Assessment Details

There are TWO parts in this individual assessment task. You must carefully read through the instructions provided to ensure there is a clear understanding of what is expected, to assist with preparing and structuring the report for Part 1, and to understand how to prepare the reflection for Part 2. You must submit both parts of the assessment.

Part 1 Instructions:

For this assessment task, you are expected to conduct an analysis of the business environment for a chosen case and prepare a report. Before preparing the written report itself, you need to make an important decision (i.e., select your case) and get approval to proceed (from tutorial participation). The first thing you need to do is to choose a case based on ONE specific firm, business organization, or non-profit organization.

In selecting a case, you have freedom to choose, so it will be a good opportunity to select a firm or organisation you already have some knowledge on, experience with, or interest in. For instance, it might be a firm associated with a particular brand that you are familiar with, or a non-profit organisation that supports a cause that you care about. While there is freedom with the specific choice of case, it must provide a business context suitable for the type of analysis required for a Business Environment Report.

Two examples of cases that have been discussed in the course would be: Proud Mary and Ikea. (Note: You must come up with your own case and CANNOT select either of these example cases.) You need to give thought to the case you plan to analyse well in advance of the assessment deadline.

You should liaise with your Online Facilitator to discuss your chosen case. Getting approval for the case is part of the assessment criteria and is an important step that you must follow. This is important to ensure that you can identify feasible cases, and to make sure that there is sufficient distinction between the individual cases students will investigate. It is expected that across the student cohort there will be a diversity of different firms, businesses and non-profit organisations covered, from across a range of industries operating in different markets.

This element of the design means that when cases are discussed within the tutorials, there will be information sharing that supports peer-to-peer learning. It is important to remember that this is an individual assessment task, not a group assignment.

Once you have approval for your selected case, you can begin to develop your report. In the report you need to define and summarise key factors associated with the business environment (internal and external). In order to achieve a high grade for this assessment you will need to draw upon the specific concepts, models, theories and insights that are covered as part of this course. It is important that the report is contextualised so that students demonstrate their understanding and show how course concepts are being applied to the case they are focusing upon in the report.

It is important that you are clearly aware that you will be assessed on what has been learnt in the course (by correctly choosing and applying definitions, methods and theories from relevant lectures and tutorials). As this is an academic assignment, you are expected to perform analysis, and not simply write a general or journalistic style report or use concepts from other courses that have not been discussed in this course.

Part 1 Task:

For this assessment assume that you have been hired as a Business Analyst. You are required to produce a Business Environment Report that will be used to help inform business decision making and strategy development.

Your report can focus on the internal or external environment, or both. With whatever focus you choose to take, be sure to address why that is the focus you have taken for your case.

Using models, frameworks, theories, and concepts covered in the course (up to Week 7), perform a business environment analysis that addresses the following points:

• Identity your case and provide some background about your chosen organisation. Address where your chosen case sits within a broader market context. (Hint: This might involve you considering market structure and issues, such as the extent of competition, etc.)

• Define the business environment. Address what aspects of the business environment you will be focusing upon in your report and why.

• Summarise key factors in the business environment relevant to your chosen case, and address how or why these factors are relevant. Hint: This might involve considerations about short-term performance (e.g., sales), and longer-term prospects (e.g., expected profit). The summary of key factors you provide here needs to be contextualised to fit with the case you have chosen.

• Analyse the business environment relevant to your chosen case by using methods and approaches covered in the course, along with relevant theories and concepts that have been addressed. As part of your analysis, you can include business tools covered in the lectures, such as Demand and Supply analysis, PESTEL analysis, 5 Forces analysis, SWOT analysis, etc.

For any visual analytical tools that you develop, these can be prepared in other software packages (such as PowerPoint, or Adobe Illustrator) and ‘copy and pasted’ into your report.

• From the factors you have identified using the business tools, choose ONE key factor, and provide a deeper level, or more detailed analysis, that includes reference to relevant evidence. (Hint: As an example, this might involve thinking about how policy changes and regulations impact your chosen case.) In this section of your report, be sure to explain why the factor you’re focusing on is important (i.e., provide rationale for focusing on this chosen
aspect of the business environment).

• Conclude your report by making three recommendations based on the analysis you have performed. Be sure to show how these recommendations link to a bigger picture, and objectives relevant to your chosen case.

• Include a bibliography to acknowledge sources used to inform your report

Part 2 Task:

For this part of the assessment, you are required to prepare a personal reflection focusing on how you perceive your strengths and weaknesses, what interests, ambitions, and motivations you have, and how an understanding of these influences your choice of courses or major, as well as future career directions. All reflections must be saved as a PDF to upload onto Canvas, where it will then be assessed. You are encouraged to use the Folio tool in Canvas to document your reflection as you progress through
the course

Part 1 Task:

1. Identity your case and provide some background about your chosen organization

2. Define the business environment

3. Summarise key factors in the business environment relevant to your chosen case, and address how or why these factors are relevant

4. Analyse the business environment relevant to your chosen case

5. Choose ONE key factor, and provide a deeper level, or more detailed analysis

6. Conclude your report by making three recommendations based on the analysis you have performed