Effective Communication in Management and Business 12: Planning for semester 2 John Morgan

Discussion of feedback Now you have received feedback on semester 1 essays and reports, it is time to reflect on your own perceptions of writing and also the perceptions of those who have marked your work. Look back to the seminar 11 needs analysis and timeline. Firstly it asks you to indicate the tasks you have to do this semester, but on the back it also asks you to reflect on feedback issues. Use this list to interpret today’s task and even if you haven’t yet filled it in, you may be able to do so as a result of what we will do today.

The Zara report, or any other Last week in seminar 11, I received information on the Zara report for MBM1110: Operations Management. Here are some direct quotes from the MBM1110 module information:

PAGE 2 “The purpose of the coursework is for the student to demonstrate the theoretical understanding of the course, and the extent to which such understanding can be linked with practical applications.” MY SUMMARY: Create a theory and practice divide or flow within your written work.

PAGE 3 A4 paper; Times New Roman size 12; 1.5 line spacing. MY SUMMARY: Easily overlooked, but don’t forget to follow the most basic instructions.

Also on PAGE 3 “Please make sure that references are made in a generally acceptable format: Harvard system.” MY SUMMARY: please make sure they are made in an EXCEPTIONALLY acceptable format. We have done the Harvard system and there is also a guide to it in the module information. It is the one area where you are allowed to copy information directly. Don’t give anybody the excuse to criticise your referencing and bibliography.

Even more from PAGE 3 Background, introduction, literature review, practical analysis and relevant theoretical issues that arise from this, conclusion, recommendations, bibliography. MY SUMMARY: This looks familiar. Make sure you follow it.

PAGE 6 Written presentation, 10%; critical appreciation of theoretical issues, 20%; ability to integrate theory and practice, 70%. MY SUMMARY: They are all important, but look seriously into the balance of theory and practice. In many drafts I looked at in semester 1, these were out of balance, leaning to one side or the other.

Compare these… …with the feedback you received for your semester 1 essays and reports. Did you receive any comments on any of these issues? Essentially, guidelines such as these are the central focus of the ECMB course and you should defeinitely be working within these guidelines.

Make a plan TEAMWORK: Make a plan with other people… …who are doing the same report/essay …who are doing a different one Each approach is equally relevant

In your plan Create a plan considering issues we discussed in seminars 9 & 10 (editing, revision and exams). This should be a one to two page skeleton of the outline of the report or essay you are working on. You can make more than one plan if your group is working on different tasks. Draw the plan up to an overhead transparency (OHT).

Present and discuss Present you plan to the whole class and discuss options. Be prepared to give critical feedback to other students about their plans. Cross reference your plans, other people’s plans and the issues that arose in critical discussion with the feedback you received from semester 1 and with your answers on the timeline questions from seminar 11.