School of Management

Assessment
Brief
Module Code Module Title

MSM7040 Business in a Global Economy

Academic Year Semester

2022/2023 2

Module Leader email

[email protected]

Content
Assessment Details ....................................................2
Submission Details .....................................................3
Assessment Criteria ...................................................4
Further Information .....................................................6
Who can answer questions about my assessment? ........... 7
Referencing ............................................................................. 7
Submission problems............................................................. 7
Unfair academic practice........................................................ 7
How is my work graded? ........................................................ 8
Assessment Details
Assessment title Abr. Weighting

Transsion Mobile: Deep Blue Ocean in Africa WRIT1 100%

Pass marks are 40% for undergraduate work and 50% for postgraduate work unless stated otherwise.

Task/assessment brief:

Company Report. For this assessment you must read, analyse and evaluate a case study that will be
supplied (click on the link for intro) - Transsion Mobile: Deep Blue Ocean in Africa INSEAD
Publishing 2020.

Background. The global mobile phone market is becoming saturated, especially in developed
economies where phone makers are competing for market share in an increasingly 'red ocean'. In
contrast, the African market for mobile phones has huge growth potential given a fast-expanding
population and high proportion of young people, yet relatively low rate of mobile phone penetration.
Transsion, a Shenzhen (China) - based mobile phone manufacturer (that few Chinese have heard of),
spotted a blue ocean opportunity and within a few years had become the 'mobile phone king of Africa'.

Transsion Mobile, faced with competition from several smartphone manufacturers, is now
contemplating how to maintain African markets leadership. The company has traditionally used Blue
Ocean strategy but is now finding difficult to maintain competitive advantage. Consequently, company
is exploring a number of options for survival and growth.

Your Task. You are to advise Zhaojiang Zhu, the founder and CEO of Transsion Mobile, who is
considering how to maintain company’s leadership position in Africa and to sustain the competitive
advantage which was achieved using blue ocean strategy in the African markets.

Part a. You are to analyse the historical strategic development of Transsion Mobile in the African
markets (going global, regional integration, bilateral agreements, etc.). Consider the pros and cons of
FDI from home country and host country perspective, in addition to their strategic choices. Use
appropriate international business theories, models and/or frameworks to support your answer. (no
more than 20% of your word limit should be spent on this section)

• This part of the assessment is to be completed by Thursday 2nd March 2023 (Week 5) of
the semester and uploaded into Turnitin via Moodle.

Part b. Analyse different strategic options available to Transsion Mobiles. Using different theoretical
concepts, devise company’s growth trajectory, focusing particularly on building a mobile network
ecosystem, value integration and localisation, and diversification and integration (no more than 50% of
your word limit should be spent on this section)

Part c. Discuss the challenges Transsion Mobile faces along with the opportunities for the growth of
the company. You are encouraged to devise a plan of action with recommendations to be presented to
the CEO of Transsion Mobile for the company’s future development. (no more than 30% of your word
limit should be spent on this section)

• This assessment is to be completed by the Friday 19 May 2023 and uploaded into Turnitin
via Moodle.

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The work is to be fully referenced throughout and contain a complete and correctly Harvard cited
bibliography. To ensure that correct citations are completed please consult
https://www.citethemrightonline.com/

The marking rubric for this work is supplied, setting out the criteria against which this work will be
evaluate, and the relative weight these criteria elements have in deciding your final grade. Please
note that country evaluations will be largely descriptive elements within this work, and that the more
analytical and evaluate content will be in the recommendation and justification section. Make sure that
you balance your work appropriately. You must stick to the 4000 word limit of this assessment.

Word count (or equivalent): 4000

This a reflection of the effort required for the assessment. Word counts will normally include any text,
tables, calculations, figures, subtitles and citations. Reference lists and contents of appendices are
excluded from the word count.

Academic or technical terms explained:

In this work you are required to critically evaluate knowledge and/or situations.

“An assignment question that asks you to critically evaluate something is seeking a balanced debate.
Your answer should consider the positive aspects of the argument or debate alongside the negative
aspects.

