COURSEWORK (Individual)
Module Title ：Trends in Management
Module Code ：SMO008
Programme：Human Resource Management
Business Administration
International Business with Language
Instructions to students:
1. This coursework (report) comprises 40% of final module mark.
2. This coursework contains three cases. Please do analysis of each question respectively.
3. The report must be written in English.
4. The whole document must be saved in MS Word. The first page of your document must be a completed standard cover sheet (available on the programme LMO page). The report must use 1.5 line spacing and Times New Roman font, and a font size of 12 points.
5. Please try your best to provide constructive and critical analysis towards each case. Please do not plagiarize and failure to do so will be deemed academic misconduct and will be dealt with accordingly.
6. The deadline of individual written coursework (report) submission is 17:00 Friday on 16(th) May, 2025, Beijing Time. 5% of the total marks available for the assessment shall be deducted from the assessment mark for each working day after the submission date, up to a maximum of five working days. Work received more than five working days after the submission deadline will receive a mark of zero.
Case 1: Macro-level management (33marks) (200-300 words)
TikTok is a globally popular social media platform. that allows users to create, share, and discover short-form. video content. Launched in 2016 by the Chinese company ByteDance, TikTok has quickly become one of the most downloaded apps worldwide, particularly among younger audiences. Its success is driven by its advanced algorithm, which personalizes content recommendations, and its ability to foster viral trends and challenges. Despite its rapid growth, TikTok faces intense competition from other social media platforms and regulatory challenges in various markets.
Questions:
(1) Please investigate and summarise TikTok's most recent strategies, ensuring that all information sources are properly cited. (10 marks)
(2) Evaluate TikTok's strategy using Porter’s Five Forces Model and SWOT Analysis. (23 marks)
Case 2: Mid-level management (33marks) (200-300 words)
General Motors (GM) is considered to be a notable example of a company currently going through a significant stage of organisational change. Facing various sources of pressure, GM undergoes a major transformation from an automaker that designs and produces traditional internal combustion engine vehicles (ICE) to one that makes electric ones their priority. GM has committed to becoming carbon-neutral by 2040 and plans to phase out ICE vehicles by 2035. The company shifts its focus by heavily investing in its electric vehicles (EV) development, with a goal of launching 30 new EV models globally by 2025. To achieve that goal, GM is now emphasizing fostering an innovative culture and encouraging mental agility to be able to compete in the rapidly evolving automotive industry. Employees are provided with numerous opportunities to be trained and upskilled to work on EV technologies, software development, and battery systems. New manufacturing facilities are being built and new strategic partnerships are being negotiated and arranged to elevate the company's competitiveness. The workforce is also being reshaped to make sure of the success of these updated organisational objectives. GM's decision highlights how organisations must adapt to both external and internal pressure to sustain in a rapidly changing industry. The survival of GM will depend on the collective ability of its leader and workforce to execute this change effectively.
Questions
1) Organizational change is driven by multiple factors, please list and elaborate on the potential forces that are motivating GM's major organisational change. (18 marks)
2) In the change process, what are some potential barriers that can hinder GM's effective change? (15 marks)
Case 3: Micro-level management (34marks) (200-300 words)
GreenTech Innovations, an AI robotics firm with 850 employees from 40 nationalities, faces significant challenges in managing its diverse workforce. While the workforce's diverse nature enhances organizational innovation, it has simultaneously led to persistent cross-cultural conflicts that severely undermine team collaboration. Many questions existed in this company. Despite high diversity metrics, inappropriate leadership approaches have caused a 25% delay in a flagship AI project. Employee satisfaction has plummeted from 88% to 65% over two years, exacerbated by an incentive system prioritizing individual coding speed over cross-cultural cooperation, leaving remote workers (40% of staff) feeling undervalued. Employees report experiencing heightened daily job demands without corresponding motivational strategies. Recently, turnover rates have risen sharply, particularly in multicultural teams, necessitating urgent action to align diversity initiatives with productivity goals.
Questions:
(1) As GreenTech's HR Director, identify the most critical issue demanding resolution in this case and justify your reason. (14 marks)
(2) Propose an evidence-based motivation plan addressing the prioritized issue. (20 marks)
Assessment Criteria: Coursework - Written Report
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Percentage Mark
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Definition
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Criteria - Knowledge, Understanding and Application
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70%+
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Excellent, outstanding performance
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An excellent piece of work which:
. demonstrates wide knowledge, understanding and
application of the key issues raised by the requirements
. demonstrates robust judgment in reaching
conclusions
. shows an excellent level of analysis, evaluation and insight
. is very well structured to a high-quality written standard
. is very well presented to a professional standard
|
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60-69%
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Commendable performance
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A very good piece of work which:
. demonstrates very good knowledge, understanding and application of the issues raised by the requirements
. demonstrates very good judgment in reaching
conclusions
. shows a very good level of analysis, evaluation and insight
. is well structured and achieves a good written
standard
. is well presented to a professional standard
|
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50-59%
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Good, average performance
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A good piece of work which:
. demonstrates good knowledge, understanding and application of the issues raised by the requirements
. demonstrates good judgment in reaching
conclusions
. shows a fair level of analysis, evaluation and insight
. is logically structured and achieves areasonable written standard
. is reasonably well presented to a professional standard
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40-49%
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Satisfactory performance
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A satisfactory piece ofwork which:
. demonstrates an acceptable knowledge,
understanding and application of the issues raised by the requirements
. demonstrates adequate judgment in reaching conclusions
. is mainly descriptive with little analysis, evaluation and insight
. partially lack structure and has weaknesses in the written communication
. has presentation weaknesses
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