Assignment Brief

BTEC Level 4-5 HNC/HND Diploma (QCF)

To be filled by the Student

Name of the Student :

Edexcel No : Registration No: Batch No:

Unit Assessment Information

Qualification : Higher National Diploma in Business Management

Unit Code & Title : Unit 01: Business Environment

Assessment Title & No’s : Report on “Analysis of banking industry in Sri Lanka and its environment”

Learning outcomes and grading opportunities:

LO 01: Understand the organisational purposes of businesses
Learning Outcomes AC1.1 AC1.2 AC1.3
LO 02: Understand the nature of the national environment in which businesses operate
Learning Outcomes AC2.1 AC2.2 AC2.3
LO 03: Understand the behaviour of organisations in their market environment
Learning Outcomes AC3.1 AC3.2 LAC3.3
LO 04: Be able to assess the significance of the global factors that shape national business activities.
Learning Outcomes AC4.1 AC4.2 AC4.3 AC4.4 AC4.5

Merit and Distinction Descriptor

M1 M2 M3 D1 D2 D3

Date Issued : Date Due :

Date of Submission:

Assessor : Mr Surantha Sanjaya Date Assessed:

Internal Verifier (IV): Date of IV:

General Guidelines
1. A Cover page or title page – You should always attach a title page to your assignment. Use previous
page as your cover sheet and be sure to fill the details correctly.
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Important Points:
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may apply (in writing) for an extension.
6. Failure to achieve at least a PASS grade will result in a REFERRAL grade being given.
7. Non-submission of work without valid reasons will lead to an automatic REFERRAL. You will then
be asked to complete an alternative assignment.
8. Take great care that if you use other people’s work or ideas in your assignment, you properly
reference them, using the HARVARD referencing system, in you text and any bibliography,
otherwise you may be guilty of plagiarism.
9. If you are caught plagiarizing you could have your grade reduced to A REFERRAL or at worst you
could be excluded from the course.
 Statement of Originality and Student Declaration

I hereby, declare that I know what plagiarism entails, namely to use another’s work and to present it as my
own without attributing the sources in the correct way. I further understand what it means to copy
another’s work.

1. I know that plagiarism is a punishable offence because it constitutes theft.

2. I understand the plagiarism and copying policy of the Edexcel UK.
3. I know what the consequences will be if I plagiaries or copy another’s work in any of the
assignments for this program.
4. I declare therefore that all work presented by me for every aspects of my program, will be my own,
and where I have made use of another’s work, I will attribute the source in the correct way.
5. I acknowledge that the attachment of this document signed or not, constitutes a binding
agreement between myself and Edexcel UK.
6. I understand that my assignment will not be considered as submitted if this document is not
attached to the attached.

Student’s Signature: …………………………… Date:.……………

Assignment Feedback

Formative Feedback: Assessor to Student

Action Plan

Summative feedback
Feedback: Student to Assessor

Assessor signature Date

Student signature Date

Scenario

The banking sector in Sri Lanka, which comprises Licensed Commercial Banks (LCBs) and Licensed
Specialized Banks (LSBs), dominates the financial system and accounted for 64% of the total assets of the
financial system as at end 2014. Banks play a central role within the financial system, as they have the
capacity to provide liquidity to the entire economy.

In terms of the asset base and the magnitude of services provided, the LCBs are the single most important
category of financial institution within the banking sector. As at 2014, the LCBs dominated the financial
system with a market share of 66% of the entire financial system's assets. Therefore, the wellbeing of the
financial system depends to a larger extent on the reliability of the financial institutions, particularly the
LCBs.

As at end 2014, the banking sector comprised 25 LCBs and 9 LSBs. Even though a large number of licensed
banks exist in the country, the stability of the financial system is primarily dependent on the performance
and financial strength of the six largest LCBs, consisting of the two state banks and the four largest
domestic private commercial banks.

Suppose you are recently recruited as a business analyst to a leading multinational company which
expects to diversify its product portfolio to the banking industry. As your initial project, you are required
to prepare a management report to the Board of Directors on “Analysis of the Banking industry and its
environment” taking into consideration a bank or financial institution of your choice.
Task 1

1.1 Identify the purposes of different types of organizations such as private company, public company,
government, voluntary organization, charitable, cooperative etc. (AC1.1)
1.2 By using the organization selected in the banking industry, identify the different types of stakeholders.
Describe the extent to which the organization meets the objectives of these stakeholders (AC1.2).
1.3 Explain the responsibilities of the above selected organization and the strategies used to fulfill them
(AC1.3)

Learners are encouraged to concentrate on M2.3 and D2.5 in order to achieve distinction and merit grade
descriptors when addressing the above tasks.

Task 2

2.1 Explain how the Economic System in Sri Lanka attempts to allocate resources effectively. (AC2.1)
2.2 Assess the impact of the fiscal policy and the Monetary Policy to the business organizations and their
activities in the banking industry (AC2.2)
2.3 Evaluate the impact of competition policy and other regulatory mechanisms on the activities of the
selected organization in the banking industry (AC2.3)

Learners are encouraged to concentrate on M 1.1 and D1.1 in order to achieve distinction and merit
grade descriptors when addressing the above tasks.

