GA36d

LEVEL 7 ASSESSMENT SPECIFICATION

Student name: Student ID number:

Programme: MBA

Module: Financial Analysis and Management - FAM

Contribution to
Module code: SLBC7010 Task 1: 50%
Overall Module
(20 Credits) Assessment (%): Task 2: 50%

Lecturer: S.A. Palan Internal Verifier: N. Skandakumar

Assignment Title: A critical review of financial Word count (or 3000 words Task 1
performance of a listed plc equivalent):
3000 words Task 2

Submission 28/10/2019 Return date of tbc

deadline: provisional marks
& written feedback:
All written assessments, where practical and possible, must be submitted via
Submission
Turnitin unless otherwise instructed by the Lecturer. (Please DO NOT put this
method:
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 50%.
Over one week late, 0%. Only the Extenuating Circumstances Panel may
approve a change to submission dates.

Academic Academic honesty is required. In the main body of your submission you must
honesty / give credit to authors on whose research and ideas your work is based. Append
referencing: 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.

Page 1 of 13
Module Learning Outcomes
(from module syllabus)

Define, analyse, synthesise, critically discuss and interpret financial accounting reports
and strategies and key concepts and comparative models, and their relationship to
financial strategy and decision making within businesses and organisations.

Page 2 of 13
 TASK 1 DESCRIPTION – 50%
Choose a stock market listed company in any of the following sectors: Aerospace, Tobacco,
Hospitality and Software. Agree your choice with your Lecturer at least 4 weeks before the
Assignment submission date.

Obtain the annual reports of the company and one of its main competitors for the latest FIVE years
from its website or other sources.

a) Write an introductory report on the activities of the company and its position in the industry with
respect to its competitor.

b) Critically compare and analyse their financial performance over the last FIVE years. Relating to
each category of ratios, which company has performed better? Overall, which company is better
managed. Explain your reasons.

c) Arising from your analysis, identify any strategic and operational issues that need to be addressed
by the companies and make appropriate recommendations with justifications.

State clearly any problems, limitations and assumptions that you need to make to answer the
questions.

Please note: it is your responsibility to check with your tutor if you are unclear about the
chosen company.

LENGTH
REQUIRED
3000 words +/- 10%. Any deviation from this will be penalised.

FORMATTING AND
LAYOUT

Please note the following when completing your written assignment:

1. Writing: Written in English in an appropriate business/academic style
2. Focus: Focus only on the tasks set in the assignment.
3. Length: 3000 words
4. Formatting: Typed on A4 paper in Times New Roman or Arial font 12 with at least 2.5
centimetre space at each edge, double spaced and pages numbered.
5. Document format: Report
6. Ensure a clear title, course, and name or ID number is on a cover sheet and a bibliography
using Harvard referencing throughout is also provided.
7. Research: Research should use reliable and relevant sources of information e.g. academic
books and journals that have been peer reviewed. The research should be extensive.

The use of a range of information sources is expected – academic books, peer reviewed
journal articles, professional articles, press releases and newspaper articles, reliable
statistics, company annual reports and other company information. All referencing should
be in Harvard style.

Page 3 of 13
 TASK 2 DESCRIPTION – 50%

Long term finance may be generated internally or externally by companies.

Required:

1) Critically evaluate five different sources of external finance that are available to a public listed
company. Identify and explain what considerations may be taken into account by the Board of
Directors when choosing the type of financing to use.

2) Explain the term weighted average cost of capital (WACC). Critically evaluate the view that the
WACC is affected by the long-term sources of finance employed by a listed company.

LENGTH
REQUIRED
3000 words +/- 10%. Any deviation from this will be penalised.

