MBI908 Assessment 3

Assessment Type : Final Research Report and Presentation
Weighting : 40%

Objective

This assessment is the final and most important part of your capstone project. You will combine all the work you did in Assessment 1 (Research Proposal and Methodology) and Assessment 2 (Ethical and Cultural Analysis Report) to produce a polished final research report and deliver a professional presentation. You will show your ability to critically assess your industry problem, justify your research approach, implement ethical and cultural safeguards, and communicate your findings clearly to both academic and professional audiences.

Assessment Instructions

• This assessment is an open-book activity. You may use your course notes, readings, and any relevant offline or online resources such as textbooks, articles, or industry reports.
• You may ask your tutor if you require further clarification or if any instructions are unclear.
• By completing and submitting this assessment, you confirm that all work is your own and complies with academic integrity and copyright regulations. Please refer to the ‘Academic Misconduct and Authenticity of Assessment Evidence’ section in your Student Handbook for further details.
• Please ensure you complete this assessment by Week 15.
• Grades and feedback will be returned within 15 days of the submission deadline.

Learning Outcomes

LO1: Critically evaluate the applicability of domain-specific knowledge to address a practical industry problem within the context of a selected project.

LO2: Justify the selection of appropriate research methods for data collection and solution development to address a specific project challenge in a professional context.

LO3: Evaluate ethical and cultural issues associated with a selected project to recommend solution strategies.

Graduate Profile Outcomes (GPOs) covered

GPO1: Apply highly specialised knowledge and skills in business information systems and database management systems to solve problems in business analytics and informatics for a business.

GPO2: Apply professional and ethical standards in business informatics to meet industry expectations and demonstrate integrity while adhering to organisational policies.

GPO3: Critically analyse complex business challenges through information technology solutions, the leverage of project management frameworks, creative problem-solving techniques, and strong business acumen.

GPO4: Evaluate the effectiveness of advanced analytical skills in extracting insights from complex datasets and facilitating well-informed business decisions.

Success Criteria

You must meet all the requirements for each of the learning outcomes and score at least 50% to pass this assessment. You are permitted a maximum of three attempts. To fulfil all the requirements of each learning outcome, you must achieve a PASS result for every task item.

Grading:

The final grade will be determined by the score achieved in this assessment, as shown in the following table. Should a second or third attempt be required, the maximum contribution toward the overall mark for tasks requiring a second or third attempt is 50%.

A late submission is considered a second attempt, so the contribution will be capped at 50%.

Submission requirements:

• Submit your final research report in DOCX or PDF format.
• Overall word count: 8,000 to 12,000 words (excluding references, appendices, and tables).
• Your submission must clearly include your name and student ID number.
• The document should be typed, double-spaced, and follow APA citation format for all references.
• Your presentation slides must be submitted as a separate file (PDF or PPTX) alongside your report.
• Your presentation should be 15 to 20 minutes in length and may be delivered in-class or online as directed by your tutor.

Additional Information:

• Your report must clearly build on and integrate the work you completed in Assessment 1 and Assessment 2. Do not copy those submissions word-for-word; refine, expand, and synthesise them into a single cohesive final report.
• You are encouraged to incorporate feedback provided on your previous assessments.
• Include relevant diagrams, tables, figures, or appendices where they add clarity to your findings.
• All references must be properly cited using APA format.

Assessment Tasks

Task 1: Final Research Report — Findings and Solution (40%)

LO1: Critically evaluate the applicability of domain-specific knowledge to address a practical industry problem within the context of a selected project.

LO2: Justify the selection of appropriate research methods for data collection and solution development to address a specific project challenge in a professional context.

This is the core written component of your final assessment. You will produce a comprehensive research report that integrates and extends your work from Assessment 1 and Assessment 2 into a single polished professional document. Your report must clearly demonstrate how domain-specific knowledge has been applied to address a real industry problem, how your chosen research methods guided your investigation, and what solution or recommendations you are proposing.

Requirements

• Industry Problem and Context: Clearly restate and refine your industry problem. Explain why it is significant, who it affects, and what gap or challenge your project addresses. Draw on domain-specific knowledge from your field (e.g., business analytics, healthcare informatics) to justify the relevance of the problem.
• Literature Review Integration: Provide a focused critical review of relevant literature, theories, and frameworks. Demonstrate how existing research supports your approach and identify gaps that your project addresses.
• Research Methodology: Draw from your Assessment 1 submission to present your finalised research methodology. Justify your choice of research methods, data collection approach, and analysis strategy. Explain any refinements made in response to your tutor’s feedback.
• Findings and Analysis: Present your key findings clearly. Use data, evidence, and analysis to support your conclusions. Where applicable, include visualisations, tables, or figures to communicate your results effectively.
• Solution Development: Describe the solution or set of recommendations you are proposing to address the industry problem. Explain how your solution is grounded in your research findings and is feasible for real-world implementation.
• Evaluation of Domain Knowledge: Critically reflect on how the domain-specific knowledge and frameworks you applied were effective in addressing the problem. Identify what worked well and what limitations existed.

