Nelson College London

Assignment Brief
Unit Details:
Unit Code

(K/601/1749) (Unit 20)

Unit Name:

Business Health Check

Programme Name:

HND in Hospitality Management

Awarding body:

Pearson

Unit Level (QCF):

QCF-5

Academic term:

May July 2015

Assignment Brief
Distribution date

Week commencing -18 May, 2015

Submission deadline

TBC

Result and feedback date

4 weeks from the deadline

Unit 20- Business Health Check

Nelson College London

Course Details
Course Name

Higher National Diploma (HND) in Hospitality Management

Unit number

20

Unit Name

Business Health Check (Unit 20)

Credit Value

15

Lecturer

Syed Tanvir Hussain

Hand Out/Issue Date

18 May 2015

Submission Deadline

TBC

Introduction
Students are expected to write an essay, report and class activity covering the points listed under
each of the learning outcomes. To achieve a pass in this unit, you must successfully address all of
the assessment criteria listed (P1- P7). We expect all students to achieve their potentials and would
encourage you to address all pass criteria, merit and distinction descriptors.
For certain tasks students are encouraged to use real life examples of their choice and/or the
scenario provided below. The scenario given below may not be relevant to all pass criteria listed.
Therefore, you should read and cite relevant books, newspapers and industry journals to find
suitable articles from which you can draw examples to support your answers.
There is no set format for this essay. However, like all business essays you should have an
introduction, body and a conclusion.
Assignment Tasks
The assignment is in three Parts.
Part 1 is in report writing that should accomplish P1, P2, P3, P4, &P5
Part 2 is an essay combining the requirements of P6
Part 3 is a class activity combining the requirements of P7

Unit 20- Business Health Check

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ASSIGNMENT REQUIREMENTS:
Task One: Pass, Merit and Distinction Criteria Questions (LO1)
Report format
P1. Analyse the objective of a selected business in a service industry (AC1.1)
(You are required to analyse the mission, vision and objectives of the selected business in a service
industry)
P2. Explain factors that impact on a selected service oriented business.(AC 1.2)
(Using any two of the PESTLE analysis, explain how these factors impact in your chosen
hospitality business)
M1. To achieve M1 you need to explain all the PESTLE factors that have impact in your
chosen hospitality business. (P2)
P3. Determine potential improvements to a selected service oriented business. (AC 1.3)
(Based on the factors mentioned in P2, determine potential improvements in your selected
hospitality business)
P4. Review the effectiveness of a selected business in a service industry. (AC 2.1)
(Using the SWOT analyses, review the effectiveness of your chosen business in a service industry)
P5. Develop plans to improve the selected business in service industry by justifying their
value. (You are required to develop a brief plan based on CRM( customer relationship management
your selected hospitality business) (AC 2.2)
M2. To achieve M2 you are required to demonstrate the use of technical terms CRM
(Customer Relationship Management).
D1. To achieve D1:

You have used practical examples from P1- P5. Or

You have used real event theories to support your answer

Unit 20- Business Health Check

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Task two: Pass, Merit and Distinction Criteria Questions (LO3)
Essay format

Unit 20- Business Health Check

Nelson College London

Scenario
HRM in practice - Improving training at Pontins
Pontins is a British company that has a number of holiday centres which are catering primarily for
families. The vast majority of Pontins employees are seasonal workers, many of whom will only
work for the company for a short period of time. Despite the relatively high turnover of staff that
this situation creates the companys commitment to the IiP Standard means that all employees have
the opportunity to improve. Drawing on the IiP guidelines the company now has a structure which
means that every employee will have a personal development file with job description and aims,
access to NVQs, access to funding for vocational training, assistance with professional
qualifications and assessment of aims and goals and help achieving them. So even those employees
who only stay a short period of time can gain a new qualification. As well as increasing the amount
of training and delivering higher standards of service, the company has also seen improved
employee retention, resulting in greater productivity and reduced costs.
Source: Derived from http://www.investorsinpeople.co.uk/IIP/Web/Case+Studies/Pontin.htm
Answer the following:
P6. Evaluate the current skills of management and staff from a chosen hospitality
organisation. (Identify and evaluate the current skills of the manager and the member of staff in
your chosen hospitality organisation) (AC 3.1)

