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APPENDIX GA36b
LEVEL 5 ASSESSMENT SPECIFICATION
Programme: BA Business Management
Module: Management Accounting
Module code: LCBB5002 Contribution to
Overall Module
Assessment (%):
70%
Lecturer: Riaz Bhatti
Zainab Atta
Internal Verifier: Widin Sha’ven
Assignment Title: Assignment 2 Report Word count (or
equivalent):
2500
Submission
deadline:
To be announced by the
Assessment team I need help writing my essay – research paper refer to the assessments
schedule published on
Students’ Hall in Moodle
Return date of
provisional marks
& written feedback:
20 working days
after submission
deadline
Submission
method:
All written assessments, where practical and possible, must be submitted via
Turnitin unless otherwise instructed by the Lecturer. (I need help writing my essay – research paper DO NOT put this
assessment specification into Turnitin or it will match many similarities with
other students’ submissions.)
Alternative submission method (if applicable):
Late submission of the assessment will result in a late penalty mark.
Penalties for late submission: Up to one week late, maximum mark of 40%.
Over one week late, 0%. Only the Extenuating Circumstances Panel may
approve a change to submission dates.
Academic
honesty /
referencing:
Academic honesty is required. In the main body of your submission you must
give credit to authors on whose research and ideas your work is based. Append
to your submission a reference list that indicates the books, articles, etc. that
you have used, cited or quoted in order to complete this assessment.
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Module Learning Outcomes
(from module syllabus)
• Prepare control reports which show original, flexed and actual budgets
• Calculate key variances.
• Evaluate decisions using relevant costing
• Demonstrate decision making abilities under risk.
TASK DESCRIPTION
Amana Ltd is a family-owned tourist business located in England which sells souvenirs to tourists. They have several
locations in tourist hotspots across England namely Brighton, London bridge, Westminster bridge, Buckingham Palace,
Birmingham city centre and Manchester city centre. Souvenirs are produced by a Chinese manufacturer specifically
according to designs made by the Amana team.
They have been operating a successful business for 40 years and have come to understand the dynamic nature of the
tourism industry. Recently, the Covid-19 pandemic broke out in England leading the government to impose restrictions
on movement and travel which severely impacted the tourism industry. Amana’s revenue took a big hit in April 2020 as
tourists could not travel for the Easter holidays, sales picked up slightly in the summer of 2020; however, the prolonged
lock down between December 2020 and February 2021 depleted any additional revenue that had been made in the
summer.
In the past, Amana ltd has only traded within physical stores with a functioning website serving as a channel for
marketing their business. Mr Amana, the owner of the business has hired you as a manager and provided a cost break
down of their products.
Original budget (£) Actual (£)
Units 100,000 80,000
Selling price 25 20
Variable costs:
Materials 2.50 280,000
Labour 4 440,000
Overhead 1.50 120,000
Contribution 17 760,000
Fixed overheads:
Warehouse rental 200,000 170,000
Insurance 100,000 100,000
Fulltime warehouse supervisor salary 50,000 35,000
*Figures are based on average estimates incurred in producing a mix of souvenirs.
Required:
(i) Prepare the monthly control report showing original budget, flexed budget, and variances. (25 marks)
(ii) Using your control report prepared in (i) above, prepare a report on Amana’s performance during the year
2020. (20 marks)
(iii) Provide recommendations to Amana’s CEO on areas of improvement. (15 marks)
(1500 words, TOTAL = 60 marks)
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PART B
Mr Amana has noticed that a lot of his competitors now sell online to customers in the UK, Europe and US. He has been
considering closing the Brighton, Birmingham city centre and Manchester city centre branches in order to streamline
the business activities and move 50% of their sales online. Several factors have to be taken into consideration when
making this decision.
i) Cost of setting up delivery network – £150,000
ii) Cost of upgrading current website to handle large volume of sales – £50,000
iii) Salary of a fulltime IT programmer – £35,000 per annum
iv) Based on market research, there would be guaranteed sales of 100,000 units annually
The business also has the alternative of selling their products directly on Amazon and would have to take the following
factors into consideration when making this decision.
i) Amazon fulfilment fees – £50,000
ii) High levels of competition between Amana souvenirs and other sellers on these platforms – Guaranteed sales of
65,000 units on Amazon annually with the potential to increase depending on demand.
iii) Lack of control over pricing and return policy.
