ASSIGNMENT 1 BRIEF

Qualification

BTEC Level 5 HND Diploma in Business

Unit number and

title

Unit 1: Business Environment

November 6, 2014
Assignment issued

October 21, 2014

Assignment due
November 13, 2014

Assessor name

Nguyen Thanh Son

Businesses and Their Interactions with National Environment

This assignment encourages learners to identify purposes of different
types of organization and to investigate the national environment in
which businesses operate, which correspond to Learning Outcome 1 and
Learning Outcome 2 of the unit/course.
Scenario:

Assignment title

You have just become an analyst in a mutual fund which operates both
in Vietnam and in any other foreign countries. As part of the new
employee training program, your direct supervisor gives you an
assignment where you need to do research on different organizations in
both countries as your potential investment targets. In addition, you also
need to do research on economic systems of Vietnam and the selected
country to support your future investment decisions. At this training
stage, your supervisor does not ask you to give investment
recommendations. The supervisor only wants you to acquire
organizational research skills.
Your supervisor sets out specific tasks and asks you to write a report
without restriction on pages however you are strongly advised to keep
yourself as much cohesive, concise and flexible as possible. The report is
required to show the cover page, table of contents, list of references,
and appendices. Your report needs to show insights on two main

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themes: (1) purposes of different organizations in Vietnam and the

selected organization; and (2) how different macroeconomic systems
affect business operations. In the first theme, you will need to write
about purposes, stakeholders, and performances of different
organizations. In the second theme, you will need to write about general
characteristics of economic systems including regulations and
competition policies in Vietnam and the selected organization in a
foreign environment, and possible impacts of fiscal and monetary
policies on business operations.
Your supervisor gives you some freedom in fulfilling the tasks. Especially,
you can choose the business organizations (cases) that you deem
appropriate. The specific tasks will be set out in the following sections.
This assignment satisfies the following learning outcomes and
assessment criteria:
LO 1. Understand the organizational purposes of businesses
1.1 identify the purposes of different types of organization
1.2 describe the extent to which an organization meets the
objectives of different stakeholders
Aim of the
assignment

1.3 explain the responsibilities of an organization and

strategies employed to meet them
LO 2. Understand the nature of the national environment in which
businesses operate
2.1 explain how economic systems attempt to allocate resources
effectively
2.2 assess the impact of fiscal and monetary policy on business
organizations and their activities
2.3 evaluate the impact of competition policy and other regulatory
mechanism on the activities of a selected organization.

Specific
requirements
(see Appendix for
assessment criteria
and grade
descriptors)

- Task 1.1. Identify the purposes of different types of organization

You need to write a comparative analysis of one organization operating
in Vietnam and the other one operating out of Vietnam (being run in a
foreign country) , regardless of their mother organizations' origin.
You can choose two organizations that you deem appropriate. The two
cases cover on the following organizational types: one private-owned

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organization and one state-owned organization either in Vietnam or in

the foreign environment.
You will need to make a summary table of these organizations and give
your own analysis, discussions, and comparisons on them. The
organizational characteristics that should be focused on are: vision,
mission, goals, objectives, organizational values, nature of products and
services, ownership structure, customers, number of employees, market
values, revenues, profits, and market share, whenever applies. In
addition, you can consider other characteristics which you deem relevant
to show organizational purposes.
Task 1.1 produces evidence for assessment criterion 1.1.
- Task 1.2. Describe the extent to which an organization meets the
objectives of different stakeholders
From the two cases in Task 1.1, you can select one organization for
further analysis on performance regarding stakeholders' objectives.
First of all, you need to identify all major stakeholders: owners;
customers; suppliers; employees; debtors; creditors; financial
institutions (banks, mortgage lenders, credit factors); environmental
groups; government agencies (central government, local authorities);
trade unions, industries, sectors, and related communities.
Second, for each of the identified stakeholder, you need to come up with
relevant qualitative or quantitative indicators showing the extent with
which the organization meets the stakeholder's objectives. Finally, you
need to collect data to have specific measures and give discussions on
organizational performance regarding stakeholders' objectives.
Task 1.2 produces evidence for assessment criterion 1.2.
- Task 1.3. Explain the responsibilities of an organization and
strategies employed to meet them
In continuing Task 1.1, you can pick one out of two organizations for
further analysis on organizational responsibilities.
First of all, you need to select two organizational responsibilities and
analyze them. Some examples on organizational responsibilities are:
satisfying stakeholder objectives; legal responsibilities such as consumer
legislation, employee legislation, equal opportunities and antidiscriminatory legislation, environmental legislation, health and safety
legislation; ethical issues such as fair trade, global warming.
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Next, you need to discuss strategies that the organization uses to meet
the two selected responsibilities, which may include internal processes,
human capital, information capital, and organization capital. For
example, the organization can set up internal controls for environmental
legislation compliance.
Task 1.3 produces evidence for assessment criterion 1.3.
- Task 2.1. Explain how economic systems attempt to allocate resources
effectively
To make effective investment decisions in the contexts of Vietnam and
the foreign environment, you need to write about major economic
systems in these two countries.
First, you need to give key macroeconomic features of Vietnam and the
selected organization in the foreign environment, and discuss the
mechanisms, i.e. price system and central planning, with which the two
economies allocate resources. Furthermore, based on literature sources,
you can give discussions on how effectively these economic systems
allocate resources.
The key macroeconomic features that you should focus on are size (GDP,
GNP and the cost of living or living standard); population; labor force;
growth;
Task 2.1 provides evidence for assessment criterion 2.1.
- Task 2.2. Assess the impact of fiscal and monetary policy on business
organizations and their activities
You need to write about: possible impact of fiscal and monetary policy of
Vietnam on the two selected organization in Task 1.1; activities of these
two organizations have been taken to minimize adverse effects and
benefit from policy changes.
You should rely on theoretical models of monetary and fiscal policy for
analysis. The selected organization examples of monetary and fiscal
policy are economic goals; fiscal policy and control of aggregate demand;
taxes; central and local government spending monetary policy; interest
rates; exchange rate and money supply.
Task 2.2 provides evidence for assessment criterion 2.2
- Task 2.3. Evaluate the impact of competition policy and other
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regulatory mechanisms on the activities of a selected organization

