Course Title: Establish and maintain strategic networks

Part B: Course Detail

Teaching Period: Term1 2019

Course Code: POLI5044C

Course Title: Establish and maintain strategic networks

School: 650T Vocational Business Education

Campus: City Campus

Program: C6155 - Advanced Diploma of Marketing and Communication

Course Contact: Julia Makin

Course Contact Phone: +61 3 9925 5175

Course Contact Email: Julia.makin@rmit.edu.au


Name and Contact Details of All Other Relevant Staff

Nominal Hours: 40

Regardless of the mode of delivery, represent a guide to the relative teaching time and student effort required to successfully achieve a particular competency/module. This may include not only scheduled classes or workplace visits but also the amount of effort required to undertake, evaluate and complete all assessment requirements, including any non-classroom activities.

Pre-requisites and Co-requisites

None

Course Description

 

This unit describes the skills required to establish, expand and use strategic networks. It includes identifying features of required strategic networks, identifying or establishing network links with key stakeholders and building strategic relationships.

The skills and knowledge described in this unit must be applied within the legislative, regulatory and policy environment in which they are carried out. Organisational policies and procedures must be consulted and adhered to.

 

Those undertaking this unit would work independently seeking advice as required, performing complex tasks in a range of familiar and unfamiliar contexts.

 


National Codes, Titles, Elements and Performance Criteria

National Element Code & Title:

PSPGEN067 Establish and maintain strategic networks

Element:

1. Identify features of required strategic networks

Performance Criteria:

1.1 Identify the strategic value and likely outcomes of participating in networks at an individual and organisational level.

1.2 Research and assess the benefits of existing networks.

1.3 Identify key stakeholders and their needs, expectations and roles.

Element:

2. Identify or establish network links with key stakeholders

Performance Criteria:

2.1 Identify existing network links between key stakeholders, and identify and initiate strategies to maintain or expand them.

2.2 Establish and use new network links between self and key internal and external stakeholders.

2.3 Develop and maintain strong working relationships among network members.

Element:

3. Build strategic relationships

Performance Criteria:

3.1 Establish effective communication channels to exchange strategic information for the mutual benefit of network members.

3.2 Interact and consult with key stakeholders to anticipate developments that may impact on the organisation and require a strategic approach to dealing with them.

3.3 Identify and address misunderstandings and conflict situations.

3.4 Seek and act upon opportunities to improve communication processes and achieve mutually beneficial outcomes.


Learning Outcomes


Students will develop the skills required to identify and develop strategic relationships within the business environment.


Details of Learning Activities

This course is structured to provide students with the optimum learning experience. Students will participate in a combination of group and individual learning activities. These activities will be provided through a combination of face to face teacher/student deliveries plus classroom work time. Additional learning activities will also be provided to students to complete outside of timetabled time.


Teaching Schedule

The course syllabus provides you with information about:

  • When classes are held, and what topics are covered each week (including the relevant Unit of Competency and associated Elements/Performance Criteria);
  • What learning materials and activities need to be completed; and,
  • What assessments are due

Course Schedule: Evaluate International Marketing Opportunities / Establish and Maintain Strategic Networks, Semester 1, 2019

Week

Topic

Activities

Assessment

Week 1

11th Feb

Introduction to the course

Reading: Lecture Notes Week 1 

Week 2

18th Feb

Networking and Personal Branding

Reading: Lecture Notes Week 2

Week 3

25th Feb

Consumer Analysis

Reading: Lecture Notes Week 3

Week 4

4th March

Global Communication

Reading: Lecture Notes Week 4

Week 5

11th March Labour Day public holiday on Monday

Practice Test

Week 6

18th March

Assessment 1: In-class Test

Due: In-class

Week 7

25th March

Political and Legal Environment Reading: Lecture Notes Week 7

Week 8

1st April

The International Environment

Reading: Lecture Notes Week 8

Week 9 

8th April

Risk Assessment and Management Strategies

Reading: Lecture Notes Week 9

Assessment 2: Pitstop presentation

Due: In-class

Week 10

15th April

  • The 4P's of Marketing #1
  • Assessment 2 Workshop

Reading: Lecture Notes Week 10

Assessment 2: Group Report

Due: Online submission via Canvas on or before 11:59PM Sunday 

Mid semester break 19th – 26th April including Easter and Anzac Day.