There is a specific rationale for asking you to consider both. Very often, when first reading about a
theory or a concept, the response is to form a value judgement; that is to either agree or disagree.
However, by thinking of both sides of the debate, both good and bad, you develop and refine your
analytical skills. These skills are important as they form the foundation for robust problem solving and
decision making. Furthermore, they help build creativity and innovation by encouraging you to
challenge how you think about things and are crucial to the development of reflective practice.
Cumulatively the impact of this is that you become more receptive to new ideas and approaches.” The
Open University Postgraduate study skills: Assessed writing | Help Centre | The Open University

Submission Details
Submission Estimated This will normally be 20
Deadline: 19 May, 2023 Feedback working days after the
Return Date final submission.

Submission By 6 pm on the
Time: deadline day.

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Moodle/Turnitin: Any assessments submitted after the deadline will not be marked and will be
recorded as a non-attempt unless you have had an extension request
agreed or have approved mitigating circumstances. See the School Moodle
pages for more information on extensions and mitigating circumstances.

File Format: The assessment must be submitted as a pdf document (save the document
as a pdf in your software) and submit through the Turnitin submission point
in Moodle.

Your assessment should be titled with your:

student ID number, module code and assessment ID,

e.g. st12345678 BHL5007 WRIT1

Feedback Feedback for the assessment will be provided electronically via Moodle. Feedback
will be provided with comments on your strengths and the areas which you can
improve. View the guidance on how to access your feedback.

All marks are provisional and are subject to quality assurance processes and
confirmation at the programme Examination Board.

Assessment Criteria
Learning outcomes assessed

• Demonstrate a critical understanding of how the global business system operates and the role
of global/multinational businesses within it.
• Critically evaluate a range of business models, and strategies used by global business in
achieving a variety of goals.
• Evaluate how differing economic conditions and climates shape global business opportunities,
and how businesses might effectively change and respond to such situations.
• Demonstrate a critical appreciation of how social and environmental factors shape business
decision making, and how such factors might be incorporated into the business decision-
making process.
• Demonstrate initiative and undertake appropriate research and data collection skills in
evaluating opportunities for international business in overseas markets.

Other skills/attributes developed

This includes elements of the Cardiff Met EDGE (Ethical, Digital, Global and Entrepreneurial skills) and
other attributes developed in students through the completion of the module and assessment. These
will also be highlighted in the module guidance, which should be read by all students completing the
module. Assessments are not just a way of auditing student knowledge. They are a process which
provides additional learning and development through the preparation for and completion of the
assessment.

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 Graduate Attribute EDGE Competencies E/D/G/E

Problem Solving and Analytical • Are able to use your creativity to Entrepreneurial
Ability solve problems and spot
opportunities
• Are able to use your own initiative Entrepreneurial
and work without supervision
• Are confident gathering information Entrepreneurial
from a wide range of sources to
make connections and develop new
and innovative ideas
Interpersonal skills and • Are willing to question both your own Global
networking cultural values and the cultural
values of others

Global citizenship (diversity and • Keep up to date with global issues Global
sustainability and international affairs relevant to
personal and professional
development
• Actively seek opportunities to engage Global
with, and immerse yourself in other
cultures in order to better understand
both yourself and others
• Appreciate the impact globalisation Global
has had on societies across the world
(e.g. through business decisions,
health, education etc.) and strive to
address all perspectives in their
personal and professional life
• Are willing to reassess your personal Ethical
beliefs and values through
engagement with alternative
perspectives

Flexibility and adaptability (lifelong • Are able to assess the value and Entrepreneurial
learning) impact of your ideas
• Able to engage in online learning, for Digital
instance using online learning
materials, contributing to discussion
boards or blogs and undertaking
online assessments
• Are able to use digital tools for Digital
research purposes (e.g. to find
information, investigate problems
and identify possible solutions)
• Able to manage data and online Digital
sources responsibly (such as
research data) by distinguishing
between popular concepts and
robust evidence
• Demonstrate an agile mind –set and Digital
flexible approach that assists in the
navigation between the physical and
digital world
Effective communication • Able to communicate with others Digital
using digital technologies

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Creativity and innovation • Are able to use your creativity to Entrepreneurial
solve problems and spot
opportunities
• Are confident gathering information Entrepreneurial
from a wide range of sources to
make connections and develop new
and innovative ideas

Marking/Assessment Criteria

See Marking Rubric attached to this document.

