Students

MQBS8000 – Contemporary Business Issues

2020 – Session 2, Special circumstance

Notice

As part of Phase 3 of our return to campus plan, most units will now run tutorials, seminars and other small group learning activities on campus for the second half-year, while keeping an online version available for those students unable to return or those who choose to continue their studies online.

To check the availability of face to face activities for your unit, please go to timetable viewer. To check detailed information on unit assessments visit your unit's iLearn space or consult your unit convenor.

General Information

Download as PDF
Unit convenor and teaching staff Unit convenor and teaching staff Unit Convernor
Craig Terry
craig.terry@mq.edu.au
See iLearn for details of consultation hours
Moderator
Prof. Rahat Munir
rahat.munir@mq.edu.au
Contact via 02 9850 4765
4ER Room 312
Credit points Credit points
10
Prerequisites Prerequisites
(Admission to MCyberGovMgnt and 40cp) or (admission to (MCom or MBioBus) and 80cp at 8000 level)
Corequisites Corequisites
Co-badged status Co-badged status
Unit description Unit description

This is a course-wide capstone unit that is intended to be taken by students in their final session of study. The unit is designed to broaden students' understanding of the importance of strategic business matters in the areas of an organisation's planning, operations, control and leadership, ethics and industry relationship, and broader economic and global developments. Through the unit's real world preparatory experience opportunities and engagement in business issues and challenges requiring cross-disciplinary insights and knowledge, students are not only required to develop their reflective and integrative thinking but also engage in the development of their future-focused thinking. Students are exposed to comprehensive case studies devised to give them the opportunity to consider practical implications of business issues and challenges and to investigate strategic business matters within the context of a business environment. Students will work in self-managing teams to prepare group reports and complete a session long individual research-based project.

Important Academic Dates

Information about important academic dates including deadlines for withdrawing from units are available at https://www.mq.edu.au/study/calendar-of-dates

Learning Outcomes

On successful completion of this unit, you will be able to:

  • ULO1: Integrate discipline-specific knowledge and skills and apply subject knowledge critically, analytically and creatively to different bodies of knowledge or practice.
  • ULO2: Synthesise knowledge from alternative perspectives and generate critical thinking and problem-solving skills in formulating and implementing strategy.
  • ULO3: Apply knowledge of complex ethical, sustainability and global business management issues to explain the relationship between sustainability, value creation and governance and articulate an informed ethical position.
  • ULO4: Research and critically analyse recent or developing business issues, appraise the outcomes of proposed solutions and defend propositions.
  • ULO5: Demonstrate professional written and interpersonal competencies, including critical reflection on personal, social and practical issues in a team environment.

General Assessment Information

This unit will be offered via online or face to face modes. However, all assessment tasks are identical and will all be submitted online via Turnitin or similar. Only the method of delivery of classes will differ. For online classes, these will be via Zoom. A Zoom link and instructions will be available for each class within iLearn. Classes as described in the Unit Schedule and their timing are identical for both online and face to face classes.

Detailed Instructions for the content of, and, method of creation and submission of assessments, is provided in the iLearn space for this unit. It is the student’s responsibility to ensure that work is submitted correctly prior to the due date. No hard copies of assessments will be accepted and only system (e.g.Turnitin) records will be taken as records of submission.

Multiple submissions may be possible in some units via Turnitin prior to the final due date and time of an assessment task and originality reports may be made available to students to view and check their work. All identified matching text will be reconsidered carefully. Students should note that the system will not immediately produce the similarity score on a second or subsequent submission - it approximately takes 24 hours for the report to be generated. This may be after the due date so students should plan any resubmissions carefully. Please refer to these instructions on how to submit your assignment through Turnitin and access similarity reports and feedback provided by teaching staff. Should you have questions about Turnitin or experience issues submitting through the system, you must inform your unit coordinator immediately. If the issue is technical in nature may also lodge OneHelp Ticket, refer to the IT help page.