Required:
In your report, provide an analysis of Mr Amana’s decision to go online and advise if they should set up their own online
shop or sell on Amazon. You should take into consideration all the relevant costs. (1000 words, TOTAL = 40 marks)
ALL QUESTIONS SHOULD BE ATTEMPTED
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GUIDANCE FOR STUDENTS IN THE COMPLETION OF
TASKS
NOTE: The guidance offered below is linked to the five generic assessment criteria overleaf.
1. Engagement with Literature Skills
Your work must be informed and supported by scholarly material that is relevant to and focused on the task(s)
set. You should provide evidence that you have accessed an appropriate range of sources, which may be
academic, governmental and industrial; these sources may include academic journal articles, textbooks,
current news articles, organisational documents, and websites. You should consider the credibility of your
sources; academic journals are normally highly credible sources while websites require careful
consideration/selection and should be used sparingly. Any sources you use should be current and up-to date, mostly published within the last five years or so, though seminal/important works in the field may be
older. You must provide evidence of your research/own reading throughout your work, using a suitable
referencing system, including in-text citations in the main body of your work and a reference list at the end of
your work.
Guidance specific to this assessment: Specific to this assignment: At least 12 references need to be cited
2. Knowledge and Understanding Skills
At level 5, you should be able to demonstrate: sound knowledge and critical understanding of the well established concepts and principles of the subject area and the way in which those principles have
developed; knowledge of the main methods of enquiry in the discipline. Knowledge relates to the facts,
information and skills you have acquired through your learning. You demonstrate your understanding by
interpreting the meaning of the facts and information (knowledge). This means that you need to select and
include in your work the concepts, techniques, models, theories, etc. appropriate to the task(s) set. You
should be able to explain the theories, concepts, etc. meaningfully to show your understanding. Your
mark/grade will also depend upon the extent to which you demonstrate your knowledge and understanding.
Guidance specific to this assessment: A thorough and detailed understanding budgeting and variance in
assessing performance and decision making
3. Calculation
Your work must contain clear calculations using professional layout and headings where relevant. Directions
for variances should be clearly indicated as either favourable or unfavourable.
Guidance specific to this assessment: A control report should be prepared clearly showing the
original budget, flexed budget, actual budget and variances
4. Practical Skills
At level 5, you should be able to use/deploy a range of established techniques within the discipline, and apply
underlying concepts and principles outside the context in which they were first studied, including, where
appropriate, the application of those principles in an employment context. You should be able to demonstrate
how the subject-related concepts and ideas relate to real world situations and/or a particular context. How
do they work in practice? You will deploy models, methods, techniques, and/or theories, in that context, to
assess current situations, perhaps to formulate plans or solutions to solve problems, or to create artefacts,
some of which may be creative. This is likely to involve, for instance, the use of real world artefacts, examples
and cases, the application of a model within an organisation and/or benchmarking one theory or organisation
against others based on stated criteria. You should show awareness of the limitations of concepts and
theories when applied in particular contexts.
Guidance specific to this assessment: The practical application of budgeting, variances and relevant
costing in assessing business performance and decision making especially with reference to the
current global pandemic.
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5. Transferable Skills for Life and Professional Practice
Your work must provide evidence of the qualities and transferable skills necessary for employment requiring
the exercise of personal responsibility and decision-making. This includes demonstrating: professional
development to advance existing skills and acquire new competences that will enable you to assume
significant responsibility within organisations; that you can initiate and complete tasks and procedures,
whether individually and/or collaboratively; that you can use appropriate media to effectively communicate
information, arguments and analysis in a variety of forms to specialist and non-specialist audiences; fluency
of expression; clarity and effectiveness in presentation and organisation. Work should be coherent and well structured in presentation and organisation.
Guidance specific to this assessment: A report is required, 2,500 words, with appropriate referencing and
headings.
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STUDENT FEEDBACK FORM
This section details the extent to which the assessment criteria are demonstrated by you, which in turn determines your
mark. The marks available for each category of skill are shown. Lecturers will use the space provided to comment on
the achievement of the task(s), including those areas in which you have performed well and areas that would benefit
from development/improvement.
