Assignment Brief – BTEC (RQF)
Higher National Diploma in Business Management
Learner Name ID
Programme Name Pearson BTEC Higher National Diploma in Business Management
Unit Number and Title Unit 19 – Research Project
Credit Value 30 Unit Level
5
Academic Year 2022 - 23 Cohort September 2021
Assessor Mohammad Islam
Assignment Title Portfolio Including Project Proposal & Ethics Form (Part 1)
Project Report (Part 2)
Issue Date 18 October 2022
Submission Deadline for Research Proposal & Ethics Form (Part 1) Saturday 28 January 2023 11:59PM UK Time
Submission Deadline for Research Report (Part 2) Saturday 10 June 2023 11:59PM UK Time
IV Name Kashif Khan
IV Date 13 October 2023
Statement of Authenticity:
I certify that the work submitted for this unit is my own and the research sources are fully acknowledged.
Learner Name: Date:
Guideline for Final Submission
• The submission must be in the specific format(s) as specified in the assignment brief instructions.
• The assignment should be submitted in a MS Word© format, or equivalent.
• There will be two separate submission links in Turnitin. You are required to compile Part 1 by the end of year 2 semester 1 and submit on Turnitin according to the date given above. You are required to compile Part 2 into a separate Microsoft Word file and submit on Turnitin according to the date given above by the end of year 2 semester 2.
• Please access HN Global for additional resources to support and reading for this unit. For further guidance and support on report writing please refer to the Study Skills Unit on HN Global www.highernationals.com
Submission Format: Part 1
The submission is in the form of a portfolio which includes the following components: 1. A Project Proposal 2. An Ethics Approval Form. You are required to use Project Proposal Form and Ethics Approval Form to submit your portfolio. These should be written in a concise style using 1.5 line spacing and font size 12. The recommended length for Project Proposal is 1,500 – 2,000 words, but you will not be penalised for exceeding this. All your work must be supported with research and referenced correctly using the Harvard referencing system. You also need to provide a reference list using the Harvard referencing system.
Scenario and activity:
In the long term, businesses need to be prepared to face the unexpected, many fail because they are unable to recover from unexpected events such as political disruption, natural disasters, and pandemics. Business continuity planning allows businesses to maintain or quickly resume functions in the event of a major disruption. Essentially, business continuity is like having a back-up plan those outlines procedures and instructions for staff members in the event of a disaster. The recent COVID-19 global pandemic dramatically impacted industry across all sectors, inevitably affecting disproportionately those businesses that exist to support social interactions and placing strains on both supply and demand. As the pandemic continues to affect industry: lock-down periods, and international and local restrictions on movement have led to a huge drop in revenues and a situation of emergency due to financial difficulties:
• Dramatically lower revenues
• Operational and financial challenges, including issues with liquidity, debt repayments or how to develop “smart capex” on assets to maintain tariffs and/or competitive advantage.
• Uncertainty about the timing and speed of the recovery depending on the arrival of treatments for the virus in order to return to “normal”
To meet the challenges posed by unexpected events and disasters, businesses around the world need to react in agile and decisive ways. This involves businesses identifying capabilities and needs to strengthen, refactor, reopen, rehire, re-budget, resupply, by creating long term plans that allow for scaling up. An “after-action review” to collect data and insights on lessons learned, and then using these to prioritise actions to enhance business value today, businesses will build strategic resilience for tomorrow. Businesses that take these steps now will be well-placed to capitalise more effectively on the opportunities during business recovery, and to continue winning in their marketplaces as greater certainty and stability return.
For this unit, your research theme is “Business recovery”. You are required to select a research topic/title, relating to this theme, and linking with an organisation to make sure your research topic/title is work focused while addressing a “live” issue. You can select you own place of work (if appropriate) or an organisation where you have obtained consent to conduct your research. Some examples of topics/titles based on given theme are below:
1. Creating a resilient organisation through resilient leadership in the UK healthcare sector
2. Assessing the adaptability of Hospitality sector in the UK during the Covid-19 pandemic: A case study of XYZ company
3. Covid-19 Crisis Response: Business Recovery Strategies for Adversely Affected Industries in the UK: A Case of XYZ company
4. Innovation as a recovery strategy for SMEs in emerging economies during the COVID-19
5. The future of digital learning in higher education after COVID19: A case of Regent College
6. The significance of shifting the emphasis from recovery to resilience in the airline industry: A case study of XYZ company
You are required to produce a Project Proposal in line with the research topic/title you have selected in light of the given research theme. You are also required to complete Ethics Approval Form highlighting ethical issues you might encounter during your research and how will you address them. You must use templates provided to you for your research proposal and ethics approval.
