Impact of Brexit on Small Businesses: A Comprehensive Analysis

This report delves into the multifaceted impact of Brexit on small businesses in the UK. It examines the challenges posed by trade policy changes, labor market shifts, and increased costs, highlighting the potential for small enterprises to struggle and even close down. The report concludes with recommendations for government support to help small businesses navigate the post-Brexit landscape and maintain their competitiveness.

Spring 18
Academic Skills Portfolio
(module code: ACSK4001)
Name:
Student number:
Degree studied:
Lecturer name:
Tutor name:
This is your Academic Skills Portfolio, which should be submitted by Thursday 26th April, 2pm via your student
portal.
Please save a copy on your computer and back it up regularly (e.g. by saving it on your computer / in the cloud
(e.g. Google Drive) / emailing it to yourself).
Please refer to suggested word counts for each task included within this portfolio.
Submission deadline: Thursday 26th April, 2pm
Assessed Learning Outcomes (LOs):
1. Show evidence of understanding core components of academic literacy/skills.
2. Apply critical thought to a range of tasks, and do so with a minimum of external guidance in
particular situations.
3. Reflect, analyse and discuss strengths, weaknesses, and opportunities personally and
academically.
4. Use appropriate technologies to facilitate the completion of self-analysis/reflection.

Table of Contents
Task Page Week LO
SECTION A: PORTFOLIO EVIDENCE (These tasks will be drafted in class and are designed to inform the
written tasks in section B.)
Portfolio evidence 1: Self-evaluation checklist 3 1 & 10 3&4
Portfolio evidence 2. Personal SWOT analysis 4 1 3&4
Portfolio evidence 3. Evaluating sources & critically engaging with texts 5 2 1&2
Portfolio evidence 4. Synthesising 7 3 & 5 1&2
Portfolio evidence 5. Structuring your writing 9 3, 4, 5, 6,
7 1&2
Portfolio evidence 6: Presenting & analysing data 10 4 1&2
Portfolio evidence 7: Presentation 12 7-9 1
Portfolio evidence 8: Editing & proofreading 14 9 & 10 1&3
SECTION B: WRITING TASKS (These written tasks should be developed throughout the semester).
Writing Task 1 (Report or Essay) 16 1-10 1
Writing Task 2 (Reflective Summary) 17 10 3&4
Word count (+/- 10%):
Section A: a minimum of 600 words in total.
Section B: Writing Task 1 (900 words), Writing Task 2 (300 words)
Academic Skills Portfolio (ACSK4001) 2

SECTION A: PORTFOLIO EVIDENCE
Task 1: Self-evaluation Checklist (to be completed in weeks 1 & 10)
Below is a list of the skills you will need during your university and professional career. Tick ( ) the appropriate box✓
for each skill, according to how well you think you can do this. You should complete this task twice; first, at the
beginning of this course (week 1), and, second, at the end of this course (week 10).
Skills How well do I feel that I know/can do this in weeks 1 and 10?
Information skills
Do not know
about this
Find this
difficult/ can’t
do this
Can partially
do this
Can do this
well
WEEK
1
WEEK
10
WEEK
1
WEEK
10
WEEK
1
WEEK
10
WEEK
1
WEEK
10
Identify which books/journals/websites to use ☐ ☐ ☐ ☐  ☐ ☐ 
Select relevant parts of a text ☐ ☐  ☐ ☐ ☐ ☐ 
Evaluate sources ☐ ☐ ☐ ☐  ☐ ☐ 
Acknowledge sources of information ☐ ☐ ☐ ☐  ☐ ☐ 
Synthesize information from more than one sources ☐
☐
☐ 
☐ ☐ ☐
☐
☐
☐
☐
☐

Write a reference list correctly ☐ ☐  ☐ ☐ ☐ ☐ 
Avoid plagiarism  ☐ ☐ ☐ ☐ ☐ ☐ 
Planning / writing skills
Do not know
about this
Find this
difficult/ can’t
do this
Can partially
do this
Can do this
well
WEEK
1
WEEK
10
WEEK
1
WEEK
10
WEEK
1
WEEK
10
WEEK
1
WEEK
10
Brainstorm ideas ☐ ☐ 
☐ ☐ ☐
☐
☐ ☐
☐

