Unit Code / Type / Level / Credit Value

T/618/5032

Unit Number andTitle

Unit 1: Business and the Business Environment

Academic Year

Sept 2021 – Aug 2022

Unit Tutor

Assignment Title

Industry analysis and Environmental Business Audit – A case of ‘X Sport Company’

Issue Date

TASK ONE: Submission format Unit 1: Business and the Business Environment

The submission is in the form of a portfolio of factsheets and an organisational flow chart document. The factsheets should be written concisely to summarise and highlight key information and data. You are required to make use of headings, paragraphs and sub- sections as appropriate. All work must be supported with research and referenced correctly using the Harvard referencing system (or an alternative referencing system). You will also need to provide a bibliography using the Harvard referencing system (or an alternative referencing system). Inaccurate use of referencing may lead to issues of plagiarism if not applied correctly.

The recommended word limit for the factsheets is 1,000–2,000 words, although you will not be penalised for going under or exceeding the total word limit.

Unit Learning Outcomes - Unit 1: Business and the Business Environment

LO1 Explain the different types, size and scope of organisations.

LO2 Demonstrate the interrelationship of the various functions within an organisation and how they link to organisational structure

Transferable skills and competencies developed

• Analytical skills to conduct own analysis to draw conclusions.
• The ability to provide information based on collation, analysis and interpretation of data.
• Creative thinking for presenting information and data in a simplified and informative manner.
• Digital skills, using different software applications to visually present information and data concisely.

• Communicating effectively in all forms, written, visual and oral, for operating efficiently in the international business environment

Vocational scenario

Organisation

A sports company* engaged in the design, development, manufacturing, worldwide marketing and sales of sports footwear, apparel, equipment, accessories and services. As of 2020, the company employed more than 75,400 people worldwide and the company brand alone was valued in excess of $32 billion, making it the most valuable brand among sports businesses. Strategic Planning teams keep the company moving in the right direction by leading the strategic business planning process and spearheading transformational projects across the businesses and geographies. Embedded in teams across the company, strategy professionals explore complex business issues; conduct consumer, competitive and market analyses; create financial models and develop action plans. The Strategic Planning teams help write the future of sport by charting the company’s path forward.

Role

You are employed as a Junior Insights Strategist for the Strategic Planning team. The team acts as a key partner to senior leaders, the executive team and the CEO. It provides thought leadership and an external perspective on the most critical strategic initiatives and pressing challenges facing the company. Your key roles include the following:

• supporting data and business analyses to develop business plans
• measuring business performance to compare actual data to forecasted values
• executing market research projects and gathering intelligence on current industry, technology and consumer trends.

*Though the vocational scenario is a guidance for you, select an appropriate sports company that meets local needs

Assignment activity and guidance - Unit 1: Business and the Business Environment

You have been tasked with conducting an industry analysis that focuses on the sports industry in order to gain access to industry perspectives, best practices from other high performance companies and insight into high-growth sectors. You will present your analysis to your line manager and to the management team. The industry analysis will involve the research and analysis of overall market size (international and national) and different sub-sectors (public, private, voluntary), and the organisational mapping of one of the highest-performing companies. Organisations to be considered will include public (national and local sports organisations, local leisure centres), private (gyms, sporting goods, retailers, manufacturers) and voluntary (local clubs and teams).

You will present this industry analysis as a portfolio of ‘insights’ factsheets, to include:

1. an introduction to sub-sectors and the different types of organisation in the industry, the market size and the growth of the international business environment
2. a factsheet for a selected sub-sector organisation, with explanation of each of the chosen organisations, including background details of the organisation; the products and services they supply; the size and scope of the organisation; their vision, mission and business objectives; the organisational and legal structure and information about their stakeholders.

For business modelling purposes, you will also need to examine the various business functions in one organisation and create an organisational chart to explore the interrelationships between the different functions. Unit 1: Business and the Business Environment

In addition to the ‘insights’ factsheets, you will present an organisational flow chart that shows:

1. an analysis for one of the chosen organisations, using visual mapping to show how internal departments, for example. finance, marketing, work together to meet business objectives and how interrelationships are defined by the structure of the organisation; present the advantages and disadvantages
2. conclusions based on critical impact analysis of different business structures and the interrelationships between internal departments in successfully fulfilling overall

business objectives.

Recommended Resources

Please note that the resources listed are examples for you to use as a starting point in yourresearch – the list is not definitive.

Weblinks

Allied Market Research (2020) Sports Apparel Market by End User. Available at: https://www.alliedmarketresearch.com/sports-apparel-market

Xtensio (2021) How to Create a Fact Sheet. Available at: https://xtensio.com/how-to- create-a-fact-sheet

The Sportswear Industry: An Analysis of The Athletic Apparel Market. Available at:https://creatitive.com/sports-industry-analysis-2019/

HubSpot (2021) 9 Types of Organizational Structure Every Company Should Consider.

Available at https://blog.hubspot.com/marketing/team-structure-diagrams HN Global

HN Global (2021) Reading Lists. Available at: https://hnglobal.highernationals.com/learningzone/reading-lists HN Global (2021) Student Resource Library. Available at: https://hnglobal.highernationals.com/subjects/resource-libraries HN Global (2021) Textbooks. Available at: https://hnglobal.highernationals.com/textbooks

Textbooks

Burns, J. and Needle, D. (2019) Business in Context: An Introduction to Business and its Environment. 7th Ed. Cengage Learning

Worthington, I. and Britton. C. (2018) The Business Environment. 8th Ed. Harlow:

Pearson

TASK TWO: Submission format

The submission format is in the form of a case study report. The report should be written in a concise style. You are required to make use of headings, paragraphs, and sub sections as appropriate. All work must be supported with research and referenced using the Harvard referencing system. You will need to provide a bibliography using the Harvard referencing system. Inaccurate use of referencing may lead to issues of plagiarism if not applied correctly.

