unit 1 Level 3 assignment 2014 15

BTEC LEVEL 3 DIPLOMA (90 credits)/EXTENDED DIPLOMA IN BUSINESS
Assignment brief – QCF BTEC
Assignment front sheet
Qualification
Unit number and title
BTEC LEVEL 3 DIPLOMA (90 credits)/EXTENDED DIPLOMA IN BUSINESS

The Business Environment
Learner name Assessor name

Ruth Daniel/Andy Hardy/Adam Hart
Date issued Hand in deadline
Submitted on
WC 29th Sept, 2014
WC 16th March, 2015

Assignment title
Investigating the Business Environment

In this assessment you will have opportunities to provide evidence against the following criteria.
Indicate the page numbers where the evidence can be found.

Criteria reference
To achieve the criteria the evidence must show that the learner is able to:

Task no.

Evidence
P1
P2
P3
P4
Describe the type of business, purpose and ownership of two contrasting businesses (P1)
Describe the different stakeholders who influence the purpose of two contrasting businesses (P2)
Describe how two businesses are organised (P3)
Explain how their style of organisation helps them to fulfil their purposes (P4)

1

M1
D1
Explain the points of view of different stakeholders seeking to influence the aims and objectives of two contrasting organisations.(M1)

Evaluate the influence different stakeholders exert in one organisation (D1)

2

P5
M2
Describe the influence of two contrasting economic environments on business activities within a selected organisation. (P5)
Compare the challenges to selected business activities within a selected organisation, in two different economic environments (M2)

3

P6
M3
Describe how political, legal and social factors are impacting upon the business activities of the selected organisations and their stakeholders. (P6)
Analyse how political, legal and social factors have impacted on the two contrasting organisations. (M3)

4

D2
Evaluate how future changes in economic political, legal and social factors, may impact on the strategy of a specified organisation.(D2)

5

Learner declaration
I certify that the work submitted for this assignment is my own. I have clearly referenced any sources used in the work. I understand that false declaration is a form of malpractice.

Learner signature: Date:

Assignment brief
Qualification
BTEC LEVEL 3 DIPLOMA (90 credits)/EXTENDED DIPLOMA IN BUSINESS

Unit number and title
Unit 1: The Business Environment
Assessor name
Ruth Daniel/Andy Hardy/Adam Hart
Date issued
WC 29th Sept, 2014
Hand in deadline
WC 16th March, 2015

Assignment title
Investigating the Business Environment

Purpose of this assignment:
Learning aims:
1 Know the range of different businesses and their ownership
2 Understand how businesses are organised to achieve their purposes
3 Know the impact of the economic environment on businesses
4 Know how political, legal and social factors impact on business.

Scenario:
You are working at Tower Hamlets Business Link for small businesses. The government wants to increase the number of businesses within the local area to improve employment and opportunities for young people in the area.

Your supervisor has asked you to carry out research on two contrasting organisations that could help to generate jobs within Tower Hamlets area and support young people with voluntary work. The two businesses you will be investigating are:

1. Boots (profit sector)
2. The TUC (Voluntary organisation)

You will need to produce an informal report on your findings of their ownership, how they achieve their purposes, the impact of the economic environment on both businesses and how the political, legal and social factor impact on both businesses. You will produce an informal report for each of the tasks.

Task 1:

Task 1 covers:
Profit and Not-for profit sectors
Stakeholders
Organisation structure and function areas
Organisation structure and strategic planning to help achieve purposes and aims

Task 1a: (P1 criteria)
Write a brief introduction to the two contrasting businesses given in the assignment. This should include:

• Scale – Is it a local, national or international business
• Is it in the public sector, private sector or is it a not-for profit/ voluntary business
• Purpose of the business
• Ownership of the business
• owners liability for debt
• Size of the business

Task 1b: (P2 criteria)
Describe how the following stakeholders below influences the purpose of both businesses.

Customers
Employees
Suppliers
Owners
Trade unions
Employer associations
Local communities
Governments

Task 1c: (P3 criteria)
For each of the businesses, draw an organisation chart, showing the structure and functional areas of the businesses. From the functional areas, you are to choose three for each business and describe their role and how they help the business to make strategic plans.

Task 1d: (P4 criteria)
Following on from task 1c, explain how the organisation structure and strategic planning helps both businesses to achieve their purpose and aims.

Task I will be completed in class. Completion date: 29th Sept, 2014

This provides evidence for [P1, P2, P3, P4]
Task 2:

Task 2 covers:
Analysing stakeholders view on aims and objectives
Evaluating the influence exerted by each stakeholders for ONE of the organisation

Task 2a: (M1 criteria)
In a table format, you are to:

State the aims and objectives of both businesses you have been investigating.
For both businesses, explain how stakeholder’s interests are reflected in the organisation’s aims and objectives. To do this select at least 3 stakeholders and identify the main interests and points of view of the these stakeholders
Explain whether these interests and views are reflected in the business’ aims and objectives
Use examples to support your explanation

Task 2b: (D1 criteria)
For ONE of the organisations you have chosen, evaluate the influence that stakeholders have over the decisions made by the organisation. Evaluate means that you should explain how it affects the organisation both positively and negatively, how the organisation could react to the influence and what the consequences of their actions might be.

