BTEC HND in Business Assignment Specification Institute Name Unit Name : Western College for Management & Technology

: Business Environment

Unit Value

: 15 credits

Unit Code

: Y/601/0546

Lecturer

: Ahmed Hamza

Unit Outcomes:

1 Understand the organizational purposes of businesses 2 Understand the nature of the national environment in which businesses operate 3 Understand the behaviour of organizations in their market environment. 4 Be able to assess the significance of the global factors that shape national business activities.

Grading Opportunities Available

Student Name :

Student No :

Assignment: Unit 1 Business Environment

WCMT Campus

Tracking Sheet (Mention A for Achieved & NA for Not Achieved) (Office Use only)

Outcome

1.1

1.2

1.3

2.1

2.2

2.3

3.1

3.2

3.3

4.1

4.2

4.3

A/NA

Outcome

M1

M2

M3

D1

D2

D3

A/NA

Assessors Signature

_________________

Date________________

NOTE: Attach this page as the first page of your assignment

Assignment: Unit 1 Business Environment

WCMT Campus

Notes to Students Proper format for the assignment should be followed including table of contents, executive summary, page numbering etc. Include a last chapter in your report about the limitations of your report and write any difficulty you faced while collecting data. Critically evaluate your work if possible. Give proper evidence of all your activities for completing the tasks e.g. videos, pictures, visiting cards, or reference letter of personnel from whom data is collected. The safety of your assessments is your responsibility. You must not permit another student access to your work. And upon completion of each task keep a backup of the work completed by for e.g. keeping a copy in your email inbox etc. So, that no excuses are put forward on the day of submission.

Plagiarism Policy WCMT Campus has a strict penalty for plagiarism and the assignment will be cancelled if the assignment is observed for this. The definition and scope of plagiarism are presented below: Plagiarism occurs when a student misrepresents, as his/her own work, the work, written or otherwise, of any other person (including another student) or of any institution. Examples of forms of plagiarism include: The verbatim (word for word) copying of anothers work without appropriate and correctly presented acknowledgement; The close paraphrasing of anothers work by simply changing a few words or altering the order of presentation, without appropriate and correctly presented acknowledgement; Unacknowledged quotation of phrases from anothers work; The deliberate and detailed presentation of anothers concept as ones own. All types of work submitted by students are covered by this definition, including, written work, diagrams, designs, drawings and pictures.

Assignment: Unit 1 Business Environment

WCMT Campus

General Instructions Books and online resources can be used of the Campus library and Central Computer Lab for any assistance. But direct copying from these resources is not allowed. For the Visits you need to conduct a reference letter could be obtained from the Campus if necessary and the manager of the organization is welcome to contact the administration at the college if required The college has strict penalty for plagiarism and the assignment will be cancelled if the assignment is observed for this. Proper referencing should be given in the Harvard Style All work should be comprehensively referenced and all sources must be acknowledged fully, this includes books & journals used as well websites visited. Details such as page numbers, publishers and publication year should also be stated, in addition to the name of the author(s) and publication. Books, articles and journals should be the main sources; online sources are allowed up to 15% The Assignment should have a cover page that has assignment title, assignment number, course title, unit title, lecturer / tutor name and students name. Attach all the pages of assignment brief with your report as annexure at the end. Ensure that statement of authenticity has been signed and attached as the first page of your report. Contents sheet (TOC) with a list of all headings and page numbers is must for your assignment. Use A4 page size, 12 point Arial or Times New Roman font with 1.5 line spacing. Your assignment should be word-processed and should not exceed 4500 words in length (or 20 pages). Exhibits / appendices are outside this limit Pages should be numbered (bottom right hand corner) Spell-check the document and read thoroughly for grammatical errors

Assignment: Unit 1 Business Environment

WCMT Campus

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Assignment: Unit 1 Business Environment

WCMT Campus

ASSESSMENT CRITERIA Criteria for PASS Identifying the purposes of different types organizations(P1.1) Describing the extent to which an organization meets the objectives of different stakeholders(P1.2) Evidence of the knowledge of responsibilities of an organization and strategies employed to meet them (P1.3) Explaining how economic systems attempt to allocate resources effectively. (P2.1) Assessing the impact of fiscal and monetary policy on business organizations and their activities. (P2.2) Possible evidence Exhibiting the proper knowledge by identifying the purposes of different types of business with examples Discussion of different stakeholders for the clothing company and how the organization meets their objectives separately. Portraying the knowledge of the responsibilities and the strategies and the application of those to the retail clothing company. Understanding of different economic systems and the way they allocate resources effectively A thorough knowledge on Fiscal and Monetary policies and the discussion of their importance for business organizations Understanding of competition Evaluate the impact of competition policy and other regulatory mechanisms on the activities of a selected organization (P2.3) policies and an evaluation of its impact on the activities of a selected organization

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Assignment: Unit 1 Business Environment

WCMT Campus

Explain how market structures determine the pricing and output decisions of businesses (P3.1)

Clear understanding of market structures and suggesting the most appropriate market structure with justifications for the selected business

Illustrate the way in which market forces shape organizational responses using a range of examples (P3.2)

Specifically explaining the implications of the market forces on the selected business entity

Judge how the business and cultural environments shape the behaviour of a selected organization (P3.3)

Discussion of the role of the competition in the market and justifying the methods you can use to be competitive in the market. Discussion of how government and regulatory bodies interfere the business organizations.

