MGTS1301 Introduction to Management - Assignment Guidance

Sustainability Elective: ACCT2103

ACCT2103 Sustainability Reporting and Assurance will be available from semester 2, 2025 (Pre-requisite: ACCT1110 or ACCT1101).
Why select this course?
- "Sustainability (inc. climate change) literacy" is a necessary skill set & will give you an edge when you graduate.
- Be able to use sustainability data for decision-making.
- Understand terms like:
  - Greenwashing
  - Net zero
  - Carbon neutral
  - AASB S2 Climate-related disclosures (mandatory from 2026)
  - Mitigation vs adaptation
  - Transition risk
  - Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)
  - Sustainability
  - No net loss of biodiversity
  - Modern slavery
  - Assurance
Calling all students with a passion to become “sustainability and climate literate” so that you can use sustainability data for decision-making for the future.

Learning Objectives MGTS1301 Introduction to Management

Apply theory and research evidence of management to practical situations.
Evaluate the effectiveness of managerial decisions in the context of an organisation’s ethical and social responsibilities.

Management Problem Report

Step 1: Choose an ethical problem facing managers (choose from the list or talk about your own topic).
- Examples:
  - Qantas selling flights that did not exist.
  - PwC leaking Australian Government tax plans to help corporations avoid a law they had themselves helped to write.
  - Optus outage leading to financial losses for small businesses and people unable to access emergency services.
  - Open AI infringing the copywrite of content creators (including the New York Times) when using material to train ChatGPT.
Step 2: Search for five news articles concerning your ethical problem facing managers.
- Use the news articles to identify one or two ethical principle/s related to your problem.
  - E.g., integrity, honesty, misleading or deceptive conduct, breach of confidentiality, professional values, fairness, equity, reciprocity, unethical accounting, technological abuse, data privacy, human rights, rights of nature, discrimination, harassment, health and safety, favouritism, nepotism, whistleblowing, corporate espionage, surveillance, environmental responsibility, insider trading, negative consequences, intellectual property rights, greenwashing.
- Use the news articles to identify the aspect of the problem that managers are responsible for.
  - E.g., the relevance of the issue to one of the functions of management: planning, controlling, leading, or organising.
Step 3: Search for three journal articles related to ethics.
- Use the ethical principle/s as search terms to locate journal articles in ABDC-listed journals.
- Journal articles should be relevant to the ethical component of your problem (e.g., relevant to one or more of the ethical principles on the previous slide).
- The journal article will generally not refer to the exact company or context you are focusing on.
  - For example, if you are focusing on Qantas selling flights that did not exist, you might find journal articles that discuss misleading or deceptive conduct.
  - If you are focusing on PwC leaking Australian Government tax plans, you might find journal articles that discuss breach of confidentiality.
Step 4: Write up your assignment using the template in the online module:
- Introduction (150 words)
- Ethical problem facing managers (450 words)
- Summary of journal articles (450 words)
- Application of journal articles to the ethical problem facing managers (600 words)
- Recommendations (350 words)
- References (APA 7th)
- Appendix (Screenshot of journal articles)

