MASTER OF BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION
MBA 5004
ASSESSMENT GUIDE
Managing Decision Making Process
MBA 5004 Assessment Guide Managing Decision Making Process
Assessment Overview
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Assessments Overview Weight Due Date

The following instructions are strictly applied throughout our MBA programme:
1. The assessments are an important part of unit progression and are to be attended to diligently. Hence, no
attempt at an assessment task means no marks.
2. Assessment tasks must be submitted within the timeframe given. Late submission will attract a 10%deduction
in the mark for each day the submission is late.
3. Assessment guidelines must be followed, for example, if the assessment involves a written report of 2,000
words, the word count is important. If the word count is more than ±10% outside the guideline, there will be a
deduction of 5% off the final mark.
4. All assessments must be submitted to VIT, Australia. The primary place of submission is LMS (refer to LMS User
Guide). In case of unavailability of LMS, assessments need to be submitted by email, MBALSA@vit. edu.au.’
5. Students are required to achieve an overall mark of 50% to pass the unit.
6. The authorised agent/local facilitator can help students understand the various parts of the assessment and
also will be appointed as “Invigilator” (supervision only) for the assessment.
NOTE: For all assignments, the preferred layout is in 12-point Calibri, with 1.5 line spacing, 2.5cm left-hand margins
and bold headings. Whenever you use the ideas and arguments of other writers, you must make reference to
the writers and their work. By acknowledging the work of others, you avoid plagiarism. The APA style requires a
reference list at the end of your assignment. It is arranged in alphabetical order by author surname.
Referencing guides
You must reference all the sources of information you have used in your assessments. Please use the APA
referencing style. referencing style when referencing in your assessments in this unit. Refer to the Library’s
referencing guides for more information.
Academic misconduct
VIT enforces that the integrity of its students academic studies follow an acceptable level of excellence. VIT will
adhere to its VIT Policies, Procedures and Forms where it explains the importance of staff and student honesty
in relation to academic work. It outlines the kinds of behaviours that are “academic misconduct”, including
plagiarism.
Late submissions
In cases where there are no accepted mitigating circumstances as determined through VIT Policies, Procedures
and Forms, late submission of assessments will lead automatically to the imposition of a penalty. Penalties will be
applied as soon as the deadline is reached.
Inclusive and equitable assessment
Reasonable adjustment in assessment methods will be made to accommodate students with a documented
disability or impairment. Contact the unit teaching team for more information.
Short extensions and special consideration
Special Consideration is a request for:
• Extensions of the due date for an assessment, other than an examination (e.g. assignment extension).
• Special Consideration (Special Consideration in relation to a Completed assessment, including an end-of-unit
MBA 5004 Managing Decision Making Process 3
Examination).
Students wishing to request Special Consideration in relation to an assessment the due date of which has not
yet passed must engage in written emails to the teaching team to Request for Special Consideration as early as
possible and prior to start time of the assessment due date, along with any accompanying documents, such as
medical certificates. For more information, visit VIT Policies, Procedures and Forms.
Inclusive and equitable assessment
Reasonable adjustment in assessment methods will be made to accommodate students with a documented
disability or impairment. Contact the unit teaching team for more information.
Contract cheating
Contract cheating usually involves the purchase of an assignment or piece of research from another party. This
may be facilitated by a fellow student, friend or purchased on a website. Other forms of contract cheating include
paying another person to sit an exam in the student’s place.
Contract cheating warning:
By paying someone else to complete your academic work, you don’t learn as much as you could have if you did
the work yourself.
• • •
You are not prepared for the demands of your future employment.
You could be found guilty of academic misconduct.
Many of for pay contract cheating companies recycle assignments despite guarantees of “original, plagiarismfree work” so similarity is easily detected by TurnitIn.
Penalties for academic misconduct include suspension and exclusion.
Students in some disciplines are required to disclose any findings of guilt for academic misconduct before
being accepted into certain professions (e.g. law).
You might disclose your personal and financial information in an unsafe way, leaving yourself open to many
risks including possible identity theft.
You also leave yourself open to blackmail – if you pay someone else to do an assignment for you, they know you
have engaged in fraudulent behaviour and can always blackmail you.
• • • •
Grades
We determine your grades to the following Grading Scheme:
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Grade Percentage
A 80% – 100%
B 70% – 79%
C 60% – 69%
D 50% – 59%
F 0% – 49%
Assessment 1
Discussion Participation
Introduction Submission Instructions
› 1. You are expected to participate in at least three
(3) different ‘Discussion Participation’ forums. You
should begin at least one thread and provide at
least three posts in response to other participants’
threads. Posting should be a minimum of one short
paragraph and a maximum of two paragraphs. Word
totals for each post should be in the 100-200 words
range.
› 2. In the discussion, you can state if you agree or
disagree with the paper or post presented, explain
why with supporting evidence and concepts from the
readings or a related experience. Include a reference,
link, or citation when appropriate.