Task 3

3.1 Identify the market structure in which the banking industry operates and explain how this market
structure determines the pricing and output decisions of the selected organization. (AC3.1)
3.2 Using a range of examples, Illustrate the way in which market forces shapes the organizational
responses in the banking industry (AC3.2)
3.3 Evaluate how the business and cultural environment in Sri Lanka shapes the behavior of the
selected organization (AC3.3)

Learners are encouraged to concentrate on M1.1 and D1.1 in order to achieve distinction and
merit grade descriptors when addressing the above tasks.
Task 4

The multinational Company you are working for is planning to merge with a UK company to expand its
business operations. You are required to prepare a report and present the findings (15-20 minutes) to the
Board of Directors. The report should include the following.
4.1 Discuss the significance of international trade to UK business organizations (Demonstrate your findings
when addressing Activity No. 01, 02 and 03 )
4.2 Identify the global factors that can effect businesses and analyze their impact on UK business
organizations (Demonstrate your findings when addressing Activity No. 04 and 05 )
4.3 List down important policies set by the European Union and evaluate their impact on UK business
organizations (Demonstrate your findings when addressing Activity No. 06 and 07)

Learners are encouraged to concentrate on M3.5 and D3.7 in order to achieve distinction and merit grade
descriptors when addressing the above tasks.
 Observation Sheet and Presentation Criteria – Task 4

Activity Activities Assessment Feedback

No Criteria
01 Provide a brief introduction to international AC 4.1
trade
02 Identify different organizations that operate in AC 4.1
UK (Organization profiles of 3 UK businesses)
03 Demonstrate the significance of international AC 4.1
trade to the identified UK Business
Organizations
04 Identify the global factors that can affect AC 4.2
businesses
05 What is the impact of global factors to UK AC 4.2
Organizations?
06 List down the important policies set by AC 4.3
European Union
07 What is the impact of policies set by European AC 4.3
Union to UK business Organizations?
 Assessment Criteria – Pass

Outcome(s)/criteria Possible evidence Achieved Feedback

P1- Understand the organizational purpose of businesses
1.1Identify the purposes of different Task 1.1. Comparison of different
types of organization types of organizations

1.2 Describe the extent to which an Task 1.2 Identification of different

organisation meets the objectives of stakeholders and understanding
their objectives
different stakeholders.
Task 1.3 Explain the responsibilities Task 1.3 Clear indication of
of an organization and strategies responsibilities and strategies the
employed to meet them organization utilizes to meet them

P2 - Understand the nature of the national environment in which businesses operate

2.1 Explain how economic systems Task 2.1 Explanation of resource

attempt to allocate allocation in Sri Lankan Economic
System
resources effectively
2.2 Assess the impact of fiscal and Task 2.2 Assessment of monetary
monetary policy on business and the fiscal policy of the Sri
Lankan Government
organizations and their activities
2.3 evaluate the impact of Task 2.3 Evaluation of competition
competition policy and other policy and other regulatory
mechanisms
regulatory mechanisms on the
activities of a selected organization
 Assessment Criteria for Pass

Outcome(s)/criteria Possible evidence Achieved Feedback

P3 – Understand the behaviour of organizations in their market environment
3.1 explain how market structures Task 3.1 Explanation of the market structure
determine the pricing and output and how it determines the pricing and output
decisions of businesses decisions

3.2 illustrate the way in which market Task 3.2 Clear illustrations and evidence as to
forces shape organizational responses how market forces shape organizational
using a range of examples responses

3.3 judge how the business and cultural Task 3.3 Discuss how the selected organization
environments shape the behavior of a shape its operations according to Sri Lankan
selected organization culture and business environment and make
valid judgments.

P4 Be able to assess the significance of the global factors that shape national business activities
4.1 discuss the significance of Task 4.1 Discussion based on the significance
international trade to UK business of international trade to UK business
organizations Outcome Covered through Activities
Demonstrate findings in the presentation
Activity 01,02 and 03
4.2 analyze the impact of global factors Task 4.2 Analysis carried out about the global
on UK business factors which affect performance of UK
Organizations business organizations
Outcome Covered through Activities

Demonstrate findings in the presentation

Activity 04 and 05
4.3 evaluate the impact of policies of Task 4.3 list down important European union
the European Union on UK business policies and evaluate their impact to UK
organizations. business organizations.
Outcome Covered through Activities

Demonstrate findings in the presentation

Activity 06 and 07
Assessment Criteria – Merit

Grade Description (Merit) Possible evidence Achieved Feedback

M1. Identify and apply M1.1: effective judgments have been

strategies to find made
appropriate solutions.

M2. Select/design and

apply appropriate M2.3: a range of sources of
information has been used
methods/techniques.
M3. Present and M3.5 The communication is
communicate appropriate appropriate for familiar and
findings. unfamiliar audiences and
appropriate media have been
used.
 Assessment Criteria – Distinction

Grade Description Possible evidence Achieved Feedback

(Distinction)

D1. Use critical applications D1.1: conclusions have been arrived at

to evaluate own work and through synthesis of ideas and have
been justified
justify valid conclusions.

D2. Take responsibility for D2.5: the importance of interdependence

managing and organizing has been recognized and achieved
activities.

D3. Demonstrate
convergent/lateral/creative D3.7: effective thinking has taken place in
unfamiliar contexts
thinking.