FORMATTING AND
LAYOUT

Please note the following when completing your written assignment:

1. Writing: Written in English in an appropriate business/academic style
2. Focus: Focus only on the tasks set in the assignment.
3. Length: 3000 words
4. Formatting: Typed on A4 paper in Times New Roman or Arial font 12 with at least 2.5
centimetre space at each edge, double spaced and pages numbered.
5. Document format: Report
6. Ensure a clear title, course, and name or ID number is on a cover sheet and a bibliography
using Harvard referencing throughout is also provided.
7. Research: Research should use reliable and relevant sources of information e.g. academic
books and journals that have been peer reviewed. The research should be extensive.

The use of a range of information sources is expected – academic books, peer reviewed
journal articles, professional articles, press releases and newspaper articles, reliable
statistics, company annual reports and other company information. All referencing should
be in Harvard style.

Page 4 of 13
 GUIDANCEFOR 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 make use of scholarly reviews andprimary sources, as appropriate (for example, refereed
research articles and/or original materialsappropriate to the discipline). You should provide evidence that
you have accessed a wide 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 correctly 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: Please see page 7 and 8

2. Knowledge and Understanding Skills

At level 7, you should be able to demonstrate asystematic understanding of knowledge, and a critical
awareness of current problemsand/or new insights, much of which is at, or informed by, the forefront of your
academicdiscipline, field of study or area of professional practice, with a comprehensive understanding of
techniques applicable to your own research oradvanced scholarship. Your work must demonstrate your
growing mastery of these concepts, principles, current challenges, innovation and insights associated with
the subject area. 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 contemporary 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; ideally each should be complete and detailed,
with comprehensive coverage.

Guidance specific to this assessment: Please see page 7 and 8

3. Cognitive and Intellectual Skills

You should be able to: evaluate critically current research and advanced scholarship in the discipline;
evaluate methodologies and develop critiques of them and, where appropriate, to propose new hypotheses;
deal with complex issues both systematically and creatively to make sound judgements in the absence of
complete data. Your work must contain evidence of logical, analytical thinking, evaluation and synthesis. For
example, to examine and break information down into parts, make inferences, compile, compare and contrast
information. This means not just describing what! But also justifying: Why? How? When? Who? Where? At
what cost? At all times, you must provide justification for your arguments and judgements. Evidence that
you have reflected upon the ideas of experts within the subject area is crucial to you providing a reasoned
and informed debate within your work. Your choice of methodologies to gather data and information must
be rigorously defended. Furthermore, you should provide evidence that you are able to make sound
judgements and convincing arguments using data and concepts. Sound, valid, persuasive conclusions are
necessary and must be derived from the content of your work. Where relevant, alternative solutions and
recommendations may be proposed.

Guidance specific to this assessment: Please see page 7 and 8

Page 5 of 13
4. Practical Skills
At level 7, you should be able to demonstrate originality in the application of knowledge, together with a
practical understanding ofhow established techniques of research and enquiry are used to create and
interpretknowledge in the discipline.This includes acting autonomously in planning and implementing tasks
at a professional orequivalent level, originality in tackling and solving problems, and decision-making in
complex and unpredictable contexts or situations.

You should be able to demonstrate mastery of the leading edgesubject-related concepts and ideas as they
relate to real world situations and/or particular contexts. How do they work in practice? You will deploy
models, methods, techniques, and/or theories, in those contexts or circumstances, to assess current
situations, perhaps to formulate plans or plausible, justifiable recommendations to solve problems, or to
propose new models, or to create artefacts, which may be innovative and creative, thereby demonstrating
your understanding ofhow the boundaries of knowledge areadvanced through research and/or application.
This is likely to involve, for instance, the use of real worldartefacts, examples and cases, the application of a
model within an organisation and/or benchmarking one theory or organisation against others.

