Advanced Practitioner Corporate Award
Assessment Code: APCM
This assessment tests the learning outcomes and module content of:
Module: Advanced Category Management in Procurement and Supply Chain Management
Task
You are required to select an example of a category of procurement or a product, service or works bought by your organisation and create a category plan. This should include an implementation plan which also identifies the challenges in implementing your plan and your strategies for mitigating the challenges.
Guidance for candidates
Your work should consist of 3,000 words. Your assignment should include the assignment title, your candidate number and word count on the front cover, followed by contents page, executive summary, conclusions, recommendations, references and a bibliography. Any source materials such as web sites, company reports, indices, market data, articles, journals or texts should be listed in your references or bibliography in accordance with a recognised referencing system. Your assignment submission should be word processed with a minimum font size 12pt and 1.5 or double line spacing. Refer to the Assignment Guidance document for more information.
1. This assignment enables you to demonstrate the knowledge and understanding you have gained within the programme, together with your ability to research, analyse and problem solve a range of different procurement and supply related situations and challenges.
2. You are advised to read carefully the complete Assignment Guidance document available from the My Learning section on the LMS (Learning Management System) before commencing your submission.
3. You are expected to approach your assignment from a procurement and supply context using the module content as the basis of your submission.
4. It is recommended that you base your assignment upon the business unit or organisation you work for, as it is likely you will be able to access appropriate information and data that you will require to underpin and support your final submission.
5. Your assignment must be your own work. In order to avoid plagiarism, whenever you use someone’s words directly, or make reference to the ideas or work of others, you must reference this appropriately using a recognised referencing system, as outlined in the Assignment Guidance document. Failure to reference the work of others, whether intentional or accidental, is considered plagiarism which constitutes a form of cheating and is not tolerated by CIPS.
6. Your assignment submission will be assessed according to the following assessment criteria (see the complete Assessment Guidance document (LMS – My Learning) for more information):
a. Application and insight (40%)
b. Research (20%)
c. Knowledge and approach (20%)
d. Structure and presentation (20%)
7. Plan your assignment to ensure that you have addressed all elements of the assignment task and the assessment criteria, as well as the module learning outcomes. Think carefully about the structure, style and content of your assignment.
8. Please include your CIPS candidate number on each page of your assignment submission and include the total word count of your submission. Your name should not appear on your assignment.
9. Your assignment can be up to 10% below the stated word count, or up to 10% higher than the stated word count. If your assignment exceeds the stated word count by more than 10%, marks may be deducted. The assignment guidance explains what is and what is not to be included in the word count. Your reference list and bibliography is excluded from the word count.
10. Please ensure you hand in your submission no later than the deadline date. There are penalties if your submission is handed in late without prior agreement from CIPS. If your submission is late, your result will be capped at 50%.