Week 11

29th April

The 4P's of Marketing #2

Reading: Lecture Notes Week 11

Week 12

6th May

Assessment 3 Workshop

Week 13

13th may

Assessment 3 Workshop

Assessment 3: Group presentation

Due: Slides must be submitted online via Canvas 

Week 14

20th May

Global WIL - no class

Week 15

27th May

Assessment 3 Delivery

Week 16

3rd June

Assessment 3 Delivery

Week 17

10th June

Resubmission


Learning Resources

Prescribed Texts


References


Other Resources

All resources will be available via CANVAS


Overview of Assessment

 

In order to achieve competency in this unit, you must provide:

Performance Evidence 

Evidence requirements to demonstrate competence must satisfy all of the requirements of the elements and performance criteria. If not otherwise specified the candidate must demonstrate evidence of performance of the following on at least one occasion.

  • applying legislation, regulations and policies relating to public sector environment
  • using communication methods with diverse strategic networks including consultation, liaison, negotiation, building influence and reputation, transparency
  • using formal and informal industry communication channels
  • resolving conflict in a strategic networking context

 

Knowledge Evidence 

Evidence requirements to demonstrate competence must satisfy all of the requirements of the elements and performance criteria. If not otherwise specified the depth of knowledge demonstrated must be appropriate to the job context of the candidate.

  • public sector legislation including WHS and environment, regulations, policies, procedures and guidelines relating to work in a public sector environment
  • local/national/international public sector structures/protocols
  • industry/professional communication channels and networks
  • principles of interpersonal, group and inter-agency communication
  • principles of conflict resolution in a strategic context

 

Assessment Conditions 

This unit contains no specific industry-mandated assessment conditions. Guidance on suggested and recommended conditions and methods can be found in the Implementation Guide.

Assessors must satisfy the NVR/AQTF mandatory competency requirements for assessors.

You are advised that you are likely to be asked to personally demonstrate your assessment work to your teacher to ensure that the relevant competency standards are being met.

Feedback

Feedback will be provided throughout the semester in class and/or online discussions.  You are encouraged to ask and answer questions during class time and online sessions so that you can obtain feedback on your understanding of the concepts and issues being discussed. Finally, you can email or arrange an appointment with your teacher to gain more feedback on your progress.

You should take note of all feedback received and use this information to improve your learning outcomes and final performance in the course.

 


Assessment Tasks

This course is co delivered and co assessed.

POLI5044C Establish and maintain strategic networks and MKTG7916C  Evaluate international marketing opportunities

 

Assessment Task 1 - In-class Test

Due: In-class Week 6

Duration: Three hours

 

Summary and Purpose of Assessment

To demonstrate the skills required to:

  • Establish, expand and use strategic networks;
  • Identifying features of required strategic networks;
  • Identifying or establishing network links with key stakeholders; and
  • Build strategic relationships.

 

Assessment Instructions

  1. Students will be required to attend class in Week 6 to undertake the test
  2. Students will have three (3) hours to complete the test
  3. The test will be comprised of eight (8) short essay question.
  4. The test will be open-book and students are encouraged to utilise any resources at their disposal
  5. Any external source material must be referenced correctly using Harvard Referencing

 

Assessment  Task 2 - Group Report

Due: Week 10

Summary and Purpose of Assessment

This assessment requires students to demonstrate the knowledge and skills needed to:

  •     Identify key market related characteristics of overseas countries, such as trade agreements, demand and trends;
  •     Assess how these key characteristics will impact upon marketing opportunities for an organisation;
  •     Determine key cultural, political, economic and social factors within overseas markets and assess how these will impact upon marketing opportunities for an organisation;
  •     Justify why a particular market is a good fit with an organisation’s goals and direction;
  •     Undertake a comprehensive risk assessment and use this to develop a risk management plan for the selected market.

 

Assessment Instructions

Students must first select an Australian organisation that does not currently operate internationally.  Your objective is to perform research and analysis of international markets to identify one key market for their client to expand to. There is no need to provide recommendations about specific solutions in Assessment 2 – they will be covered in Assessment 3.

The group’s submission to the client must involve the following:

  • A PESTE Analysis of a self-nominated international market;
  • Undertake a market analysis;
  • A discussion of relevant legislation within the international market that would be likely to impact upon the business;
  • Perform a customer analysis; and
  • Complete a risk assessment and management plan of the same market.

The group will firstly have to research the nominated market to identify a range of information about a number of specific issues, including but not limited to Political, Environmental, Societal-Cultural, Economic and Technological.

