How sustainability issues present both opportunities and threats to business management

Unit title & code

BSS017-2 Sustainable Business Management

Assignment number and title

A1

Assignment type

WR-1

Weighting of assignment

40%

Size or length of assessment

1,200 words

Unit learning outcomes

1. Demonstrate the following knowledge and understanding

• How sustainability issues present both opportunities and threats to business management.

2.  Demonstrate the following skills and abilities

• How to carry out individual research on a real-life issue of business sustainability and report on practical solutions to business.

What am I required to do in this assignment?

Instructions

This is an individual assessment.

Each student should ONLY submit an e-copy online using BREO’s Turnitin link. Please follow the instructions provided in BREO’s “Assignment” folder. Your work will NOT be assessed if you fail to submit a copy online.

The University of Bedfordshire uses a plagiarism-detecting tool (Turnitin) for all written assignments. Any attempt to plagiarise your work will be detected and penalised.

You will be marked as a fail if you have missed the deadline for submission. Any student that fails to follow above specifications will NOT be assessed.

Non-submitted reports will be marked as “No Attempt” which is a “0” (G).

To maintain academic integrity and ensure originality in your work, your submitted report must be your own and properly cited and referenced where necessary. We will use plagiarism detection tools, including Turnitin and AI-based systems, to check for similarity and ensure compliance with academic standards. Please familiarise yourself with your Harvard referencing format and academic writing guidelines, and be aware that breaches of academic integrity will result in appropriate disciplinary action.

Specification

Background: Sustainability in business has become very topical. After COP26 governments and industry have been challenged to do everything possible to incorporate sustainability into their operations. The UK government for example has come up with a 2050 Net Zero target.

Requirement: Use the case study (Marks and Spencer) provided to write a formal academic report that discusses the following

1. Outline Five Sustainable challenges faced by businesses.
2. Discuss possible solutions for these challenges outlined.
3. Link these challenges and solutions to the triple bottom line approach

This means you should demonstrate your understanding of the triple bottom line approach by applying the theoretical ideas covered in the unit teaching and readings. You must make sure you anchor your research on the case study in academic theory. You need to use good sources of information and correctly reference the source of your ideas.

Format and requirements for the written report (1200 minimum words)

What do I need to do to pass? (Threshold Expectations from UIF)

Submit your work through BREO by the deadline

• Produce a report evidencing individual research using academic journals listed in the UIF and research about the challenges business face in relation to sustainability.
• Demonstrate your application of knowledge about how sustainability poses at least two areas of threats and opportunities to the case study business
• Carry out individual research on a real-life issue of business sustainability and report on practical solutions to business.

Please make sure to make use of academic skills support services provided to you at the University of Bedfordshire some of which are listed below:  

1. Referencing support  

https://lrweb.beds.ac.uk/a-guide-to-referencing/  

1. Academic study and assessment writing skills:  

https://lrweb.beds.ac.uk/studyhub  

1. Studiocity: Login in to your account to get writing and referencing feedback in just hours, services available 24/7  

https://studiosity.com/connect/partners/the-university-of-bedfordshire/student_home  

Evidence critical reasoning using Harvard style of referencing

How do I produce high quality work that merits a good grade?

How does this assignment relate to what we are doing in scheduled sessions?

Class sessions will help you understand the practice and theory behind the concept of sustainable business management. We will cover all areas of the assessment and consider how ideas are relate to business and the regional level. We will also look at the skills needed to deliver a sustainable business and think about how this applies to the needs of the case study. You will know about how sustainability issues present both opportunities and threats to business management and the need for business to think sustainably, and what this means in theory and practice. How sustainability issues present both opportunities and threats to business management.

Your assignment will be marked according to the threshold expectations and the criteria on the following page.

You can use them to evaluate your own work and consider your grade before you submit.

Identification of Sustainable Challenges

25%

Exceptional identification of five sustainable challenges faced by businesses.

Identifies five sustainable challenges faced by businesses with a good understanding.

Identifies at least three sustainable challenges faced by businesses but lacks depth in analysis.

Identifies two sustainable challenges faced by businesses but lacks clarity or accuracy.

Identifies one or fewer sustainable challenges or provides inaccurate information.

Fails to identify any sustainable challenges or provides inaccurate information.

Discussion of Possible Solutions

20%

Provides a comprehensive discussion of possible solutions for the challenges outlined, demonstrating a deep understanding of the case study and academic theory.

Offers a thorough discussion of possible solutions for the challenges with a good understanding.

Discusses possible solutions for some of the challenges but lacks depth or clarity.

Offers limited discussion of possible solutions for the challenges with unclear or inaccurate explanations.

Provides vague or inadequate solutions for the challenges with significant inaccuracies or omissions.

Fails to discuss possible solutions or provides inaccurate information.

Application of Triple Bottom Line Approach

25%

Demonstrates an excellent understanding of the triple bottom line approach and effectively applies it to analyze the challenges and solutions outlined in the report.

Applies the triple bottom line approach to analyze the challenges and solutions with a good understanding.

Attempts to apply the triple bottom line approach but lacks depth or coherence in the analysis.

Provides a limited application of the triple bottom line approach with unclear or inaccurate analysis.

Provides a vague or inadequate application of the triple bottom line approach with significant inaccuracies or omissions.

Fails to apply the triple bottom line approach or provides inaccurate information.

Use of Sources and Referencing

15%

Demonstrates exceptional use of high-quality academic sources, correctly referenced throughout the report. Adheres to a consistent and accurate referencing style.

Uses relevant academic sources and appropriately references them. Minor errors in referencing may be present but do not significantly impact the report`s quality.

Utilizes some academic sources but may include inaccuracies or inconsistencies in referencing. References may be somewhat limited in number.

Uses limited academic sources with significant errors or inconsistencies in referencing. May rely heavily on non-academic sources.

Uses few or inappropriate sources with major errors or inconsistencies in referencing. Fails to adhere to a consistent referencing style.

Fails to use academic sources or provides inaccurate or no referencing.

Overall Structure and Presentation

15%

Exceptionally well-structured report with a clear introduction, logical flow, and well-organized content. Presents ideas effectively and with precision.

Well-structured report with a clear introduction, mostly logical flow, and organized content. Presents ideas coherently.

Adequate structure with a somewhat clear introduction and a generally logical flow. Content may lack some organization.

Structure is somewhat disorganized, with an unclear introduction and limited logical flow. Content lacks coherence.

Poorly structured report with an unclear introduction and minimal logical flow. Content lacks organization and coherence.

Severely lacks structure and coherence, making the report difficult to follow.