Business Assignment Topics
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Example business Assignment topic 1:
For economic growth within the UK, low levels of customer
service within the services industry is a major concern. How can this situation
be improved with reference to the views of customers and managers?
This
study looks at three specific businesses upon the British high street: Marks
and Spencer’s, Next, and Jigsaw. Using a mixed-method approach of research, the
Assignment utilizes street based interviews in co-ordination with management
based face-to-face interviews. This is done to first ascertain different
viewpoints as of the problem before analysing them via reference to a number of
pertinent theories: principally SWOT and Porter's Five Forces.
Suggested initial topic reading:
- Blocker, C.P.,
Flint, D.J., Myers, M.B. and Slater, S.F. (2011) ‘Proactive customer
orientation and its role for creating customer value in global markets', Journal of the Academy of Marketing
Science, Vol.
39(2), pp. 216-233.
- McMullan, R. and
Gilmore, A. (2008) ‘Customer loyalty: An empirical study', European Journal of Marketing, Vol. 42(9/10), pp.1084-1094.
Example business Assignment topic 2:
An analysis of how oil companies in Kuwait should alter their
existing business strategies to attract greater foreign investment.
This Assignment
enables a global analysis of two specific countries: an oil producer (Kuwait)
and a nation from which further investment is sought (Japan). There is a wealth
of existing literature and thus this research is readily grounded in existing
academic opinion. The research discusses different entry modes for investment
and desired business models of investment. In addition it also evaluates, human
resources and political economies as well as discussing cultural dimensions and
the effects that cultural differences have on the development of business and
investment strategies.
Suggested initial topic reading:
- Porter, M. (1985) Competitive advantage: Creating and
sustaining superior performance. New York: Free Press.
- Porter, M. (1990) The competitive advantage of
nations. New
York: Macmillan.
- Wietfeld, A.
(2011) ‘Understanding Middle East gas exporting behaviour'. Energy Journal, Vol.
32(2), pp. 32-40.
Example business Assignment topic 3:
Nissan's implementation of a coherent internalised system of
knowledge management, innovation and learning: To what extent has this been
rooted in academic interpretations of SECI models?
Using
Nissan as a case study this Assignment first provides an analysis of the
development of SECI models and thereafter contextualises them to both Nonaka
and Ichijo (2007) as well as the car industry. The second part of the Assignment
thereafter presents an evaluation of the present market position of Nissan.
Having outlined both SECI model theory and the global positioning of the brand
in question, the third part of this work offers an analysis of the positives
that have been brought to Nissan by the adoption of SECI before offering, in
conclusion, a series of observations as to how the firm's existing SECI model
could be further enhanced for future profitability.
Suggested initial topic reading:
- Ichijo, K. and
Nonaka, I. eds, (2007) Knowledge
creation and management. Oxford:
Oxford University Press.
- Lefebvre, L.A.,
Cassivi, L. and Lefebvre, E. (2001) ‘An e-commerce transition model for
supply-chain management'. Journal
on Chain and Network Science, Vol. 1(1), pp.23-32.
- Nonaka, I. (1991)
‘The knowledge-creating company: How Japanese companies create the
dynamics of innovation'. Harvard
Business Review, Vol., 23(1), pp. 96-104.
- Nonaka, I. and
Teece, D. eds, (2001). Managing
industrial knowledge: Creation, transfer and utilization.
London: SAGE.
Example business Assignment topic 4:
Consumer expectations: An analysis of the John Lewis Partnership
Lewis and
Booms (1983) posit that ‘service quality is a measure of how well the service
level delivered matches customer expectations. Delivering quality service means
conforming to customer expectations on a consistent basis'. This statement is
considered with especial regard to the culture of meeting consumer expectations
with the John Lewis Partnership. The Assignment undertakes extensive primary
research through interviews and surveys with John Lewis staff, management and
customers. Finally it synthesises this research and presents the John Lewis
model, including its advantages and disadvantages, as well as ways in which it
could improve.