Submission Format: Part 2
Submission is in the form of an academic report. This should be written in a concise, formal business style using 1.5 line spacing and font size 12. You are required to make use of headings, paragraphs, and subsections as appropriate, and all work must be supported with research and references using the Harvard referencing system. A reference list should be provided using the Harvard referencing system. The recommended length is 3,000 – 4,000 words, but you will not be penalised for exceeding this. You must ensure you support the written report with a range of graphical illustrations and appropriate appendices.
Unit Learning Outcomes
LO1 Examine appropriate research methodologies and approaches as part of the research process
LO2 Conduct and analyse research relevant to a business research project
LO3 Communicate the outcomes of a research project to identified stakeholders
LO4 Reflect on the application of research methodologies and concepts.
Assignment Brief and Guidance
Scenario and activity:
You already have prepared a project proposal in previous semester as part of the preparation for this course unit. If your proposal is approved by the unit tutor, in this second stage of the assessment you are required to plan, organize, and implement the project in line with your proposal, on this basis, to write a Project Report.
In addition, your project report must reflect knowledge and understanding of relevant academic and professional literature. It must be developed on the basis of appropriate research design and methods and must provide evidence of primary research and analytical skills.
All your work must be supported with research and referenced correctly using the Harvard referencing system. You also need to provide a reference list using the Harvard referencing system.
Following is an indicative Structure and Content of the Project Report, you may wish to use.
Title Page
Content Page
Chapter One: Introduction
1.1 Background to the research; 1.2 Research Rationale; 1.3 Research Questions; 1.4 Research Aim and Objectives; 1.5 Significance of the Research.
Chapter Two: Literature Review
2.1 Introduction of Literature Review; 2.2 Main Body (with Headings and Sub-headings); 2.3 Conclusion of Literature Review
Chapter Three: Methodology
3.1 Research Approach; 3.2 Research Strategy; 3.3 Research Methodology; 3.4 Research Tools/techniques; 3.5 Sampling; 3.5.1 Identifying Population and Research Site; 3.5.2 Sampling Strategy (Types and size); 3.6 Validity & reliability
Chapter Four: Findings (Data Analysis and Presentation)
Chapter Five: Discussion (Data Interpretation)
Chapter Six: Conclusion, Recommendations, and Implications for Further Research
References
Appendices (if any)
Learning Outcomes and Assessment Criteria
Pass Merit Distinction
LO1 Examine appropriate research methodologies and approaches as part of the research process
LO1 and LO2
D1 Critically evaluate research methodologies and processes in application to a business research project to justify chosen research methods and analysis.
P1 Produce a research proposal that clearly defines a research question or hypothesis supported by a literature review.
P2 Examine appropriate research methods and approaches to primary and secondary research. M1 Evaluate different research approaches and methodology and make justifications for the choice of methods selected based on philosophical/ theoretical frameworks.
LO2 Conduct and analyse research relevant for a business research project
P3 Conduct primary and secondary research using appropriate methods for a business research project that consider costs, access, and ethical issues.
P4 Apply appropriate analytical tools, analyse research findings and data. M2 Discuss merits, limitations, and pitfalls of approaches to data collection and analysis.
LO3 Communicate the outcomes of a research project to identified stakeholders
D2 Communicate critical
analysis of the outcomes
and make valid, justified
recommendations.
P5 Communicate research outcomes in an appropriate manner for the intended audience. M3 Communicate
coherently outcomes to the
intended audience
demonstrating how
outcomes meet set
research objectives.
LO4 Reflect on the application of research methodologies and concepts
D3 Demonstrate critical reflection and insight that results in recommended actions for improvements and future research considerations.
P6 Reflect on the
effectiveness of research
methods applied for
meeting objectives of the
business research
project.
P7 Consider alternative
research methodologies
and lessons learnt in
view of the outcomes. M4 Demonstrate reflection and engagement in the Research process leading to recommended actions for future improvement.