Course Guide

The following link provides important information on the topics below:

Admin essentials

Academic integrity
Academic progress
Appeals
Assessment adjustments (extensions, special consideration, equitable
assessment arrangements)
Award levels
Grades
Student feedback

Teaching Period: HE Flexible 2016

Course Code: BUSM4045
Course Title: Creating Business Strategies
School: 660H Graduate School of Business and Law
Career: Postgraduate
Campus: City Campus
Learning Mode: Face-to-Face
Primary Learning Mode:
Face-to-face
Credit Points: 12
Teacher Guided Hours: 39 per semester
Learner Directed Hours: 39 per semester
Course Coordinator: Dr Tim O'Shannassy
Course Coordinator Phone: 61 3 9925 50111

Course Coordinator Email: tim.oshannassy@rmit.edu.au

Course Coordinator Location: Graduate School of Business and Law, Cnr Victoria and
Russell Sts, Melbourne, Victoria, 3000
Offering Coordinator: Michael Rowe
Offering Coordinator Phone: 0408 324 736
Offering Coordinator Email: michael.rowe@rmit.edu.au
Offering Coordinator Location: Building 13
Offering Coordinator Availability: By Appointment
Additional Staff Contact Details
Pre-requisite Courses and Assumed Knowledge and Capabilities
Required Prior Study
050937 - Design Thinking for Business (Executive) (BUSM4519/BUSM4520 or
equivalent course code)
Course Description
In this course you will gain an international strategic perspective on issues that concern
the organisation. The course integrates concepts from other MBA Executive courses that
cover specific areas of operating a business such as marketing, finance, accounting,
human resource management and operations management, and uses these insights to
provide you with a framework to design solutions to complex business problems and
opportunities. The course covers the evolution of the field of strategy and the need to
balance strategy process, content and context.
Drawing on your professional experience you will explore the importance of business
ethics including a well-developed ethics of governance regime to help achieve strategic
organisational goals in an international business setting.
Objectives/Learning Outcomes/Capability Development:
On the successful completion of this course you will be able to:
1. Apply strategic management knowledge to create an effective strategy for a
business in an industry setting.
2. Use design thinking to develop and prioritise solutions to strategy problems and
opportunities for a business.
3. Critically engage with and resolve ethical challenges of strategy design.
4. Interpret the international business environment to inform strategy design for
sustainable, competitive advantage of an organization.

Overview of Learning Activities

In this course a variety of teaching approaches will be used including the use of case
studies, small group work and critical discussion. You will also develop your presentation
skills to articulate and discuss strategic issues in business.
In this course you will be encouraged to be an active learner. Your learning will be
supported through various in-class and online activities comprising individual and group
work. These may include quizzes; assignments; prescribed readings; sourcing,
researching and analysing specific information; solving problems; conducting
presentations; producing written work and collaborating with peers on set tasks or
projects.
Details of Learning Activities

In this course a variety of teaching approaches will be used including the use of case
studies, small group work and critical discussion. You will also develop your presentation
skills to articulate and discuss strategic issues in business.
Preparation for class and participation by students in class are essential aspects of the
course. Students are expected to learn to monitor and discuss their own learning
experience, and collaborate with other students to discover and construct a framework of
knowledge that can be applied to business strategy situations. The course involves
substantial work on preparing business strategy solutions to case studies and presenting
these solutions in class presentations and business reports. Students are expected to
develop effective and persuasive presentation and written communication skills in a
business setting. Students are also expected to develop feedback skills to critique and
learn from others. Use of the Discussion Board provides an important forum for students
and the lecturer to interact and discuss course content including case studies.
Connecting theory and practice is an important focus of this course. It is important that
MBA students understand what great management thinkers such as Michael Porter,
Henry Mintzberg and others have to say on strategic management. This course provides
this insight and makes a point of connecting this insight to business practice.
There is a rich tradition of teaching and assessment in the strategy field with case
studies. This course embraces this tradition. In this way the course is deeply authentic
and deeply connected to the world of business practice. The Learning Hub and text book
provide valuable resources for learning (refer below).
Teaching Schedule

Unit / Date

Required Reading and Class Activity

Unit 1:
Introduction

De Wit, B and Meyer, R (eds) 2014, Strategy: An International Perspective (Chapter

1), 5th Edition, Cengage Learning, Andover, UK.

