You will be able to integrate and synthesise prior knowledge and learning from multiple and diverse topic areas of business and management

N1588 – Case Study module 

Resit assessment 2

80% of marks

2000 word report:

This is an individual assessment, based on the “Honda in India: new challenges” case. You should produce answers to the questions below, using a report format.  You are expected to evidence wide research on commercial information in the University databases and from other reputable sources, as well as using the information in the case.Q1: (40% of total marks):  Analyse Honda India’s competitive position over the 10 years to the date of the case, and report on the strategic and competitive issues that it has been facing in the Indian auto market (this should include issues arising from competition, consumers and the general market).Q2: (40% of total marks):   Please can you identify which companies are Honda India’s competitors: please could you be detailed about why you have identified these specific companies as their main competitors. To answer this question well, you will need to identify which companies have a similar basket of products. 

General Remarks

• Word count – 2000 words (+/- 10%)

• Referencing - The report should follow a numbering reference style, given that Harvard is unsuitable for a report format.

• Report structure: There is no need to write an introduction or summary, but it is necessary to make sure you mark each discussion with the correct question number.

Learning outcomes

In this assignment the following learning outcomes will be covered:

• You will be able to integrate and synthesise prior knowledge and learning from multiple and diverse topic areas of business and management, as this module’s assessments will call on learning from Strategy, Accounting, Operations and Marketing, and potentially other business disciplines that have been studied.

• You will be able to apply these knowledge and skills to build a holistic understanding of management in a specific business case, as the understandings of Strategy, Accounting, Operations and Marketing will inform a wide perspective for the analysis of the class and assignment cases.

• You will be able to search for and select relevant secondary data and analyse it in order to build a holistic understanding of management in a specific business case, as this module will involve research of library databases, reports available from the library and online, and websites for data to answer the questions.

Model answer

Answers to the questions set should call on wide commercial information research in numerous University databases, as detailed in the video search guides supplied in the Units section of the Canvas site, as well as reliable other sources. Where justified, academic research can be included, for instance in relation to changes in consumption patterns.

•  The hierarchy of data that students select and deploy to illustrate discussions of questions will evidence their critical thinking.

•  The analysis should be based on sector and competitor data, with market share and turnover and profit data forming an important part of this.

•  Very concise discussion, simply laid out, with clear headings, showing graphs and tables to present sector, market and competitor data, which is consistent with good report writing style.

Grading Criteria

• Knowledge and Understanding 20%

• Application 20%

• Critical thinking 20%

• Reading and Research 20%

• Presentation and style 20%

Assessment Criteria

Knowledge and Understanding	Use of widely sourced commercial data to make the argument in answering the question. Evidence of deep and detailed understanding of the sector, competitors and consumers.
Application	Students should concentrate on conveying the implications of the data they find, and avoid presentation of data without interpretation, therefore making the intelligence that arises from this data easily consumable by the reader.
Critical Thinking	Demonstration of the ability to make contextually justified decisions about validity of data to use. Demonstration of the ability to judge the hierarchy of this data in answering the questions. Evidence of rational scepticism in relation to assessing the validity of data.
Reading and Research	Wide reading and use of commercial data. A focus on accessing quantitative rather than qualitative data. Correct referencing and use of reliable sources of information.
Presentation and Style	Report format, with good use of clear headings and concise discussion, with use of bullet points and charts and graphs. The discussion should be expressed in clear business English, with no formatting or editing mistakes. Sector jargon or acronyms to be avoided, unless explanations or long forms have been introduced first. Discussion of each question should be related to the correct question number.