Business Economics

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Southampton Solent University/QAHE
Coursework Assessment Brief
Assessment Details

Working as Business Economist for the local Independent Grocery Co-Operative
(IGCO), you have been asked by the Chair, Sir John Watkins, to prepare a report
on the impact supermarkets giants are having on privately owned local grocery
stores in locally. He and his colleagues have read that the supermarket industry is
seen as an oligopoly and this allows them to control a substantial percentage of
the grocery market and force smaller grocery firms out of business, which of
course is having an adverse effect on IGCO members.
In this report, Arata and his colleagues would like to know the following:
• With examples, define and explain oligopoly and discuss how it differs
from other forms of competitive models in economics.
• According to the Student Room Web Site
(https://www.thestudentroom.co.uk/showthread.php?t=2291249) the
average student buys the following items from the supermarkets:
o Uncle Bens Sweet & Sour sauce
o 4 tins Tuna Chunks in brine
o 1L Still Strawberry Sugar Free Fruit Flavoured Spring Water
o 2 Balsam Man-size Compact Tissues
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o 1 x White Tissue Rolls 12pk
o 1 Ready Baked Jacket potatoes
o 1 250g beef mince meat
o 1 Baked beans 6 Pack
o 1 Müller Light Strawberry Yogurt
o 1 Whole-meal Loaf
o 1L Almond Milk – Without Sugar
o 1 Bag of Salmon Fillets
o 6 pack medium oranges
(Where identical products cannot be found please substitute)
• Using the student shopping list above you have been asked to compare the
total cost of shopping if the items were bought from the following stores:
§ Tesco
§ Asda
§ Morrison
§ Sainsbury
§ Waitrose
§ Aldi/LIDL
§ Local independent convenient store
• From the data, you have collected explain (using economic theory and
statistical analysis) the differences in food prices/total cost of shopping
between the different stores.
Essential reading:
Super markets – Increasing concentration
http://www.economicsonline.co.uk/Business_economics/Supermarkets.html
United Kingdom – Retail Foods (2016)
https://gain.fas.usda.gov/Recent%20GAIN%20Publications/Retail%20Foods_London
_United%20Kingdom_12-13-2016.pdf
Sloman, John (2016) ‘Economics for Business’, (7th ed) ISBN-10: 1292082100 • ISBN-
13: 9781292082103
Producing assignment guidelines
You are expected to produce your assignment within the following guidelines:
• Trebuchet MS 12, 1.5 line spaced (except indented quotations and list of
references, which should be singled, spaced).
• Your student ID number on the left hand side in the ‘header’.
• Page number on the right hand side in the ‘footer’.
• You will need to have both a Title page and a Content page.
• Add the Word Count after but before the list of References.
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• Use appropriate headings (which you will list in the contents page).
• Quotations in the text, where used should be ‘in both italics and quotation
marks’ and quotes are to be indented.
• Work to be submitted through the link on the unit’s web page on SOL
Learning Outcomes:
1. Present, evaluate and interpret qualitative and quantitative data, develop lines
of argument and make sound judgements and recommendations in accordance with
appropriate theories and concepts relevant to the national and international
sectors.
2. Communicate the results of their study accurately and reliably, with structured and
coherent argument.
3. Use and manage information technology as a tool to study, research and practice.
Notes
1. You are strongly encouraged to use the surgery, seminar and other hours that have
been specifically set aside for your use to work on your essays.
2. You Tutor will quite happily help you with your work whenever you can catch him;
there is a whole list of times on my door. However, you must bring it as a hard
copy and do not leave it until the week before, as that will be too late!
Extenuating Circumstances
The University’s Extenuating Circumstances procedures are in place if there are genuine
circumstances that may have affected students’ academic performance. Remember
however students need to be ‘fit to study’, this means that students can either submit
their assessed work or declare extenuating circumstances, but cannot do both.
A summary of guidance notes for students is given below:
http://blade2-5.solent.ac.uk/DocMan8/rns?RNSExact=AS/AH/1250002309
Academic Misconduct
Any submissions must be students’ own work and, where facts or ideas have been used
from other sources, these sources must be appropriately referenced. The University’s
Academic Handbook includes the definitions of all practices that will be deemed to
constitute academic misconduct. Students should check this link before submitting their
work.
Procedures relating to student academic misconduct are given below:
http://docman.solent.ac.uk/DocMan8/rns?RNS=AS/AH/1234570157
Ethics Policy
The work being carried out by students must be in compliance with the Ethics Policy.
Where there is an ethical issue, as specified within the Ethics Policy, then students will
need an ethics release or an ethical approval prior to the start of the project.
The Ethics Policy is contained within Section 2S of the Academic Handbook:
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http://docman.solent.ac.uk/DocMan8/rns?RNS=1234569791
Anonymous Marking
A copy of the University’s Policy on Anonymous Marking, process details and student
guidance on submission sheet completion can be found on the following links, which are
also uploaded on the Student Portal. The guidance ‘fact sheet’ will be available at
Faculty Reception Points.
Policy: http://docman.solent.ac.uk/DocMan8/rns?RNS=ASQS/AH/1234574213
Process: http://docman.solent.ac.uk/DocMan8/rns?RNS=AS/General/1250004357
Fact Sheet: http://docman.solent.ac.uk/DocMan8/rns?RNS=AS/General/1250004356
Grade marking
The University uses a letter grade scale for the marking of assessments. Unless students
have been specifically informed otherwise their marked assignment will be awarded a
letter grade. More detailed information on grade marking and the grade scale can be
found on myCourse. The guidance ‘fact sheet’ is available at Faculty Reception Points.
The Marking Grid can be found in the Assessment area on the SOL page.