Assignment Rubric

Criteria 1: Quality of the introduction (5%)
- Below Expectation:
  - The introduction includes less than two of the following: 1) the ethical problem facing managers, 2) the focus of the three journal articles, 3) the three recommendations.
- Meets expectations:
  - The introduction includes at least two of the following: 1) the ethical problem facing managers, 2) the focus of the three journal articles, 3) the three recommendations.
- Good:
  - The introduction includes all the following: 1) the ethical problem facing managers, 2) the focus of the three journal articles, 3) the three recommendations. The ethical problem, focus of the journal articles and recommendations are present but may not be labelled or immediately obvious to the reader.
- Excellent:
  - The introduction provides a clear and succinct summary of all the following: 1) the ethical problem facing managers, 2) the focus of the three journal articles, 3) the three recommendations. The ethical problem, focus of the journal articles and recommendations are clearly labelled and immediately obvious to the reader.
Criteria 2: Demonstrated understanding of an ethical problem facing managers (20%)
- Below Expectation:
  - A description of an ethical problem facing managers is absent or unclear. Details relevant to the ethical problem facing managers are missing or inconsistent with what is reported in the news articles. The connection to ethics and one function of management is missing. Less than five news articles are included. News articles are not cited correctly.
- Meets expectations:
  - News articles are used to describe an ethical problem facing managers. Specific organisations, people and/or details relevant to the ethical problem facing managers may be missing. The connection to ethics and one function of management is vague or lacking justification. Multiple ethical issues or functions of management may be present. At least five news articles are included, and in-text citations are correct.
- Good:
  - News articles are used to clearly describe an ethical problem facing managers. Specific organisations, people and/or details are included and are consistent with what is reported in the news articles. The connection to ethics and one function of management is present. At least five news articles are included, and in-text citations are correct.
- Excellent:
  - News articles are used to comprehensively explain a single ethical problem facing managers. Specific organisations, people and/or details are highly relevant to the ethical problem facing managers and are consistent with what is reported in the news articles. The connection to ethics and one function of management is clear and justified. The focus is clearly on the ethical problem and not the function of management. At least five relevant news articles are included, and in-text citations are correct.
Criteria 3: Demonstrated understanding of journal articles related to ethics (25%)
- Below Expectation:
  - The research question and findings of each journal article are absent or unclear. All three articles are not relevant to ethics and/or are not published in approved journals.
- Meets expectations:
  - A description of the research question and findings are present for each journal article. One or two of the articles are somewhat relevant to ethics and are published in an approved journal. This section may include application.
- Good:
  - A key insight from each journal article is summarised. All three articles are relevant to ethics and are published in approved journals. This section summarises the journal article and does not include application.
- Excellent:
  - A key insight from each journal article is explicitly mentioned and comprehensively summarised. All three articles are clearly relevant to the ethical problem facing managers identified in Section 2 and are published in approved journals. This section summarises the journal article and does not include application.
Criteria 4: Depth of application of journal articles to the management problem related to ethics (25%)
- Below Expectation:
  - Application fails to correctly reference news articles and journal articles. This section did not apply insights from the journal articles to the ethical problem facing managers.
- Meets expectations:
  - Application correctly references news articles and journal articles. Insights from the journal articles are superficially applied to the ethical problem facing managers.
- Good:
  - Application correctly references both news articles and journal articles. Insights from the journal articles are applied to explain the causes of the ethical problem facing managers.
- Excellent:
  - Application correctly references and integrates insights from news articles and journal articles. Key insights from the journal articles are insightfully and/or critically to applied to explain the causes of the ethical problem facing managers.
Criteria 5: Quality of the recommendations (20%)
- Below Expectation:
  - Recommendations are missing or unclear. Less than three or more than three recommendations are provided. Citations for journal articles may be missing or incorrect.
- Meets expectations:
  - Three recommendations are included. It is unclear how the recommendation/s are related to the application section and/or the journal articles. Journal articles are cited correctly.
- Good:
  - Three recommendations are included. Recommendations are clearly labelled and address the causes of the ethical problem identified in the application section. Journal articles are cited correctly.
- Excellent:
  - The three recommendations flow logically from the application section. Recommendations are clearly labelled and explicitly address the causes of the ethical problem identified in the application section. Recommendations are insightful, directed to a relevant audience and seem actionable by a real manager or organisation. Journal articles are cited correctly.
Criteria 6: Quality of the student's writing (5%)
- Below Expectation:
  - The writing style makes it difficult for the reader to follow the student's arguments. The assignment contains numerous errors in grammar, punctuation, spelling and formatting. The assignment is too short (word count). No or very few references and citations provided. Student did not use template provided.
- Meets expectations:
  - The writing style makes it reasonably easy to follow the student's arguments, although on occasion the language is imprecise or too informal. Some errors in grammar, punctuation, spelling, formatting, and/or length (over or under word count). The reference list is correctly formatted according to the assignment instructions, with some inconsistencies. Student uses the template provided, but with some minor modifications.
- Good:
  - The writing style is clear and appropriate to the task. Few errors in grammar, punctuation, spelling, or formatting. Appropriate word length. The reference list is correctly formatted according to the assignment instructions. Student uses template provided.
- Excellent:
  - The writing style is exceptionally clear and precise and flowed well as a whole. Almost no errors in grammar, punctuation, spelling or formatting. Appropriate word length. The reference list is correctly formatted according to the assignment instructions. Student uses template provided.