It is the responsibility of the student to retain a copy of any work submitted. Students must produce these documents upon request. Copies should be retained until the end of the grade appeal period each term. In the event that a student is asked to produce another copy of work submitted and is unable to do so, they may be awarded zero (0) for that particular assessment task.

Late Submission(s): Late assessment must also be submitted through Turnitin. No extensions will be granted. There will be a deduction of 10% of the total available marks made from the total awarded mark for each 24 hour period or part thereof that the submission is late (for example, 25 hours late in submission incurs a 20% penalty). Late submissions will not be accepted after solutions have been discussed and/or made available.   This penalty does not apply for cases in which an application for Special Consideration is made and approved. Note: applications for Special Consideration Policy must be made within 5 (five) business days of the due date and time.

Assessment Tasks

Name Weighting Hurdle Due
Capstone simulation (Capsim®) 5% No Week 4 - Individual simulation rehearsal tutorial
Capstone simulation (Capsim®) 10% No Weeks 5-10 - Completion of 6 competition rounds as a team
Capsim Evaluation Presentation 25% No Week 13
Business project 25% No Week 11
Business project 15% No Week 11
Reflective essay(s) 20% No Week 3 Reflection A; Week 8 Reflection B

Capstone simulation (Capsim®)

Assessment Type 1: Simulation/role play
Indicative Time on Task 2: 5 hours
Due: Week 4 - Individual simulation rehearsal tutorial
Weighting: 5%

 

In this business simulation, student teams will take over a $100 million manufacturing company and work to build it into a better business over 6 years (each year is a round). Teams will meet virtually to develop/choose a strategy and make all decisions: designing products, marketing and sales, production and operations for their company each year (round), plus they will need to finance all of their plans to shape the company to their chosen strategy.

 
On successful completion you will be able to:
  • Integrate discipline-specific knowledge and skills and apply subject knowledge critically, analytically and creatively to different bodies of knowledge or practice.
  • Synthesise knowledge from alternative perspectives and generate critical thinking and problem-solving skills in formulating and implementing strategy.

Capstone simulation (Capsim®)

Assessment Type 1: Simulation/role play
Indicative Time on Task 2: 21 hours
Due: Weeks 5-10 - Completion of 6 competition rounds as a team
Weighting: 10%

 

In this business simulation, student teams will take over a $100 million manufacturing company and work to build it into a better business over 6 years (each year is a round). Teams will develop/choose a strategy and make all decisions: designing products, marketing and sales, production and operations for their company each year (round), plus they will need to finance all of their plans to shape the company to their chosen strategy.

 
On successful completion you will be able to:
  • Integrate discipline-specific knowledge and skills and apply subject knowledge critically, analytically and creatively to different bodies of knowledge or practice.
  • Synthesise knowledge from alternative perspectives and generate critical thinking and problem-solving skills in formulating and implementing strategy.

Capsim Evaluation Presentation

Assessment Type 1: Presentation
Indicative Time on Task 2: 20 hours
Due: Week 13
Weighting: 25%

 

Students are required to give an individuaL, online, powerpoint presentation, addressing senior management and/or board members of their Capsim corporation, reporting on their team’s performance. The task requires students to reflect on and think critically, innovatively and creatively about their approach to their Capsim simulation, particularly their problem solving and decision making processes. Students then need to organise this into a professional presentation to give to senior management and/or board members in a clear and concise manner. Students need to also detail how their team worked together to achieve their intended outcome(s) and demonstrate their joint understanding of teamwork skills. for this task as above

 
On successful completion you will be able to:
  • Synthesise knowledge from alternative perspectives and generate critical thinking and problem-solving skills in formulating and implementing strategy.
  • Research and critically analyse recent or developing business issues, appraise the outcomes of proposed solutions and defend propositions.
  • Demonstrate professional written and interpersonal competencies, including critical reflection on personal, social and practical issues in a team environment.

Business project

Assessment Type 1: Project
Indicative Time on Task 2: 30 hours
Due: Week 11
Weighting: 25%

 

Students will complete the task requirements for Parts A and B as follows, based on a case study which will be supplied. Part A (25%) Students will take on the role of strategic consultant and apply the general strategic framework explored in this unit to the development of a strategic business plan for the organisation.

