Assignment - Business and Business Environment, UK College of Business and Computing

Learning Outcomes -

1. Explain the different types, size and scope of organisations.

2. Demonstrate the interrelationship of the various functions within an organisation and how they link to organisational structure.

3. Use contemporary examples to demonstrate both the positive and negative influence/impact the macro environment has on business operations.

4. Determine the internal strengths and weaknesses of specific businesses and explain their interrelationship with external macro factors.

Purpose of this assignment -

The aim of this unit is to provide students with background knowledge and understanding of business, the functions of an organisation and the wider business environments in which organisations operate. Students will examine the different types of organisations (including for profit and not for profit), their size and scope (for instance, micro, SME, transnational and global) and how they operate.

Students will explore the relationships that organisations have with their various stakeholders and how the wider external environments influence and shape business decision-making.

The knowledge, understanding and skill sets gained in this unit will help students to choose their own preferred areas of specialism in future studies and in their professional career.

Evidences - The evidences towards this assignment should include;

1. Essay

2. Case study

Assignment -

Part 1- Essay

Using a real organisation, write an essay of approximately 1500 words critically analysing different kinds of organisations (profits, non-profits, public sector etc.) based on their purpose, size and scope. You are also to consider the interrelationship between different organisation structures and functions within the organisation.

Your essay must be structured to cover three key areas;

1) Different types of organisations

Differences between profit, not for profit and non-governmental organisations (NGOs).

Business purpose and supply of goods and services.

2) Size and scope of the organisations

Difference between micro, small, medium-size and large enterprises.

Market share, profit share, growth and sustainability.

3) Organisation structures and functions

Different kinds of structures relating to size and scope of operations.

Complexities of transnational, international and global organisation structures.

How functions relate to overall organisation mission and objectives.

Part 2 - Case study: 'The UK Supermarket sector'

Most of the major UK supermarket chains has recently announced plans to restructure their businesses in a bid to be more competitive but also as a direct response to changes within the business environment.

Marks & Spencer has unveiled plans to close up to 14 shops, putting around 500 jobs at risk, as the high street stalwart takes a more ruthless approach to its struggling stores (The Telegraph - Wednesday 31 January 2018).

Tesco has announced plans to "simplify" its business that will result in 1,700 job cuts (Independent - Monday 22 January 2018).

SAINSBURY's has announced plans to shake up its management, putting thousands of jobs at risk in the process (The Sun - Wednesday 24 January 2018).

Asda has made a further 28 jobs redundant at its head office. This follows earlier round of redundancies in September 2017, when Asda axed almost 300 jobs at its 2500-strong Leeds head office as part of a turnaround plan that features major cost-cutting initiatives (Retail Gazette - January 9, 2018).

Task - Using these cases with additional research of the sector;

a) Apply the PESTEL model to the sector to analyse how the macro environment is impacting the UK retail sector.

b) Apply the SWOT/TOWS analysis and also Porter's five forces analysis to any UK Supermarket to determine how they influence decision of the supermarket.

Note - Total approximately 4000 words in total.