Computer Literacy
Word Count:
1,200 words (with 10% plus or minus leeway). This DOES NOTinclude the cover page, table of contents, bibliography andappendices.
Assignment
Micro-businesses are businesses with 0-9 employees. There were five million microbusinesses in the UK in 2014, accounting for 96% of all businesses and employing over eight million people (UK Parliament 2014).
The European Commission’s SME Performance Review (2013) describes the UK as having “a very competitive environment for small to medium sized enterprises compared to other EU Member States”. In December 2013, the UK government launched the scheme Small Business: GREAT Ambition, a series of measures designed to make it even easier forsmall and micro-businesses to expand.
In order to take advantage of government policy and expand your micro-business, you have decided to employ four new office and four new sales staff. You will now research, write and implement a strategy to cost, borrow money and equip the business with powerful but cost effective computing hardware and software.
1) Business strategy: Microsoft Word
Use a web browser to research and write your business strategy in Microsoft Word. Apply what you learn about information search, retrieval and use to meet the assignment requirements. The following sections are required:
Criteria
a) Cover page
b) Table of Contents
c) Executive summary
d) Hardware findings and analysis: four desktops and four colour printers for office staff and four remote working devices (e.g. mobile, tablet, hybrid, notebook) for field sales staff.
e) Software findings and analysis: general purpose software and security software for four office staff.
f) Conclusion
g) Bibliography
h) Appendices containing screenshots from 2) and 3) below.
2) Business strategy: Microsoft Excel
Accurate and realistic financial data are essential and can reassure potential investors or sponsors about your strategy. You will have costs, borrowing and repayment issues to identify and present. Use MS Excel to complete the following tasks:
a) Create one workbook with four worksheets labelled Hardware, Software, Loans and Commission.
b) Set out and calculate individual costs of all hardware and software items for each work role (office and sales) with VAT (20%) and product quantities shown in separate columns. Present costs in the correct worksheet (Hardware, Software).
c) Loans: You will borrow against your costs. Prepare two different monthly loan repayment schedules; one repayable over 24 months at 7.75% pa and the other repayable over 48 months at 5.89%. Present work in the Loans worksheet.
d) Commission: Show the commission earned by each of the four sales agents in their first month. Present work in the Commission worksheet. Sales figures and commission rates are as follows:
3) Business strategy: Microsoft PowerPoint
You may need to meet and present to investors, sponsors and other important people as you plan your expansion. Used well, presentation software supports a professional and polished approach to your work. Create five slides as follows:
a) Introductory slide. Include an image or logo for your organisation.
b) Summary of hardware and software costs.
c) Summary of the two different loans
d) Your chosen loan repayment profile with reasons for your choice.
e) Concluding slide.
4) Screenshots:
Provide screenshots (use Snipping Tool or Print Screen) of all work in Excel and PowerPoint. For Excel, display both formulas and functions (use Show Formulas) and the formula results. Put screenshots in two Appendices after your Bibliography, titled Appendix
A: Excel and Appendix B: PowerPoint.
Marking Criteria
1) Business strategy: Microsoft Word
– Cover Page: Assignment title, module code, full name and student number andsubmission date. The cover page tool must be used. (2 marks)
– Table of Contents: A list of all of the sections, headings and sub-headings. Theautomatic Table of Contents tool must be used with styled headings. (3 marks)
– Executive Summary: A clear and concise overview of the purpose of yourbusiness strategy. This is a summary, so write it last and include brief statementsabout the name of your business, what it sells and the business strategy’spurpose (e.g. to set out hardware and software requirements, borrowing andrepayment plans, etc.). (10 marks)
– Hardware findings and analysis: For desktops and remote working devices,give details of processors, clock speed, RAM, storage, operating system, vendorand price. For colour printers, give details of printer make, model, resolution,speed and price. Present technical data in professionally formatted tables anduse text to discuss and justify reasons for your recommendations. (10 marks)
– Software findings and analysis: Find two different options for general purposeand security software. Take notes of the features of each software application,the system requirements, vendor and price. Present technical data inprofessionally formatted tables and use text to discuss and justify reasons foryour recommendations. (10 marks)
– Conclusion: Summarise what you have covered previously, what you havelearned and which learning outcomes you have achieved. Do not add any newdata in this section. (10 marks)
– Appendices: place screenshots of Excel and PowerPoint workings here.
(5 marks)
Use a selection of appropriate Microsoft Word tools and features from Tabs and Groups that you learn about in class and through your own study. At a minimum, use cover page, table of contents, citations, bibliography, appropriate fonts, font size and formatting, heading styles, paragraphs, indentation, multi-level lists, spelling and grammar and page numbers.
2) Business strategy: Microsoft Excel
Five marks are available for each task in this section.
Each worksheet must contain professionally formatted labels, cells, rows and columns with the company name, current date and worksheet title set out clearly. Worksheets and worksheet data should be sorted and formatted professionally.
Complete workings for all start-up cost calculations. Include separate individual costs (hardware, software, etc.), VAT (20%) and total cost. Use references (relative, absolute), formulas, functions and formatting to address the requirements. At a minimum, use mathematical operators (e.g. + – * /) and the SUM, TODAY() functions. Extra credit is available for use of MIN, MAX when presenting equipment costs. Use PMT for repayment of loans and IF statement for commission rate calculations. (20 marks)
3) Business strategy: Microsoft PowerPoint
Four marks are available for each task in this section.
Use slides creatively to build your arguments and figures. Include different content elements and effects. At a minimum, use transparent images on your slides. Explain your business proposition and funding needs. Apply learning from PowerPoint lectures about slide design and content, styles and transition effects to produce a convincing communications strategy.
(20 marks)
