ASSIGNMENT BRIEF

Assessment Coursework (Written Report)

Assessment code: 011
Academic Year: 2024/2025
Trimester: 1
Module Title: Contemporary Issues
Module Code: MOD009192
Level: 6
Module Leader: Alexander Muir
Weighting: 50%
Word Limit: 3000 words
This excludes bibliography and other items listed in rule
6.83 of the Academic Regulations.

Assessed Learning LO1. Identify, critically examine, and articulate the

Outcomes contemporary issues facing firms in the experience
economy

LO2. Critically evaluate and apply relevant theoretical

models and their application to industry practise in
relation to contemporary issues and challenges

LO3. Propose detailed solutions to contemporary industry

problems

LO4. Demonstrate innovation, individually and in group

contexts, in contemporary strategy in relation to
experience industries.
Submission Please refer to the VLE.
Deadline:

WRITING YOUR ASSIGNMENT:

• This assignment must be completed individually.

• All courses of study must use the ARU Harvard referencing system for written
assessments, apart from LLB/LLM courses where OSCOLA should be
applied.
• Your work must indicate the number of words you have used. Written
assignments must not exceed the specified maximum number of words.
When a written assignment is marked, the excessive use of words beyond the
 word limit is reflected in the academic judgement of the piece of work which
results in a lower mark being awarded for the piece of work (regulation 6.74).
• Assignment submissions are to be made anonymously. Do not write your
name anywhere on your work.
• Write your student ID number at the top of every page.
• Where the assignment comprises more than one task, all tasks must be
submitted in a single document.
• You must number all pages.

SUBMITTING YOUR ASSIGNMENT:

• In order to achieve full marks, you must submit your work before the deadline.
Work that is submitted late – if your work is submitted on the same day as the
deadline by midnight, your mark will receive a 10% penalty. If you submit your
work up to TWO working days after the published submission deadline – it
will be accepted and marked. However, the element of the module’s
assessment to which the work contributes will be capped with a maximum
mark of 40%.
• Work cannot be submitted if the period of 2 working days after the deadline
has passed (unless there is an approved extension). Failure to submit within
the relevant period will mean that you have failed the assessment.
• Requests for short-term extensions will only be considered in the case of illness
or other cause considered valid by the Director of Studies Team. Please contact
[email protected]. A request must normally be received and agreed by
the Director of Studies Team in writing at least 24 hours prior to the
deadline. Students will need to provide evidence to support their extension
request. See rules 6.64-6.73:
http://web.anglia.ac.uk/anet/academic/public/academic_regs.pdf
Exceptional Circumstances: The deadline for submission of exceptional
circumstances in relation to this assignment is no later than five working days
after the submission date of this work. Please contact the Director of Studies
Team - [email protected]. Students will need to provide evidence to support
their EC claim. See rules 6.112 – 6.141:
http://web.anglia.ac.uk/anet/academic/public/academic_regs.pdf

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Written Report

Choose ONE company from the below list and compile a report investigating their
approach towards delivering on their sustainability as well as their ESG
commitments.

- Melia Hotels International SA

- Accor SA
- InterContinental Hotels Group PLC

1. Identify, critically examine, and articulate the issues associated with the
contemporary issue of sustainability at the organisation of choice.

2. Critically evaluate and apply the Environmental, Social and Governance

framework (United Nations Global COMPACT, 2004) to your organisation
outlining challenges the organisation will face.

3. Present with justification, 2 detailed solutions to the challenges, using the

VRIO framework as your point of reference.

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READING REQUIREMENT
The below guidance is for coursework.

Core Readings
Buckley, P.J. and Ghauri, P.N. (2015) International Business Strategy Theory and
Practice. Florence: Taylor and Francis.

Chaffey, D. and Ellis-Chadwick, F. (2019) Digital marketing. Seventh edition / Dave

Chaffey, Fiona Ellis-Chadwick. Harlow, England: Pearson

Evans, N. (2020) ‘Strategic management for tourism, hospitality and event

organisations: Theory and practice’, in Strategic Management for Tourism,
Hospitality and Events. 3rd edn. Routledge

Ferdinand, N. and Kitchin, P. (2017) Events management : an international

approach. Second edition. Edited by N. Ferdinand and P. Kitchin. London: SAGE,

Pine II, B.J. (2023) ‘Exploring the future of the “Experience Economy”’, Strategy &
leadership, 51(1), pp. 31–34. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1108/SL-10-2022-
0101.

