Group Assignment ECOS3003 – 20%
Part 1: written analysis (10%)
Choose ONE of the following questions:
Question A.
You've recently joined the Sydney Business Review as a junior editor, your task is to write
an article about a company of your choice. Your objective in this article is to analyze and
critique the organizational architecture of the selected company. Your supervisor asked you
to adhere to the following guidelines:
1. Select a real for-profit company: Make sure you can access reliable information
about the chosen company's organizational structure.
2. Describe the company's organizational architecture: Provide an overview of
the selected company's organizational architecture. This may include elements such
as its hierarchy, reporting structure, departments, decision-making processes, and
any unique attributes that differentiate it from other organizations.
3. Assess the current organizational architecture: Evaluate the effectiveness of
the company's existing organizational architecture.
Recommend changes, if appropriate: If you identify opportunities for
improvement or modification in the current architecture, present your
recommended changes. Clearly explain the rationale behind your recommendations
and how they would benefit the company. Your arguments should be grounded in
economic theory, best practices, or industry-specific knowledge.
Question B
The Group of Eight (Go8) comprises Australia's most research-intensive universities,
including the University of Adelaide, the Australian National University, the University of
Melbourne, Monash University, the University of New South Wales, the University of
Queensland, the University of Sydney, and the University of Western Australia. These
universities share a dual mission of delivering high-quality undergraduate and
postgraduate education while also serving as leading research institutions. While a
significant portion of their revenue is derived from teaching, they also receive substantial
funding for research, including grants and payments for research output from the Federal
government, among other sources.
Within this complex framework, numerous critical decisions must be made, including
choices related to the range of degree programs and subject areas offered to students,
methods for compensating academics, mechanisms for rewarding research endeavours,
and more.
In this question, you will need to examine the organizational architecture of one of the
Go8 universities, with recommendations for structural changes where applicable,
accompanied by well-founded justifications. This report can be written as if it were
prepared by a consultant for the Vice Chancellor.
Question C
Joint ventures are commonly formed in several industries and areas today, driven by
various factors and motivations. For example, the technology sector often sees joint
ventures, particularly in research and development initiatives in which companies
collaborate to combine their expertise, resources, and technologies to create innovative
products and solutions. The healthcare and pharmaceutical industries frequently form joint
ventures to pool resources for drug development, clinical trials, and the production of
medical devices. Joint ventures are also common in the automotive industry, especially for
manufacturing operations. But joint ventures are not without their own problems. Taking
a real example of a joint venture, what are the potential benefits and problems for one (or
all) of the participants? Discuss how the joint venture could be set up in such a way so
that still produces the potential benefits but avoids some of the pitfalls inherent in such
projects.
Question D
Make up your own question. If you want to do this, you need to come and discuss it with
me first.
Instructions Note:
1. You are expected to work with a diverse team consisting of at least 2 members. While
many of your peers in the class may have an economics background, I encourage you
to seek out individuals who bring diversity in various aspects, such as gender, ethnicity,
age, interests, hobbies, and extracurricular activities. Working with a heterogeneous
team is an opportunity for everyone to enhance their communication and collaboration
skills, which are pivotal soft skills necessary for success in today's dynamic workplace.
2. You are required to undertake some amount of research in completing this assignment
– certainly enough to answer the question. You do not need to know everything about
the company you are studying, but you will need to have a good idea about at least a
few aspects of its architecture. In this assignment, you will be rewarded for the depth
of (relevant) research that you undertake. This means that you do not have to analyze
everything to do with your company – rather, focus on one or two aspects and analyze
them in greater depth. The usual rules of academic referencing apply.
3. Your aim in writing this essay is not simply to list all the interesting things the chosen
company do – as can be easily found in social media. Instead, you should aim to extract
general principles about why what the company does is so/not so successful using the
tools that you have been taught in the course.
4. You must back up with evidence or logical reasoning all statements that you make. Your
claims should, where appropriate, be supported by references to the existing work of
experts. Any references used need to be detailed in the reference list at the end of the
essay.
5. Given the word count, you will be rewarded from a concise synthesis of the relevant
ideas/evidence/issues.
6. Please submit your assignment double-spaced in 12-point font.
7. Make sure you reference your assignment. Any standard referencing style is acceptable,
provided it is consistent, complete and correct.
The maximum word limit is 750 words, (excluding your reference list, appendices and
diagrams). 5 points will be deducted for exceeding the limit by less than 100 words, 10
points will be deducted for exceeding the limit by more than 100 words.
What to submit and when: Assignments must be submitted electronically via Canvas.
Please designate ONE person to submit on behalf of each team. Multiple submissions from
the same team can lead to confusion for the graders and may create an unfavourable
impression for ignoring assignment instructions. 5 points will be deducted for non-
compliance.
DUE DATE: 11.59am 15 May 2024
Part 2: Presentation (10%)
Instructions:
1. Each team has maximum 15 minutes to present the assignment.
2. Please provide a one-page document that outlines how diversity is taken into account
during the formation of a group. This involves considering diversity in factors such as
ethnicity, cultural backgrounds, gender, or variations in academic backgrounds. Diversity
and inclusion stand as crucial attributes in contemporary organizations. Numerous
empirical studies indicate that teams embracing diversity and inclusion tend to generate
more innovative ideas.
Please also share your insights on whether you would advocate for team projects among
students during the S2, 2024 and provide a rationale for your recommendation.
DUE DATE: Week 12 – Week 13 tutorials 2024
General guidelines:
1. As a general rule, human brain seeks meaning before diving into details. Instead of
focusing on promoting the company, concentrate on the problems you are addressing.
2. Transition smoothly between each point, avoiding repeating out loud words that are on
the slide.
In real-world workplaces, an effective presentation can be your competitive advantage. A
well-crafted presentation can achieve a multitude of objectives: motivating employees,
attracting customers, investors, and partners.
Have fun … ☺