Task three: Pass, Merit and Distinction Criteria Questions (LO3)

Class Activity
Scenario
Investing in people: at what cost?
Amanda Scott, then General Manager of the Copthorne Hotel in Glasgow, suggests that in
many respects IiP embodied what any good manager should be doing investing in their
people. However, she also outlined a number of criticisms. Many companies that have
attained the IiP Standard often already have good HR systems and procedures in place so
gaining the award may simply be nothing more than a badging process. Moreover it is a
badging process that generates a lot of paperwork and bureaucracy, with the awarding body
often using obscure and confusing jargon. She also suggests that the cost of IiP accreditation
may well be prohibitive, As a management model it can deliver, but in my opinion 4000 for
the privilege of a branding exercise cannot be justified. It if was my personal money? I
dont think so. This latter point concerning the costly nature of IiP accreditation could be
particularly important for smaller companies who predominate in tourism and hospitality. The
CIPD has recently estimated that the total cost of seeking IiP is between 500015 000
depending on the size of the organization and how much consultancy support the organization
uses.
Derived from Scott (1999); CIPD (2006).

P7. Devise and justify plans for the development of skills for management and staff in a
selected business in service industry. (This is a class activity and once the activity is carried
out by you and agreed by your tutor then type the class activity and attach it with your
5
Unit 20- Business Health Check
assignment)
(AC 3.2)

M3: To achieve M3 you are required to use a range of source of information applied
throughout the report.

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D3: Write an appropriate conclusion that summarise your discussion and provide
meaning to the discussion.

Achievement of Pass, Merit and Distinction Grade

Achievement of a Pass grade:

A pass grade is achieved by meeting all the requirements defined in the assessment criteria for pass
for each unit.
Achievement of a merit grade
To achieve a merit grade you must achieve a pass grade and also your essay/assignment/coursework
demonstrates your abilities and skills in the following areas:
M1

identify and apply strategies to find appropriate solutions

M2

select/design and apply appropriate methods/ techniques

M3

present and communicate appropriate findings.

Grade Descriptors:
Merit
M1
Identify
and
apply
strategies
to
find
appropriate solutions

Indicative Characteristics

Effective judgements have been made

Complex problems with more than one variable have
been explored
An effective approach to study and research has been
applied
Relevant theories and techniques have been applied
A range of methods and techniques have been applied
Unit 20- Business Health Check

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M2
Select/design and apply
appropriate
methods/techniques

M3
Present and communicate
appropriate findings

A range of sources of information has been used

The selection of methods and techniques/sources has
been justified
The design of methods/techniques has been justified
Complex information/data has been synthesised and
processed
Appropriate learning methods/techniques have been
applied
The appropriate structure and approach has been used
Coherent, logical development of principles/concepts
for the intended audience
A range of methods of presentation have been used and
Technical language has been accurately used
Communication has taken place in familiar and
unfamiliar contexts
The communication is appropriate for familiar and
unfamiliar audiences and appropriate media have been
used.

Achievement of a distinction grade

To achieve a distinction you must achieve distinction grade and also
essay/assignment/coursework demonstrates your abilities and skills in the following areas:
D1:

Use critical reflection to evaluate own work and justify valid conclusions

D2:

Take responsibility for managing and organising activities

D3:

Demonstrate convergent/lateral/ creative thinking.

your

Grade
Descriptors: Indicative Characteristics
Distinction
Conclusions have been arrived at through synthesis of ideas
and have been justified
D1
The validity of results has been evaluated using defined
Use critical reflection to
criteria
evaluate own work and
Self-criticism of approach has taken place
justify valid conclusions
Realistic improvements have been proposed against defined
characteristics
for
success
D2
Take responsibility for
managing and organising
activities

Autonomy/independence has been demonstrated

Substantial activities, projects or investigations have been
planned, managed and organised
Activities have been managed
The unforeseen has been accommodated
The importance of interdependence has been recognised and
achieved
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D3
Demonstrate
convergent / lateral /
creative thinking

Ideas have been generated and decisions taken

Self-evaluation has taken place
Convergent and lateral thinking have been applied
Problems have been solved
Innovation and creative thought have been applied
Receptiveness to new ideas is evident
Effective thinking has taken place in unfamiliar contexts

Submission Instructions:

The beginning of each section should outline a general introduction to the broad topic with
the objective of providing a contextual background to the areas of discussion to follow.

