Humanitarian Supply Chains 2023-2024
MSc Logistics and Operations Management; MSc Sustainable Supply Chain Management
BST 833 – Humanitarian Supply Chains
COURSEWORK
You will observe both from the material presented in the lectures and your wider reading that there a wide range of issues that need to be addressed in operating supply chains for humanitarian aid under crisis conditions. The aim of this assignment is to provide you with an opportunity to analyse issues impacting on humanitarian supply chains, and you should reflect on the ideas and concepts covered during the module.
. The assessment takes the form of an extended essay which accounts for 100% of the module mark.
. Your essay must be submitted through the electronic submission process by 11.00am on 2nd May 2024.
. The coursework should be identifiable – Information on the frontispiece should include Course Title, Module Title, Name, Student number, Title of the coursework.
Assessment Expectations
. In the essay you are expected to discuss the relevant concepts and approaches which underpin effective management of humanitarian supply chains.
. You must provide a reasoned, critical and analytical answer to the subject under consideration.
. It is a serious academic offence to plagiarise the work of another author including another
student. Students who commit such an offence will be subject to disciplinary proceedings. It is generally easy to identify material that has been plagiarised. Any instances will be reported to the Unfair Practice Coordinator. For further information, please see the unfair practice booklet issued at enrolment.
. Students who fail to submit on the required date and time without extenuating circumstances which are accepted as valid will receive a mark of zero.
. Students who consider that they require an extension to the submission date for their coursework must submit a request for an extension to the Postgraduate Hub. The request will then be considered by the Chair of the Board of Examiners. Only the Chair of the Board of Examiners can grant an extension and for a maximum of one month. Requests for longer extensions are considered by the Director of Assessment and Feedback. Extenuating circumstance issues are considered by the Extenuating Circumstances Committee.
. Students whose extenuating circumstances are accepted as valid will be permitted to submit their coursework by the date specified by the Chairman of the Board of Examiners and in such
circumstances will not suffer any penalty. Students who fail to submit by the revised date will receive a mark of zero.
. All written work should be thoroughly researched with all sources and references fully
acknowledged. Guides on referencing are available from the library. Information is also provided on Learning Central.
Assessment Criteria
The criteria used to mark your assignments are as follows:
. Length: The essay should be no more than 3,000 words in length. The essay should be properly referenced by means of in-text sourcing and the provision of a full bibliography. At the end of the essay, you must state the amount of words. A substantial shortfall or exceeding of the word limit may result in a deduction from your mark. Substantial is defined as 10% either side of the 3,000 word limit.
. Structure: The essay must take the form of a structured argument and relates to the organisation of the work, especially whether it has an introduction, argument and conclusion, and whether or not it is written in an organised manner and referenced correctly.
. It is suggested that the following sections are included in your essay:
1. Cover Page
2. Contents Page (not included in word count)
3. You should structure each section of the essay into introduction, main body and conclusion.
4. Reference List (not included in word count)
5. Appendices (optional) (not included in word count)
. Style/neatness/legibility: this will reflect the effort put into communicating your points effectively, of which presentation forms only a small part.
. Referencing/Bibliography: illustrates how well you have used your own words in the discussion rather than reproducing lecture notes or reading material. Poor referencing or plagiarism will be strongly penalised.
. Accuracy: Indicates whether your material accurately represents the subject under discussion.
. Evidence of reading/research: Constructive use of reading material and further research beyond material given in the lectures is required. Essays which simply repeat lecture headings are unlikely to attain high marks.
. Quality of Arguments / Evaluation: Your work should show understanding of the topic and your ability to provide a critical discussion of the subject matter. Whether or not your work shows understanding of the topic will be reflected in the overall grade.
Coursework
. Using examples from humanitarian crisis events of your choice, identify and critically analyse five key challenges facing logistics and supply chain management in providing effective responses to disasters. You should include in the discussion your reasoning as to why you have chosen these over other potential challenges.
. Note: It is recommended that you use cases where all phases of the response are largely complete as current crises may not offer sufficient evidence to be able to discuss the identified challenges in depth.
. Your essay should be supported by maps, diagrams, and tables where appropriate. A full reference list is required. These do not contribute to the overall word count, but their quality will be taken into account for the overall mark.
. For technical, presentational and plagiarism matters, you should refer to the coursework guidelines issued separately.