Plan written work ☐ ☐ ☐ ☐  ☐ ☐ 
Link ideas effectively ☐ ☐  ☐ ☐ ☐ ☐ 
Paraphrase & summarise ideas  ☐ ☐ ☐ ☐ ☐ ☐ 
Write an introduction ☐ ☐  ☐ ☐ ☐ ☐ 
Write a conclusion ☐ ☐  ☐ ☐ ☐ ☐ 
Critically edit written work  ☐ ☐ ☐ ☐ ☐ ☐ 
Independent study skills
Do not know
about this
Find this
difficult/ can’t
do this
Can partially
do this
Can do this
well
WEEK
1
WEEK
10
WEEK
1
WEEK
10
WEEK
1
WEEK
10
WEEK
1
WEEK
10
Work independently (without lecturers) ☐ ☐ 
☐ ☐ ☐
☐
☐ ☐
☐

Work as part of a (study) group ☐ ☐ ☐ ☐  ☐ ☐ 
Oral presentation skills
Do not know
about this
Find this
difficult/ can’t
do this
Can partially
do this
Can do this
well
WEEK
1
WEEK
10
WEEK
1
WEEK
10
WEEK
1
WEEK
10
WEEK
1
WEEK
10
Give a presentation on my work ☐
☐
☐ 
☐ ☐ ☐
☐
☐ ☐
☐

Brainstorm ideas with peers ☐ ☐  ☐ ☐ ☐ ☐ 
Discuss written work in a tutorial  ☐ ☐ ☐ ☐ ☐ ☐ 
Deal effectively with questions ☐ ☐  ☐ ☐ ☐ ☐ 
IT skills
Do not know
about this
Find this
difficult/ can’t
do this
Can partially
do this
Can do this
well
WEEK
1
WEEK
10
WEEK
1
WEEK
10
WEEK
1
WEEK
10
WEEK
1
WEEK
10
Access the internet ☐
☐
☐ ☐
☐
☐ ☐
☐
☐ 
☐

Use search engines ☐ ☐  ☐ ☐ ☐ ☐ 
Create word documents ☐ ☐ ☐ ☐  ☐ ☐ 
Use PowerPoint  ☐ ☐ ☐ ☐ ☐ ☐ 
Academic Skills Portfolio (ACSK4001) 3

SECTION A: PORTFOLIO EVIDENCE
Task 2: Personal SWOT analysis (to be completed in week 1)
Watch this video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PBOtnyt7BP4 .
In-class activity: In pairs conduct interviews to create a personal SWOT analysis.
INTERNAL (coming from me)
STRENGTHS
[Things within my control]
WEAKNESSES
[Personal barriers; things stopping
me, but still within my control]
How are you going to overcome your
weaknesses?
(approx. 50 words)
1. Able to understand the
concepts easily
1. Time-keeping This can be done by maintaining and
updating the time-table and assigning
appropriate time for each activity. I will
be able to gain the confidence by
continuously conversing with classmates
and I can approach my friends and
mentors to gain more knowledge about
computers.
2. Research Skills 2. Lack of confidence while
communicating with new
people
3. Hard-working 3. Limited Knowledge of using
computer.
4. Attention to detail 4.
EXTERNAL (coming from outside)
OPPORTUNITIES
[People, resources, opportunities]
THREATS
[Things outside of my control]
How are you going to minimise the
threats?
(approx. 50 words)
1. Develop confidence to deal
with people
1. Not being supported by
friends and peers
By performing the tasks independently, I
will be able to avoid seeking support
from others. Financial constraints can be
overcome by taking part-time jobs and by
concentrating on improving my skills, I
will be able to compete and find a
suitable job related to my field of study.
2. Work in a team 2. Financial constraints
3. Very good career prospects 3. Growing competition
4. Earn more 4.
Academic Skills Portfolio (ACSK4001) 4

