Data Driven Decisions for Business

General Assessment Guidance

· Your summative assessment for this module is made up of this Coursework submission which accounts for 100% of the marks.

· Please note late submissions will not be marked.

· You are required to submit all elements of your assessment via Turnitin online access. Only submissions made via the specified mode will be accepted and hard copies or any other digital form of submissions (like via email or pen drive etc.) will not be accepted.

· For coursework, the submission word limit is 2,500 words. You must comply with the word count guidelines. You may submit LESS than 2,500 words but not more. Word Count guidelines can be found on your programme home page and the coursework submission page.

· Do not put your name or contact details anywhere on your submission. You should only put your student registration number (SRN) which will ensure your submission is recognised in the marking process.

· A total of 100 marks are available for this module assessment, and you are required to achieve minimum 50% to pass this module.

· You are required to use only Harvard Referencing System in your submission. Any content which is already published by other author(s) and is not referenced will be considered as a case of plagiarism.

You can find further information on Harvard Referencing in the online library on the VLE. You can use the following link to access this information: http://bpp.libguides.com/Home/StudySupport

· BPP University has a strict policy regarding authenticity of assessments. In proven instances of plagiarism or collusion, severe punishment will be imposed on offenders. You are advised to read the rules and regulations regarding plagiarism and collusion in the General Academic Regulations (GAR) and Manual of Academic Procedures (MOPP) which are available on VLE in the Academic registry section.

· You should include a completed copy of the Assignment Cover sheet. Any submission without this completed Assignment Cover sheet may be considered invalid and not marked.

2. SUMMATIVE Assessment Brief

2.1. Assessment learning outcomes

This assessment is designed to gauge your understanding, skills and application of common data analysis techniques used in business and other organisations today. As such you need to demonstrate your attainment in these areas according to the four Module Learning Outcomes (LOs):

· LO1: Critically evaluate the evolving use of data in solving business problems, presenting logical arguments based on evidence

· LO2: Explore how data analytics can be used within a business context

· LO3: Critically appraise the presentation of data within a business environment

· LO4: Critically evaluate different business analytical techniques as part of planning a data analytics initiative.

2.2. Scenario

You have recently been employed as a data analyst in a consultancy called Wood From The Trees (WFTT). The consultancy was established 10 years ago and specialises in helping companies that don’t have the skills available internally to analyse data to support business decision-making. WFTT has successfully established a strong reputation and it is now working with internationally recognised brands.

As WFTT expands, it continues to bring in new employees. The recruitment strategy is to employ less experienced people and give them the support and development they need to succeed in the company. They like recruits to have a broad management experience and not be specialist analysts, because they offer more commercially relevant and actionable recommendations.

As part of the approach to introducing you to how the company works WFTT has asked you to complete a number of tasks to ensure that you have a grounded knowledge and understanding of data analytics and its application in decision-making. This is your opportunity to demonstrate your capability and give your employer the confidence to let you run your own project in the future. The responses to requests detailed below should be included in a summary Microsoft Word report.

In your first week as a junior consultant you have been familiarising yourself with one of WFTT’s major clients, Bangles International Jewellery (BIJ). BIJ operates in multiple country markets across the three continents of Asia, North America and Europe. It does not currently operate in Africa, South America or Australasia. Although a lot smaller, BIJ aims to compete against companies such as Signet, LVMH and Cartier. BIJ sells through a network of distributors and also owns a small number of signature stores in New York, London and Mumbai. It also owns concessions in major airport hubs.

2.3. Research objectives and tasks

Your line manager is happy with your performance and because you have familiarity with the BIJ data she has asked you to lead the next stage of the project. BIJ invested in a marketing campaign in the UK in May 2020. As part of this, the Director of Product & Marketing has commissioned WTTF to conduct data-driven research. The core business question that the Director wants you, as a business consultant to address is:

Did the marketing campaign have a positive impact on sales performance in the UK?

A set of data is available (see module dataset spreadsheet file).

Because this is your first client report for WFTT your line manager has given you additional details regarding the structure and content that she expects to see. This is set out in Section 3 – Report Structure.

