Assessment 4: Time-Based Assignment (50%)

Due: 6 AM, Monday 24 May 2021

Individual Assignment

Word limit of 2500 (see details below)

Please read this entire document

Overview

Students are provided with this assignment brief and have one week to answer four questions below. Students should provide the most appropriate arguments, analysis, and/or solutions through reference to processes and theories learned throughout the trimester.

The specific processes and ideas that will be required in order to respond to each question have all been discussed in lecture. However, students will be required to draw from or conduct further research beyond the lecture discussions in order to fully answer the question with appropriate nuance. Students are expected to correctly cite sources that are used to inform their analysis. This approach allows students to fully explore concepts, test their critical thinking, and demonstrate an extension of discipline specific knowledge beyond a rudimentary level.

The time limit mirrors many business contexts, where executives are given a short time frame to develop sophisticated arguments and integrate their thinking, while still having access to suitable resources. It offers an authentic means of assessing understanding of material covered in the unit.

Key Dates

• The assignment brief is released to students at or before 6:00pm on Wednesday, 19 May 2021

• The assignment must be submitted via the appropriate Dropbox folder no later than 6AM on Monday, 24 May 2021.

How to respond to the questions

Your response should not be purely your initial or basic thoughts, although this may establish your initial approach. Rather your answer should be sophisticated, cogent, and underpinned by theory that you have learned in the unit, including research and reading that you have done or will do in your own time.

We are not assessing your opinion, nor your capacity to describe a theory or issue, but a demonstration of your ability to analyse the question, link theory to the analysis, and take a position by using what you have learned this trimester. Any statements, positions, or assertions you make must be supported by rigorous evidence, predominantly through the use of appropriate sources, and through well-supported and cogent arguments. It is expected that you will have to refer to a range of sources to respond to each question. Each response should stand alone and as such you may need to repeat some of the same information.

As noted, the specific processes and ideas that will be required to defend each question have all been discussed in lecture. However, you will likely need to go beyond the lecture discussion, utilizing the weekly references and other research to provide a full answer.

Please read the marking rubric for guidance on how to approach your responses.

Note that the questions ask you to explain your reasoning. This is referring to explaining your reasoning utilizing specific psychological processes. You should not be focused on marketing-strategy-related explanations. Be sure to warrant and evidence any claims you make.

Most questions will not require figures or tables but you may use them if you think they help your answer. Embed the figure in the question, however you must provide the necessary context. Do not expect the marker to automatically understand what your figure means or what it is referring to.

Sometimes ‘less is more’: You do not need to utilize the full 2500 words if you can answer the questions succinctly in less words. The addition of incorrect explanations or information will negatively affect your overall mark.

Some questions have multiple parts (e.g. 7a, and 7b). If you choose a question, you must answer all parts to any given question. The parts are there to help focus your answer.

This is an individual assignment. While you may discuss some of the ideas, all writing must be done alone. Plagiarism standards will be strictly enforced.

Please note that I will respond to any administrative questions relating to the assignment during the time-limited period, but will not respond to any content/academic questions related to this assessment. Discussion boards will be closed but I may post administrative questions and answers on the board.

Formatting your submission

Limited to a maximum of 2500 words total for the four answers combined (there is no word limit for any specific question). This includes all elements of the assignment, including tables, figures and in-text citations, but the reference list at the end of each question and your cover page are not included in the word count.

• Please include a cover page with your name, student ID, and the word-count (Cover page is not included in the word limit).

• Use Harvard style referencing. In-text citations count towards the word limit (but the reference list component is not counted in the word limit).

• You should only be utilizing academic references or notes from the lectures. If you cite a specific lecture please use the following formatting (Rotman 2021, Week X, Slide YY-ZZ; X, YY, and ZZ are the respective numbers e.g. Rotman 2021, Week 3, Slide 16-18).

• In the case where the topic is discussed across multiple lectures or a large part of a single lecture you can simply write ‘Rotman 2021’ or ‘Rotman 2021, Week X’, respectively.

• Although a specific number of references is not enforced, to achieve a high mark, it is expected that you will need a minimum of 10 citations for any question.

• A reference list should be included at the end of each question. You do not need to include a specific reference in the reference list for lecture citations.

• 1.5 spaced throughout, 12-point font (headings can be bolded), A4 size page formatting, 2.5 cm (1”) margins on all sides.

• Submit as a Word document (not .pdf)

• Clearly indicate which question you are answering and clearly indicate subparts (e.g. 7a, 7b)

• Page numbers should be included (but a Table of Contents is not needed).

Deakin’s Bachelor of Commerce and

Hurdle Requirement

This assessment is a hurdle requirement. You must submit this assignment, and you must achieve 50% or better to complete the unit.

Deakin Business

Questions

Please answer all the following questions: Total of 2500 words (each question 625 words)

Question 1 – (625 words each)

Research has demonstrated that, on average, ‘upper-class’ people are more likely to visit museums and attend live theatre, ‘middle-class’ people are more likely to go camping and fishing, and ‘working-class’ people are more likely to attend monster truck rallies and attend Wrestling events (e.g., WWE). Using your knowledge regarding associative learning, norms, identity, cognitive consistency, socioeconomic status, and other relevant research and processes, explain why this would be. (Please note this has little to do with cost as museums are often free whereas fishing, camping, or wrestling events can be expensive).

Question 2 – (625 words each)

In some Asian countries, having light skin is an important beauty factor, with people spending time and money lightening or whitening their skin. On the other hand, in North America and Europe, the opposite is true, where being suntanned is an important beauty factor, with people spending time and money tanning their skin. Using your knowledge of associative learning, desire for status, culture, and other relevant research and psychological processes, explain why this would be.

Question 3 – (625 words each)

Brands can utilize various people or even organizations as a source for their messaging and communication.

• Explain why a celebrity endorser can be an effective message source. Be sure to explain under what conditions they would be effective and under what conditions you would be better utilizing an ‘ordinary, common-person.’

• When a brand utilizes a celebrity endorser, the brand runs the risk of the celebrity being involved in some sort of scandal. Indeed, when celebrities are involved in some sort of scandal, brands often cut ties with them (e.g., they no longer utilize them as an endorser). Explain why brands do this.

Question 4 – (625 words each)

The COVID-19 pandemic has changed the way we live in many ways. When the pandemic ends (i.e., once everyone is vaccinated and restrictions on density, travel, and social distancing are completely lifted), some of these ‘new’ things will remain and some will revert to pre-COVID times. Which of the ‘new’ activities do you think will remain and which activities do you think will revert? Utilize your understanding of norms as well as your understanding of affiliation and self-discrepancies to defend your argument. You may also want to consider the ideas presented in this BBC article and this New York Times article (although, if you do, be sure to discuss the underlying processes).

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