These tasks covers the following criteria’s:

Explain the points of view of different stakeholders seeking to influence the aims and objectives of two contrasting organisations.(M1)

Evaluate the influence different stakeholders exert in one organisation (D1)

Task 2 is to be completed in class. Completion date: 20th Oct, 2014

This provides evidence for [M1, D1]
Task 3:
Scenario:

You are still working at Tower Hamlet Business Link. Your informal report for students on organisational structures and functional areas was very successful and several schools have ordered copies. Your manager now informs you that a customer has asked you to produce an informal report on ‘the economic environment’. To do this, you must research and describe one of the organisations you have previously used.

Task 3 covers:
Description of two economic topics – levels of inflation and changes in government policy (legal, fiscal, monetary)
Compare the challenges to one of the businesses activities in two different economic environment. Demand and Supply.

Task 3a: (P5 criteria)
An introduction which describes what the economy is and what it involves
An illustration and description of the different stages in an economic cycle
A brief description of the different economic factors that could affect a business (interest rates, inflation, demand and supply, labour, government policy)
A description of how 2 economic factors have affected the business activities of one of your chosen organisations during a boom – use diagrams to support your descriptions. Focus on inflation, monetary and fiscal policy.

Task 3b: (M2 criteria)
The UK is currently in a recession. All businesses currently have to face the many challenges this brings. What challenges does the business chosen face in a recession? What business activities (demand and supply of goods and services) are affected and how? How does this affect the business itself?

Businesses in a boom also face challenges. What challenges does the business you have chosen face in a boom? What business activities (demand and supply of goods and services) are affected and how? How does this affect the business itself?
Finally, compare these challenges which are worse for the business:
The challenges facing a recession or a boom? Why?
Which business activities are affected more by a recession and which are more affected by a boom? Why?

These tasks covers the following criteria’s:

Describe the influence of two contrasting economic environments on business activities within a selected organisation. (P5)

Compare the challenges to selected business activities within a selected organisation, in two different economic environments (M2)

Task 3 to be completed by 15th Dec, 2014.

This provides evidence for [P5, M2]
Task 4 covers:
The influence of two different political environment
How businesses adapt their activities to suit different business environments.

Task 4a: (P6 criteria)
Political Factors - Briefly list the different political factors which affect all businesses
Describe how two political environments have impacted upon the business activities of both Businesses Social Factors - Briefly list the different social factors which affect all businesses.
Describe how three social environments have impacted upon the business activities of both Business

Task 4b: (M3 criteria)
Political Environment – How has the business’ activities been adapted as a result of changes in the political environment. In other words, how has it affected at least three of the following:
• Scale of the business
• Ownership of the business
• Purpose of the business
• Stakeholders
• Structure
• Different functional areas
• Strategic planning of the business

These tasks covers the following criteria:

Describe how political, legal and social factors are impacting upon the business activities of the selected organisations and their stakeholders. (P6)
Analyse how political, legal and social factors have impacted on the two contrasting organisations. (M3)

Task 4 to be completed 9th Feb, 2015 This provides evidence for [P6, M3]
Task 5 covers:
Responsiveness of an organisation to different economic environments. Building on M2/M3.

Task 5a: (D2 criteria)

For one of the businesses you have studied, choose two headlines/topics from two different environments (changes to supply and demand) and evaluate how future changes in this environment may impact on the strategy of your chosen business.

This task covers the following criteria:

Evaluate how future changes in economic political, legal and social factors, may impact on the strategy of a specified organisation.(D2)

Task 5 to be completed by 23rd March, 2015 This provides evidence for [D2]
Evidence checklist
Timed Constrained Assignment in class

P1, P2, P3, P4
Informal Reports to be produced for each task

P5, P6, M1, M2, M3, D1, D2
Individual Research to be carried out to meet each criteria covered in the tasks.
All Criteria’s
Sources of information
Textbooks:
BTEC LEVEL 3 - Collins

Websites: Tutor2U

Please find above some examples of textbooks. Further useful resources may be found at http://www.edexcel.com/resources/Pages/default.aspx.
Assessor's comments
Qualification
BTEC LEVEL 3 DIPLOMA (90 credits)/EXTENDED DIPLOMA IN BUSINESS

Assessor name
Ruth Daniel/Andy Hardy/Adam Hart
Unit number and title
Unit 1: The Business Environment
Learner name

Criteria reference To achieve the criteria the evidence must show that the learner is able to:
Achieved?

P1
P2
P3
P4
Describe the type of business, purpose and ownership of two contrasting businesses (P1)
Describe the different stakeholders who influence the purpose of two contrasting businesses (P2)
Describe how two businesses are organised (P3)
Explain how their style of organisation helps them to fulfil their purposes (P4)

M1
D1
Explain the points of view of different stakeholders seeking to influence the aims and objectives of two contrasting organisations.(M1)

Evaluate the influence different stakeholders exert in one organisation (D1)

P5
M2
Describe the influence of two contrasting economic environments on business activities within a selected organisation. (P5)

Compare the challenges to selected business activities within a selected organisation, in two different economic environments (M2)

P6
M3
Describe how political, legal and social factors are impacting upon the business activities of the selected organisations and their stakeholders. (P6)
Analyse how political, legal and social factors have impacted on the two contrasting organisations. (M3)

D2
Evaluate how future changes in economic political, legal and social factors, may impact on the strategy of a specified organisation.(D2)

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