SECTION A: PORTFOLIO EVIDENCE
Task 3: Evaluating sources & critically engaging with texts (to be completed after week 2)
In your study groups, evaluate 3 different texts from your reading list, or texts you have found yourselves. You can
also find texts on the Academic Skills area on GSM Learn page. Make notes below.
Text A ↓ Text B ↓ Text C ↓
Resource type
(e.g. book, journal etc.)
Research Article Research Article Journal
Citation/reference
Livingston, S., 2017. How
does Brexit affect
tourism? [Online] The
Travel Magazine,
Available at:
http://www.thetravelmag
azine.net/how-is-brexit-
affecting-the-uk-
tourism.html, (Accessed:
28 March 2018)
Beech, J., 2017. Hiring EU
workers in post-Brexit
world, [Online] HR
Magazine, Available at:
http://www.hrmagazine.co
.uk/article-details/hiring-
eu-workers-in-a-post-
brexit-world, (Accessed: 28
March 2018]
Cumming, J.D., & Zahra.
S.A., 2016. International
Business and
Entrepreneurship
Implications of Brexit,
British Journal of
Management, Vol. 27,
Issue 4, pp. 687-692
Authority
The Author is the founder
and managing editor of
The Travel Magazine
The author is the managing
director of Migrate UK
Both the authors are of
academic fields and have
the academic expertise
related to business
management
Currency
The article is written in
June 2017 and hence, it
contains the latest
information
The article is dated 29
March 2017 and hence, it
has the latest updates
related to Brexit
This research journal was
published in October
2016.
Content
The content of the article
provides a deep insight
into the implications of
Brexit for tourism sector
The purpose of the article is
to showcase the impact of
Brexit on EU workers
This research provides a
clear indication of
negative impact of Brexit
on the businesses in the
UK region as well as other
countries.
Accuracy
The article contains the
facts and figures of the
impact of Brexit on the
tourism industry
The impact of Brexit has
been supported by using
the costs and related
expenditure of visas.
The facts are supported by
using the appropriate
graphs. This research also
has secondary data taken
from various sources
which clearly supports the
facts provided by the
authors.
Audience
The article is aimed at
providing the general
information regarding the
This article is aimed at
providing the information
to all.
This research journal can
be used by academicians
and students for further
Academic Skills Portfolio (ACSK4001) 5

impact of Brexit, hence, it
is useful for everyone.
research
Further notes/
comments
SECTION A: PORTFOLIO EVIDENCE
Task 4: Synthesising (to be completed in weeks 3 - 5)
Academic Skills Portfolio (ACSK4001) 6

Part I: Identifying key ideas
Read the 3 texts you used in the previous task.
Think about the extent to which the authors of those 3 texts agree or disagree with each other.
Write (in note form/bullet points) the key ideas of those 3 texts. Use your own words (paraphrase). Don’t forget to
complete the references information.
Academic Skills Portfolio (ACSK4001) 7

Text A:
Key ideas:
Brexit affects the travel and tourism sector as it restricts the free movement of visitors to
other countries. Since tourism sector generates huge revenues, this will affect the
performance of the economy and may result in slumped growth in future. As per the
estimates provided by VisitBritain, the total amount spent by the visitors has been
recorded at 2.7 billion euros in January and February 2017 which is 11 percent more than
that was recorded in 2016 for the same months (Livingston, 2017).
 In-text
citation/Oscola
footnote (Law)
 reference list
Livingston, S., 2017. How does Brexit affect tourism? [Online] The Travel Magazine,
Available at: http://www.thetravelmagazine.net/how-is-brexit-affecting-the-uk-
tourism.html, (Accessed: 28 March 2018)
Academic Skills Portfolio (ACSK4001) 8

Text B:
Key ideas:
The EU workers working in the UK cannot be provided permanent residence in the region
after Brexit and the government has decided to execute this policy in a phased manner.
There are also indications of introducing stringent work permit systems and this is a
matter of concern for the businesses as they will not be able to hire abled and talented
employees of other regions. The government has proposed Resident Labour Market Test
which will be used for non-EU citizens as per the revised immigration policy (Beech, 2017).
 In-text
citation/Oscola
footnote (Law)
 reference list
Beech, J., 2017. Hiring EU workers in post-Brexit world, [Online] HR Magazine, Available
at: http://www.hrmagazine.co.uk/article-details/hiring-eu-workers-in-a-post-brexit-world,
(Accessed: 28 March 2018]
Academic Skills Portfolio (ACSK4001) 9

