Assessment guidelines
Produce a 3000-word Individual Coursework (+/- 10%) (excluding appendices and the list of references) which offers students the ability to demonstrate their developing knowledge and application of the teaching and learning material covered. It also encourages students to develop their thoughts and perspectives on contemporary business issues and be intellectually creative (underpinned by credible resources).
Your assignment should be MS Word processed (handwritten assignments are not accepted), using Times New Roman size 12 font, double spaced, with numbered pages. Note this is a report supported by academic research so you should adhere to the appropriate referencing guidance. The word limit stated for this assignment excludes the list of references at the end of the assignment but includes all text in the main body of the assignment (including direct quotations, in-text citations, footnotes, tables, diagrams and graphs). Please be aware that exceeding the word limit will affect the academic judgement of the piece of work and may result in the award of a lower mark. Appendices are not considered a supplement and will not be assessed as part of the content of the assignment. As such, they will not contribute to the grade awarded; however, it may be appropriate to use an Appendices section for any material which is a useful reference for the reader. Please note that appendices are not included in the word count. The majority of references should come from secondary sources (e.g. journal articles, conference papers, reports, etc.) although you can also utilise area specific textbooks. You must ensure that you use the Harvard style of referencing. Please indicate the word count length at the end of your assignment.
Learning outcomes applied in this assessment
1. develop a critical understanding of major concepts, frameworks, and methods in marketing and corporate social responsibility, and assess their application in the business environment, including brand value. (IC) (SID) (EID)
2. examine the role digital marketing and media play in contemporary marketing and business practice, and the social impact of these practices. (IC) (DP) (SID) (CID) (EID)
3. identify key issues and problems related to the lack of responsibility in the approach to corporate business operations, and the risk that unethical corporate conducts poses for our society. (IC) (SID) (CID) (CC) (UGB)
Thinking skills
4. critically evaluate marketing strategies, including digital marketing solutions – in different business contexts, and address their implications including ethical issues, and reflect on the significance of key historical events. (IC) (DP) (SID) (CID) (CC)
Subject-based practical skills
5. make strategic marketing decisions based on facts and market research; and to commission marketing communication campaigns, including digital marketing solutions. (IC) (SID) (DP)
6. critically assess currently implemented corporate social responsibility solutions and recognise the links between the adoption of certain solutions and the performance of business operations. (IC) (SID) (CID) (CC)
Skills for life and work (general skills)
7. adopt a persuasive argumentation; and present it in verbal or written communication. (UGB) (EID)
8. collect, analyse and synthesise data; and take a problem-solving approach to strategic thinking, and creativity. (UGB) (IC)
Task
Students are required to produce a reflective report (LO8/7) on:
The role Cambridge Analytica played in the latest American presidential election and the Brexit referendum in the UK.
Political marketing and the use of digital media in political campaigns is not new; however, the way Cambridge Analytica used Facebook users’ data to target users with influential contents that can lead to favourable results to the promoted parties was labelled unethical and illegal. Were developed of key players from SCL Group, the Republican Party establishment and Christopher Wylie the later whistle-blower.
Micro-targeting methods were used as the company managed to acquire its dataset from social media platforms. Cambridge Analytica rise to prominence for high profile and right-wing causes is explained as a consequence of successful test runs in the 2014 US mid-term elections. The impact of Cambridge Analytica is described in terms of the two most controversial campaigns linked to the company with the BREXIT referendum and the 2016 US Presidential Election, as well as the other company activities. Finally, the company’s downfall is followed chronologically through several damning newspaper articles, culminating in the public hearing of Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg in early April 2018.
You are requested to watch the video (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OQSMr-3GGvQ) on Facebook’s role in Brexit — and the threat to democracy | Carole Cadwalladr), research the case of Cambridge Analytica and write a report that reflects on and answers the following questions.
Task 1
Stand in the shoes of CEO Alex Nix:
What could have been done better BEFORE the scandal in 2017 and earlier?
What could have been done better AFTER the scandal broke (early 2018)?
(Consider the following areas: marketing communication strategy and message, marketing content and communication channels, corporate social responsibility and corporate reputation, the impact on brand awareness and brand trust)
Task 2
Explain the work and service Cambridge Analytica provided Trump’s campaign.
