources. Details
of what constitutes plagiarism and how to avoid it can be found on UWE’s Study
Skills pages about avoiding plagiarism.
Marks and Feedback
Your assessment will be marked according to the following marking criteria.
You can use these to evaluate your own work before you submit.
Criterion
Understanding of the
