LO1Critically evaluate and analyse the holistic nature of risk management within strategic decision making in organisations

Risk Management in a Global Context

7AG517

CWK1  - Individual Report

Key dates and details

Description of the assessment

You are to submit a 2000 word individual report on the knowledge you have gained on both risk management and how it applies to identifying, assessing and managing risks for a given case study.  

The learning outcomes assessed are as follows:

1. Critically evaluate and analyse the holistic nature of risk management within strategic decision making in organisations 

1. Critically evaluate the use of quantitative and qualitative techniques in order to manage risk 

1. Critically evaluate internal and external influences on approaches to risk management and disaster planning 

Relationship to Programme Assessment Strategy

The programme’s assessment strategy includes a mix of formative and summative assessments within a student-centred and transformational learning environment. This means that assessment becomes an important part of each student’s learning and is not limited to just testing knowledge but applying knowledge in its contexts and with critical reflection.

The form and nature of the assignments are balanced and wide-ranging throughout the programme and consider the particularities of the modules and their learning outcomes. The assessments are designed to be inclusive, and typically take the form of written submissions with the emphasis upon application to your workplace and including personal reflections.

This programme operates within the University’s Regulatory Framework and conforms with its regulations on assessment.

Attributes and Skills

Assessment Content

Coursework 1 (50%):

You are tasked to develop a 2,000 word individual report (with a tolerance margin of +/- 10%) for the first assessment of the 7AG517 module, which addresses the following task:

Evaluation of the case study organization, incorporating wider reading and research, to identify the; risk attitude, risk appetite, risk impacts and risk consequences that may be characterized by the case at the time and those that that may be continuing to this very date.

Case study: Boeing 737 MAX 8

Boeing suffered two fatal air crashes (October 2018 – Lion Air) and March 2019 (Ethiopian Airlines), that resulted in the global grounding of all Boeing 737 MAX 8 aircraft from March 2019 through to December 2020 (and longer still, in some jurisdictions). After huge production, reputational and marketplace costs, Boeing claimed that lessons had been learned and the aircraft type was eventually redesigned and relaunched, with assurances given that necessary organisational changes to culture had also taken place.

Whilst there have been no further disasters with this aircraft type, Boeing has recently been embroiled in more scandal, as the latest iteration of the aircraft type (MAX 9) suffered a panel door ‘blow-out’ in mid-air on a recent Alaska Airlines flight in January 2024, leading to a further grounding of this aircraft type and media speculation that lessons at Boeing have perhaps not been as effective as originally believed.

The beleaguered manufacturer has sought to introduce significant job cuts resulting from these disasters and crises, amongst other issues, as it sought to reduce costs and financial losses. The organisational restructuring resulting in a 7 week strike action by many of its employees in 2024 at an estimated cost of $10 billion. (Boeing workers end 7-week strike after 38% pay rise deal - BBC News)

The following links will be able to provide some insight related to the disasters, although further investigation will be required to complete the course work. The below links should therefore be viewed as your embarkation (or starting point) for your own research. It is imperative that your assignment should draw explicitly upon specific theories, frameworks, models and theorists that you have been taught in class and are available to you in your online reading list. You may of course utilise other theories and frameworks in ADDITION to those taught in class, but these should not be treated as SUBSTITUTES/REPLACEMENTS for the class delivered content.

Link 1: `Boeing played Russian roulette with people’s lives` (bbc.co.uk)

Link 2: Boeing 737 Max cleared to fly again `too early` - BBC News

Link 3: Alaska Airlines warns of $150m Boeing blow-out cost - BBC News

The report should be submitted using the Turnitin link in the online Course Resources no later than Wednesday 9^th April 2025, noon. 

The feedback on the assessment will be available in the Course Resources through Turnitin normally within 3 weeks of the submission.

Assignment Criteria:

Tasks:

• Demonstration of analytical skills of working with data and problem-solving.
• Evidence of critical approach in your writing.
• Evidence of skilful and critical application of the theoretical models/concepts to address the assessment task.
• Synthesis between academic concepts and to the case study so as to provide a coherent and integrated narrative throughout the report.
• Integration of ideas and practice in a cross disciplinary manner (for example, drawing upon; Business Continuity, Crisis Management as well as, Risk Management)
• Use of a wide range of credible academic and professional sources to develop arguments;
• Evidence of wider reading.
• Use of relevant and up-to-date information on the chosen company.
• LO1Critically evaluate and analyse the holistic nature of risk management within strategic decision making in organisations 

Format:

• Maximum word limit of 2,000 words, excluding title page, executive summary, table of content, introduction, references and appendixes. You are allowed 10% deviation from the word count, with max word count therefore of 2,200 and minimum of 1,800 words. If you are in breach of the word count requirements – your grade will be affected.
• Written in a professional business report format.
• There is no explicit maximum number of pages allocated for appendices, but these should be proportionate to, and suitable for, the given length of the main body of the report. The report should be appropriately referenced and cited using Harvard Referencing System.
• The report should be written in third person.
• Clearly structured with headings and subheadings.
• Word processed using 1.5 line spacing.
• Font size should be size 12, using an appropriate (for a business report) font type, such as; Arial, Calibri, MS Reference Sans Serif or Verdana.
• The Word count must be explicitly stated on the cover page of your report.
• LO2Critically evaluate the use of quantitative and qualitative techniques in order to manage risk 

The Report will be further judged against the following characteristics.

Assessment Rubric

Please see over page.