Unit 1 Business Skill E-Commerce Assignment Brief

Scenario/ Case Study

Since this Unit emphasises both business skills and e-commerce issues, you should demonstrate both of these in your written reports on this assignment. Business skills can generally comprise written skills (including structured analysis, etc.), quantitative skills (including scatter diagrams, pie charts, etc.), presentation skills (including verbal skills, visual aids such as Powerpoint, etc.), research skills (including finding secondary data, etc.)

Scenario/Case A (evening students)

E-commerce for Office Stop. This assignment covers an e-commerce scenario and relates to ALL learning outcomes for this Unit. Your document for this assignment is limited to 2500 words, hence conciseness and structure are important to achieve a good grade.
Robert White is a local businessman who sells stationeries in his local shop, named “Office Stop”, in central London. Robert White’s shop sells a wide range of stationeries including hole punch, stapler and staples, tapes, ink and toner, envelop, pen, pencil, paper and pad, notebook, etc. for homes and offices.
Most stock is bought thorough national suppliers and a network of friends in the industry who Robert calls to see what stock they have. Robert also uses the Internet to look at stock on websites all over the world. Using search engines online to see who is offering stock round the world is one of the best ways to get real bargains. However, buying stock online can be difficult and risky. It is hard to assess the quality of the goods offered, to make sure that they arrive on time, and to return then if needed.
At present, Robert’s stock is limited by space available in the shop and if he had a larger shop, he would sell a more extensive collection of stationeries. Recently, a friend of Robert has suggested him to create an online version of his shop to increase sales. After several meetings and much thought, Robert has come to the conclusion that it would only be worthwhile creating an online version of the shop if it provides shoppers with facilities and stock which they do not currently have access to. The new site will have to be self-supporting by generating its own revenue rather than taking business from the physical shop. It can expand the market for Office Stop in both final consumer and business customers.
Carry out extensive research to update your knowledge of the main elements of the business environment that shops similar to “Office Stop” are running these days. You need to review the external environment and business models of major companies in this field, such as “Ryman” and “Staple”. Based on the outcomes of your research fulfil the appropriate tasks.

Scenario/Case B (day students)

E-commerce-related UK Company of Your Choice: This case study covers an e-commerce case of a well-known company and relates to ALL learning outcomes for this Unit. Your case study document is limited to 2500 words, so conciseness and structure are important to achieve a good grade.

John Lewis is one of the UK’s favourite department stores, a brand famous for its Never Knowingly Undersold commitment and for inspiring genuine affection in its customers. It has more than 34 shops, over 27,000 John Lewis partners and an award-winning website. It currently sells the biggest range of products of any UK high street retailer.
A Case Study Report entitled “John Lewis: E-commerce - Case Study” is contained in the following link, which should you should read carefully:
Include in your report your own predictions (with justifications) for the future and attractive figures/diagrams supporting your information and data. Data contained in your report should be properly referenced and you will be expected to deliver a summary presentation on your findings.
Note that the report on John Lewis is given as an example and should NOT be considered to be perfect. Several limitations will be identified in the lectures.
Prepare a similar Case Study Report on a different UK company of your choice (which must be approved by the instructor), highlighting some of the key issues that you have critically discussed and investigated in the Unit. Carry out an extensive research to update your knowledge of the main elements of the business that companies like John Lewis are running these days. You need to review the external environment and business models of your chosen company in this field, such as “Marks and Spencer”. Based on the outcomes of your research fulfil the appropriate tasks.
Department of Information Technology Page 2 of 6.
NOTE: You are not allowed to choose John Lewis as your company. Also, ensure that you can find reliable secondary data on the company that you do choose. Sometimes, companies do not make important information available.

Tasks

LO1: Understand the structure and aims of business organisations

1. Introduce and analyse the core business functions the company.
2. Every business has several stakeholders who influence its operations in different ways and to varying degrees. Identify the stakeholders of the company and explain their expectations.
3. Analyse the competitive market of the company using PEST/SWOT techniques.
4. Based on the outcomes of the PEST/SWOT analysis, discuss the aim and objectives that the company should have to meet the stakeholder’s expectations.

LO2: Understand the impact of e-Commerce

1. Analyse the impact of introducing an e-Commerce system to the company. Discuss the advantages and potential risk in different elements of the business model (including procurement, payments, order fulfilment, sale, etc.)
2. Discuss the overall impact of e-Commerce on the company with future projections, where appropriate. 

LO3: Be able to design e-Commerce solutions

1. Evaluation of the current e-Commerce systems in use by the company and similar businesses. 
2. Analysis of market potential or opportunities for e-Commerce expansion. 
3. Discussion of the financial implications of future e-Commerce expansions or solutions. 
4. Analysis the design of the e-Commerce solution for the company.
5. Evaluation of the suitability of the e-Commerce solution for the company.