Guidancespecific to this assessment: Please see page 7 and 8

5. Transferable Skills for Life and Professional Practice

Your work must provide evidence of the qualities and transferable skills necessary for postgraduate-level
employment in circumstances requiring sound judgement, personalresponsibility and initiative in complex
and unpredictable professional environments. This includes demonstrating:the independent learning ability
for continuing professional development to advance existing skills and acquire new competences of a
professional nature that will enable you to assume significant responsibility within organisations;that you can
initiate and complete tasks, projects and procedures, whether individually and/or collaboratively, to a
professional level; that you can use appropriate media to effectively communicate information, arguments
and analysis in a variety of forms for a variety of 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: Please see page 7 and 8

Page 6 of 13
 STUDENT FEEDBACK FORM – TASK 1
This section details the extent to which the assessment criteria are demonstrated by you, whichin 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.

awarded
available

Marks
Marks
Generic Assessment Criteria

1. Engagement with Literature Skills

.

Extent of research and/or own reading, selection of credible sources, application of appropriate
referencing conventions
10

2. Knowledge and Understanding Skills

Extent of knowledge and understanding of concepts and underlying principles associated with
the discipline.
10

3. Cognitive and Intellectual Skills

Analysis, evaluation and synthesis; logic, argument and judgement; analytical reflection;
organisation of ideas and evidence for:
• Liquidity, Profitability, Efficiency, Capital structure and Stock market performance (10 50
marks each)
4. Practical Application Skills

Deployment of methods, materials, tools and techniques; application of concepts; formulation of

innovative and creative solutions to solve problems.
 Problems, limitations and assumptions of the analysis 20
 Issues identified and recommendations for management.

5. Transferable Skills for Life and Professional Practice

a. Attributes in professional practice: individual and collaborative working; deployment of

appropriate media; presentation and organisation.
b. Overall Presentation 10

Late Submission Penalties (tick if

Assessment Mark (Assessment marks are subject to ratification at the appropriate)
Exam Board. These comments and marks are to give feedback on module work Up to 1 week late (50% Max) %
and are for guidance only until they are confirmed. ) Over 1 week late (0%)

Page 7 of 13
 STUDENT FEEDBACK FORM – TASK 2
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.

awarded
available

Marks
Marks
Generic Assessment Criteria

1. Engagement with Literature Skills

.

Extent of research and/or own reading, selection of credible sources, application of appropriate
referencing conventions
10
2. Knowledge and Understanding Skills

Demonstrating insights into selected academic concepts and models. The relevance of these in
the context of the set questions.
10
3. Cognitive and Intellectual Skills

For the 5 methods of funding critically discussed.

35

WACC and its link to the sources of finance. What types of risks are associated with the
WACC? Illustrations to explain this may explain this further. 25

4. Practical Application Skills

Deployment of methods, materials, tools and techniques; application of concepts; formulation of

innovative and creative solutions to solve problems.
10

5. Transferable Skills for Life and Professional Practice

a. Attributes in professional practice: individual and collaborative working; deployment of

appropriate media; presentation and organisation.
b. Overall Presentation
10

Late Submission Penalties (tick if

Assessment Mark (Assessment marks are subject to ratification at the appropriate)
Exam Board. These comments and marks are to give feedback on module work Up to 1 week late (50% Max) %
and are for guidance only until they are confirmed. ) Over 1 week late (0%)

Page 8 of 13
GENERIC ASSESSMENT CRITERIA

Level 7
In accordance with the Framework for Higher Education Qualifications, at the end of Level 7 students should be able to demonstrate: a systematic
understanding of knowledge, and a critical awareness of current problems and/or new insights, much of which is at, or informed by, the forefront of their
academic discipline or area of professional practice; a comprehensive understanding of techniques applicable to their own research or advanced
scholarship; originality in the application of knowledge, together with a practical understanding of how established techniques of research and enquiry are
used to create and interpret knowledge in the discipline; conceptual understanding that enables the student to evaluate critically current research and
advanced scholarship in the discipline to evaluate methodologies and develop critiques of them and, where appropriate, to propose new hypotheses. They
will be able to deal with complex issues both systematically and creatively, make sound judgements in the absence of complete data, and communicate their
conclusions clearly to specialist and non-specialist audiences. They will demonstrate self-direction and originality in tackling and solving problems, and act
autonomously in planning and implementing tasks at a professional or equivalent level to continue to advance their knowledge and understanding, and to
develop new skills to a high level. They the qualities and transferable skills necessary for employment requiring the exercise of initiative and personal
responsibility; decision-making in complex and unpredictable situations/professional environments; and the independent learning ability required for
continuing professional development.