› 3. Your discussion should demonstrate an organized
set of thoughts and ideas. You can incorporate cor
relations with the assigned readings or topics. Stay
on topic. You need to demonstrate evidence of critical thinking in your responses or interactions. Avoid
summarizing or copying from websites or blogs, this
is your discussion and thoughts about particular
discussion points.
› 4. Contribute to the learning community by being
creative in your approaches to topics, being relevant
in the presented viewpoints, and attempting to motivate the discussion.
› 5. During the discussion, be aware of grammar and
sentence mechanics. Use proper etiquette.
› 6. In discussion: Be aware of grammar and sentence
mechanics. Use proper etiquette and be professional
all time.
› 7. Remember that being respectful is critical at all
times in the classroom, online and during forum chat
discussions.
The Assessor will assess you on the following :
Discussion and Participation
a.Are made in a timely fashion, giving others an
opportunity to respond.
b. Are thoughtful and analyse the content or question
asked.
c. Pose new possibilities or opinions not previously
voiced.
d. Are ideas expressed clearly, concisely. Uses
appropriate vocabulary. Is attentive to spelling and
grammar.
e. Spend the time to construct creative, challenging
and engaging discussions, which promote
participation.
MBA 5004 Managing Decision Making Process 5
Weight Length Due Date Learning Outcomes
20% Participate in discussions
as shown below
Week 4, 6, 8, 10
Sunday 11.55pm 1, 2 , 3 , 4 , 5, 6, 7
Assessment 1 • Marking Criteria
You will be assessed on the following marking criteria for this assessment based on the lecturer’s observation
of your discussion participation.
Rate Student from 5 = Very Good, 3 = Good, 1 = Average.
6 MBA 620M4BA 5Q0u0a4n tit aMtai vnea gSiunpgp oDretciosfioDnecMi saikoinn gMPa rkoi nc egss 6

Assessment 2
Data Collection Platform Development • Individual Assignment
Introduction Task
You must develop a data analysis, interpret and report
platform based on the selected organization sources. The platform needs to developed using Microsoft
Excel. You need to write a report on how you developed it and the use of this data analysis platform. You
should be able to use the platform to analyze a set of
complex data from a selected organization to influence management decision-making processes.
The report should be written in appropriate business
language so that your analysis and discussion have
an objective tone. Your writing should be clear and
concise and be in your own words. Use headings and
subheadings to guide the reader and include tables or
diagrams to interpret your findings more clearly.
The organisational decisions you make in relation to
this assessment must be made with regards to the
following:
1. Reduction of Staff overhead by 30%
2. Increased sales by 20%
3. Improved Staff Morale by 20% on the previous year
4. Improved Customer Experience by 30% on the
previous year
5. Retention of Customer Service Staff
6. A merger with another company of similar size
7. Increased occupancy by 15%
8. Other specific targets…
This is an individual assessment and you must choose
one of the above targets that relate to your organisation or another organisation of your choice. You need
to research all the data that will inform management
in such a way that they will have sufficient data and
information that they are able to make the decisions
appropriately.
You also need to analyse the data interpret data and
report your findings.. To analyse the data, you need to
decide what analysis you should use, how to model it
and how to report it . Once you have decided this, you
need to build your analysis on MS excel format and
create a dashboard that interpret the information with
representation of the different visual data summary
options for the management decisions. That means
you need to take into consideration that if the original
data changes, how will this change the final data that
you present to your management for decision making.
You required to set up the MS Excel dashboard to
assist any user to make decisions. You are to provide
decision making outcomes for the organization by
using these tools and validate the importance of specific analysis and interpretation for the management
decisions. Next, add at least 4 recommendations panel
that has suggestions for each of the decisions that the
management may make including risks and investments, losses of reputation or revenue, etc…
Follow below guide to complete your assignment.
› 1. Use Microsoft Excel to demonstrate your ability to
analyse and interpret and report appropriate data for
organisational decision-making.
› 2. A report on –how you produced the platform-MS
Excel, the data set you have used to analyse, why
you have used the data from that particular organisation and why you chose certain types of analysis
and interpretation of data using graphical view, then
your conclusions.
The written report must be of 1,500 words in length
excluding references. The referencing style must follow
the APA referencing style.
MBA 5004 Managing Decision Making Process 7
Weight Due Date Learning Outcomes
40% Week 8
Sunday 11.55pm 1, 2, 4, 5
Your submission will include two submissions:
Report + Excel work file
Submission Instructions
For all major assessments, both formative and summative, the preferred layout is in 12-point Calibri, with
1.5 line spacing, 2.5 centimetres left-hand margins and
Bold headings. All assessments must be submitted
with a completed and signed cover sheet. Whenever
you use the ideas and arguments of other writers, you
must make reference to the writers and their work
using the APA referencing style. By acknowledging the
work of others, you avoid plagiarism.
All submissions are to be submitted through Turnitin.
Drop-boxes linked to Turnitin will be set up in Moodle.
As- sessments not submitted through these drop- boxes will not be considered. Submissions must be made
by the assessment due date.
