Higher National Diploma in BUSINESS MANAGEMENTUnit Title: Small Business Enterprise

Assignment Title: Assignment 1

Student Name & Number

Unit Lecturer: Jay Glover

Group:

Issue Date:

Draft Submission:

Final Submission:

IV Name & Date:

Unit Learning Outcomes:

LO1 - Be able to investigate the performance of a selected small business enterpriseLO2 - Be able to propose changes to improve management and business performance

Assignment Brief:

You are required to investigate the competitiveness of a business that you are familiar with, identifying its key strengths and weaknesses in relation to its closest competitors. This may be your current employment or another business that you have sufficient access to. Please note that the second assignment uses the same business and will require that you gain access to business and corporate objectives and goals. It is therefore crucial that you are able to gather internal information about the business.

For the first assignment, you must:- Write a business profile describing the main function and objectives of the business, location and typical customer base. Reference all sources where appropriate. Copying information from the company homepage is not allowed. (500 words)- Complete in full a business analysis, investigating your own business strengths and weaknesses and at least two and ideally 3 of its closest competitors.- Write up your recommendations to address the outcomes of the business analysis. (1500 words)

All recommendations must be supported with additional research and reference to theory and models. You should reference your work where appropriate using the Harvard referencing system and include a bibliography.

Submission Format

HND in Business Management

Submission FormatThis submission is an individual report (including Business Analysis Template) and must only be submitted electronically (1500 - 2000 words), to TurnItIn.Class Id: tba Password: tba

Your report must be saved in the following format: SBE1_FirstnameDatanreg. SBE1_Jay804556.docx

Key Task:1.1 Produce a profile of a selected small business identifying its strengths and weaknesses

1.2 Carry out an analysis of the business using comparative measures of performance

2.1 Recommend with justification, appropriate actions to overcome the identified weaknesses in the business

2.2 Analyse ways in which existing performance could be maintained and strengthened

2.3 Recommend with justification, new areas in which the business could be expanded

GRADING CRITERIA

THIS ASSESSMENT TASK GIVES YOU THE FOLLOWING GRADING OPPORTUNITIES

HND in Business Management

Grade Criteria at a Pass:1.1 Produce a profile of a selected small business identifying its strengths and weaknesses

1.2 Carry out an analysis of the business using comparative measures of performance

2.1 Recommend with justification, appropriate actions to overcome the identified weaknesses in the business

2.2 Analyse ways in which existing performance could be maintained and strengthened

2.3 Recommend with justification, new areas in which the business could be expanded

Grade Criteria at a MeritIn addition to the above Pass Criteria:

Effective judgements have been made.

A range of sources and information has been used.

Grade Criteria at a DistinctionIn addition to the above Merit criteria:

Conclusions have been arrived at through synthesis of ideas and have been justified

HND in Business Management

PlagiarismPlagiarism is a particular form of cheating. Plagiarism must be avoided at all costs and students who break the rules, however innocently, will be penalised. You must keep a careful record of all sources you use, including all internet material. It is your responsibility to ensure that you understand correct referencing practices. These are referred to in the Handbook. Please consult the relevant unit lecturer or your course tutor if you need any further advice. As a university level student, you are expected to use appropriate references and keep carefully detailed notes of all your sources of materials, including any material downloaded from the Internet.

Student Declaration

I certify that the contents of my assignment will be entirely my own work and understand fully the consequences of plagiarism:

Signature: ……………………………………………………………