Portfolio: Effectiveness in the Business World (EBWO3001)

This portfolio, submitted for the Autumn 2017 EBWO3001 course, assesses the student's understanding of key business concepts. The portfolio includes three tasks, each addressing specific learning outcomes. Task 1 focuses on the features of a public limited company (PLC) and contrasts it with a charitable organization. Task 2 delves into the definition of a customer and the importance of understanding customer needs, as well as the influence of perception on consumer demand. Task 3 examines the concept of globalization, outlining its advantages and disadvantages. The student provides detailed explanations and examples for each task, demonstrating their comprehension of organizational operations, consumer needs, and various business issues. The portfolio adheres to a 1500-word limit and showcases the student's ability to analyze and discuss complex business topics. The portfolio demonstrates an understanding of the organization and the environment in which it operates, including determining the competitive advantage for an organization, identifying and analysing organizational operations and responsibilities, discussing the needs of the consumer and people who work in a business, and recognizing a range of issues related to business and how they interlink.

Autumn 2017 Re-sit Portfolio
Effectiveness in the Business World (EBWO3001)
Assessed Learning Outcomes:
1. Demonstrate an understanding of the concept of the organisation and the environment in which
it operates, including determining the competitive advantage for an organisation.
2. Identify and analyse organisational operations, responsibilities
3. Discuss the needs of the consumer and people who work in a business.
4. Recognise a range of issues related to business and how they interlink.
Week Contents (350-400 words per task) Page Learning
outcomes
Week 3 a. Describe the main features of a public limited
company (PLC), giving an example.
b. Identify two key differences between a PLC
and a charitable organisation.
3 LO1 / 2

Week 4 a. Who is a ‘customer’? Give THREE reasons
businesses must understand customers.
b. With at least one example, describe how
‘perception’ influences consumer demand?
4 LO3
Week 5 a. What is ‘globalisation’?
b. Describe THREE advantages & THREE
disadvantages of ‘globalisation’?
5 LO1/4
Week 6 Describe TWO advantages and TWO disadvantages of
‘group decision-making’ from the staff perspective. 6 LO3
Total word limit: 1500 words (+/- 10%)

ASSESSMENT - PORTFOLIO
Week Task 1 Learning
outcomes
Week 3
a. Describe the main features of a public
limited company (PLC), giving an
example.
b. Identify two key differences between a
PLC and a charitable organisation.
LO1 / 2
Your answer should go in the box below.
A.
Key features of public limited company can be classified into diverse forms. Such companies are
mainly organised by board of directors. It has been noticed that total number of members within
management can be highest at the range of 12. In this, limited liability is one of key factor. Single
person can only holds the specific part of the organisation but cannot have overall belonging to the
organisation (House, 2013). Business firm may face issues if the involvement of shareholders is
not being taken into account properly.
Along with this, number of members are also limitless which need to be referred by companies. It
is necessary for management to make sure that minimum seven shareholders are being associated
with the firm so that key measures can be taken into account. Although the number of shareholders
can be many according to standards. In addition to this, transferable shares are also features which
need to be referred by members. In this, companies can have sale of shares in stock market to have
better sustainability (Nguyen, 2012). There are two key organisations of public limited sector
within UK. Classification of public limited companies can be as United Oil and Gas PLC and
Tesco PLC.
B.
Charitable organisations are considered as non-profit businesses who are mainly focused towards
social wellbeing. Such kind of businesses are mainly focused towards activities which can
improve the social development. Their key motive is not to have profit generation as compared to
other business entities (Al-Mubaraki and Schröl, 2011). Along with this, such kind of
organisations are fee to frame policies according to government norms in order to meet the
objectives.

On the other side, public limited company is considered as entity whose working is dependent
over public involvement. It allows external parties and general public to have purchase and sell of
shares so that better existence can be created within market. By having an effective application of
public limited company standards the ethical practice within market can be advanced (Scherer and
Palazzo, 2011). Different kinds of shares are being issued in the market such as cumulative
preference, ordinary, preference and redeemable. It helps in make sure that proper investment
opportunities can be identified effectively.
Week Task 2 Learning
outcomes
Week 4
a. Who is a ‘customer’? Give THREE reasons
businesses must understand customers.
b. With at least one example, describe how
‘perception’ influences consumer demand?
LO3

Your answer should go in the box below.
A.
Customers are considered as person who purchase a goods and services from
business firm. In other words, it can be said that customer is the recipient of a good,
service, product or an idea - obtained from a seller, vendor, or supplier via a
financial transaction or exchange for money or some other valuable consideration
(Drucker, 2017).
It is significant for businesses to have understanding about customers because it
assist in effective development of products and services. Identification of needs
allows to have improvement in products in such a manner that more customers can
be attracted.
Features of products can be advanced according to need to customers which is
beneficial for better customer satisfaction. Along with this, it has been noticed that
better understanding about the customers is also beneficial for attaining sustainable
development so that key measures can be taken into account (Alexander, 2013).
Diverse decision can be taken according to needs of customers for better
opportunities.
B.
In addition to this, it has been noticed that customer perception has great impact on
the overall demand of products and services. It is necessary for businesses to have
effective consideration of such values so that issues can be resolved in desired
manner. It has been noticed that customer perception is referred as key aspect on
which organisational success and failure is greatly dependent. If customer is
satisfied with the key values of products and services then he will have re purchase.
It might advance the product and service demand so management need to refer it
properly (Carroll and Shabana, 2010). Also, the perception about the pricing is also a
factor which can affect the product and service demand. If pricing of products and
services are not being decided according to customer need then it will affect the
perception in negative manner. Such values will not attract more customers due to
high pricing. It will impact the demand of products and services in negative manner.
The importance of the quality of a product or service from the perception of a
consumer can never be undermined (Biron, Farndale and Paauwe, 2011). Any
feature of the product such as its use, durability and how reliable the product is in
satisfying or disappointing the consumer can be described as its quality.