17 November 2016

Mason, R and Mitroff, I 1981 Complexity: The nature of real world problems in in B.
De Wit and R. Meyer (eds), 2014, Strategy: An International Perspective, 5th

Edition,Cengage Learning, Andover, UK.

Hofstede, G 2004, Cultural constraints in management, in B De Wit and R Meyer
(eds), 2014, Strategy: An International Perspective, 5th Edition,Cengage Learning,
Andover, UK.
Hubbard, G 1996 Analysing a case, in Cases in Strategic Management: Australia and
New Zealand, G. Lewis, A. Morkel, G. Hubbard, G. Stockport, and S. Davenport (eds),
2nd ed., pp. viii-xvi. Prentice Hall, Sydney.
No Case Study in the first week.

Unit 2: Strategising
24 November 2016

De Wit, B and Meyer, R 2014, Strategy: An International Perspective (Chapter 2),

Cengage Learning, Andover, UK.
Teece, D 2007, in Explicating dynamic capabilities: the nature and microfoundations
of (sustainable) enterprise performance, Strategic Management Journal vol. 28 (13),
pp. 1319-1350, B De Wit and R Meyer (eds.), 2014, Strategy: An International
Perspective, Cengage Learning, Andover, UK.
Hodgkinson, G and Healey, M 2011 Psychological foundations of dynamic
capabilities: Reflexion and reflection in strategic management, Strategic Management
Journal 32 (13), pp. 1500-1516, in B De Wit and R Meyer (eds.), 2014, Strategy: An
International Perspective, Cengage Learning, Andover, UK.
Case Study: Apple Inc. in 2015 (HBSP)

Unit 3: Missioning
and Visioning

De Wit, B and Meyer, R (eds.) 2014, Strategy: An International Perspective (Chapter

3), 5th Edition, Cengage Learning, Andover, UK.

1 December 2016

Friedman, M 1970. The social responsibility of business is to increase its profits, from
the New York Times Magazine, 30 September, in De Wit, B and Meyer, R,
2014, Strategy: An International Perspective, 5th Edition, Cengage Learning, Andover,
UK.
Freeman, E and Reed, D 1982, Stockholders and stakeholders: a new perspective on
corporate governance, in B De Wit and R Meyer (eds), De Wit, B and Meyer, R (eds.)
2014, Strategy: An International Perspective, 5th Edition, Cengage Learning, Andover,
UK.
Case Study: HSBC Group and the Royal Childrens Hospital (Desk Research)

Unit 4: Businesslevel Strategy

De Wit, B. and Meyer, R. 2014, Strategy: An International Perspective (Chapter 4),

Cengage Learning, Andover, UK

8 December 2016

Day, G. and Moorman, C. 2010 Strategy from the outside in, in B. De Wit and R.
Meyer (eds.), 2014, Strategy: An International Perspective, 5th Edition, Cengage
Learning, Andover, UK.

Barney, J. 1991 Firm resources and sustained competitive advantage, in B De Wit and
R Meyer (eds.), 2014, Strategy Process, Content, Context, 5th Edition, Cengage
Learning, Andover, UK.
Case Study: Raffles Holdings Limited (HBSP)

Unit 5: Corporatelevel Strategy

De Wit, B and Meyer, R 2014, Strategy: An International Perspective (Chapter 5),

Cengage Learning, Andover, UK.

15 December 2016

Hedley, B 1977, Strategy in the business portfolio, in De Wit, B. and Meyer, R.

(eds.), 2014, Strategy: An International Perspective, 5th Edition, Cengage Learning,
Andover, UK.
Prahalad, CK and Hamel, G 1990, The core competence of the corporation, in De
Wit, B. and Meyer, R. (eds.), 2014, Strategy: An International Perspective, 5th
Edition, Cengage Learning, Andover, UK.
Case Study: Emirates Airlines (HBSP)

Unit 6: Networklevel Strategy

De Wit, B and Meyer, R (eds) 2014, Strategy: An International Perspective, (Chapter

6), Cengage Learning, Andover, UK.

