HND Assignment Brief

Session: April 2017

Programme title BTEC HND in Computer Systems Development

Unit number and title 01 Business Skills for e-Commerce (L4)

Assignment number &

1 of 1 Business Skills for e-Commerce (L4)
title

Unit Leader -

Assessor (s) Dr Husam Awadalla

Issue Date 24 April 2017

Final assignment
24 29 July 2017
submission deadline

31st July 5 August 2017

The learners are required to follow the strict deadline set by the
College for submissions of assignments in accordance with the
Late submission BTEC level 4 7 submission guidelines and College policy on
deadline submissions. They should also refer to Merit and Distinction criteria
that require evidence of meeting agreed timelines and ability to plan
and organise time effectively without which the learner may not
expect to receive a higher grade.

Resubmission deadline TBA

In-class feedback will be available from draft submissions on a task-

by-task basis as a formative feedback and also for initial submission.
Feedback
Final feedback will be available within 2 3 weeks of the assignment
submission date.

The work you submit must be in your own words. If you use a quote or
an illustration from somewhere you must give the source.
General Include a list of references at the end of your document. You must give
all your sources of information.
Guidelines Make sure your work is clearly presented and that you use readily
understandable English.
Wherever possible use a word processor and its spell-checker.

Internal verifier Dr M. J. Hasan

Signature (IV of
mj@bcs.org Date 21/04/2017
the brief) *

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 ICON College of Technology and Management
BTEC HND in Computer Systems Development
(CSD)
Unit 01: Business Skills for e-Commerce (L4)
Session: April 2017
Coursework
Recommended word limit: 3,000

This Unit will be assessed by assignment only.

You are strongly advised to read Preparation guidelines of the Coursework

Document before answering your assignment.

Scenario

This coursework is aimed at testing the students application of business skills needed to
design an e-Commerce solution for an organisation. Learners will investigate the values of
business skills by exploring current, topical examples of e-Commerce practices. Learners will
consider how to design an e-Commerce solution to the best advantage of the organisation
and its stakeholders (for example employees, suppliers and customers). Learners will
explore current legislation concerning e-Commerce based trading, organisational
responsibilities and finance/payment systems.

You are employed as an ecommerce consultant in a retail organisation and have been
tasked by your manager to write a report about ecommerce and its impact on the company.
Your report should address the following tasks:

LO1: Understand the structure and aims of business organisations

You are required to address the task as specified and research a particular organisation
such as Amazon, EBay, Morrison, Next, Marks & Spencer, Sainsbury, National Express,
British Airways. You can use the organisation that you are employed at as long as the
organisation has an online presence.

1.1 Businesses generally have a variety of business functions in order to run successfully.
You are required to investigate a named business organisation among the options
given, give a brief history of the organisation from its origin, state its aims and
objectives & assess its core business functions using appropriate assessment criteria.
[P1.1, M1]

1.2 Evaluate your chosen company business aims and show how they relate to
stakeholders aims. Hint: Here you need to identify the stakeholders and use
the outcomes of the assessment in 1.1 [P1.2, D1]

To achieve M1, you will have conducted an effective SWOT analysis taking into account PEST
factors and will have met the deadline to submit the tasks and achieve the unit assessment
criteria.

To achieve D1 you will have provided critical reflection on identified weaknesses and threats
and propose realistic improvements to achieve stakeholders expectations.

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LO2: Understand the impact of e-Commerce

2.1 Identify the existing shortcomings and analyse the impact of introducing an enhanced
e-Commerce system to the chosen company. [P2.1, M2]

2.2 Discuss the positive and negative impact of e-Commerce on society with future
projections, where appropriate (you can use your chosen company as an
example). [P2.2, D2]

To achieve M2, you will have discussed the advantages and potential risk in different elements
of the business model (including procurement, payments, order fulfilment, sale, etc.)

