Advanced Diploma in Business Management

Course Delivery Guidance

Contents
Introduction to course
Registering Students
Moderation

Mandatory Units
Unit 1 - Introduction to Business
Unit 2 - Business Finance
Unit 3 - Human Resource Management
Unit 4 - Marketing in Business

Optional Units
Unit 5 - Market Research
Unit 6 - Setting Up a Business
Unit 7 - Business Planning
Unit 8 - Introduction to the Internet and E-Commerce
Unit 9 - Business Law
Unit 10 - Communication Processes
Unit 11 - Business Travel
Unit 12 - Customer Care in Business
Unit 13 - Internet Marketing
Unit 14 - Business Globalisation

Assessment Criteria/Marking Guidelines

Certification
Introduction to Course
The advanced diploma in business management is designed to give students
an understanding of the responsibilities of a manager and the techniques they
will use to deal with different situations as well as the legal requirements
within their role.

The course consists of 4 mandatory units in which students get a introduction

to the basics of business management. They then choose 8 optional to gain
more specialist knowledge.

The duration of the course is flexible though normally completed within 9 - 12

months.

To gain entry to this course students are required to have studied at diploma
level 4 or equivalent. Also students are required to be fluent in the English
language. It is the full responsibility of the college to determine a students
eligibility to study the course.

Students studying this course are also eligible to become student members of
ATHE and the national union of students, for more information go to
www.atheuk.com/Membership.htm
Registering Students
When registering students for this course ATHE needs to have received the
student application form and registration fee within 14 days of the date of
starting the course.

Student application form can be found at www.atheuk.com, on the left hand

menu click on procedures and you will find the form in PDF format.

The form then needs to be printed off, filled in and scanned and e-mailed to
registrations@atheuk.com
You can also post the from to:
ATHE
225 Heigham Street
Norwich
Norfolk
NR2 4LN

To pay the students fees go to www.atheuk.com , click on fees on the left

sided menu then click on www.atheuk.com/payment for different payment
options.

If you would like further information on registering students e-mail

Arthur@atheuk.com
Moderation
ATHE is committed to upholding the quality of the courses we offer, due to
this we have a comprehensive internal and external moderation system to
ensure the standard of coursework submitted is to an appropriate standard.

To view the full moderation process go to www.atheuk.com and click on

procedures and you will find:

Internal Moderation
This give colleges a full breakdown of the moderation process.

Internal Moderation Records

This is the form required to be completed by colleges to keep a record of
moderation done. Which will be reviewed on a pre-arranged visit by an ATHE
representative.

Moderation of Assignments
This is the form used by the ATHE representative to ensure quality of colleges
internal moderation.

Below is a small guide which may be useful for students to give them an idea
of what we expect in an essay.

Do

Begin with a summary of your answer

Be clear and logical

Use the majority of your own words

Analyse and be critical (constructive and supportive) of researched
information
 Provide supporting evidence to the theories stated
 Give a conclusion that clearly gives the outcome of your research
findings
 Ask a friend/relative to proof read before submitting the essay
Don't
 Plagiarise, There are methods of detecting plagiarism
 Use words that could appear derogatory or slang
 Give unconstructive criticism
 Forget to answer the initial question (keep referring to the learning
outcomes to make sure you are on the right track)
 Use only one resource (it is best to use a selection of resources as
some may be biased or incorrect)
 Give a personal opinion without backing it up with referenced evidence.

For more information on moderation e-mail Arthur@atheuk.com

Unit 1 - Introduction to Business
This unit is designed to give students an overview over the business world,
what the aims of businesses are and the components of a successful
business.

The learner should read all of the ATHE resources on this unit and also do
some of their own research.

You should provide the students with eight questions based each of the
assessment criteria on the learning outcomes below.

The answers provided should be in the region of 400-500 words.