You need to select one out of the two organizations and write about
possible impact of competition policy and other regulations on the
selected organization's activities. Foreign environment examples
(foreign) of different competition policy and regulations are competition
policy (up-to-date legislation) including Vietnam competition policy
(policy examples are the Competition Law and the Anti-Dumping
Ordinance.)
Task 2.3 provides evidence for assessment criterion 2.3
1. You should write this assignment in the report style, although a formal
report structure will not be required.

Student guidelines

2. You should use tables, diagrams and figures where appropriate and be
sure to give sources of information.
3. You should include a list of references to all cited sources using the
Harvard referencing system.
You should use font Calibri size 12 with 1.5 spacing.

Submission
requirements

Students are expected to submit both soft and hard copy of assignment

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APPENDIX: ASSESSMENT CRITERIA AND GRADE DESCRIPTORS

Learning
outcomes

Assessment criteria for

PASS

Grade descriptors for

MERIT

Grade descriptors for

DISTINCTION

To achieve a pass grade

the evidence must show
that the learner is able to

To achieve a merit
grade the evidence
must show that, in
addition to the pass
criteria, the learner is
able to achieve at
least one/two
following skills:

To achieve a distinction
grade, the evidence
must show that, in
addition to the pass and
merit criteria, the
learner is able to
achieve at least
one/two following
skills:

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LO1.
Understand the
organizational
purposes of
businesses

P1.1 Identify the purposes

of different types of
organization
To achieve each outcome
at a pass level; a learner
must demonstrate the
ability to:
+ State different
organizational structures
and cultures
+ clear identification of
business organization
investigated should be
shown
+ A diagram to show
organizational and
structures should be
drawn.
+organizational data
collected and how it has
been used in your report.

M1 Be able to identify
and apply your own
strategies to find
appropriate solutions.
In particular your
work must show:
- Compare and
contrast different
structures of
organizational and
cultures. In particular:
+ vision mission,
+ goals, objectives,
+ organizational
values,
+ nature of products
+ ownership
structure,
+ customers,
+ number of
employees,
+ market values, +
revenues, profits, and
market share

P1.2 Describe the extent to

- (one is private
which an organization
owned, one is stated meets the objectives of
owned)
different stakeholders
- Justify the
differences between

FRM03_Assignment brief_14.11.2012

D1 Use your own

critical reflection to
evaluate your own work
and draw your own
conclusions on these
different types of
organizations and these
conclusions should
been justified with
given strongly
evidences.
- Be able to have
specific measures and
give discussions on
organizational
performance regarding
stakeholders'
objectives.
- Draw your own
conclusions on how
effectively economics
model (fiscal and
monetary policy) could
impact on the two
selected organizations
- Draw an effective
strategy to the
exploration of
organizational structure
and culture
+ be coherence
+ recommend practical

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+ Analyze the relationship

between an organizations
structure and culture and
the effects on business
performance.
+ Analyze the factors
which influence individual
behavior at work.

these organizations
and show your
analysis, discussions,
and comparisons on
them.
- An effective method
on either quantitative
or qualitative to study
further on the
selected organization
and research will have
to be applied.

