In this module you will be assessed by means of one individual project worth 100% of the module mark. In view of developing the project, you will have a formative workshop, which is not compulsory nor marked, but is highly recommended as you will receive instant qualitative feedback from your seminar tutor before you progress to the summative (marked) project.
The summative assessment is an individual Project that you have to develop and submit in writing by end of week 10. You are also requested to briefly present the highlights of your project that same week or a week later, to share your key findings and recommendations with the class. In this way, everyone in the class will gain better insights into each other’s countries natural resources and the key aspects of its socio-economic historical development.
a) Formative Assessments
Select a specific natural resource used as raw material, ideally from your own country.
Examples: cotton, wool, fur, wheat, corn, barley, milk, meat, fish, salt, gold, diamonds, quartz, marble, silica, steel, aluminium, iron ore, coal, oil sands, water….
NOTE: Only one topic per student allowed for the same country in the same seminar group, on a ‘first come-first served’ basis. For example, if you are from Angola and choose diamonds as your topic, then any other student from Angola in your seminar group will be requested to choose a different topic. However, other students may still select the topic Diamonds, as well as long as they come from a different country. This is in order to avoid submission of potentially very similar projects.
• Visit Museums (e.g. the British Museum), business companies, check reliable videos (e.g. History Channel, BBC) and any other source or location you may think could provide you with further information on the resource and its use and perceived values through history (in your country and other countries) .
• Start developing the structure of your project: what will you focus on, how abundant the resource was (and is) in your country, how far back in history can you trace it…
• You will have the chance to contribute to the formative workshop in class in week 7 by means of presenting a brief informal overview of your country’s natural resources and give the class a hint of what your project will be about.
• Your seminar tutor will provide you instant feedback and suggestions to help you continue your research and finalize your project (summative).
b) Summative Assessment: PROJECT (100% of TMM)
The individual project should draw from and fully integrate and reflect upon the knowledge, awareness and skills acquired during the lectures, seminars, and the feedback you got during the formative stage.
The individual project must also refer to the applicable concepts and tools acquired through the semester in the lectures, in the seminars and in your own independent further study.
Your Project should demonstrate that you have gained awareness and understanding of the interconnected nature of global business practice and its management towards sustainability in the management of the specific natural resource you selected.
MAIN OBJECTIVE
Based on your research and tacit knowledge, you are to develop a Project (NOT an essay) that will set recommendations for businesses, industries or even local government on the specific country natural resource you selected, to advise them on how to make better and more sustainable use of that specific resource.
• It could be by means of addressing CSR issues ( workers, animal welfare, fair trade);
• Or it could be by addressing the ways in which the resource is extracted from a mine (human health and welfare, use of water or energy, environmental impact caused by the exploration, etc.)
• Or the way in which the breeding programmes are set for the animals to be exploited as food, or fur/wool/feathers…
• Or the issues with CO2 emissions because of the transport involved in taking the natural resource from its extraction/production/natural origin to the processing/manufacturing/storage/distribution sites;
• Or the issues about illegal trading
• Or any other issues related to business ethics and sustainability
Example: Supposing that you chose a specific fur-type (mink for example) as your topic. You found out during the research that many industries make use of mink fur even though it is a highly polemic resource. So, first you would analyse the evolution of that specific fur-type trading in your selected country and compare it with other countries that have the same resource. What have been the trends through history and why? Is the market growing or declining, and why? Are there more sustainable ways of producing the mink fur in the required quality and quantity to meet market demands? Are there any alternatives?
The Project is to be submitted in Week 10 via Turnitin:
A brief overview of your Project is to be presented in class (in your seminar class) in Week 10 or 11, depending on class numbers, so that the whole class shares their findings.
This will also enable you to develop presentation and argumentative skills.
This summary presentation should be no longer than THREE minutes and should highlight the key aspects of your Project.
It may be presented in Power Point or alternative format.
It is supposed to be engaging, concise and straight-to-the-point and give a brief personal overview of the topic you researched upon and the findings you gathered.
The overall written Project has to be submitted via Turnitin by end of Week 10. No deadline extensions.
