Submission Deadline
Marks and Feedback
Before 10am on:
Friday 5th November (UK Time) 20 working days after deadline (L4, 5 and 7)
15 working days after deadline (L6)
10 working days after deadline (block delivery)
03/12/2021
Unit title & code
BBS003-1 Foundations of Business Communication
Assignment number and title
Individual Report and Reflection - Assignment 1
Assessment type
WR-I
Weighting of assessment
40%
Size or length of assessment
3000 words
Unit learning outcomes
1. Demonstrate understanding of the different management theories and the basics of Macro and micro-economics, including the decision making process and strategic management approaches that drive organisations’ performance
2. Work with others, develop your personal and professional skills and demonstrate your ability of self-management and learning and be able to use these skills for analysing particular environments, and/or unique situations in which businesses are active.
What am I required to do in this assignment?
Assignment Topic Company and Business Problem: Fort Engineering (Luton) – What issues may impact the company’s development and growth? Issues, in this instance, can refer to problems, future developments and trends that may impact upon the company and opportunities that may arise.
The assignment task has two critical components:
• Exploring a business problem faced by the company and the impact of solutions recommended supported by evidence
• Reflective Report on Learning from Week 1-5 focused key employability skills
Assignment 001 Individual Submission - What is expected:
Write a formal report, with headings, using your reading, research, learning and journal content as a starting point. We suggest writing the report in two parts:
Part 1: Business Analysis (approx. 1,600 words) – written based on your research findings so in 3rd person
Your report may include:
• Introduction / Summary of the assignment case study (Fort Engineering - Luton)
• Your application of theory, models, analysis of the business and how it is impacted by the external environment influences. This section could include:
o Topic industry data
o Key businesses, customers, suppliers, competitors, performance, strengths and weaknesses and challenges faced
o Analysis of the industry competitive position of the organisation through Porter’s Five Forces Model
o A Pestle Analysis of the Macro environment
o A SWOT analysis of Fort Engineering
o Identifying key issues faced, resourcing and any management / operational issues facing the owner/managers of the business
o Evidence of research and reading beyond topic areas discussed in class
• Any key findings or conclusions you can identify from your research and reading
• Reference List
Format:
Business Report Style
PLEASE INSERT A BLANK PAGE BETWEEN PART 1 and PART 2
Part 2: Reflective Report on Key Skills Development (approx. 1,400 words)
Your personal reflection is based on your learning experience documented by your journal entries in BREO which will form part of this assessment. Therefore, journal entries added on a regular basis in weeks 1-5 MUST BE SUMMARISED WITHIN THE ASSIGNMENT to evidence how you have developed and used key skills in the initial learning in the unit and in the analysis of the business case for this assignment.
This can be achieved by completing journal entries on your self-assessment analysis, VARK, Belbin and all personal development activities that link to key employability skills.
In the reflective report you may explore key skill development in all or any of the following areas:
• Communication (both verbal and written – evidenced by classroom discussion, presentations and report writing)
• Numeracy – (evidenced by examples of use of data and statistics in your seminar activities and this submission)
• ICT (evidenced using Microsoft Office programs during the unit)
• Problem Solving (evidenced by examples of analysis and information gathering, during the unit and in the submission of the assignment)
• Working with Others (evidenced by reflecting on your experience working in teams during the unit)
The reflective report should include continued evaluation of your experience working in class and your practice week by relating where possible to models and theories like Belbin, Tuckman and Kolb. You can also include reflection on learning from feedback offered in seminars and from SEM 1 units as your development is continuous
The reflective report should conclude with an action plan using the SMART framework. So, where you identify an improvement is needed, document how you intend to do that.
Format:
• Reflective report should be written about yourself so in 1st person
• All links to key skills development must be referenced in text to entries in your journal. For Example:
“Since Semester one unit learning I have continued to develop and work on these XXXX academic skills, how to read an article and paraphrase key elements of it, reference it correctly so that it could be included in a formal submission” (JNL Week 4 (date)
• Your report should be correctly referenced in Harvard style with references in text and in a reference list at the end of your report.