Task 2: Ethical, Cultural, and Risk Integration (30%)

LO1: Critically evaluate the applicability of domain-specific knowledge to address a practical industry problem within the context of a selected project.

LO3: Evaluate ethical and cultural issues associated with a selected project to recommend solution strategies.

In this task, you will incorporate the ethical and cultural analysis from your Assessment 2 submission directly into your final report. This is not a simple copy-and-paste task; you are expected to critically review and expand upon your earlier analysis based on your completed research, including any new insights, risks, or safeguards that have arisen during the project. You must also demonstrate how domain-specific knowledge, such as disciplinary standards and data governance frameworks, applies to, or needs to be adapted for, your specific project context.

Requirements

• Ethical Framework Integration: Revisit the ethical considerations identified in Assessment 2. Describe how these were actively addressed throughout your project. Provide evidence of the steps taken to ensure data privacy, ownership, consent, and security were upheld.
• Domain Knowledge and Standards Applicability: Critically evaluate the applicability and limits of domain-specific standards and frameworks (e.g., disciplinary ethics codes, data governance models) to this project’s context. Note any adaptations made and explain why they were necessary.
• Cultural Considerations: Reflect on how cultural protocols and, where relevant, indigenous data sovereignty principles (such as Te Tiriti o Waitangi considerations in the New Zealand context) were respected and applied throughout your research and solution.
• Risk Review: Identify any new or evolving ethical and cultural risks that emerged as your project progressed. Explain how these were managed or mitigated.
• Mitigation Strategy Update: Revise and expand on the mitigation strategies proposed in Assessment 2. Show how these have been implemented or planned for implementation in your final solution, with specific and actionable steps.
• Reflection on Impact: Critically evaluate the broader societal and cultural impact of your project, including any unintended consequences and how your solution accounts for these.

Task 3: Professional Presentation (30%)

LO1: Critically evaluate the applicability of domain-specific knowledge to address a practical industry problem within the context of a selected project.

LO2: Justify the selection of appropriate research methods for data collection and solution development to address a specific project challenge in a professional context.

LO3: Evaluate ethical and cultural issues associated with a selected project to recommend solution strategies.

You will deliver a professional presentation summarising your capstone project to a diverse audience of academic and professional stakeholders. Your presentation should do more than just describe your work; you are expected to critically assess which domain knowledge was most relevant and its limitations, justify your methodological choices in relation to real-world constraints, and clearly explain how ethical and cultural safeguards were incorporated into your project. Slides must be submitted alongside your report.

Requirements

• Structure and Clarity: Your presentation must follow a clear and logical structure: introduction and problem statement, critical evaluation of domain knowledge applied, methodology and justification, key findings, solution and recommendations, ethical and cultural safeguards, and a conclusion with next steps.
• Critical Evaluation of Domain Knowledge (LO1): Explicitly address which domain-specific knowledge and frameworks were most applicable to your project context, what their limitations were, and how you adapted them. Do not simply list what you used; explain what fit, what did not, and why.
• Methodological Justification Against Real-World Constraints (LO2): Go beyond presenting your methods. Justify your research design decisions in relation to professional constraints, including feasibility, access, cost, time, and ethical requirements. Discuss how these constraints shaped your approach and what this means for the reliability, validity, or trustworthiness of your findings.
• Ethical and Cultural Communication (LO3): Clearly communicate how ethical and cultural considerations were embedded in your project, including how domain-specific standards were adapted where needed. Reinforce trust and professional integrity with your audience.
• Audience Engagement: Demonstrate awareness of your audience. Use plain, professional language suitable for both technical and non-technical stakeholders. Use data, visuals, or examples to support key points. Prioritise clarity over volume of text on slides.
• Q&A Readiness: Be prepared to answer questions about your research, methodology, findings, and solution. Responses should be clear, concise, and professionally delivered.
• Presentation Slides: Submit slides in PDF or PPTX format alongside your report. Slides should be professional in appearance, well-organised, and support your verbal delivery rather than repeat it word-for-word.