Foundation of Business Communication

Submission Deadline
Marks and Feedback

Before 10am on:
20 working days after deadline (L4, 5 and 7)
15 working days after deadline (L6)
10 working days after deadline (block delivery)

09/09/2022 Friday by 10am

Unit title & code
BBS003-1 Foundations of Business Communication
Assignment number and title
Assignment 2 – Individual Report and Reflection
Assessment type
WR-I
Weighting of assessment
60%
Size or length of assessment
3,600 words
Unit learning outcomes

1. Demonstrate understanding of the different management theories and the basics of Macro and micro-economics, including the decision-making process and strategic management approaches that drive organisations’ performance
2. Work with others, develop your personal and professional skills and demonstrate your ability of self-management and learning and be able to use these skills for analysing particular environments, and/or unique situations in which businesses are active.

What am I required to do in this assignment?

Write a formal report demonstrate your understanding and application of a sustainable approach to Business Management, including strategic planning and CSR challenges. You must assess the approaches of the following companies/organisations – London Luton Airport and Kering Group. You must also include a third company of your own choice.

Additionally, write a reflective report with an update on your key skills learning in the Unit – evidenced by entries in your online journal.
Write a formal report, with headings, using your reading, research, learning and journal content as a starting point.
We suggest writing the report in two parts:
Part 1 (approx. 2400 words)
Part 1 will include:
• Introduction / summary of the assignment brief and task
• Explanation of a sustainable approach to business strategy and management – evidenced by examples of strategies that businesses/organisations use to operate in an ethical and sustainable way. You must include the companies/organisations named above and a third company of your own choosing
• To evidence and analyse the different approaches to CSR of the 3 companies/organisations? What are the differences and how can you measure success in their CSR strategies?
• Evidence of research and reading beyond topic areas discussed in class
• Reference List
Format:
Using Business Report Style written based on your research findings in 3rd person

PLEASE INSERT A BLANK PAGE BETWEEN PART 1 and PART 2

Part 2: Reflective Report on Key Skills Development (approx. 1,200 words)
Your personal reflection is based on your learning experience from Week 6, documented by your journal entries in BREO which will form part of this assessment. Therefore, journal entries added on a regular basis MUST BE SUMMARISED WITHIN THE ASSIGNMENT to evidence how you have developed and used key skills in the initial learning in the unit and in the analysis of the business case for this assignment. This can be achieved by completing journal entries on your self-assessment analysis, VARK, Belbin and all personal development activities that link to key employability skills.
In the reflective report you may explore key skill development in only 3 of the following areas:
• Communication (both verbal and written – evidenced by classroom discussion, presentations and report writing)
• Numeracy – (evidenced by examples of use of data and statistics in your seminar activities and this submission)
• ICT (evidenced using Microsoft Office programs during the unit)
• Problem Solving (evidenced by examples of analysis and information gathering, during the unit and in the submission of the assignment)
• Working with Others (evidenced by reflecting on your experience working in teams during the unit)
There is an opportunity to reflect on feedback given in class, on your journals and specifically on your first assignment. Understanding feedback and acting on it is a key element of your learning and development at this early part of your university experience where the expectations of independent learning are probably new to you and very challenging.
Feedback is offered in a variety of ways and not just on assignments – so try and utilise as many opportunities as you can.
Format of the Report:
• Reflective report should be written about yourself so in 1st person
• All links to key skills development must be referenced in text to entries in your journal. For Example:
“Since Semester one unit learning I have continued to develop and work on these XXXX academic skills, how to read an article and paraphrase key elements of it, reference it correctly so that it could be included in a formal submission” (JNL Week 4 (date)
• Your report should be correctly referenced in Harvard style with references in text and in a reference list at the end of your report.