Learning Outcome (The learner will) Assessment Criteria (The learner can)

1 Be able to analyse management behaviour in terms of
culture and structure
2 Be able to analyse the different approaches to
management in the workplace by evaluating theories
1.1 Analyse the relationship between management
structure and culture and its effect on business
performance.
1.2 Formulate the factors which influence individual
performances in the workplace
2.1 Evaluate one organisational theory and
relate it to management in practice
2.2 Compare and contrast two approaches
to management by different organisations

3 Understand the relationship between two motivational 3.1 Write about different motivational
theories theories and their application and performance

4 Understand teamwork and group dynamics. 4.1 Propose factors that may curtail the
success of teamwork
4.2 Evaluate the impact of technology on a given
organisation

This unit should take between 3 and 4 weeks, set within the individual
colleges term times.

Useful text book:

Title: Introduction to Business,
Authors: Laura Dias, Amit Shah
Publisher: McGraw-Hill Higher Education
Unit 2 Business Finance
This unit is intended to help students understand the importance of a
businesses financial performance and accounting.

Students can use ATHE resources and should also complete their own
research.

You should provide the students with eight questions based each of the
assessment criteria on the learning outcomes below.

The answers provided should be in the region of 400-500 words.

Learning Outcomes (The learner will)
1 Explain how to construct account and be able to
interpret financial information
2 Describe reasons for monitoring financial performance
3 Understand the importance of budgeting
4 Understand how to record financial information and
the range of documents used.
Assessment Criteria (The learner can)
1.1 Set up an imaginary company and describe the
various documents used
1.2 Analyse the various stakeholders and their reasons
for having an interest in a company’s financial accounts
2.1 Describe at least two reasons why it is important to
monitor financial performance of a company
2.2 Obtain a set of accounts for a small to medium
sized company and understand the relationship
between a Balance Sheet and a Profit and Loss
3.1 Explain what is meant by a company reaching its
break even point
3.2 Understand the difference between a budget and an
account
4.1 Analyse the records that need to be kept to
construct a set of accounts for a small to medium sized
company.
4.2 Analyse the reasons as to why would a bank be
interested in monitoring a company’s financial
performance.

This unit should take between 3 and 4 weeks, set within an individual colleges
term timetable.

Useful Textbook: Financial Accounting for Business

Author: Bob Ryan
Publisher: Cengage Learning College
Unit 3 - Human Resource Management
This unit has been designed to give students a broad understanding of human
resource management and its importance in every business.

Students should read the ATHE resources and also complete their own
research.

You should provide the students with nine questions based each of the
assessment criteria on the learning outcomes below.

The answers provided should be in the region of 400-500 words.

Learning Outcomes (The learner will)
1 Be able to analyse the importance of workforce
planning and explain the difficulties
2 Be able to evaluate the significance of employee
motivation and appraisal programmes in a business
3.Know the different 'schools' of management thought
that have been developed over the last century
Assessment Criteria (The learner can)
1.1 Analyse the importance of workforce planning and
explain the difficulties
1.2 Evaluate the recruitment requirements of a travel or
tourism company
1.3 Develop a programme of professional development
and training within a small organisation
2.1Examine the Human relations school of
management in relation to motivating staff
2.2 Develop a programme of motivational factors for a
small to medium sized business
3.1 Compare and contrast the classical and scientific
schools of management developed during the 20th
century
3.2 Evaluate the relevance of Maslow's theory in today's

4 Understand the problems of introducing and 4.1Evaluate the autocratic and democratic ways of
implementing change in today's workforce implementing change within an organisation
4.2 Propose ways in which management styles are
linked to motivational programmes

This unit should take between 3 and 4 weeks, set within an individual colleges
term timetable.

Useful Text Book

Title: Human Resource Management
Author: Sarah Gilmore
Publisher: Oxford University Press
Unit 4 - Marketing in Business
This course has been designed to test students knowledge in the function of
marketing in business, from assessing marketing strategy to completing
marketing research.

Students should read the ATHE resources and also complete their own
research.

You should provide the students with eight questions based each of the
assessment criteria on the learning outcomes below.

The answers provided should be in the region of 400-500 words.

