Unit Name: 1- Exploring Business

Word Count: 4000 to 4500 words

BTEC Assignment Brief 1 (Reference No: 96943)

Pearson BTEC Level 3 International Extended Diploma in
Qualification
Business
Unit number and title
Unit 1: Exploring Business
A: Explore the features of different business organisations
and what makes them successful
Learning aims
B: Investigate how businesses are organised

Features contributing to the success of contrasting

Assignment title
business organisations

Assessor

Issue date

Hand in deadline

You have been accepted onto a work placement in the

Small and Medium Enterprise Development Authority
(SMEDA) at your local council. The SMEDA is dedicated to
helping businesses to start, grow and prosper.
Vocational Scenario or You will be working with the officers who are responsible for
Context publications, brochures and guides
You have been asked to research and collect information on
two contrasting businesses and use this evidence to write a
report on why businesses are successful.

The features contributing to the success of contrasting

businesses.
The SMEDA has given you a list of suitable businesses and
you will need to carry out initial research on these
businesses before selecting two contrasting businesses for
your report.

To provide a suitable contrast the businesses must have

contrasting features, e.g. types of ownership and liability,
scope, sector and/or size.
You will have to gather comprehensive research evidence
for each business.
Your research should include:
Task 1
• Features of the business to include ownership and
liability, purpose, sector, scope of activities and size
• organisational structure and functional areas
• the business mission, vision and values, aims and
objectives
• the relationship with internal and external
stakeholders, to include how it communicates with
these stakeholders and the influence they have on the
business
• possible reasons for success.

Using this research, prepare a report that investigates and

assesses the reasons for the success of these two
businesses.
 The report will evaluate how each organisation’s features,
and the relationship and communications with internal and
external stakeholders, supports and enables the business in
achieving its aims and objectives and in being successful.

The report will have a clear conclusion that is fully justified

by well- balanced, developed arguments, and is supported
by good use of research evidence.

Checklist of evidence Individual Report

required Research Log

Criteria covered by this task:

Unit/Criteria
To achieve the criteria you must show that you are able to:
reference
1/AB.D1 Evaluate the reasons for the success of two contrasting business
organisations, reflecting on evidence gathered.
Assess the relationship and communication with stakeholders of two
1/A.M1
contrasting business organisations using independent research.
Analyse how the structures of two contrasting business organisations
1/B.M2
allow each to achieve its aims and objectives.
1/A.P1 Explain the features of two contrasting business organisations.
Explain how two contrasting business organisations are influenced by
1/A.P2
stakeholders.
Explore the organisation structures, aims and objectives of two
1/B.P3
contrasting business organisations.

Sources of information Websites

to support you with www.bized.co.uk
this Assignment
Business education resources with case studies, simulations
and worksheets
www.businesscasestudies.co.uk
The Times 100 has economics and business case studies.
The site also has a selection of theory notes aimed at
learners
www.mindtools.com/CommSkll/WritingSkills.htm
Tips on how to develop good communication skills.
www.tutor2U.com
This site provides resources and revision materials. There
are also links to other sources of information.
BTEC Assignment Brief 2 (Reference No: 96943)

Qualification Pearson BTEC Level 3 International Extended Diploma in

Business

Unit number and title

Unit 1:Exploring Business

Learning aims C: Examine the environment in which business

organisations operate

Assignment title
The Effects of the Environment on a Business
Assessor

Issue date

Hand in deadline

You are continuing with your work placement in the Small

and Medium Enterprise Development Authority (SMEDA) at
your local council working with the officers who are
responsible for publications, brochures and guides.
Vocational Scenario or
Context You have been asked to select and investigate a large
business that trades in the Pakistan Stock Market and use
this research to write a report that evaluates the effects
of the environment on that business.

The effects of the environment on a business

You have been asked to write a report on a large business
that trades in Pakistan. You should research a number of
businesses before selecting one to report on.