Suggested initial topic reading:
- Lewis, R.C and
Booms, B.H. (1983) ‘The marketing aspects of service quality'. In Berry,
L., Shostack, G. and Upah, G. (eds). Emerging perspectives on service
marketing. Chicago,
IL: American Marketing, 99-107.
- Parasuraman, A.,
Zeithaml, V.A. and Berry, L. (1985) ‘A conceptual model of service quality
and its implications for future research'. Journal of Marketing Vol. 49, pp. 41-50.
Example business Assignment topic 5:
A discursive analysis charting the present position of
e-commerce within Iraq with recommendations as to how to facilitate its further
usage.
E-commerce
is used extensively throughout the world. It is a vital tool for business
bringing with it lower costs and greater efficiencies. However, within Iraq,
huge swathes of the population have no access to e-commerce and its benefits.
This Assignment accordingly has three primary objectives. First, it explores
the existing infrastructural networks existent within the country and evaluates
the extent to which they can be adapted for greater e-commerce traffic.
Secondly, it analyses the different methods that could be used by the
government of Iraq to encourage more persons to use e-commerce. Thirdly, it
identifies potential foreign investment factors that could favourably impact
upon the development of e-commerce in the country.
Suggested initial topic reading:
- Ahmed, A. M.,
Zairi, M.and Alwabel, S. A. (2006) ‘Global benchmarking for internet and
e-commerce applications',Benchmarking: An International
Journal, Vol.
13(1/2), pp.68-80.
- Ahn, T., Ryu, S.,
and Han, I. (2004) ‘The impact of the online and offline features on the
user acceptance of internet shopping mall', Electronic Commerce Research and
Applications, No.3,
pp.405-420.
- Alden, D. L.,
Steenkamp, J-B. and Batra, R. (2006) ‘Consumer attitudes toward marketing
globalization: Antecedent, consequent and structural factors', International of Research in
Marketing, Vol. 23 No.3, pp. 227-239.
Example business Assignment topic 6:
A market analysis of Sports Direct
Using a
range of appropriate analytical tools, this Assignment evaluates conditions in
the market environment that the sports equipment company Sports Direct occupies
and through so doing evaluates both the micro environment and the macro
environment in which the firm operates. Thereafter it evaluates, using a
strategic fit analysis, the resource capability of the firm and highlights
specific strengths and weaknesses within its existing business model.
Accordingly in addition to using a series of corporate publication this study
is also grounded in existing academic literature and in particular that which
relates to (in addition to strategic fit analysis), market environment
analysis, Pestel analysis, Porter's five forces, and value chain analysis. The
study concludes by offering a range of reasoned recommendations for the
on-going profitability of Sports Direct.
Suggested initial topic reading:
- D'Aveni, R.A.
(1994) Hyper-competition: Managing the
dynamics of strategic maneuvering. New York: Free Press.
- Lussier, R.N. and
Kimball, D.C. (2009) ‘Five competitive forces in sport business
environments', Applied
Sport Management Skills, Champaign, IL: Human Kinetics, pp.
30-36.
Example business Assignment topic 7:
An investigation into the business opportunities to Chinese oil
companies that the State of Qatar offers
Many
Chinese companies are currently in the process of expanding their operations
overseas. As an oil rich nation Qatar offers a number of potential investment
opportunities which may be attractive to existing Chinese oil companies. This Assignment
looks at a range of options available and ascertains the potential barriers
that need to be overcome focusing on cultural issues as well as economic issues
and the Qatari business environment. Using predominantly pestle and Porter's
Five Forces, this Assignment offers a number of recommendations as to the
desirability of Chinese expansion into the oil refining business of Qatar.
Suggested initial topic reading:
- Li, R. and Leung,
G. (2011) ‘The integration of China into the world crude oil market since
1998'.
Energy Policy, Vol. 39(9), p. 5159-5166.