Assignment Timeline

Week 4: Read the assignment guidance module and attend/watch the seminar on the assignment.
Week 5: Choose your topic and find five newspaper articles on your topic. Draft Section 2 of your assignment.
Week 6: Find the three journal articles for your assignment (this can take some time). Read the journal articles and identify the key insight relevant to your issue. Draft Section 3 of your assignment.
Week 7: Draft Sections 4, 5 and 1 of your assignment. Include screenshots of the journal articles in your appendix. Last chance for questions and consultation.
Week 8: Revise, proofread and reference your assignment. Submit your assignment Monday 14 April.

Assignment Help

Please read the online module and course discussion board before asking a question.
Please direct assignment questions to the Course Coordinator, Gemma Irving.
Gemma can help you workshop your ethical problem facing managers, apply your journal articles to your issue and create your recommendations.
- Come to consultation (Tuesdays 12:00 to 1:00 on Zoom: https://uqz.zoom.us/j/6291513287)
- See after the seminar
- Discussion board on blackboard
- Email mgts1301@business.uq.edu.au

Tutor Consultations (Week 5)

Designed for students who need help getting started.
Choose an ethical problem facing managers from the list of topics (or talk to coordinator about your own topic) before attending a tutor consultation.
In Week 5 only tutors can help you to:
- Identify a topic
- Link your topic to an ethical principle
- Link your topic to a management function
- Find newspaper articles using online newspapers or Factiva.
Consultation Schedule:
- Cristina: Monday 24/3/25, 13:30 to 14:30, 39-115 Tutor Hot Desk 5.
- Kamran: Monday 24/3/25, 14:00 to 14:50, 39A-430 Tutor Hot Desk 2.
- Gemma: Tuesday 25/3/25, 12:00 to 13:00, https://uqz.zoom.us/j/81961693001
- Stuart: Wednesday 26/3/25, 10:00 to 11:00, https://uqz.zoom.us/j/83478538695
- Aunty Roma: Wednesday 26/3/25, 13:30 to 14:30, 39-115 HD3 Tutor Hot Desk 3.
- Corene: Thursday 27/3/25, 10:00 to 11:00, 39-115 HD5 Tutor Hot Desk 5.
- Jemaine: Thursday 27/3/25, 12:00 to 13:00, https://uqz.zoom.us/j/81504911868
- Paul: Thursday 27/3/25, 12:00 to 13:00, 37-413 Desk 7
- Kohinur: Friday 28/3/25, 11:00 to 12:00, 37-417

Assignment Research: Finding Scholarly Journal Articles and Newspaper Articles

Planning your search
Where to search
Finding newspaper articles
Finding journal articles on the ABDC list
Referencing

The Research Process

Define your topic
- Identify topic
- Identify angle on the topic
Do some background reading
- e.g. Textbooks, lecture notes; course reading list; encyclopaedias
- Brainstorm synonyms
- Library Search
Plan your search strategy
- Truncation and phrases
Find relevant journal articles
- Journal article databases
Evaluate your information
- From an approved journal?
- News and media sources
  - Relevant, accurate and credible?
Cite Correctly
- Reference using APA 7th
- Use connecting words

