Problem:
As a manger of any large insurance company you have been asked to undertake an assessment of the current environment in which your company (to be chosen by the student) would need to appreciate before deciding to launch (or not to launch) an entry into another country or region. What strategic plans would you propose in order for the company to remain competitive?
Guidelines
· Major characteristics of the country might include items of social, educational, economic, cultural, political, infrastructure, significance…etc. It is therefore up to the student to select those aspects that he/she considers most significant.
· It might be a good idea to start by analysing the current activities of your company and the factors influencing the activities you identify.
· Select a country or a region from 5 world areas: Africa, Asia, Europe (especially the East), Middle East, and the Americas as a potential target. It will be up to the student select his/her country/region.
· Review and reveal a critical understanding of the literature relevant to the subject area and relate theory to practice.
· Show an understanding of the implications of the assignment for the case study organisation and/or management practice generally.
· Provide evidence of the authors' willingness to express their own ideas. Original and creative approaches to the topic will be welcome, and accordingly rewarded.
· Show the authors' ability to reflect on learning arising from the completion of the module.
· Read through thoroughly the literature and identify key words and points of issues, especially strategic aspects.
· Formulate a draft assignment plan featuring the main headings and sub-headings of the assignment.
· Ensure you have good paragraphs of introduction and conclusion with a bibliography reflecting research sources.
· Produce a content list at the commencement of the assignment.
· The assignment must be in English and typed with each page numbered. Appendices may be included to feature tabulations and other specified relevant data.
· The plan of the assignment should be logical in the sequence of points discussed.
· The pose should be a rational and analytical commentary and completely focused on the assignment. Assignments full of assertions and opinions will receive poor (even failing) grades. Logical and well-reasoned arguments will receive high grades.
· Avoid checklists and any slang language. Summary lists should be fully explained in the text. Ideally use shorter sentences rather than longer sentences. Overall the projects should have a strategic focus. It should be professionally presented and, where appropriate, be illustrated by examples drawn from your own experiences.
· All research data used should be identified in the text and the bibliography.
· The assignment must represent all your own work and not extracts without acknowledgement from research sources or other colleagues/students. Assignments which copy material from the Module or text books without acknowledgement will be given a fail grade. Do NOT copy any material from a fellow student's assignment. BOTH assignments will be given a fail grade so don't give your assignment to another student.
· The 'Harvard' referencing system should be adopted. For more details on how to use the 'Harvard' referencing system you may refer to;
o Cottrell, S. (1999) The Study Skills Handbook (UEL edition) Basingstoke, Macmillan.
o Saunders, M., Lewis, P., Thornhill, A. (2003) Research Methods for Business Students (third edition) Harlow, Pearson Education Ltd.
· Keep to the terms of the assignment and do not introduce irrelevant information. Answer the question set not the one you wish had been set.
· Ensure the assignment is completed by the date specified and has the required number of words.