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@far123 – First I assume you are doing Topic 8?? Secondly I suspect that your evaluation relied on talking about differences rather than researching what really lay behind them. Thirdly I am not a particular fan of using Porter’s 5 F’s as the main model as I think a good SWOT and PEST are far more useful for Topic 8. These models would also aid your evaluation and analysis section. Begin your Part 3 by spending time applying these models well. Here is some ACTUAL marker feedback which tends to sum up the approach and what is expected to pass the Assessment Criteria for 3:
“The role of evaluation and analysis in the RAP is to research sufficiently from a variety of sources using trade and industry articles as well as the financial statements so that you can present a balanced view of the company performance. You need to discuss and explain rather than present descriptive statements and you must use supporting references to add validity. Start the findings section with the models and if you read the CEO/directors’ reports for the 3 years of your study (or possibly also the year before your first year of the study too) you will probably be able to see how the factors from the models have influenced management decisions (how they have built on strategic advantages for example) and how these decisions and the environmental factors have impacted on the results. This will give you a much stronger basis on which to conduct appropriate analysis.Try to link your SWOT /PESTLE factors to the financial analysis as ratios on their own without proper explanations of what has actually driven the changes in the movements is insufficient to pass the evaluation and analysis assessment criteria. Use graphs to show the movements and your words to provide the detailed reasons and factors that lie behind them rather than just describing increases and decreases and making obvious comments about differences between the two companies.”
You will be expected to discuss the trends in revenue, gross and net / operating profit, liquidity (remembering that retail organisations have to carry significant stock on their shelves or there would be nothing for customers to buy!!), gearing and investor ratios. Don’t make textbook type comments – research to find definite reasons. In relation to Tesco there has been a lot of commentary in the business press so you need to supplement your work with this not just rely on the annual reports to make obvious comments. Also read my article on Evaluation & Analysis on our homepage http://www.opentuition.com/obu
Note: @rizhawk – it is not how many ratios it is how appropriate they are and how well they are evaluated. Rather than be embittered about your marker (it sounds as though you and your friend should both be ACO cases anyway) I suggest it would be far more constructive if you learned to move on! Do what I suggest above instead of trying to defend work that a marker and moderator both found weak.
Dear OBU mentors,
I failed in my first attempt in P32 and I’m updating my RAP for resubmission on P33.
I have some questions to be clarified. Please give advice to me.I choose T18, and here is my failed criteria and the marker’s feedback.
<Information gathering and referencing> -fail
Please include extracts of the financial statements in your appendices<Information Technology> -fail
You fail in this section as you have not included a spreadsheet as required by the RAP guidelines. I would suggest that you take the financial information convert it into a spreadsheet and show the results and formulae used to calculate them.———————————————————————————
It seems that I failed because I didn’t upload any excel spreadsheet and annual reports as appendices. So I’m trying to edit RAP based on marker’s feedback.My question is:
1. Most of my RAP includes much more marketing related explanation rather than calculations and numbers. The only part that I used calculation is the increase/decrease of company’s financial performance during certain period of time. So I made tables and graphs in excel by extracting financial information from published annual reports. I calculated the results by using excel function so that the formulae can be appear like [@2015-@2013]/@2013. Am I correct in following the marker’s feedback which is given in IT part?
2. Can I rename the file of company’s annual reports like ‘my name_appendix 2,3,4..’ and upload as appendices?
3. How can I reference annual report for the tables and graphs made in excel? Can I just write ‘ Source: Appendix 2’ in one of any cells under the relevant table and graph?
4. In order to make my report up-to-date, I used additional annual report which is published in Feb 2016. Is it acceptable according to OBU’s 90 days rule?
5. I’m going to upload 2 annual reports (pdf files) which were downloaded from company’s website and each report has many pages around 60. Should I upload these in full and state relevant page number when I reference? Also, do I still need to reference annual report in reference list?
It is true that some topics have less scope for numerical content than others. However as you are supposed to be assessing the effectiveness of the company’s marketing strategy I would expect some data on market share and also a few ratios related to marketing costs e.g. marketing costs as a percentage of revenue or as a percentage of operating profit.