22 December 2016

Hamel, G, Doz, Y and Prahalad, CK 1989, Collaborate with your competitors and
win, in De Wit, B. and Meyer, R. (eds.), 2014, Strategy: An International Perspective,
5th Edition, Cengage Learning, Andover, UK.
Lorenzoni, G and Baden-Fuller, C 1995, Creating a strategic center to manage a web
of partners, in De Wit, B. and Meyer, R. (eds.), 2014, Strategy: An International
Perspective, 5th Edition, Cengage Learning, Andover, UK.
Case Study: Tata (De Wit & Meyer)

26 December 20161 January 2017

Mid-Trimester Break

Unit 7: Strategy
Formation

De Wit, B and Meyer, R 2014, Strategy: An International Perspective (Chapter 7),

Cengage Learning, Andover, UK.

1 Jan 2017

Chakravarthy, B and Lorange, P 1991, Managing the strategy process, in B. De Wit

and R. Meyer (eds), Strategy: An International Perspective, Cengage Learning,
Andover, UK.
Quinn, J 1978, Logical incrementalism, in B. De Wit and R. Meyer (eds), Strategy:
An International Perspective, Cengage Learning, Andover, UK.

Hart, S 1992, An integrative framework for strategy-making processes, Academy of

Management Review, vol. 17, pp. 327-351.
Case Study: Louis Vuitton (HBSP)

Unit 8: Strategic
Change

De Wit, B. and Meyer, R. (eds), 2010, Strategy: process, content, context (Chapter 8),
Cengage Learning, Andover, UK.

8 Jan 2016

Hammer, M. 1990, Reengineering work: Dont automate, obliterate, in De Wit, B.

and Meyer, R. (eds.), 2014, Strategy: An International Perspective, Cengage Learning,
Andover, UK.
Senge, P. 1990, Building learning organizations, in De Wit, B. and Meyer, R. (eds.),
2014, Strategy: An International Perspective, Cengage Learning, Andover, UK.
Case Study: Sony (De Wit & Meyer)

Unit 9: Strategic
Innovation

De Wit, B. and Meyer, R. (eds), 2014, Strategy: An International Perspective (Chapter

9), Cengage Learning, Andover, UK.

8 Jan 2016

Imai, M 1986 Kaizen, in De Wit, B. and Meyer, R. (eds.) 2014, Strategy: An

International Perspective, Cengage Learning, Andover, UK.
Christensen, C 1997 The Innovators Dilemma, in De Wit, B. and Meyer, R. (eds.)
2014, Strategy: An International Perspective, Cengage Learning, Andover, UK.
Case Study: Survey Monkey in 2014 (HBSP)

Unit 10: The

Industry Context

De Wit, B and Meyer, R (eds) 2014, Strategy: An International Perspective(Chapter

10), Cengage Learning, Andover, UK.

15 January 2017

McGahan, A 2000, How industries evolve, in De Wit, B. and Meyer, R. (eds.)

2014, Strategy: An International Perspective, Cengage Learning, Andover, UK.
Kim, WC and Mauborgne, R 2004, Blue ocean strategy, in De Wit, B. and Meyer, R.
(eds.) 2014, Strategy: An International Perspective, Cengage Learning, Andover, UK.
Case Study: Cummins (HBSP)

Unit 11: The

International
Context

De Wit, B and Meyer, R 2014, Strategy: An International Perspective (Chapter 12),

Cengage Learning, Andover, UK.
Levitt, T 1983, The globalization of markets, in De Wit, B. and Meyer, R. (eds.)

15 January 2017

2014, Strategy: An International Perspective, Cengage Learning, Andover, UK.

