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:

1. Distinguish between organisational types.

2. Identify their key stakeholders and evaluate their needs and influence.
3. Explain the nature of the national environment in which an organisation operates
and its impact on selected businesses, including economic, political and legal
factors.
4. Examine the behaviour of selected organisations in their national and
international market environments.
5. 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)
(LO1)

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)
(LO 2)

Task Three:

This Task requires you to research the organisation highlighted (HSBC) 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.

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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.

HSBC: https://www.hsbc.com/investor-relations/group-results-and-reporting/annual-report

(35 marks)
(1050 words)
(LOs 3, 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)
(LO5)

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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 contains the following useful resources:

Guide to Harvard Referencing

http://moodle.bl.rdi.co.uk/guides/HarvardRef/AU_Harvard_Quick_Ref_Guide.pdf

Guide to Harvard Citation

http://moodle.bl.rdi.co.uk/guides/HarvardRef/AU_Guide_to_Harvard_Citation.pdf

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.

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.

Mark
Grade Generic Assessment Criteria
Bands

First 80%+ Outstanding performance which demonstrates the ability to analyse the subject area and to confidently apply theory whilst showing
(1) 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- Excellent performance which demonstrates the ability to analyse the subject and apply theory whilst showing some awareness of
79% 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 60- Very good performance which demonstrates the ability to analyse the subject and apply some theory.
second 69%
(2:1) 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 50- A satisfactory to good performance which begins to analyse the subject and apply some underpinning theory.

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second 59%
(2:2) 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 40- Basic level of performance in which there are some omissions in understanding the subject, its underpinning theory and ethical
(3) 49% 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 30- Limited performance in which there are omissions in understanding the subject, its underpinning theory and ethical considerations.
fail 39%
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% A poor performance in which there are substantial gaps in knowledge and understanding, underpinning theory and ethical
and considerations.
below
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.

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