If you put these graphs in your report and have a spreadsheet that shows the calculations and the graphs constructed from these that will be sufficient. Uploading this in Excel with be adequate evidence – you don’t need to upload the whole annual report- just reference the graphs to them and show the Income statement and balance sheets (you can copy and paste these financial statements into ithe Excel file or use a pdf file for JUST these statements – the whole annual reports would exceed the file limits so you won’t be able to upload them anyway)
The name of the file is irrelevant as long as it is in Excel format and within it shows some calculations and their formulas + graphs
Data should be recent but the 90 day rule relates ONLY applies to T8 & T15
Hi,
After I read the comments for failed SLS, to ensure I understand it correctly, I have three questions. Also, can you give me some comments? Thanks
Skills & Learning Statement
Graduate Skills
8. Self Reflection Fail
Reasons for fail and advice for improvement:
Q 1 is unfortunately largely descriptive of the events that transpired at the 3 mentor meetings. What you need to do is to look at these events and point out whether either before or after the process you were able to take advantage of strengths you already had or were able to erode possible weaknesses you might otherwise have had by having the 3 meetings. What did you learn? This needs to be the focus. Q 2 you should look at specifically the initial research objectives you outlined of which you had 4 and seek to assess whether you were able to fully meet them in the course of completing your report. This can be both positive and negative points of consideration. It isn’t though enough just to relate what you did without any insights on your part. Here you spoke generally about them and not about the specifics of each of them. Q 3/4 were done to a level that you would pass.Questions 1: Does this mean that I do not need to change the content of Q3/4? Do I only need to focus on Q1 and Q2?
9. Communication Skills (inc Presentation) Fail
Reasons for fail and advice for improvement:
Your presentation starts with limited indication of what you are trying to investigate as there is no mention of your project objectives and you just launch straight into financial analysis. This means the audience would be confused at the start of the presentation as to what you were actually trying to do. You need to update the presentation to reflect this fact.Question 2: “You need to update the presentation to reflect this fact.” Does it mean I only need to update and improve the PPT presentation slides, or need to do presentation to mentor again?
When I presented this last time, I have briefed my finding orally at the start but did not add it into the start of PPT slides, as I put all finding on conclusion at the end of PPT slides. I will fix the problem.
Question 3: when I resubmit the SLS, I only need to summit the SLS, Presentation slides and resubmission statement, correct?
After I read the resubmission guide, I have two more questions.
1. I do not have to use the same mentor for a resubmission, so I can choose another mentor. If I choose another mentor, should I do the PowerPoint Presentation to the new mentor?
2. According to the guide, student need to updated the financial statements for resubmission of topic 8. My RR passed but I SLS failed. Do I need to update the financial statements and recalculate the ratios, then update the ratios to my presentation slides?
Thank you very much.
Trephena according to my understanding I have to amend my presentation slides ( Communication inc presentation) and not the SLS 4 questions (self reflection)? If I am wrong please correct me. I am facing difficulty in understanding the changes in RR if you could guide me it would be of great help. Thanks
@Aqsa – Apologies for the delay it has been a very busy week in both the work and social front for me. I think your feedback is fairly clear.
For a pass in evaluation and analysis you need to provide more insight into what has gone on. As the marker says, your explanations seemed to lack depth: so more research is required. Did you read the CEO and directors’ reports? Did you consider the management plans and strategies? Did you trace their strategic decisions through the 3 year results? Did you start part 3 with the application of the models and link these factors to your analysis by showing how they influenced decisions and impacted on the company performance?
It seems you used a limited amount of sources – the annual report is useful but it needs to be supplemented by articles from trade and business journals and the like. If a student follows the Open Tuition Ultimate Guide to referencing your RAP – on our homepage http://www.opentuition.com/obu there should not an issue with referencing.
Reading between the lines I think there were a few things that might have annoyed the marker here: possibly statements of the obvious, explanations that may have involved just comments that related to why a figure changed but not the deep down reasons that had really caused it (e.g. operating profit decreased because administration, staff costs and depreciation rose type of thing); wrong placement of references with stacked references (which I deal with in our guide) and some graphs that were not clearly labelled.
