Introduction to Business Law – SBM3104
Semester 3 - 2016
Assessment Item 1 – Essay
Rationale
Essays test a student’s ability to assess information, formulate arguments, and critically evaluate different alternatives to issues or problems.
Instructions
1. Date due: 5:00 pm, 6 January 2017
2. Value: 20%
3. In this assessment students must write a 2000-word essay based on the scenario below.
SCENARIO
Samantha, Monika and Matthew are international students studying at three different Colleges in Melbourne. They all live in the same shared accommodation in North Melbourne. Samantha has always been passionate about running her own business than working for an employer, and she is currently exploring business ideas, and her current study in Master of Business Administration is contributing to her increasing desire to run her own business. Monika has been working for MyHomeClean which is a Melbourne based cleaning company specializing in domestic cleaning. Monika has gained experience in domestic cleaning working for MyHomeClean. Matthew was a carpet cleaner for more than three years while he was in his home country in the UK. They all plan to stay longer in Melbourne after they finish their studies.
Samantha shared her desire to run her own business, and Monika and Matthew suggested that from their experience domestic cleaning is a good business and it is in high demand in
Melbourne. Matthew suggested he will be the main carpet cleaner, and Monika will be
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the main domestic cleaner. Both Monika and Matthew are keen to be their own boss, and they are glad Samantha is bringing the idea of running business. Samantha is sure that she wants to run her own business, and she is happy with the idea of domestic cleaning business and its profitability. However, Samantha is not sure if she wants to start the business with Matthew and Monika or independently by herself.
Task
Based on the above scenario, in an essay format, and in a comparative way, explain to Samantha the advantages and disadvantages of the different business structures such as Sole-trader, Partnership, Joint venture, Franchise, and Company.
Guidance on Essay writing
While there is no specific format required for essays they will generally be assessed against the following criteria:
Marking Criteria
1. Relevance to the topic –Are all of the important issues required of the question addressed? Did the student answer the questions/s?
2. Critical analysis – Has reference material been carefully analysed or critically accepted/refuted and explained in the student’s own words?
3. Extent of reading – Does the answer indicate a satisfactory coverage of literature relevant to the question?
4. Logical structure – Is the answer well-structured and the argument logically developed? Does the essay have an introduction (essay plan/synopsis), body, and conclusion?
5. Writing style/grammar – Is the style concise and lucid or confused, making it difficult for the reader to get the point? There should not be any spelling/typing errors.
6. Referencing – Is there a properly presented list of reference material (only those items actually cited in the essay)? Were these items dutifully referenced in the essay?
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