Academic Writing

Assessment three - Individual Case Study Assignment (60%) In lieu of an exam, each student is required to write a case study analysis (3000 - 4000 words) of a selected family business. For this, you are required to investigate a family business of your own choosing.  Your task is to find a family business willing to provide you with sufficient details about their family and business, and then to develop, analyze, and write up your own case study. The rationale for this “interactive” case study is for the student to understand that theory and academic inquiry must be juxtaposed with real life experiences and challenges. By directly engaging with a functioning family business, and questioning the protagonists in that business, it is anticipated that the student will be able to apply, in a “real world” setting the challenges and nuances that go to make up a family business. For students who are unable to gain access to a family business their task will be to analyses the film the Godfather 1. Locating Family Businesses for this assignment: Students often learn a lot by selecting their own family business or that of another colleague in their class. The focus on the case study will be on succession, that is the planning for succession, the implementation of succession, and a post succession analysis of the success of the succession process. The elements that the assignment will consider will include: The nature of the succession planning that was undertaken – if any What went into the planning process The nature and degree of the successor’s involvement in the family business before succession The nature of the relationship between the successor and the incumbent before, during and after the succession The observable differences e.g. leadership style, education, experience, gender, and culture between the successor and the incumbent, and how that may have effected the succession process The nature of the relationship with non-family employees and how they were managed during the succession process How spouses and/or siblings were managed during the succession process The assignment will include the following: A theoretical foundation on which the observations are made A brief overview and background of the business, its size, and number of employees (both family and non-family) etc A discussion on the industry taking into account the macro and competitive environment in which it operates This Assignment requires students to demonstrate: •    An understanding of the key frameworks, perspectives, concepts, ideas, and tools introduced in the course, •    An ability to relate these frameworks, perspectives, concepts, ideas, and tools to one another in the form of a case study, and •    An ability to creatively apply these frameworks, perspectives, concepts, ideas, and tools in differing contexts and in relation to a case study. NOTE:  The requirements of the assignment will NOT be sufficiently addressed by simply presenting or describing a factual situation. It is critical that you present the case study in a format that is ‘family business specific’ by relating your discussion and analysis to the materials (theories, principles, practices, processes, etc.) outlined in the prescribed text and that you acknowledge them as sources. It is not simply a matter of providing your opinion based on general knowledge. The requirement is that you use the materials covered in the lectures and tutorials to make a considered presentation and analysis of a family business case study that indicates that you are ‘family business aware’, i.e. aware of the special issues and challenges that confront families in business, and of the relevant ways that these can be identified and addressed as suggested by the course materials. It is also essential that you ensure that your analysis supports your conclusions and recommendations.