To achieve D2 you will have investigated the impact of e-commerce on the society and
demonstrated your view on potential positive impacts of e commerce on society. You also will
be expected to demonstrate your view on potential negative impacts of e commerce on society.
You will also have met the deadline to submit the tasks.

LO3: Be able to design e-Commerce solutions

Task 3 Scenario

You company Mycloth is a well know retailer in the city of London. Mycloth is looking at
developing a general purpose e-commerce store where their niche cloth products can be
bought from the comfort of home through the Internet. As an ecommerce consultant, you
have been consulted to design an e-commerce website for Mycloth and you were provided
with the following brief:

Customers can browse the catalogue and select products of interest. The selected items
may be collected in a shopping cart. At checkout time, the items in the shopping cart will be
presented as an order. At that time, more information will be needed to complete the
transaction. Usually, the customer will be asked to fill a billing address, a shipping address,
and payment information such as credit card number. An e-mail notification is sent to the
customer as soon as the order is placed.

You should have the following web pages:

Home Page AboutUs Page Clothing Page OrderUs

e ContactUs
Pag Page
Login Page Register Page

3.1 Investigate market potential for an e-Commerce opportunity for Mycloth. (Hint: How
will the ecommerce solution improve the marketing of Mycloth products?). [P3.1]

3.12 As a part of your project in implementing e-Commerce for Mycloth, evaluate current e-
Commerce systems in use by other business organisations of that type (online
retailers). [P3.2, D1]

3.3 Having an e-commerce system in a business has a variety of financial implications.

Discuss and present the financial implications of e-Commerce solution for Mycloth
[P3.3]

3.4 Using Web Site online design tools such as wix.com or weebly.com, design an e-
Commerce solution for Mycloth. Your design should include business objectives,
business aim(s), and mission statement. (please refer to the scenario and brief)
[P3.4, D3]

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 3.5 Upon completion of your design, evaluate the suitability of the e-Commerce solution
for Mycloth. [P3.5, M3]

To achieve D1, you will have used critical reflection when evaluating current e-commerce
systems.

To achieve M3, you will have demonstrated autonomy when evaluating the suitability of the
ecommerce solution.

To achieve D3, you will generated ideas and taken decisions when designing the e-commerce
solution for Mycloth.

Relevant information
To gain a Pass in a BTEC HND Unit, you must meet ALL the Pass criteria; to gain a Merit,
you must meet ALL the Merit and Pass criteria; and to gain a Distinction, you must meet ALL
the Distinction, Merit and Pass criteria

1. General grading criteria of this coursework

Questions
Outcomes Assessment criteria for pass reflecting
the outcome

LO1 Understand the 1.1 assess an organisations core business

structure and aims functions
Task 1
of business 1.2 evaluate an organisations business aims
organisations and show how they relate to stakeholders

LO2 Understand the 2.1 analyse the impact, including the risks, of
impact of e- introducing an e-Commerce system to an
Task 2
Commerce organisation
2.2 discuss the global impact of e-Commerce
on society

LO3 Be able to 3.1 investigate market potential for an e-

design e-Commerce Commerce opportunity
Task 3
solutions 3.2 evaluate current e-Commerce systems in
use by organisations
3.3 discuss the financial implications of an e-
Commerce solution
3.4 design an e-Commerce solution
3.5 evaluate the suitability of an e-Commerce
solution.

2. Grading Criteria for Merit and Distinction of this coursework

Merit (M1, M2, M3) Distinction (D1, D2, D3)

Descriptors Indicative characteristics Descriptors Indicative characteristics

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 Pass requirements
achieved
M1 - Identify effective judgement have
and been made
apply strategies D1 - Use critical Pass and Merit
to find an an effective approach to reflection to requirements achieved
appropriate study and research has evaluate own work Self-criticism of
solution been applied and justify valid approach has taken
conclusions place
M2 - Select/design A range of sources of Autonomy/
and apply information has been used D2 - Take independence has
appropriate Appropriate learning responsibility for been demonstrated
methods/techniques methods/techniques have managing and Activities have been
been applied organising activities managed
M3 - Present and A range of methods of
Ideas have been
communicate presentation has been used D3 - Demonstrate generated and
appropriate findings and technical language have convergent/lateral/ decisions taken
been accurately used creative thinking Self evaluation has
Communication is taken place
appropriate for familiar Problems have been
and unfamiliar audiences solved
and appropriate media have
been used

