Combined Assignment1:BusinessAccounting; Business Analysis and Principles of Marketing
The three tasks shown below constitute 90% of the overall mark. 10% of the overall marks for the assignment must be given to ‘Structure and Format’.
You have been asked to prepare reports and make presentations to explain the role of accounting, related business analysis techniques, and the implications for marketing to the managers of other departments. In writing your report, you should make use of the financial data/ statements available for your organization and address the issues in each of the three Tasks outlined below.
Task 1
For a selected organization, identify primary and secondary sources of data concerning costing, pricing and investment decision-making techniques. Use business presentation tools to construct a presentation to communicate your data, results, and conclusions to an appropriate audience
∙ Choose and plan appropriate survey methods, sampling techniques, and questionnaires and collect and collate data
∙ Explain how appropriate accounting techniques support effective decision-making, including pricing and investment decisions. In so doing, you should explain budgets, calculate of unit costs, select investment appraisal techniques and identify the sources of finance available to a business.
Business Analysis LO1, LO2, LO3; Business Accounting LO1, LO3
Task 2
For your selected organization, use financial and management accounting techniques to explain, record and interpret financial data, financial statements and preparation of budgets. Your response should feature:
∙ Comparison of different types of financial statements and their appropriateness for different types of business.
∙ Explanation and application of management accounting techniques to classify and calculate costs; to prepare budgets for your selected organization. In your response, you should:
▪ classify different types of cost
▪ use different costing methods for your calculations
▪ select appropriate budget methods for preparation of a budget Business Accounting: LO1, LO2
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Task 3
For a selected organisation
∙ Explain the elements of the marketing concept and processes, and their relation to the costs and benefits of its marketingorientation.
∙ Propose segmentation, targeting and positioning criteria for its products and/or services in response to existing marketing problems/issues. (For example: how would 2 major retail organisations such as Tesco or Marks and Spencer respond to their currentproblems?)
∙ Differentiate between the marketing mix and the extended marketing mix, and explain the role of the marketing mix in sustaining competitive advantage.
Principles of Marketing: LO1; LO2; LO3
Assignment WordCount
Task 1 Presentation, with notes and of 20 slides/equivalent maximum Task 2, 3 2500 words across both tasks
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Combined Assignment 1: Criteria and Mark Scheme
| Assessment Criteria | Marks
allocated |
Typical Content | Mark
Given |
| Task 1: For a selected organisation, identify primary and secondary sources of data concerning costing, pricing and investment decision making techniques. Use business presentation tools to construct a presentation to communicate your data, results and conclusions to an appropriate audience
∙ Choose and plan appropriate survey methods, sampling techniques and questionnaires and collect and collate data ∙ Explain how appropriate accounting techniques support effective decision- making, including pricing and investment decisions. In so doing, you should explain budgets, calculation of unit costs, selected investment appraisal techniques and identify the sources of finance available to a business. Business Analysis LO1, LO2, LO3; Business Accounting LO1, LO3 |
30 | Primary and secondary data sources data collection plan, Survey methods, sampling frames and methods e.g. random, quota, quasi- random, pilot surveys
Collect and record and analyse data Types of costs and classification: materials; labour; overheads; direct and indirect; fixed; variable and semi variable. Costing methods: Job costing; batch costing; process costing; contract costing; service costing. Cost measurement: absorption and marginal costing; traditional overhead absorption and activity-based costing; stock valuation methods (FIFO, LIFO, AVCO, standard costing). Costing as basis for pricing and stock valuation: cost plus pricing; market pricing; target costing. Budgeting: Historic basis; zero-based Calculation methodology must be accurately used and wherever appropriate |
|
| Task 2: For your selected
organisation, use financial and management accounting techniques to explain, record and interpret financial data, financial statements and preparation of budgets. Your response should feature: ∙ Comparison of different types of financial statements and their appropriateness for different types of business. ∙ Explanation and application of management accounting techniques to classify and calculate costs; to prepare budgets for your selected organisation. In your response, you should: ▪ classify different types of cost ▪ use different costing methods for your calculations ▪ select appropriate budget methods for preparation of a budget Business Accounting: LO1, LO2 |
30 | Terminology: Introduction to debit, credit, books of prime entry, accounts and ledgers, trial balance, final accounts and international equivalents under the International Accounting Standards (IAS).
