HND Assignment Brief

Session: September 2016

Programme title

NJW10 Pearson BTEC Level 5 HND in Business

Unit number and title

Unit 6

Business Decision Making

Assignment number & title

1 of 1

Individual Written Report

Assessor (s)

Mr Nazim Saleem, Mr Dan Sookun

Issue Date

26 September 2017

Final assignment
submission deadline

9-14 January 2017

16 - 21 January 2017

Late submission deadline

The learners are required to follow the strict deadline set by the College
for submissions of assignments in accordance with the BTEC level 47
submission guidelines and College policy on submissions.

Resubmission deadline

TBA

Feedback

In-class feedback will be available from draft submissions on a task-bytask basis as a formative assessment as well as summative feedback in
the form of initial submission.
Final feedback will be available within 2 weeks of the assignment
submission date.

General

Guidelines

The work you submit must be in your own words. If you use a quote or an
illustration from somewhere you must give the source.
Include a list of references at the end of your document. You must give all
your sources of information.
Make sure your work is clearly presented and that you use readily
understandable English.
Wherever possible use a word processor and its spell-checker.

Internal verifier

Dr G Zvobgo

Signature (IV of the

brief) *

gilbert@iconcollege.com

Date

22/9/16

ICON COLLEGE OF TECHNOLOGY AND MANAGEMENT

Pearson BTEC Level 5 HND in Business (QCF)
Unit 6: Business Decision Making QCF L5

Session September 2016

Course work (Recommended Word limit 3,000)
This Unit will be assessed by a written assignment .
ASSIGNMENT
Assignment Context and Scenario:
Consider that you have recently been appointed as a consultant to advise the Product Development
team at a UK based outbound tour operator. You are required to write a report consisting of four (4)
tasks which should provide an analysis of emerging market trends and customer preferences as
well as attitude in order to help develop a new tour products and services.
In carrying out the tasks, the company wants you to gather relevant data and analyse using
appropriate tools and techniques, including statistical methods. This would involve identifying and
collecting both primary and secondary data from appropriate sources.
You are required to demonstrate that you have a good knowledge and understanding of appropriate
data collection methods and able to process, analyse and present data using relevant techniques
and tools, including ICT and software packages such as the spreadsheets.
What you must do
Task 1:
A

Identify the sources of primary and secondary data that you would require for the development
of new tour products and create a plan for data collection. You may need to list the type of
data required such as consumer profile, preference, attitude and buying behaviour as well as
competitor products. [P1.1, M1]

In order to support the above plan for collecting primary and secondary data, present the
survey methodology along with an appropriate sampling frame and strategy. [P1.2]

Design a questionnaire to carry out the survey with relevant instruments to reflect the required
data. [P1.3]

To achieve M1, you will need to demonstrate that effective approach to study and to create a
plan for collecting primary and secondary data has been applied [Task 1A].

Task 2:
A.

Create information by summarising the data collected from your research using frequency
tables and representative values (averages) and analyse the results to draw valid conclusions
regarding new tour product development [P2.1 and P2.2]

B.

Analyse data using measures of dispersion (standard deviation) to develop a given business
scenario for a new product development [P2.3, M2, D1]
2

C.

Explain how quartiles, percentiles and correlation coefficient can be used to aid decision
making in the package tour market. [P2.4]

To achieve M2, you will need to demonstrate that a range of methods and techniques have
been used in analysing the relevant data to support effective decision making in business
context. [related to Task 2B]

To achieve D1, you will need to demonstrate the results in Task 2B have been validated using
defined criteria such as the dispersion measures (standard deviation or correlation).

Task 3:
A.

Produce graphs and charts (pie, bar, line, ogive, histogram) using a spreadsheet to draw valid
conclusions based on the information regarding the proposed project. [P3.1]

B.

Create a trend line on an XY- plot using a spreadsheet and use it to forecast future events
within the chosen business context.[P3.2, M3]

C.

Prepare a business presentation based on your analysis and findings using appropriate
software tools. [P3.3]

D.

Produce a formal business report for the proposed new product development initiative at the
chosen organisation. [P3.4]

To achieve M3, you will have used a range of methods, including appropriate technical
language in creating the trend line to assist in forecasting information for decision making in
your organisation.

Task 4:
A.

Using appropriate information processing tools, prepare a project plan and determine the
critical path for the launch of a new tour product. [P4.1 and P4.2, D2]

B.

Use financial tools such as the feasibility analysis to assess viability of the project. [P4.3, D3]

To achieve D2, you will need to demonstrate that substantial activities have been planned,
organised and managed in the preparation of the project plan.

To achieve D3, you will need to demonstrate that innovation and creative thought have been
applied in analysing the financial viability of the proposed product

Relevant Information
1. Outcomes of the Unit
On successful
completion of this Unit
a learner will:

Assessment criteria for pass:

To achieve each outcome a learner must demonstrate

LO1. Be able to use a

variety of sources for
the collection of data,
both primary and
secondary
LO2. Understand a
range of techniques to
analyse data effectively
for business purposes

1.1 create a plan for the collection of primary and secondary

data for a given business problem
1.2 present the survey methodology and sampling frame used
1.3 design a questionnaire for a given business problem

LO3. Be able to produce

information in
appropriate formats for
decision making in an
organisational context