Generic Assessment Criteria
Marks
available
Marks
awarded
1. Engagement with Literature Skills
. 15
Extent of research and/or own reading, selection of credible sources, application of appropriate
referencing conventions
2. Knowledge and Understanding Skills 20
Extent of knowledge and understanding of concepts and underlying principles associated with
the discipline.
3. Calculations 25
Clarity and accuracy of calculations. Use of professional and well-structured layout.
4. Practical Application Skills 25
Deployment of methods, materials, tools and techniques; application of concepts; formulation of
innovative and creative solutions to solve problems.
5. Transferable Skills for Life and Professional Practice 15
Attributes in professional practice: individual and collaborative working; deployment of
appropriate media; presentation and organisation.
Assessment Mark (Assessment marks are subject to ratification at the
Exam Board. These comments and marks are to give feedback on module work
and are for guidance only until they are confirmed. )
Late Submission Penalties (tick if
appropriate)
Up to 1 week late (40% Max) %
Over 1 week late (0%)
GENERIC ASSESSMENT CRITERIA
Level 5
In accordance with the Framework for Higher Education Qualifications, at the end of Level 5 students will be expected to have developed sound knowledge
and critical understanding of the well-established concepts and principles in their field of study, and of the way in which those principles have developed.
They will have learned to apply those concepts and principles more widely outside the context in which they were first studied, including, where appropriate,
the application of those principles in an employment context. They will have knowledge of the main methods of enquiry in the subject area, and ability to
evaluate critically different approaches to problem solving. They will possess an understanding of the limits of their knowledge, and how this influences their
analyses and interpretations. They will be able to use a range of established techniques to initiate and undertake critical analysis of information, and to
propose solutions to problems arising from that analysis. They will be able to effectively communicate information, arguments and analysis in a variety of
forms to specialist and non-specialist audiences, and deploy key techniques of the discipline effectively. They will be able to undertake further training,
develop existing skills and acquire new competences that will enable them to assume significant responsibility within organisations. They will have the
qualities and transferable skills necessary for employment requiring the exercise of personal responsibility and decision-making.
Level 5 FAIL MARGINAL FAIL SATISFACTORY
(3rd / Pass)
GOOD
(2.2 / Pass)
VERY GOOD
(2.1 / Merit)
EXCELLENT
(1st / Distinction)
EXCEPTIONAL
(1st / Distinction)
Category 0-29% 30-39% 40-49% 50-59% 60-69% 70-84% 85-100%
Engagement
with literature
(including
reading,
referencing,
academic
conventions and
academic
honesty)
Little or no
evidence of
reading and/or
reliance on
inappropriate
sources.
Views and
findings mostly
unsupported and
non authoritative.
Referencing
conventions
used
incoherently or
largely absent.
Poor
engagement
with essential
reading. No
evidence of
wider reading.
Reliance on
inappropriate
sources, and/or
indiscriminate
use of sources.
Heavily reliant
on information
gained through
class contact.
Inconsistent and
weak use of
referencing.
Engagement
with a limited
range of mostly
relevant and
credible sources.
Some omissions
and minor
errors.
Referencing
conventions
evident though
not always
applied
accurately or
consistently.
Engagement
with an
appropriate
range of
literature,
including
sources
retrieved
independently.
Some over reliance on texts.
Referencing may
show minor
inaccuracies or
inconsistencies.
Engagement
with a wide
range of
literature,
including
sources
retrieved
independently.
Selection of
relevant and
credible sources.
Very good use of
referencing, with
no/very few
inaccuracies or
inconsistencies.
Engagement
with an
extensive range
of relevant and
credible
literature.
Consistently
accurate
application of
referencing.
Exceptional
engagement
with an
extensive range
of relevant and
credible
literature. High level referencing
skills
consistently
applied.
Knowledge
and
understanding
(Sound
knowledge and
critical
Major gaps in
knowledge with
unsatisfactory,
uncritical
understanding of
the subject
Fragmentary
knowledge, with
only superficial
critical
understanding.
Some significant
Limited but
adequate
knowledge and
critical
understanding of
the well Knowledge is
reasonably
detailed and
accurate. A good
critical
understanding of
Knowledge is
reasonably
extensive.