Level 7 GOODtoVERY
SATISFACTORY EXCELLENT EXCEPTIONAL
FAIL FAIL MARGINAL FAIL GOOD
(Pass) (Distinction) (Distinction)
(Merit)
Category 0-29% 30-44% 45-49% 50-59% 60-69% 70-84% 85-100%
Engagement Little or no Poor Engagement Engagement Engagement Engagement Exceptional
with literature evidence of engagement with a very withan with a wide with an engagement
(including current reading and/or with essential limited range of appropriate range of extensive range with an
research, reliance on reading.No relevant and range of research- of relevant and extensive range
referencing, inappropriate evidence of credible sources. research- informed credible of relevant and
academic sources. wider Some omissions informed literature, literature, credible
conventions and Views and reading.Reliance and minor literature, including informed by the literature,
academic findings mostly on inappropriate errors. including sources latest research. informed by the
honesty) unsupported and sources, and/or Referencing sources retrieved Consistently latest
non- indiscriminate conventions retrieved independently. accurate research.High-
authoritative. use of sources. evident though independently. Selection of application of level referencing
Referencing Heavily reliant not always Some over- relevant and referencing. skills
conventions on information applied reliance on texts. credible sources. consistently and
used gained through accurately or Referencing may Very good use of professionally
incoherently or class contact. consistently. show referencing, with applied.
largely absent. Inconsistent and minorinaccuracie no/very few
weak use of s or inaccuracies or
referencing. inconsistencies. inconsistencies.
Knowledge Major gaps in Gaps in Limited Knowledge is Knowledge has Excellent Exceptional
and knowledge and knowledge, with knowledge and accurate and a well-defined mastery of a mastery of a
Level 7 GOODtoVERY
SATISFACTORY EXCELLENT EXCEPTIONAL
FAIL FAIL MARGINAL FAIL GOOD
(Pass) (Distinction) (Distinction)
(Merit)
Category 0-29% 30-44% 45-49% 50-59% 60-69% 70-84% 85-100%
understanding understanding of only systematic reasonably focus, which is complex and complex and
(A systematic, the subject superficialsyste understanding of detailed. reasonablyexten specialised area specialised area
conceptual matteris not maticunderstand the concepts Asystematicund sive,coherent of knowledge.A of knowledge.An
understanding of systematic. ing. Some and principles erstanding of the and detailed, systematic, exceptionally
knowledge, and a Substantial significant within the field of with a critical excellent critical
critical awareness
of current
inaccuracies.No inaccuracies subject area, studyinformed awareness of understanding of awareness of
problems and/or awareness of and/or irrelevant which to some by, to some current problems theconceptsof current problems
new insights, current material. No marginal extent, extent, current and/or new the subject and/or new
much of which is problems, critical is informed by research and insights. informed by insights. An
at, or informed by, insights or the awareness of current research scholarship, A Exhibits good current research outstanding
the forefront of latest research current and critical understanding of and scholarship. understanding of
thediscipline; a and/or advanced problems, scholarship.Som awareness of the breadth and Highly critical the concepts of
comprehensive scholarship insights, or latest e critical current problems depth of awareness of the subject, well-
understanding of within the research within awareness of and/or new contemporary current problems informed by
techniques
applicable to their
discipline. the discipline. current problems insights though and established and/or new current research
own research) and/or new this may be views, and the insights. A and scholarship.
insights, but under-developed work is, at least critical, A critical,
often under- occasionally. in part, well- awareness of sophisticated
developed. informed by how the and nuanced
current research boundaries of awareness of
and scholarship. knowledge are how the
advanced boundaries of
through knowledge are
research. advanced
through
research.
Cognitiveand Wholly or almost Largely Limitedattemptat Some critical Sound critical Excellent critical Exceptional
intellectual wholly descriptive work, criticalevaluation evaluation/ evaluation/ evaluation/ critical
skills descriptive work. with superficial / critique of critique of critique of critique of evaluation/
