Assessment Overview This assessment requires students to investigate a UK-based Small or Medium Enterprise (SME) and analyse how it operates within its business environment. Students will apply key concepts from the module including organisational structures, business functions, PESTEL analysis, SWOT analysis, innovation, corporate social responsibility (CSR), and economic factors such as supply and demand. Students must demonstrate the research process they followed to gather information and analyse the organisation.
The chosen company must be a UK SME and not a large multinational corporation (e.g., Tesco, BP, Amazon).
Learning Outcomes Assessed
• Understand how businesses operate within different environments.
• Apply business analysis tools such as SWOT and PESTEL.
• Analyse organisational structures and business functions.
• Evaluate innovation and corporate social responsibility in organisations.
• Develop evidence-based recommendations for business improvement
Assessment Structure Part 1 – Business Profile (300 words) Provide an overview of the chosen SME including: business name and location, industry sector, size of the organisation, legal structure, main products or services, and key competitors. Students must support this section with at least two sources such as company websites,
Companies House data, industry reports, or credible news sources.
Part 2 – Business Investigation (900–1000 words)
2.1 Organisational Structure and Business Functions Explain how the organisation operates including key functions such as operations/production, marketing, human resources, and finance. Discuss how these functions support the overall objectives of the organisation.
2.2 External Environment (PESTEL) Identify and analyse three external factors affecting the business (e.g., political, economic, social, technological, environmental, or legal). Explain how these factors influence the organisation`s operations or strategy.
2.3 SWOT Analysis Develop a SWOT analysis identifying the organisation’s strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats. Each point should be supported with evidence from research.
2.4 Innovation and Corporate Social Responsibility Explain how the organisation uses innovation and how it demonstrates corporate social responsibility. Provide real examples from the company.
Part 3 – Recommendations (300–400 words) Provide three practical recommendations for how the organisation could improve or expand. Each recommendation should include the problem
Part 4 – Research Evidence Appendix (Mandatory) Students must include evidence of their research process – a short reflection (approx. 150 words) explaining how sources were selected and evaluated.
Referencing Students must use Harvard referencing style. A minimum of 5 academic sources (books or journal articles) must be included, alongside additional credible sources such as company websites, reports, or news articles. Include