LO4: Be able to use

software- generated
information to make
decisions in an
organisation

2.1 create information for decision making by summarising

data using representative values
2.2 analyse the results to draw valid conclusions in a
business context
2.3 analyse data using measures of dispersion to inform a
given business scenario
2.4 explain how quartiles, percentiles, and the correlation
coefficient are used to draw useful conclusions in a
business context
3.1 produce graphs using spreadsheets and draw valid
conclusions based on the information derived
3.2 create trend lines in spreadsheet graphs to assist in
forecasting for specified business information
3.3 prepare a business presentation using suitable software
and techniques to disseminate information effectively
3.4 produce a formal business report
4.1 use appropriate information processing tools
4.2 prepare a project plan for an activity and determine the
critical path
4.3 use financial tools for decision making

Questions reflecting
the Learning outcome

Task 1

Task 2

Task 3

Task 4

2. Grading Criteria for Merit and Distinction of this coursework

Merit (M1, M2, M3)
Descriptors
Indicative characteristics
M1
An effective approach
Identify and apply
to study and research
strategies to find
to create a plan for
appropriate
primary and secondary
solution
research has been
applied
M2
A range of methods
Select/design and
and techniques have
apply appropriate
been applied in
methods/techniqu
analysing relevant data
es
to support effective
decision making
A
range
of methods of
M3
presentation
has been
Present and
used
and
technical
communicate
language has been
appropriate
accurately used in creating
findings
the trend line to assist in

Distinction (D1, D2, D3)

Descriptors
Indicative characteristics
D1
Use critical
Validity of results has
reflection to
been demonstrated using
evaluate own
defined criteria such as
work and justify
dispersion measures
valid conclusions
(Task 2 B)
D2
Substantial activities
Take
have been planned,
responsibility for
organised and managed
managing and
in the development of the
organising
project plan
activities
D3
Innovative an creative
Demonstrate
thoughts have been
convergent/lateral
applied in analysing the
/creative thinking
financial viability of the
proposed product.

forecasting information for

decision making in your
organisation

Guide to student
3. Preparation guidelines of the Coursework Document
a. All coursework must be word processed.
b. Document margins must not be more than 2.54 cm (1 inch) or less than 1.9cm (3/4 inch).
c. Font size must be within the range of 10 point to 14 point including the headings and body text
(preferred font size is 11).
d. Standard and commonly used type face, such as Arial and Times New Roman, should be
used.
e. All figures, graphs and tables must be numbered.
f. Material taken from external sources must be properly referred and cited within the text using
Harvard system
g. Do not use Wikipedia as a reference.
4. Plagiarism and Collusion
Any act of plagiarism or collusion will be seriously dealt with according to the College regulations.
In this context the definitions and scope of plagiarism and collusion are presented below:
Plagiarism is presenting somebody elses work as your own. It includes copying information
directly from the Web or books without referencing the material; submitting joint coursework as
an individual effort.
Collusion is copying another students coursework; stealing coursework from another student and
submitting it as your own work.
Suspected plagiarism or collusion will be investigated and if found to have occurred will be dealt
with according to the College procedure (For details on Plagiarism & Collusion please see the
Student Handbook).
5. Submission
a. Initial submission of coursework to the tutors is compulsory in each unit of the course.
b. The student must check their assignments on ICON VLE with plagiarism software Turnitin to
make sure the similarity index for their assignment stays within the College approved level. A
student can check the similarity index of their assignment three times in the Draft Assignment
5

submission point located in the home page of the ICON VLE.

c. All Final coursework must be submitted to the Final submission point into the Unit (not to
the Tutor). The student would be allowed to submit only once and that is the final
submission.
d. Any computer files generated such as programme code (software), graphic files that form part
of the coursework must be submitted as an attachment to the assignment with all
documentation.
e. Any portfolio for a Unit must be submitted as a hardcopy to the Examination Office.
f. The student must attach the tutors feedback from the First submission in between the cover
page and the answer in the case of Resubmission.
6. Good practice
a. Make backup of your work in different media (hard disk, memory stick, etc.) to avoid distress
for loss or damage of your original copy.
7. Extension and Late Submission
a. If you need an extension for a valid reason, you must request one using an Exceptional
Extenuating Circumstances (EEC) form available from the College Examination Office and
on the ICON VLE. Please note that the lecturers do not have the authority to extend the
coursework deadlines and therefore do not ask them to award a coursework extension. The
completed form must be accompanied by evidence such as a medical certificate in the event
of you being sick, and should be submitted to the Examination Office.
b. Late submission will be accepted and marked according to the College procedure. It should
be noted that late submission may not be graded for Merit and Distinction.
c. All late coursework must be submitted to the Late submission point into the unit (not to
the Tutor) in the ICON VLE. A student is allowed to submit only once and that is also
treated as the final submission.
8. Submission deadlines

Online to the ICON College VLE

Final Submission date:

Late Submission date:

9-14 January 2017

16 21 January 2017

Glossary:
Analyse: Break an issue or topic into smaller parts by looking in depth at each part. Support each
part with arguments and evidence for and against (Pros and cons).
Critically Evaluate/Analyse: When you critically evaluate you look at the arguments for and
against an issue. You look at the strengths and weaknesses of the arguments. This
could be from an article you read in a journal or from a text book.
Discuss: When you discuss you look at both sides of a discussion. You look at both sides of the
arguments. Then you look at the reason why it is important (for) then you look at the
reason why its important (against).
Explain: When you explain you must say why it is important or not important.
Evaluate: When you evaluate you look at the arguments for and against an issue.
Identify: When you identify you look at the most important points.