You have five tasks to complete for your summative report. The first four are exactly the same as for your formative report and you should update your answers to these tasks based both on feedback on your formative submission together with your own further learning across the module.

Task 1: Introduction and project plan (20 marks)

Summarise what you are going to present in the report and justify your plan for delivering the research project to BIJ. Ensure you also clearly reference a data analytics framework as part of your plan. Finally, specifically explain how data analytics can add value and drive improved business performance for BIJ.

Guidelines:

· State the purpose of report and describe the report structure and contents

· Present your overall project plan for delivering the project

· Ensure that your project plan explicitly refers to a data analytics framework and explain how the selected framework can be used to addresses the core business question to be answered in your consultancy project: Did the marketing campaign have a positive impact on sales performance in the UK?

· Present BIJ’s own business Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) and how improved analytics enables improvements against these KPIs.

Task 2: Data quality issues and remedies (10 marks)

Discuss both the generic issues that data analysts encounter in sourcing, reviewing and cleansing data and also specific issues with the project data that BIJ has provided and how you propose to address those issues.

Guidelines:

· List and explain generic data problems and how to identify them. What are the different options for resolving these generic issues?

List all the data problems you have identified with the BIJ dataset. Explain how you identified the problems and how you propose to address them.

Task 3: Data analysis and commentary (20 marks)

Set out and explain the results of your numeric data analysis in the form of tables, summary data and supporting commentary. Explain how your results inform understanding of BIJ’s performance and business operations. This should include three tables setting out:

(Table A) Data and trends in sales volume and value by month, by year and across the whole analysis period

(Table B) Benchmark comparisons of category performance covering sales volume and value by quarter, by year and across the whole analysis period, and

(Table C) Benchmark comparisons of sales volume and value between markets by quarter, by year and across the whole analysis period.

Guidelines:

· Include summary exploratory data calculations, for example trend data, top and bottom performing categories, ranges, averages, standard deviations; top and bottom performing time-periods

· Ensure your tables are professionally presented: Headings, units, data formats. Highlight and annotate key data elements

· For each table include firstly an explanation of the table and its contents and then a bullet-point list of what you can see or infer from the data.

Task 4: Data charting and commentary (20 marks)

Use your data charting and interpretation skills to develop visual presentations of your findings together with bullet-points setting out the key findings and inferences from the charting. This should include three charts presenting:

(Chart A) Comparison of sales value trends across markets over time (Chart B) Category performance comparisons between markets, and

(Chart C) Impact of the marketing campaign in the UK market itself, and in comparison, with other markets.

Guidelines:

· Ensure you provide well-presented and labelled charts

· Use a combination of visual data presentation techniques such as bar charts, stacked bar charts, trend charts, pie charts and treemap charts

· For each chart include firstly an explanation of the chart and its contents and then a bullet-point list of what you can see or infer from the data.

Task 5: Conclusions and recommendations (20 marks)

Based on your analysis and findings in Tasks 3 and 4 set-out your conclusions and recommendations.

Guidelines:

· What conclusions can be inferred regarding BIJ’s business performance and operations?

· What are your business recommendations to BIJ Board?

· Note that it is acceptable here also to put forward possible actions that BIJ might take, based not only on your findings but also on your wider knowledge of business, BIJ’s own market sector and business data analytics.

Report Structure and References (10 marks)

In addition, ten marks are awarded for the overall professionalism of your report and the adoption of academic standards.

Guidelines:

· Your report should follow the section naming structure and order set out in the Brief. You should also add your own sub-headings as you see fit to demonstrate your ability to on-develop structure and content

· Your report should include an auto-generated contents page including section headings and sub-headings. The contents page should also include a page-referenced list all tables, charts and figures provided in our report. Remember to number all pages in your report, for example ‘Page 8 of 12’.