 
On successful completion you will be able to:
  • Integrate discipline-specific knowledge and skills and apply subject knowledge critically, analytically and creatively to different bodies of knowledge or practice.
  • Synthesise knowledge from alternative perspectives and generate critical thinking and problem-solving skills in formulating and implementing strategy.
  • Apply knowledge of complex ethical, sustainability and global business management issues to explain the relationship between sustainability, value creation and governance and articulate an informed ethical position.
  • Research and critically analyse recent or developing business issues, appraise the outcomes of proposed solutions and defend propositions.
  • Demonstrate professional written and interpersonal competencies, including critical reflection on personal, social and practical issues in a team environment.

Business project

Assessment Type 1: Project
Indicative Time on Task 2: 20 hours
Due: Week 11
Weighting: 15%

 

Part B (15%) Based on a supplied case study, students will take the role of a specialist utilising the knowledge they have acquired within their Master of Commerce to demonstrate how this specialist knowledge can add value to the organisation.

 
On successful completion you will be able to:
  • Integrate discipline-specific knowledge and skills and apply subject knowledge critically, analytically and creatively to different bodies of knowledge or practice.
  • Synthesise knowledge from alternative perspectives and generate critical thinking and problem-solving skills in formulating and implementing strategy.
  • Apply knowledge of complex ethical, sustainability and global business management issues to explain the relationship between sustainability, value creation and governance and articulate an informed ethical position.
  • Research and critically analyse recent or developing business issues, appraise the outcomes of proposed solutions and defend propositions.
  • Demonstrate professional written and interpersonal competencies, including critical reflection on personal, social and practical issues in a team environment.

Reflective essay(s)

Assessment Type 1: Reflective Writing
Indicative Time on Task 2: 20 hours
Due: Week 3 Reflection A; Week 8 Reflection B
Weighting: 20%

 

Students will be required to submit two 500 word reflection essays (worth 10% each). Reflection A: Students are required to critically examine their Master of Commerce learning experience and to write critically about their personal learning experience, drawing insight(s) and connection(s) from this experience, to define their professional identity. This process will involve reflecting on the development of capabilities and biases of discipline knowledge and ethical stance, to describe and provide evidence to support their professional identity. Students will also consider the extent to which their professional identity meets the needs of their targeted employer(s) and/or industry and formulate a professional development strategy to further meet these needs and/or differentiate themselves. Reflection B: Students are required to critically reflect on the teamwork skills they have developed in their university studies and employed in this unit, particularly during their Capsim team activities, to write critically about teamwork skills. This process will involve reflecting on and providing evidence of the development, and strengths and weaknesses, of your teamwork skills. Students will also consider the extent to which their teamwork skills are likely to meet employee/industry expectations and formulate professional development strategy to further develop their teamwork skills.

 
On successful completion you will be able to:
  • Integrate discipline-specific knowledge and skills and apply subject knowledge critically, analytically and creatively to different bodies of knowledge or practice.
  • Synthesise knowledge from alternative perspectives and generate critical thinking and problem-solving skills in formulating and implementing strategy.
  • Demonstrate professional written and interpersonal competencies, including critical reflection on personal, social and practical issues in a team environment.

1 If you need help with your assignment, please contact:

  • the academic teaching staff in your unit for guidance in understanding or completing this type of assessment
  • the Writing Centre for academic skills support.

2 Indicative time-on-task is an estimate of the time required for completion of the assessment task and is subject to individual variation

Delivery and Resources

Required Reading:

Primary text:

Johnson, G. Whittington, R. Scholes, K. Angwin, D. and Regner, P. 2017. Exploring Strategy: Text and Cases 11th ed, Pearson.

A digital edition is available - see iLearn for details.

You must have read the relevant materials before coming to class and in completing the assessment tasks as well as undertaking your own further research. Direction will be provided by the lecturer on additional research materials.