Learning Outcomes (The Learner will) Assessment Criteria (The Learner can)
1 Understand how marketing principles apply to 1.1 Evaluate the principles of the marketing mix
different businesses 1.2 Evaluate the benefits of segmentation for

2 Understand the marketing strategies of organisations
3 Know how sales and promotion is used to promote
products within an industry
4 Understand the role of market research in the selling
of products and services
2.1 Examine the advantage of branding in relation to a
product a student has researched
2.2 Design a SWOT analysis for a destination with
which the student is familiar
3.1 Evaluate external influences when promoting a
specific product
3.2 Analyse marketing objectives when planning a
promotional campaign
4.1 Propose advantages and disadvantages of primary
and secondary research
4.2 Examine internal and external sources of
information available to a business when planning an
expansion

This unit should take between 3 and 4 weeks, set within an individual colleges
term timetable.

Useful Text Book

Title: Marketing Management
Author: Philip Kotler
Publisher: Pearson Education
Optional Units
Each individual student can now choose from eight of the units below.

As the students should now have become more adept at researching on their
own we would now expect them to complete the majority of the course work
by using their own research, however they should still have access to ATHE
resources.

Although the units are set in numerical order (5-14) the college can choose in
which pattern to teach the units, for example, if students collectively wanted to
learn about starting a business they would complete the first of the optional
units in the order

Setting up a business
Business Planning
Business Finance
Communication Processes
Market Research

Then Move on to
Introduction to the Internet and E-Commerce
Customer Care in Business
Internet marketing
 Unit 5 - Market Research
This unit is set up to question students as to why and how they would conduct
marketing research to gain an business advantage.

For this unit students should complete their own research but they may find
Sampling Strategies in the Research Methods unit of the post graduate
diploma in business management section of the ATHE resources site a useful
guide.

You should provide the students with eight questions based each of the
assessment criteria on the learning outcomes below.

The answers provided should be in the region of 400-500 words.

Learning Outcomes (The Learner will)
1 Understand the main benefits of undertaking primary
research and the use of secondary research
2 Understand the advantages of market segmentation
within a specific industry
3 Be able to develop a market research programme for
a new business
4 Be able to develop market research for a new
business
Assessment Criteria (The learner can)
1.1 Construct a market research programme based on
a specific industry
2.1 Compare and contrast the use of segmentation
within any sector of an industry which the learner is
studying
2.2 Propose a programme where segmentation will
provide marketing benefits to a business
3.1 Set up a chart analysing the advantages and
disadvantages of using qualitative and quantitative data
in specific industries.
3.2 Formulate the different graphical methods available
to the researcher to illustrate results of a sample
3.3 Design a sampling programme that can be used by
a market research team
4.1 Create a chart showing how marketing research
information contributes to marketing decisions
4.2 Write about techniques for measuring customer
response

This unit should take between 3 and 4 weeks, set within an individual colleges
term timetable.

Useful Textbook
Title: Marketing Research
Author: Carl Mcdaniel Jr
Publisher: Wiley
Unit 6 - Setting Up a Business
This unit has been designed has been set up for students to investigate why
people would set a business and how they would go undertake the process of
starting one.

For this unit students should complete the majority of the work through their
own research, but they should find the material they learnt in the first four
mandatory units useful.

You should provide the students with eight questions based each of the
assessment criteria on the learning outcomes below.

The answers provided should be in the region of 400-500 words.

Learning Outcomes (The learner will)
1 Understand the reasons why people decide to set up
their own business
2 Describe the resources needed to set up and run a
business
3 What are the sources of help and assistance,
including finance
4 The type of business ownership and the legal
requirements for setting up and running a business
Assessment Criteria (The Learner can)
1.1 Describe at least five reasons why a person would
want to set up his or her own business.
1.2 Explain why a business is more likely to fail in the
first year than at any other time.
2.1 Describe the three main physical resources required
to set up a business.
2.2 Evaluate the sources of human resource necessary
to set up a business.
3.1 Analyse the resources available from a major
business help organisation in the UK such as Business
Link or a similar organisation in another country.
3.2 Analyse the variety of sources available for
financing a start up business with and without security.
4.1 Explain and analyse the advantages of setting up a
private limited company.
4.2 Describe why anyone who sets up as a sole
proprietor has to consider a living that supports
emotional needs, autonomy and a balanced lifestyle.

