GSS503 Tutor-Marked Assignment 01 – January 2026 Presentation

This tutor-marked assignment (TMA) is worth 30% of the final mark for GSS503 Navigating Risk in an Interconnected World.

Submission deadline: Saturday, 14 March 2026, 11:55 pm. Submit your essay/report together with your cover page in a single MS Word file to the Turnitin link titled [TMA01]. Resubmissions are allowed before the cut-off time.

Note: Your TMA submission will be used as a reference for your ECA assignment, so select your organisational case study with care. You may refine the case study you selected in your Discussion Board submission.

Marks Allocation at a Glance

Question 1 (50 marks)

Using ONE real-world organisation, analyse the key risks it faces in an interconnected global environment and appraise how these risks interact across sectors and scales.

Your submission must consist of two integrated components:

1. Written Introduction
2. Presentation Slides

Written Introduction (400–500 words)

In the written introduction, you should:

• Introduce and justify the choice of organisation.
• Explain why the organisation is exposed to interconnected and systemic risks (e.g. sectoral position, geography, supply chains, operational dependencies).
• Briefly outline the key risks selected and the analytical framework(s) used.
• Set up the logic for analysing risk interconnections, cascading effects, and governance implications.

The written introduction should demonstrate conceptual framing and evaluative intent, not merely describe the presentation structure.

Presentation Component

(a) Organisational Context and Risk Exposure

Briefly describe the organisation’s operating environment and explain the sources of its risk exposure.

(b) Identification and Examination of Interconnected Risks

Identify and examine THREE major risks relevant to the organisation (e.g. climate, health, financial, cyber, supply chain, reputational). Explain how these risks are interconnected, including:

• directionality (risk drivers and amplifiers)
• cascading or reinforcing effects
• interactions across local, regional, and global scales

(c) Risk Framework Application and Real-World Case Appraisal

Apply at least ONE recognised risk framework to analyse the identified interconnections. Appraise the risks using ONE real-world case example (within the last five years) relevant to the organisation, explaining how the case:

• illustrates risk amplification or cascading effects
• reveals vulnerabilities, blind spots, or governance challenges

(d) Implications for Risk Assessment and Monitoring

Appraise 2–3 integrated implications for how the organisation should improve its risk assessment and monitoring practices in light of interconnected and uncertain risks.

Question 2 (50 marks): Mitigation, Adaptive Capacity, and Governance Assessment

Building on your analysis in Question 1, assess how the organisation manages interconnected risks and propose mitigation strategies that strengthen adaptive capacity and governance.

Your submission must consist of two integrated components:

1. Presentation Slides
2. Written Integrative Conclusion / Reflection

Presentation Component

(a) Focused Interdependency Assessment

Select TWO interconnected risks identified in Question 1. Using systems thinking, assess their causal relationships, including:

• feedback loops
• reinforcing dynamics
• potential escalation pathways

(b) Assessment of Current Organisational Responses

Assess existing organisational practices used to manage these risks. Identify:

• strengths
• limitations
• gaps in addressing interconnected risk dynamics

(c) Framework-Guided Mitigation Design

Apply one or more risk frameworks to guide mitigation planning. Propose 3–5 concrete mitigation measures, clearly explaining:

• how each measure addresses risk interdependencies
• implementation considerations, including feasibility, constraints, or trade-offs

(d) Adaptive Capacity, Coordination, and Ethics

Assess how the proposed measures enhance adaptive capacity, including learning, coordination, and uncertainty management. Where relevant, appraise ethical, equity, or stakeholder implications.

Written Integrative Conclusion / Reflection (400–500 words)

In the written conclusion, you should:

• Synthesise insights from Questions 1 and 2, showing how interconnected risks shape organisational vulnerability and resilience.
• Critically reflect on the effectiveness and limits of the proposed mitigation strategies.
• Demonstrate evaluative judgement regarding uncertainty, trade-offs, and residual risks.
• Highlight broader governance or strategic implications for managing complex, interconnected risks.

The written conclusion should go beyond summarising slides, demonstrating integration, reflection, and critical judgement.

References and English Competency

• References (deduct up to 5 marks): In-text citations and the reference list must be presented accurately in APA 7 format.
• English competency (deduct up to 5 marks): Use an appropriate academic writing style with correct grammar, punctuation and spelling. British spelling is recommended.

Formatting Requirements

• Word document (.doc, .docx) only
• 12-point Times New Roman, double line spacing
• 1-inch (2.54 cm) margins on all sides, text aligned left
• First line of every paragraph indented 0.5 inch
• Tables, figures and in-text citations count towards the word limit; the reference list and appendices do not

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