Additional Readings

Gupta, S. (2018) Driving digital strategy : a guide to reimagining your business.

Boston, MA: Harvard Business Review Press.

Ioannou, G. and Dukes, R. (2021) ‘Anything goes? Exploring the limits of

employment law in UK hospitality and catering’, Industrial relations journal, 52(3),
pp. 255–269. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1111/irj.12329.

Sigaeva, N., Arasli, H., Ozdemir, E., Atai, G. and Capkiner, E. (2022) ‘In Search of
Effective Gen Z Engagement in the Hospitality Industry: Revisiting Issues of
Servant and Authentic Leadership’, Sustainability (Basel, Switzerland), 14(20), p.
13105–. Available at: https://doi.org/10.3390/su142013105.

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Assessment Marking Scheme
The assignment is marked out of 100. The following table shows the mark allocation and the approach required for each section. In the next
section you will find the general Level 6 marking scheme.

Table 1
The work will be assessed in an integrative manner as indicated in the marking rubric, that is consistent with Anglia Ruskin University generic assessment criteria and marking standards
Criteria / Grade 0-29%: 30-39%: 40-49%: 50-59%: 60-69%: 70-79%: 80-89%: 90-100%:
Absent or deficient Adequate Sound knowledge, Good analysis- Excellent analysis- Outstanding Exceptional analysis -
evidence of Little evidence of knowledge, use of use of scholarly consistent use of high level of analysis-Work Work pushes the
knowledge, knowledge. scholarly conventions scholarly intellectual rigour pushes the boundaries of the
Absent or deficient Little evidence or conventions inconsistent. Sound conventions. and consistency. boundaries of the discipline. Exceptional
evidence of use of scholarly inconsistent. academic/ Good Academic/ Excellent academic/ discipline. Academic/
academic/ conventions. Adequate expressive/ Expressive/ expressive/ Outstanding Expressive/
expressive/ academic/ professional skills. Professional skills. professional skills Academic/ professional skills and
professional expressive/ Expressive/ creativity
skills. professional skills. professional skills
and creativity
LO1: Knowledge and There is deficient Limited reference to Adequate reference Sound reference to Good reference to Excellent reference Outstanding Exceptional reference
Understanding or no reference to the current strategic to the current the current strategic the current strategic to the current reference to the to the current strategic
the current approach to strategic approach approach to approach to strategic approach current strategic approach to
approach to sustainability to sustainability. sustainability. sustainability. to sustainability. approach to sustainability
Identify, critically
sustainability in the sustainability.
examine, and articulate
the issues associated chosen Limited or no Adequate Sound knowledge Good knowledge Excellent Exceptional
organisation. knowledge and/or knowledge and/or and/or exploration and/or exploration knowledge and/or Outstanding knowledge and/or
with the contemporary
issue of sustainability at There is a very exploration of exploration of of strategic design, of strategic design, exploration of knowledge and/or exploration of
limited sustainability. strategic design, concepts, ideas and concepts, ideas and innovation concepts, exploration of Innovation concepts
the organisation of
choice understanding concepts, ideas and theories with sound theories with good ideas and theories innovation concepts ideas and theories with
and/or exploration Ideas, concepts and theories with insight and/or sound insight and/or good with excellent ideas and theories exceptional research
of sustainability, theories are limited adequate insight research research insight and/or with outstanding with some originality of
No theories with with limited insight and/or adequate research. insight and/or expression Clearly
little or no insight and/or limited research research with some exceeds the
and/or minimal research. originality of assessment brief.
research. expression.
30 marks 0-8 9-11 12-14 15-17 18-20 21-23 24-26 27-30
LO2 Knowledge and There is deficient There is limited There is adequate There is sound There is good There is excellent There is There is exceptional
Understanding Critically or no reference to reference to the reference to the reference to the ESG reference to the ESG reference to the ESG outstanding reference to the ESG
evaluate and apply the the ESG ESG framework. ESG framework. framework. There is framework. The framework. The reference to the ESG framework. The
Environmental, Social framework. There There is limited There is an an adequate amount framework is framework is framework. The framework is critiqued
and Governance is deficient or no reference to the adequate amount of of critique and critiqued as well as critiqued as well as framework is as well as evaluated in
framework (United reference to the challenges the critique and evaluation on the evaluated in a good evaluated in an critiqued as well as an exceptional
Nations Global challenges the organisation may evaluation on the framework. There is manner. There is a excellent manner. evaluated in an manner. There is an
COMPACT, 2004) to your organisation may face. framework. There is a sound level of good level of There is an excellent outstanding manner. exceptional level of
organisation outlining face. an adequate level application of the application of the level of application There is an application of the
of application of the framework to the framework to the of the framework to outstanding level of framework to the
framework to the organisation. the organisation.