Week Task 3
Week 5
a. What is
‘globalisatio
n’?
b. Describe
THREE
advantages
& THREE
disadvantag
es of
‘globalisatio
n’?
Your answer should go in the box below.

A.
It means integrating the domestic economy with the world economies. It is a process
under which different economies are integrating with each other and they are also
become inter-dependent. It is a dynamic process because it not involves the
particular economy instead of that it involves different economies, different cultures
of the state. It is inevitable concept because the trading related to the different
products and services are quite slow in the past years due to financial crisis situation
which involved under the economy (Luis Daniel, 2010). In the past years, the
globalisation activity emphasised on the economic side related to nation such as
foreign trade and investment, international capital flow, flow of products and
services and in the recent time it gives priority to certain broader areas and also
include certain activities related to political, economic, cultural, media and
demographic conditions related to taste, fashion, preferences and climatic al
conditions are also involved which made an impact on working conditions. The
certain factors are involved under this and also effect the business and its operations.
B.
Advantages of globalisation
 Globalisation is a concept which helps down the economy so they can
integrate with each other and also helps down in fighting against the
illiteracy, poverty and unemployment and also promoting education and
generating various employment opportunities for the people.
 It also made a contribution in terms of nations by improving their
relationships so that relations between different nation can be maintained and
ensure friendliness among them.
 It also providing down certain benefits in the field related to the science and
technology and every time bringing down latest and advance technology
which helps down country under their growth and development. The work
can be completed on time and wastage of time and money can also been
avoided and the certain benefits provide in form of mobile phones, internet
technology, laptops, advance machines etc. so that work can be completed in
effective manner and communication will also be done.

Disadvantages of globalisation
 Due to globalisation it creates down an impact on people and also
differentiate them in terms of rich and poor and also creating a gap among
them. The rich and wealthier people getting more benefits and they are also
able to control down the national resources by using advance technology.
 It also creates a negative impact on the environment and on the other side the
increase in traffic, population explosion under the countries has also polluted
down the destinations related to the tourist and the harmful and poisonous
gases which come from the factories and industries are also the reason
behind pollution problems (Biron, Farndale and Paauwe, 2011).
 The globalisation also made down an impact under various countries because
it spread down various diseases under various countries and the diseases
which cause under the outsider when he come into the country comes in
contact with local resident and this is reason behind it that one disease under
one human being also made impact on other ad slowly by slowly disease is
spreading.

Week Task 4
Week 6 Describe
TWO
advantages
and TWO
disadvantages
of ‘group
decision-
making’ from
the staff
perspective.
Your answer should go in the box below.

Advantages
In every business the group decision is important because it allows different individuals to give their
different opinion and each of the individual opinion is different from other because it is based upon
their knowledge and way of thinking. For solving the issue each individual opinion is different from
other and the individual whose opinion is best will be taken out to solve down the issue which
occurred under organisation (Alexander, 2013).
The individual who are working in groups have an ability to understand the things and also ensure
that everyone is listened what they said because they have the quality.
Disadvantages
It is very easy to influence or manipulated the other members under the group so due to that the
decision which are taken are manipulative and such decisions which are taken will affect the business
activity and their operations.
The demerit is that it is a time consuming process because it involved down the large number of
people and it is not been possible that each people will be agree with the other decision that's why it is
a time consuming and complex process (Carroll and Shabana, 2010).

References:
House, R.J., 2013. Culture and leadership across the world: The GLOBE book of in-
depth studies of 25 societies. Routledge.
Nguyen, B.D., 2012. Does the Rolodex matter? Corporate elite's small world and the
effectiveness of boards of directors. Management Science. 58(2). pp.236-252.
Al-Mubaraki, H. and Schröl, H., 2011. Measuring the effectiveness of business
incubators: a four dimensions approach from a gulf cooperation council
perspective. Journal of Enterprising Culture. 19(04). pp.435-452.
Scherer, A.G. and Palazzo, G., 2011. The new political role of business in a globalized
world: A review of a new perspective on CSR and its implications for the firm,
governance, and democracy. Journal of management studies. 48(4). pp.899-931.
Drucker, P.F., 2017. What Makes an Effective Executive (Harvard Business Review
Classics). Harvard Business Review Press.
Alexander, K. ed., 2013. Facilities management: theory and practice. Routledge.
Carroll, A.B. and Shabana, K.M., 2010. The business case for corporate social
responsibility: A review of concepts, research and practice. International journal of
management reviews. 12(1). pp.85-105.
Biron, M., Farndale, E. and Paauwe, J., 2011. Performance management effectiveness:
lessons from world-leading firms. The International Journal of Human Resource
Management. 22(06). pp.1294-1311.
Luis Daniel, J., 2010. The effect of workplace spirituality on team effectiveness. Journal
of Management Development. 29(5). pp.442-456.
Twarowska, K., 2013. International business strategy - reasons and forms of expansion into
foreign markets. [Pdf]. Available Through: <http://www.toknowpress.net/ISBN/978-
961-6914-02-4/papers/ML13-349.pdf>

End of Portfolio