Understanding the Business and Economic Environment

2021/22 Spring Term

Individual Coursework Instruction

The performance of students is assessed by the assessment method – ‘Individual Coursework’ as appropriate to the level and learning outcome of the assessment protocol. The individual coursework constitutes 100% assessment weighting for this module. Students are required to write an individual coursework/essay (1450-1500 words) by discussing the following questions.

  • Identify one industry from the UK Standard Industrial Classification (SIC 2007) and choose a UK public limited company (PLC) from the industry. [5 Marks]
  • One of the most important and influential elements of the business environment is the structure of the industry. Briefly discuss the structure of your chosen industry.  [5 Marks]
  • Briefly discuss the business organisation and its nature of your chosen company (a UK PLC) in relation to the structure of the industry. [5 Marks]
  • Use the Social, Technological, Economical, Environmental, Political, Legal and Ethical (STEEPLE) analysis to analyse the external business environment of the chosen company over the last 5-10 years. Students are expected to discuss each factor separately, for example, consider in what ways technology (T) might influence the organisational structure of a business. Students must discuss the four bullet points listed as below for the microeconomic and macroeconomic factors, and are allowed to extend their discussions beyond the four bullet points:

Social factor analysis             [10 Marks]

Technological factor analysis      [10 Marks]

Environmental factor analysis      [10 Marks]

Political factor analysis             [10 Marks]

Legal factor analysis          [10 Marks]

Ethical factor analysis      [10 Marks]

Economical factor analysis (see the suggested marks from the bullet points below)

  • Identify the microeconomic factors that affect the demand for goods and/or services of your chosen company and the factors for the market demand. Draw a demand curve diagram to illustrate your answer. [5 Marks]
  • List the determinants of the supply of the business and identify what would cause the supply of goods and/or services to fall/rise. Draw a supply curve diagram to illustrate your answer. [5 Marks]
  • Discuss the competitiveness of the UK market and its impacts on the future of the business. [5 Marks]
  • Give some examples of ‘random shocks’ that could undermine the UK government’s fiscal policy and discuss if there is any fiscal policy could have an impact on the UK’s economy and the business of your chosen company. [5 Marks]
  • Research and discuss the business problems and challenges the chosen company faces and criticise on the external effects of a business decision on themselves/customers/employees/rivals and on the public at large. [5 Marks]

[Total Marks: 100]

It is recommended to write your essay with the structure of:

  • Cover Page with your student ID, Module Code and Name, Date for Submission, Word Counts
  • Introduction
  • Main Body used for answering these questions
  • Conclusion
  • References
  • Appendix (not compulsory)

 Assessment Instructions:

  • The individual coursework deadline
  • Submission of coursework must be electronically online on Turnitin Assessment System, available on – ‘Online Submission’.
  • I expect your individual coursework is at a minimum 1450 words and a maximum 1500 words (including in-text references, but excluding end-text references, tables, figures, Appendix).
  • Sources of information must be included and referenced in your discussion as well as the date obtained.
  • Points and/or arguments presented and made should be substantiated with data/evidence. I am interested in your own views but it should be clear through the referencing system whether they are personal or evidenced by the views/data of others.
  • A bibliography should be included using the Harvard system. This at least entails that every reference included in the bibliography is referenced in the main body of the text and that there are no references included in the bibliography that are not mentioned in the main body.
  • Clarity of expression – please pass through MS Word ’Spelling & Grammar’ or equivalent.
  • Plagiarism means presenting another person’s work as your own. Some examples of it are:
    • The inclusion in a student’s assignment of more than a single phrase from another person’s work without the use of quotation marks and due acknowledgement of the source.
    • The summarizing of another’s work by simply changing a few words or altering the order of presentation, without proper acknowledgement.
    • The use of the ideas or intellectual data of another person without acknowledgement of the source or the submission or presentation of work as if it were the student’s, when in fact they are substantially the ideas or intellectual data of another person.
    • Copying the work of another person (be it a co-student or any other source), including figures, text, etc. 
Students are rightly expected to draw upon other people’s ideas but in an appropriate manner. Students will certainly use books and journals to assist with their studies and in students may have access to other people’s work on computer disk or over a computer network. When undertaking coursework assignments they may legitimately make reference to publication made by others. 
However, other people’s work must be used in a principled way, with due acknowledgement of authorship. Students, in acknowledgement of the work of others must use a recognized standard and for business students this is the Harvard system of referencing.
The consequences of plagiarism are extremely serious. This should be borne in mind at all times and especially when students are completing their assignments. In cases of plagiarism and other forms of cheating, University regulations will be strictly applied. If you have any concerns about plagiarism, you must discuss them with your lecturer or seminar tutor before submitting your final work for marking.