Text C:
Key ideas:
The businesses across the world will be affected by the decision of the UK to leave EU
since the revised trade policies may affect the free movement of labour and materials. The
small businesses may not be able to import the required materials at lower costs which
results in selling the products and services at higher costs. The small businesses may not
be able to compete with the large companies which may result in their demise. The large
companies may shift their operations to the emerging markets in order to reduce the
impact of Brexit (Cumming & Zahra, 2016, pp. 687-692).
 In-text
citation/Oscola
footnote (Law)
 reference list
Cumming, J.D., & Zahra. S.A., 2016. International Business and Entrepreneurship
Implications of Brexit, British Journal of Management, Vol. 27, Issue 4, pp. 687-692
Academic Skills Portfolio (ACSK4001) 10

Part II: Synthesising (suggested word count: 200 words)
Think about the areas the authors of the 3 texts you made notes on agree or disagree.
Write up a paragraph which synthesises (combines) the main points of the 3 texts you used in Part I and shows
how the authors agree or disagree.
Remember to include in-text citations or OSCOLA footnote (Law) and link your ideas using linking words!
The decision to leave EU may impact the economy of the UK region since the people will not be able to utilise
the opportunity of commuting to the other regions freely as there will be changes in the existing laws. Also,
businesses will not be able to import or export their products easily since additional taxes will have to be paid
as per the revised trade policies. This forces the businesses to sell their products at higher rates and this
impact the trade of other countries. The small enterprises may not be able to hire non-EU employees and staff
because of revised immigration policies which restricts the entry of the non-EU citizens to the region. The
employees and staff will prefer to work in other EU regions which may result in shortages of manpower and
negatively impacts the performance of the business (Cumming & Zahra, 2016, pp. 687-692). The arrival of
limited number of tourists to the region affects the tourism sector as the new visa norms will be in place and the
visitors may have to pay extra pounds towards visa process. Hence, they may prefer to visit other EU regions
affects the revenue generation of this sector.
Academic Skills Portfolio (ACSK4001) 11

SECTION A: PORTFOLIO EVIDENCE
Task 5: Structuring your writing (to be completed in weeks 2,3,4,5,6,7)
During your lecture and tutorial you will learn how to organise your academic writing in section B.
This is more or less the way you should structure your academic writing in section B:
Academic Skills Portfolio (ACSK4001) 12
INTRODUCTION
(150 words in final text) [use evidence/ research throughout]
 What is your question about? (give the background to your topic)
 Include some detail on the topic (narrow your focus; what exactly are you
focusing on?) Who are the key ideas/ people involved/ organisations etc.?)
 What will your report show? Be specific [you should write this section last]
DISCUSSION POINT 1: ………………………………
(300 words in final text) [use evidence/ research throughout]
 Identify one point from your area of focus and say why it is a key issue.
 Describe how leaving the EU will impact on this.
 What are the opportunities it could create?
 What are the possible problems?
 What can you conclude from this? What are the implications?
DISCUSSION POINT 2: ………………………………
(300 words in final text) [use evidence/ research throughout]
 Identify another point from your area of focus and say why it is a key issue.
 Describe how leaving the EU will impact on this
 What are the opportunities it could create?
 What are the possible problems?
 What can you conclude from this? What are the implications?
CONCLUSION
(150 words in final text) [refer back to what you discussed in previous parts]
 Give a summary of your key points from 2 & 3
 Include a summary of your key conclusions from both 2 & 3
 What would you recommend needs to happen now?

