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BUS4001
Understanding the Business Environment
Report
Date for Submission: Please refer to the timetable on ilearn
(The submission portal on ilearn will close at 14:00 UK time on the date of submission)
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Assignment Brief
As part of the formal assessment for the programme you are required to submit an Understanding the Business Environment assignment. Please refer to your Student Handbook for full details of the programme assessment scheme and general information on preparing and submitting assignments.
Learning Outcomes:
After completing the module you should be able to:
- Distinguish between organisational types.
- Identify their key stakeholders and evaluate their needs and influence.
- Explain the nature of the national environment in which an organisation operates and its impact on selected businesses, including economic, political and legal factors.
- Examine the behaviour of selected organisations in their national and international market environments.
- Identify, select and use a range of economic tools to determine appropriate business decisions under different economic, political and legal constraints.
Your assignment should include: a title page containing your student number, the module name, the submission deadline and a word count; the appendices if relevant; and a reference list in Arden University (AU) Harvard format. You should address all the elements of the assignment task listed below. Please note that tutors will use the assessment criteria set out below in assessing your work.
Maximum word count: 3000 words
Please note that exceeding the word count by over 10% will result in a reduction in grade by the same percentage that the word count is exceeded.
You must not include your name in your submission – Arden University operates anonymous marking, which means that markers should not be aware of the identity of the student. However, please do not forget to include your STU number.
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Assignment Task
Choose an organisation with which you are familiar, either the one where you currently work, a previous employer or one for which you have access to the required information. You should use this organisation (and the industry in which it operates) as your example when one is required.
Task One:
Business organisations can be classified according to many types of criteria.
Provide an introduction an organisation with which you are familiar, identifying the legal structure (public company, private company, voluntary, charity, public sector, etc.) along with an outline of the operations / purpose of your organisation and its main objectives.
Identify and explain the market structure under which the organisation operates, including a discussion of how the market structure affects the behaviour of the organisation in looking to achieve competitive advantage.
(20 marks)
(600 words)
(LO2)
Task Two:
Define the following terms: ‘stakeholder’; ‘shareholder’ and ‘stakeholder analysis’. Using a named real company of your choice, demonstrate how you would apply the stakeholder analysis process to identify the company’s stakeholder groups and evaluate their needs and influence.
(20 marks)
(600 words)
(LOs 3 & 5)
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Task Three:
This Task requires you to research the organisation highlighted and then undertake a business environment analysis using appropriate business analysis tools/frameworks to identify critical issues facing the organisation both in the domestic and international market environments.
a) Discuss three reasons why it is imperative for your selected organisation to analyse the business environment it faces. Using the PESTEL framework, identify and explain at least five (5) important macro environmental influences currently affecting your chosen organisation.
b) Explain the importance of Porter’s Five (5)-Forces model. Using the Five-Forces model, examine the current behaviour of the selected organisation and explain what you believe to be the five (5) most critical influences arising from the competitive market environments, both nationally and internationally.
Coca Cola: https://investors.coca-colacompany.com/
(35 marks)
(1050 words)
(LOs 4 & 5)
Task Four:
Referring to the Key Performance Indicators in the annual report of the organisation in Task 3, evaluate the development of the business with reference to short-term and long-term performance. In your own assessment, do you believe current growth reporting practice is balanced in terms financial and non-financial measures of performance? Justify your answer and provide recommendations for improvement.
(25 marks)
(750 words)
(LO1)
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Formative Feedback
You have the opportunity to submit a draft plan to receive formative feedback.
The feedback is designed to help you develop areas of your work and it helps you develop your skills as an independent learner.
Your plan must be submitted to your tutor at least two weeks before the submission date. This is to allow time for you to reflect on the feedback and draft your final submission.
Formative feedback will not be given to work submitted after the above date.
Guidelines:
You MUST underpin your analysis and evaluation of the key issues with appropriate and wide ranging academic research and ensure this is referenced using the AU Harvard system.
The My Study Skills Area on iLearn contains useful resources relating to referencing.
You must use the AU Harvard Referencing method in your assignment.
Additional notes:
Students are required to indicate the exact word count on the title page of the assessment.
The word count excludes the title page, tables, figures, diagrams, footnotes, reference list and appendices. Where assessment questions have been reprinted from the assessment brief these will also be excluded from the word count. ALL other printed words ARE included in the word count See ‘Word Count Policy’ on the homepage of this module for more information.
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Submission Guidance
Assignments submitted late will not be accepted and will be marked as a 0% fail.
Your assessment should be submitted as a single Word (MS Word) or PDF file. For more information please see the “Guide to Submitting an Assignment” document available on the module page on iLearn.
You must ensure that the submitted assignment is all your own work and that all sources used are correctly attributed. Penalties apply to assignments which show evidence of academic unfair practice. (See the Student Handbook which is on the homepage of your module and also in the Induction Area).
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Assessment Criteria (Learning objectives covered – all) Level 4 is the first stage on the student journey into undergraduate study. At Level 4 students will be developing their knowledge and understanding of the discipline and will be expected to demonstrate some of those skills and competences. Student are expected to express their ideas clearly and to structure and develop academic arguments in their work. Students will begin to apply the theory which underpins the subject and will start to explore how this relates to other areas of their learning and any ethical considerations as appropriate. Students will begin to develop self-awareness of their own academic and professional development. Grade Mark Bands Generic Assessment Criteria First (1)
80%+
Outstanding performance which demonstrates the ability to analyse the subject area and to confidently apply theory whilst showing awareness of any relevant ethical considerations. The work shows an excellent level of competence and confidence in managing appropriate sources and materials, initiative and excellent academic writing skills and professional skills (where appropriate). The work shows originality of thought.
70-79%
Excellent performance which demonstrates the ability to analyse the subject and apply theory whilst showing some awareness of any relevant ethical considerations.
The work shows a high level of competence in managing sources and materials, initiative and very good academic writing skills and professional skills (where appropriate). The work shows originality of thought. Upper second (2:1)
60-69%
Very good performance which demonstrates the ability to analyse the subject and apply some theory. The work shows a good level of competence in managing sources and materials and some initiative. Academic writing skills are good and expression remains accurate overall. Good professional skills (where appropriate). The work shows some original thought. Lower second (2:2)
50-59%
A satisfactory to good performance which begins to analyse the subject and apply some underpinning theory. The work shows a sound level of competence in managing basic sources and materials. Academic writing skills are satisfactory and expression remains accurate overall although the piece may lack structure. Satisfactory professional skills (where appropriate). The work lacks some original thought. Third (3)
40-49%
Basic level of performance in which there are some omissions in understanding the subject, its underpinning theory and ethical considerations. The work shows a basic use of sources and materials. Academic writing skills are limited and there are some errors in expression and the work may lack structure overall. There are some difficulties in developing professional skills (where appropriate). The work lacks original thought and is largely imitative. Marginal fail
30-39%
Limited performance in which there are omissions in understanding the subject, its underpinning theory and ethical considerations. The work shows a limited use of sources and materials. Academic writing skills are weak and there are errors in expression and the work may lack structure overall. There are difficulties in developing professional skills (where appropriate). The work lacks original thought and is largely imitative.
29% and below
A poor performance in which there are substantial gaps in knowledge and understanding, underpinning theory and ethical considerations.
The work shows little evidence in the use of appropriate sources and materials. Academic writing skills are very weak and there are numerous errors in expression. The work lacks structure overall. Professional skills (where appropriate) are not developed. The work is imitative.