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M004 (F01) Coursework One (CW1): Data Response
Groupwork prepared and submitted by self-chosen groups of three persons
from within the same seminar class. The minimum number in any group is 2
persons. Submissions of groups with more than three members will not be
accepted and marked as absent FAIL.
Use any permitted organisation of your choice for this assignment. The list of permitted
companies for this CW1 is
Name of Company Sector
1 Britvic plc International soft drinks company
2 Coats plc International industrial thread & textile craft business
3 Home Retail Group plc UK’s leading home and general merchandise retailer
4 Merlin Entertainments plc An international entertainments company
5 Restaurant Group plc Multi-branded restaurant chain.
6 Serco plc International outsourcing service provider.
These are companies you have studied in M002 Strategy in E10 Term. Knowing and
understanding the company strategy will speed your ability to answer M004 Assignments.
This is why we use the same companies.
Your seminar tutor will maintain a list of students names together with choice of
organisation. This Tutor held list is the definitive record; submitted work will not be assessed
if it does not agree with the list.
Using financial reports and accounts of your chosen organisation analyse the results of the
organisation highlighting trends in performance using appropriate and relevant ratios and
analysis techniques.
Your analysis should include a(n):
1.
comparison of Latest year results with Previous year results; 15
2.
ratio analysis of both Latest and Previous years (show all
workings and 20
provide detailed reference of data sources); This should include
a. Liquidity,
b. Solvency,
c. Working capital management,
d. Profitability,
e. Asset efficiency,
providing a minimum of two (2) and an average of three (3) ratios
under
each of the above headings for each of the two years covered;
3. comparison with industry average figures as available; 10
4. measurement against the organisation’s KPIs;; 10
5.
evaluation of the uses of KPIs in assessing organization
performance; 15
6. discussion and explanation of your results; 10
7.
discussion of the advantages and limitations of the analysis
techniques 10
you have used.
Professional format 10
Your approach to this task must reflect your ability to carry out research, understand key
principles in financial management and apply these to a case study.
The outcome of this task should be in the form of a detailed and structured report
addressed to the directors of your chosen organisation. You must also include evidence of
your research materials including full workings of your financial analysis in the appendix
sections of your assignment.
Submission instructions
Please use the NAME of your company + the name of your group leader
e.g.
Marks & Spencer plc Mohammad Al-Momani ID 1234567
On the cover page of the assignment please give all student names and ID
numbers. Without this your marks will not be recorded.
Use the CW1 submission link for Coursework 1 to upload your assignment
Report Format:
1. The maximum word count for the main text excluding tables is 2,000 words.
Exceeding the word count by more than 10% can result in a reduction of marks.
Only the main text excluding any tables and diagrams counts, excluding the
contents page, executive summary, list of references and appendix.
2. The assignment must have a front cover stating:
Module number and name and seminar group number
Title of the assignment
Student names and IDs for each group member
Submission date
Word count as defined above 3. All pages must be numbered
4. An executive summary is required (not included in the word count), but
this should not exceed ½ page.
5. A short introduction is required (and included in the word count), even if it is
not explicit in the assessment criteria.
6. A reasonable number of appendices may be used for relevant supporting
information and to demonstrate your calculations and analysis.
7. Only Word documents can be submitted through Turnitin, the University’s
plagiarism detection software, therefore you are advised to create tables in Word
and not to cut and paste Excel or other software into the document. The marker
will not be able to access your spreadsheets and see your workings.
The rubric by which your report will be assessed follows on pages 3-4. It is important
that prior to you submitting your work, you read this and objectively assess your response
against the rubric. This will ensure that you have done enough to attain the marks you
wish to achieve.