The recommended word limit is 1500 –2,000 words, although you will not be penalised for going under or exceeding the total word limit

Unit Learning Outcomes

LO3 Use contemporary examples to demonstrate both the positive and negative influence/ impact the macro environment has on business operations.

LO4 Determine the internal strengths and weaknesses of specific businesses and their interrelationship with external macro factors.

Transferable skills and occupational competencies developed

• Analytical skills to conduct own analysis in order to draw conclusions.
• Providing information based on collation, analysis and interpretation of data.
• Creative thinking for presenting information and data in a simplified and informative manner.
• Digital skills, using different software applications to visually present information and data concisely.
• Communicating effectively in all forms, written, visual and oral, for operating efficiently in the international business environment.

Vocational scenario - Unit 1: Business and the Business Environment

In your role as Junior Insights Strategist, you have completed the industry insight analysis and your line manager has now given you another project. This is to complete research into the external and internal business environment. The sports company* is looking to expand their distribution channels to include both e-commerce players (for example Google shopping) and physical retailers (for example JD Sports). To enable the company to make any strategic decisions, they need you to provide ‘a business case study report’ to the leadership team.

*As selected for Task 1 to meet local needs.

Assignment activity and guidance

Completion of the project will involve a PESTLE analysis to research the sports retail market, develop insights and predict future growth potential in new markets. The project will also involve a SWOT analysis to determine the company position in the marketplace and the potential opportunities for distribution expansion while minimizing risks and threats.

Your case study report will include the findings from an external and an internal audit:

• a PESTLE analysis to identify positive and negative impacts of external factors and influences on the sports retail market, including a ‘traffic light chart’ evaluating level of competition, funding activity, legal complexity and investment opportunity available
• a SWOT analysis to explore and explain the organisation’s internal strengths and weaknesses as a company
• critical analysis of both the external and internal factors, to determine whether the organisation should proceed with their expansion plans, presented as conclusions and recommendations

Recommended Resources

Please note that the resources listed are examples for you to use as a starting point in yourresearch – the list is not definitive.

Weblinks

BPlan How to Do a SWOT Analysis for Better Strategic Planning. Available at: https://articles. bplans.com/how-to-perform-swot-analysis

Business Balls Swot Analysis Templates. Available at: https://www.businessballs.com/strategy- innovation/swot-analysis/

Pestle Analysis.com What is PESTLE Analysis? Available at: https://pestleanalysis.com/what-is- pestle-analysis/

Swot analysis of Nike. Available at: https://bstrategyhub.com/swot-analysis-of-nike-nike-swot- analysis

HN Global

HN Global (2021) Reading Lists. Available at: https://hnglobal.highernationals.com/learning- zone/reading-lists

HN Global (2021) Student Resource Library. Available at: https://hnglobal.highernationals.com/subjects/resource-libraries

HN Global (2021) Textbooks. Available at: https://hnglobal.highernationals.com/textbooks Textbooks

Morrison, J. (2020) The Global Business Environment: Towards Sustainability? 5th Ed. Red Globe Press

Wetherley, P. and Otter, D. (2018) The Business Environment: Themes and Issues in a Globalised World. 4th Ed. Oxford: Oxford University Press. Unit 1: Business and the Business Environment

This is to confirm that this submission is my own work, produced without any external help except acceptable support from my lecturer. It has not been copied from any other person’s work (published or unpublished), and has not previously been submitted for assessment either at GBS or elsewhere. I confirm that I have read and understood the ‘GBS Academic Good Practice and Academic Misconduct: Policy and Procedure’ available on Moodle.

I confirm I have read and understood the above Student Declaration.

Student Name (print)

Signature

Date

Pass

Merit

Distinction

LO1 Explain the different types, size and scope of organisations

LO1 and LO2

D1 Provide critical analysis of the complexities of different organisations and structures

P1 Explain different types and purposes of organisations; public, private and voluntary sectors and legal structures.

P2 Explain the size and scope of a range of different types of organisations.

M1 Analyse how the structure, size and scope of different organisations link to the business objectives and product and services offered by the organisation.

LO2 Demonstrate the interrelationship of the various functions within an organisation and how they link to organisational structure

P3 Explain the relationship between different organisational functions and how they link to organisational objectives and structure.

M2 Analyse the interrelationships between organisational functions and the impact that can have upon organisational structure.

LO3 Use contemporary examples to demonstrate

both the positive and negative influence/impact the macro environment has on business operations

LO3 and LO4

D2 Critically evaluate the impacts that both macro- and micro factors have on business objectives and decision making

P4 Identify the positive and negative impacts the macro environment has on business operations, supported by specific examples.

M3 Apply appropriately the PESTLE model to support a detailed analysis of the macro environment in an organisation.

Pass

Merit

Distinction

LO4 Determine the internal strengths and weaknesses of specific businesses and their interrelationship with external macro factors

P5 Conduct internal and external analysis of specific organisations in order to identify strengths and weaknesses.

P6 Explain how strengths and weaknesses interrelate with external macro factors.

M4 Apply appropriately SWOT/ TOWS analysis and justify how they influence decision making.