 

The readings below are the other required class readings (as indicated in the unit schedule).

Note that these will be available on-line via ILearn.

 

Book Chapters  :

Hubbard, G. Rice, J. and Galvin, P. 2015 Strategic Management: Thinking, Analysis, Action 5th ed, Pearson pp 4-19 only

McKee, A., Kemp, T. and Spence, G 2013 Management: A Focus on Leaders Pearson Chapter 10 “Teams and Team Building” only.

 

Journal Articles :

Casal, C and Caspar, C. 2014 “Building a forward looking Board”, McKinsey Quarterly, Issue 2 pp119-126

Feser, C. Mayol, F. and Srinivasan, R. 2014 “Decoding leadership: What really matters?” McKinsey Quarterly, Issue 4 pp88-91

Freeman, R.E. 2010 “Managing for stakeholders: Trade-offs or value creation”, Journal of Business Ethics, 96 pp7-9

Higgins, J.M. 2005 “The Eight ‘S’s of successful strategy execution”, Journal of Change Management, 5 No. 1, March pp3-13

Kellerman, B. 2007 “What every leader needs to know about followers”, Harvard Business Review, December pp84-91

Kotter, J.P. 1995 “Leading Change: Why transformation efforts fail”, Harvard Business Review, March-April pp59-67 

Llopis, G. 2013 “Personal branding is a leadership requirement, not a self-promotion campaign”, Forbes April 8 

Porath, C.L. and Pearson, C.M. 2010 “The cost of bad behavior”, Organizational Dynamics, Vol 39 (1), pp.64-71 
Unit Web Page: You are required to access a computer and the internet at various times in completing this unit, to download course material available on the learning management system (iLearn) and to complete assessment tasks. 
Technology Used and Required: On-line access to iLearn; to Zoom for online classes; and, to the simulation game website www.capsim.com (all students)
Delivery Format and Other Details:

Classes  

Delivery of  classes will differ depending on whether the student is undertaking the unit via online or face to face modes.

  • The unit includes thirteen weekly seminars (classes) of up to 3 hours as detailed in this unit guide (see the UnitSchedule)
  • For online classes, these will be delivered via Zoom - a Zoom meeting link will be included within the iLearn space for the unit.
  • All assessment tasks are identical for both online and face to face classes
  • Classes will comprise both content delivery and workshop type formats
  • The timetable for classes can be found on the University web site at:  http://www.timetables.mq.edu.au/
  • Students are expected to attend all classes.
  • Students are expected to get involved in class discussion (either via Zoom for online classes or, in class, for face to face classes) .
Recommended Readings: Other optional readings will be referred to in class.
Other Course Materials:  A class case study will be supplied which is required for Parts A and B Business Project assessment task

Unit Schedule

Weekly Schedule MQBS8000 – Contemporary Business Issues – Session 2 2020

Class

Date

(week beginning)

Topic

Readings for this week’s class (also see weekly PP slides for other optional reading ref.)

Assessment Due

1

 

Mon 27 July

Introduction

Unit Overview & key themes

Models of Strategic Thought

A strategic framework for a sustainable organisation

- Unit Summary (see iLearn)

- Hubbard et al Ch1, pp 4-19 only

 

 

2

Mon 3

Aug

Leadership

Models of leadership

Leaders and followers

Ethics and individual behaviour

Personal branding

- Feser et al 2014 “Decoding Leadership: what really matters?”

- Kellerman 2007 “What every leader needs to know about followers”.

 

3

Mon 10

Aug

Teamwork and Introduction to CAPSIM

Effective team behaviour - what makes a top team?