Financial Statements: Basic form, structure and purpose of main financial statements (i.e. balance sheet, profit and loss account, cash flow statement, notes). Interpretation: Use of key accounting ratios for profitability, liquidity, efficiency and investment; comparison, both external (i.e. other companies and/or industry standards) and internal (i.e. preceding period budget reports). |
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| Task 3:
For a selected organisation ∙ Explain the elements of the marketing concept and processes, and their relation to the costs and benefits of its marketing orientation. ∙ Propose segmentation, targeting and positioning criteria for its products and/or services in response to existing marketing problems/issues. (For example: how would 2 major retail organisations such as Tesco or Marks and Spencer respond to their current problems?) ∙ Differentiate between the marketing mix and the extended marketing mix, and explain the role of the marketing mix in sustaining competitive advantage. Principles of Marketing: LO1; LO2; LO3 |
30 | Marketing concept: evolution of marketing; marketing orientations; societal issues and emergent philosophies; customer and competitor orientation; efficiency and effectiveness; limitations of the marketing concept; satisfying customer needs and wants; value and satisfaction; exchange relationships. Marketing process: marketing audit; integrated marketing; environmental analysis; SWOT analysis; marketing objectives; constraints; options; plans to include target markets and marketing mix; scope of marketing
Costs and benefits of marketing: marketing and competitive advantage; building customer satisfaction; desired quality; service and customer care; relationship marketing; customer retention; customer profitability. Product, Price, Promotion, Place: B2C and B2B markets; service and product marketing; international markets and globalisation. Shift from 4Ps to 7Ps: people, physical evidence and process management. B2C and B2B markets, service and product marketing, international markets and globalisation. PESTEL analysis and SWOT to identify organisational competencies. Bases for segmenting markets, (geographic, demographic, psychographic and behavioural); benefits of Segmentation. Segments and targeting strategies e.g. airline and train ticket pricing, mobile phones, supermarkets. Positioning: definition and meaning; relationship to segmentation and positioning; influence over marketing mix factors. |
|
| Structure and Format
∙ Relevance to the tasks, professional tone and format of response (2 marks). Harvard Referencing (8 marks) ∙ In-text citation ∙ Bibliography, listed correctly and correlates to references made ∙ Accurate, correctly formatted footnotes ∙ Integration of: supporting concepts, frameworks, critical thinking. |
10 | ||
| Total Mark | 100 |
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Assessment Criteria for All Assessments
| Marks | Criteria |
| 70-100 | ∙ The answer submitted has an outstanding result with negligible amount of mistakes. ∙ The answer shows an appreciative level of knowledge and clear understanding of related models, theories and frameworks. Analytical techniques used show the wide area of knowledge the learner has.
∙ The ability to apply and contextualise the models, theories and frameworks is clearly recognisable. ∙ The analysis and the use of research data, as well as the ability to use the data to reach acceptable and accurate conclusions, is exceptional. ∙ Answers show independent thought and clarity of the learner has led to an overall focused and evaluative answer. ∙ The answer has followed proper Harvard referencing. |
| 60-69 | ∙ The answer shows an above average standard with few errors.
∙ The answer shows a decent level of knowledge and fairly clear understanding of related models, theories and frameworks. There is a very good level, and use of, analytical techniques that is obvious throughout the answer. ∙ The ability to apply and contextualise the models, theories and frameworks is of a good standard. ∙ The analysis and the use of research data, as well as the ability to use the data to reach acceptable and accurate conclusions, is above average level. ∙ Answers show independent thought and clarity of the learner answer has led to an overallfocused and evaluative answer with little inconsistency. ∙ The answer has followed proper Harvard referencing. |
| 50-59 | ∙ The answer shows an above average standard with errors.
∙ The answer shows a general level of knowledge and a fairly clear understanding of related models, theories and frameworks. There is a good level, and use of, analytical techniques that is obvious throughout the answer. ∙ The ability to apply and contextualise the models, theories and frameworks is of a reasonable standard. However, the link between theory and practical knowledge appears to be restricted/limited. ∙ The answer shows more assumptions than conclusive deductions/evidences and valid arguments. However, the ability to interpret and evaluate is evident. ∙ Answers show independent thought and clarity of the learner answer has led to an overallfocused and evaluative answer with some inconsistencies. ∙ The answer has followed Harvard referencing at an acceptable level. |
| 40-49 | ∙ There are several shortcomings throughout the answer.
∙ The knowledge level reflected in the answer is limited, especially in understanding of related models, theories and frameworks. ∙ The case material has been repeated instead of evidencing knowledge. ∙ The use of analytical techniques is inadequate. ∙ A certain level of relevance is evidence in Harvard referencing. |
| 30-39 | ∙ Answer submitted is quite weak and lacks proper focus.
∙ The answer shows a number of spelling errors and/or poor grammar/syntax. ∙ The lack of understanding in subject knowledge, related models, theories and frameworks is evident. ∙ Contextualisation, interpretation, and evaluation are of a poor standard. ∙ Reflects only basic levels of Harvard referencing. |
| 0-29 | ∙ Requires more work on answering skills; overall output is well below the required standard. Answer has little relevance to the assignment briefs. Spelling/syntax poor. ∙ Little or no evidence of appropriate subject knowledge.
∙ Use of models, theories and frameworks is quite poor. ∙ Little to no evidence of, and/or unacceptable mistakes in, Harvard referencing. |
| A mark of 40% or greater can only be given where all assignment learning outcomes for all tasks have been met. | |