Use my article on the Resubmission statement (on the homepage) to help sort out and address your weaknesses. It is loaded as a separate document with your resubmission.
Your written SLS statement (8) was passed but you need to sort out your presentation. Do what the marker said but amend and update the slides when you have revised the report.
@czp021 – if all sections (1) through (7) received a pass and there is a grade of anything other than F after part 7 but before part 8 then it means all elements of your report passed so you do not need to update and resubmit it.
With the SLS you will need to resubmit both ekements: statement and slides. With the written part Q1 think about your ‘journey’ from being a student just studying for exams to producing a 7,500 word report – What skills dis you lack? What did you find hard? What was easy? How did you overcome the difficulties? Looking back what significant things were learned specific to doing academic work. ( It is a bit like a sort of personal SWOT analysis)
Q2 – this is supposed to be approached from how you feel you did with regard to achieving your objectives not what you did to achieve them. Consider the challenges and anything that you might have done better. Think off what might have impeded you and any set backs or what went particularly well.
You don’t have to rewrite Q3 and 4 but you could improve them if you felt this was appropriate.
You won’t have to recalculate all the ratios just make it a coherent presentation and do as the marker has asked. And yes you can change or keep the same mentor it’s up to you.
@trephena I failed my RAP on RR with the following comments;
2. Application of accountancy/business models Fail
Reasons for fail and advice for improvement:
You have not provided a tally sheet of all the responses from each respondent and consequently much of your analysis is not supported by
evidence. For example, you quote Kovach ‘As employees get older, interesting work becomes more of a motivator. …’This can be seen from
the results of questionnaire. This indicates that older employees stayed in their jobs longer because they found it more motivating’. There is
no evidence in the survey responses to support your statement. You use the word ‘average’ several times in your project but this term does
not describe the situation. For example, on page 13 you write ‘the exact level of motivation amongst MPT cannot be expressed in absolute
terms. However, it is safe to say that most employees are motivated above average’. On page 18 you write ‘MPT had an average tenure
therefore indicating average level of motivation’. These two statements can not both be correct. There is no evidence to support your analysis
of either and both statements. The process of constructing a Research Report must be logical, rational and scientific. You should not read
things into your findings which are not there.3. Evaluation of information, analysis and conclusions
Reasons for fail and advice for improvement:
Your conclusion would appear to be more appropriate in your Skills and Learning Statement. Your recommendations do not stem from the
application of theory/concepts and your findings. For example, on supervision, 100% did not disagree with the statement ‘My supervisor is
very professional and supportive’ but you write ‘Some supervisors have an autocratic style of supervision and this style of leadership does
not inspire motivation especially in a service industry like MPT. I therefore recommend that these supervisors be sponsored for professional
development courses.’ Similarly on remuneration you recommend an increase to industry averages partly to ‘retain talented employees’, but
staff turnover in the last year was 0%. Please check your work for inconsistencies. You must relate your findings to the theories more:
compare and contrast what you have found to the theories that you have selected.4. Presentation of project findings Fail
Reasons for fail and advice for improvement:
On page 12 you identify the ‘Key Factors’ driving employee motivation in Mukuba Pension Trust, and on pages 13 and 14 you give the
‘Results of the Research’. These precede the ‘Questionnaire Findings’ on pages 16-27. The process of constructing a Research Report must
be logical, rational and scientific: this means that your results should come after your findings.7. Information Technology Fail
Reasons for fail and advice for improvement:
You have not provided sufficient evidence of having used a spreadsheet in preparing the project report. You should produce a tally sheet of
the responses of each individual to the questions asked in a spreadsheet. You can use the formula functions to produce tables, and its
chart/graph functions to produce diagrams etc to illustrate your results. Please see the Information Pack p.56 “You MUST upload your Excel
spreadsheet file (.xlsx or .xls) as an appendix. The spreadsheet MUST demonstrate use of appropriate formulae. (Screenshots or PDF files
of a spreadsheet are NOT acceptable.Please advise if I need to redo the entire RR.
Thanks.
I failed the rap just on referencing .
Did I do a mistake by using the in text citation ?as it generated many anon ? authors .