- MEED (2011) ‘Qatar
Science and Technology Park, Doha'. MEED:
Middle East Economic Digest; 2/11/2011 Supplement, p. 24.
- MEED (2012) ‘Total
identifies deep oil prospects in Qatar'. MEED:
Middle East Economic Digest, Vol. 56(6), p. 10.
Example business Assignment topic 8:
Supply chain management: A case study based discussion of the
management of external resources with especial reference to relationships,
risks and communication
There
are, during the lifetime of a project, different entities and different
individuals involved. Accordingly there is a multitude of external factors that
impinge upon the successful completion of any given work. Looking at the
building of the Olympic Stadium for London 2012, this Assignment evaluates the supply
chain management difficulties faced in co-ordinating the roles of the project
team, suppliers, and subcontractors. Grounded in existing academic theory this Assignment
also offers new insights into the arena of supply chain management through the conducting
of a number of interviews with key personnel involved in the successful
delivery of the building project.
Suggested initial topic reading:
- Norrman, A. and
Jansson, U. (2004) ‘Ericsson's proactive supply chain risk management
approach after a serious sub-supplier accident', International Journal of Physical
Distribution & Logistics Management, Vol. 34(5),
pp.434-456.
- Stecke, K. and
Kumar, S. (2009) ‘Sources of supply chain disruptions, factors that
breed vulnerability, and mitigating strategies'. Journal of Marketing Channels, Vol. 16(3), pp.193-226.
Example business Assignment topic 9:
An analysis of aspects of corporate social responsibility: An
investigation into the issues of sustainability and carbon footprints.
As
businesses increasingly focus on unique selling points to appeal to their
buying public, the issue of green credibility has become increasingly
contested. Focusing on a selection of high street retailers whose core business
is focused upon food (McDonald's, Sainsbury's and Costa Coffee) this Assignment
charts not only the initiatives undertaken by the individual firms to cast
themselves as more eco-friendly but also assesses the impact that those
initiatives have had on the buying public. Using both primary and secondary
data this Assignment seeks not only to analyse the existing status quo of these
companies but also to offer key recommendations for the future as to how they
may yet further improve their green credentials.
Suggested initial topic reading:
- BBC News (2011),
‘Food waste recycling roll-out "successful" so
far'http://news.bbc.co.uk/local/blackcountry/hi/people_and_places/newsid_9414000/9414396.stm,
accessed 22/05/2012.
- Sim, S. (2009) The carbon footprint wars: What
might happen if we retreat from globalization? Edinburgh: Edinburgh University
Press.
Example business Assignment topic 10:
Organisational performance and employee engagement - A review
Based on
the premise that that organisations need to invest in employment engagement,
this Assignment analyses the effects that improved employee engagement can have
upon the ability of a firm to realise and exceed its stated goals and
objectives. In an economic era in which there is an ever greater need for firms
to maximise their potential the importance of the linkage between active
employee engagement and profitability is a developing field of study with
several studies showing that the level and nature of engagement helps determine
productivity and safety, employee retention, customer loyalty and
profitability. Using a review of existing literature this Assignment discusses
the relevance and lessons to be learned from the literature with particular
reference to the construction industry within England.
Suggested initial topic reading:
- Perrin, T. (2003) Working today: Understanding what
drives employee engagement. New York: Talent Report.
- Robinson, D.,
Perryman S. and Hayday S. (2004) ‘The drivers of employee engagement'. Report 408. London: Institute for Employment
Studies.
Example business Assignment topic 11:
The effects of social networks on e-commerce; With especial
reference to consumer buying behaviour and demand patterns
This Assignment
analyses how the emergence and growing popularity of social networking sites
have impacted upon the demand patterns of consumers. In so doing it focuses
primarily upon the on-line fashion industry and the effect that such new
technologies has had upon buying behaviour. Through a combination of
quantitative and qualitative research (in which street-based interviews are
also used), this Assignment posits that the changes have been far reaching for
both consumers and organisations.
