Assignment Brief Academic Year 2019-20 Module code and title: BM528-Business Consulting Module leader: Frank Strüver Assignment No. and type: CW1 Research Report Assessment weighting: 60% Target feedback time and date: Within 3 Weeks Submission time and date: 19 January 2020 Assignment task The scenario is that you have been instructed by your client to produce a report demonstrating your understanding of the client project through the use of secondary research. You are not required to provide a set of solutions to the client’s problem at this stage. Using the client project brief which you have been allocated, answer all three of the questions below. Ensure work is supported with evidence from research (academic theory and secondary research). A brief introduction and conclusion are also required which are included in the word count. Further guidance on research sources will be provided in class. The word count for your report is 1,500 (+/- 10%). 1. Clarify who your client is, and summarise the problem that they are facing. 2. Using research, break the problem down by critically analysing and presenting areas of importance to the client such as; competitors, target customers, market and influencing factors from the external environment 3. From your above analysis, what are the top three issues that the client is facing? State clearly why you have ranked these as your top three. This assignment has been designed to provide you with an opportunity to demonstrate your achievement of the following module learning outcome: LO 3 Critically analyse a range of secondary business research sources with application to the client’s business. Suzanne Doria, Sept 2019 1 Task requirements INSTRUCTIONS TO STUDENTS This is an individual piece of work and must be undertaken on your own, based on your reading and your research. It should therefore NOT be undertaken in collaboration with other student(s). Collaboration may result in a ‘fail’ mark being awarded. Your report should aim for 1500 words, (+ or 10%) INCLUDING INTRODUCTION AND CONCLUSIONS. Please note carefully that tables, diagrams, or additional words contained in text boxes within the body of the report WILL be considered part of the word count. A maximum 2 sides of A4 only is allowed for the Appendices (apart from the list of references). Appendices can include tables and charts. Please DO NOT contact your client regarding this assignment. Referencing and research requirements Please reference your work according to the Harvard Referencing style as defined in Cite Them Right Online (http://www.citethemrightonline.com). This information is also available in book form: Pears, R. and Shields, G. (2016) Cite them right: the essential reference guide. 10th ed. Basingstoke: Palgrave Macmillan. Copies are available via the university library. The Cite them Right database can be accessed via the Library – A to Z list of e resources How your work will be assessed Your work will be assessed using the separate assessment grid, which takes into account the learning outcomes and the grading descriptors for Level 5. Submission details You are reminded of the University’s regulations on academic misconduct, which can be viewed on the University website: https://bucks.ac.uk/__data/assets/pdf_file/0024/9546/Academic-Misconduct-Policy.pdf. In submitting your assignment, you are acknowledging that you have read and understood these regulations Please also note that work that is submitted up to 10 working days beyond the submission date will be considered a late submission. Late submissions will be marked and the actual mark recorded, but will be capped at the pass mark (typically 40%), provided that the work is of a passing standard. Work submitted after this period will not be marked and will be treated as a non-submission. 2 Before you submit Please use the checklist below to make sure you are ‘fit to submit’ your work. We recommend you use this checklist as soon as you get this assignment brief to help you plan your work. Fit to Submit: Assignment Checklist This brief assignment checklist is designed to help you avoid some of the most common mistakes students make in their coursework. HAVE YOU READ THE ASSIGNMENT BRIEF? IF NOT, DO IT NOW! In it you will find details of the assessment task, word count, the assessment criteria your work is marked against, and the learning outcomes – the basis for the assessment strategy in each module. Students often lose marks by forgetting some of the more straightforward elements of their assignments. We recommend that you “tick off” each of the points below as you prepare your work for submission. If you need any help, ask your tutor and / or visit https://bucks.ac.uk/students/academicadvice/assessment-and-examination See Assignment Checklist below TICK Have you read and understood the assessment criteria? Have you met the learning outcomes? You will lose marks and your work may even be failed if you have not. Have you demonstrated you can think and write critically in the completed work? This means you have supported your arguments/explanations appropriately e.g. using relevant academic sources and you have offered discussion points which extends your own or others’ viewpoints to make reasoned conclusions/judgements. Have you maintained an academic tone throughout your work? Is your work formal, focused, developed and clear? Have you checked that the referencing in your assignment is in line with your programme requirements? Have you proof-read your work and used spellcheck software to check your spelling and grammar? 3 Have you checked the presentation of your work is as specified by your tutor, for example, are font size, colour, style, line spacing and margins as the tutor specified? Have you kept to the word count (or equivalent)? If you are not sure, check with your tutor. Can you confirm that the work submitted is your own and not plagiarised? 4
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