MBA7060 Financial Management and Decision Making
Assessment Number
1
Assessment Type (and weighting)
Oral Assessment (30% of final mark)
Assessment Name
Presentation (20 Minutes)
Assessment Submission Date
Assignment 1 – Oral Assessment – w/c 31st March 2025 ( upload deadline – 4th April 2025
Learning Outcomes Assessed:
Learning Outcomes
LO2: Interpret, critically evaluate, and synthesise information and data from appropriate sources, and use these to make informed judgments in critical business areas.
LO4: Communicate complex financial information and present arguments in a professional manner.
Use of Generative Artificial Intelligence (GAI) Applications in this Assessment
AI Status
Application
Notes
Category A
No GAI tool is permitted.
While grammar and/or spell checkers may be used to correct individual words and sentences, the use of GAI is not allowed. This is because the learning outcomes require you to produce original assessment work without any GAI assistance
Any GAI generated content which is presented as your own original work and is not acknowledged will be assessed for academic misconduct.
Assignment Scenario : Financial Analysis of an Existing Company
Your Role
Assume you are the finance manager in an organisation, you have been directed by the finance director to make a presentation to a group of potential investors looking to invest in your organisation.
You are required to prepare a financial analysis using appropriate performance matrix and present your findings about the financial performance of the company on efficiency, liquidity, and profitability. You are required to use the information provided in the company’s annual accounts, including Market ratios to measure the market performance of the shares and dividend payments etc, of the organisation, evaluating it for the benefit of the potential investors, who will be invited to attend a short presentation provided by you. You have also been asked to critically assess the relevance of annual reports to stakeholders and any other additional internal management information that may help in financial analyses when speaking to potential investors.
Assignment Tasks:
You should select a company from the FTSE100 London stock market (Public limited company – Plc). You will need to obtain a copy of their most recent annual report/accounts, alongside any other internal management information which will help you analyse the company’s financial performance.
You must let your tutor know your chosen organisation. Prepare a presentation, based on the financial information in the annual report and internal management data. The presentation is to be made to an invited group of potential investors. The presentation will be for 20 minutes and will be followed by questions from the examiners.
You can consider the following in your structure:
Structure of the Business including size, products, and governance
Understanding financial analysis and its usefulness in organisations
Implementation of relevant ratio analysis – calculation or extraction from annual report financial statements.
Market ratios – Measuring the market performance of the company – calculating and interpreting share price, EPS, PE/ration & dividends payout, or cover.
Relevance of annual reports in general to stakeholders.
Any additional internal management information relevant to potential investors.
You may wish to consider any two of the following as additional internal management information.
Strategic Plans and innovations and their benefits to potential investor
Change Management Issues if any & how they were managed
Global/International Competition and how they were managed.
Global Market and economic Challenges and how they were managed etc.
Marking Criteria:
Background and structure of the company – 20%
Financial analysis of the company – 50%
Research & Presentation-15%
Q&A (from both student and examiner) – 15%
Important and helpful information
Please refer to the Module Guide for information regarding indicative reading, guidelines for the preparation and submission of assignments, and the assessment criteria.
Submission
Electronic copies of assignments should be submitted via “Turn-it-in” NO LATER THAN THE DEADLINE.
Please ensure you follow the instructions provided by your module tutor and on the assessment brief. Submission of assessments must be done by submission date. Assignments not available at this time will be considered late unless an extension has been previously agreed.
Students who fail to submit assessments by the specified date (without an extension being granted or without accepted Mitigating Circumstances) will be subject to the following penalties:
Up to 7 calendar days late = 10 marks subtracted but if the assignment would normally gain a pass mark, then the final mark to be no lower than the pass mark for the assignment.
More than 7 calendar days late = This will be counted as non-submission and no marks will be recorded.
Please note that it is your responsibility to ensure that the assignment is submitted in the format/s specified in the Module Guide or on the Assessment Brief.
YOU SHOULD ALWAYS ENSURE YOU KEEP A COPY OF ANY ASSIGNMENT SUBMITTED.
In the case of exceptional and unforeseen circumstances, an extension of up to 14 days after the assessment deadline may be granted. This must be agreed by your Programme Leader, following a discussion the Module Tutor. You should complete an Extension Request Form available from Student Services and attach documentary evidence of your circumstances, prior to the published submission deadline.
Extensions over 14 calendar days should be requested using the Mitigating Circumstances procedure.
Some students with registered disabilities will be eligible for revised submission deadlines. Revised submission deadlines do not require the completion extension request paperwork.
Please see the Programme Handbook for further details.
References
Level HE7 – It is expected that the Reference List will contain between fifteen to twenty-five sources. As a MINIMUM the Reference List should include four refereed academic journals and five academic books.
At the end of assignment presentation:
Declaration: At the end of the assessment you should also include a declaration of any software tools including Generative AI (GAI) applications that you used in developing and completing the assessment.
