STRM060 International Business Negotiation

International Business Negotiation (STRM060)

Assignment Brief

Individual Essay (AS1)

August 2019 – 2020

UNIVERSITY OF NORTHAMPTON

Faculty of Business and Law

MODULE NAME: International Business Negotiation           

Module Code	Level	Credit Value	Module Tutor
STRM060	7	20	Dean Brookes

Assignment Brief

Assignment title:	‘Negotiating, or bargaining, is the practical application of collaborating and compromising.’ Bloisi et al. (2003, p449)   Critically evaluate this statement linking it to cross cultural negotiations and ground it to a specific country of your choosing.
Assessment type:	2500-word essay (AS1)
Weighting:	60%
Deadline:	Please see the assignment submission point on NILE
Feedback and Grades due:	4 working weeks after the submission date
Resit Date	Please see the assignment submission point on NILE

Please read this assessment brief in its entirety before attempting your assignment.

Assignment Task 1: Individual Essay              

This assignment has been designed to allow students the opportunity to explore aspects relevant to the application of negotiation, in an international context, and one in which allows demonstration of the skills/approaches needed when cultural understanding are of high importance.

The task: Answer the assignment question through Level 7 academic discussion by addressing the aspects of the Learning Outcomes. You need to demonstrate achievement of the assessment criteria.

You must ensure that your work contains reference to appropriate literature and produces evidence of critical thinking (inline with MBA Level 7 study/academic referencing).

Learning Outcomes:

The learning outcomes that are being assessed in this assignment are:

LO1: Critically evaluate the act of negotiation as a multi-disciplinary practice. (25%)

LO2: To identify and critically analyse the range of skills a negotiator needs to draw upon, including styles, ploys and techniques, in the process of conducting effective negotiations. (45%)

LO3: Develop a level of self-awareness with regard to personal negotiation positions, styles and characteristics and be able to adapt and understand others in the art of conducting negotiations. (15%)

LO4: Appreciate the wider aspects of conducting negotiations in a globalised environment. (15%)

The grade will depend on the extent to which the learning outcomes are met. Please see the grading rubric at the end of this assignment brief for further details.

Word Limit – 2500 +/- 10%

In accordance with the Assessment and Feedback Policy, as stated in section 4.40 where a submission exceeds the stipulated word limit by more than 10%, the submission will only be marked up to and including the additional 10%. Anything over this will not be included in the final grade for the assessment item. Abstracts, bibliographies, reference lists, appendices and footnotes are excluded from any word limit requirements.

In line with section 4.41 of the same Policy, where a submission is notably under the word limit, the full submission will be marked on the extent to which the learning objectives have been met.

Other Limits

Images and diagrams can be used, but keep them to a minimum as this is an academic assignment, and they must add to and be relevant to the written academic discussions in correlation with the assigning brief.

Please note: for marking and moderation purposes all sources used in the main body of the presentation need to follow the University of Northampton’s Harvard referencing style and the page number of each source MUST be included i.e. Jones (2010, p.21).

Additionally, all submission will need to be in Microsoft Word format.

Assessment Support

There will be scheduled assignment support sessions. Please look at the STRM060 NILE site for dates and times.

Generic Grading Criteria

You will find the generic grading criteria for achievement at University Grading Criteria.  Also explained here are the meanings of the various G grades at the bottom of the grading scale.

Assessment Submission

To submit your work, please go to the ‘Submit your work’ area on the NILE site and use the relevant submission point to upload your report. The deadline for this is 11.59pm (UK local time) on the date of submission.

Written work submitted to TURNITIN will be subject to anti-plagiarism detection software.  Turnitin checks student work for possible textual matches against internet available resources and its own proprietary database. 

When you upload your work correctly to TURNITIN you will receive a receipt which is your record and proof of submission.

If your assessment is not submitted to TURNITIN rather than a receipt you will see a green banner at the top of the screen that denotes successful submission.

N.B Work emailed directly to your tutor will not be marked. The only exception to this is when you are instructed to do so because TURNITIN is down.

Late submission of work

For first sits, if an item of assessment is submitted late and an extension has not been granted, the following will apply:

Extensions

The University of Northampton’s general policy with regard to extensions is to be supportive of students who have genuine difficulties, but not against pressures of work that could have reasonably been anticipated. 