I am not really sure how to do it ?
resubmission means i just correct the referencing ??Hi guys I failed, and this the feed back from my marker. Please give me advice about this
1. Understanding of accountancy/business model – PASS
2. Application of accountancy/business models – Fail
You have tried to apply too many models so your application is rather superficial in placesThe Balanced scorecard is not really suitable unless you have access to internal information and data and with the Porter’s 5 Forces suppliers extends to more than just those producing the aircraft
Please stick to the original reporting currencies for the companies as used in their annual report
3. Evaluation of information, analysis and conclusions – Fail
The point of comparator analysis is to provide a benchmark from which you can begin to dig into the different management decisions that explain differences in performance. You must therefore expand your analysis to give reasons and explanations as to the differences in performance between the two companies, despite existing in the same industry and suffering similar external influences. Please remember that you have an upper limit on word count of 7,500. You have at least another 500 words to expand your analysis. And if you delete the QR section on p20, which adds nothing since an airlines inventory is so low, and remove the SWOT analysis of Virgin, your comparator company, you should easily be able to show breadth and depth in your financial analysis section to enable you to pass next time
4. Presentation of project findings – Pass
5. Communication – Pass
6. Information gathering and Refrencing – Fail
Reasons for fail and advice for improvement:
You have a range of sources in your list of references, so it may be that you need to go back to these and read them more wisely to use the material to strengthen your understanding of the airline industry and of the companies that you discuss. However it may be that you need to go beyond these sources and carry out a bit more research. You must reference all of your work thoroughly so please consult Appendix 3 of the Information Pack for help with this as every fact, opinion and use of the work of others including annual reports and graphs should be attributed.
7. Information Technology – Pass
There is some question that i will ask you.
1. With this feedback, do you think i should revised and change my part 1 and part 2 ? i knew i done terrible in part 3. But as i feel the feedback is more critize about part 3 and there nothing wrong in my part 1 and 2.
2. Should i analize and explain what good or bad for competitor ?
3. What is good in my thesis and what is bad ?
I have summit my RAP during period 34, and got FAIL result on topic 8.
My mentor told me it was quiet well done, i was confused when i saw the markers comments.
There is one part i still confused which is marking criteria NO.7 Information Technology.
i had used graphics and charts in my RAP, table looks like this: (included original data formula and the calculation process + Graphic and chart presentation )Year 2014 2015 2016
GSK Current asset (£ m) 14,678 16,587 16,711
Inventory (£ m) 4231 4716 5102
Current liability (£ m) 13,295 13,417 19,001
Current Ratios Current asset / Current liability 1.1 1.2 0.9
Quick Ratios Current asset – inventory
Current liability 0.8 0.9 0.6I can’t copy the graphic chart here, but it is already in my RAP
Here is the markers comments:
In order to be ale to pass there needs to be evidence of you producing a spreadsheet in your RAP. All you have done is to cut and paste the GSK report financials into your work and haven’t produced them yourself. This needs to be put right if you are to pass the resubmission. Please ensure that you load a spreadsheet for your resubmission that shows how you can manipulate data using formulae and how you constructed your graphs from the figures
____________________________________________________________________
obviously, i didn’t just cut and paste, i have included all the calculation procedures in my RAP table like above, the table i used is just a re-design form of my excel spreadsheet, could i get some advice on this part? THANKS !!!there are 7 parts of RAP and 2 parts in SLS , how many fails parts will produce a failure result ? feel like totally not on the track for this RAP , i’d like better to do a exam.
and next thing i will try my best to modify my RAP according to markers comments and hopefully will be a pass grade next time.
my mentor give wrong instruction for the appendix and i put annual report screen short in my appendix , got wrong info totally
@erumrk – it is impossible for me to say why you failed on referencing however it should be set out in the marker feedback unless overall the referencing was poor in a number of areas. Read the Open Tuition Ultimate Guide to Referencing your RAP as that outlines in Part 2 all the rules to follow – find it on our homepage http://www.opentuition.com/obu
If you only failed referencing that should be all you need to correct
@lushinga90 – It is very important that your work is coherent and that anyone reading it can follow it from start to finish and make sense of it.
