Assignment Details Context:
In this coursework assignment you are required to answer ALL three tasks listed below. They are separate tasks with equal weight on your mark. Total word count must NOT exceed 1500, and an equal split of about 500 words for each task seems appropriate. You are expected to list all of the sources you use to complete these tasks in your reference list and provide credit to the source properly.
Tasks:
- This task has two parts with equal weights.
- Using Google Patents database ( patents.google.com ) find a patent that has been filed with the European Patent Office (EPO) after 2000. Show the first page (also known as the cover page) where inventor, assignee, classification etc. information are displayed. (You must add your patent’s cover page as PDF or as screenshot to your coursework, and it MUST be clearly visible and READABLE). Based on the information you see on the cover page, answer the following: How many researchers were involved in the development of this patent? What are their affiliations (which institute or university or firm etc.)? In which countries exactly is this patent protected? What is this patent about (tell me this based on classification codes, not based on what you understand of it). Extra Credit: Is your patent an environment-related (also called green) patent? Very briefly (in just one sentence) explain how to spot an environment-related patent. (NOTE: There are millions of patents in the EPO register post 2000, so the probability that any two of you picking the same patent by chance is almost zero. You should do your best to avoid picking the same patent as your classmates!).
- Read the “Reading Material for CW2” that can be found under “Assessments and Support Materials” on this module’s Moodle page. On what grounds was Ed Sheeran taken to the court exactly? Explain this in relation to what we covered about different types of intellectual property rights (IPRs). What is the type of the IPR protection that enables such an action? What does the decision of the court for Ed Sheeran make you think about the implementation of IPRs? Related to this discussion, there are many other cases that are brought to court within the frame of IPRs. In light of this, why is it, you think, that Seth Wheeler (or his descendants) are not suing major toilet roll companies such as Andrex?
(Hint: Think of the context we learnt about Mr. Seth Wheeler)
- This task has two parts with equal weights.
- What is a “board interlock” among firms? Suppose you have a bipartite network structure with 5 firms and 20 managers. Draw a network that does NOT give way to a board interlock and briefly explain how it works.
- In social media, users with a lot of followers are labeled as influencers and many firms or interest groups aim to collaborate with these individuals to influence large groups of people (this may be simple advertisement or pushing some specific political or social agenda). Thinking of different ways to measure the network centrality, carefully and critically explain why the number of followers may be a misleading guide to identify influencers. Propose a centrality measure (one of those we covered) and briefly -but carefully- explain why this particular centrality measure will be a better one to identify influencers.
- Mergers can be horizontal or vertical (also called vertical integration) or a mix of both. Search for mergers and acquisitions (M&A) that can be classified as “vertical integration” or a mix of horizontal merger and vertical integration and took place after 2015. Your task is to briefly present the details of ONE such M&A referring to specific news or reports: Which firms were involved? Explain whether this M&A can be categorized as a vertical or mixed integration. What markets or sectors were targeted by participating firms? Which firm and sector is downstream, which is upstream? Be sure to refer to reliable news sources (e.g., FT, the Economist) or online sources (firms’ websites or research reports) throughout your discussion so that the case that you present can be checked and verified.
IMPORTANT: There is a submission box for this assignment on Moodle and it is YOUR RESPONBILITY to submit the CORRECT assignment into the CORRECT submission box. If you submit a wrong assignment (e.g., you accidently submit an essay that was meant for another module) or into a wrong submission box there is ABSOLUTELY NOTHING that can be done to correct this once the submission deadline has passed!!
Essays should be submitted electronically to the Dropbox facility on Moodle (which can be found under the ‘Coursework’ section) as an MS Word document (.doc/.docx). File names should include your student number, such as UP123456.docx.
Formatting: Use Arial size 12 font with 1.5 line spacing, include only page numbers in the footer and your student number in the header. Your name should NOT appear in your submission. Essays should be referenced according to the APA 7th edition. The word count is a maximum of 1500 words (excluding the reference list and tables). Work that exceeds the limit will not be read beyond the stated word count.