Douglas, S and Wind, Y 1987, The myth of globalization, in De Wit, B. and Meyer,
R. (eds.) 2014, Strategy: An International Perspective, Cengage Learning, Andover,
UK.
Case Study: BEL (De Wit & Meyer)

Unit 12:The
Organisational
Context
22 January 2017

De Wit, B and Meyer, R 2014, Strategy: An International Perspective (Chapter 11),

Cengage Learning, Andover, UK.
Cyert, RM 1990, Defining leadership and explicating the process, in in De Wit, B.
and Meyer, R. (eds.) 2014, Strategy: An International Perspective, Cengage Learning,
Andover, UK.
Stacey, R 1993, Strategy as order emerging from chaos, in De Wit, B. and Meyer, R.
(eds.) 2014, Strategy: An International Perspective, Cengage Learning, Andover, UK.
Case Study: 7 Days Inn (De Wit & Meyer)

Overview of Learning Resources

myRMIT studies/Blackboard will provide you with a range of learning resources, which
include a detailed reading guide, recommended texts and materials, and information of a
practical nature concerning the authentic assessment tasks. It features access to the
course documents, details of assessment, interactive discussion boards, and access to
RMITs e-databases. Harvard Business School Publishing case studies are used in this
course.
Various learning resources are available online through myRMIT/Blackboard. In addition
to topic notes; assessment details and a study schedule you may also be provided with
links to relevant online information; readings; audio and video clips and communication
tools to facilitate collaboration with your peers and to share information.
Resources are also available online through RMIT Library databases and other facilities.
If you require assistance with the RMIT library facilities contact the Business Liaison
Librarian for your school. Contact details for Business Liaison Librarians are located
online on the RMIT Library website.
Additional resources and/or sources to assist your learning will be identified by your
course coordinator will be made available to you as required during the teaching period.
Learning Resources
Prescribed Texts
De Wit, B and Meyer, R 2014 Strategy: An International Perspective, 5th Edition, Cengage Learning,

Andover, UK.

References
Other Resources

In the learning resources folder, students find the teaching materials that belong to each
unit. During the delivery of the course, new materials will be added that contribute to
strategy knowledge and it is expected that you too will contribute to this growing body of
knowledge. You will be expected to use library and electronic resources (as well as any
other appropriate resources) to engage in professional reading of relevant strategy
literature.
To assist in understanding of the subject, students will find it helpful to read business
newspapers such as the Australian Financial Review, The Economist and Business
Review Weekly.
Some additional useful book resources include:

Fitzroy, P, Hulbert, M and O'Shannassy, T 2016 Strategic Management: The

Challenge of Creating Value, 3rd Edition, Routledge Publishing, London, UK.
Mintzberg, H 1994, The Rise and Fall of Strategic Planning, Prentice Hall,
London, UK.
Ohmae, K 1982, The Mind of the Strategist, McGraw-Hill, New York, NY.
Tushman, M and OReilly, C III 1997, Winning Through Innovation, Harvard
Business School Press, Boston, Ma.

The following academic journals will be helpful references:

Academy of Management Review

Strategic Management Journal
Harvard Business Review
Long Range Planning

You may access online learning tools and content for this course from the student portal,
myRMIT.
Overview of Assessment
The assessment tasks, their weighting and the course learning outcomes to which they
are aligned are as follows:
Assessment Task 1: 40%
Linked CLOs: 1, 2, 3, 4
Assessment Task 2: 10%
Linked CLOs: 1, 2, 3, 4

Final Examination: 50%

Linked CLOs: 1, 2, 3, 4
Feedback will be provided throughout the semester in class and/or in online forums
through individual and group feedback on practical exercises and by individual
consultation.
Assessment Tasks

