BM461 – Global Business Environment Module leader: Lindi Nikisi Assignment No. and type: Coursework 1: Individual 500-word Report

Assignment task The purpose: This short business report, written in a memo format, is intended to test your ability to collect and analyse reputable business information, critically assess the impact of government and global macro events upon the activities of a business and demonstrate awareness of changes in the business environment and the impact these have upon a business. It will test your ability to apply models, conduct primary and secondary research, analyse data and present an informed opinion in a business format. The Context: The new labour government has introduced a new Employment Rights Bill. For this assessment you are working as an independent consultant engaged to identify the business implications of this new bill. So you need to produce a short memo for an entrepreneur looking to start their own business and employ 10 to 20 people. The Task: Your task is to critically examine the Employment Rights Bill within the confines of a potential new local business and produce a short 500-word memo outlining the following: • The extent to which this will impact recruitment and the internal business environment for local SME businesses using examples. • How this bill and other proposed labour government policies and actions could benefit and / or hinder SME businesses. • Identify how SME businesses are responding to these actions. Key independent learning activities, employability skills and stretch activities: ❖ Comprehend what a business sector is, and which business models are appropriate to analyse the external environment. ❖ Apply external environment models to analyse a local business sector. ❖ Identify key information needs using core textbook to develop commercial acumen. ❖ Search using commercial databases and research reports and other reputable sources to build an evidence-based argument on government actions impacting the sector. ❖ Conduct primary research using field observation and interviews, (stretch.) ❖ Produce a short business memo. Find and understand the purpose of business a memo and how they differ from reports and briefings. If you are registered with the Disability and Inclusion Services or have a disability, please contact your module leader to discuss how your reasonable adjustments will be applied to this assignment. This assignment has been designed to provide you with an opportunity to demonstrate your achievement of the following module learning outcomes: LO1: Obtain and interpret information relevant to an analysis of a firm’s business environment. LO2: Assess the impact of government on the structure and operation of a business organisation. LO3: Demonstrate an understanding of the impact of changes in the business environment on business organisation and activity. Practicalities: Referencing, presenting and submitting your work Please see your programme handbook for information on the required referencing style, any presentational requirements and the process for submitting your work. Please reference your work using the Harvard style as defined in Cite Them Right Online (http://www.citethemrightonline.com). • Follow the course guidelines regarding submitting work, as below (e.g. electronic or paper copies). • Pages should be numbered. • All work to be submitted as Arial 11 font with line and a half spacing. • All writing should be in the third person passive. • Front cover, executive summaries, if used, contents pages, reference lists, all words in tables charts and diagrams are not included in the word count. • Written work must be word-processed. • The module title and code number must be clearly marked on the memo. • There should be a minimum of 5 references from reputable sources and referenced using the Harvard system used to support your argument. • The memo should be professionally formatted and presentable to a business manager. • Work you submit for assessment must be properly referenced – a guide to the Harvard system of referencing can be found on the Bucks website at bucks.ac.uk/referencing. • You may seek clarification from the module tutor at any time. • There is no excuse for failing to submit your work in accordance with the guidance, work that does not meet the necessary standards in that respect will be marked accordingly. • No collaboration is allowed. • The work should be submitted electronically via the module shell on Blackboard using the submission point found under the ‘Submit your work’ menu.