Oxford Brookes University BSc (Hons) in Applied Accounting

Skills and Learning Statement On An evaluation of the Business and the Financial Performance of the Amazon.com.inc for a period of three consecutive years from 2010 to 2012

By Bikal Shrestha Word Count

1.Introduction: Skills and learning Statement (SLS) is a second part of the RAP to gain honorable Bsc degree from Oxford Brookes University. This statement helps me to demonstrate the my graduate skills along with Technical and Professional skills.

This was my first ever RAP in my life, I was bit excited and nervous regarding this project. Althought this was really challenging task but I get an opportunities to gain different skills such as Judgemental, Presentation, Communication skills through this project. This project helps me to identify my weakness and strength and I get chance to eliminate weaknesses with the help of my project mentor advice.

2. Learning outcomes from the meetings with the project mentor and the presentation : 1st metting I choose Mr. Bishowa Ajaya Pudashaini as my project mentor. He was my previous tutor in college and he taught me ACCA paper F6 and F9.During our first meeting he checked me first whether or not I was clear on RAP objectives and outcomes by asking me few questions and later he added some explanation, providing me hard copy of professional skills and learning outcomes of report outlining the core area of focus expanding my RAP and SLS knowledge. He made me clear about his role and task I have to perform with in a time frame (project plan) set by him. Additionally he gave me clear idea about data collection methods and how to use them while conducting research. Along with that he gave me some idea about SLS statement and its purpose. Lesson learned From our first meeting I learned that I have to develop time management skill to accomplish a task at given time. I get the better insight about how and in what aspect secondary data were different from primary data collection and how to gather relevant secondary data using Internet sources. I learned that I have to frequently read related articles and search recent news and issues of selected topic in order to update myself with relevant informations. This meeting helped me develop skills like planning, organizing, prioritizing, communication. I have learned how importance was acknowledging to the people who work or articles we use in our report after explanation of my mentor regarding importance of citing others work before we use. now Reference the source immediately after its use.

2nd meeting In second meeting my mentor had reviewed my project work and suggested that I quite poor in writing report. As he found that my sentences were quite informal with repeatation of phrase and was not sound professional. There fore he recommended me to develop writing skills by using professional and precise words avoiding academic style of writing.

He figure out that some of my graphs and charts looks bizarre with out reflection the data information so he suggested me to change them with different charts which communicates and displays better information. Mentor suggested me not to use Wikipedia much as it is not considered relevant source of information. Instead of that he recommended me to read business news paper like Financial Times and use relevant news articles relevant to my report. My mentor advice me to use excel to generate the ratio data and to perform the ratio calculation as it makes such job ease with little amount of time. As he found me bit weak in using excel so he personally showed me how to use excel effectively for report. He also noticed that I was not citing the source properly, which was risky because referencing was critical part of my report. So he suggested me to focus on referencing after the use of source and suggested me to read some article and books on Harvard referencing to build up good insight about it. Lesson learned As I felt my language in writing was not professional so learned how to use precise language to communicate in report. After my mentor suggestion I am avoiding duplication of phase and developing professional writing skills by taking caring of the sentences to make them more precise for effective communication. My knowledge on computer skill regarding using MS Word, Excel and Power Point has been expanded now. This project helped me to uplift my IT skill and made me more familiar with such tools. I feel quite confidence and comfortable to handle the data, tables, graphs and presentation slides using MS office. I am gradually developing referencing habit now. I have learned important referencing while report writing and the risk of using others works with out acknowledging them was unethical and illegal. I have developed the habit of reading business newspapers with focusing on relevant journal and articles. Which is really fruitful for me to keep my selfupdate with global economic business scenario.

3rd meeting(Based on imagination) During our third and final meeting, I was bit nervous. I find really hard to give my final presentation to mentor and other participants as I was not used to with this things before. I gave my Presentation on chosen topic to my mentor along with other participants using the MS power point. During the presentation I face really challenging cross questions from my mentor and other participants. Although I tried to explain such question but still I was nervous explaining answer to them. After presentation my mentor gave me some of the useful feedback like my presentation slides were good but I was bit sound nervous while speaking so he suggested me to develop self confidence while explaining and communicating. Over all mentor commented that my presentation was satisfactory but needs more practice in future to build up my confidence level in future. Lesson learned

From my final meeting I learned that for effective communication I have to build up confidence level in speaking and I need to practice more giving presentation in front of audience. (to be continued)

Challenges: This was my first project so I was really confused with which topic and organization to choose. For the data collection purposes I have visited lots of websites and read the online news and articles relating to company. It was not an easy task to deal with the collected data, as I have to calculate, analyze and explain with presentation of data. The chosen organization (amazon.com.inc) annual report for 2012 were not yet published in website. So I have to email to amazons Investor Relation Team requesting such information for my research purpose.

