BEX 3000 - Professional Development for Business
Research Plan
Value The research plan accounts for 10% of your total marks for the unit. It is directly
connected to the following assessment tasks:
- Report
Assessment
task purpose
You are an external consultant and have been asked to produce a report for the
board on the company’s Australian operations. In preparation for this task, your
group must collectively decide what areas of analysis would be most beneficial to
present to the company’s executive team. You need to devise a research plan,
which requires some preliminary reading to identify 3-4 main issues. Each group
member will submit their own 1 page plan individually.
Learning
Outcomes
3. Analyse and evaluate business related inputs in order to identify areas of
growth, differentiation and improvement
4. Communicate in written and verbal form to produce professional artefacts
Your
assessment
task
Your research plan should use the template to provide a concise, meaningful
summary of what you intend to include in your report. Dots points should be used
where possible.
Word Limit &
conditions
1 page of single spaced 11pt text.
Due Date Friday 11.55PM in Week 4
Submission ● Via Moodle Assignment Submission.
● Turnitin will be used for similarity checking of all submissions.
Assessment
Criteria
You will be assessed on your ability to demonstrate the following:
- Analyse business related inputs (for their usability, relevance and
connection)
- Evaluate business related inputs (for their quality)
- Produce professional communication
Late Penalties ● 10% deduction per calendar day or part thereof for up to one week
● Submissions more than 7 calendar days after the due date will receive a
mark of zero (0) and may not receive assessment feedback
Feedback Feedback will be provided on student work via:
● general cohort performance
● specific student feedback ten working days post submission
INSTRUCTIONS
You will work in groups of 6. First, you will form a pair with a person of your choosing. The academic staff will
then combine the pairs into your group of 6.
You will be given a company that has engaged you to produce a report for their board. The report (assessment 4)
will identify the 3 most important issues for the company going forward. Your task at this stage is to
collectively evaluate the company and conduct preliminary research in order to identify 4-5 important
issues that the company is facing. The issues should be distinct, meaningful and impactful as your final report
is expected to be well rounded, meaningful and actionable.
Your first step is to design a research plan, which requires your group to identify issues that would have the
biggest impact, are most critical, and/or are time sensitive.
In your group, you should plan which areas to focus on for preliminary research, for example,
- What is their marketing strategy like?
- What is their share price doing? What is impacting it?
- Do they have any PR issues? How does the public view them?
- What are their financials like?
You should then divide the research and tasks fairly amongst team members. It is possible that some of the
areas you decide to look into do not result in any issues being identified. This is a normal part of conducting
preliminary research. As a team, make a plan for navigating obstacles and deadends when conducting your
preliminary research. Ensure you communicate and make the most of your time together, as in the professional
setting collaboration is a valuable tool for progressing quickly through projects.
Each person will individually submit their research plan, and can select their own 3 issues to move forward with.
RUBRIC
Learning Objectives & Criteria HD (80-100%)
Demonstration of extended
knowledge, skills and attributes at
an exceptional level, showing
fluency, originality and integration
of concepts
D (70-79%)
Demonstration of extended
knowledge, skills and attributes at a
superior level, showing fluency and
emerging originality and integration
of concepts.
C (65-74%)
Demonstration of fundamental
knowledge, skills and attributes at a
proficient level, showing fluency in
concepts.
P (50-59%)
Demonstration of fundamental
knowledge, skills and attributes at a
satisfactory level.
N (0-49%)
Lack of satisfactory demonstration
of fundamental knowledge, skills
and expected attributes.
Identify 3 key areas which
you think are important for
the company and provide
evidence for your choice.
30%
Three key areas are thoroughly
and clearly identified.
Demonstrates evidence of
preliminary, but critical and
highly systematic evaluation of
business needs in order to
accurately identify distinct,
meaningful and impactful
issues.
Three key areas are clearly
identified. Demonstrates
evidence of preliminary, but
critical and highly systematic
evaluation of business needs in
order to identify distinct,
meaningful and impactful
issues.
Three key areas identified, but
need more detail. Produces
evidence of a preliminary, but
considered critical evaluation of
business needs with the aim of
identifying distinct, meaningful
and impactful issues.
Three key areas are briefly
identified. Produces an
adequate preliminary evaluation
of business needs with the aim
of identifying relevant issues.
Three key areas are not
identified. Produces a
disconnected, incomplete, or
insufficient preliminary
evaluation of business needs.
Issues identified may lack
relevance or ability to
meaningfully expand on.
Identify key information that
you will need to research in
order to complete your
picture of the company. This
includes possible sources of
information and specific
questions you need to find
the answers to. 40%
Analysis demonstrates
insightful, comprehensive, high
quality research skills to select
sources that offer a
comprehensive overview of the
identified issues.
All sources are appropriately
acknowledged with consistent &
accurate referencing.
Demonstrates comprehensive
high quality research skills to
select sources that offer a clear
overview of the identified
issues.
Sources are appropriately
acknowledged with a high level
of accuracy in referencing
Demonstrates high quality
research skills to select sources
that offer an overview of the
identified issues.
Sources are appropriately
acknowledged with minor
inaccuracies in referencing
Demonstrates adequate
research skills to select sources
that aim to offer a clear
overview of the identified
issues.
Sources are acknowledged with
some minor inaccuracies in
referencing
Produces a limited number and
range of sources.
Some sources are not
acknowledged, and there are
major inaccuracies in
referencing.
Communicate in written form
to produce professional
artefacts
30%
Exploits the conventions of the
discipline to communicate at an
expert level, with highly
developed skills in structure,
flow and presentation of
content.
Exploits the conventions of the
discipline to communicate at a
professional level, with
well-developed skills in
structure, flow and presentation
of content.
Uses the conventions of the
discipline to communicate at an
effective level, with adequate
skills in structure, flow and
presentation of content.
Uses some of the conventions
of the discipline to communicate
appropriately, with basic skills in
structure and presentation of
content.
Has inadequate skills in
presentation of content, and
structure.
Communicates information or
ideas with limited clarity.
The research plan presents the
issues concisely and
comprehensively offering a
clear view of what is to come in
the final report.
The research plan presents the
issues concisely and/or
comprehensively offering a view
of what is to come in the final
report.
The research plan allows for the
main elements to be
understood offering a general
view of what is to come in the
final report.
The research plan offers a
simplistic view of what is to
come in the final report.