From your feedback comments I detect a sense of frustration from the marker in that part of the workings (the raw data from the questionnaire) was missing, statements were not supported by evidence (and also they were contradictory) and that the work did not flow.
Regarding the specific areas failed:
2. Clear detailed workings in the appendices are essential for a questionnaire this means showing how many and how (if you used a Likert scale) people responded to each question . You need to refer the reader back to these workings when making statements. Otherwise they is no evidence to support your claims. Based on the actual data you need to sort out the contradictory statements the marker has highlighted.
3. Analysis needs to be clear and the Conclusion and any Recommendations if made should relate to the report findings. The marker has again pointed out inconsistencies so you should ensure statements relate to facts and evidence
4. This fall probably relates to the inability to follow your work in a logical sequence. As I have mentioned I think the marker became confused and frustrated and at this point they had had enough. Remember these guys and dolls mark dozens of reports and it is not their responsibility to sort out muddled work (and they don’t have the time either)- it is the student’s job to guide them through the report in a logical manner
7. The marker guidance is clear -so follow it
From my understanding you included the original data formulae within your RAP (word document) instead of the excel spreadsheet. The marker is saying ‘show your tables, charts, graphs, etc. in your RAP and have the excel spreadsheet as a separate document in which you show how you computed the ratio and how you came up with the graph for example. Put simply, key in figures from the financials into your excel spreadsheet and use excel to calculate ratios. This demonstrates your I.T. skills.
To pass the RAP you have to pass all the 7 components. Similarly, to pass the SLS you have to pass all the 2 components.
From my experience if you adjust your RAP according to the markers requirements you would pass.
Wish you all the best.
@trephena Hi! Thanks for helping students out on the forums. I just have one simple question. Do I have to redo the whole RAP in the new period as per new industries in topic 8 or just make the necessary changes as per markers comments and submit the same RAP with the changes incorporated? do I have to alter all the sections? If not, will that create issues in turnitin? The result letter suggests to just reflect the changes but I’m confused on how do I go about it.
Thanks alot.
here is the marker’s common on Overall Technical and Professional Skills:
_______________________________________________________________________You are advised to start your findings with the application of the models as these are intended to guide the subsequent financial analysis and not be an exercise done in isolation to everything else. Read through the CEO and directors’ reports for the period and use these to identify the strategic management decisions they will have taken on the basis of the factors present in their business environments (i.e. observe how these decisions have been influenced by the factors present in the application of the SWOT and PESTLE / Porters 5 Forces). You should then track through and see how such decisions have impacted on financial performance
_______________________________________________________________________all my friends did this separately models after financial analysis , but they did pass this part, and here he just request me to blend them together i am confused …
@Edwin – the overall impression I get is that you may have tried to be too ambitious in places and by trying to cover too many things your analysis was not deep enough in Part 3. Essentially it seems they want you to use the word count more effectively
In answer to your specific points:
1. You should edit Parts 1 and 2 where appropriate e.g. removing any theory on the Balanced Scorecard etc. (I suggest you stick with the tried and trusted SWOT and PESTLE – they are enough)
2. Although the marker told you to remove the actual SWOT on the comparator, you should use the factors and knowledge you have gained from this when discussing the differences in the two companies’ performances as that will bring in some depth to your analysis.
3. It is impossible for me to give a knowledgeable opinion as I haven’t read your RAP, however it seems as well as lack of depth in the evaluation, the referencing was not up to standard. This can be remedied by reading both Appendix 3 of the Information Pack and also ‘the Open Tuition Ultimate Guide to Referencing your RAP’ (a much more readable and practical guide as I have tried to set out clear rules to follow in Part 2) – this is on our homepage http://www.opentuition.com/obu
I would also suggest that you read the posts on ‘Using an AIRLINE for Topic 8’ as I give a lot of tips on that Forum topic thread in relation to conducting an appropriate analysis and evaluation (go to the second page of our topic title list where it is currently or use the Search facility to find it)
@qq419850428 – forget about what your friends did that is irrelevant because this comment (a) was about your work and (b) if it was in ‘Overall Technical and Professional Skills’ (as opposed to any actual assessment criteria number) so has been put in there more as guidance on how to improve your work.