Submission format: Font type – Arial or Calibri only. Font size – 12.
You must upload your work in a Word Document or PDF format only. Please note that PCs and Laptops with their own operating systems (Macs, Google Notebooks, etc.) are not always compatible with more widely used formats. This means that if you upload your work using an operating system specific to your laptop/PC, we may not be able to open or read your document. We will, therefore, not be able to mark the work, so please check that your document is compatible with other forms of laptops/PCs before you submit.
Do not include any elements that have been submitted or marked in previous submissions without correct referencing. To use chunks of work previously submitted is considered to be self-plagiarism.
What do I need to do to pass? (Threshold Expectations from UIF)

Assessment 002
• Using reading and research on CSR, ethics and sustainability, explore at least one area of sustainability in businesses of the different companies/organisations listed above
• Present your work in a formal report with headings using Harvard style referencing
• Show evidence of self-reflection on the assignment task by making links to your online journal
How do I produce high quality work that merits a good grade?

We will be filling this section in together in class on Click or tap to enter a date. make sure you have downloaded/printed out the Assignment Brief and bring it to the session with you.

How does assignment relate to what we are doing in scheduled sessions?

Your assignment tests your application of learning in the Unit. In delivering the assessment you will undertake activities which are designed to develop your skills, which will provide relevant evidence for your assignment submission. You apply your knowledge and learning in writing a formal business report. The learning in your lectures and seminar activity all inform your preparation for writing the assignment.

How will my assignment be marked?

Your assignment will be marked according to the threshold expectations and the criteria on the following page.
You can use them to evaluate your own work and consider your grade before you submit.

3rd Class – 40-49%
Lower 2nd – 50-59%
Upper 2nd – 60-69%
1st Class – 70%+

10%
Introduction and summary to the business case and the assignment
CSR concepts introduced with limited understanding demonstrated in the companies/challenges discussed
A good understanding of the business case and the assignment is introduced but with some minor omissions
A very good account of the business case and the assignment is introduced with no omissions.
An excellent insight into the business case and the assignment. The introduction is succinct with no omissions. Very clear to all readers what the report intends to do.
20%
Evidence of understanding and application of relevant theories to context Some evidence of understanding of sustainable business management challenges with gaps. Some evidence of understanding of sustainable business management challenges, including business ethics, sustainability and CSR in the range of business size Some evidence of understanding of sustainable business management challenges, including business ethics, sustainability and CSR explored in all business sizes An excellent insight into the topic with all elements discussed across the whole range of business size. The work is concise, yet comprehensive.
20%
Evaluation of different approaches to CSR The companies/organisations approach to CSR are evaluated but with limited analysis or summary of findings. The companies/organisations approach to CSR are evaluated with sound analysis and summary of findings. The companies/organisations approach to CSR are evaluated with good analysis and a clear summary of findings. The companies/organisations approach to CSR are evaluated with excellent analysis and a succinct but comprehensive summary of findings.
30%
Reflection on Learning in the Unit and during Practice Week. There is some evidence of self-assessment linked to online journals. Some self-awareness is show but this is limited or overly critical. There is reasonable evidence of self-assessment and reflection on learning. Self-awareness is shown which is both critical and rational. Good evidence of self-assessment, reflection on learning and personal development with references including Tuckerman, Kolb’s models. Excellent reflection on learning. Personal development is highlighted with self-assessment showing sound insight. Makes full and accurate use of several reflective/learning models and shows evidence of wider research.
10%
*Online Journal Content and Quality Some content on practice week Activity without references to Self-Assessment, VARK and Belbin A fair range of content – intermittent entries with references to at least one of the self-assessment exercises including Skills inventory, VARK and Belbin Good content-well constructed and regular entries with references to Self-Assessment exercise, VARK and Belbin A thorough portfolio of evidence to support reflective activity. Concise, yet comprehensive, analysis and discussion are provided that shows true engagement with the weekly learning programme.
10%
Structure, presentation, referencing, spelling and grammar. Some inconsistencies in presentation of material. An attempt at a formal report with headings and some errors both in text and in the References section Some inconsistencies in presentation of material. Good style. Satisfactorily expressed but several mistakes in grammar and spelling. Most references are correct in text, with appropriate page numbers and listed in the Reference section. Material well organised and presented. Good style. Well expressed with very few mistakes in grammar and spelling. Almost all references are correct, both in text and in the Reference section. Excellent organisation and presentation of material. Excellent style. Excellently expressed with perfect grammar and spelling. All references are correctly cited both in text and in the Reference section.