Business Integration Project Summative Assessment - BPP University School of Business and Technology, UK

Assessment Brief -

Assessment Introduction - The Business Integration Project Part 2 (BIP2) requires you to undertake a business orientated project aimed at improving employability as well as providing a platform for a potential commercial venture.

For the BIP2 project you must can choose either a Business Plan or Business Report. BIP2 is designed in such way that you conduct research, analysis and potentially planning in an area of personal and professional interest.

In particular, the assessment is designed to fulfil the following key education aims of BIP2:

1. Allow you to demonstrate your ability to utilise and contextualise significant amount of research, applying investigatory and analytical skills to derive meaningful outcomes within a defined time-frame.

2. Demonstrate the ability to write a detailed document that address a business issue or opportunity.

3. Create an opportunity for you to develop a range of skills associated with research including analysis, interpretation, written expression, formal report writing, and self-managed study.

4. Allow you to work on a complex, integrated activity that will consolidate and integrate previous skills and learning.

5. Provide you with a 'showcase' that allows you to demonstrate your ability to apply the knowledge and skills you have acquired throughout the course to a significant and specialised task.

Written Project - 3,000 words individual written project.

You must choose either a Business Plan or a Business Report.

Business Plans -

The business plan assessment is designed to test your commercial awareness, academic level and your research, analysis and reasoning.

The business plan must be based on your own idea for a new business venture. This may in part focus on developing or providing existing products or services (finding new markets) as well your own original ones. For example, the business may be a new type of retailer selling original products as well as brands from other existing manufacturers. However, you must show a commercial justification for the plan including a clear USP (unique selling point).

The plan cannot be for a franchise or branch of an existing business such as McDonald's or a Ford car dealership.

The business plan should follow the expected protocol (a template is provided on the VLE), and present relevant information including financial information for a new start-up.

All elements of the plan should include realistic information based on research and should consider the business opportunity, investment needed, competitor and business environment analysis, competitive advantage, operations and marketing.

Astute and realistic financial projections and requirements must be given to support the plan. Therefore, there must be evidence of robust secondary data research to justify the financial viability of the business plan.

The business plan can be a not-for-profit organisation as long as funding and financial viability is fully justified.

There must not fabrication of details and figures - these should be based on research. Any technologies referred to must be in existence and not made up/new inventions.

The figures in the financial section must be expressed as British pound sterling.

Business Reports -

The business report should be structured appropriately and present relevant information proposing an evaluation to a business issue either in the form of a solution to a business problem, or an answer to a business question.

The business report will normally only use secondary data, which should be used to identify, qualify and quantify (where possible) the issue being explored, and as a basis for recommended solutions or conclusions.

There must be evidence of appropriate theoretical application throughout.

Primary research - such as interviews - may be incorporated but should not form the main basis of critical evaluation/analysis for the report. It can be used as supporting qualitative material (not quantitative).

Where possible, reports should focus on a specific organisation and not an entire industry.

To help students focus on specific objectives, report titles should identify - A business question - that requires an answer; or A business problem - that requires a solution.

Business Report -

The module recognises that there is a range of approaches that can be used by students in order to execute an effective report, depending on the objective. It can also include primary as well as secondary research if appropriate.

Cover Page

a. Standard BPP submission sheet used for VLE

Title Page

Abstract (maximum 1 side of A4)

Table of Contents

b. Headings and sub-headings with page numbers.

c. List of Appendices

d. Numbered Tables, graphs and figures

e. Summary of abbreviations

Written Content -

1. Introduction to your chosen business.

2. Identify the key issues in the topic (what question are you looking to answer or what problem are you looking to solve?)

3. Clarification of the aim(s) / purpose of the report with justification. Aims(s) / purpose should be justified with issues identified in 2.

4. Clarification of theoretical context.

This can take the summary of relevant theories or academic views (if applicable).

Or it can be the review of current learning or understanding of the issue.

5. Critical Evaluation and Critical Analysis

6. Conclusion - revisit your aim(s) / purpose; clarify your answer or solution

7. Recommendations

Reference List: To include all work and authors mentioned in the text.

Appendices: These will not attract marks but will be read by the marker as additional information which might help the marker to understand the work in more context.

a. These should be an interesting extra which add further information a reader may like to refer to - they are not a necessity.

b. Your work in the main document should make sense without these being read.

c. Appendices should be presented in a numerical order that follows their reference in your written work (e.g. see appendix A).

Business Plan -

Executive summary (maximum 1 side of A4)

The business overview: Purpose of the business, Product / service description and Your USP.

Market / industry analysis

Market opportunities and risks

Target market

Competitor analysis

Marketing strategy and plan

Operations

Funding Requirements & rationale

Financials (for the first three years of operation): Cost: set-up and running cost, Sales revenue projection, Profit & loss account and Cash flow forecast.

Reference List: To include all work and authors mentioned in the text.

Attachment:- Business Integration Project File.rar