Students

BUSA3021 – PACE: Business Analytics Project

2022 – Session 2, In person-scheduled-weekday, North Ryde

General Information

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Unit convenor and teaching staff Unit convenor and teaching staff Unit Convenor
Hamed Jafarzadeh
hamed.jafarzadeh@mq.edu.au
Credit points Credit points
10
Prerequisites Prerequisites
BUSA3020 or MGMT320
Corequisites Corequisites
Co-badged status Co-badged status
Unit description Unit description

This unit provides a platform for students to exercise the knowledge and skills that they have gained in previous units. The major component of the unit is an organisation-based group project, where students will actively engage with an organisation including but not limited to: not-for-profit organisations, government agencies, companies, and industry partners. Group work engages students in the challenges of interpersonal communication, task allocation, coordination and control. Students will gain an insight into the analytical problems faced by organisations and be able to contextualise their graduate capabilities into the final business project. The unit will consider key issues, concepts and frameworks of analytics ethics, and social responsibility, and how these can be applied to policy and practice. The class is conducted through lectures, workshops and discussions where students will develop an analytical solution around the client specified information-based problem. Throughout the unit, the emphasis is on the analysis process: identifying information needs, acquiring the necessary information, interpreting it and using it as the basis for strategic recommendations back to the client partner.

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: Successfully work in teams to achieve group and organisational objectives.
  • ULO2: Demonstrate knowledge of data analysis techniques and apply various quantitative data analysis techniques to resolve the information needs of an organisation.
  • ULO3: Be able to conduct an organisational and industry analysis to assess business opportunities by analysing customers, competitors, collaborators, and other external forces in a collaborative setting.
  • ULO4: Critically examining problem areas, developing feasible analytics investment decision options, developing key recommendations, and communicating this strategic thinking to others.
  • ULO5: Enhance awareness of analytics' contribution to society through discussion of ethical and professional conduct and issues in corporate social responsibility.

General Assessment Information

Late Assessment Submission Penalty (written assessments) 

Unless a Special Consideration request has been submitted and approved, a 5% penalty (of the total possible mark) will be applied each day a written assessment is not submitted, up until the 7th day (including weekends). After the 7th day, a grade of ‘0’ will be awarded even if the assessment is submitted. Submission time for all written assessments is set at 11.55pm. A 1-hour grace period is provided to students who experience a technical concern.  

For any late submissions of time-sensitive tasks, such as scheduled tests/exams, performance assessments/presentations, and/or scheduled practical assessments/labs, students need to submit an application for Special Consideration.

Assessment Tasks

Name Weighting Hurdle Due
Reflective Journal 20% No Week 3, Week 12
Report and Portfolio 15% No Week 5
Progress Report 20% No Week 7
Group Project Report 45% No Week 13

Reflective Journal

Assessment Type 1: Reflective Writing
Indicative Time on Task 2: 10 hours
Due: Week 3, Week 12
Weighting: 20%

Students will be required to submit two reflective journals between 200 to 500 words.
On successful completion you will be able to:
  • Successfully work in teams to achieve group and organisational objectives.
  • Be able to conduct an organisational and industry analysis to assess business opportunities by analysing customers, competitors, collaborators, and other external forces in a collaborative setting.
  • Critically examining problem areas, developing feasible analytics investment decision options, developing key recommendations, and communicating this strategic thinking to others.
  • Enhance awareness of analytics' contribution to society through discussion of ethical and professional conduct and issues in corporate social responsibility.

Report and Portfolio

Assessment Type 1: Portfolio
Indicative Time on Task 2: 12 hours
Due: Week 5
Weighting: 15%

Students will produce a report of 500 - 1000 words to review the techniques they have learned from BUSA3020 (previously MGMT320) and to create a portfolio of their work.
On successful completion you will be able to:
  • Successfully work in teams to achieve group and organisational objectives.
  • Demonstrate knowledge of data analysis techniques and apply various quantitative data analysis techniques to resolve the information needs of an organisation.
  • Be able to conduct an organisational and industry analysis to assess business opportunities by analysing customers, competitors, collaborators, and other external forces in a collaborative setting.
  • Critically examining problem areas, developing feasible analytics investment decision options, developing key recommendations, and communicating this strategic thinking to others.
  • Enhance awareness of analytics' contribution to society through discussion of ethical and professional conduct and issues in corporate social responsibility.

Progress Report

Assessment Type 1: Report
Indicative Time on Task 2: 12 hours
Due: Week 7
Weighting: 20%

Student will be required to provide a progress report of 200 - 500 words on their own contribution to the group project.
On successful completion you will be able to:
  • Successfully work in teams to achieve group and organisational objectives.
  • Enhance awareness of analytics' contribution to society through discussion of ethical and professional conduct and issues in corporate social responsibility.

Group Project Report

Assessment Type 1: Practice-based task
Indicative Time on Task 2: 45 hours
Due: Week 13
Weighting: 45%

The group will write a report of 1000 - 2000 words and present the report to the client.
On successful completion you will be able to:
  • Successfully work in teams to achieve group and organisational objectives.
  • Demonstrate knowledge of data analysis techniques and apply various quantitative data analysis techniques to resolve the information needs of an organisation.
  • Be able to conduct an organisational and industry analysis to assess business opportunities by analysing customers, competitors, collaborators, and other external forces in a collaborative setting.
  • Critically examining problem areas, developing feasible analytics investment decision options, developing key recommendations, and communicating this strategic thinking to others.
  • Enhance awareness of analytics' contribution to society through discussion of ethical and professional conduct and issues in corporate social responsibility.

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

The unit is comprised of 13 x 3-hour seminars/classes in weeks 1 to 13

Policies and Procedures

Macquarie University policies and procedures are accessible from Policy Central (https://policies.mq.edu.au). Students should be aware of the following policies in particular with regard to Learning and Teaching:

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

To find other policies relating to Teaching and Learning, visit Policy Central (https://policies.mq.edu.au) and use the search tool.

Student Code of Conduct

Macquarie University students have a responsibility to be familiar with the Student Code of Conduct: https://students.mq.edu.au/admin/other-resources/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

Academic Integrity

At Macquarie, we believe academic integrity – honesty, respect, trust, responsibility, fairness and courage – is at the core of learning, teaching and research. We recognise that meeting the expectations required to complete your assessments can be challenging. So, we offer you a range of resources and services to help you reach your potential, including free online writing and maths support, academic skills development and wellbeing consultations.

Student Support

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

The Writing Centre

The Writing Centre provides resources to develop your English language proficiency, academic writing, and communication skills.

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

Student Services and Support

Macquarie University offers a range of Student Support Services including:

Student Enquiries

Got a question? Ask us via AskMQ, or contact Service Connect.

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.

Unit information based on version 2022.04 of the Handbook