Assignment Brief
Pearson BTEC Level 5 Higher National Diploma in Leadership and Management
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Unit Number and Title |
Unit 1: The Contemporary Business Environment |
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Academic Term |
Sep 2025 – Dec 2025 |
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Issue Date |
15/09/2025 |
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Formative Feedback |
20/10/2025 – 16/11/2025 |
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Submission Date |
01/12/2025 |
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Submission Format |
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The submission is in the form of an individual report.
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Unit Learning Outcomes |
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LO1 Explain the different types, sizes and scope of organisations. LO2 Discuss the interrelationship of the various functions in an organisation and how they link to organisational structure. |
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Transferable skills and competencies developed |
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Vocational scenario |
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LO1 Explain the different types, sizes and scope of organisations. Any economy is shaped by the range and number of organisations operating within it. In the UK, enterprises span the public, private and voluntary sectors, each with distinct ownership and legal arrangements, yet often pursuing overlapping societal and commercial purposes. An example of a public sector organisation is Network Rail, which owns and manages much of Britain’s rail infrastructure and operates as a public-interest, not-for-profit body accountable for a safe and reliable network. Its role illustrates how state-owned entities can deliver essential national services while partnering with private suppliers. An example of a private sector organisation is the John Lewis Partnership, an employee-owned retailer trading through John Lewis and Waitrose, showing how privately owned firms can align commercial performance with participatory governance and long-term stakeholder commitments. Its partnership model highlights how ownership and control influence objectives, culture and stakeholder relationships. An example of a voluntary sector organisation is the British Red Cross, a UK charity within the global Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement that mobilises volunteers and donations to support people in crisis across communities at home and internationally. It demonstrates how purpose-driven organisations pursue public benefit without distributing profits to owners. Despite sectoral differences, organisations undertake common functions—marketing, finance, human resource management, operations and service delivery, and governance/compliance. These must align with objectives and be reflected in structure and processes to ensure performance, accountability, and stakeholder value. You have been hired as a trainee consultant at Northbridge Advisory Ltd, a firm that supports young entrepreneurs to launch new ventures, including advice on business form, size and scope. A new client intends to enter the manufacturing sector, and before any recommendation your manager requires an up-to-date briefing on sector characteristics, legal or ownership forms, size and scope at start-up, and the organisational functions and structure needed to deliver compliant production. Your briefing should also consider regulatory expectations for UK manufacturing, supplier and distribution partnership options, and how core functions—operations, quality, finance, HR, and marketing—map onto a lean start-up structure during the first twelve months. |
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Assignment activity and guidance |
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LO2 Discuss the interrelationship of the various functions in an organisation and how they link to organisational structure. You are required to conduct industry analysis in the manufacturing sector (or any other sector of your choice) and write a report that focuses on the following areas.
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Unit Learning Outcomes |
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LO3 Use contemporary examples to demonstrate both the positive and negative influence/impact the macroenvironment has on business operations. LO4 Determine the internal strengths and weaknesses of a specific business and their interrelationship with external macro factors. |
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Transferable skills and competencies developed |
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Vocational scenario |
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Your CEO at Northbridge Advisory Ltd plc requires sector intelligence to underpin comprehensive, evidence-based advice for the new client. Apply internal and external analytical frameworks—specifically PESTLE and SWOT—to structure your assessment and justify recommendations. As the business case study, analyse Rolls-Royce plc and use this case to illustrate implications for market-entry strategy, choice of legal/ownership form, intended size and scope at start-up, and the alignment of core organisational functions (operations, quality, finance, HR, and marketing) over the first twelve months. |
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Assignment activity and guidance |