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challenges the organisation. There organisation. There There is good organisation. application of the There is an exceptional
organisation will face is adequate is sound reference reference made, to There is excellent framework to the reference made, to the
reference to the to the challenges the challenges the reference made, to organisation. challenges the
challenges the the organisation may organisation will the challenges the There is outstanding organisation will face.
organisation may face. face. organisation will reference made, to
face. face. the challenges the Exceptional research
organisation will with some originality of
face. expression Clearly
exceeds the
assessment brief.
30 marks 0-8 9-11 12-14 15-17 18-20 21-23 24-26 27-30
LO3LO4: Knowledge and There is deficient There is limited There is adequate There is adequate There is adequate There is adequate There is adequate There is exceptional
Understanding or no reference to reference to reference to reference to reference to reference to reference to reference to solutions
solutions that solutions that could solutions that could solutions that could solutions that could solutions that could solutions that could that could be adopted.
Present with justification, could be adopted. be adopted. be adopted. be adopted. be adopted. be adopted. be adopted. There is exceptional
2 detailed solutions to the There is deficient There is a limited There is adequate There is adequate There is adequate There is adequate There is adequate understanding and/or
challenges, using the understanding understanding understanding understanding understanding understanding understanding exploration of the
VRIO framework as your and/or exploration and/or exploration and/or exploration and/or exploration and/or exploration and/or exploration and/or exploration VRIO framework
point of reference of the VRIO of the VRIO of the VRIO of the VRIO of the VRIO of the VRIO of the VRIO
framework framework framework framework framework framework framework
Limited approach Solutions are
towards innovative approached in an
solutions Solutions are Solutions are Solutions are Solutions are Solutions are exceptionally
approached in an approached in a approached in a approached in an approached in an innovative manner
adequate and sound, innovative good, innovative excellent, innovative outstanding
innovative manner manner manner manner innovative, manner Clearly exceeds the
assessment brief.

30 marks 0-8 9-11 12-14 15-17 18-20 21-23 24-26 27-30

Academic Skills The appropriate The appropriate The appropriate The appropriate A good logical An excellent logical Outstanding and Exceptional structure
Presentation in terms of report style has report style has report style has report style is easy structure with structure with accurate logical with exceptional
structure, language and not been used or is been used, been used with an to follow, has been accurate expression accurate expression structure with expression throughout.
Harvard referencing largely inaccurate. although structure adequate structure used with a sound and content has and content used outstanding Exceptional use of the
The Harvard and content are and adequate structure and sound been used throughout. expression Harvard referencing
referencing format limited. Limited use content. Adequate content. Sound use throughout. Good Excellent use of the throughout. format with no
has not been of the Harvard use of the Harvard of the Harvard use of the Harvard Harvard referencing Outstanding use of inaccuracies.
followed. Very referencing format referencing format referencing format referencing format format with few the Harvard Exceptional academic
weak academic with numerous with numerous with some with occasional inaccuracies. referencing format writing style with no
writing style with inaccuracies. inaccuracies. inaccuracies. Sound inaccuracies. Good Excellent academic with no inaccuracies. grammatical or
numerous Limited academic Adequate academic academic writing academic writing writing style with Outstanding spelling errors. Clearly
grammatical and writing style with writing style with style with some style with occasional few grammatical academic writing exceeds the
spelling errors. many grammatical many grammatical grammatical and grammatical and and spelling style with no assessment brief.
and spelling and spelling spelling errors. spelling errors. errors. grammatical or
errors. errors. spelling errors.

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10 marks 0-2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9-10

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 ARU GENERIC ASSESSMENT CRITERIA AND MARKING STANDARDS: LEVEL 6 – the
Depth stage

Level 6 is characterised by an expectation of students’ increasing autonomy in relation to their

study and developing skill sets. Students are expected to demonstrate problem solving skills,
both theoretical and practical. This is supported by an understanding of appropriate theory;
creativity of expression and thought based in individual judgement; and the ability to seek out,
invoke, analyse and evaluate competing theories or methods of working in a critically constructive
and open manner. Output is articulate, coherent and skilled in the appropriate medium, with some
students producing original or innovative work in their specialism.