Assessment Task 1 Class Case Study Presentation and Written Submission

(CLN or Group)
This assessment task comprises two parts: part A is an in-class presentation; part B is a
written briefboth parts are conducted in a group or what is known as a
small collaborative learning network (CLN).
Weighting: 40% (15% Presentation, 25% Paper)
Due: Case studies are completed weekly as agreed between the lecturer and the
respective CLN. CLNs complete one case study for the semester. The case study report
and presentation is due in class in the nominated week for the case (e.g. session 2 case
study is due 24 November 2016).
Word Limit (Paper): 2000 word business report with an included maximum 200 word
executive summary. This is a hard word limit and marks will be deducted for going over
that limit. Tables and figures are included in the word count. Words in picture files will be
counted. In a workplace, reports that are not compliant with guidelines are returned to
be re-written with performance management consequences. The hard word limit here
gives more workplace authenticity to this assessment task.
Time Limit (Presentation): 15 minutes plus 5 minutes Question and Answer
Purpose: To apply the tools and techniques of strategic analysis and the Small CLNs
understanding of the strategy process to a practical case study situation.
Process/Assessment: Refer Hubbard (1996, 2000) for instructions on analysing a case
study. All the information needed to respond to the case is provided in the case, the text,
and class materials. The External Links available in Blackboard provides another useful
and practical available resource. No specific questions are given for the case. Small
CLNs should analyse the case situation and also make recommendations as to what the
company and/or individual(s) in the case should do.
The analysis should address four issues:
1.
2.
3.
4.

External Environment, Industry Environment and Critical Success Factors.

Company Analysis.
SWOT
Recommendations, including justifications, of how the organisation should
address these key issues.

The recommendations should be consistent with the analysis and pick up all major
issues identified in the analysis. The marker will be looking for the Small CLN to identify,
prioritise and address the key issues impacting shareholder and stakeholder value and
discuss/debate this in class. Small CLNs will be assessed on their Question and Answer
performance.
The case study is a valuable teaching and learning tool and an exercise in business
writing. Attention should be given to grammar, presentation and the logic of the
argument. If you would not give the case you have prepared to your immediate line
manager in the workplace then please reconsider the presentation before submission to
the lecturer.
The Case Study must be referenced using the Author/Date system.
Reference:
Hubbard, G. 1996, Analysing a case, in G. Lewis, A. Morkel, G. Hubbard, Stockport, G.
and Davenport, S. (eds.) Cases in Strategic Management: Australia and New Zealand,
2nd Edition, Prentice Hall, Sydney, pp. viii-xvi. (Class Distribution)
Assessment Task 2 Case Study Analysis(Individual)
This assessment task comprises on part and is completed individually.
Weighting: 10%
Due: Friday 5 pm, 16 December 2016 Melbourne Time.
Purpose: To encourage students to analyse a case study in a 1000 word business report
format and receive feedback. The 1000 word limit (approximately three pages) presents
a particular business writing challenge to students. The case must be chosen from the
list of case studies covered in the BUSM3922 Creating Business Strategies class this
semester (refer this document). The case study chosen must not be the case study
students are presenting for assessment task one. A 200-word executive summary is
allowed in addition to the 1000 words.
This is a hard word limit and marks will be deducted for going over the word limit. In a
workplace reports that are not compliant with guidelines are returned to be re-written
with performance management consequences. The hard word limit gives more
workplace authenticity to this assessment task.
Any references beyond the case study must be included in a reference list which is not
included in the 1000 word limit. The 1000 word limit includes all tables and figures,
everything in a table or figure and/or words in picture files will be counted. The case
study itself does not need to be referenced.
Assessment criteria: in Assessment Task 2 students will be assessed on their ability to
do the following:

identify the key issues in the case (10% of available marks);

succinctly analyse the external environment (10%);
succinctly analyse the industry context (10%);
identify critical success factors (5%);
succinctly report a company analysis (10%);
present a SWOT (15%);

make strategy recommendations that have a positive influence on shareholder

and stakeholder value (30%); and,
overall favourable impact of the report on the reader, i.e. clear writing,
arrangement, grammar (10% adding to the 100% of the available 10 marks).

