Faculty of Business Studies Arab Open University Managing Across Organizational & Cultural Boundaries B325 Tutor Monitoring Assignment Fall 2015 This TMA has five questions where the first four questions are divided into two parts (A&B) and th

Faculty of Business Studies
Arab Open University


Managing Across Organizational & Cultural Boundaries B325


Tutor Monitoring Assignment
Fall 2015




This TMA has five questions where the first four questions are divided into two parts (A&B) and the last question being analytic. Read through the attached study: “KPMG. (2009). Joint Ventures: A Tool for Growth during an Economic Downturn. IESE Business School. University of Navarra” to answer the following five questions.

All questions should be answered. You are supposed to answer each question in 400 words. Only a 10% deviation from the word count limit is acceptable. Critical discussion and link between theoretical frameworks and the study should be clearly highlighted. You are also expected to refer to external references to provide more evidence to your discussion. The questions in this assignment are about different concepts of collaboration and outcomes from collaboration in general and joint ventures in particular.

QUESTIONS
(The answers are indicative. Students may attempt to formulate their answer in a different way as long as they show good understanding of both the theories and the study).

Question 1 (20 Marks)

Joint ventures are a type of collaboration permitting to reach out several opportunistic endeavours.
A. Based on B325 material, the study and external references, define what is meant by joint ventures.
B. With reference to the study, critically discuss what the main drivers for joint venture are. Support your answer with examples from the study.


Question 2 (20 Marks)

The focal actor is considered one of the main player allowing collaborations to reach their set objectives.
A. Based on B325 material, define what is meant by focal actor and why collaborative ventures need one.
B. With reference to B325 material (and external reference when needed), identify the main role of focal actor. Critically discuss this role with reference to the study and identify whether the focal actor was able to apply successfully its role in the study of the joint venture in hand. Clearly reflect in your discussion on how problems of communication can lead to failure of joint ventures and the importance of goal compatibility that should be assured by the focal actor to resolve such problem. Support your answer with examples from the study.


Question 3 (20 Marks)

Trust is essential for successful collaboration. However, nowadays it is considered a rare commodity where misuse of power, hostility between members, suspicion and mistrust are more common.
A. Based on B325 material, define what is meant by “trust” and critically discuss how trust can be built over time in collaborative ventures.
B. With reference to the study in hand, identify the role of trust for the joint ventures. Critically discuss the extent to which trust was highlighted in the study and explain the main outcomes of trust/mistrust. Support your answer with examples from the study.


Question 4 (20 Marks)

Leadership activities can be seen from two opposite perspectives: one from the spirit of collaboration and the other towards collaborative thuggery.
A. Based on B325 material, discuss leadership activities from the collaboration perspective.
B. With reference to the study, critically discuss the importance of not only choosing partners but also involving and mobilizing them. Support your answer with examples from the study.


Question 5 (20 Marks)

Based on what you have discussed in the above 4 questions, discuss the notion that joint ventures always offer an opportunity for expansion. Support your answer with examples from the study. Refer to B325 material in your discussion as well as external references when needed.

GENERAL INSTRUCTIONS FOR STUDENTS
Cut-off date: December 12, 2015. If you feel that you are unable to meet the cut-off date of the TMA because of unusual circumstances, please contact your tutor as soon as possible to discuss a possible extension to the cut-off date.
TMA weight: 20% of total course grade.
Course material:
- Chapter 1: Collaborative advantage: What? Why? How? And Why Not?; from “Managing to Collaborate” Book.
- Chapter 5: The role of goals in the management of supply chain networks; from “Organizational Collaboration” Book.
- Chapter 9: Coping with Trust; from “Managing to Collaborate” Book.
- Chapter 13: Doing Leadership; from “Managing to Collaborate” Book.

Format: The answer to each question should be shown clearly with the question number next to it. Failure to do so may result in deduction in presentation points of up to 4 marks. In addition, you are expected to write your answers in an essay format. However, you may use bulleted paragraphs, diagrams, tables, or any graphs to support your arguments. Failing to do so could result in the deduction of up to 4 marks from presentation marks.
Plagiarism: It’s imperative that you write your answers using your own words. Plagiarism will be penalized depending on its severity and according to AOU plagiarism policy (Enclosed after these instructions you will find the Arab Open University rules of cheating and plagiarism).
Word count: your answers are expected to be within the specified word count. A 10% deviation from word count limit is acceptable. Not adhering to specified word count could result in the deduction of up to 4 marks of your word count marks.
Referencing: You are expected to use the Harvard referencing style for in-text referencing and list of reference at the end. Failing to do so could result in the deduction of up to 5 marks of referencing marks. In addition, although text books assigned in the course may be used freely as references, you are required to use a minimum of 2 external sources. It is recommended that you use scholarly studys found in the E-library link at LMS. Failing to do so could result in the deduction of up to 4 marks of your referencing marks.

The Arab Open University Rules about Plagiarism

The Arab Open University Definitions of cheating and plagiarism
According to the Arab Open University By-laws, “The following acts represent studys of cheating and plagiarism:
• Verbatim copying of printed material and submitting them as part of TMAs without proper academic acknowledgement and documentation.
• Verbatim copying of material from the Internet, including tables and graphics.
• Copying other students’ notes or reports.
• Using paid or unpaid material prepared for the student by individuals or firms.
• Utilization of, or proceeding to utilize, contraband materials or devices in examinations.”

Examples of Plagiarism
Copying from a single or multiple sources, this is where the student uses one or more of the following as the basis for the whole, or a good part, of the assignment:
1. Published or unpublished books, studys or reports
2. The Internet
3. The media (e.g.TV programmes, radio programmes or newspaper studys)
4. An essay from an essay bank
5. A piece of work previously submitted by another student
6. Copying from a text which is about to be submitted for the same assignment