Assessment 2: Special Topic Article
Objective
To compile an article on a special topic that reports on, and critically analyses, the objectives, operations and performance outcomes of either:
- a social enterprise in the country in which your course is conducted; or
- a sustainable tourism business in the country in which your course is conducted; or
- a topic – as advanced by your local lecturer – that has relevance to matters of ethics or sustainability and can inform your lived life – things like Palm oil; ‘clean coal energy’ etc.
[place-order]
Scenario
A major international business magazine – HBR (Herbert Management Review) – has contracted you to write a ‘profile’ article on either a social enterprise OR a sustainable tourism business OR a special topic. They believe there are some really interesting organisations or topics that would be of interest to local and overseas readers.
Alternative i – note on social enterprises (for further details see Topic 9): Social enterprises are businesses established by entrepreneurs with an emphasis on human values rather than just profit. They are not charities or welfare agencies, but seek to achieve social change by having an economically viable business model that services societal needs while drawing support from the community. Some Australian examples (there are many also in Malaysia and other countries): the MADCAP Café that employees young people with mental health issues to make the coffee in stands at Masters Hardware stores; Fifty-six threads café run by AMES – which trains young refugees and migrants in hospitality skills; Streateats – trains & employs homeless youth; Who gives a crap – recycled toilet paper; Dress for success – clothes for women in need of support in getting a job; Scarf hospitality that trains refugees; and Good cycles – trains and employs disengaged youth in bicycle repairs. Assessment 2: Special Topic Article
Alternative ii – note on sustainable tourism businesses (for further details see Topic 9): Sustainable tourism takes full account of its current and future economic, social and environmental impacts, addressing and balancing the needs of visitors, the industry, the environment and host communities. Things like eco-hotels, nature tours etc.
Alternative iii – note on special topics: in some locations in various semesters your local lecturer may provide you with an alternative area of study to social enterprises or sustainable tourism (you can find some ideas at corporateknights.com)
Required
Prepare an article for the business magazine that reports on, and critically analyses, the objectives, operations and outcomes of a social enterprise or sustainable tourism business or special topic – and include performance data and photos where possible. The magazine (it could be a fashion mag; a travel mag; a hospitality mag; a sustainability mag; a professional mag {like HBR, Fortune, Forbes etc.}; or some other mag) is expecting: great content in a feature which is engaging, and exhibits a clear and crisp writing style (20%); and an oral presentation to a business conference (in fact your classroom!) sponsored by the magazine (5%). Article quality not quantity is the key. Words: about 1,000
[place-order-2]
Notes
- You report should provide the reader with a brief background of social enterprises or sustainable tourism businesses or special topic: what are they; what they do; how recent a phenomena are they; who are the stakeholders; and how they fit with a modern capitalist economy.
- Your report is expected to contain pertinent primary data – information that has been developed by your group. Your primary data can come from: your observations of the social enterprise or sustainable tourism business in action (e.g. what you experience visiting say a café, bar or wherever the public interface of the organisation is); and/or discussions (and quotes) that you get directly from the operators or clients that you gather in person, by phone or by electronic means. As this is a magazine article, no formal Harvard referencing at the end (‘out of text’) is required – but sources would usually be given ‘in-text’ e.g.: “ … the website notes that 300 people were assisted …”; “ … staff said that business is increasing rapidly …”.
- This is not a ‘cut and paste from the internet’ exercise – articles that do not contain substantive primary data and do not provide a critical analysis cannot receive a pass grade.
- Why is co-operative work by a maximum of two people allowed and encouraged? Learning by doing and discussing is important, so it is useful to work co-operatively to form and consolidate ideas. It is also practical for pairs to operate as: there are less individuals battling for opportunities to do things like meet with or call actors (e.g. managers or consumers of organisations); and it can feel more supportive if you have someone else to help collect primary data or discuss insights and formulate ideas.