This unit should take between 3 and 4 weeks, set within an individual colleges
term timetable.

Useful Website: www.businesslink.gov.uk

Useful Textbook: Financial Times guide to business start up

Author: Sara Williams
Publisher: Pearson Education LTD
Unit 7 - Business Planning
This unit has been designed to so students understand the importance of
planning in business.

Students can use the ATHE resources and are also expected to do their own
research.

You should provide the students with six questions based each of the
assessment criteria on the learning outcomes below.

The answers provided should be in the region of 400-500 words.

Learning Outcomes (The learner will)
1 Be able to prepare and complete a business plan
2 Know which business entity is the most appropriate
for a given operation
Assessment Criteria (The learner will)
1.1 Create a mind map to illustrate all issues in a
business plan
1.2 Examine the resources that are readily available to
meet objectives of a plan
2.1 Examine the advantages and disadvantages of
setting up a business as a sole trader and as a limited

3 Understand the importance of having a marketing
plan
4 Understand the importance of monitoring financial
performance
3.1 Propose target markets for a specific product or
service
4.1 Propose factors that would need to be analysed to
monitor the performance of a business monthly and
annually
4.2 Evaluate the sources of finance available to a small
business starting up

Useful Textbooks
Title: The Definitive Business Plan
Author: Richard Stutely
Publisher: Pearson Education Ltd
Unit 8 Introduction to the Internet and E-Commerce
This unit is designed to for students to investigate for rise of the internet and
how businesses can utilise it to grow earnings.

Students should use their own research and recommended text books for this
unit.

You should provide the students with six questions based each of the
assessment criteria on the learning outcomes below.

The answers provided should be in the region of 400-500 words.

Learning outcomes (The learner will)
1 Evaluate the range of e-commerce
2 Evaluate the fundamental ways in which the
internet works
3 Understand the most essential variants within e-
business models
4 Explore elements that define good web design
Assessment Criteria (The learner can)
1.1 Understand the difference between online business
with a consumer and online business with another
company
1.2 Describe the benefits of an online presence for a
business
2.1 Describe the central principles of e-mail and its use
in marketing.
2.2 Explain the basics of HTML
3.1 understand the ways in which a business can sell its
product through the internet
3.2 explain ways in which the internet can be used other
than to generate revenue
4.1 describe the parts of a web page that search
engines will most likely utilize
4.2 understand the features of a web page that appeal
to the visitor

Useful Textbooks
Title: E-Business and E-commerce
Author: David Chaffey
Publisher: Pearsons Education Ltd
Unit 9 Business Law
This unit has been designed for students to question the importance of law in
business.

Students should use their ATHE resources, their own research and
recommended text books for this unit.

You should provide the students with six questions based each of the
assessment criteria on the learning outcomes below.

The answers provided should be in the region of 400-500 words.

Learning Outcomes (The learner will) Assessment Criteria (The learner will)
1 Understand the ways in which Business 1.1 describe the application of legal rules on implied
Organisations and their consumers maintain a legal terms concerning sales and service
relationship 1.2 critically evaluate the statutory provisions regarding
buyer’s and seller’s remedies
2 Investigate the legal rules 2.1 analyse the different types of credit agreements
applicable to consumer 2.2 apply and evaluate rules, termination rights and
credit agreements and default notices in a given scenario
agency

3 Explore the laws relating to monopolies, mergers 3.1 evaluate monopolies and anti-competitive practice
and anticompetitive practices for a specific legislation in the UK
industrialised country. 3.2 explain what leading positions business
organisations can hold within any market

Useful Textbooks
Title: Business Law
Author: Ewan MacIntyre
Publisher: Pearson Education LTD
Unit 10 - Communication Processes
This unit has been designed for students to investigate why communication is
important within a business.

Students should use their own research and recommended text books for this
unit.

You should provide the students with eight questions based each of the
assessment criteria on the learning outcomes below.