Exhibits very
competent
critical
Excellent,
detailed
knowledge and
highly critical
understanding of
the well Exceptionally
detailed
knowledge and
outstanding
critical
understanding of
Level 5 FAIL MARGINAL FAIL SATISFACTORY
(3rd / Pass)
GOOD
(2.2 / Pass)
VERY GOOD
(2.1 / Merit)
EXCELLENT
(1st / Distinction)
EXCEPTIONAL
(1st / Distinction)
Category 0-29% 30-39% 40-49% 50-59% 60-69% 70-84% 85-100%
understanding of
the well established
concepts and
principles in their
field of study;
knowledge of the
main methods of
enquiry in the
discipline.)
matter. Much
irrelevant
material.
Substantial
inaccuracies.
Significantly
flawed
understanding of
the main
methods of
enquiry in the
discipline.
inaccuracies
and/or irrelevant
material.
Incomplete or
partially flawed
understanding of
the main
methods of
enquiry in the
discipline.
established
concepts and
principles within
the subject area,
with a few gaps
in the selection
of material. A
narrow critical
understanding of
the main
methods of
enquiry.
the well established
concepts and
principles and
the main
methods of
enquiry, with
minor gaps in
the selection of
material.
understanding of
the well established
concepts and
principles of the
subject and the
main methods of
enquiry.
Breadth and
depth of
knowledge.
established
concepts and
principles of the
subject and the
main methods of
enquiry.
the well established
concepts and
principles of the
subject and the
main methods of
enquiry. May go
beyond
established
theories.
3. Calculations
Clarity and
accuracy of
calculations.
Use of
professional
and well structured
layout.
Little or no attempt
to present
calculations.
Incorrect
calculations for the
most part. Poor
layout and
structure
Weak attempt to
present
calculations.
Incorrect
calculations for the
most part. Weak
layout and
structure.
Some attempt to
present
calculations.
Correct
calculations for the
most part.
Satisfactory layout
and structure.
A good attempt at
the calculations.
Correct
calculations for the
most part. Good
layout and
structure.
A very good
attempt at the
calculations.
Correct
calculations for the
most part. Very
good layout and
structure.
An excellent
attempt at the
calculations.
Accurate
calculations
throughout.
Excellent layout
and structure.
An exceptional
attempt at the
calculations.
Accurate
calculations
throughout.
Exceptional layout
and structure.
Practical skills
(Apply underlying
concepts and
principles more
widely outside the
context in which
they were first
studied; use a
range of
established
techniques;
propose solutions
to problems
arising from
analysis.)
Limited or no
use of
established
methods,
materials, tools
and/or
techniques.
Little or no
appreciation of
the context of
the application.
Limited
understanding of
the application of
theory to
practice or
making
appropriate links
between the two.
Rudimentary
application of
established
methods,
materials, tools
and/or
techniques but
without
consideration
and
competence.
Flawed
appreciation of
the context of
the application.
Weak
understanding of
the application of
theory to
An adequate
awareness and
mostly
appropriate
application of
established
methods,
materials, tools
and/or
techniques.
Basic
appreciation of
the context of
the application.
Theoretical
knowledge and
understanding
applied in
practice, but not
A good and
appropriate
application of
established
methods,
materials, tools
and/or
techniques.
Clear
appreciation of
the context of
the application.
Mainly
consistent,
accurate and
logical
application of
theory to
practice, making
A very good
application of a
range of
established
methods,
materials, tools
and/or
techniques.
Very good
consideration of
the context of
the application,
with perceptive
insights.
Consistent,
accurate and
logical
application of
theory to
An advanced
application of a
range of
established
methods,
materials, tools
and/or
techniques.
The context of
the application is
well considered,
and insightful.
Consistent,
accurate and
logical
application of
theory to
practice, making
well-developed
Exceptional
levels of
application and
deployment
skills using
established
methods,
materials, tools
and/or
techniques.
Consistent,
accurate and
logical
application of
theory to
practice, making
highly developed
links between
the two. Can
Level 5 FAIL MARGINAL FAIL SATISFACTORY
(3rd / Pass)
GOOD
(2.2 / Pass)
VERY GOOD
(2.1 / Merit)
EXCELLENT
(1st / Distinction)
EXCEPTIONAL
(1st / Distinction)
Category 0-29% 30-39% 40-49% 50-59% 60-69% 70-84% 85-100%
Very weak
problem-solving
skills outside the
context in which
they were first
studied.
practice, with
only occasional
evidence of
making
appropriate links
between the two.
