Assignment Brief Assignment title: Academic Report relating to Trading Internationally Weighting: 100% Deadline: 18April 2017 Purpose of the Assessment To understand the basic principles in trading internationally and people management. Assessment Task The assignment must be completed individually. You are required to produce an academic report with appropriate referencing, based on the case study below. Case Study Simply Ice Cream is a business based in Ashford, Kent, which manufactures and sells high quality ice-cream in the UK. In June 2015, Simply Ice Cream signed a one year contract to trade in Saudi Arabia. To increase sales and market share, the owner, Sally Newall, wishes to explore the idea of trading internationally further. Sally had decided to choose another country outside of the EU to trade with. The founder and owner, Sally Newall ran a catering business for over 20 years which was the spring board for the move into the ice cream business. Incredible feedback from happy customers for her homemade ice cream, led Sally to decide to move away from full time catering and concentrate on developing Simply Ice Cream into a successful, premium brand. The business believes simple, natural food tastes better and created a range of ice creams that are made using natural, locally sourced ingredients (where possible), home-made flavours and free from additives or preservatives. The ice cream is still made the old fashioned way, by hand in small batches. In the beginning, Simply Ice Cream was sold in one local farm shop, in Kent. Simply Ice Cream grew in popularity to 16 shops within the first year. Today, the range is available in nearly 400 outlets across the south of England including 42 Waitrose stores. Sally was approached by Waitrose but originally turned down the offer to supply her product. A year later, Sally, pitched the idea to Waitrose, after she was interviewed on the local news. The superior quality and flavour of Simply Ice Cream has been officially recognised. Simply Ice Cream has multiple awards, including the Guild of Fine Food, Great Taste Gold Three Star award for the Heavenly Honeycomb Crunch flavour, the highest accolade. The company operates with a strong, core set of values – passion, integrity, excellence, simplicity and naturalness. They are continually updating the flavours, but always in keeping with the changing seasons and high standards of Simply Ice Cream. The ice cream is available in 120ml small tubs, 500ml tubs for retail and 2 litre and 4.7 litre catering/food service sizes. The main flavours are Divine Chocolate ice cream, Dreamy Vanilla ice cream and Sublime Strawberry ice cream. Simply Ice Cream is renowned for its award-winning and bestselling flavour Heavenly Honeycomb Crunch. Simply Ice Cream can tailor make the ice cream in bespoke flavours for large orders. Simply Ice Cream also produces sorbets in, blackcurrant, raspberry, lemon and mango flavours. Ingredients for the ice-cream and sorbet are sourced locally. The milk/cream comes from the on-site farm. In an interview with Jake Wallis Simpson (2012) Sally explained that the entire manufacturing process is carried out by hand, without using machines. Sally operates the business from her home, employs local people and structures the working day around school hours. They combine the milk, cream and sugar with hand whisks, then add a variety of natural flavorings – strawberries, chocolate or honeycomb – to the mixture before freezing. “The beauty of our recipe is that we don’t have to take the mixture out of the freezer at regular intervals to break the ice crystals down,” says Sally (n.d cited Wallis Simpson 2012). Sally has refused, to spill the beans further as it is a Trade secret (n.d cited in Wallis Simpson 2012). Sally manages the small team and undertakes all people management matters, such as recruitment, training and appraisals. Simply Ice cream has been trading since 2005 and employs 12 people (plus Sally). The workforce includes three family members (one of which is Sally’s husband; the sales and marketing coordinator). Sally is very hands on within the business, which has a flat hierarchy. Sally employs a sales and marketing coordinator, a logistics manager, an administrator and nine people who make the ice cream. Sally says: 'I have always worked for myself, and with four children life is hectic. Being able to work from home helps in terms of flexibility.' The business has recently launched a new ice cream which is made from camel milk, which it is planning to take to Harrods. You can find the Kent-made ice cream in Waitrose, John Lewis Food halls in Bluewater and Oxford Street, Farm Shops, Village Stores, Delis, Pubs, Tea Rooms, Attractions and Restaurants in Kent, Sussex, Essex, Surrey, London and across the UK. Simply Ice Cream also attends local and national events and food festivals. Simply Ice Cream retails for £4.99 for a 500ml tub. This information has been adapted from the website: www.simplyicecream.co.uk Wallis Simpson, J (2012) The Secret of Great Ice-Cream. The Telegraph. [online]. 