Assignment Brief

QCF Unit 6 Business Decision Making

Unit level 5

Unit code D/601/0578

Term Start Date 27/02/2017

Hand out date 27/02/2017

Submission Deadlines 13/08/2017

Lectures & Formative Assessments 20 Weeks

Guided learning hours 60

Module Leader Dalton Vincent

pg. 1 February 2017

Assignment title Survey on UKCBCs Students Experience and Satisfaction

Scenario

You have been recently appointed as the Lead Student Representative for UK College of Business and
Computing (UKCBC). As part of your new responsibility, you will be representing the student population
at various committee meetings of the college.

The college is to be reviewed by the Quality Assurance Agency (QAA) in few months time and you have
been asked to write a report on UKCBCs Students Experience and Satisfaction which is to presented to
QAA. You have held a meeting with the Student Representative Committee (SRC) and it is agreed that a
survey will be useful for obtaining the data required to write the report.

Task 1

Planning the survey

a) Create a plan for collecting data from students across all campuses.

b) Present the survey methodology and sampling frame used

c) Design a questionnaire for collecting the data.

[This will enable you to achieve AC 1.1, 1.2 and 1.3]

Guideline

1. Develop a research question

2. When planning the data collection consider: WHAT KINDS OF QUESTIONS WILL YOU ASK?
HOW MANY QUESTIONS WILL YOU ASK? HOW WILL YOU WORD OR PHRASE YOUR
QUESTIONS? WHAT KIND OF SCALE WILL YOU USE?

3. When developing the questionnaire, please keep in mind your research question because
that is what is guiding your research outcomes.

4. Make sure that you write a short introduction at the beginning of the survey, somewhat

pg. 2 February 2017

 detailing what the survey is about and the confidentially of the data that will be collected.

5. Make sure that your writing is consistent and concise and no misspelled words.

Task 2

Summarising and analysing the data

a) Summarise the data collected from the survey by using representative values (arithmetic mean,
median and mode)

b) Analyse the results of the survey and draw conclusions

c) Analyse the data using measures of dispersion

d) Explain how you can use quartiles, percentiles and the correlation coefficient to draw useful
conclusions

[This will enable you to achieve AC 2.1, 2.2 , 2.3 and 2.4]

Guideline

1. For this part of the activity, you will need to distribute your questionnaires to your classmates and
students in other groups. (NOTABLE MENTION: Surveymonkey.com)

2. Once you collect all of the surveys, you will need to see how many people answered each question.

3. Calculate how many times each person answered each question using Frequency table

4. You will need to offer a brief discussion analysing the data that you have calculated. WHAT DO
THE NUMBERS TELL YOU? WHAT DO THE RESULTS TELL YOU? WHAT MORE RESEARCH COULD
YOU DO?

pg. 3 February 2017

Task 3

Presenting and reporting your findings

a) With the aid of spreadsheets produce graphs to help draw valid conclusions on the survey

b) Create trend lines in spreadsheet graphs to assist in determining any pattern in students
responses.

c) Prepare a power point presentation of your findings to the QAA planning committee.

d) Produce a formal report suitable for presentation to QAA

[This will enable you to achieve AC 3.1, 3.2, 3.3 and 3.4]

Guideline

1. Use a combination of pie charts, bar charts, histogram and ogives and ensure that each graph is
labelled accordingly.

2. Try to include in your power point presentation;

a. The title of the presentation and your name

b. The methodology

c. Charts and summary of the key findings

3. The final step in this activity is to produce a formal report which be structured as follows;

a. Introduction

b. purpose and limitation

c. content

d. summary and recommendation

pg. 4 February 2017

Task 4

Software-generated information to make business decisions

a) Using information processing tools such as computers or software, explain how it can support
decision making at operational, tactical and strategic levels in an organisation.

b) Prepare a project plan for the given project activity and determine the critical path

Activity Predecessor Duration

A - 2

B A 4

C B 6

D A 3

E B 6

F E 1

G C, D 3

H F, G 2

c) Using financial tools for decision making advice a business planning on investing in a project.

The projected cashflows over 4 years are shown below:

Year 0 1 2 3 4

Cashflows (15,000) 8,000 10,000 5,000 5,000

1) If the rate of finance at which the business can borrow is 10% calculate the NPV and advice if it is
worth considering this investment.