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 Technical submission problems
Further Information
It is strongly advised that you submit your
Who can answer questions about my
work at least 24 hours before the deadline to
assessment?
allow time to resolve any last minute
problems you might have. If you are having
Questions about the assessment should be
issues with IT or Turnitin you should contact
directed to the staff member who has set the
the IT Helpdesk on (+44) 2920 417000. You
task/assessment brief. This will usually be the
may require evidence of the Helpdesk call if
Module Leader. They will be happy to answer
you are trying to demonstrate that a fault with
any queries you have.
Moodle or Turnitin was the cause of a late
submission.
Staff members can often provide feedback on
an assignment plan but cannot review any
Extensions and mitigating circumstances
drafts of your work prior to submission. The
only exception to this rule is for Dissertation
Short extensions on assessment deadlines
Supervisors to provide feedback on a draft of
can be requested in specific circumstances. If
your dissertation.
you are encountering particular hardship
which has been affecting your studies, then
Referencing and independent learning
you may be able to apply for mitigating
Please ensure you reference a range of circumstances. This can give the teachers on
credible sources, with due attention to the your programme more scope to adapt the
academic literature in the area. The time assessment requirements to support your
spent on research and reading from good needs. Extensions and mitigating
quality sources will be reflected in the quality circumstances policies and procedures are
of your submitted work. regularly updated. You should refer to your
degree programme or school Moodle pages
Remember that what you get out of university for information on extensions and mitigating
depends on what you put in. Your teaching circumstances.
sessions typically represent between 10%
and 30% of the time you are expected to Unfair academic practice
study for your degree. A 20-credit module
Cardiff Met takes issues of unfair practice
represents 200 hours of study time. The rest
extremely seriously. The University has
of your time should be taken up by self-
procedures and penalties for dealing with
directed study.
unfair academic practice. These are
explained in full in the University's Unfair
Unless stated otherwise you must use the
Practice regulations and procedures under
HARVARD referencing system. Further
Volume 1, Section 8 of the Academic
guidance on referencing can be found in the
Handbook. The Module Leader reserves the
Study Smart area on Moodle and at
right to interview students regarding any
www.citethemrightonline.com (use your
aspect of their work submitted for
university login details to access the site).
assessment.
Correct referencing is an easy way to
improve your marks and essential in
Types of Unfair Practice, include:
achieving higher grades on most
assessments.
Plagiarism, which can be defined as using others is submitted and passed off as solely
without acknowledgement another person’s the work of one person. Modules will clearly
words or ideas and submitting them for identify where joint preparation and joint
assessment as though it were one’s own submission are permitted, in all other cases
work, for instance by copying, translating they are not.
from one language to another or Fabrication of data, making false claims to
unacknowledged paraphrasing. Further have carried out experiments, observations,
examples include: interviews or other forms of data collection
• Use of any quotation(s) from the and analysis, or acting dishonestly in any
published or unpublished work of other other way.
persons, whether published in textbooks,
articles, the Web, or in any other format, How is my work graded?
where quotations have not been clearly
identified as such by being placed in Assessment grading is subject to thorough
quotation marks and acknowledged. quality control processes. You can view a
• Use of another person’s words or ideas summary of these processes on the
that have been slightly changed or Assessment Explained Infographic.
paraphrased to make it look different from
the original. Grading of work at each level of Cardiff Met
• Summarising another person’s ideas, degree courses is benchmarked against a set
judgments, diagrams, figures, or of general requirements set out in Volume 1,
computer programmes without reference Section 4.3 of our Academic Handbook. A
to that person in the text and the source simplified version of these Grade Band
in a bibliography/reference list. Descriptors (GBDs) with short videos
explaining some of the academic terminology
• Use of assessment writing services,
used can be accessed via the Facilitation of
essay banks and/or any other similar
Learning resource page.
agencies (NB. Students are commonly
being blackmailed after using essay
We would strongly recommend looking at the
mills).
Study Smart area of Moodle to find out more
• Use of unacknowledged material
about assessments and key academic skills
downloaded from the Internet.
which can have a significant impact on your
• Re-use of one’s own material except as
grades. Always check your work thoroughly
authorised by your degree programme.
before submission.
Collusion, which can be defined as when
work that that has been undertaken with