Assessment -
Please choose one of the following three options to answer for your essay assignment.
Question options (choose only 1)
Option 1 -
Discuss at least 1 of the following 3 videos from the module lectures, by applying the meanings from the video to postcolonial theory, and to international business practice.
Remember that each of these video links are available within the Lecture slides, posted on Blackboard.
- Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie's talk/transcript, 'The Danger of a Single Story'
- Momondo, The DNA Journey
- What happens when we stop putting people in boxes? -Tv2Denmark
(1) You may like to begin by providing an overview of the purpose and key points in the video(s). In so doing, do not just quote randomly from the videos, but explain in a coherent, analytic manner, the meanings that you derive from the purpose of these talks/demonstrations.
This part, together with the Introduction, should be no more than about 1/3 of your total essay length.
(2) Next, discuss how these videos bring to life key concepts from postcolonial theory. You may refer to our lecture exercises, seminar readings, and many additional readings on postcolonial theory on the Reading List, as available resources.
(3) Consider how these postcolonial concepts, which come to life in various ways in the video(s), may guide your approach to international business.
Parts (2) and (3) should be approximately 2/3 of your total essay, including the Conclusion. It is your choice how much of your discussion to balance between (2) and (3) - what is important is that you make meaningful points demonstrating reflection upon the module material.
In your essay, it is crucial that you connect clearly to academic articles/chapters from the module, to support your discussion. A beautifully-written essay about the video(s), but without any connection to key concepts and academic references, will sadly not result in a passing mark.
Option 2 -
(1) Discuss examples of marginalised experiences of international management and business, specifically from articles/chapters on the Reading List and discussions in Lecture/seminars. Remember that we have talked about marginalised experiences as those experiences that have been overlooked, misunderstood, and/or silenced in mainstream coverage of international business.
Make connections to the theory that is discussed in the readings about these experiences (in other words, don't simply describe the experience, but its importance within the theoretical frameworks/purposes of the article).
Part (1) should be approximately ½ of the essay, including the Introduction.
(2) Taking as a starting point these specific marginalised experiences, how might we imagine alternative ways of doing international business? For instance, for marginalised individuals who are exploited or ignored, how might placing their voices and experiences at the centre of debates shift our thinking about international business?
For this part, you might refer to concepts on the Reading List - such as degrowth, futures, and debates about the purpose of international management and business practices, to discuss alternative scenarios. Your imagined alternative can be approaches/systems not taking place now, but may take place in the future. What is important is that you demonstrate how a focus on a marginalised experience might shift our thinking on international business - such as how we might respond to the 4 questions proposed by Cairns and Sliwa (2017). (These 4 questions are noted on the Lecture slides posted on Blackboard.)
Part (2) should be approximately ½ of the essay, including the Conclusion.
Option 3 -
(1) Outline an essentialist approach to understanding one of the following categories: group, culture, nation, identity, gender.
Critically compare this to a social constructionist (or non-essentialist, e.g. Nathan 2015) account of the same category.
Part (1) should be approximately ½ of the essay, including the Introduction.
(2) Next, discuss the practical consequences of using essentialist vs social constructionist (or non-essentialist) approaches to understanding international business and management?
To support your discussion, you may contrast the culture model of Hofstede, to the critical models of Venaik and Brewer (2016), or to Nathan (2015). [continue on next page...]
Alternatively, you may explain how the identity theory of intersectionality challenges essentialism, drawing upon various management and business studies about intersectionality in the Reading List, as well as video resources in the Lecture about intersectionality.
Part (2) should be approximately ½ of the essay, including the Conclusion.
Attachment:- Assignment Files.rar