Planning Your Search - Creating a Search Strategy

Plan your search with SKILL
- Summarise
  - Test your understanding of your assignment topic by summarising it in your own words
- Keywords
  - After you have summarised the topic, identify the keywords and phrases that are the most important.
- Identify
  - Not all of the relevant literature will use exactly the same keyword.
  - Identify synonyms and alternative keywords:
- Link
  - Think about how you will use your keywords and phrases to construct a search. For instance, you might use a combination of Boolean Operators, Phrase searching, and Proximity searching
- Locate and evaluate
  - Locate and evaluate your results. Too many or too few results means you need to revise your search strategy.
- Extra resources:
  - Find quality information
  - Search strategy planner (PDF)
  - Search strategy planner (interactive version)

Example: Supermarket Price Gouging

Summarise your topic: Supermarket price gouging
Identify your keywords and brainstorm synonyms:
- Keywords
  - supermarket
  - price
  - gouging
- Synonyms & related terms
  - Coles
  - Woolworths
  - retail prices
  - product
  - fixing

Connectors (Boolean operators)

Connectors (also called Boolean operators) are used to combine search terms.
The main connectors: AND & OR.
They help the database interpret the relationship between your search terms.
AND = both terms must appear in articles
- For example: equity AND “remote work” must be found in the same article
OR = either term or both can appear in articles
- For example: inclusion OR “social inclusion” – either word can appear in the article

Wildcards, Truncation and Phrase Searching

Wildcards
- ? – where a single letter within a word might vary
  - e.g. organi?ation - retrieves both organisation or organization
Truncation
- * – finds all variable endings to a word
  - e.g. inclus*- finds inclusive, inclusion, inclusivity, inclusiveness
Phrase searching
- “ ”– words are found in the order typed
  - e.g. “remote work”
Note: not all databases use the same wildcard and truncation symbols.
Check the Search help in each database.
See the Library’s Find quality information page for more.

Linking your keywords and synonyms with operators

Example searches:
- supermarket AND (price OR “retail price”) AND (goug OR fix*)
- (coles OR woolworths) AND (“price goug* OR “price fix*”)
- (coles OR woolworths) AND (goug* OR fix*)
- (“price goug* OR “price fix*)
Concept 1
- Keywords & Synonyms
  - supermarket* OR Coles OR Woolworths
Concept 2
- Keywords & Synonyms
  - price* OR “retail price” OR “product price”
Concept 3
- Keywords & Synonyms
  - goug* OR fix*

Where to Search?

Library search:
- is an aggregator, like Google. It searches across the Library’s whole collection. Good for general research, always use Library search as your starting point.
- Use filters to find articles from specific journals.
- Search for the titles of journals to see if the Library subscribes to them. Located on the Library Homepage
Databases
- Collections of resources & information used for research
- May be interdisciplinary or specialised
- May contain a range of different resources, such as academic or peer-reviewed journal articles, book chapters, patents & newspaper articles
- Many link to full text articles, but some only provide title and abstract information.
Resources:
- Academic journal articles
- Trade journals
- Newspaper articles
- Book reviews
- Books & eBooks
- Video & sound
- Case studies
- Conference papers
- Industry & market data
- Statistics

Finding Databases: Subject Guides

Use the Management subject guide.
Key databases for Management recommended on the guide are:
- ABI/INFORM collection
- Business source complete
- Emerald insight
- Factiva

ABDC Journal List

Australian Business Dean’s Council - list of high quality journals for business
https://abdc.edu.au/research/abdc-journal-quality-list/
Enter the name of a journal in the "Search" bar to see if your journal is on the ABDC list.
Note: the Harvard Business review has a rating of "A" and is the Field of Research: 3507
Filter journals to the Field of Research – 3507 Strategy, management and organisational behaviour
Enter the Field of research code – 3507 and click on "Filter"

Using Library Search to Find Articles on the ABDC List

General Library search:
1. Search by topic
2. Refine results by journal title
3. Select the journals that are on the ABDC list
Advanced Library search:
1. Search by topic
2. Add the journal title or titles
3. Limit by Content type: Articles
  - You can add more than one journal title with an OR e.g.: “Academy of management journal” OR “Journal of Business Ethics”

Searching Within a Journal on the ABDC List

Search for the journal title in the Library search.
The record will take you to the database that holds that journal.
Search within this publication using keywords to find relevant articles.

