Description
At least 6 references and four critiques of the relevant academic literature.
Assignment remit:
University College Birmingham has decided to develop an overseas business project in (Hong
Kong). Although understood as ‘not-for-profit’ under its charitable status, the College
nevertheless aims to run a new venture that will make a financial surplus. Broadly described
as a ‘hospitality enterprise’, UCB International Solutions will be designed around the concept
of a bespoke convention center that will market itself via three key facets:
- Accommodation and restaurant facilities for up to 200 clients
- Meetings and events packages
- Education and consultancy services for corporate strategy, contemporary marketing and
business start-ups
The College plans to acquire suitable premises in a strategic location and staff the operation
with a local workforce but with some managerial presence from the UK. It can be assumed
that UCB is able to fund the start-up costs and first year’s running costs for International
Solutions but thereafter will be dependent on commercial gains and possibly a business loan
if necessary. UCBIS will in time offer placement opportunities for local students.
Your task
Referring to this given business case and utilizing your knowledge from your program of
study ( Business Risk Management; Contemporary Entrepreneurial Studies; Strategic E-
Business and E-Marketing and Strategic Management ) you are required to identify likely
key issues facing UCB International Solutions and write a 4500-word critique of the relevant
academic literature. This will be written in the conventional format of a ‘literature review’.
『Let us work backward: imagine you are completing your poster: it will have
(amongst other sections) a specific aim with supporting objectives, a specific
theoretical framework, and a summary of the main issues arising from the literature
review. Now think back to the critique: you couldn't write 4500 words just on those
specifics. You would need to show their context – where they belong and who is
saying what about who/which theory etc. – that is the function of the literature
critique. So you need to start exploring "what's out there" get reading some
articles using Google’s various search engines. Be creative with your search
commands, the juxtaposition of words etc. This reading should help you refine your ideas
and arrive at 4 themes – out of which, will emerge a few very specific theories that
would assist you in analyzing the data and framing the whole project. I like the idea of
using hypotheses because they encourage you to think in terms of presenting an
argument – which, ultimately, is what your research design is about.』