3. Preparation guidelines of the Coursework Document

a. All coursework must be word processed.
b. Document margins must not be more than 2.54 cm (1 inch) or less than 1.9cm (3/4 inch).
c. Font size must be within the range of 10 point to 14 point including the headings and body text
(preferred font size is 11).
d. Standard and commonly used type face such as Arial should be used.
e. All figures, graphs and tables must be numbered.
f. Material taken from external sources must be properly refereed and cited within the text using
Harvard standard
g. Do not use Wikipedia as a reference.
h. Word limit must be strictly followed.

4. Plagiarism and Collusion

Any act of plagiarism or collusion will be seriously dealt with according to the College
regulations. In this context the definition and scope of plagiarism and collusion are presented
below:
Plagiarism is presenting somebody elses work as your own. It includes copying information
directly from the Web or books without referencing the material; submitting joint coursework as
an individual effort.
Collusion is copying another students coursework; stealing coursework from another student
and submitting it as your own work.
Suspected plagiarism or collusion will be investigated and if found to have occurred will be
dealt with according to the college procedure. (For details on Plagiarism & Collusion
please see the student hand book)
5. Submission
a. Initial submission of coursework to the tutors is compulsory in each unit of the course.
b. Student must check their assignments on ICON VLE with plagiarism software Turnitin to
make sure the similarity index for their assignment stays within the College approved level. A
student can check the similarity index of their assignment three times in the Draft
Assignment submission point located in the home page of the ICON VLE.
c. All Final coursework must be submitted to the Final submission point into the unit (not to
the Tutor). A student would be allowed to submit only once and that is the final submission.
d. Any computer files generated such as program code (software), graphic files that form part of

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 the coursework must be submitted as an attachment to the assignment with all
documentation.
e. Any portfolio for a unit must be submitted as a hardcopy to examination office.
f. The student must attach a tutors comment in between the cover page and the answer in the
case of Resubmission.

6. Good practice
a. Make backup of your work in different media (hard disk, memory stick etc.) to avoid distress
for loss or damage of your original copy.

7. Extension and Late Submission

a. If you need an extension for a valid reason, you must request one using an Exceptional
Extenuating Circumstances (EEC) form available from the College examination office and
ICON VLE. Please note that the lecturers do not have the authority to extend the coursework
deadlines and therefore do not ask them to award a coursework extension. The completed
form must be accompanied by evidence such as a medical certificate in the event of you being
sick.
b. Late submission will be accepted and marked according to the college procedure. It is noted
that late submission may not be graded for Merit and Distinction.
c. All Late coursework must be submitted to the Late submission point into the unit (not to the
Tutor). A student would be allowed to submit only once and that is the final submission.

8. Submission deadlines

Formative feedback Week 12

Final Submission 22 29 July 2017
Late submission 31st July 5th August 2017

Submit to: Online to the ICON VLE only

Glossary:

Analyse: Break an issue or topic into smaller parts by looking in depth at each part. Support
each part with arguments and evidence for and against (Pros and cons).

Critically Evaluate/Analyse: When you critically evaluate you look at the arguments for and
against an issue. You look at the strengths and weaknesses of the arguments. This could
be from an article you read in a journal or from a text book.

Discuss: When you discuss you look at both sides of a discussion. You look at both sides of
the arguments. Then you look at the reason why it is important (for) then you look at the
reason why it is important (against).

Explain: When you explain you must say why it is important or not important.

Evaluate: When you evaluate you look at the arguments for and against an issue.

Identify: When you identify you look at the most important points.

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