Using Databases to Finding Journal Articles on the ABDC List

Search the database using keywords
Use filters to limit to specific journals (filters may be called – Publication, Source, or Journal title)
You will have to check if the titles are on the ABDC list before you select it
Video - Searching for articles in journals on the ABDC approved list. (3m49s)

Business Source Complete

Search by keywords
Change display to rank by “relevance”.
Filter the results to:
- peer reviewed
- journal titles (Publication)

ABI/Inform

Search by keywords
Select Peer reviewed
Filter the results by Publication title

Videos on Searching for Journals on the ABDC List

[Entity Name] ABDC list searching playlist
- Part 1: Filter ABDC list by 1503 Management Field of Research (FoR) code. Note: Management FoR code is now 3507 –Strategy, management and organisational behaviour
- Part 2: Library Search - Limiting to Articles on the ABDC List
- Part 3: Searching within an ABDC List Journal
- Part 4: How to find Business Databases
- Part 5: Searching Databases for Journal Articles on the ABDC List
- Part 6: Cited Reference Searching

Finding Newspaper Articles

Library search
- Advanced search - limit to Content type > Newspaper articles

Factiva database

Add search terms in the Search Form field.
Set the date range and region.
Add a newspaper title or search the whole database.
Advice: select a region in the Source section to find news articles from Australian newspapers.
Learn to Keyword search within Factiva
Factiva guide News and Newspaper guide
Sort by:
- Relevance
- Companies
- Subjects
- Industries
Click on the title of an article to read the full text.

When Should You Reference?

You need to acknowledge your use of other sources in your assignment with references for:

direct quotes
information from several sources expressed in your own words
someone else's ideas, even if you paraphrase them
part or all of someone else's design
an image, figure, diagram or table from someone else's work
information from the Internet, or any electronic media
information from oral communication with others
when citing a legal authority.
You do NOT need to acknowledge anything that is:
common knowledge (either general, or specific to a certain field of study)
your own original ideas, results of experiments and illustrations you have created
your linking text that organises your writing and supports your 'story'.

Referencing Style

The UQ Referencing style guides show you how to create and format your references in your chosen referencing style as well as adding in-text references within your document.
Your recommended referencing style guides for MGTS1301 is APA 7th
- Watch an Introduction to referencing (YouTube, 3m41s)
- Read Write, Cite and Submit (from Digital Essentials)

What is Referencing?

Referencing has two parts:
1. In-text Citations
  - You use a few basic details your in-text citations.
2. A Reference List Entry
  - You use all of the details in the Reference List Entry.

APA 7th In-Text Citations - Examples

Multiple sources cited together (note all are single author publications)
Secondary source citation including page number
Citation of a work with three or more authors
Citation of a work with two authors (note use of the ampersand “&”)

Changing Your Reference into the Right Citation Style Format – Journal Article

Healy, P. M., & Palepu, K. G. (2003). The fall of Enron. The Journal of Economic Perspectives, 17(2), 3–26. https://doi.org/10.1257/089533003765888403
1. Reference found in Library Search
2. Check referencing style guide e.g. APA 7th – journal article – 2 authors
3. Follow format of referencing style guide to place citation elements in the correct order e.g. APA 7th

Changing Your Reference into the Right Citation Style Format – Newspaper Article

Leibler, J. (2018, May 11). Our defamation laws might have let Enron get away with it. The Australian Financial Review.
1. Reference found in Library search
2. Check referencing style guide e.g. APA 7th – newspaper article
3. Follow format of referencing style guide to place citation elements in the correct order e.g. APA 7th

Getting More Help

Contact the team at Librarians@library.uq.edu.au
Book an appointment with a Faculty Services Librarian.
Contact the AskUs service via
- Chat
- Email
- Phone
- In-person at one of our AskUs service desks.

Next Week MGTS1301 Introduction to Management

Online Module
- Planning and Controlling Seminar
- Planning and Controlling Tutorial
- Ethics and Social Inclusion
Please read the case study on ChatGPT
Full practice run of the team-based tutorial model