This is supposed to be a project (not an essay) maximum 1500 words long, with the following INDICATIVE structure (the word limit given for each section is also indicative):
i. Executive summary (the basis for your presentation) _ 200 words
ii. Key words (a selection of 5 words that you consider fully describe the topic and your findings)
iii. Overview of the topic (500 words)
iv. Development of the idea and brief justification of your recommendations (which can be presented as bullet points) (600 words)
v. Reflective analysis and Concluding remarks (200 words)
Illustrative set of paragraphs/sections worth including:
i. A brief overview on the natural resource selected and what may have led people to start using it and trading it, either per se or as a component of a final product;
ii. How the use of that specific natural resource has evolved through time in a specific region (ideally in your own country of origin or the one you most identify yourself with);
iii. How the use of that resource has helped shape trade/businesses through time locally, either as an essential raw material or as a component of the products/services provided by that industry/sector.
iv. What has been the impact on the availability of that same resource through time (e.g. was the resource located in a very specific area of the world or did it exist almost everywhere on Earth when people started using it? Is the resource still available nowadays in those locations, is there a shortage of the resource and is so when and where did it start?)
v. What have been the social impacts of the exploitation of that resource locally and globally? (e.g. apprenticeships, jobs)
vi. What have been the environmental impacts of the trading of the resource (e.g. if it has to be transported from how far and using what types of transport? Or if has to be processed in some way, does the process lead to dust/noise, etc.)
vii. Further considerations on how businesses nowadays perceive the resource and what have they considered doing (if anything at all to help decrease the impacts)
viii. A detailed reflection on how the development of this assignment (identifying the key steps of your research from week one to the presentation day in week 10) has helped you gain further insights on the role of businesses on natural resources and on enhancing quality of life locally and globally.
ix. If you were a business person leading a business that would require the use of this specific resource (either as the resource itself or as a component of any product/service your company were to provide) what would be your recommendations for the company to be sustainable.
Indicative Assessment Criteria
CRITERIA
i. Structuring and coherence of the findings presented
ii. Demonstrated depth, scope and focus of the research
iii. Reflective analysis
iv. Argumentative skills during the presentation of the highlights of the project
v. Bibliography (using Harvard referencing system)
Marking scheme (indicative)
0 t0 29% The student does not address the topic/format requested, OR clearly fails to address even the most basic ideas/concepts. Far below any acceptable strict minimum.
30 to 39% The student identifies only the most basic concepts, addressing it from a very basic and incomplete perspective OR provides a very rudimentary definition based coursework exclusively from the literature.
40 to 49% The student identifies the major aspects of the concept, and addresses the coursework respecting the requirements but from a basic perspective, showing no evidence of any further engagement.
50 to 59% The student identifies the most important aspects of the concept/situation, provides basic illustrative examples to sustain his/her proposal but does not elaborate further.
60 to 69% A good reply, with clear personal input and a clear understanding of the requested concepts, additional research and able to provide information and recomendations with supporting reasons that show personal input.
70 to 79% The student is clearly at ease with all the relevant aspects of the concept and shows a fairly extensive additional research/knowledge and interest in the topic. The project is very focused and well structured . The examples provided and the recomendations are very well chosen and integrated, extensively and clearly justified and providing some clear personal critical insights into the matter. A very good project, with a very clear and mature personal input.
80 to 89% An outstanding project. The student provides extremely clear, well structured, insightful and very well illustrated recomendations, with examples visibly drawn from a rather extensive personal research and growing awareness/knowledge into the issues, showing proof of a mature and interested learning process on the subject..
90 to 99% The student over exceeds. The overall assignments are perfectly presented and excellently structured, with a very strong personal input throughout, including reflexive analysis and coherent critical thinking . The illustrative examples provide and the recommendations put forward show additional proof of extensive knowledge / research and are fully justified / discussed to fully meet the goal of the question. Basically a “publishable” exemplary project for the applicable undegraduate level.
100% Above all expectations. Suggestions from neutral external experts should be required to decide on next step.
Mapping of assessment tasks to learning outcomes
Assessment tasks Learning Outcomes
A6 B7 C6 C8 D8
Formative: research-based activities x x x
Summative: individual project x x x x x
Last Completed Projects
| topic title | academic level | Writer | delivered |
|---|