Assignment task:
“Between 2000 – 2015, sub-postmasters and mistresses (SPMs) were wrongly prosecuted for offences based on information from a faulty electronic accounting system, 'Horizon', which made it look like money was missing. From wrongful convictions through to financial ruin and devastating personal consequences, the miscarriages of justice in this case have severely impacted the lives of hundreds of SPMs.” Solicitors Regulation Authority, 19th January 2024,
Statement: Update on the Solicitors regulation Authority investigation on the Post office Horizon IT scandal.
a) Using press reports and reliable websites, research the origins of the issue identified in the quote above, detailing what happened, when it happened and why it happened. A clear timeline should be included in your answer.
(20 marks)
b) Create a stakeholder map of the weak CSR issue(s) evident in the Post-Office Horizon case. Your map should identify all relevant stakeholders and you should include a table that outlines the stakeholder interests in the issue. Critically discuss your results. Your analysis should be from the corporate perspective, not the stakeholder perspective.
(25 marks)
c) Using your answer to b) map the stakeholders to the Mitchell, Agle and Wood (1997) model of stakeholder salience. Your analysis should be from the corporate perspective. Critically evaluate this model and discuss your results.
(25 marks)
d) Evaluate how the Post Office management have dealt with the CSR issue(s) to date. Your answer should map the corporate response to the Carroll RAPD model. Critically discuss your results and draw conclusions on the effectiveness of the corporate strategy employed by the Post Office and UK Government.
(20 marks)
(10 marks)
Presentation and structure marks (see below)
The assignment accounts for 100% of the module mark for ACFI7018 and 50% of the module mark for ACFI17019
You will be expected to demonstrate research using a variety of sources including corporate documentation and news articles in addition to a reliance on high-quality sources (i.e. peer-reviewed academic journals and seminal texts). Please use the literature appropriately and reference all sources fully using the Harvard referencing system. Given that this is a 3,000 word assignment, you are expected to use a minimum of 12 high-quality sources (including the suggested readings) for this coursework.
Maximum word count: 3,000 words excluding references, abstract and contents page. Please avoid using appendices. There is no 10% word limit allowance: marking stops at 3000 words
Suggested seminal reading:
Social Performance,, Academy of Management Review, 20(1): 92-117
Friedman, A.L. and Miles, S. (2006) Stakeholders: Theory and Practice, Oxford University Press:
Mitchell, R.K., Agle, B.R. and Wood, D.J. (1997) Towards a theory of stakeholder identification
and salience: defining the principle of who and what really counts, Academy of Management Review 22(4):853-886.
.
Submission instructions:
The deadline for submitting your assignment is Monday 11th March 2024, 12.00 GMT. All submissions are done through Turnitin. You will find a drop-box for draft submissions so that you can check your similarity report and one for final submissions on the moodle site for the module. Give the file which you intend to upload a name which begins with your student number. For example ‘12345678 ACFI7018’
Assessment criteria:
your ability to demonstrate understanding of CSR issues, corporate responses and the impact that corporate actions have on a range of stakeholders. Your discussion of the issues posed in the question should reflect your understanding: you should be able to present an argument, outlining alternative views supported by examples and making recommendations based on reasoned arguments and justifications from the literature and examples from other real life cases where appropriate. You must demonstrate a link to course learning by making use of a range of appropriate academic theories/models to guide the analysis. Your answers to the question should be clearly focused: read the question carefully and refer back to it frequently while writing your answer to ensure that you are not wandering off the point and including irrelevant material.
❑ Use of literature: Under this heading, the extent and quality of your sources will be assessed. You are expected to demonstrate that you have undertaken an independent literature search so your list of references should include more than the sources to which you have been directed by the suggested reading. You are also expected to be able to distinguish authoritative sources: these are books and journal articles which have academic authority. Marks are awarded for the appropriate use of such sources.
❑ Critical approach to sources: A very good piece of work must show the student can
effectively critically review evidence, draw conclusions and suggest ideas to enhance organisational processes and/or theory whilst recognising contextual limitations. Your ability to reflect on the literature you have read will be assessed. You should be able to identify similarities and differences between authors’ arguments and methods and to use such comparisons to support your arguments. You should be able to demonstrate your own thinking where the question set requires this by presenting an argument and supporting it by a reference to evidence that you have collected. You should evaluate practice and explore the consequences of practice on a range of organisational stakeholders. You should draw conclusions that are logically connected to your argument.
❑ Structure: this includes consideration of general presentation issues within your 3000
word report (such as page layout, use of paragraphs, accurate spelling, appropriate headings and subheadings and compliance with presentation instructions) but, more importantly, the presentation of citations in the text and accurate referencing, in the correct format. If you cite sources in the text and do not include them in the list of references, the assumption will be made that you have not in fact consulted these sources but have copied material from another text which included them. This is plagiarism and attracts severe penalties. It is therefore essential that you check your text very carefully to ensure that all citations are listed as references. You should use diagrams to illustrate the application of CSR and/or stakeholder models to your selected case.
[10 marks]
Presenting coursework for assessment
Assignments must be presented in the following format:
❑ Assignments must be word-processed in 11 point Arial font and double spaced ❑ All pages must be numbered ❑ The assignment must be presented with an assignment statement of originality that is signed, have a front cover showing the programme title, module number and name, title of the assignment, student number and submission date. Submissions should be anonymous so do not include your student name in your submission. ❑ Margins must be as follows: Top: 1 inch, Bottom: 1 inch (2.5 cm), Left: 1.25 inches, Right:
1.25 inches (3.2 cm)
Assignments not complying with this format will be returned to students unmarked.
Assignment length:
The length of an assignment is limited by a set number of 3,000 words to contribute towards the development of writing skills and to ensure all work is assessed equitably.
You will need to think carefully about how best to explain your case within the permitted number of pages, using, for example, an appropriate mix of text, drawings, diagrams and tables. Please avoid using appendices.
Please also remember that a report can be enhanced or damaged through layout, for example, placing all tables and drawings in appendices can hamper the flow of discussion. Decisions therefore need to be made about the most appropriate place to use tables etc. to support your case.
The specified page count refers to the main body of the report and does not include front cover, title page, contents page, executive summary (abstract), reference list or appendices.
Appendices themselves will not be marked. However, inappropriate use of appendices will be taken into consideration when awarding the final mark.
Words that exceed the maximum allowed will not be marked. If in doubt, you should discuss this with the Module Leader before submission.