- McKee et al Ch10

- Porath and Pearson, 2010 “The cost of bad behaviour”

Reflection A 14 Aug 2pm

4

 

Mon 17 Aug

 

Sustainability

Stakeholders, organisation purpose and ethical stance

How business models affect views on business ethics

Sustainability reporting

- Johnson et al 2017 Ch 1 pp7-10; Ch2 pp34-48; Ch5

- Freeman 2010 “Managing for stakeholders: Trade-offs or Value creation”

Capsim

Rehearsal Tutorial (Ind.) and Practice Round (team)

5

 

Mon 24

Aug

Governance

Governance and control Conformance/performance

Role of boards

- Johnson et al 2017 Ch5 cont.; Ch16 pp500-508

- Casal and Caspar  2014 “Building a forward looking Board”

Capsim Rd1

 

6

 

Mon 31

Aug

Strategy Formation (1)

Next steps in the strategy cycle: external/internal analysis and SWOT

- Johnson et al 2017 Ch2, Ch3 and Ch4

 

Capsim Rd2 and

Capsim Team Agreement

7

 

Mon 7

Sept

Strategy Formation (2)

Strategic options and choice

- Johnson et al 2017 Ch7 and Ch8

 

Capsim Rd3

 

 

Mon 14 Sept

Recess/no class

 

 

 

 

Mon 21 Sept

Recess/no class

 

 

 

8

Mon 28

Sept

Strategy Implementation

How organisations change

Deliberate/Emergent and Intended/realised strategy

The management of change

The role of leaders

- Johnson et al 2017 Ch13 and Ch15

- Kotter 1995 “Why transformation efforts fail”

Capsim Rd4

Reflection B 28 Sept 2pm

9

Mon 5

Oct

The Strategic Control of Operations

Strategy/Operations alignment

Strategic Drift

A control framework

- Johnson et al 2017 Ch14; Ch6 pp180-184

- Higgins 2005 “The 8 ‘S’s of Successful strategy execution”

Capsim Rd 5

10

Mon 12

Oct

CAPSIM review

In-class discussion of results and key learning outcomes

Capsim Rd 6 (final round)

11

Mon 19

Oct

Communication

Individual communication skills/methods

In-class discussion

Project Report – Parts A and B 19 Oct 2pm

12

Mon 26 Oct

Capsim Presentation (Prep.)

 

 

13

Mon 2 Nov

Capsim Presentation

 

Presentation 2 Nov 2pm

 

Policies and Procedures

Macquarie University policies and procedures are accessible from Policy Central (https://staff.mq.edu.au/work/strategy-planning-and-governance/university-policies-and-procedures/policy-central). Students should be aware of the following policies in particular with regard to Learning and Teaching:

Students seeking more policy resources can visit the Student Policy Gateway (https://students.mq.edu.au/support/study/student-policy-gateway). It is your one-stop-shop for the key policies you need to know about throughout your undergraduate student journey.

If you would like to see all the policies relevant to Learning and Teaching visit Policy Central (https://staff.mq.edu.au/work/strategy-planning-and-governance/university-policies-and-procedures/policy-central).

Student Code of Conduct

Macquarie University students have a responsibility to be familiar with the Student Code of Conduct: https://students.mq.edu.au/study/getting-started/student-conduct​

Results

Results published on platform other than eStudent, (eg. iLearn, Coursera etc.) or released directly by your Unit Convenor, are not confirmed as they are subject to final approval by the University. Once approved, final results will be sent to your student email address and will be made available in eStudent. For more information visit ask.mq.edu.au or if you are a Global MBA student contact globalmba.support@mq.edu.au

Student Support

Macquarie University provides a range of support services for students. For details, visit http://students.mq.edu.au/support/

Learning Skills

Learning Skills (mq.edu.au/learningskills) provides academic writing resources and study strategies to help you improve your marks and take control of your study.

The Library provides online and face to face support to help you find and use relevant information resources. 

Student Services and Support

Students with a disability are encouraged to contact the Disability Service who can provide appropriate help with any issues that arise during their studies.

Student Enquiries

For all student enquiries, visit Student Connect at ask.mq.edu.au

If you are a Global MBA student contact globalmba.support@mq.edu.au

IT Help

For help with University computer systems and technology, visit http://www.mq.edu.au/about_us/offices_and_units/information_technology/help/. 

When using the University's IT, you must adhere to the Acceptable Use of IT Resources Policy. The policy applies to all who connect to the MQ network including students.