StudyHub

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)

Unit title & code

Foundations of Business Management (BBS013-1)

Assignment number and title

Referral Assessment 2

Assessment type

Collaborative Activity and Individual Report

Weighting of assessment

60%

Size or length of assessment

3,600 words +/- 10% excluding references, executive summary, table of contents, tables and appendices

Unit learning outcomes

Demonstrate the following knowledge and understanding

AssignmentTutorOnline

Recognise, understand and discuss the interaction between functional elements and understand the key drivers of operational management and understand the use of analysis, data and information in operational performance of organisations

Demonstrate the following skills and abilities

Work with others to achieve shared goals and apply problem solving techniques appropriately and with an appreciation of how communication, information technology and numeracy skills can help in the world of business.

What am I required to do in this assignment?

This assignment continues focusing on the BTR (Bedford Town Residences) Case Study used in Assessment 1. Students should stay in the same group; please contact your tutor for help if you need assistance with group formation.

You will work in groups to develop a Knowledge Base on implementing working ‘best-practices’ developed during the Work-From-Home (WFH) period and research if and how a hybrid WFH and Word-from-Office (WFO) is feasible and desirable. This should be based upon the “Knowledge Base Template” document provided on the BREO shell under the Assessment and Feedback section in the “Assessment 2” folder.

This Knowledge Base should form the core of the information and key sources used to write your Individual Reports.

What is expected:

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. 2,600 words) – written based on your research findings so in 3^rd person

Your Individual Report should take the form of a consultancy report aimed at the management of BTR (Bedford Town Residences) addressing the following key points

What working practices have changed for the better ;

How can these ‘best practices’ be implemented in an office environment ;

In addition, management needs an analysis if a hybrid model (both remote-office) can be implemented if that would maintain or even enhance productivity and wellbeing of staff.

There should be clear evidence of reading about the topic beyond the areas discussed in class and include both academic sources to support your use of key models and concepts as well as credible non-academic sources to support your discussion and evaluation of recommendations to address the issues facing the Case Study company (Bedford Town Residences). You must reference your sources both in-text and in a Reference List using the Harvard-UoB style (please see referencing resources on the LRWeb for further guidance if needed).

Suggested Structure and Additional Guidance

Executive summary: Describe the key points from the report, including the most important findings and recommendations.

Introduction: Explain the purpose of your report and lay out the structure of the rest of your report.

Impact of the Covid-19 Pandemic on organisations: Discuss and explore the impact of Covid-19, particularly as it relates to

Key Issues present at BTR: Highlight the key issues that are present at BTR as relates to return to office working. Do not simply re-state the key issues as raised in the Case Study but connect them to the previous section (“Impact of Covid-19 Pandemic on organisations”) and discuss them in the wider context of the challenges faced by organisations post lockdown.

Recommendations: Give justified and supported recommendations for how BTR should make adjustments or changes to their organization in light of the lessons learned during the remote working period and how to implement these in post lockdown, including a possible hybrid model WFH-WFO. These recommendations should address some or all of the key issues that you have identified in the Case Study and should be supported by credible sources, including sources from the academic literature.

Conclusion: This section should draw together the main points from your Report, no new information should be included in the conclusion.

Reference List: A properly formatted Reference List is required alongside in-text citations.

Part 2 (approx. 1,000 words) – written about yourself so 1^st person

Your personal reflection is based on your learning experience documented by your journal entries in BREO which will form part of this assessment. Therefore, journal entries added on a regular basis in weeks 6-10 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 all or any 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)

The reflective report should include continued evaluation of your experience working in class and your practice week by relating where possible to models and theories like Belbin, Tuckman and Kolb. You can also include reflection on learning from feedback offered in seminars and from SEM 1 units as your development is continuous

The reflective report should conclude with an action plan using the SMART framework. So, where you identify an improvement is needed, document how you intend to do that.

Format:

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.

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)

Show evidence of topic understanding using resources listed in the reading list

Demonstrate knowledge of practical application of theory learned during the Unit using examples from business

Show evidence of research through academic writing and referencing

Show evidence of reflection related to the unit learning

How do I produce high quality work that merits a good grade?

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

The unit leader evaluates reports based on the following criteria:

Introduction and summary of the case study business and assignment

Evidence of understanding and application of relevant theories to current context, case evaluation and key findings

Reflection on Learning in the Unit and during practice week

Structure, presentation, referencing, spelling and grammar

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

In this assessment you will be required to work in groups and independently. You will have the opportunity to analyse real business problems from all functional aspects and develop appropriate solutions. The assessment is designed to be challenging, enabling you to obtain a systematic understanding of the topics under investigation.

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.

3^rd Class – 40-49%

Lower 2^nd – 50-59%

Upper 2^nd – 60-69%

1^st Class – 70%+

Introduction and Summary to the Case Study and the assignment

(10%)

A basic understanding of the case study and the assignment.

A fair understanding of the case study and the assignment.

A good account of the case study and the assignment

An excellent insight into the case study and the assignment.

Demonstrate understanding of the use of business functions, unit topics and concepts, evaluation and discussion of the Case Study

(25%)

Evidence of a fair understanding of business functions, the topic and learning. Fair reasoning and recommendations but limited in scope or depth, limited input into discussion and conclusion of report.

A good understanding of business functions, the topic and learning. Good reasoning and recommendations with reasonable input into discussion and conclusion of report. May be limited in scope/depth.

An excellent insight and understanding of business functions, the topic and learning. Excellent reasoning and recommendations demonstrated, with clear input into discussion and conclusion of report.

Evidence of reading and research, including use of appropriate academic literature and credible non-academic sources (25%)

Some research ability demonstrated in the information gathered, with a mix of academic and non-academic sources used, however undermined by using only the supplied sources from Knowledge Base template or use of low-credibility or poor sources. Little use of relevant academic concepts, models or theories.

Reasonable research ability demonstrated in the information gathered, with a mix of academic and non-academic sources used. Some application of academic concepts, models and theories but but lack of depth/connection to problem set

Good research ability demonstrated in the information gathered, with a good mix of academic and non-academic sources used. Good application of academic concepts, models and theories but lacking in depth and/or breadth

Excellent research ability demonstrated in the information gathered with a very good balance of academic and non-academic sources. Work has benefited considerably from the range and depth of information presented. Excellent overall application of multiple academic concepts, models and theories.

Reflection on Learning in the Unit.

(30%)

Some reflection evidenced on learning related to the assignment task, but may be limited or mostly descriptive

Reasonable evidence of self-assessment and reflection on learning.

Good evidence of self-assessment, reflection on learning and personal development.

Excellent reflection on learning. Personal development – showing sound insight.

Structure, presentation, referencing, spelling and grammar

(10%)

Write the report in a formal style using headings and Harvard referencing format

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 References 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 references 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 References section