Ge Assessment Guidelines for Written Assessments Level HE7neral
%
Relevance
Knowledge
Argument/Analysis
Structure
Presentation
Written English
Research/Referencing
DISTINCTION
Exceptional Quality
85-100%
Almost all parts of the report are directly relevant to title/brief.
The assumptions of the title and/or the requirement of the brief is expertly addressed in an exemplary manner.
Exemplary knowledge
of concepts, theory and practice is clearly demonstrated is all areas.
The interpretation of appropriate concepts and theoretical models with insight is visible.
There is exemplary display creativity in conceptual original thinking.
Work produced is exceptional in analysing essential research materials. An exemplary level of evaluation is made based on an excellent theoretical understanding of work discussed and clear evidence of independent, informed judgement is made.
An exemplary level of coherence and structure in framed the analysis. Work is articulated and logically structured and has shown complete compliant with recommended format.
Exemplary presentational style and format commensurate with the nature of work. Excellent use of figures, tables, and plates (where required).
Exceptional level of language is used with no grammatical errors, excellent punctuation and usage of appropriate formal academic and industry language and terminology.
Harvard referencing has been applied correctly with no errors throughout the work for in text and end of text referencing. A large variety of current, varied, and suitable sources have been used. Recognition of different perspectives is acknowledged and applied.
Excellent Quality
70-84%
Most parts of the report are directly relevant to title/brief.
The assumptions of the title and/or the requirement of the brief is excellently addressed
Excellent knowledge
of concepts, theory and practice is clearly demonstrated is all areas.
The interpretation of appropriate concepts and theoretical models with insight is visible.
There is excellent display of creativity in conceptual original thinking.
Work produced is excellent in analysing essential research materials. An excellent level of evaluation is made based on an excellent theoretical understanding of work discussed and clear evidence of independent, informed judgement being given.
An excellent level of coherence and structure in framing the analysis. Work is articulated and logically structured and has shown excellent level of compliant with recommended format.
Excellent presentational style and format, commensurate with the nature of work. Excellent use of figures, tables, and plates (where required).
Excellent level of English language is used with no grammatical errors. Excellent punctuation, usage of appropriate formal academic and industry language and terminology.
Harvard referencing has been applied correctly with no errors throughout the essay for in text and end of text referencing. A large variety of current, varied, and suitable sources have been used. Recognition of different perspectives is acknowledged and applied.
MERIT
Good Quality
60-69%
Major parts of the work produced is directly relevant to title/brief.
The assumptions of the title and/or the requirement of the brief is addressed very well.
There is very good understanding of theory and practice at this level.
Explanation of relevant conceptual material shows very good grasp of the themes, questions, and issues therein.
Presents a coherent analysis of significant research materials that leads to distinct and original conclusions.
Work produced is very good and able to contributes to the expansion of subject-area knowledge and understanding.
Major parts of the work is coherently articulated and logically constructed.
A very good level of compliant with suggested format can be seen.
Very good presentational style & layout, appropriate to the type of assignment.
Very good use of figures, tables, and plates with good levels of explanations
Well written, with standard spelling and grammar, in a readable style and acceptable format
Good level of appraisal of up-to-date and/or appropriate literature. Recognition of different perspectives. Knowledgeable use of source material. Uses a range of sources. Harvard referenced with minor mistakes.
PASS
Satisfactory Quality
50-59%
Substantial amount of work produced generally addresses the assumptions of the title and/or the requirements of the brief. Work may contain some minor irrelevances in places.
Demonstrates a good and adequate knowledge of theory and practice for this level.
Good attempt in interpreting some appropriate concepts and theoretical models.
Shows good level of originality in explaining concepts
Some analytical treatment, but may be prone to description, or to narrative, which lacks clear analytical purpose.
Some attempt to construct a coherent argument, but may suffer loss of focus and consistency, with issues at stake stated only vaguely, or theoretical mode(s) couched in simplistic terms.
Adequate attempt at articulation and logical structure.
A good level of compliant with acceptable format is present.
The presentational style & layout is largely correct for the type of assignment.
Substantial use tables, figures and plates but may lack required explanation
Written, with only minor lapses from standard grammar, with acceptable format
Uses a variety of literature which includes some recent texts and/or appropriate literature, though not necessarily including a substantive amount beyond library texts. Competent use of source material. Used Harvard referencing in most places with majority cited correctly
FAIL
Borderline Fail
45-49%
Basic understanding of the subject and addressing a limited range of materials.
Contains a lot of irrelevant materials.
There are certain gaps in knowledge of theory and practice at this level.
Inadequate knowledge of relevant concepts and theoretical models.
In areas, demonstrates only some conceptual grasp.
Largely descriptive or narrative, with little evidence of analysis and evaluation.
A basic argument is evident, but mainly supported by assertion.
There may be a lack of clarity and coherence and limited attempt at articulation and problems with structure.
Some formatting errors are also visible.
Some weaknesses in the presentational style & layout. Only limited sections are presented logically.
Some inappropriate use of figures, tables and plates, and most are largely irrelevant.
A simple basic style but with significant deficiencies in expression or format that may pose obstacles for the re