 

Secondly, there will also be a Risk assessment, and an analysis of the market including trends, competition and distribution including ecommerce and customers.

 

Groups: 2 or 3 members

 

Word count: No more than 4000 words.

 

The week prior to submission (i.e. in week 9) students MUST present as a group a 5-7 minute status report of each team member’s personal contribution.  This presentation will form part of your overall mark for this assessment.

 

Assessment Task 3 -  Group Presentation

Due: Week 13

Summary and Purpose of Assessment

This assessment requires you to demonstrate the knowledge and skills needed to:

  • Undertake research of a foreign market with a view to determining potential marketing opportunities for a business;
  • Establish the fit of potential marketing opportunities with the business and its existing customers;
  • Perform a comprehensive assessment of costs, benefits and risks for each opportunity;
  • Compare and contrast identified marketing opportunities with a view to presenting recommendations to management.

 

Assessment Instructions

Using the same organisation and market that you discussed in Assessment 1, you must identify a minimum of five (5) marketing opportunities that exist within the foreign market. Having identified these opportunities, you are required to determine the fit of each opportunity to the business by undertaking an assessment (costs, benefits and risks) of each.  From those opportunities identified, you must identify the most viable three (3) opportunities, providing justifications for their selection (vs. the alternatives). Each of these selected opportunities must then be accompanied by a plan for how the business should capitalise upon them.  Each team’s work must be included on Powerpoint slides uploaded to Canvas and presented to the class for assessment.

 

You must justify why their recommendations will be effective for introducing their organisation into the overseas market. These justifications must be supported with a minimum of five (5) peer-reviewed references. You must also state how the success of their recommendations will be measured. You will be expected to provide an estimated budget of the costs of responding to each opportunity.  This budget must be realistic and reflect the business’s capacity.

 

Groups of 2 or 3.

 

Presentation duration 15-20 minutes.

 


Assessment Matrix

The assessment matrix that maps all the assessment is available on CANVAS.   Submission Requirements   You should:

  • Ensure that you submit assessments on or before the due date.  
  • Always retain a copy of your assessment tasks. (hard copy and soft copy)
  • When you submit work for assessment at RMIT University you need to use the Assessment task document that includes a declaration and statement of authorship.
  • Each page of your assessment should include footer with your name, student number, the title of the assessment, unit code and title and page numbers. 

Other Information

Late Submission Procedures    You are required to submit assessment items and/or ensure performance based assessment is completed by the due dates.  If you are prevented from submitting an assessment item on time, by circumstances outside your control, you may apply in advance to your teacher for an extension to the due date of up to seven calendar days.   More Information:  https://www.rmit.edu.au/students/student-essentials/assessment-and-exams/assessment/extensions-of-time-for-submission-of-assessable-work   Where an extension of greater than seven days is needed, you must apply for Special Consideration.  Applications for special consideration must be submitted no later than two working days after the assessment task deadline or scheduled examination.   More Information: https://www.rmit.edu.au/students/student-essentials/assessment-and-exams/assessment/special-consideration     Resubmissions:   If you are found to be unsuccessful in a particular Course Assessment Task (or you do not submit/attend) you will be allowed one resubmission.  Your teacher will provide feedback regarding what you need to do to improve and will set a new deadline for the resubmission.     If you are still not meeting the assessment requirements you must apply to your Program Manager in writing outlining the steps you will take to demonstrate competence in your course. Your submission will be considered by the Program Team and you will be advised of the outcome as soon as possible.     Grading & re-submissions   Successful re-submissions will contribute a CAG only (Competency Achieved Grading) result to your overall grade for the course.     Adjustments to Assessment    In certain circumstances students may be eligible for an assessment adjustment. For more information about the circumstances under which the assessment arrangements might be granted please access the following website:  https://www.rmit.edu.au/students/student-essentials/assessment-and-exams/assessment/adjustments-to-assessment     Marking Guide (Competency):    You must demonstrate that you have all the required skills/knowledge/elements in the unit of competency you are studying.   You will receive feedback on each assessment task that will inform you about your progress and how well you are performing.      Marking Guide (Grading)    After achieving competency we then grade your performance in the unit and you will achieve one of the following grades:    Final Grades table:   CHD Competent with High Distinction CDI Competent with Distinction CC Competent with Credit CAG Competency Achieved – Graded CA Competency Achieved – Not Graded NYC Not Yet Competent DNS Did Not Submit for assessment   Further information regarding the application of the grading criteria will be provided by your teacher.

Course Overview: Access Course Overview