(Criticalevaluation Little or no use of critical current research current research current research current research critique of
of current evaluation or evaluation of and and and and current research
research and critique or research and methodologies, methodologies, methodologies, methodologies, and
methodologies attempt at a methodologies. tending towards though slightly Proposes new Proposes methodologies,
and develop systematic Absent or weak description. underdeveloped hypotheses, innovative Proposes
critiques of them approach. development of Limited attempt in places, where hypotheses, innovative
and, where
Failure to hypotheses and to propose new Proposesadequa appropriate. Can where hypotheses,
appropriate, to
propose new develop judgements. hypotheses. Can te but limited deal with appropriate. Can where
hypotheses; make arguments, Information deal with new hypotheses, complex issues synthesisecompl appropriate.Exe
sound leading to accepted complex issues where relevant. systematically ex issues mplary
judgements in the illogical or uncritically, uses but not Can deal with and with some systematically systematic and
Level 7 GOODtoVERY
SATISFACTORY EXCELLENT EXCEPTIONAL
FAIL FAIL MARGINAL FAIL GOOD
(Pass) (Distinction) (Distinction)
(Merit)
Category 0-29% 30-44% 45-49% 50-59% 60-69% 70-84% 85-100%
absence of invalidjudgement generalised systematically or complex issues creativity. Ability and creatively. creative
complete data.) s. statements creatively. Some but not fully to make sound Ability to synthesis of
Unsubstantiated made with scant evidence to systematically or judgementsbase investigate complex issues.
generalisations, evidenceand supportemerging creatively. Ability d on data(that contradictory or Ability to
made without unsubstantiated judgements but to make may be incomplete investigate
use of credible opinions. Ideas these may be judgements incomplete) information and contradictory or
evidence. sometimes underdeveloped based on data make strong, incomplete
illogical and or with a little (that may be persuasive, information and
contradictory. inconsistency / incomplete) but argumentsandso make strong,
mis- withsome phisticated persuasive,
interpretation. tendency to judgements. arguments and
May assert assert/state sophisticated,
rather than opinion rather nuanced,
argue a case. than argue on judgements.
the basis of Potential for
reason and journal
evidence. publication or
doctoral
research.
Practical skills Limited or no Rudimentary An awareness An appropriate A very good An advanced Exceptional
(Originality / use of methods, application of and mostly application of application of a application of application skills
creativityin the materials, tools methods, appropriate standard range of knowledge, in complex,
application of and/or materials, tools application of methods, methods, methods, unpredictable,
knowledge, tools techniques. and/or well-established materials, tools materials, tools materials, tools contexts,
and techniques Little or no techniques but methods, and/or and/or and/or drawing skilfully
and in tackling appreciation of without materials, tools techniques. techniques. techniques. on the latest
and solving
the context of consideration and/or Clear Very good The context of research within
problemsin
complex and the application. and techniques, with appreciation of consideration of the application is the
unpredictable Limited competence. occasional the context of the context of well considered, discipline.Can
professional understanding of Flawed errors. the application. the application, and insightful. identify complex
situations; the application of appreciation of Basic Mainly with perceptive Can identify problems and
practical use of theory to the context of appreciation of consistent, insights. Can complex propose
established practiceormakin the application. the context of accurate and identify problems problems and sophisticated,
techniques of gappropriate Weak the application. logical and propose propose original
research and links between understanding of Theoretical application of appropriate excellent solutions.
enquiry to create
the two. the application of knowledge and theory to solutionsin solutions. An An
and interpret
knowledge in the Very weak theory to understanding practice, making complex and excellent grasp outstandingappli
discipline.) problem-solving practice, with applied in appropriate links unpredictable of techniques cation of
