DBC501 Assessment Project

General Instructions

1. This assessment must be your own work (no plagiarism). Contact your tutor if further clarification is required.
2. All assessment tasks must be completed.
3. Your submission should follow the format provided.
4. This assessment is to be completed individually. You are encouraged to conduct your own research.
5. You must complete all tasks in professional business English.
6. If you are unsure of any task stated in the assessment, consult your tutor to seek clarification.
7. “APA” 7th Edition referencing, and citation is required where indicated.

Grades

Assessments will be marked using a graded marking system and the grade ranges available to award for each assessment are detailed in the table below.

• 80 – 100%
• 66 – 79 %
• 50 – 65 % (Pass*)

NA – 49% or below (Not Achieved)

*Provided that all learning outcomes within the assessment have been achieved

• Students are required to achieve an aggregated course mark (total of all assessments), of 50% or greater to pass the course, and
• Students must achieve all learning outcomes within the assessment.
• Where a learning outcome is not met, students will be required to resubmit part of the assessment – even if their overall mark is 50% or higher.
• Students who achieve less than 50% of the aggregated course mark (total of all assessments) will be awarded an ‘NA’ grade and are eligible for one resubmission of one assessment, if their first submission was 35% or greater.
• Students must achieve a minimum 50% pass for any resubmission.
• A passed resubmission must still ensure the student has met all the requirements of the learning outcomes within the course.

Authenticity of Student’s Work

Where the student is suspected of assessment misconduct the following processes will be followed:

• The tutor will assess the level/amount of suspected assessment misconduct, prepare evidence and discuss with the Programme Coordinator.
• Where academic misconduct is suspected, contact with the student will be made to provide the student with an opportunity to discuss this. If appropriate, advice on academic integrity may be given by the tutor to the student.
• Where assessment misconduct is established and acknowledged by the student, the student may be instructed to resubmit the assessment if allowed by the Programme Coordinator.
• Where the student disagrees with the findings a further meeting will be arranged with a manager. The student is entitled to bring a support person.
• A final decision will be made by the manager in consultation with the General Manager.

Terms of Reference

Business Operations (LO1)

You are expected to complete this assessment using examples, and experiences from your own business workplace. This approach ensures the assessment reflects real-world application and meets NZQA requirements.

If you do not have a business workplace or are unable to apply the requirements of this assessment to your workplace, you may use a business you are familiar with.

Note: Tasks 1- 2 do not require references or citations.

Task 1: Types of Operational Practices (LO1) – 14 marks

a) Investigate the operational practices which support performance of two (2) New Zealand businesses that you are familiar with.

State the name of each business and describe two (2) operational practices used by each business using examples of each practice.

(8 marks – 2 marks for each practice)

b) From one (1) of your chosen businesses investigate how each practice contributes to improving the business’s performance.

(6 marks – 3 marks each practice)

Task 2: Quality Assurance (LO1) – 10 marks

Quality assurance is important for ensuring a high level of business performance.

a) Using one (1) of your chosen businesses investigate how the business uses two (2) quality assurance processes to ensure regular improvement in business performance.

(4 marks – 2 marks for each process)

b) Assess how each process in Task 2a can be monitored.

(4 marks -2 marks each explanation)

c) Explain two (2) reasons why a high standard of quality may still not be achieved if a quality assurance process has been implemented.

(2 marks – 1 mark per reason)

Task 3 – Continuous Improvement (LO1) – 14 marks

a) For your chosen business assess two (2) advantages of implementing continuous improvement to improve business performance.

(2 marks – 2 marks for each advantage)

b) If you were a manager in the chosen business, assess the approach you could use to encourage all employees to take ownership of continuous improvement.

(2 marks)

c) Assess how the approach you suggested in part b) aims to achieve improvement in the business’s performance.

(3 marks.)

d) Describe the PDCA Cycle and justify how it could be used in the continuous improvement of the business.

A minimum of two (2) references from two (2) different sources are required.

(5 marks total – 2 marks for the description and 3 marks for the justification)

Business Accounting (LO2) 

Task 4 – Accounting Principles (LO2) – 8 marks

Select two (2) principles from the list below and analyse how each principle can be used to enhance business performance:

• Accrual Principle
• Cost Principle
• Matching Principle Full Disclosure Principle
• Conservatism Principle.

Analyse the two (2) principles and their impact on business performance.

The analysis is to include:

• How the principle is applied in accounting
• One (1) advantage and one (1) limitation

A minimum of two (2) references from two (2) different sources are required.

(8 marks – 2 marks each principle’s application, 1 mark for each advantage and 1 mark for each limitation)

Task 5 –  Accounting Practices (LO2) – 12 marks

Analyse three (3) accounting practices that will assist a business to ensure the appropriate financial records are prepared accurately.

Include in the analysis what each practice involves and one (1) technique to ensure the financial records are accurate for each practice.

A minimum of two (2) references from two (2) different sources are required.

(12 marks – 3 marks for each practice, 1 mark for each technique)

Task 6 – Ratios (LO2) – 8 marks

Analyse two (2) accounting ratios, that will assist a business to ensure their financial performance is regularly monitored, from the list below.

• Debt-to-equity ratio
• Debt-to-asset ratio
• Working capital ratio
• Cash ratio
• Net profit margin
• Return on shareholders’ equity.

Include in the analysis:

• What each ratio includes and what the ratio monitors
• Two (2) advantages for applying accounting ratios in a business to enhance business performance.

(8 marks– 1 mark for what each ratio includes, 2 marks for what each ratio monitors and 1 mark for each advantage)

APA 7^th Edition References and Citations – References required for this assignment must    be from credible sources.

(3 marks – 5% of total marks)

The assessment is formatted well, and professional business English is used.

(3 marks – 5% of total)