ACF528 Case Project 2020/2021: Corporate Governance Analysis

This case project, submitted for the ACF528 module, requires students to conduct an original case study and analysis of a company or organization that has experienced significant corporate governance or ethical issues within the past 10 years. Students are instructed to follow the SWIF (Student Written, Instructor Facilitated) approach. The project is divided into sections including an introduction, context, key events, analysis, and a conclusion. The analysis section requires students to address specific discussion questions regarding the main corporate governance issues, the consistency of the case with academic and professional literature, the appropriateness of the company's response, the potential for similar events in the UK, lessons learned, and investment decisions. Proper referencing, a complete bibliography, and adherence to the 5,000-word limit are crucial for the project's success. The assessment contributes 84% towards the final module mark, with penalties for late submissions and exceeding the word count. This comprehensive case study aims to provide a deep understanding of corporate governance, risk management, and ethical considerations in a real-world context.

ACF528: Case Project
2020/2021
Case Project (84%)
Each student is required to prepare an original case study and analysis. Each
student is required to identify a company/organisation which has experienced a
major corporate governance/ethical issue or a series of smaller issues/dilemmas.
Students are not allowed to choose a case covered in the module textbook,
Tricker (2019), or a case older than 10 years. All students are strongly
advised to consult a file which the module co-ordinator has placed on the
BlackBoard Learn page for the module which identifies cases that the
students CANNOT cover for the final case project.
For the selected company/organisation, each student is required to write and
analyse a case project looking at the key corporate governance/ethical issues
within the case.
Students are advised to use the SWIF (Student Written, Instructor Facilitated)
approach in preparation for their case study.
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SWIF Learning: A Guide to Student Written, Instructor Facilitated Case
Writing
Each student will find online a paper written by Professor Paul Swiercz on the
SWIF approach to be used for the continuous assessment for the module. The
following identifies applicable and non-applicable sections of this paper for the
purposes of preparing the case project:
Section Applicable/Non-
Applicable?
Notes
Introduction Applicable
Why Write and Study
Cases?
Applicable
What is a Case Study? Applicable
Where Do I Begin? Applicable General points in this section for
writing your case are important
and should be taken into
consideration.
You are not required to contact
or interview employees/directors
of your chosen organisation.
Writing the Case Applicable Subsection 1 ‘Defining a
Purpose’ is applicable.
Subsection 2 ‘Finding a Case
Site and Subject’ is applicable.
Subsection 3 ‘Selling yourself
and the Idea’ is non- applicable.
Subsection 4 ‘Caveats’ is
applicable.
Ethical Concerns Applicable General points are important.
Again note that you are not
required to contact or interview
employees/directors of your
chosen organisation.
Releases Non-applicable
Preparing the Case Applicable Subsection 1 ‘Organisation’ is
applicable.
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Subsection 2 ‘Collecting the
Data’: You are not required to
interview participants.
Therefore, information on
interviewing participants in this
subsection is non-applicable.
The Subsection ‘Informational
Interviewing’ is non-applicable.
Subsection 3 ‘Writing the
Narrative’ is applicable.
Subsection 4 ‘Discussion
Questions’. While your
discussion questions are
provided below, a thorough
case study can develop its own
discussion questions over and
above those listed below.
After the Case is Written Non- Applicable Non- Applicable
Sources Applicable However, use University Library
resources.
The World Wide Web Applicable These websites are only
suggestions. Information can be
drawn from any appropriate
website. However, data used
must come from verifiable
sources – see ‘Where Do I
Begin?’ section of paper.
Appendix A Applicable
Appendix B Applicable This should appear in your final
case study.
Appendix C Non-Applicable
Case-Writing Guide Applicable
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Structure to Follow
The case project contributes 84% towards the final module mark. The table
below provides a breakdown of the structure that must be used for the project,
how marks are awarded, and offers some guidance regarding the content of
each part of the project.
Section Component Content & Focus Project marks
awarded
Case Study Introduction State the purpose of the
whole project, the
importance of case, and
outline the structure of
whole project.
4.5
Case Study Context Provide background and
context to the case by
providing an overview of
the firm(s)/organisation(s)
involved within the case.
4
Case Study Key events Describe of key events that
took place within the case.
12.5
Case
Analysis
Discussion
questions
Address the discussion
questions posed (see
below).
48
Case
Analysis
Conclusion(s) Provide a summary of the
case and your main
findings as well as their
implications for corporate
governance.
5
Housekeeping Your project should contain
proper referencing, have a
complete and properly
referenced bibliography, be
well structured and
presented with no spelling
mistakes and inappropriate
grammar.
10
Total marks awarded 84
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Case Analysis
Each student should conduct research into their chosen firm/organisation and
prepare their case study and analysis on the issues/events/dilemmas that have
taken place. As regards the analysis of the case, each student is required to
address the following discussion questions:
1. What were the main corporate governance issues within this case? (12
marks).
2. What does the theoretical, academic, professional, or legal
literature/regulation say on these issues? Were such events or features of
your case consistent with, or in contrast to, the theoretical, academic,
professional, or legal literature/regulation? (10 marks).
3. If the company/organisation addressed these issues, was the response
appropriate? Did it address the fundamental issues at stake? If a response
has yet to emerge, what would you expect a suitable response to be, and
why? (8 marks).
4. Could similar events happen again in the UK today? Why? Do you think the
current system of corporate governance and accountability in the UK is
sufficient to deal with these issues? (8 marks).
5. What were the general lessons learnt from this case? What have you, as a
student, learnt about governance, risk and ethics from this case? (6 marks).
6. Would you invest in this company/organisation? Give the reasons for your
decision (4 marks).
Students may also develop their own discussion questions for inclusion in the
case project. Additional issues that emerge in the course of your analysis may be
presented here and should be reported under the heading ‘Other Discussion
Questions ’.
Notes Regarding Continuous Assessment Submission:
All citations from books, journals, articles, websites and interviews appearing in
the continuous assessment must be properly referenced. The continuous
assessment should be typed. The bibliography word count does not form part of
the word count for the assessment.
The deadline for submission of this continuous assessment is Friday 11th
December 2020 at 12.00 noon.
Students are required to submit their work electronically via Turnitin on the
BlackBoard Learn page for ACF528 by the above deadline.
Individual feedback reports for each student, following the release of marks
(normally within 3 working weeks of the coursework being submitted), are
available from the module co-ordinator on request.
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Penalties for late submission:
For each 7-day week, or part thereof, that this continuous assessment is
submitted late, a 10% deduction in the mark awarded will be applied.
Penalties for exceeding specified word count:
The word count for this project is 5,000 words. Students submitting work
over this word count will be penalised at the following rates:
Rate Penalty to be applied:
Up to 10% over word count No penalty (i.e. students can
submit up to 5,500 words without
incurring a penalty)
Over 10% and up to 20% over word
count
5% deduction in the mark awarded
Over 20% and up to 30% over word
count
10% deduction in the mark
awarded
Over 30% and up to 40% over word
count
15% deduction in the mark
awarded
Over 40% and up to 50% over word
count
20% deduction in the mark
awarded
Over 50% over word count Maximum mark of 40%
Notes:
 The above % reduction is based on the student's initial mark for this
component, prior to penalty.
 The following can be excluded for the purposes of calculating the
final word count of a project:
o Titles, headings and page numbers.
o Tables and figures.
o The bibliography at the end of the project.
o Appendices at the end of the project.
 Note that in-text quotes are included as part of a project word count.
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