You will need to look at the environment in which the

business operates, and to gather enough information to
be able to consider how your chosen business has
responded to past changes, and evaluate how it may
react to future changes.
Your research should include:

Task 1 • The external environment that effects the business

to include political, economic, fiscal, monetary and
other government policies, social attitudes to
saving, spending and debt; social responsibility
requirements, technological change, environmental
factors and ethical trends and the legal environment

• The internal environment to include corporate

culture and corporate Social Responsibility (CSR)

• The competitive environment to include

competition, competitive advantage and the factors
that influence competitive advantage

• The influences on the chosen business’ demand,

supply and price, including elasticity of demand.
 • The different market structures that the business
operates in, their impact on pricing and output
decisions and the business’ response to these.

Using this research, prepare a report that discusses and

assesses the effects of the environment on the business,
and how the business has reacted to change.
The report should include a situational analysis of the
business environment using a variety of techniques such
as PESTLE, SWOT, 5Cs analysis, and Porter’s Five Forces.

The report will evaluate the extent to which the business

has responded to past changes in the market and
business environment, and suggest how this business may
react to future changes.

The report will be logically structured and have a clear

conclusion that is fully justified by well-balanced,
developed arguments, and is supported by good use of
research evidence.
Checklist of evidence
required Individual report
Situational analysis
Research evidence

Criteria covered by this task:

Unit/Criteria
To achieve the criteria you must show that you are able to:
reference

1/C.D2 Evaluate the extent to which the business environment affects a given
business, using a variety of situational analysis techniques

1/C.M3 Assess the effects of the business environment on a given

business.

1/C.P4 Discuss the internal, external and competitive environment on a given

business.

1/C.P5 Select a variety of techniques to undertake a situational analysis of a

given business.
Sources of information
to support you with
Websites
this Assignment
www.bbc.co.uk/news/business/economy
The BBC provides news on the World economy
www.businesscasestudies.co.uk
The Times 100 has economics and business case studies
on topics such as Business Environment, the Economy,
Ethics and External Influences. The site also has a
selection of theory notes aimed at learners.
www.gov.uk
 The government portal for government departments and
policies
www.economist.com
The Economist online has an archive of articles about the
World economy. A subscription is required but it also
includes the weekly editions of the newspaper
www.investopedia.com/
Investopedia is an educational website that has many
useful articles such as ‘Economics Basics: Supply and
Demand’
www.thetimes.co.uk/tto/law
The Times provides up-to-date information and cases.
This site includes a Student Law area
Other assessment eg, work sheets, risk assessments, case study
materials attached to
this Assignment Brief

Summary of unit

Learning aim Key content areas Assessment approach

A Explore the features A1 Features of business
of different business organisations A report that examines the
organisations and what A2 Stakeholders and features of two contrasting
makes them successful their influence business organisations,
looking at how each is
organised, how their
structures enable
B Investigate how B1 Structure and achievement of their
businesses are organisation aims and objectives and
organised B2 Aims and objectives the relationship and
communication with
stakeholders.

C Examine the C1 External environment

environment in which C2 Internal environment A report that examines the
business organisations effects of the internal and
C3 Competitive
operate external environment on a
environment large business organisation
C4 Benefits and risks and how the business has,
associated with and will, respond to
innovation changes.
C5 Situational analysis
Assessment criteria

Pass Merit Distinction

Learning aim A: Explore the features of different
business organisations and what makes them
successful
A.P1 Explain the A.M1 Assess the
features of two relationship and
contrasting business communication with
organisations. stakeholders of two AB.D1 Evaluate the
A.P2 Explain how two contrasting business reasons for the
contrasting business organisations using success of two
organisations are independent Contrasting
influenced by research. Business
stakeholders. organisations,
Learning aim B: Investigate how businesses are reflecting on
organised evidence gathered.
B.P3 Explore the B.M2 Analyse how the
organisation structures of two
structures, aims contrasting business
and objectives of two organisations allow
contrasting business each to achieve its
organisations. aims and objectives.
Learning aim C: Examine the environment in which
business organisations operate
C.D2 Evaluate the
C.P4 Discuss the internal, C.M3 Assess the effects extent to which
external and of the business the business
competitive environment on a environment
environment on a given business. affects a given
given business. business, using a
C.P5 Select a variety of variety of
techniques to situational analysis
undertake a techniques.
situational analysis
of a given business.
Assignment Brief LA A&B v1.0 Dec 2019
BTEC Level 3 National in Business