Suggested initial topic reading:
- Darlington, Y. and
Scott, D. (2002) Qualitative
research in practise: Stories from the field. Maidenhead: Open
University Press.
Example business Assignment topic 12:
An analysis of the agency problem in German public companies and
the ways in which changes to corporate governance can overcome these.
This Assignment
firstly outlines the agency problem in german with reference to both existing
literature and actual organisations. Thereaftre it outlimes the existing
processes of corporate governance in the organisations chosen for study before
evaluating their effectiveness. In the third part of the Assignment
international comparisons are made with corporate governance modesl used in the
UK from which German corporations could learn a range of lessons. Accordingly,
this is a Assignment that combined grounded research with practical application
within the business world.
Suggested initial topic reading:
- Shleifer, A. and
Vishny, R.W. (1997). ‘A survey of corporate governance'. The Journal of Finance.
Vol. 52(2), pp.737-783.
- Strausz, R.
(1997). ‘Delegation of monitoring in a principal-agent relationship'. Review of Economic Studies Vol. 64, pp.337-357.
Example business Assignment topic 13:
A case-study based analysis of how channels of communication
with employees may be improved in a multinational organisation
The
primary research objective of this study is to investigate how the channels of
communication with employees might be improved in multinational
corporations. Thereafter, factors such as organisational structure, formal and
informal communication flows and international internal integration are
assessed. Through so doing this research further considers situation analysis
and the identification of management objectives.
Suggested initial topic reading:
- DuBrin, A.J.
(2008) Essentials of management,
8th edn. London: Cengage.
- English, L.M. and
Lynn, S. (1995) Business
across cultures: effective communications strategies. White Plains: Addison Wesley
Longman.
- Nieuwenhuizen, C.
and Rossouw, D. (2009) Business
management: A corporate approach. Capetown, SA: Juta and Company
Ltd.
- Oliver, S.(1997) Corporate communications:
Principles, techniques and strategies. London: Kogan Page
Publications
Example business Assignment topic 14:
Ethics in PR and cultural diversity: a mismatch of ideologies
within a Middle-Eastern environment?
This Assignment
seeks to address the seeming confrontation between the role and purpose of the
PR consultant and the societal code of ethics that governs Middle Eastern
Islamic countries. In so doing this Assignment focuses primarily on the PR
industry within Saudi Arabia though references are also made to its sister
organisations in Kuwait, Qatar and Iraq. This is an empirical study that
combines primary and secondary research to provide a range of conclusions and
recommendations as to how PR practitioners in the Middle East can successfully
fulfil the wishes of clients whilst also remaining true to their cultural
beliefs.
Suggested initial topic reading:
- Freitag, A.R. and
Stokes, A.Q. (2009) Global
public relations: Spanning borders, cultures. New York: Routledge.
Grunig, J.E.,(2001) ‘Public relations and international affairs, effects,
ethics and responsibility', Journal
of International Affairs, Vol. 47(1), pp. 137-162.
- Holtzhausen, D.R.
and Voto, R. (2002) ‘Resistance from the margins: The postmodern public
relations practitioner as organizational activist', Journal of Public Relations
Research, Vol. 14(1), pp. 57-84.
- Huang, Y.H. (2001)
‘Should a public relations code of ethics be enforced?' Journal of Business Ethics,
Vol. 31(3), pp. 259-270.
Example business Assignment topic 15:
A review of the
fashion industry and child labour within the Chinese, Indian and African labour
markets
The regional variability of child labour rates
employed within the last twenty years has been seen by leading academics to be
partially dependent upon economic growth rates experienced within individual
developing countries. Basu (1999) notes that Africa still has a higher
preponderance for child labour and this Assignment, focussing on the
contracting out of fashion manufacturing to India, China and Africa analyses
both the procedures that western firms put into place to mitigate against the
continued exploitation of children as well as the underlying societal values
that continue to permit the on-going degradation of children within the host
nations.