· Ensure you develop your discussion in a logical progression: Findings, inferences, conclusions, recommendations

· Do not make general assertions without supporting evidence

· Zero spelling errors and grammatical mistakes

· Cite all your sources in the body of the text and in the Referencing using the Harvard Referencing style

· Include a blend of industry research, case studies and academic references

3. Report Structure

You should set out your report according to the following heading structure. You should add sub-headings under this overall structure as you feel fit to demonstrate your ability to on-develop the section themes and to provide meaningful sub-structure. But you must use this overall structure in order to provide a consistent framework against which your marker will allocate marks. You will be deduced marks if you do not follow this structure. Also note that there is no requirement for producing an Executive Summary.

University Cover Page

Table of contents

1. Introduction and project plan

2. Data quality issues and remedies

3. Data analysis and commentary

4. Data charting and commentary

5. Conclusions and recommendations

6. References

7. Appendix (optional)

In addition, you may wish to add further appendices as you see fit in order to support your work.

Word count: 2,500. Cover Page, Table of Contents, References, Appendices, Tables, Charts and Figures do not count towards word count.

4. Mapping Learning Outcomes to Assessment Tasks

The table below sets out the mapping between the four Module Leaning Objectives and the key tasks in your Summative Assessment which test your achievement against these Learning Objectives.

Learning Outcome

Mapping to Summative Assessment Tasks

LO 1: Critically evaluate the evolving use

Task 1: Introduction and project plan

of data in solving business problems,

Task 5: Conclusions and recommendations

presenting logical arguments based on

evidence

LO 2: Explore how data analytics can be

Task 2:

Data quality issues and remedies

used within a business context

Task 3: Data analysis and commentary

LO 3: Critically appraise the presentation

Task 4: Data charting and commentary

of data within a business environment

LO4; Critically evaluate different business

Task 1: Introduction and project plan

analytical techniques as part of planning

a data analytics initiative

5. Marking Guide (Student version)

The assignment is marked out of 100 and counts towards 100% of your module mark. The following table shows the tasks, marks and marking rubric. You should iteratively self-assess your performance against the Marking Guide as you develop your draft submission, in order to evaluate your performance against your target grade.

Assignment task

Distinction (70-100%)

Merit (60-69%)

Pass (50-59%)

Fail (0-49%)

1: Introduction and project plan (20

Guidelines:

marks, LO1, LO4)

State the purpose of report and describe the report structure and contents

Present your overall project plan for delivering the project

Ensure that your project plan explicitly refers to a data analytics framework and explain how the selected framework can be used to addresses the core

business question to be answered in your consultancy project: Did the marketing campaign have a positive impact on sales performance in the UK?

Present BIJ’s own business Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) and how improved analytics enables improvements against these KPIs.

Excellent presentation of an

Good presentation to any analytical

Satisfactory presentation to any

Weak answer. No mention to any

analytical framework or approach

framework or approach that can be

analytical framework or approach

that can be used to answer the

used to answer the business

that can be used to answer the

business question. Excellent

question. Good justification of why

business question. Basic justification

business question. No justification of

justification of why this analytical

this analytical framework or

of why this analytical framework or

why this analytical framework or

framework or approach can be

approach can be effective in

effective in answering the business

answering the business question.

question.

2: Data quality issues and remedies

Guidelines:

(10 marks, LO2)

List and explain generic data problems and how to identify them. What are the different options for resolving these generic issues?

List all the data problems you have identified with the BIJ dataset. Explain how you identified the problems and how you propose to address them.

Assignment task

Distinction (70-100%)

Merit (60-69%)

Pass (50-59%)

Fail (0-49%)

Excellent identification of

Good identification of appropriate

Satisfactory identification of errors

Weak identification of appropriate

appropriate errors and explanation

errors and good explanation how

and basic explanation how they can

errors and weak explanation how

how they can be fixed. Student

they can be fixed. Student identifies

be fixed. Student has identified some

they can be fixed.

identifies some relevant errors in the

some errors and gives

errors.

database and gives specific

recommendations on how to solve

recommendation on how to solve

them.

3: Data analysis and commentary

Guidelines:

(20 marks, LO2)

· Include summary exploratory data calculations, for example trend data, top and bottom performing categories, ranges, averages, standard

deviations; top and bottom performing time-periods

· Ensure your tables are professionally presented: Headings, units, data formats. Highlight and annotate key data elements

· For each table include firstly an explanation of the table and its contents and then a bullet-point list of what you can see or infer from the data.