skillsin complex only occasional practice, but not between the two. contexts. applicable to techniques
and evidence of always making own research or applicable to
Level 7 GOODtoVERY
SATISFACTORY EXCELLENT EXCEPTIONAL
FAIL FAIL MARGINAL FAIL GOOD
(Pass) (Distinction) (Distinction)
(Merit)
Category 0-29% 30-44% 45-49% 50-59% 60-69% 70-84% 85-100%
unpredictable making logical links Can identify Evidence of advanced own research or
contexts. appropriate links between the two. problems and originality and scholarship. advanced
between the two. Can identify propose mostly creativity. Shows originality scholarship.
Weak problem- problems and appropriate in application of Shows originality
solving skills in propose basic solutionsin knowledge and in application of
complex and solutions without complex and techniques, and knowledge and
unpredictable fully appreciating unpredictable of how techniques, and
contexts. the complexityof contexts, with established of how
unpredictable elements of techniques of established
contexts. originality. enquiry create techniques of
and interpret enquiry create
knowledge in the and interpret
discipline. knowledge in the
discipline
withassimilation
and
development of
cutting edge
processes and
techniques.
Transferable Communication Communication Can Can Can Can Can
skills for life medium is medium is poorly communicate in communicate communicate communicate communicate
and inappropriate or designed and/or a suitable effectively in a well, confidently professionally with an
professional misapplied. not suitable for medium but with suitable format, and consistently confidently exceptionally
practice Work is poorly the audience. some room for but may have in a suitable andconsistentlyi high level of
(Exercise of self- structured, Work is poorly improvement. minor errors. format. n a suitable professionalism.
direction, disorganised presented in a Mostly ordered Mostly coherent, Work is format. Work is
autonomy and and/or disjointed presentation and organisedwork,in coherent, fluent, Work is remarkably
personal confusingly manner. It is structure in a suitable well-structured coherent, very coherent, very
responsibility; expressed. Very loosely, and at which relevant structure and is and fluent and is fluent and is
plan and weakuse of times ideas / concepts for the most part organised.Can presented presented
implement tasks
language and/or incoherently, are reasonably clearly work very well professionally.C professionally.C
at a professional
level; independent very structured, with expressed.Work expressed.Can autonomously an work an work
learning;use inappropriate information and may lack work effectively and/or as part of autonomously outstandingly
appropriate media style. Little or no ideas often coherence in independently a team, with a with initiative. well and
to evidence of poorly places. Can and/or as part of good Where relevant professionally
communicateeffec autonomy (or expressed. work as part of a a team, with contribution to can work within a team,
tivelyand collaboration, Weak use of team, but with clear group activities. professionally showing
professionally to a where relevant) language and/or limited contribution to Demonstrates within a team, advanced
variety of in the completion inappropriate group activities. comprehensivep showing leadership
audiences;fluency
Level 7 GOODtoVERY
SATISFACTORY EXCELLENT EXCEPTIONAL
FAIL FAIL MARGINAL FAIL GOOD
(Pass) (Distinction) (Distinction)
(Merit)
Category 0-29% 30-44% 45-49% 50-59% 60-69% 70-84% 85-100%
of expression; of tasks.Little or style. Weak involvement in Demonstrates rofessional, leadership skills skills.Demonstra
systematic no evidence of independent group activities. the skills postgraduate as appropriate, tesexemplary
approach; clarity the skills initiative (or Demonstrates required in employment managing professional,
and effectiveness
required in collaboration, if some but not all professional, skills. conflict and postgraduate
in presentation
and organisation.)
professional, relevant).Limited of the basic skills postgraduate meeting employment
postgraduateem evidence of the required in employment, obligations.Dem skills and a
ployment. skills required in professional, with some areas onstratesexcelle strong appetite
professional, postgraduate of strength and ntprofessional, for further
postgraduate employment, some of minor postgraduate development.
employment. with some areas weakness. employment
of minor skills and a
weakness. strong appetite
for further
development.