Discuss the significance of international trade to UK business organizations (P4.1)

Clear understanding of international trade, economic integration and global markets and the understanding of the vitally of those to UK businesses.

Analyze the impact of global factors on UK business Organizations (P4.3)

Demonstrating the knowledge on economic implication s that a foreign organization will face if to enter the UK market.

Assignment: Unit 1 Business Environment

WCMT Campus

Evaluate the impact of policies of the European Union on UK business organizations (P4.2).

Critical evaluation of two major policies of the European Union and a detailed discussion on their impact on UK business organizations.

Grade Descriptors for MERIT M1 Identify and apply

Possible evidence Exhibiting the knowledge of the theories required and the practical knowledge of how and where to use those theories in tasks 3.1 and 3.3

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strategies to find appropriate solutions

M2

Select/design and apply

Appropriate market structure has been selected in Task One with justification in task 3.1 approach has been used to present the report. Appropriate technical language has been used in presentation materials and report.

Appropriate methods/techniques M3 appropriate findings

Present and communicate An appropriate structure and

Grade Descriptors for Distinction D1 Use critical reflection to evaluate own work and justify valid conclusions

Possible evidence Conclusions have been

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arrived at through synthesis of ideas, and then justified when selecting the best solution where ever needed

Assignment: Unit 1 Business Environment

WCMT Campus

in all tasks.

D2 Take responsibility for managing and organising activities

Autonomy and independence has been demonstrated by the learner throughout. Minimal tutor guidance and advice has been sought. The substantial range of activities and investigative work involved in the development of the materials and report have been planned, managed and organized in an effective manner throughout.

D3 Demonstrate convergent / lateral / creative thinking

The ideas produced in developing the appropriate solutions especially in task 1.3, 3.1 and 3.3 and the way the learner integrated the ideas into a report and presentation materials include creative thinking in producing the ideas and convergent thinking in ensuring they conform to requirements.

Assignment: Unit 1 Business Environment

WCMT Campus

Start of Assignment

BUSINESS CONSULTANCY: AJ CLOTHING As part of your job you have been asked to provide a briefing on information that will help a Clothing company develop its business in the UK WITH OTHER BUSINESSES IN THE European markets. This information will be used by the Board Members in a meeting where they will look at the influence of stakeholders, national and global environments and the effect it has on business

Task 1 The company wants you to assess organisation background and purposes, as well as stakeholders of organisations. To do this, you will need to :

a) Using examples, identify the purposes of different types of organisation (1.1)

b) Use a retail clothing organisation in the UK such as TK Maxx Primark or Zara and describe the extent to which an organisation meets the objectives of the different stakeholders; Customers, Suppliers, Employees, Debtors, Creditors, Financial institutions (banks, mortgage lenders credit factors), Environmental groups (corporate Social Responsibility), government agencies ( central government, local authorities-legislation) and trade unions (1.2)

c) Explain the responsibilities of the retail clothing organisation used in part b above and strategies employed to meet them. Be sure to consider the environment, legislation and ethical issues. (1.3)

Assignment: Unit 1 Business Environment

WCMT Campus

Task 2

To show the board the effects of the national environment on business, they have asked that you help them know more about economical and policy side of business. Your report will show:

a) An explanation of how economic systems attempt to allocate resources effectively (2.1)

b) An assessment on the impact of fiscal and monetary policy on business organisations and their activities (2.2)

c) Evaluate the impact of competition policy and other regulatory mechanisms on the activities of a selected organization. (2.3)

Task 3 In economics, market structure describes the state of a market with respect to the degree or intensity of competition among buyers on one side and among sellers/ producers on the other side. Market micro-structure is also distinguished by the process of price discovery, the differentiation / homogeneity of products, the process of bidding, the trade/ exchange settlement mechanism, the symmetry or asymmetry of the dispersal of market relevant information among the individual parties to each transaction of trade/ exchange. You are a young and knowledgeable entrepreneur who is planning to star up a business in Sri Lanka.

a) Discuss the market structures and justify the most appropriate market structure for your business and the considerations that you would make in stating up your business in the particular market structure. (3.1)

Assignment: Unit 1 Business Environment

WCMT Campus

b) How would you define the implications of the market forces on your business entity? (3.2) c) Discuss the role of competition in the market and justify methods how your organization can remain competitive in the market. (3.3)

d) Government and regulatory bodies have a huge impact on businesses discuss how and what sought of interference it makes. (3.3)

Task 4 As a consultant for a Multinational company (of your choice) a) Discuss the importance of international trade, economic integration and global markets for your company. (4.1) b) Critically evaluate two major policies of the European Union and discuss its impacts on international trade. (4.3) c) Explain the economic implications your company would face if the organization decides to enter the UK market. (4.2)

End of the Assignment.

Assignment: Unit 1 Business Environment

WCMT Campus