Relevant references and academic quotes and the use of case examples are required as
evidence of broader reading and research.

Reasonable consideration will be given in the case of failure to submit the assignments on
time due to any medical reasons. (Provided the sufficient medical proof is made available at
the time of exemption)

Late submissions are not allowed and will be penalised.

Referencing should be provided in Harvard Style referencing.

The assignments should be completed in Font Type: Time New Roman/Arial with Size 12 and
1.5 spacing between lines.

Appendix A:

Plagiarism and Collusion

Any act of plagiarism and collusion will be seriously dealt with according to the regulations. In this
context the definition and scope of plagiarism are presented below:
Using the work of others without acknowledging source of information or inspiration. Even if the
words are changed or sentences are put in different order, the result is still plagiarism. (Cortell
2003)

Unit 20- Business Health Check

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Collusion describes as the submission of work produced in collaboration for an assignment based
on the assessment of individual work. When one person shares his/her work with others who submit
part or all of it as their own work.

Appendix B:

Harvard Referencing System

Any information that is not yours needs to be referenced or else turns to be plagiarism. Copying
from someones work can be unintentionally if you are unaware of the rules of acknowledging and
referencing direct quotations.
The Harvard systems of citation require you to acknowledge certain information, which are mainly
the surname and year of publication within the text.
For example:
According to Bell (1999), as you write up your research you will use a citation to indicate in your
text the source of piece of information, ..
The authors and publication information cited within the main body of your work must be listed in
the reference list. For example:
Bell, J. (1999) Doing your research Project. (3rd Ed) Buckingham: Open University Press
Detailed guidance on the Harvard Referencing System (HRS) is available on the Virtual Tutor (VT).

Unit 20- Business Health Check

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Learning outcomes and assessment criteria from Unit Specification

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Unit 20- Business Health Check

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Indicative reading for learners
Textbooks
Chon,K and Maier,A.T.(2010) Welcome to Hospitality...an Introduction,3rd Edition. Canada:
Nelson
Education, Ltd.
Cathy,E.A.(2010) Hospitality Strategic Management-Concept and Cases,2nd Edition. , New Jersey:
John Wiley & Sons.
Sommerville,L.M.(2007) Hospitality Employee management and Supervision, New Jersey: John
Wiley & Sons.

Journals
Mohamed Nassar. 2012. Exploring current benchmarking practices in the Egyptian hotel sector.
Benchmarking: An International Journal 19:6, 730-742.
Anthony Brien, Nazmun Ratna, Lyn Boddington. 2012. Is Organizational Social Capital Crucial for
Productivity Growth? An Exploration of Trust within Luxury Hotels in New Zealand. Journal of
Human Resources in Hospitality & Tourism 11:2, 123-145.
Jehad S. Aldehayyat, Adel A. Al Khattab, John R. Anchor. 2011. The use of strategic planning tools
and techniques by hotels in Jordan. Management Research Review 34:4, 477-490.
Newspapers
Quality newspapers especially the hospitality sections
Websites
www.abta.com
www.iata.org
www.keynote.co.uk
www.mintel.com
www.staruk.com
www.statistics.gov.uk
www.tourismconcern.com
www.visitbritain.com
www.wttc.org

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Association of British Travel Agents

International Air Transport Association
Key Note market information
Mintel site provides media, product and
Consumer information
English tourism statistics
National Statistics Online official UK
statistics
Tourism Concern
Visit Britain travel guide to Britain
World Travel and Tourism Council

Unit 20- Business Health Check