Scenario
You are working as a junior accountant within the financial department of a large retail business.
As part of your training your line manager has asked you to complete the following tasks and put your work in your training file.
Task 1
Prepare a business report that:
- describes the sources of finance available to different types of organisations
- evaluates the costs and benefits of different sources of finance
- compares and contrasts sources of finance for a named project.
Distinction Task
Your report needs to:
- evaluate the strategic implications of choosing different sources of finance.
LO1, AC 1.1, 1.2, 1.3, 1D1
Task 2
As part of your training programme your line manager wishes you to investigate the financial performance of organisations. You must add a section to the training file. In this section you need to prepare detailed notes for a meeting with your line manager. The notes should:
- compare and contrast the financial statements of different types of named organisations
- provide an interpretation of the financial statements for a specific named organisation.
Merit Task
In order to achieve a Merit you must add to the notes in your file. You need to:
- review the ethical requirements associated with the financial statements of third sector organisations.
Distinction Task
In order to achieve a Distinction you must add to the notes in your file. You need to:
- assess how the financial statements of a specific named organisation meet the needs of its stakeholders.
LO2, AC 2.1,2.2 2M1, 2D1
Task 3
For the next section of your training file you must choose an organisation with which you are familiar or use a case study. You need to acquire costing data in order to perform a break-even analysis.
You have been asked by your line manager to prepare a presentation with accompanying speaker notes that:
- analyses organisational costs and the impact that they have on decisions
- applies break-even calculations to specific organisational data
- uses break-even charts to present decision-making information.
Merit Task
Your presentation and speaker notes need to analyse the strengths and weaknesses of using break-even analysis.
Distinction Task
Your presentation and speaker notes need to assess the impact of changes in costs and revenue on break-even output
LO3, AC 3.1, 3.2, 3.3
3M1
3D1
Guidelines for assessors
The assignments submitted by students must achieve the learning outcomes and meet the standards specified by the assessment criteria for the unit. The suggested evidence listed below is how students can demonstrate that they have met the required standard. Although the assessment brief sequences the learners’ work on the assignment into three separate tasks, the assessment vehicle will be the overall research project report or presentation with accompanying notes.
| Task
number |
LOs
and AC |
Suggested evidence PASS |
Suggested additional evidence MERIT | Suggested additional evidence DISTINCTION
|
| 1. | AC 1.1, 1.2, 1.3
1D1 |
The learners will prepare a business report that demonstrates their ability to describe and evaluate business finance issues.
The learners need to consider a range of sources of finance which must be described accurately and in detail.
The learners will evaluate the costs and benefits of a range of different sources of finance identifying the differences, similarities, benefits and drawbacks. The learner work should lead to judgements.
The comparison and contrast of sources of finance must be relevant to the stated project.
|
The evaluation must cover a range of different sources of finance and their implications. Each source of finance needs to be examined in turn and learner should draw conclusions about their purpose, strengths and weaknesses. |
|
| 2. | AC 2.1, 2.2
2M1, 2D1
|
The learners’ work must demonstrate that they are able to do what is stated in the LO. This means that they must compare and contrast actual financial statements from different types of named organisations.
In order to carry out the interpretation the learners should download a set of financial statements for a specific named organisation of their choice. The assessor or tutor should ensure that the organisation chosen provides the learners with sufficient scope to complete a meaningful interpretation of the information.
|
The review of the ethical requirements for the financial statements of third sector organisations should be comprehensive. The learners should refer to a range of different organisations. | The learners need to refer to the financial statements of a named organisation. The assessment must judge how they meet the needs of different stakeholders in the organisation. |
| 3. | AC 3.1, 3.2, 3.3
3M1, 3D1
|
The learners must demonstrate that they are able to use costing methods for decision making purposes. The analysis required for the first task should be carried out for different organisations and the learner must refer to a range of costs and the impact they have on decision taking in organisations.
The remainder of the tasks require learners to use actual costs and they need to use an organisation of their choice. If it is difficult to obtain the required data, the assessor or tutor could provide a case study with data, to allow the learners to complete the break-even analysis and produce the required charts. The learner work must be linked to decision making showing how the charts can be used in practice.
All answers must be supported by relevant examples.
|
The analysis required to meet the standard for a Merit grade must be detailed, identifying different strengths and weaknesses examining each in turn. | The assessment must refer to a variety of changes in costs and revenue showing how each would impact on break even output. The learner work must lead to judgements.
|