2) Calculate the Internal Rate of Return (IRR) and explain the meaning of the result.

pg. 5 February 2017

Submitting your assignment

The assignment should be in a word document and preferably using Arial font size 12 and 1.5 spacing.
Your assignment should be uploaded on the Turnitin Assignment submission section. It is advisable to
use the Turnitin Plagiarism checker before uploading the final piece of work.

Good luck

pg. 6 February 2017

Merit Descriptors: To achieve a merit, evidence must show that;

M1. Identify and apply strategies to find Identified a range of appropriate research methods
appropriate solutions. and strategies for collecting and analysing data.

M2. Select/ design and apply appropriate Discuss merits, limitations and pitfalls of
methods/ techniques. approaches to data collection and analysis

M3. Present and communicate appropriate Coherently and logically communicate outcomes of the
findings. survey to intended audience demonstrating how
outcomes meet set research objectives

Distinction Descriptors: To achieve a distinction, evidence must show;

D1. Use critical reflection to evaluate own work Demonstrate reflection and engagement in the
and justify valid conclusion. resource process leading to recommended actions for
future improvement.

D2. Take responsibility for managing and Activities, projects have been planned, managed and
organizing activities. organised to a high degree of accuracy.

D3. Demonstrate convergent, lateral and Communicate critical analysis of the outcomes and
creative thinking make valid, justified recommendations

pg. 7 February 2017

Criteria To achieve the criteria the evidence must show the learner Achieved?
Reference have:
(tick)

1.1 Create a plan for the collection of primary and secondary data for
a given business problem

1.2 Present the survey methodology and sampling frame used

1.3 Design a questionnaire for a given business problem

2.1 Create information for decision making by summarising data

using representative values

2.2 Analyse the results to draw valid conclusions in a business

context

2.3 Analyse data using measures of dispersion to inform a given

business scenario

2.4 Explain how quartiles, percentiles and the correlation coefficient

are used to draw useful conclusions in business context

3.1 Produce graphs using spreadsheets and draw valid conclusions

based on the information derived

3.2 Create trend lines in spreadsheet scatter graphs to assist in

forecasting for specified business information

3.3 Prepare a business presentation using suitable software and

techniques to disseminate information effectively

3.4 Produce a formal business report

4.1 Use appropriate information processing tools

4.2 Prepare a project plan for an activity and determine the critical
path

4.3 Use financial tools for decision making

pg. 8 February 2017

Glossary of commonly used academic words.

Account for Give reasons for: explain why something happens.

Analyse Examine something in very close detail and from a number of

angles. Identify the important points and chief features, and
understand their relationships.

Argue Present a case for and against a proposal or statement and

present your own opinion at the end.

Compare Show how two or more things are similar.

Contrast Look at two or more things and draw out differences. State
whether the differences are significant.

Critically evaluate Weigh arguments for and against something, assess the strength
of evidence on both sides.

Define Give the exact meaning of.

Describe Give a detailed account of the main features or characteristics ...

Discuss Write about the most important characteristics of something.

Give arguments for and against, look at it from a variety of
perspectives.

pg. 9 February 2017

 Distinguish Identify the differences between two items.

Evaluate Assess the worth or usefulness of something. Use evidence to

support your opinion.

Examine Look at something in detail. You may be expected to 'critically

evaluate' it as well.

Explain Make it clear why something happens or why it is the way it is.

Identify Recognise name and briefly describe something.

Illustrate Use examples to further explain or justify something. Could be

visual or verbal.

Interpret Explain the meaning or significance of information or data that

you are presenting.

Justify Provide evidence that supports an argument or idea.

Outline Give only the main points, show only the main structure.

Prove Present evidence in a logical structure to support an argument for

a point of view.

Relate (Two
1. Show how ideas / theories/ events etc are linked or connected.
meanings)

pg. 10 February 2017

 2. Tell a story. Explain something in a narrative fashion.

Review Survey and comment on the key aspects of something or a range

of things.

State Give the main features clearly and simply.

Summarise Draw out the main points, omitting detail and examples.

To what extent How far is something true, or contributes to a final outcome. Also
how far is it not true? In academic writing the answer is usually
somewhere in the middle.

Trace Describe the development of something; follow the order of

different stages in an event or process.

Adapted from Cottrell.S.(2003) The Study Skills Handbook. Basingstoke. Palgrave.

pg. 11 February 2017