So I have used various books and video media to refresh my knowledge regarding ms-office tools.

Strengths My mentor was really supportive as he share his experience of writing such project with me and frequently challenged me by questioning certain aspects of project and made me to work hard to find solutions.

For my chosen topic, secondary source of data were enough for conducting research and availability of information in internet helped me to move ahead with my project smoothly.

Weaknesses My project mentor highlighted some of areas of weakness where I have to improve further such as use academic writing style rather than professional style, I was running behind from planned schedule mentioned as per given by mentor. So time management become weakness during this project.

2.To what extent do you think you have achieved the RAP research objectives you set?(377) Weakness: The topic that I have chosen for this Project was really broad and challenging. Basically most of my research work was based on Internet sources gathering the secondary data. My report was lacking primary data such as questionnaire, personal interview, because it was not possible for me to collect Primary data because of the nature of topic of my project. The research project had been carried out with in the limitation word limit, which compelled me to limit my explanation hindering the comprehensiveness of report. Challenges It was not so easy to handle the ratio for the financial analysis but we the help of my mentor guidance, I have use the most relevant ratios for analysis purpose gathering the evidence for every changes and movement of ratios in each year to support my conclusion of the research project. For the Business analysis I was bit confused on using appropriate models for my selected topic and the industry. With my mentor suggestion, finally I come up with the SWOT analysis as a better model to analyze the chosen company considering the internal environment to analyze the strength and weakness and external environments to analyze the Opportunities and Threats of the company. Strength: My research objective was specific and precise but challenging so while collecting the data , I always keep in my research objective in my mind while using them to generate the rational reason for analysis. I was quite lucky to found plenty of information available in Internet regarding the chosen companies although it was challenging to choose only relevant information. Processing the gathered information using the MS office tools like Word, Excel, Power Point helped me to calculate, present and compare the research data. Finally it helped me to draw a conclusion as per my Financial Ratio analysis and Business analysis using the appropriate and relevant data.

Conclusion: Considering the all above facts, I think I have made justice to my research objectives by linking them to relevant financial ratios and suitable business models to come up with the relevant and sound conclusion and recommendation. Therefore , I believe I have answered all questions justifying the objective of research project.

3.How have you demonstrated your interpersonal and communication skills during the project work? Interpretation and communication skills are essential part of professional life. While preparing RAP I have to frequently communicate with my mentor personally, via email and mobile phone to discuss the progress and matter of the report. As my mentor has little idea about my topic selected so I have to explain in detail about my research process to obtain guidance from mentor. It was not easy for me to face my mentor cross-question during our communication. Most of our conversation was formal so I have learned tone of professional communication. Most importantly I get the lesson from him that for an effective communication I must have to listen carefully first before I respond. During the research phase I have used different news and companies website to learn and gather information about the company. I was successful to obtain reply email letter from amazons investor relation team regarding 10-K form of amazon. It was nice experience to have formal email conversation and opportunity to develop email communication skill.

At final meeting, I have to give presentation in front of participants along with my mentor. It helped me to practice to speak inform of people and develop my presentation skill and interpersonal skills. It helped to boost up my confidence level to trickle the question raised by audience.

Question 4:(345) How has undertaking the Research and Analysis Project helped me in my accountancy studies and/or current employment role? While undertaking the RAP I have realized lots of positive changes coming to me. I have developed my computer and IT skills during the preparation of RAP. Now I am much more familiar with using to MS Word, Power-Point, and Excel which I believe essential tool for real work life. I find my self-comfortable with processing data, figures, table, graphs and charts using MS Excel. I am better enough in preparation of power point slides, which will defiantly helpful in my future work life. My communication skill has been gradually improved due to this project. Formal discussion with my mentor during meetings and while giving presentation had helped improve my conversation and verbal communication skills. Acquiring relevant data using email enhanced my tone of business communication using email. I have developed confident in matter of giving presentation in front of audience due to this project. I have learned how to transfer the ACCA knowledge to practical real life and business environment through this project. This project gave me good insight about the ecommerce and how IT is playing vital role in todays contemporary business because of the chosen subject matter of the project. Project also gave me opportunity use the knowledge especially from my ACCA paper F7 and P2 particularly analyzing the annual report of the chosen companies. Along with that it this project help me to tackle the questions of my professional ACCA papers like P3(Business Analysis). Before doing the RAP, I was not so much keen about reading business articles and business newspaper like Financial Times. But now it becomes my interest to read such useful business newspapers. Which helps to enhance my knowledge regarding economic environment of the business around the world. Most important thing that I learned was how to manage the time effective and accomplished the deadline. Which will not only just applicable in my academic and professional life but also helps to bring positive change in my real life.