This assignment tests achievement of all our module learning outcomes:
1. Select and apply appropriate accounting techniques to critically analyse financial
data in a variety of business decision making scenarios
2. Make informed financial judgements based on the outcome of such accounting
analyses
3. Critically appraise the techniques used and the information to which they have
been applied
4. Demonstrate an critical understanding to the internal, external and legal
environments in which the judgements are being made
3
Assessment criteria
Task and category Score per category (max. 20×5=100)
0 1 2 3 4 5
1. Comparison of Latest year results with Previous year results
Criterion 1 no attempt The data choice is The data choice is The data choice is The choice of all data The choice of all data
?? Data choice unimaginative and sufficiently appropri- entirely meaningful is entirely meaningful is highly imaginative
not meaningful for ate for the purpose of for the purpose of for the purpose of and entirely meathe
purpose of this this task this comparison this comparison ningful for the purpotask
se of this comparison
Criterion 2 no attempt Data comparison is Data comparison is All or most provided All provided data are All data are fully
?? Full comparison incomplete and few incomplete (possibly data are fully fully compared, and compared wherever
Latest vs. Previous differences are restricted to tables or compared but not all any differences useful, and any difyear
highlighted diagram only) and differences highlighted where ferences highlighted
not all differences highlighted appropriate where appropriate
highlighted
Criterion 3 no attempt Some obvious differ- Some reasonable Most important All differences are Full and original ex-
?? Explanation for ences are explained differences are differences are well fully explained with planations are providifferences
Latest in general terms but explained but lack explained full reference to data ded for all differences
vs. Previous year lack originality or re- originality sources with full reference to
lation to organisation data sources
2. Ratio analysis of both Latest and Previous years
Criterion 4 no attempt The choice of ratios The choice of ratios Mostly meaningful The choice of all The choice of all
?? Meaningful choice appears to follow fulfils formal require- ratios are chosen ratios is entirely ratios is entirely meaof
ratios some textbook with ments but some are which reflects good meaningful for the ningful and justified
little consideration of redundant and do not understanding of purpose of this task for the purpose of
the ratios’ use for this reflect good under- their meaning. Few and reflects full this task and reflects
task. standing of the ratios’ ratios are redundant understanding of the full understanding of
meaning. or less useful ratios’ meaning the ratios’ meaning
Criterion 5 no attempt Many are not calcula- Most ratios are calcu- Most ratios are calcu- All ratios are calcula- All ratios are
?? Full, correct ted correctly and lated correctly but lated correctly using ted correctly using calculated correctly
calculation of all source figures are sometimes confusing almost always the almost always the using the right figures
ratios often confused source figures right figures right figures
Criterion 6 no attempt Workings in the ap- Workings are shown All workings are All workings are pro- All workings are pro-
?? Full workings in pendix are incom- in the appendix but shown in the fessionally and neatly fessionally and neatly
appendix plete or grossly lack lack clarity appendix but lack shown in the shown in the appenclarity
or are difficult some clarity appendix dix, fully numbered
to follow. for reference
Criterion 7 no attempt Data comparison is Data comparison is All or most provided All provided data are All ratios are compa-
?? Comparison and incomplete and few incomplete (possibly data are fully fully compared, and red, any differences
explanation of any differences are restricted to tables or compared and most any differences are highlighted and fully
movement Latest explained diagram only) and important differences fully explained with and originally exvs.
Previous year not all differences are well explained full reference to plained with full
explained sources reference to sources
3. Comparison with industry average figures as available;
Criterion 8 no attempt Reference data pro- Reference to an Clear evidence that Clear evidence that Clear evidence that
?? Evidence of vided in class were effort to finding useful an effort was made every effort was every effort beyond
attempt to finding used but no effort to data for comparison to find useful data for made to find useful expected was made
comparison data finding own data was made comparison data for comparison to find useful data for
shown comparison
Criterion 9 no attempt Data comparison is Data comparison is All or most provided All provided data are All ratios are compa-
?? Comparison and incomplete and few incomplete (possibly data are fully fully compared, and red, any useful differexplanation
of any differences are restricted to tables or compared and most any differences are ences highlighted
discrepancies explained diagram only) and important differences fully explained with and fully and
not all differences are well explained full reference to originally explained
explained sources with full reference to
sources
4. Measurement against the organisation’s KPIs;;
Criterion 10 no attempt The choice of KPIs is Most important KPIs Important KPIs are The organisation’s All the organisation’s
?? Clear identification unclear and requires are clearly identified clearly identified with KPIs are clearly KPIs are clearly