10 September 2012. Available at http://www.telegraph.co.uk/foodanddrink/9533348/The-secret-of-great-ice-cream.html[Accessed 5 January 2017] Assignment Tasks: The assignment must be presented as an academic report. You must complete all of the tasks listed below: Write an academic report which outlines: 1. Identify one country (outside of the EU) which Simply Ice Cream could trade with. You must include justification and evidence to support your chosen country. Identify two external environment factors, currently occurring, in 2017, which are specifically creating an opportunity for Simply Ice Cream to trade with your chosen country. These must be specific and not generic factors. You must include justification and evidence/referencing to support your chosen country. 2. The market entry strategy the organisation will need to employ to trade internationally, in your chosen country. You must include justification and evidence/referencing to support your choice of stratergy. 3. Conduct a force-field analysis, relating to your chosen country, identifying 3 drivers and 3 resisters of change. You must include evidence to support your choice. 4. A process map of the new production, distrubution and sales process to be undertaken to trade, in your chosen country. 5. Identify the current organisational culture of the business (using an appropriate model/theory). Using Hofstede’s cultural (2009) dimensions theory, identify one cultural difference between your chosen country’s national culture and the UK national culture. Identify one area of the current organisational culture which will need to change as a result of the identified national cultural difference. You must justify and evidence why the change is required. 6. Identify and justify one people management task, you will introduce to improve productivity and ensure business success of Simply Ice Cream. You must justify your choice of task and relate to relevant theory. You must include justification and evidence to support your decisions, throughout the report. Within your report, you must ensure you make coherent arguments, with supporting referencing. Reference Hofstede, G (2009) Geert Hofstede Cultural Dimensions. [online] Available at: https://geert-hofstede.com/national-culture.html [accessed 5 January 2017] You must complete all the tasks • An academic business report of 3,000 word limit, with referencing • You must produce your assignment in an academic report format • 1 ½ line spacing – minimum font 12 • Referenced appropriately using the Harvard referencing method. • Word Count 3000 (-/+ 10%) Learning Outcomes The learning outcomes being addressed through this assignment are: a. Understand where specific roles fit within an organisation. c. Understand why managing people is important to business success. e. Developing an understanding of how to trade internationally. f. Understand practical aspects in effective people management. g. Develop an awareness of organisational culture and the role of individuals within it. i. How to carry out process mapping to share information effectively.   Assessment Breakdown GRADE CRITERIA: These are the criteria required to achieve each classification: An outstanding Distinction A+ Work which fulfils all the criteria of the grade below, but at an exceptional standard A very strong Distinction A Work of distinguished quality which is based on a rigorous and detailed knowledge base, including major theories of the discipline(s) and awareness of the variety of ideas, contexts and frameworks and wider implications. Work will demonstrate sustained ability to analyse, synthesise, evaluate and interpret concepts, principles and data within field of study in a considered manner, as well as to develop convincing arguments and judgements appropriate to the field of study/ assessment task. There will be strong evidence of competence across a range of specialised skills using them to plan, develop and evaluate problem solving strategies, to challenge received opinion and develop own judgements. Clear evidence of capability to operate autonomously and self-evaluate in situations of varying complexity and predictability, but within defined guidelines will be demonstrated. Outputs will be communicated effectively, accurately and reliably. A clear Distinction A- Work of very good quality which displays most but not all of the criteria for the grade above. A Distinction B+ Work of highly commendable quality which clearly fulfils the criteria for the grade below, but shows a greater degree of capability in relevant intellectual/subject/key skills. A very strong Merit B Work of commendable quality based on a strong detailed knowledge base for the field of study, including an assured grasp of concepts, principles and major theories, together