Late Submission of Assignment
Assignments submitted after the published submission date without a valid Extenuating Circumstances Form (ECF), but within ten working days of that date, will be marked. The mark awarded will be limited to the unit pass mark (40% unless otherwise specified in the unit handbook). Assignments submitted more than ten working days after the published submission date will not be marked, and a mark of zero will be recorded on the student’s record. It will be recorded as a non-submission. Students are strongly advised to keep a copy of their work. Corruption of computer disks is not an adequate excuse for late hand in, as work should be adequately backed up.
Marking criteria and Feedback
To satisfy the above learning objectives, your assignment submission will be graded against the following criteria: (see the next page for more details on grade criteria)
- Analysis of theory – Choice and discussion of relevant theory/ theories.
- Application of theory – Appraise the actions taken by management in the firms and evaluate the applicability of relevant theory to the firm in question.
- Communication – Essays will be assessed on the quality of language, structure, presentation of diagram(s), construction of well-reasoned arguments.
- Academic scholarship – Quality of chosen sources and use of citations and references. Originality of the essay.
Marks and feedback will be available on or before 21 June 2022. Marks will be posted on the Student Portal, and your marked coursework and tutor’s feedback will be available on Moodle once it has been marked and processed.
Referencing requirements
Please include a Reference List of all items cited in your work and follow this with a Bibliography to show your wider background reading. All sources should be acknowledged and appropriately cited within your work, following the University’s approved referencing conventions [APA 7th ed.]. Students who fail to include a reference list will be penalised. If any student has a query about any of the above matters and wishes to obtain clarification or further information please contact the unit co-ordinator or your personal tutor. Referencing is required to give intellectual credit to your source, help your reader recover your source easily and to avoid being accused of plagiarism.
For further guidance see: http://referencing.port.ac.uk/
Grade Criteria
A first class answer (70%+) is one that demonstrates evidence of in-depth study, including the consultation and effective use of a range of quality references relating to the question under scrutiny. The answer should demonstrate knowledge of the area (contained in the question) and key debates of relevance, which are compared and contrasted. It should go beyond descriptive content and be analytical in its approach; first class answers will provide a successful critique. Evidence of clear understanding, evaluation and interpretation is necessary to achieve this grade and this is often demonstrated through original contribution. The answer will be clearly focused upon the question and will also include relevant diagrams that will be labelled and used to explain the key points in the argument. A first class answer will be well written, clearly referenced and will cite evidence in support of the arguments.
An upper second class grade (60–69%) should demonstrate many – but not all – of the features listed above for a first class answer. Crucially, it should show evidence of reading, understanding and interpretation and must go beyond descriptive content. The answer must address the question and will include appropriate diagrams. Once again the answer must be well written and referenced. The extent to which the student has analysed and interpreted relevant material will be the boundary between this grade and a first class answer and the balance of description to analysis is the difference between a 2:1 and 2:2.
A lower second class answer (50–59%) will show understanding of the topic under scrutiny and some broadly based reading. The answer will be weighted more towards description than analysis and the answer might not go beyond the material delivered in lectures. Factual information will be correct and properly utilised but might not have been shaped to address the question. The answer will usually be clearly written but the use of vocabulary and the grammatical structure will not reach the standard of a first class or upper second class answer. Diagrams will be more basic or not clearly explained or applied to the question.
A third class answer (40–49%) is often very ‘common-sense’ in its approach and is lacking in analytical content. Use of sources is quite basic and all relevant literature has not been covered. Awareness of debates/ disputes outside this common-sense answer is poor. There is, however, evidence of some understanding of the topic, but this may be accompanied by some factual or analytical misunderstandings. There might be some errors in the grammar or punctuation whilst diagrams will either be lacking or will not have been used fully to explain the key concepts.
A fail (under 40%) is usually an answer that has either not addressed the topic under scrutiny sufficiently or has misunderstood what was required from the question. Little evidence of reading, poor understanding of key concepts and even mainstream debates. An answer that fails will often be poorly written and the poor communication skills will impede the understanding of the content. Diagrams will either be lacking or will be wrongly used.