Follow the structure in the previous page to write notes (outline) below about what you will include in
your academic writing task (report or essay). Your notes do not need to be written in full sentences and
you can use symbols/abbreviations/listings and other note-making techniques.
Your notes should show what information you are planning to put in each section. You can add or
remove things later, if you change your mind.
My academic writing task outline
Topic:
(Find the subject-specific
topics on GSM Learn).
Impact of Brexit on businesses and tourism sector
This topic investigates the impact of Brexit on the business enterprises and the tourism sector. The
report analyses both negative and positive impact of Brexit on the trade policies. The negative impacts of
the economy lead to reduction of value of sterling pound and the shortages of manpower in the short-
term. The positive impacts have also been evaluated and the ways in which the Uk government will be
able to reap the benefits of Brexit has also been discussed. The impact of tourism sector and the policies
to restrict the movement of the people to other EU regions has been discussed. The report also contains
the positive developments in the tourism sector and the positive steps taken by the UK government to
attract visitors. All these factors are evaluated and the conclusion has been drawn regarding the long-
term benefits associated with Brexit to the UK region.
One of the major concerns about Brexit is that the negative impact of Brexit on the industries in the UK
region since most of the companies deals with exporting the goods to the other EU regions. Following
key points can be noted from this:
 The imposition of tariffs and taxes may affect the revenue generation of the companies and it
impacts the economy in the long run.
 The free movement of men and materials to the other regions will also get affected and the
companies may choose to operate from other EU regions.
The present arrangements enable the EU citizens to travel and work in any part of the region and the UK
region is the prime attraction for the workers because of its business-friendly environment. However, it
also creates an opportunities for the businesses to hire employees from the local regions which helps to
resolve the unemployment crisis and it also creates opportunities for new entrepreneurs to explore and
invest in new fields. All these factors will reduce the dependency on the other regions and the UK will be
able to create and develop its own workforce. But in order to create a self-sustained economy, the
region will have to face the issue of manpower shortages in the industries which may lead to producing
sub-standard products and services in the short-term.
The decision to leave EU by the UK also impacts the business of other countries such as the USA, since it
has invested $588 billion in 2014 alone and Brexit will have a positive impact because the North
American Countries will be able to directly deal with the UK and involvement of other countries is not
required. Hence, leaving the EU will cause issues but it also creates new opportunities for new
entrepreneurs to grow and develop.
Brexit will have a negative impact on the tourism sector, which is one of the important sectors that
generates revenue as well as provides employment to a large number of people. The region attracts
tourists because:
 It has a unique topography and a strong history and the visitors can also reach other EU
destination without paying charges.
 The concept of free-movement attracts millions of foreign nationals who contribute towards
economy by spending their holidays on the region.
 The revenue generated helps the UK government to invest in infrastructure development which
ensures continued growth and development of the tourism sector.
 The UK government has provided all the facilities which are expected by the visitors and they
enjoy the leisure periods.
Academic Skills Portfolio (ACSK4001) 13

The main disadvantage for the tourists is that the new immigration policy will be introduced and the
tourists may have to pay more amounts for visiting and staying in the region. The increased tourism
expenditure will force the visitors to visit other places which will reduce the inflow of tourists. The sector
will be negatively impacted as the revenue generation will be low and the tourism sector will face
economic crisis. However, since the UK provides unique experiences to the tourists, the region may still
attract visitors. The places such as Stonehenge and National Maritime Museum are few places where the
visitors enjoy the unique features and experiences that are not provided elsewhere. So, even though the
movement of tourists is restricted, the region still has the opportunity of attracting visitors and
generating revenues. This sector may face crisis in the for a short period of time but in the long-term, the
region will be benefited since the visitors will pay extra tariffs as per the new policy which will enable the
sector to generate revenues.
From the above discussions, it can be concluded that the region will face short-term crisis related to the
manpower and import of raw materials. The businesses may choose to change their locations where
there is an opportunity to travel freely in the EU countries and hence, this impacts the economy of the
UK. However, the region will also be benefited by creating new opportunities as well as dealing directly
with foreign countries which may result in procuring the materials and equipment at lower costs. The
government has to take measures and should plans the policies which enable the entrepreneurs to
export the goods and services by paying lesser tariffs in order to promote trade. The government should
also consider the option of free movement of people which will encourage the visitors to spend their
holidays in the UK region. This ensures that the sterling pound to enhance its value in future.
Academic Skills Portfolio (ACSK4001) 14

SECTION A: PORTFOLIO EVIDENCE
Task 6: Presenting & analysing data (to be completed in week 6)
Part I: Presenting data
Cut and paste the graph you discussed in the tutorial here and give it a title. You can find it on the
Academic Skills page on GSM Learn. Remember to write a full Harvard or OSCOLA reference for it and
add a title.
Title: Impact of Brexit on tourism sector
Graph:
Reference:
Academic Skills Portfolio (ACSK4001) 15

