Report on a case study of a selected small business

ResitAssessment Number 1:Individual report

Module assessment detail
title    Entrepreneurial Finance
Module Learning outcomes:    Tick (?)
if tested here
LO1    Critically evaluate different paths through which SMEs seek financial support, together with the appreciation that firms at different stages of their life

cycle have disparate preferential sources of finance.
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LO2    Critically analyse the financial needs in family controlled, women-led, and ethnic minority administered firms and recommendappropriate courses of action.

LO3    Critically evaluate the public policies crafted to address the needs of SMEs and entrepreneurs and discuss their application.
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Assessment types    Weightings (%)
Individual report     50

Assessment type, weighting and LOs tested by this assessment indicated in the shaded area above by a ?
Important requirements
Mode of Working:              Individual
Presentation Format:             Report
Mark requiredto pass this coursework:     50%

Assessment limits:    3000 words

•    Expensive or elaborate bindings and covers for submissions are not required in most instances. (Refer to guidelines however in the case of dissertations).
•    The Business School has a policy of anonymous marking of individual assessments which applies to most modules.  You should not identify yourself directly in

the work you submit and you may need to use phrases such as “the author of this assignment ….”in the detail of your submission.
Warning: Collusion, plagiarism and cheating are very serious offences that can result in a student being expelled from the University.  The Business School has a

policy of actively identifying students who engage in academic misconduct of this nature and routinely applying detection techniques including the use of sophisticated

software packages.

Assessment Brief/Task
The detailed requirements for this task are as follows:

You are required to develop a case study of a selected small business. Tasks to be completed are the following:

•    Collect information about the chosen case company, to include business history and business management in general;
•    In the case company context, describe the usage of external debt finance (if applicable) and analyse the connection between the extent of debt finance usage

and the business life cycle;
•    In the case company context, describe the usage of external equity finance (if applicable) and examine the owner-manager(s)’ view on it;
•    Investigate other approaches the company used to seek external financial support, e.g. government support, loan guarantee scheme, leasing, factoring, etc.
•    In the case company context, analyse whether or not a finance gap exists and explore the impact of the finance gap on business development;
•    Compare your findings with those highlighted in the academic literature. Critically analyse whether your case study provides supportive evidence to the

literature or not.

Notes:
•    There should be a breadth of coverage within the case study, but this should also allow you to focus on financial issues that are particularly important for

this assignment;
•    Ensure adequate reflective discussion connected back to academic theories;
•    Review any articles or documents written about the business (this will not always be possible);
•    If possible, you should not only talk to the owner but also observe the day-to-day activity within the business.

The following information is important when:
•    Preparing for your assessment
•    Checking your work before you submit it
•    Interpreting feedback on your work after marking.
Assessment Criteria
The module Learning Outcomes tested by this assessment task are indicated on page 1. The precise criteria against which your work will be marked are as follows:
•    Conduct of the research
o    Thoroughness of understanding of literature relevant to the topic
o    Breadth of data collected
o    Breadth and depth of analysis on data collected
o    Robustness of the linkage between analysis and academic literature
o    Extent to which the research meets its aims and objectives
o    Logic of the conclusion
•    Presentation
o    Clarity and conciseness of the oral presentation
o    Clarity of the texts, figures and tables presented (where appropriate)
o    Accuracy of using referencing system
o    Coherence of team presentation

Performance descriptors
Performance descriptors indicate how marks will be arrived at against each of the above criteria. The descriptors indicate the likely characteristics of work that is

marked within the percentage bands indicated.
1. Conduct of the Research:
Distinction 70-100    A very good study with regard to breadth of coverage and depth of analysis and synthesis; data analyses based on the factual evidence extracted

from different sources and well supported by academic theories; the findings closely connected to the research objectives; a good level of substantiation throughout

the presentation; the conclusion being a logical summary on the basis of analysis of the case company.