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Learning Outcomes and Assessment Criteria
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Pass |
Merit |
Distinction |
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LO1 Explain the different types, sizes and scope of organisations |
LO1 and LO2 D1 Provide critical analysis of the complexities of different organisations and structures. |
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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 organisation. |
M1 Analyse how the structure, size and scope of different organisations link to the business objectives and products and services offered by the organisations. |
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LO2 Discuss the interrelationship of the various functions in an organisation and how they link to organisational structure |
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P3 Discuss 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 these can have on organisational structure. |
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LO3 Use contemporary examples to demonstrate both the positive and negative influence/impact the macroenvironment has on business operations |
LO3 and LO4 D2 Critically evaluate the impacts that both macro factors and micro factors have on business objectives and decision-making. |
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P4 Identify the positive and negative impacts the macroenvironment has on business operations, supported by specific examples. |
M3 Apply appropriately the PESTLE model to support a detailed analysis of the macroenvironment in an organisation. |
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LO4 Determine the internal strengths and weaknesses of a specific business and their interrelationship with external macro factors |
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P5 Conduct internal and external analysis of a specific organisation to identify strengths and weaknesses. P6 Explain how strengths and weaknesses interrelate with external macro factors. |
M4 Apply appropriately SWOT/TOWS analyses and justify how they influence decision-making. |
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Keywords for students Guide:
- Explain
In explanatory answers it is imperative that you clarify and interpret the material you present. In such an answer it is best to state the "how or why," reconcile any differences in opinion or experimental results, and, where possible, state causes. The aim is to make plain the conditions, which give rise to whatever you are examining.
- Analyse
Break down objects or ideas into simpler parts and find evidence to support generalisations. It involves the use of a methodological approach to get in-depth understanding of an idea or object.
- Critically Analysis
The purpose of critical analysis is also to gain in-depth understanding of an idea and objectives by breaking them down into simpler parts but to a greater degree. It also involves examination of disadvantages, limitations, side effects or shortcomings of ideas or objects. It involves questioning the underlying hypothesis of assumptions and often involves making judgements.
- Identify
Point out and describe ideas, concepts and objectives. This is similar to providing a list of items but with a description to elaborate them.
- Conduct
Conducting something involves application of model and prior knowledge to objectives, organisations and elements to gain understanding of their dynamics.
- Apply
Application of knowledge may be similar to “Conduct” but with limited scope. There is a lesser level of expertise for application than conducting.
- Critically Evaluate
In critical evaluation questions you are expected to present a conclusion or make judgement of a phenomena or concept by careful appraisal of the problem stressing both advantages and limitations supported by thorough review of literature. Critical evaluation implies authoritative and, to a lesser degree, personal appraisal of both contributions and limitations.
Recommended Resources
Please note that the resources listed are examples for you to use as a starting point in your research – the list is not definitive.
Textbooks
Burns, J. and Needle, D. (2023) Business in Context: An Introduction to Business and its Environment. 8th Ed. Andover, Hants: Cengage Learning EMEA.
Morrison, J. (2023) The Global Business Environment: Sustainability in the Balance. 6th Ed. London: Bloomsbury Publishing.
Weatherly, P. and Otter, D. (2018) The Business Environment: Themes and Issues in a Globalizing World. 4th Ed. Oxford: Oxford University Press.
Worthington, I., Thompson, E. and Britton. C. (2023) The Business Environment. 9th Ed. Harlow: Pearson.
Textbooks accessible online
Griffin, R.W., 2022. Fundamentals of management. Cengage Learning, Inc. Available at: https://thuvienso.hoasen.edu.vn/v/web/viewer.html?file=/bitstream/handle/123456789/13211/Contents.pdf?sequence=1&isAllowed=y
Armstrong, M. and Taylor, S., 2006. Human resource management practice. Distributed Computing (10th ed.). https://doi. org/10.1002/9781118802717. Available at: http://elib.vku.udn.vn/bitstream/123456789/3376/1/2006.%20A%20Handbook%20of%20Human%20Resource%20Management%20Practice%20%2810th%20Edition%29.pdf
Stone, M., 2007. Fundamentals of marketing. Routledge. Available at: https://www.taylorfrancis.com/books/mono/10.4324/9780203030783/fundamentals-marketing-marilyn-stone
Websites
www.businessballs.comBusinessballs
www.forbes.comForbes
www.ibtimes.comInternational Business Times “Business”