of the better relationship to reference to identified with identified with clear
organisation’s KPIs the chosen firm company sources reference to reference to
company sources company sources
Criterion 11 no attempt Ratios need clearer Ratios used are suf- Most ratios used are All ratios used are All ratios used are
?? Effective use of focus to measuring ficiently appropriate appropriate for appropriate for appropriate for
ratios for the KPIs and used for measuring the KPIs measuring the KPIs measuring the KPIs
measuring each measuring the KPIs and are well utilised and are effectively and are most
KPI utilised effectively utilised
continued overleaf
4
Assessment criteria continued
Task and category Score per category (max. 20×5=100)
0 1 2 3 4 5
5. Evaluation of the uses of KPIs in assessing organisation performance;
Criterion 12 no attempt Few advantages and Some advantages Advantages and dis- The evaluation com- The evaluation com-
?? The evaluation compri- disadvantages of and disadvantages of advantages of using prises a discussion prises a critical disses
a critical discussion using KPIs in asses- using KPIs in asses- KPIs in assessing that compares cussion that comthat
compares advanta- sing organisation sing organisation organisation perfor- advantages and pares advantages
ges and disadvantages performance are performance are mance are compared disadvantages of and disadvantages of
of using KPIs in asses- mentioned compared, maybe but not necessarily using KPIs in asses- using KPIs in assessing
organisation per- listed, but not discussed sing organisation sing organisation
formance discussed performance performance
Criterion 13 no attempt The section requires The section generally The evaluation The evaluation is The evaluation is
?? The evaluation is clear- clearer relation to the relates to the use of relates well to the focussed on the use clearly focussed on
ly focussed on the use use of KPIs to KPIs to assess use of KPIs to of KPIs to assess the use of KPIs to
of KPIs to assess per- assess performance performance and the assess performance performance and the assess performance
formance and the use and the use of ratios use of ratios to and the use of ratios use of ratios to and the use of ratios
of ratios to measure to measure KPIs measure KPIs to measure KPIs measure KPIs to measure KPIs
KPIs in your chosen
company
Criterion 14 no attempt The section requires The section generally The evaluation The evaluation refers The evaluation
?? Reflects prior clearer relation to relates to own relates well to own to own analysis of effectively uses own
analysis own analysis of the analysis of the analysis of the the organisation analysis of the
organisation organisation organisation organisation
6. Discussion and explanation of your results;
Criterion 15 no attempt Many results require Most results are All results are All results are fully All results are fully
?? Full discussion and further explanation explained but not explained and mostly explained and clearly explained and
explanation of all clearly discussed discussed discussed critically discussed
results
Criterion 16 no attempt The explanations are All explanations and All explanations and All explanations and All explanations and
?? Clearly based on not related to own arguments are arguments are based arguments are based arguments are fully
and logically analysis related to own on own analysis on and logically based on and
derived from own analysis derived from own logically derived from
analysis analysis own analysis
7. Discussion of the advantages and limitations of the analysis techniques you have used
Criterion 17 no attempt General statements Some obvious limita- Some limitations of Limitations of the Limitations of the
?? Clear awareness of that do not show tions of the technique the technique are technique are clearly technique are clearly
limitations of the sufficient awareness are mentioned but clearly identified and identified and identified and
technique in of limitations not discussed discussed discussed critically discussed
general
Criterion 18 no attempt General statements Some obvious limita- Some limitations of Limitations of own Limitations of own
?? Clear awareness of that do not show tions of own analysis own analysis are analysis are clearly analysis are clearly
limitations of own sufficient awareness are clearly identified clearly identified and identified and identified and
analysis of limitations but not discussed discussed discussed critically discussed
8. Professional format
Criterion 19 no attempt Some sources were All sources were All sources were fully All sources were fully All sources were fully
?? Sources and not acknowledged / acknowledged but acknowledged but acknowledged acknowledged
referencing referencing style is Harvard style needs Harvard style needs although not entirely according to Harvard
not recognisable / to be revised. Some to be revised consistently accor- referencing style
Incomplete reference sources acknowled- ding to Harvard style
list ged in-text not listed
in the references
Criterion 20 no attempt The report is difficult The report reads well The report is well The report is presen- The report is presen-
?? Professional to read, lacks profes- but lacks professio- presented in writing ted as a professional ted as an entirely
writing style and sional presentation nal presentation and style and layout, report in writing style professional report in
layout, following all and does not follow does not follow following almost all and layout, following writing style and
format format requirements format requirements format requirements all format require- layout, following all
requirements. ments format requirements
5
. . ?
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