Assessment Task 3 Take Home Exam (Individual)

This assessment task has two parts: Part 1 is an essay section in which the student will
demonstrate their mastery of the theoretical concepts in the course; Part 2 is an
application of theory to practice using a case study that is not from the list of case
studies in this document. There is no word limit for this assessment task, there is a time
limit.
Examination: Take home, open book
Weighing: 50%
Date: The Take Home Exam will be held in the designated exam week commencing
Monday 6 February 2017. An exact date will be notified when the university examination
timetable has been finalised. Students are reminded to be available for any date within
the examination period.
Length: 45 minutes reading time, 5 hours writing time.
Submission through TurnItin on Blackboard.
Part 1 Theory and Practice
Weighing: 25%
Purpose: To test the individual students understanding of the theory component of the
course. To encourage reflection. To work to time.
Part 1 Rules: Students should be thoroughly prepared before the exam. Student are
required to respond to 2 of 3 theory and practice questions developed for the
examination. The questions asked will be challenging, focusing on theoretical
components introduced in the course. Students will need strong familiarity with the text
and readings materials provided. Questions will be topic specific but may include a part
asking the student for reflection. The marker will mark the first two responses that are
encountered only.
Part 2 Case Study
Weighing: 25%
Purpose: To apply the students knowledge of the tools and techniques of strategic
analysis and understanding of the strategy process to a practical situation. To work to
time.
Part 2 Rules: All the information needed to respond to the case is provided in the case,
the text, and class materials. Specific questions are given for the case and students will
need to directly address these questions in their answer to score a Credit grade or
higher.

Students should analyse the case situation and also make recommendations as to what
the company and/or individual(s) in the case should do. The analysis should address
four issues:

External, Industry Environment Analysis and Critical Success Factors (20% of 25

marks).
Company Analysis (20%)
SWOT (15%).
Recommendations, including justifications, of how the organisation should
address these key issues. The recommendations should be consistent with the
analysis and pick up all major issues identified in the analysis (35%).
Overall arrangement of the answer and prioritization of issues under exam
pressure giving authenticity to the assessment task (10% adding to 100% of 25
marks).

The marker will be looking for students to identify, prioritise and address the key issues
impacting shareholder and stakeholder value. Attention should also be given to the logic
of the argument.
All relevant RMIT University Policies on assessment apply.
Other Relevant Information
Assignment Submission Procedure
All written assignments must be submitted electronically through TurnItIn (and therefore
no Assignment Cover Sheet is required). TurnItIn will assess your work in approximately
one minute, and return a colour coded response for the originality of the text.
Instructions on how to upload your presentation and provide critical feedback on other
presentations will be available online later in the semester.

Notes on Written Submissions

1. Cover Page: Your written work should include a cover page with the assignment
title, your name and student number(s), name and code of the unit, and the date
of submission
2. All submissions should be 1.5 spaced. Allow a minimum of 25mm (1) on left,
right, top and bottom margins. All pages should be numbered.
3. Do not use first person, e.g., I and we and avoid colloquialisms and clichs in
formal business reports.
4. All tables and figures need to be numbered and labelled and referred to as such
in the text before they appear.
5. Keep appendices to a minimum. Everything that is directly relevant to your report
or marketing plan should be in the main body.
6. You should adopt the RMIT business style of referencing, i.e., in text referencing
(e.g., Winchester & Leenders, 2014). All quotations and references should be
properly sourced. Inadequate details of publications and other sources will
reduce the assessed grade. See http://www1.rmit.edu.au/library/referencingguides for assistance.
7. Rewrite until it is clear and interesting. The first draft never works. Proofread to
eliminate obvious errors. Even better, ask someone else to proofread.
Correctness and accuracy in spelling, syntax, grammar and punctuation are

expected at post-graduate level. Readers will think that small errors are due to a
lack of care and generalise about your analysis.
8. Treat your submission the same way you would treat a professional work
submission. Get it in on time, at a level of quality that you would be happy to
hand to your boss.

Plagiarism:
Students are reminded that cheating, whether by fabrication, falsification of data, or
plagiarism, is an offence subject to University disciplinary procedures. Plagiarism in oral,
written or visual presentations is the presentation of the work, idea or creation of another
person, without appropriate referencing, as though it is ones own. Plagiarism is not
acceptable. The use of another persons work or ideas must be acknowledged. Failure
to do so may result in charges of academic misconduct, which carry a range of penalties
including cancellation of results and exclusion from your course. Students are
responsible for ensuring that their work is kept in a secure place. It is also a disciplinary
offence for students to allow their work to be plagiarized by another student. Students
should be aware of their rights and responsibilities regarding the use of copyright
material.