For full details please refer to the Extensions Policy.  The module leader can, where appropriate, authorise a short extension of up to two weeks from the original submission date for first sits only.

Mitigating Circumstances

For guidance on Mitigating circumstances please go to Mitigating Circumstances  where you will find detailed guidance on the policy as well as guidance and the form for making an application.

Please note, however, that an application to defer an assessment on the grounds of mitigating circumstances should normally be made in advance of the submission deadline or examination date. 

Plagiarism and Academic Integrity

Unless this is a group assessment,the work you produce must be your own with work taken from any other source properly referenced and attributed. The University of Northampton policy will apply in all cases of copying, plagiarism or any other methods by which students have obtained (or attempted to obtain) an unfair advantage.

If you are in any doubt about what constitutes plagiarism or any other infringement of academic integrity, please read the University’s Academic Integrity and Misconduct Policy. For help with understanding academic integrity go to UNPAC  and follow the Top Tips for Good Academic Practice on the student hub.

Please note that the penalties for copying work from another source without proper referencing are severe and can include failing the assessment, failing the module and expulsion from the university.

Feedback and Grades

These can be accessed through clicking on the Feedback and Grades tab on NILE. Feedback will be provided by a rubric with summary comments.

STRM060 IBN PS1 group presentation RUBRIC
	Excellent Distinguished work demonstrating a clear academic understanding. Exceptional academic quality relating to the topics and themes of International Business Negotiation.	Good Work of a high quality or commendable demonstrating a greater degree of capability in relevant advanced intellectual skills.	Average Work demonstrating a reasonable or satisfactory knowledge in the subject of International Business Negotiation.	Weak Work of poor quality which does not meet the minimum threshold standards of Level 7 MBA study.	Nil submission
Critically evaluate the act of negotiation as a multi-disciplinary practice. (25%)	The submission demonstrates a confident, independent and well-judged response to the International Business Negotiation assessment brief. The key requirements stated in the assignment brief have been met. Comprehensive knowledge of relevant material is demonstrated showing an extensive and detailed grasp of the various topics and themes.	The work provides a detailed and systematic response to the assessment brief. A substantial knowledge of relevant material is presented relating to the assignment brief and demonstrates a clear grasp of themes and the linkage back to the assessment criteria.	The work provides a systematic response, if limited, in one or more requirements of the assessment brief. An adequate knowledge is demonstrated of a fair range of relevant material with intermittent evidence of an appreciation of its significance.	Limited and descriptive. Lacks sufficient depth and understanding of the topic. Very limited evidence of reading.	Nil submission
To identify and critically analyse the range of skills a negotiator needs to draw upon, including styles, ploys and techniques, in the process of conducting effective negotiations. (45%)	The work effectively integrates the advanced academic scholarship skills of critical analysis, synthesis, evaluation and application required at Level 7 academic study. There is consistent evidence of excellent, measured judgment. Self-direction, creativity and practical understanding are evident, demonstrating the qualities expected in a highly effective MBA assignment. Critical awareness has been established.	The work integrates skills of advanced academic critical analysis, synthesis, evaluation and application. There is consistent evidence exercising good and considered logical judgment.	A reasonable, if limited, demonstration of critical analysis is provided. The assignment offers a more limited application of knowledge at MBA study. However, it nonetheless contains evidence of critical awareness in relation to analysis, synthesis, evaluation and application which could have been developed further.	A very limited and underdeveloped application of critical analysis is presented.	Nil submission
Develop a level of self-awareness with regard to personal negotiation positions, styles and characteristics and be able to adapt and understand others in the art of conducting negotiations. (15%)	Strong and consistent levels of negotiation positions, styles etc. which have been grounded to a specific geographical context Full insight into the art of negotiation has been considered.	Positions, styles etc. have been developed and have relevance and show good levels of insight into a specific context.	Application of specific context is limited, but some understanding to the art of negotiation is shown.	No specific context presented and/or weak and underdeveloped.	Nil submission
Appreciate the wider aspects of conducting negotiations in a globalised environment. (15%)	Excellent understanding and insight into negotiating in a cross cultural/globalized environments where traditions/norms and approaches differ.	Commendable understanding demonstrated, and one in which shows a good degree of insight and application.	Reasonable articulation demonstrates, an acceptable understanding.	Limited/weak understanding of negotiation in a globalised environment.	Nil submission