with effective deployment of skills relevant to the discipline and assessment task. There will be evidence of considered analysis, synthesis, evaluation and application, and the ability to work effectively with minimum direction to meet defined objectives and develop own judgements. There will be consistent evidence of capability in all relevant subject based and key skills, including the ability to self-evaluate and work autonomously with minimal direction to use effectively a range of techniques in situations of varying complexity and predictability. A strong Merit B- Work of good quality which contains most, but not all of the characteristics of the grade above. A clear Merit C+ Work which clearly fulfils all the criteria of the grade below, but shows a greater degree of capability in relevant intellectual/subject/key skills. A Merit C Work of sound quality based on a firm factual/ conceptual knowledge base for the field of study, including a good grasp of relevant theories, together with the ability to organise and communicate effectively. The work may be rather standard and limited in its theoretical grasp, but will be mostly accurate and provide some evidence of the ability to analyse, synthesise, evaluate and apply standard methods/techniques, with minimal guidance. There will be no serious omissions or inaccuracies. There will be good evidence of ability to take responsibility for own learning, some capability to challenge received opinion and form own judgements. Evidence of the ability to operate with increased autonomy in situations of varying complexity and predictability, selecting and applying appropriate techniques will be demonstrated within limits. There will be competence in relevant key skills. A very strong Pass C- Work of capable quality which contains some of the characteristics of grade above. A strong Pass D+ Work of satisfactory quality demonstrating a reliable knowledge base and evidence of developed key skills and/or subject based skills, but still containing limited evidence of analysis, synthesis, evaluation or application, or of appropriate detail or skill application. A Pass D Work of broadly satisfactory quality covering adequately the factual and/or conceptual knowledge base of the field of study and some key theories, appropriately presented and organised, but is primarily descriptive or derivative, with only occasional evidence of analysis, synthesis, evaluation or application. There may be some misunderstanding of key concepts/principles/theories and limitations in the ability to select relevant material or techniques and/or in communication or other relevant skills, so that the work may include some errors, omissions or irrelevancies. There will be evidence of ability to operate with some autonomy in predictable contexts, but less evidence of ability to operate in more complex or unpredictable situations. However, there will be evidence of ability to use a variety of standard techniques, and to meet threshold standards in relevant key skills. A bare Pass D- Work of bare pass standard demonstrating some familiarity with and grasp of a factual/conceptual and theoretical knowledge base for the field of study, together with evidence of some ability to employ specialist skills to solve problems within area of study, but only just meeting threshold standards in e.g. evaluation and interpretation of data and information, reasoning and soundness of judgment, communication, application, or quality of outputs. Work may be characterised by some significant errors, omissions, limitations or problems, but there will be sufficient evidence of development and competence to operate in varied contexts taking responsibility for the nature and quality of outputs. A marginal Fail F+ Work which indicates some evidence of engagement with area of study in relation to acquisition of knowledge and understanding of concepts, principles and theories, and of specialist skills, but which is essentially misinterpreted, misapplied and/or contains some significant omission or misunderstanding, or otherwise just fails to meet threshold standards in e.g. communication, application or quality of outputs. A Fail F Work that falls well short of the threshold standards in relation to one or more area of knowledge, intellectual, subject based or key skills. It may address the assessment task to some extent, or include evidence of successful engagement with some of the subject matter, but such satisfactory characteristics will be clearly outweighed by major deficiencies across remaining areas. A comprehensive Fail F- Work of poor quality which is based on only minimal understanding, application or effort. It will offer only very limited evidence of familiarity with knowledge or skills appropriate to the field of study or task and/or demonstrate inadequate capability in key skills essential to the task concerned. Non-submission/Nil attempt G Nothing presented.