RMIT Plagiarism Policy: http://www.rmit.edu.au/browse;ID=sg4yfqzod48g1

(unresolved)

Assignment Extensions
If you are prevented from submitting an assessment on time, by circumstances outside
your control, you may apply in advance for an extension to the due date of up to seven
calendar days.
Where an extension of greater than seven days is needed, you must apply for special
consideration.

How to apply

If you are seeking an extension of seven calendar days or less (from the original
due date) you must apply at least one working day before the assessment
deadline.
Complete an Application for extension of time for submission of assessable work
form (PDF 41kb 2p) and lodge it with the school that offers the course.
Except in exceptional circumstances the application must be lodged no later than
one working day before the official due date.

Penalties for Late Submission

If an assignment is submitted late (without an extension) then the mark awarded will be
reduced by 10% for each day (or part of a day) it is late. Assignments that are late by 7
days or more will not be marked and will be awarded zero marks.
Marking Criteria
Unless otherwise advised by teaching staff, grades for written work will be awarded on
the following basis:
Grade

Description

Points /
% of
points

High
Distinction

High Distinction involves exceptionally clear understanding of course matter and

appreciation of issues; well organised, formulated and sustained arguments; wellthought out and structured diagrams; relevant literature referenced, and; evidence
of creative insight and originality in terms of comprehension, application and
analysis with at least some synthesis and evaluation.

80-100

Distinction involves strong grasp of course matter and appreciation of key issues,
perhaps lacking a little on the finer points; clearly developed arguments; relevant
and well-structured diagrams; appreciation of relevant literature, and; evidence of
creative and solid work in terms of comprehension, application, analysis and
perhaps some synthesis.

70-79

Credit involves competent understanding of course matter and appreciation of

some of the main issues though possibly with some gaps; clearly developed
arguments; relevant diagrams and literature use, perhaps with some gaps; well
prepared and presented, and; solid evidence of comprehension and application
with perhaps some analysis.

60-69

Pass involves some appreciation of course matter and issues; work generally
lacking in depth or breadth and with gaps. Often work of this grade comprises a
simple factual description (i.e. basic comprehension) but little application or
analysis. Work of this grade may be poorly prepared and presented. Investment of
greater care and thought in organising and structuring work would be required to
improve.

50-59

Fail involves evidence of lack of understanding of course (minimal or inadequate

comprehension and little or no application) and inability to identify issues, and
often inadequate in depth and breadth and sometimes incomplete or irrelevant.

<50

(HD)

Distinction
(DI)

Credit
(CR)

Pass
(PA)

Fail
(NN)

Changes to assessment scheme

Changes to the method of assessment described above may be made with the
documented consent of 70% of students enrolled in the course. Students will receive
written notification of any such changes.

Borderline policy
All borderline fail assignments and examination papers will be marked by a second
examiner. Assessment between 45-49 percent is considered to be borderline for this
purpose. Students who are dissatisfied with their assessment outcomes have the right to
clarification from the School of how their assessment was determined.

Other Relevant Information

Feedback
Feedback will be provided throughout the semester in class, via email, via consultation
and via Blackboard (regarding your assessments. You are encouraged to participate in
class discussion to enrich your learning experience both from your lecturers and fellow
students. Finally, you can email your lecturer to gain more feedback on your progress.
You should take note of all feedback received and use this information to improve your
learning outcomes and final performance in the course.

Written Reports and Essays

Students should consult the Guidelines for Referencing and Presentation in RMIT
Business. You can access this from the Library.
In addition to these resources, RMIT provides academic skills support and resources
through the Study and Learning Centre (https://www.dlsweb.rmit.edu.au/lsu/ ) and the
library (http://www.rmit.edu.au/library ).

Course Overview: Access Course Overview

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