Excellent use of tables to present the

Good use of tables to present the

Satisfactory use of tables to present

Weak use of tables to present the

outcome of the data analysis run to

the outcome of the data analysis run

outcome of the data analysis run to

reply to the business question.

to reply to the business question.

reply to the business question.

Commentary to tables is detailed.

Commentary to tables is good.

Commentary to tables is basic.

Commentary to tables is weak.

4: Data charting and commentary

Guidelines:

(20 marks, LO3)

· Ensure you provide well-presented and labelled charts

· Use a combination of visual data presentation techniques such as bar charts, stacked bar charts, trend charts, pie charts and treemap charts

· For each chart include firstly an explanation of the chart and its contents and then a bullet-point list of what you can see or infer from the data.

Excellent use of charts to present the

Good use of chart to present the

Satisfactory use of charts to present

Weak use of charts to present the

outcome of the data analysis run to

the outcome of the data analysis run

outcome of the data analysis run to

reply to the business question.

to reply to the business question.

reply to the business question.

Commentary to charts is detailed.

Commentary to charts is good.

Commentary to charts is basic.

Commentary to charts is weak.

Assignment task

Distinction (70-100%)

Merit (60-69%)

Pass (50-59%)

Fail (0-49%)

5: Conclusions and

Guidelines:

recommendations (20 marks, LO3)

What conclusions can be inferred regarding BIJ’s business performance and operations?

What are your recommendations to BIJ Board?

What business areas and decisions should BIJ review as a result of your recommendation?

Note that it is acceptable here also to put forward possible actions that BIJ’s might take, based not only on your findings but also on your wider

business knowledge of business and BIJ’ own market sector.

Excellent summary of key insights

Good summary of key insights and

Satisfactory summary of key insights

Weak summary of key insights of the

and satisfactory answer to the

good answer to the business

and satisfactory answer to the

report. Weak discussion of how the

business question. Excellent

question. Good discussion of how

business question. Basic discussion

analysis can be improved and weak

discussion of how the analysis can be

the analysis can be improved and

of how the analysis can be improved

presentation of concerns about how

improved and excellent presentation

good presentation of concerns about

and basic presentation of concerns

the analysis can be done.

of concerns about how the analysis

how the analysis is done.

about how the analysis is done.

is done.

Report Structure and References

Guidelines:

(10 marks. Applies across all LOs

Your report should follow the section naming structure and order set out in the Brief. You should also add your own sub-headings as you see fit to

tasks)

demonstrate your ability to on-develop structure and content

Your report should include an auto-generated contents page including section headings and sub-headings. The contents page should also include a

page-referenced list all tables, charts and figures provided in our report. Remember to number all pages in your report, for example ‘Page 8 of 12’.

Ensure you develop your discussion in a logical progression: Findings, inferences, conclusions, recommendations

Do not make general assertions without supporting evidence

Zero spelling errors and grammatical mistakes

Cite all your sources in the body of the text and in the Referencing using the Harvard Referencing style

Include a blend of industry research, case studies and academic references.

Assignment task

Distinction (70-100%)

Merit (60-69%)

Pass (50-59%)

Fail (0-49%)

For a distinction the report will use a

Referencing has few if any errors.

Referencing is satisfactory. There are

Weak research with inappropriate

consistent approach to headings,

The report is reasonably well

a limited number of references, but

references.

tables and graphs. Sources will be

presented but could be improved by

the correct format is used, albeit

No professional appearance of

correctly cited and there will be a

greater attention to detail. There is

with some errors. There may be

report and slides

complete set of references in the

evidence of wider reading and

some errors in formatting and

correct format and in alphabetical

research.

presentation, but the report is

order. There is evidence of extensive

reasonably professional in

independent reading and research.

appearance.

Formatting and presentation is

professional throughout.

Data Driven Decisions for Business

Quick Links

Contact Us