You will need to choose a company from the list below.
List of Companies
John Lewis, Arcadia group, Dyson UK,  Merlin Entertainment, Virgin Atlantic ,Unilever
NB: Some of the above companies have subsidiaries, so take care in your research to ensure you focus on one
particular area.

You are required to conduct an analysis of environmental factors relevant to your chosen company and
how the company responds to these environmental factors, which may be subject to change.
You will be expected to conduct external environmental analysis (PEST), Micro analysis (Customers,
competitors and suppliers analysis) and internal analysis (SWOT).
Based on the SWOT analysis, you are expected to make recommendations for the company.
The report will demonstrate your understanding of the PEST, Micro analysis and SWOT. You will apply the
models to evaluate the company and present an analysis making reference to both internal and external
factors. The learning outcomes to be assessed are:
• Recognise and evaluate the general objectives of business and the context in which it operates
• Discuss the nature, characteristics, advantages and disadvantages of different forms of business and
organisational structure
• Appreciate how effective development of the marketing process and be used as a source of
competitive advantages
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The Report Structure
-You are required to provide a report that includes the following sections:
1. Executive Summary
The main focus of the summary is to explain the purpose of the report, key findings and main recommendations.
Keep it very short. The summary should briefly introduce the target company. The suggested format is as follows:
1.1 Background: a brief paragraph introducing the target company and its products. Ensure you include brief
discussions of the structure, sector and nature of the business.
1.2 Key findings: a brief summary (not bullet points) of the key strengths and weaknesses that have emerged from
your report, as well as opportunities and threats.
1.3 Main Recommendations: a summary of the main recommendations based on the analysis.
It is recommended that you do not complete points 1.2 and 1.3 until you have completed the whole report.
2. The Macro External Environment Analysis (PEST)
-Identify and analyse the macro external environment using PEST analysis.
PEST analysis looks into environmental forces that influence the company or its products. It is exploring the impact
of environmental forces (Political, Economic, Social, and Technological) on the company. See the figure below.
The importance of each force may vary from company to company. You need to discuss the relative impact of
different environmental forces and how they influence the company.
3. The Micro External Environment Analysis
This section should include assessment and analysis of the relevant micro external environmental forces (for
example, customers, market intermediaries, suppliers, the public and competitors).
4. The Internal Environment Analysis (SWOT)
This section will demonstrate analysis of relevant internal environmental factors which have impact on the
company’s advantage.
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5. Conclusions
Your conclusions should be brief, and to the point, following on from the analysis and evaluation you have
presented in the main body. You should NOT be introducing any new facts or evidence at this stage. It is acceptable
to present an argument based on the evidence and the conclusions you draw from it.
6. Recommendations
You are expected to make recommendations for your company, based on your evaluation and conclusions, which
you think will help it to succeed in the context of the current environment.
7. References
You are expected to follow American Psychological Association (APA) referencing guide. See F_Bus teaching
materials on MOLE.