Part II: Analysing data (approx. 300 words)
Discuss the graph in the previous page with other students. Focus your discussion on the points below:
1. A description your data (What is it? Where does it come from? What area is it
focussing on?).
2. A summary on what the data shows in general.
3. One or two areas of the data looked at in detail and an explanation of why you
think they are significant.
4. The important trends and differences/comparisons in the areas you have
chosen.
5. Possible explanations for what the data is showing (remember to reference
wider research to back your ideas up).
6. A recommendation for further action that could arise from this data.
Individually, analyse the graph below. Write a paragraph (approx. 300 words) including the areas in the
box above. Remember to refer to the graph/chart using correct OSCOLA or Harvard style in-text citation.
The above graph indicates the perception of people regarding the impact of Brexit on the visitors. The data has
been segmented as per the participants’ regions which are global, EU, Commonwealth, and rest of G20
countries and their response has been recorded by providing the options which are, very positive impact, fairly
positive impact, makes no difference, don’t know, fairly negative impact, and very negative impact. This graph
supports the fact that there are positive as well as negative impact of Brexit on the number of tourist arrivals
and which has been discussed in the earlier section. The respondents who belong to EU region have opined
that the region will have a negative impact due to the fact that the visitors will lose the opportunity to travel
freely across the EU countries. However, the other respondents from other region feel that there may be a
positive impact by the fact that the region has diversified topography and a rich history and tradition which will
continue to attract tourists. This indicates that the region has the ability to attract the tourists and it will
continue to generate revenues since the visitors will continue contributing towards the growth and
development of the tourism sector. The UK government should take appropriate measures by considering
these factors and should try to negotiate a deal which benefits the visitors. The government should consider
the option of providing free-movement across EU countries so that the region remains one of the prime
attractions and continue to attract large number of tourists. Hence, even though there are few concerns
related to Brexit, the UK region is still one of the most preferred destinations and the government hopes for a
positive impact post-Brexit.
Academic Skills Portfolio (ACSK4001) 16

SECTION A: PORTFOLIO EVIDENCE
Task 7: Presentation (to be completed in weeks 7 - 9)
At university, you are often asked to present your research. In week 9 you will deliver a short 10-minute
presentation (7 minutes delivery + 3 minutes for Qs) in class to a small group. You should base your
presentation on one key point (one main section/paragraph) from your assignment using the following
structure for guidance with suggested timings:
 Title page: including your name and title
 Give a very brief overview of what your 7-minute presentation will cover (30 secs)
 Introduction: Identify one point from your assignment and say why it is a key point (1minute)
 Briefly describe how leaving the EU will impact on this (1 min 30s)
 What is one potential opportunity it could create? (1 min 30s)
 What is one possible problem? ( 1min 30s)
 What can you conclude from this? What are the implications/ your recommendations? (1min)
 You should refer to evidence/ research throughout your presentation.
 Be prepared to answer questions (3 mins) at the end of your presentation.
Part I: Presentation planning (slides or notes / weeks 7-9)
Provide evidence here to show that you have planned your presentation. This could take the form of a
detailed plan or PowerPoint slides (no PDF files).
Title: The impact of Brexit on tourism
The presentation is regarding the positive and negative impact of Brexit on the tourists and the factors that
influence them to visit the region.
Introduction:
One of the important factors that can affect the arrival of visitors is the option of free-travel across the EU
countries. The visitors will have to follow the new immigration rules and obtain visa to stay and visit in the UK.
Impact: The visitors will prefer to visit other countries which provide the opportunity to visit other countries
without incurring additional costs. Also, the visitors may choose similar destinations in other countries which
negatively impacts the economy since tourists spending will be reduced and the tour operators will be forced
to change their location which impacts the staff and employees working in the sector (Livingston, 2017).
Potential Opportunity: Although there are negative implications of Brexit, it also creates an opportunity for
the new entrepreneurs to explore and invest in new opportunities. This enables the region to create leaders
from within the region and thus, creating a positive environment for long-term perspective. The region will be
able to achieve the objective of self-sustainability and it will not be depended on other countries to supply the
manpower since the region will be able to train and develop its citizens to perform various activities.
Problems of Brexit: The major concern is the shortage of manpower in the sector since trained and
experienced EU citizens may prefer to work in other countries because of restrictions related to their
movements. The non-EU citizens may not be well-trained which results in providing sub-standard services. The
training and development costs will be more and hence, the region may face a short-term crisis (Cumming &
Zahra, 2016, pp. 687-692). The government has also proposed to introduce new immigration policy and hence,
non-EU citizens may also prefer to work in other countries. All these may result in decrease in the arrival of the
tourists which leads to reduced revenue generation and increase in the unemployment percentage. All these
factors negatively impact the overall performance of the economy and reduction in the value of sterling
pound.
Conclusion: From the above facts it can be concluded that there are certain issues which can affect the
tourism sector and hence, the government has to take appropriate measures while devising the policies. Brexit
may cause short-term issues related to manpower and may impact the quality of the services provided by the
Academic Skills Portfolio (ACSK4001) 17

