Corporate Finance
Format MLA Volume of 12 pages (3300 words) Corporate Finance Assignment Required Learning Outcomes Assessed Critical approach to sources: Problem solving, application of theory to issues and practice: Presentation: This includes consideration of general presentation issues such as the inclusions of a sensible introduction, page layout, use of paragraphs, accurate spelling, fluency of language and compliance with presentation instructions. The presentation of citations in the text and accurate referencing must also be in the correct format. If you cite sources in the text and do not include them in the list of references, the assumption will be made that you have not in fact consulted these sources but have copied material from another text which included them. This is plagiarism and attracts severe penalties. It is therefore essential that you check your text very carefully to ensure that all citations are listed as references. [12 marks]. Presenting Coursework for Assessment Assignment Length
Assignment type : Essay
Objectives
The Coursework Assignment Accounts for 80% of the Marks for this Module.
This Assignment Asks you to write an essay Comprising a Literature Review Assessing the Impact of Activist Investors on the Performance of Companies and an Application of your Understanding to Actual Companies.
The ASSIGNMENT REQUIRES:
1.Critical Reading of Peer-Reviewed Academic Articles;
2.Developing and Demonstrating an Understanding of the Topic Area of the Goals of Financial Management and of Companies Generally;
3.Applying Theoretical Understanding to the Analysis of Cases of Companies Listed on Major Stock Exchanges
Assignment Task
An Activist Investor has Contacted a Public Company and Suggested that they Take Urgent Action to Increase Shareholder Value. Discuss the Influence of Activist Investors on the Performance of Companies.
i. PREPARE a CRITICAL LITERATURE REVIEW on CORPORATE PURPOSE and the IMPACTS of ACTIVIST INVESTORS ON COMPANY MANAGEMENT and SHAREHOLDER VALUE.
ii. Find RECENT EXAMPLES OF LISTED COMPANIES DEALING WITH ISSUES OF ACTIVIST INVESTORS WHICH COULD SERVE TO ILLUSTRATE the VIEWS DISCUSSED in YOUR LITERATURE REVIEW.
iii. DISCUSS the INFLUENCE of ACTIVIST INVESTORS on the PERFORMANCE OF ACTUAL COMPANIES.
You should use a MINIMUM of Eight High Quality Academic Articles in Addition to OTHER Research for your Essay. You should Research and Discuss a MINIMUM OF TWO PUBLIC COMPANY TO ILLUSTRATE THE APPLICATION OF THEORY IN PRACTICE.
1.Discuss the Theoretical Models of Financial Management
2.Apply Theoretical Understanding to Practical Problems
3.Evaluate Financial Decisions made by Company Management
Assessment criteria
Use of literature:
A very good piece of work should show up-to-date, comprehensive and detailed knowledge of the subject area and where appropriate relevant literature that integrates theory with practice.
The extent and quality of your sources will be assessed. You are expected to demonstrate that you have undertaken an independent literature search so your list of references should include more than the sources to which you have been directed by the suggested reading. You are also expected to be able to distinguish authoritative sources: these are books and journal articles which have academic authority. You are expected to review journal articles, textbooks, trade journals and newspapers and professional publications and websites if relevant but should not comprise the majority of your references. [28 marks].
A very good piece of work must show the student can effectively critically review evidence, draw conclusions and suggest ideas to enhance organisational processes and/or theory whilst recognising contextual limitations.
Your ability to reflect on the literature you have read will be assessed. You should be able to identify similarities and differences between authors’ arguments and methods and to use such comparisons to support your arguments. You should be able to demonstrate your own thinking where the questions set require this by presenting an argument and supporting it by reference to evidence that you have collected. You should draw conclusions that are logically connected to your argument. [30 marks]
A very good piece of work will show the student has developed his/her own ideas based on a wide range of evidence that has been thoroughly analysed, applied and discussed. The work should be entirely focused on the assignment question and objectives.
Your ability to demonstrate understanding of issues raised in the literature, including methodological issues, will be assessed, primarily in your approach to answering the questions set. Your discussion of the issues posed in the question should reflect your understanding: you should be able to present an argument, outlining alternative views (derived from your reading) and presenting evidence that supports these and arriving at a conclusion which you have justified from the literature and from examples. Your answer to the question should be clearly focused: read the question carefully and refer back to it frequently while writing your answer to ensure that you are not wandering off the point and including irrelevant material. [30 marks]
The assignment must be presented professionally, communicate key messages and arguments with convincing substantiation and contain accurate referencing in appropriate format.
Your assignment must be presented in the following format:
It must be word-processed in 11 point Arial font and 1.5 line spaced
All pages must be numbered
Margins must be as follows: Top: 1 inch, Bottom: 1 inch (2.5 cm), Left: 1.25 inches, Right: 1.25 inches (3.2 cm)
It should not contain your name(s)
YOUR ASSIGHNMENT SHOULD NOT EXCEED 3,000 WORDS EXCLUDING the LIST of References and Appendices.
YOUR ASSIGHNMENT SHOULD NOT EXCEED 3,000 WORDS EXCLUDING the LIST of References and Appendices
Referencing
It is EXPECTED at this Level that Referencing will be Complete and Accurate, using the Harvard Method.