MSc Project Management

Assignment: Project and Contract Risk Management (BUS9044M)

Submission deadline: Friday 12th January 2018

Word limit: 3,000 words (±10%), excluding diagrams, footnotes, appendices, bibliography. State the word count at
the end of the assignment.

Context:

Following the module’s project risk management and contractual law related lectures/seminars coupled with your additional study
on the subject, you should be familiar with the practice, theory and contemporary research within Project Risk Management. You
will also have your own varied professional experiences to draw upon in order to help construct a comprehensive critique of this
complex matter.

Assignment Task:

All the expected learning outcomes will be assessed through the production of a written assignment counting for 70% of the final
mark for the module. You are asked to critically analyse a project and will be required to assess and mitigate its risks according to
project risk management tools and techniques as well as contract law maxims taught within the module.

Consider a project that has been proposed, planned or just recently started and for which you are able to obtain sufficient amount
of information/data. First, identify and categorise any potential risks for the project using a range of available analytical tools. After
assessing the identified inherent risks in more detail, determine and further elaborate on the most critical ones. Provide mitigation
measures for these critical risks, relating them to the overall risk strategy you would envisage for the project. Finally, recommend
how contractual terms and provisions may be utilised to judiciously allocate/mitigate these particular risks or other common risks
arising in such a project. You should aim to allocate circa 1,000 words to the contract law considerations, with the size of other
assignment parts left to your discretion given the emphasis you wish to put. Your standpoint should be balanced and analysis well-

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written, generously complemented with suitable references to the relevant, contemporary literature as well as referring to personal
experiences, observations and insights where appropriate.

Format of Submission:

You should follow the established report format and all referencing must adhere to the Harvard Referencing System. All figures and
tables should be consecutively numbered and captions provided. Do not forget to indicate clearly how many words you have used
in your submission. Do submit only the electronic copy of the assignment via Turnitin®. Please make every effort to submit work by
the due date indicated above. Students are advised not to assume that granting of an extension is a matter of course. Factors such
as standard work pressures, holidays, etc. are not regarded as appropriate reasons for granting extensions. Assignments received
after the deadline (without an approved extension) will be subject to a penalty in line with the College’s policy.

Regulations:

Ensure that you have retained a back-up electronic copy of the assignment submitted. Most importantly, please ensure that you
clearly understand the notion of plagiarism and conform to all the University of Lincoln’s regulations in relation to the submission of
written assignments. When you submit an individual assessment under your name you are understood to be stating that this is your
own work. If a submission is similar to someone else's work, an assumption of cheating may arise. If you are planning on working
with another student, it is acceptable to undertake research together and discuss issues, but it is not advisable to jointly develop or
share solutions unless this is specified by your lecturer. You should take reasonable care that your assignment is not, accidentally
or deliberately, obtained by other students. Note that the content of your reports will be treated as confidential and will only be
accessed by the first/second marker and the external examiner.

Marking Criteria:

The analysis should be based on appropriate and substantial research, which must be evidenced in the assignment. A mere
composition of the past case studies taken straightaway from certain sources without student’s own substantial elaboration, critical
evaluation and synthesis of original recommendations will not be deemed a highly original and contributive work and, consequently,
will attract low marks. The report should be properly presented and referenced, acknowledging all sources used and employing the

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Harvard Referencing System. Along with the usual criteria such as the document’s structure, appropriate use of sub-headings,
logical and smooth flow of argument, language style and the correct use of grammar and punctuation, other more in-depth
performance indicators will be employed (see below).

Skills >70% 60-69% 50-59% < 50%

Use of literature Developed & justified using own Able to critically appraise the Clear evidence & application of Literature either not consulted or
ideas based on a wide range of literature & theory gained from a reading/theory relevant to the subject; irrelevant to assignment set.
sources which have been thoroughly variety of sources, developing use of indicative texts identified.
analysed, applied & discussed. own ideas in the process.

Use of theory Assignment demonstrates Insightful & appropriate selection Most key theories are included in the Inaccurate or inappropriate
integration & innovation in the of content/theory in key areas. work in an appreciated & promotion of content or theory.
selection & handling of theory. straightforward manner.

Critical analysis of Assignment consistently Clear application of theory Demonstrates application of theory Lacks critical
theory demonstrates application of critical through critical analysis & critical through critical analysis of the topic thought/analysis/reference to
analysis & is well integrated into the thought of the topic area. area. theory.
text.

Conceptualisation Able to recognise consistency & Consistent understanding Demonstrates understanding in a style Understanding of the assignment
reconcile inconsistency between demonstrated in a logical, that is mostly logical, coherent & is not apparent.
information, using cognitive & coherent & lucid manner. flowing.
hypothesising skills.

Problem Solving Able to critically analyse many sides of a complex issue & resolve Able to critically analyse simple issues No evidence of attempt to be
information conflicts. Uses a process-centred approach to problem & to recognise conflicts. Evidence critical or to recognise or address
solving/needs assessment activities. apparent of a process approach to informational conflicts. Problem
problem solving/awareness of needs solving/needs assessment is
assessment. absent.

Application of theory Topic applied to personal, social & Well-considered & appropriate Begins to demonstrate appropriate Fails to apply topic to personal,
to practice professional practice, relevant & application of theory to personal, application to personal, social & social & professional practice.
innovative. social & professional practice. professional practice.