Submission format: Font type – Arial or Calibri only. Font size – 12.
You must upload your work in a Word Document or PDF format only. Please note that PCs and Laptops with their own operating systems (Macs, Google Notebooks, etc) are not always compatible with more widely used formats. This means that if you upload your work using an operating system specific to your laptop/PC, we may not be able to open or read your document. We will, therefore, not be able to mark the work, so please check that your document is compatible with other forms of laptops/PCs before you submit.
Do not include any elements that have been submitted or marked in previous submissions without correct referencing. To use chunks of work previously submitted is considered to be self-plagiarism.
What do I need to do to pass? (Threshold Expectations from UIF)
Assessment 001
• Using reading and research demonstrate your understanding of how at least two of the business models like SWOT, PESTEL and Porters Five Forces can be used to analyse a business scenario
• Present your work in a formal report with headings using Harvard style referencing
• Show evidence of self-reflection on the assignment task by making links to your online journals
How do I produce high quality work that merits a good grade?
We will be filling this section in together in class on Click or tap to enter a date. make sure you have downloaded/printed out the Assignment Brief and bring it to the session with you.
How does assignment relate to what we are doing in scheduled sessions?
Your assignment tests your application of learning in the Unit. In delivering the assessment you will undertake activities which are designed to develop your skills, which will provide relevant evidence for your assignment submission. You apply your knowledge and learning in writing a formal business report. The learning in your lectures and seminar activity all inform your preparation for writing the assignment.
How will my assignment be marked?
Your assignment will be marked according to the threshold expectations and the criteria on the following page.
You can use them to evaluate your own work and consider your grade before you submit.
3rd Class – 40-49%
Lower 2nd – 50-59%
Upper 2nd – 60-69%
1st Class – 70%+
10%
Introduction and summary to the business case and the assignment
Company introduced with limited understanding demonstrated of the business case and the assignment’s requirements.
A good understanding of the business case and the assignment is outlined with some minor omissions.
A very good account of the business case and the assignment with no omissions.
An excellent insight into the business case and the assignment. No omissions and written succinctly.
35%
Evidence of understanding and application of relevant theories to context, case evaluation and key findings Some evidence of understanding of the business problem, the application of one theory/model with gaps or some slight misunderstanding displayed. Evidence of a satisfactory level of understanding of the business problem, application of two theories or models. Some minor omissions and/or errors. A sound discussion of the application of theories and models. showing a good grasp of the business problem and the business case study. Uses at least two models accurately. An excellent insight into the business case and the syllabus topics. Uses several models accurately with succinct analysis and excellent summary of findings.
30%
Reflection on Learning in the Unit Evidence of self-assessment linked to online journals but in a limited fashion. Little self-awareness shown. Reasonable evidence of self-assessment and reflection on learning. Some personal development planning is evident showing some self-awareness Good evidence of self-assessment and awareness of strengths and limitations, reflection on learning and personal development planning Excellent reflection on learning. Personal development clearly planned– self-assessment is critical, yet rational and showing sound insight.
15%
*Online Journal Content and Quality Some content on key skills without references to Self-Assessment, VARK and Belbin A fair range of content - intermittent entries with references to at least one of the self-assessment exercises including Skills inventory, VARK and Belbin Good content-well constructed and regular entries with references to Self-Assessment exercise, VARK and Belbin A thorough portfolio of evidence to support reflective learning on all key skills
10%
Structure, presentation, referencing, spelling and grammar. Some inconsistencies in presentation of material. An attempt at a formal report with headings and some errors both in text and in the References section Some inconsistencies in presentation of material. Good style. Satisfactorily expressed but several mistakes in grammar and spelling. Most references are correct in text, with appropriate page numbers and listed in the Reference section. Material well organised and presented. Good style. Well expressed with very few mistakes in grammar and spelling. Almost all references are correct, both in text and in the Reference section. Excellent organisation and presentation of material. Excellent style. Excellently expressed with perfect grammar and spelling. All references are correctly cited both in text and in the Reference section.