Characteristics of Student Achievement by Marking Band for ARU’s

Mark Generic Learning Outcomes (Academic Regulations, Section 2)

Outcome
Bands Knowledge & Intellectual (thinking), Practical, Affective and
Understanding Transferable Skills

Exceptional information Exceptional management of learning resources,

base exploring and with a higher degree of autonomy/exploration
analysing the discipline, its that clearly exceeds the assessment brief.
90- theory and ethical issues Exceptional structure/ accurate expression.

100% with extraordinary Demonstrates intellectual originality and

originality and autonomy. imagination. Exceptional
Work may be considered team/practical/professional skills. Work may
Achieves for publication within ARU be considered for publication within ARU
module
outcome(s) Outstanding management of learning
Outstanding information resources, with a degree of
base exploring and autonomy/exploration that clearly exceeds the
80- analysing the discipline, its assessment brief. An exemplar of

89% theory and ethical issues structured/accurate expression. Demonstrates

with clear originality and intellectual originality and imagination.
autonomy Outstanding team/practical/professional
skills

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 Excellent knowledge base
Excellent management of learning resources,
that supports analysis,
with degree of autonomy/research that may
70- evaluation and problem-
exceed the assessment brief. Structured and
solving in theory/
79% creative expression. Excellent academic/
practice/ethics of
intellectual skills and practical/team/
discipline with
professional/ problem-solving skills
considerable originality

Good knowledge base that

Good management of learning resources, with
supports analysis,
consistent self-directed research. Structured
60- evaluation and problem-
and accurate expression. Good
solving in theory/
69% academic/intellectual skills and
practice/ethics of
team/practical/ professional/problem solving
discipline with some
skills
originality

Sound management of learning resources.

Sound knowledge base
Some autonomy in research but inconsistent.
that supports some
50- Structured and mainly accurate expression.
analysis, evaluation and
Sound level of academic/ intellectual skills
59% problem-solving in
going beyond description at times. Sound
theory/practice/ethics of
team/practical/professional/problem-solving
discipline
skills

Adequate knowledge base Adequate use of learning resources with little

with some omissions at the autonomy. Some difficulties with academic/
A marginal
40- level of ethical/ theoretical intellectual skills. Some difficulty with
pass in
issues. Restricted ability to structure/ accuracy in expression, but
49% module
discuss theory and/or or evidence of developing
outcome(s)
solve problems in team/practical/professional/ problem-solving
discipline skills

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 A marginal
Limited use of learning resources. Unable to
fail in
Limited knowledge base. work autonomously. Little input to teams.
module
30- Limited understanding of Limited academic/ intellectual skills. Still
outcome(s)
discipline/ethical issues. mainly descriptive. General difficulty with
39% . Satisfies
Difficulty with theory and structure/ accuracy in expression. Practical/
default
problem solving in discipline professional/problem-solving skills that are not
qualifying
yet secure
mark

Little evidence of Little evidence of use of learning resources.

knowledge base. Little Unable to work autonomously. Little input to

20- evidence of understanding teams. Little evidence of academic/

of discipline/ ethical issues. intellectual skills. Work significantly descriptive.
29% Significant difficulty with Significant difficulty with structure/accuracy in
theory and problem solving expression. Little evidence of
in discipline practical/professional/ problem-solving skills

Deficient knowledge base. Deficient use of learning resources. Unable to

Fails to Deficient understanding of work autonomously. Deficient input to teams.

10- discipline/ethical issues. Deficient academic/intellectual skills. Work
achieve
19% module Major difficulty with theory significantly descriptive. Major difficulty with

outcome(s) and problem solving in structure/accuracy in expression. Deficient

Qualifying discipline practical/professional/problem-solving skills

mark not No evidence of knowledge No evidence of use of learning resources.

satisfied base; no evidence of Completely unable to work autonomously. No

1- understanding of evidence of input to teams. No evidence of

discipline/ethical issues. academic/intellectual skills. Work wholly
9% Total inability with theory descriptive. Incoherent structure/accuracy and
and problem solving in expression. No evidence of
discipline practical/professional/ problem-solving skills

Awarded for: (i) non-submission; (ii) dangerous practice and; (iii) in situations
0% where the student fails to address the assignment brief (eg: answers the wrong
question) and/or related learning outcomes

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