+ Identify and describe

ways in which the business
stakeholders of contrasting
organizational meet stated
business purposes.
M2 Select/design and
apply appropriate
P1.3 Explain the
methods/techniques
responsibilities of an
organization and strategies - Use Fiscal and
Monetary policy with:
employed to meet them
+ identify organizational
responsibilities
+ A diagram of
organizations
responsibilities should be
drawn.
P.2.1 Explain how
economic systems attempt
to allocate resources
effectively

+ Aggregate Demand,
+ Aggregate Supply
(AD, AS) model
+ IS, LM Model to
illustrate and justify
on:
+ Price system and
central planning,
government fiscal and
monetary policies
with which the two
economies allocate
resources.

solutions to meet
stakes holders different
objectives.
+ Self criticism on an
organizations structure
and culture that effects
on the business
organization
+ draw your own
conclusions on
responsibilities and
strategies employed by
the business
organization
- Be able to evaluate
the application on one
of the competition
policies into real life
business and other
regulatory mechanisms
on the activities of the
selected organizations.
-Be able to include, use
critical reflection and
justify with your own
valid conclusions on
Vietnam competition
policy (policy examples
are the Competition
Law and the AntiDumping Ordinance.

- Evaluate on how
effectively these

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LO2.
Understand
the nature of
the national
environment in
which
businesses
operate

+ give key macroeconomic

features of Vietnam and
the selected organization
in the foreign environment
+ define fiscal and
monetary policy
+ identify impact factors of
these two policies on the
selected organization
P.2.2. Assess the impact of
fiscal and monetary policy
on business organizations
and their activities.
+ define and explain the
impacts of fiscal policy
namely aggregate
demand; taxes; central and
local government spending
on the selected
organization

+ define and explain the

impacts of monetary
policy; interest rates;
exchange rate and money
supply on the selected
organization.

P.2.3 Evaluate the impact

of competition policy and
other regulatory
mechanisms on the
activities of a selected

FRM03_Assignment brief_14.11.2012

economic systems
allocate resources.
- Apply appropriate
economic models to
solve the economic
scare resources of the
two selected
organizations.
- Justify more advance
macroeconomic
features/models that
you should used to
explain and evaluate
their impacts on the
overall economy,
namely:
+ GDP,

D2 Take responsibility
for managing and
organizing activities.
- Be able to use
methodology
(quantitative,
qualitative, surveys, PO
method..,) to illustrate
the nature of the
national environment in
which businesses
operate:
+ Macro environments:
Political

+ GNP

Economical

+ the cost of living or

living standard);

Pollutions

+ population;

+ Micro environments:

+ labor force;

Suppliers

+ growth;
-

Be able to obtain
source of both
quantitative and
qualitative
information GDP,
GNP, the cost of
living, living
standard, labor
force and growth.

Competitors
Cost of production
- Highlight the effect of
a range of economics
system (between fiscal
and monetary policy)
and external factors has
had on the selected

Show some

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organization.
+ Identify possible impact
of competition policy and
other regulations on the
selected organization's
activities.

+ Foreign environment
examples (foreign
environment) of different
competition policy and
regulations are
competition policy (up-todate legislation) including
Vietnam competition
policy (policy examples are
the Competition Law and
the Anti-Dumping
Ordinance.)

indicators to
prove your
findings

- Source of information
- Quantity

M3 Present and
communicate
appropriate findings
- language
- citation
- presentation
- chart

- Substantial
- World bank
- Be able to obtain
secondary data with
some numbers, figures
and indicators of World
Bank on VN nationals
economy recently.

- format
-writing
- An appropriate
approach should be
used to analyze the
two selected
organizations
responsibilities and
make your own
conclusion on these
two responsibilities.
- Be coherent and
show logical
development of
principles and
concepts for the
intended audience

FRM03_Assignment brief_14.11.2012

organization.

- Be able to use your

critical refection to
evaluate and give
discussions on how
effectively these
economic systems
(central and capitalism
economy) allocate
resources.

D3 Demonstrate
convergent/lateral/crea
tive thinking
- Ideas creative
- advise and modify for
Vietnamese contact
- Reflect the real
strategies that the
organization uses to

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-The communication
should be more
appropriate for:
+ familiar audiences
+ unfamiliar audiences
+ An appropriate
media should be used
to discuss and analyze
the mechanisms (price
system and central
planning with which
the two economies
allocating resources.

meet the two selected

responsibilities, which
may include:
+ internal processes,
+ human capital,
+ information capital,
+ organizing capital.

- Make your own

conclusion on what
make these two
organizations
responsibilities be
- A range of methods
chosen to follow and
of presentation should practice by the
be used and technical
organizations.
language should
accurately be used to - Be able to justify valid
conclusions on how
economic systems
(central and capitalism
economy) allocate

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resources effectively.
- Be able to
demonstrate your
convergent thinking to
make yourself
evaluation on the
impact of the two
economics model (fiscal
and monetary policy)
on the two selected
organizations.
- Demonstrate your
convergent thinking to
make yourself
evaluation on the
impact of the two
economics model:
- Under fiscal:
+ Tax revenue
+ Government spending
- Under monetary:
+ Inflation
+ interest rate
+ Money supply
- Be able to use critical
reflection to evaluate
and justify the possible
impact of the
competition policy and
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other regulatory
mechanisms on the
activities of the selected
organizations.
- Be able to
demonstrate
convergent thinking to
make yourself
evaluation on the
possible impact of the
competition policy.

This brief has been verified as being fit for purpose

Internal
Verifier 1

Signature

Date

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Verifier 2

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