You have made it through to the final graduate selection event for a large organisation (in an industry of your choice). For your interview you are required to prepare a report on your views of contemporary issues related to management

Assignment Scenario

You have made it through to the final graduate selection event for a large organisation (in an industry of your choice). For your interview you are required to prepare a report on your views of contemporary issues related to management. This employer is looking for evidence of knowledge of relevant issues and their management implications. In addition, your response needs to consider what this means to you and your own career.

Formative Assessment (500 words) –

This is an exciting opportunity to engage with topics related to an industry you are interested in. In order to provide feedback on your work before you write the summative assignment there is a formative task to ensure that you are engaging with the topic and with good quality reading materials.

The task requires you to produce a draft report plan outlining:

1. The industry (e.g. media industry) that you plan to focus on for your assignment and key topics covered in the module related to the industry.
2. Identify a list of key sources that will be used in the assignment e.g. Mintel, industry specific sources e.g. McKinsey Quarterly plus reference to key academic sources e.g. Journal of Contemporary Management Research and textbook Contemporary Issues in Work and Organisations by Lansbury.

• Describe how you plan to present/ structure your report e.g. macro perspectives to micro considerations; and what type of relevant management dimensions e.g. innovation, people, selling etc.

The plan should demonstrate your understanding of the key concepts and issues in your topic area.

You could present this task as a mind map or bullet point list.

Instructions for Summative Assessment

Your assessment for this module takes the form of a 3,500 word management report:

You are required to prepare a management report that applies horizon scanning techniques (trends, data analysis, sources and critical thinking) to examine an industry of your choice. You can define an industry either by using the SIC UK classifications or Global Industry Classifications. You will need to identify the relevant contemporary issues that affect that industry.

• Which enabling technologies and innovations are making more impact on that industry?
• How is the industry coping/ thriving/ frightened and provide 2 to 3 specific examples?
• What are the drivers and dimensions covered by each topic (see below) for the industry?
  • Future of consumption
  • Future of enterprise
  • Future of work
• What are the management implications of changes in these areas? How could or should managers act? What examples are there good and/or bad decisions?
• Finally, what are your views about how these changes will impact you and your career in that industry? Given what you know, what is the contribution you could make to the industry?

Overall the focus of the report is an examination, in depth, of the relationships between issues and management.  Be specific by providing examples. Use a wide range of sources. Provide a view about how it affects you and what you can contribute to an organisation in that industry given your knowledge.