Weak problem solving skills
outside the
context in which
they were first
studied.
always making
logical links
between the two.
Can identify
problems and
propose basic
solutions outside
the context in
which they were
first studied.
appropriate links
between the two.
Can identify
problems and
propose mostly
appropriate
solutions outside
the context in
which they were
first studied.
practice, making
appropriate links
between the two.
Can identify
problems and
propose
appropriate
solutions outside
the context in
which they were
first studied.
Evidence of
some creativity.
links between
the two. Can
identify problems
and propose
excellent,
creative
solutions outside
the context in
which they were
first studied.
identify routine
and non-routine
problems and
propose quite
sophisticated,
creative
solutions outside
the context in
which they were
first studied.
Transferable
skills for life
and
professional
practice
(Effectively
communicate in a
variety of forms
to specialist and
non-specialist
audiences; the
qualities and
transferable skills
necessary for
employment
requiring the
exercise of
personal
responsibility and
decision-making.)
Communication
medium is
inappropriate or
misapplied.
Work is poorly
structured,
disorganised
and/or
confusingly
expressed. Very
weak use of
language and/or
very
inappropriate
style. Failure to
work effectively
as part of a
group. Little or
no evidence of
the skills for
employment
requiring the
exercise of
personal
responsibility
and decision making.
Communication
medium is poorly
designed and/or
not suitable for
the audience.
Work is poorly
presented in a
disjointed
manner. It is
loosely, and at
times
incoherently,
structured, with
information and
ideas often
poorly
expressed.
Weak use of
language and/or
inappropriate
style. Flawed
approach to
group work,
meeting only
partial
obligations to
others. Limited
Can
communicate in
a suitable
medium for the
audience but
with some room
for improvement.
Mostly ordered
presentation and
structure in
which relevant
ideas / concepts
are reasonably
expressed. Work
may lack
coherence in
places. Can
work as part of a
group, meeting
most obligations
to others but
perhaps with
limited
involvement in
group activities.
Demonstrates
the basic skills
Can
communicate
effectively in a
suitable medium
for the audience,
but may have
minor errors.
Mostly coherent,
organised work,
in a suitable
structure and is
for the most part
clearly
expressed. Can
work effectively
independently
and/or as part of
a team, with
clear
contribution to
group activities.
Demonstrates
the skills for
employment
requiring the
exercise of
personal
Can
communicate
well, confidently
and consistently
in a suitable
medium for the
audience.
Work is
coherent, fluent,
well-structured
and organised.
Can work very
well
autonomously
and/or as part of
a team, with very
good
contribution to
group activities.
Demonstrates
very good skills
for employment
requiring the
exercise of
personal
responsibility
and decision Can
communicate
professionally
confidently and
consistently in a
suitable medium
for the audience.
Work is
coherent, very
fluent and is
presented
proficiently. Can
work
autonomously
with initiative.
Where relevant
can work
professionally
within a team,
showing
leadership skills
as appropriate,
and meeting
obligations.
Demonstrates
excellent skills
for employment
Can
communicate
with an
exceptionally
high level of
professionalism,
highly suitable
for the audience.
Work is
exceptionally
coherent, very
fluent and is
presented
professionally.
Can work
exceptionally
well within a
team, showing
leadership skills.
Demonstrates
exceptional skills
for employment
requiring the
exercise of
personal
responsibility
and decision-
Level 5 FAIL MARGINAL FAIL SATISFACTORY
(3rd / Pass)
GOOD
(2.2 / Pass)
VERY GOOD
(2.1 / Merit)
EXCELLENT
(1st / Distinction)
EXCEPTIONAL
(1st / Distinction)
Category 0-29% 30-39% 40-49% 50-59% 60-69% 70-84% 85-100%
evidence of the
skills for
employment
requiring the
exercise of
personal
responsibility
and decision making.
for employment
requiring the
exercise of
personal
responsibility
and decision making, with
some areas of
minor weakness.
responsibility
and decision making, with
some areas of
strength and
some of minor
weakness.
making, with just
occasional minor
weakness.
requiring the
exercise of
personal
responsibility
and decision making and an
appetite for
further
development.
making and an
appetite for
further
development.
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