tourism industry. The government should give the priority to train the people and educate them so that there
are no shortages of manpower and visitors continue to enjoy the hospitability of the UK region. The
government should also consider providing concessional travelling to the citizens so that they can travel easily
to other countries. This will ensure that the region will be able to attract tourists’ post-Brexit.
Academic Skills Portfolio (ACSK4001) 18

Part II: Post-presentation reflection (week 9)
At University and work you’ll often be asked to provide feedback, and reflect on your performance and that of
your peers and colleagues. Using the table below, write notes about your presentation. You should include any
points of interest in your reflective writing task in section B.
Your groups’ comment about your presentation
Content
(How clear, complete and informative
was the presentation?)
The presentation was prepared using appropriate sources and it
provided the required information related to the impact of Brexit
Audience Engagement
(How enjoyable / interesting did the
audience find it?)
The group found it interesting since the relevancy was maintained
throughout the presentation.
Organisation
(How well-structured was it? How
well did the visuals support it?)
The presentation was structured appropriately and proper heading
was provided
Professionalism
(How slick and professional was it?)
The language that was professional and it was maintained
throughout the presentation
Your reflection on your presentation
Content
(How clear, complete and informative
was the presentation?)
The information was completely based on the selected authors
and it contained all the important points made by these authors
Audience Engagement
(How enjoyable / interesting did the
audience find it?)
The session was informative since appropriate source was used
and hence, the group found it interesting
Organisation
(How well-structured was it? How
well did the visuals support it?)
The whole presentation was structured and the presentation was
started by providing appropriate title and introduction.
Professionalism
(How slick and professional was it?)
The presentation was professional and the professional language
was used throughout the presentation.
Action Points
(What could you do better in future presentations?)
More graphs could have been used to present the idea clearly.
Academic Skills Portfolio (ACSK4001) 19

SECTION A: PORTFOLIO EVIDENCE
Task 8: Editing & proofreading (to be completed in weeks 9 & 10)
Part I: Self-evaluation form
Type a few comments below in relation to how well you have addressed the following areas in your portfolio. You
should complete this task after you have finished everything else.
AREA COMMENTS
KNOWLEDGE & UNDERSTANDING How well have you done this? How do you know?
1. Portfolio tasks
I have completed all the tasks appropriately and as per the
requirement.
2. Paraphrasing & summarising
I have done the correct paraphrasing and summarised the
comments made by the authors.
3. Research & support of ideas with
evidence
The research was conducted by referring to the authors and
by analysing their views and opinion.
INTELLECTUAL & COGNITIVE SKILLS How well have you done this? How do you know?
4. Introduction & conclusion
Introduction contains a small brief regarding the task and it
covered all the key points of the report. The report was
concluded by stating the positive and negative impact and
also, suggestions were provided appropriately.
5. Structure of paragraphs / sections
The report was structured as per the requirement and by
providing appropriate title followed by Introduction, summary,
and conclusion.
6. Use of sources
The sources were used appropriately and which provided an
insight to the topic of discussion.
7. Recommendations in conclusion
The recommendations were provided appropriately and by
analysing the facts provided by the authors.
GRADUATE SKILLS How well have you done this? How do you know?
8. Word count requirements
The report was prepared by adhering to the word count
specified.
9. Spelling, grammar, and punctuation
The task was completed by providing appropriate punctuation
and there are no spelling and grammar mistakes.
10. Writing style
The preferred writing style is Calibri
11. Referencing style
The Harvard Style Referencing is used in the task
12. Awareness of your strengths and
weaknesses
I was aware of my strengths and weakness and hence, I
continuously interacted with my friends to correct my
mistakes.
Academic Skills Portfolio (ACSK4001) 20

