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MSIN0020 STRATEGY BY DESIGN 2021/22
GRADING AND ASSIGNMENTS
You should read this assignment brief and the assignment grading rubrics in detail as
soon as possible. Both documents contain information that will make it more likely that
you do well in the module. The rubrics are available on Moodle in the “Assessment” tab.
GRADED ASSIGNMENT DUE DATES AND TIMES
A1 (7.5%): Wed 2 Feb (Week 23), 1pm London time via Turnitin
A2 (7.5%): Wed 2 Mar (Week 27), 1pm London time via Turnitin
Final assignment (85%): Fri 29 Apr (Week 35), 1pm London time via Turnitin
FINAL ASSIGNMENT: STRATEGIC CASE ANALYSIS (85%)
This assignment is to write a strategic case analysis of an organisation of your choice.
70% of the overall grade for the final assignment will be allocated to content, and 30%
to writing. Maximum total length: Sixteen A4 pages. Important: Your case analysis
must make arguments supported by data to receive a passing grade. Purely descriptive
papers are unacceptable. A successful case study will accomplish the following:
Content (70%)
1. Describe (backed by relevant data from your research) the organisation's
a. External environment,
b. Internal resources,
c. Implicit and explicit goals.
2. Explain (backed by evidence) the strategic actions the organisation has taken to
achieve those goals.
3. Analyse and evaluate the organisation's strategy with a clearly stated framework.
Writing (30%)
1. Effectively organise and present data you have collected and the arguments you
have developed from that data.
2. Write with good mechanics (including spelling and grammar)
3. Cite all sources completely, consistently, and accurately.
4. Present arguments and data using appropriate language, tone, and formatting.
Possible organisations to write about
We’ve chosen four organisations that are likely to be feasible for a case analysis based
on their size (some are sub-units of larger organisations) and the amount of information
about them that is available:
1. ASOS: British Online Fashion Retailer.
2. Good Energy: UK-based energy company.
3. London Ambulance Services NHS Trust: Responsible for London.
4. Revolut: UK-based financial technology startup.
Remember: You are free to choose a different organisation to write about.

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A1 AND A2 PRE-WRITING ASSIGNMENTS (15%)

To help you develop your case analysis, you will complete two short, graded pre-writing
assignments before the final assignment is due. You can find the grading rubrics for all
pre-writing assignments on Moodle in the “Assessments” section.

A1 (7.5%): Case argument and research plan (max. two A4 pages). Submit one
file containing both parts of A1, but start your case research plan on a new page.
You should submit only one list of references for both parts of A1.

Part 1—Case argument (max. one A4 page): Describe the organisation (identifying
only relevant details) and explain why it is worth writing a case about. Why
are you interested in it? Is it facing a particularly unusual environment? Does
it have a particularly interesting set of internal resources?
Part 2—Case research plan (max. one A4 page): Describe what sources of data are
available for your chosen organisation and how you will gain access to these
data sources. This will require you to do some research in advance.

A2 (7.5%): Case argumentation plan (max. two A4 pages)
Summarise how you will present your case and state the argument you intend to
make about the organisation’s strategy. Essentially, you should summarise
the order in which you are going to present the information you have
gathered, the framework you will use to analyse the organisation, and the
argument you have developed.

You are welcome to adjust and modify your plans as you develop your case study. To be
clear: You are allowed to change your organisation or any other aspect of the case study
at any time before you submit the final assignment.


FORMATTING AND PAGE LIMITS FOR ALL GRADED ASSIGNMENTS

Margins: 2.5cm on all sides of each page
Typeface, size, and spacing: Times New Roman, 12 point, double spaced (a blank line the
equivalent of the full height of a line of text between each line of text) for all text.
These size and spacing guidelines apply to all text in your submission, including
(but not limited to) text in footnotes, endnotes, captions, table text, list of
references, and citations. You should include neither a cover page nor appendices
in your submission.
Page numbering: Number all pages with roman numerals in the upper right corner.

Maximum total length of A1: Two A4 pages.
Maximum total length of A2: Two A4 pages.
Maximum total length of final assignment: Sixteen A4 pages.

The list of references is excluded from these length limits. Except for your list of
references, your entire submission (including all images, figures, tables, captions
footnotes/endnotes, and appendices) must fit within these length limits and formatting
guidelines—we will not read any excess. Additionally, per UCL policy, the final grade for
any submission exceeding the length limit will be reduced by 10 points.



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QUESTIONS YOU MAY HAVE

Should I write this as a descriptive or argumentative paper?
Your final assignment must be an argumentative paper—it must present a case in
support of a position that may or may not be true which is backed by evidence from
research and analysis based on an explicitly stated framework. Purely descriptive
assignments will not receive a passing grade.

What counts as an “organisation”?
“Organisation” can be broadly interpreted: A firm, a group within a firm, a startup, a
non-profit, a government department. You may write your case study on any group of
people working together toward a shared goal they could not achieve individually.

How do I pick my organisation?
There is no best choice or single correct answer. In fact, part of the assignment is to
explain and justify your choice of organisation. This is an opportunity to learn more
about an organisation (or industry) you’re interested in, so let yourself be guided by your
interests but keep three things in mind:
1. Choosing too large or diverse an organisation will make it hard to collect and
concisely present data about the entire organisation’s environment, resources,
and goals within the word limit for the assignment.
2. Choosing an organisation where there is public information in the form of annual
reports, news articles, and such will make it easier to collect data.
3. There should be good reasons for other people to read a case study about this
organisation.

Will the case study be graded only on content?
The case study will be graded on both content and writing. Grading rubrics and quality
guides for all the assignments are posted on Moodle.

Is this an academic paper? Do I need a list of references and citations? How should I
format citations and my reference list?
Yes, this is an academic paper. You will need a list of references (containing entries for
all sources you cite) and citations in text for all your sources—even if they are
unconventional sources such as interviews and online customer reviews. You do not
need to submit a bibliography (a list of sources consulted but not cited in your
submission), but you do need to cite all sources of data used and provide a list of
references (a list of all sources cited) to avoid the risk of plagiarism. Use the Chicago
Manual of Style (16th ed. or newer) for guidance on citation and formatting of references.
This manual contains guidance on even unusual types of sources. UCL has a
subscription to a searchable online edition of the Manual (link is provided on the module
Moodle page in the tab labeled “Writing, research, and other resources”). Do not contact
your TA for assistance with citations unless you have already tried and failed to find
guidance in the Manual.

How does the page limit work? What needs to be included in the page limit?
Except for your list of references, your entire submission must fit in the page limits
given above. Do not include a cover page. We will count pages from the first page of the
submission and discard—unread—any main text pages in excess of the given page
limits. Per UCL policy on submission lengths, any submission that exceeds the length
limit for the assignment will receive a 10-point reduction applied to the final grade for
that submission.

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A VERY IMPORTANT NOTE ABOUT PLAGIARISM AND HOW TO AVOID IT

UCL takes plagiarism extremely seriously, even if it is unintentional or due to
negligence—and the penalties imposed on plagiarised work are harsh. Turnitin
automatically checks your submission against databases of previously submitted
assignments and other scholarly content. As you do your research, you must keep track
of all sources you have taken content from. In your final assignment, you must properly
and consistently cite both directly quoted and paraphrased content. You must also
provide a complete and correctly constructed list of references. Not knowing how to cite
correctly will not be considered an acceptable excuse for plagiarism through incomplete
citation of sources. If you are uncertain about how to cite, consult the recommended
style manual (the Chicago Manual of Style, 16th edition or newer, which is available as
an e-resource on Moodle). If any questions remain after consulting the style manual, get
in touch with one of the teaching staff.