MGT100 – Assignment 4 201730

1. MGT100 – Assignment 4 201730 How to read your assignment task How to write a critical essay

2. Critical Essays Value: 30% Due date: 7th May 2017 Length: 2,000 words

3. Information About C S R Your assignment The Essay Instructions: Corporate social responsibility strengthens corporate reputation and performance'. Discussthis statement using relevant management theory, research and concepts. Instruction word

4. What does this mean? Someone claims: If companies practice CSR well, they will have a stronger reputationand stronger performance (e.g. earn more money). You need to show if this is true or not with relevant management theory, research and concepts.

5. Meaning of ‘discuss’ Discuss means: Define Analyse Present both sides of an issue Take a position Explore consequences (implications)

6. The information about CSR Corporate social responsibility strengthens corporate reputationand performance Discuss means: Define/explain (CSR; corporate reputation; corporate performance) Discuss management theories Present different views Take a position (argue for a particular view) Explore consequences (implications) = ’discuss’ means a lot of things.

7. Your job: Step 1: Do Research: Management theories on CSR (Textbook; Journal articles) Do they all say the same thing? Is there more than one view? Which view do YOU agree with? Journal articles: Do academics argue that CSR strengthens a company? Are there some that argue it weakensa company?

8. Step 2Organise your research! Theories: What do they say + where did you find them Other academic views:

9. Now, make a judgement Do you think that If companies practice CSR well, they will have a stronger reputationand stronger performance (e.g. earn more money)? What is your answer? Yes To some extent, but there are problems? No, never Now write your essay!

10. Introduction = 5 parts • Background • The claim • The main management theories relating to the claim • Your argument • The order in which you will write

11. Introduction = 5 parts • Background: write approximately 75 words about the development and changes to CSR over the past 20-30 years • What made it develop? • Why do people think it is important?

12. Introduction = 5 parts • The claim – restate the ‘claim’ made in your assignment task: “it has been argued that CSR strengthens …” This is about 20-25 words

13. Introduction = 5 parts • Mention the main management theories that have developed around CSR • This is about 50 words

14. Introduction • Now state your claim (make your argument based on your research). You can say that in different ways: “This essay will argue that … “This paper claims that ... That is about 25 words

15. Introduction Now show the order in which you’ll do it. First, CSR and concepts are defined …. Then, the claim is examined .. This is followed by a discussion of different theories and research Finally, this essay will justify the claim it made. That is about 25 words

16. A Sample Introduction Accounting in one form or other has been known to mankind for many centuries [this is the background]. Clay tablets have been found from the earlier periods but there are views that accounting is even older than that and may go back to the beginning of the civilised period[this is the claim]. Theoretical discussions around accounting began in the Middle Ages, with the first one being that of double book keeping [the theory]This essay will argue that accounting in fact existed even before the civilized period and that early humans used primitive forms of accounting to record natural phenomena such as moon periods [this is the argument/thesis]. This essay will first outline accounting history, then examine the claim and look at the evidence and theories. This will be followed by a justification of the writer’s argument.

17. Language for writing claims (arguments) This essay aims to investigate some reasons why This essay will identify… The first part of the essay aims to identify … This is followed by an evauation of ... The second part provides… It also demonstrates that … This essay argues that.. While it has some advantages, there are also weaknesses

18. A sample of paragraph 1] Accountants are very important employees in firms. [2] This is because they are qualified people who have studied many years at university and have become qualified CPAs (Bent & Wilson, 2000). [3] Furthermore, Hunt et al. (2003) have argued that they add regulatory knowledge and ethics to the operation of companies. [4] Therefore, without them, a firm’s accounting would be in chaos. [5] For example, In a bank, accountants check all revenues and report the results to a bank manger. This helps the bank to record accurate transactions between the bank and clients (Jones, n.d) .[6] Overall, this makes it clear that accountants are very important and that companies must have accountants. [1] Topic (accountants) + something about the topic (that they are important) [2] Reason 1[3] Reason 2 [4] Consequence [ 5] example[6] Concluding sentence

19. Conclusion • Restate the aim of the essay: (e.g. ‘this essay has investigated/explored/analysed …) • Summarise the main findings: • Restate your own claim and the reasons that justify that claim.

20. Referencing You also need to cite a number of references to receive good marks (look at your marking criteria): In the text, there are 3 ways of showing the source of the information: Miller (2012) argues that … According to Miller (2012), the law of averages is … The law of averages states that future events are likely to turn out so that they balance any past deviation from a presumed average (Miller, 2012). For all: Surname + year only Note: people in brackets cannot have a verb Example: (Miller, 2012) argues = Miller cannot argue

21. You also need to reference by matching the in-text-citations used: Journal Article References: Miller, P. (2012). Laws of Nature. Journal of Laws, SurnameYear Title of the Article Journal Name Initial 5, 2, 22-25. Volume Issue page number Miller, P. (2012). Laws of Nature. Retrieved from www.laws.com/nature Website

22. REFERENCES (ON A SEPARATE PAGE) APA6 style Brown, A., Jones, O. H., & Wilson, L. (2007). A study of brand loyalty in Japanese consumer goods. Journal of Marketing Management, 11, 68-70. doi: 10.1071/BT06096. Chartered Institute of Marketing (2003, March 12). Financial Stability. Retrieved from http://www.publicopinionforum.com/advertising.html. Devitt, M. H., & Williams, G. (2007). Realism and truth (2nd ed.). Oxford, UK: PalgonePress. Hunt, S., Wilson, I. F., Brown, G. G., & Harrold, F. B. (Eds.) (2003). Controversy in marketing theory: For reason, realism, truth and objectivity. Armonk, NY: M. E. Sharpe. . Miller, P. (2012). Laws of nature. Journal of Laws, 5 (1), 22-25.

23. How good are your academic writing skills? Academic Writing Skills English grammar and vocabulary • use ‘grammarly’ to check your writing

24. CHECK THE MARKING CRITERIA THEY WILL CONFIRM WHAT YOU NEED TO DO

25. UNDERSTANDING THE marking criteria What can you do if you do not understand the marking criteria? 1. Make an appointment with Angela, Susan or Elaine (Room 7) – the reception desk will do that 2. Go to room 18 and ask a DSL to help – any one of them can do it 3. Attend a 30 minute DSL assignment workshop (see time table) 4. If it is urgent, walk into Room 7 and say: Can you help me? If we can’t do it straight away (we may be with other students), we work out a solution for you.

26. TYPICAL ESSAY STRUCTURE