I concur completely with this advice particularly the comments on the business analysis and application of the models: ” these are intended to guide the subsequent financial analysis and not be an exercise done in isolation to everything else”‘ You need to appreciate that in the Real World companies make decisions based on their strengths and opportunities and these are influenced by economic, political, technological factors etc – in other words the SWOT and PESTLE have a massive impact on their strategies, performance and financial results.
It defies logic to just stick a SWOT and PESTLE in at the end as it ignores its importance (it also demonstrates a ‘tick-box’ mentality to your work – obviously if all your friends also did this I suspect you have a dud mentor who doesn’t really appreciate the intricacies of the RAP and report writing!)
The whole purpose of making students do an application of the models is to get them to think about the company in a realistic business environment – which is what your marker is trying to tell you by saying you need to blend the business and financial together. When explaining percentages in the financial analysis relate the explanations more closely to the actual strategies and business environment
@Waqas – if you consult the latest Information Pack you will see the new industry sectors only apply to new and first submissions. For a failed P34 RAP (or from before P34) you are permitted to resubmit on your original company (however if you change company it must be to one of the new industry sectors if doing Topic 8).
OBU has removed the need to use the latest financial statements to update your work provided your original attempt was on the same company and was submitted in one the last 3 periods.
Thanks for your reply! Further, Should I rewrite the whole RAP or just the parts marked fail?
The marker suggests that I use more resources as I have over relied on the annual report. Even though most of the information I provided in the RR was clearly stated in the annual report, like strategic changes. Anyway, could you provide me with your feedback on this:
3. Evaluation of information, analysis and conclusions Fail
Reasons for fail and advice for improvement:
You have analysed appropriate areas of Delta, but the coverage is mainly of a descriptive nature. This fact is underlined by the lack of overall referencing throughout your analysis section with very few references other than a couple relating to Delta annual reports. You need therefore, to gather further research relating to the underlying reasons for the good/bad performance of Delta in comparison to your chosen comparator so that you are analytical and show where you sourced the ideas and insights from. Having clearer project objectives at the outset will also allow you to reach more exact and effective conclusions at the end of your RAP as well.Your number 4 and 6 aren’t really objectives.Shall I change all the objectives here or just the objective numbers 4 and 6?
Overall Technical and Professional Skills Fail
Reasons for fail and advice for improvement:
To strengthen your analysis you need to link your business and financial analyses so please read through the CEO and directors’ reports for the period. Use these to identify the strategic management decisions they will have taken on the basis of the factors present in their business environments (i.e. observe how these decisions have been influenced by the factors present in the application of the SWOT and PESTLE/ Porter’s 5 Forces). You should then track through and see how such decisions have impacted on financial performance and this will help you explain the reasons that lie behind the changes rather than just offering numerical explanations. As you have chosen an airline you should attempt to introduce some KPIs that are used in the airline sector alongside the conventional ratio analysis e.g. load factors, costs/revenues per available seat per kilometre [Mile] known as ASK or ASM; yield per passenger; aircraft utilisation, as again this would help with a better analysis / evaluation (these KPIs are often in the annual report).I used the above mentioned KPIs for reasoning of the ratio analysis. What else does the marker want me to do with the KPIs?
6. Information gathering and Referencing Fail
Reasons for fail and advice for improvement:
As I pointed out in 3 above there was a general lack of referencing in your submission. There needs to be evidence of you having done sufficient research around Delta to be able to talk with authority about their performance over the 3-year period you are looking at. This research then needs to be referenced effectively within your work so that it adds weight to your argument and you win the confidence of the reader that you know what you are talking about in an analytical and not descriptive sense. Application of the models is not intended to be an exercise done in isolation from the rest of the analysis.as the point of the business analysis is to inform and guide the evaluation of financial performance. As mentioned previously blending the business and financial analyses together should provide greater insights into what lies behind the financial analysis.I know that I made a huge blunder here by relying on the annual report and this point seems very fair to me. I need to understand how do I blend the business models with the ratio analysis?
Final Question: Should I rewrite the whole RR or just reflect the markers comments in the report? For example, do I need to rewrite the objectives? but that would lead to make changes for the rest of the report.
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