Academic Skills Portfolio (ACSK4001) 21

Part II: Reflection on the quality of your work
STRENGTHS: What are the strengths of your work?
Type at least 3 short bullet points here:
 Use of Appropriate sources
 Adherence to the specified word count
 Proper report structure is maintained throughout the tasks
AREAS FOR IMPROVEMENT: What are some areas of your work you could have done better at?
Type at least 3 short bullet points here:
 Discussion of some key points by mentioning the key facts and use of graphs.
 Referring some more books and journals to provide accurate suggestions.
 Improving my presentation skills to make the session more interesting
Academic Skills Portfolio (ACSK4001) 22

SECTION B: WRITING TASKS
Writing Task 1: Report (all students except law) or Essay (Law students)
Write your report or essay here (please do NOT insert PDFs or screenshots). You can find your specific question
related to your subject area on the Academic Skills page on GSM Learn in the assessment section.
Guidelines for reports:
Your report must include the following:
1. A title
2. A clear subject related focus
3. Clear sections, including an introduction,
discussion of one or two points and a conclusion
4. A clear, well written and academic writing style
5. Features of report writing such as headings
6. Correct Harvard style in-text citation
7. A correct Harvard style reference list
Guidelines for essays:
Your essay must include the following:
1. A title
2. A clear subject related focus
3. Clear sections, including an introduction,
discussion of one or two points and a conclusion
4. A clear, well written and academic writing style
5. Features of essay writing such as well-developed
paragraphs
6. Correct OSCOLA style footnotes
7. A correct OSCOLA style bibliography (optional: please
note that a bibliography is part of the OSCOLA referencing system,
but at this level, we focus on footnotes)
All students are reminded that Plagiarism, Collusion and Ghost writing are forms of cheating which will be investigated in accordance with GSM’s Academic Misconduct
Regulations.
Law students with a proven academic offence (as outlined above) are reported to the Solicitors Regulation Authority and The Bar Council, which can prevent a student from
being admitted into the legal profession.
Title: Impact of Brexit on small businesses
Introduction
In this section, the impact of Brexit on the small business has been analysed with a detailed explanation
regarding the ways in which the small enterprises may even close their operations. The study has a brief
conclusion and the suggestion which helps to promote small enterprises in the UK.
Discussion
The decision to leave EU will impact the small business in the following ways:
 The changes in trade policies restrict the import of the required raw materials by the small companies
and these companies may have to pay extra tariffs for these materials. This results in selling the
products at higher costs and result in decrease in their competitiveness (Financial Time, 2016).
 The small industries will be forced to use the available manpower who may not be well –trained which
results in producing lower quality goods. The availability of a cheap and experienced labour enables
the small companies to compete in the market and these companies may lose this advantage post-
Brexit.
All the above factors lead to closure of their operations or restricting their operations for producing only
few products (Anon, 2016).
Conclusion
A conclusion can be drawn that the Brexit will create problems to the small industries since they will not be
able to produce the goods and services at competitive rates. The large organisations have the flexibility to
operate in other countries in order to minimise the effects of Brexit but small companies cannot explore new
markets because of availability of minimum funds. Hence, the government should provide required assistance
to the small industries so that they can compete and survive post-Brexit (Financial Time, 2016).
Academic Skills Portfolio (ACSK4001) 23

Reference list:
Financial Times, 2016. Small businesses explain impact of Brexit vote - FT.com. [online] Available at:
https://www.ft.com/content/1ae3aae2-694b-11e6-a0b1-d87a9fea034f, [Accessed 31 March 2018].
Anon, 2016. [online] Available at: http://tomorrowscompany.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/An-
opportunity-to-lead-post-Brexit-Tomorrows-Company.pdf [Accessed 31 March 2018].
SECTION B: WRITING TASKS
Writing Task 2: Reflective summary
In both academic and professional settings you’ll often be asked to reflect on your learning and/or work
experience.
Write a 300-word reflective summary (using Gibbs’ reflective model to help guide you) about your
experience of the Academic Skills module and what you have learned.
Academic Skills Portfolio (ACSK4001) 24