Apart from the legal side, in your perspective, was it right for Cambridge Analytica to provide this work for Trump?
How do public goodwill/license to operate and data-driven technology companies interrelate?
(LO4/LO5/LO6)
Task 3
Facebook continues to face major ethical and legal challenges. What challenges Facebook brand is facing today?
And what implications these challenges and the case of Cambridge Analytica have for the future of Facebook from your perspective?
Write a 3000-words report (10±) answering the above questions. Build clear arguments in your answers. Strengthen these arguments with sufficient evidence from the case study, your research into the market and the company and from the marketing and corporate social responsibility literature as appropriate.
Well established media (e.g. BBC, Financial Times, New York Times, etc) may be used to develop the context of the discussion, but the material used to underpin the research and analysis should be from academic books and/or peer reviewed academic journals.
The structure of a report
The main features of a report are described below to provide a general guide. These should be used in conjunction with the instructions or guidelines provided by your department.
Title Page
This should briefly but explicitly describe the purpose of the report (if this is not obvious from the title of the work);
Contents (Table of Contents)
The contents page should list the different chapters and/or headings together with the page numbers. Your contents page should be presented in such a way that the reader can quickly scan the list of headings and locate a particular part of the report. You may want to number chapter headings and subheadings in addition to providing page references. Whatever numbering system you use, be sure that it is clear and consistent throughout.
Introduction
The introduction sets the scene for the main body of the report. The aims and objectives of the report should be explained in detail. Any problems or limitations in the scope of the report should be identified, and a description of research methods, the parameters of the research and any necessary background history should be included.
Methods
Information under this heading may include: a list of research methods used (e.g. literature review using ProQuest resources and the filter criteria applied for each search) and other sources of information and details of selection/rejection; reference to any problems encountered and subsequent changes in procedure.
Discussion
The main body of the report is where you discuss your material. The literature and evidence you have gathered should be summarised, analysed and discussed with specific reference to the problem or issue. If your discussion section is lengthy you might divide it into section headings. Your points should be grouped and arranged in an order that is logical and easy to follow. Use headings and subheadings to create a clear structure for your material. Use bullet points to present a series of points in an easy-to-follow list. As with the whole report, all sources used should be acknowledged and correctly referenced (remember to use the most credible resources available).
Conclusion
In the conclusion you should show the overall significance of what has been covered. You may want to remind the reader of the most important points that have been made in the report or highlight what you consider to be the most central issues or findings. However, no new material should be introduced in the conclusion. Remember to specifically answer the initial questions posed.
Appendices
Under this heading you should include all the supporting information you have used that is not published. This might include tables, graphs, questionnaires, surveys or transcripts. Refer to the appendices in the body of your report.
List of References
A key feature of academic writing, the list of references should list – in alphabetical order by author – all published sources referred to in your report. There are different styles of using references so be sure to refer to the study guide and check your departmental handbook for guidelines.
| Section/aspect | Content to cover |
| Introduction 300 words | General background on the topic you are going to discuss. Possible definitions for terms relating to the question. What the report will include and/or leave out (scope). What themes the essay will discuss and the order they are presented. What the report will argue/demonstrate (thesis statement). |
| Main Body 2400 words | The following structure can be used for discussion of the themes that you have identified: T – topic (sentence to introduce the theme or topic of the paragraph) E – example (you could mention an example here to focus the topic) S – support (bring in supporting information from your research / eg. theory, research studies, statistics, legislation, professional guidelines, examples from practice) T – talk about the ideas (strengths, weaknesses, importance, relevance, usefulness, comparison to other ideas). Evaluation and critical discussion of the supporting materials and how they relate to the question under scrutiny – keep the discussion focused on answering the question in the essay title. |
| Conclusions 300 words | Links back to the themes identified in the introduction. A reminder of what the essay has argued. A recap of the main themes that have been discussed. Proffer some recommendations |
| Formatting and Referencing (list of references not included in word count) | High quality presentation of the material that conforms to principles of academic writing and contains minimal errors in sentence construction, grammar and punctuation. The assignment followed appropriate academic conventions regarding in-text citations and referencing. |
Get expert help for Individual Coursework and many more. 24X7 help, plag free solution. Order online now!