The Turnitin similarity score will be used in determine
any plagiarism of your submitted assessment. Turnitin
will check conference web-sites, Journal articles, online resources and your peer’s submissions for plagiarism. You can see your Turnitin similarity score when
you submit your assessments to the appropriate dropbox. If your similarity score is of concern you will have
a chance to change your assessment and resubmit.
However, re-sub- mission is only allowed prior to the
submission due date and time. After the due date and
time have elapsed you cannot make re-submissions.
Thus, plan early and submit early to take advantage of
this feature. You can make multiple submissions, but
please remember the teaching team will only grade
your last submission, and the date and time you submitted will be taken from that submission.
You will be assessed as follows:
a. Structure of the written report: Background information is relevant, issues are logically ordered,
recommendations clearly relate to the issues.
b. Identify main issues: Prioritize choices, justify and
prioritize issues chosen.
c. Analyse the issues: Each issue is discussed using
relevant concepts and principles, insight is
shown in analyzing the information.
d. Demo of the recommendations panel: Identify
recommendations from the case study, show
decisions that you have captured for the recommendations to be put into practice.
e. Write clearly and concisely: Arguments are explicit
and succinct, appropriate headings are used, grammar and spelling are accurate.
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Assessment 2 • Marking Criteria
You will be assessed on the following marking criteria for this assessment.

MBA 5004 Managing Decision Making Process 9
Assessment 3
Consultative Report • Group Assignment
9.The Consultative Report should be written in
appropriate business language so that your analysis
and discussion have an objective tone.
10. Your writing should be clear and concise and be in
your own words.
11.Use headings and sub heading to guide the reader.
12. Use visual data representations to support your
discussion.
13. Report Conclusion.
Introduction
In Assessment 3 you are to prepare a report detailing a
strategic plan to reach the stated organisational target
you already selected and presented the related analysed data in Assessment 2.
Task
The Consultative Report (per team) must be in the
range of 2,000 words in length excluding references.
You must reference using the APA referencing style.
Reflective Piece: A further 300 – 500 words reflection
paper should be submitted per student.
A. on your experience and learning in this exercise
and how this may be applied in your own organisation.
This is a group report . The group is required to choose
one data platform from assessment 2 and write a
consultative report on how to achieve the recommendations that you have suggested in Assignment 2.
You must write a Consultative Report discussing a
strategic plan on how your organisation can achieve
the stated future growth target based on the Data
Analysis in Assessment 2.
Your report needs to take into consideration the following aspects:
1. The Key Business initiative (Stated Target) of your
organisation and its background.
2. The data analysed in Assessment 2.
3. All the recommendations related to the options and
decisions in Assessment 2.
4. Consultation with Management and other Stake
holders regarding Strategic Objectives, Key Performance Indicators, Measures of Success in reaching
the Target.
5. Risks and mitigations to reach your Target.
6. Implementation Plan including Steps and Mile
stones to reaching your Target for the next 12
months.
7. Based on your analysis, what are the best ways
forward with regards to:
a. Human resources issues
b. Marketing plans
c. Communication plans
d. Budgets and expenses
Submission Instructions
For all major assessments, both formative and summative, the preferred layout is in 12-point Calibri, with
1.5 line spacing, 2.5 cmleft-hand margins and Bold
headings. All assessments must be submitted with a
completed and signed cover sheet. Whenever you use
the ideas and arguments of other writers, you must
make reference to the writers and their work. By acknowledging the work of others, you avoid plagiarism.
All submissions are to be submitted through Turnitin.
Drop-boxes linked to Turnitin will be set up in Moodle.
Assessments not submitted through these drop- boxes
will not be considered. Submissions must be made by
the assessment due date.
While completing this assessment consider the
following:
a.Structure of the written report: Background information is relevant, issues are logically ordered,
recommendations clearly relate to the issues.
8. Some theoretical basis for your solutions and b. Identify main issues: Prioritise choices, justify and
decisions.
`
10 MBA 5004 Managing Decision Making Process
Weight Due Date Learning Outcomes
40% Week 14
Sunday by 11.55pm 2, 3, 4, 5
prioritise issues chosen.
c. Analyse the issues: Each issue is discussed using
relevant concepts and principles, insight is shown in
analysing the information.
d. Discuss alternatives: Consider all viable short-term
and long-term alternatives to potentially solve each
issue, examine the advantages and disadvantages of
each alternative.
e. Explain resources: Identify individuals from the
case study, enumerate the time frame and monitoring processes required for the recommendations to
be put into practice.
f. Write clearly and concisely: Arguments are explicit
and succinct, appropriate headings are used, grammar and spelling are accurate.
g.Reflective Piece: You need to write a 300 – 500 word
reflecting on your experience and learning in this
exercise and how this may be applied in your own
organisation.
MBA 5004 Managing Decision Making Process 11
Assessment 3 • Marking Criteria
You will be assessed on the following marking criteria for this assessment.

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MASTER OF BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION
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