Consultancy in Practice

Learning outcome 1: Perform efficiently and effectively as a collaborative member of a working group and as an added value contributor to the organisation assigned to the students.

Learning outcome 2: Develop and demonstrate effective business communication skills.

Assignment task:

The purpose of this individual piece of work is to;

Evaluate your learning and skills development across the project. A reminder that this will be from the work delivered from the real client project brief, so a real company which requires students to work on a real project with clear deliverables

Reflect on skills gaps and how they might be addressed
Demonstrate your employability and readiness to apply for graduate level jobs, as you progress to Level 6.

Tasks one and two should not exceed 1,500 words should be written in report format using a formal tone and a concise style. You may use the first person.

Tasks three and four will be fully assessed using the Assessment Criteria but will not be included in the word count.

Task one  - Reflection from the project with examples
Having worked as part of the team solving your real client's business problem, this task requires you to critically reflect on the process and evaluate your learning and your skills development - using examples. For example,
Which skills have you developed and/or enhanced as a result of the project?
What do you know now that you didn't know at the start of the process?
To what extent has your level of confidence improved?
How could you use your learning in your future career?

Task two - Action plan
Taking into account your evaluation in task one, this task requires you to identify THREE skills gaps or areas where you consider that further development would be useful, for you to be successful in your business career. Propose a plan of three or more SMART actions for filling

Task three - Job advert, CV and Skills match table
Identify a graduate scheme, an internship, a placement or a graduate job that you have seen advertised, or published on a website.
Select a job advert where there is a reasonable level of information on the company's requirements, such as a person specification or job description.

In the Appendices to your report include these three items;
Place a screenshot or print out of the job you are applying for, including the job description/person specification
Create a CV which is specifically tailored to the job requirements and description (You can use the CV Builder on mybuckscareer or a format of your choice which includes similar information. )
Include a table showing how your skills match those required in the job advert

Task four - LinkedIn Profile
Place a screenshot of your profile in the Appendices. Your profile should include the following; photo, headline and summary, education, skills (at least 4), groups (at least 2) and companies (at least 2.)

Enterprise and Entrepreneurship, Individual- Growth Sustainable Business Plan

Learning outcome 1: Evaluate the opportunities for advancing an idea so that it meets a market gap or requirement and allows the enterprise to grow into a growth sustainable business proposition

Learning outcome 2: Analyse the skills and resources required for developing a business, including finance and people

Learning outcome 3: Plan the development of a business and pitch the proposition to potential investors and/or interested stakeholders.

Assignment task

In Coursework 1 your task, as an individual, is to develop a comprehensive business plan for the sustainable food retail business proposal presented in PR1. This business plan should encompass the following essential components:

Proposed Future Business: Provide a clear and detailed description of your sustainable food retail business, outlining its core features, functionality, and any innovative aspects that set it apart. Discuss potential intellectual property rights (IPR) that might be necessary to safeguard your business concept within [Insert Country/Region e.g. Sri Lanka/UAE].

Customers: Identify and define your target customer base, specifying whether your business operates within a business-to-business (B2B) or business-to-consumer (B2C) market. Elaborate on the end-users and articulate why they would be inclined to purchase your sustainable food products. Highlight your unique selling proposition (USP) and substantiate it with market research, while assessing your business's competitive position in the market.

Competitors: Identify and analyse your primary competitors within [Insert Country/Region e.g. Sri Lanka/UAE] market for sustainable food retail. Evaluate their market share and the level of competition they present. Articulate the reasons why customers might opt for your products and services over those of your competitors.

Skills Analysis: Conduct an assessment of your existing skills and competencies required for the establishment and advancement of your sustainable food business idea. Identify any gaps in skills and provide a plan for addressing these deficiencies.

Projected Financials: Prepare a two-year profit and loss account and cash flow forecasts for your business. Include a break-even analysis. These financial projections should provide insights into your expected revenue, expenses, and profitability over the specified period.

Funding Sources: Identify and evaluate potential sources of funding accessible within [Insert Country/Region e.g. Sri Lanka/UAE] to facilitate the growth of your sustainable food business. Discuss how you plan to secure funding and explain why your chosen sources are suitable.

Resource Acquisition: Outline your plans for obtaining the necessary tangible and intangible resources to support your business. This should include a breakdown of start-up costs and details on how you will acquire and manage these resources.
Organisation and Management Information Systems: Define the type of organisation you envision for your business and discuss the management information systems required to effectively control and monitor its operations.
Vision for Your Business: Present your vision for the future of your sustainable food business, including long-term goals and aspirations.

Your business growth plan should be approximately 1500 words, with a 10% margin above or below the word limit. The word count should exclude the executive summary, conclusion, introduction, references, and appendices.

When conducting research, utilise a wide range of resources, including peer-reviewed academic journals, books, and academic databases such as Mintel, EBSCOhost, and ProQuest. Follow the formatting guidelines, using Arial font size 11 with 1.5 line spacing. Remember to include page numbers at the bottom of each page, and ensure your cover sheet includes your student ID, name, and word count.

Harvard referencing style