The answers provided should be in the region of 400-500 words.

Learning Outcomes (The learner can)
1 Understand the concept of communication and how
it differs between companies
2 Be able to evaluate in detail each of the main
stages of communication
3 Be able to compare and contrast verbal
communications with non-verbal communications
4 Be able to analyse and compare different
communication channels
Assessment Criteria (The learner will)
1.1 Evaluate existing processes of communication
within a multi-national business
1.2 Arrange improvements to ensure greater integration
of a system of communications within a multi-national
business
2.1 Write about how communication can be divided into
discreet stages
2.2 Analyse the problems with mass communication
when addressing large number of employees
3.1 Write about how culture and gender can change the
meaning of communication for different groups of
people
3.2 Examine the saying ‘action speaks better than
words’ when referring to verbal and non verbal
communication
4.1 Examine the reasons why the same message can
lead to different results when using different mediums
4.2 Write about recent examples of bad
communications within the business sector

Useful Textbooks
Title: Harvard Business Review on Effect Communication
Author: Harvard Business Review
Publisher: Harvard Business Review Press

Title: Excellence in Business Communication

Author: John V Thill
Publisher: Pearson Education Ltd
Unit 11 - Business Travel
This unit is designed for students to investigate the issues facing business
travellers.

Students can use ATHE resources and are also expected to undertake their
own research.

You should provide the students with eight questions based each of the
assessment criteria on the learning outcomes below.

The answers provided should be in the region of 400-500 words.

Learning Outcomes (The learner can)
1 Describe two issues currently affecting business
travel
2 Explain the role of trade and regulatory bodies
involved with business travel
3 Evaluate the economic, social and environmental
benefits of tourism development in one country.
4 Analyse the range of products and services
available from the business travel agent to a client
Assessment Criteria (The learner will)
1.1 Identify and evaluate two problems facing the UK
business travel industry at the present time.
1.2 Select any one major overseas destination and
explain its importance to the business traveller.
2.1 Explain the impact that any two organisations have
had on the business travel industry.
2.2 Assess the effect that any one national or
international organisation has had on influencing
business travel in a specific country.
3.1 Analyse a travel itinerary from London to Sydney
including stopovers for a business travel
3.2 Investigate the main differences between a leisure
traveller and a business traveller
3.1 Identify and analyse two services or products
available to the business traveller not normally available
to the leisure traveller.
3.2 Describe the main advantages of dealing with a
business travel agent as opposed to other agents giving
examples.

Useful Textbooks
Title: The survivors guide to Business Travel
Author: Roger Collis
Publishers: International Herald Tribune

Title: Business Travel

Author: Rob Davidson/Beulah Cope
Publisher: Pearsons Education Ltd
Unit 12 - Customer Care in Business
The unit is set out to for students to question the importance of customer care
in business, remembering to consider colleagues as customers all well.

Students can use ATHE resources and are also expected to undertake their
own research.

You should provide the students with eight questions based each of the
assessment criteria on the learning outcomes below.

The answers provided should be in the region of 400-500 words.

Learning Outcomes (The learner will) Assessment Criteria (The learner cam)

1 Understand the nature and characteristics of
customer care.
2 Understand the issues involved when assessing
the quality of customer service
3 Understand the main methods of employee
motivation within industry
4 Know the importance of consumer protection.
1.1 Examine the term ‘perish ability’ and its relevance to
a business such as tourism
1.2 Propose reasons why the higher levels of customer
care are required in the service industry than in other
industries
2.1 Examine the indicators of both poor and good
customer service in relation to types of business you
are familiar with.
2.2 Propose reasons why it is difficult to measure the
quality of customer service in the tourist industry
3.1 Propose advantages and disadvantages of financial
methods to motivate employees
3.2 Propose ways to motivate employees using non-
financial methods
4.1 Examine why there is a necessity of consumer
protection legislation in an industry you are familiar with.
4.2 Write about the relevance of legislation in any
industry you are familiar with.

Useful Textbooks
Title: Customer Care Excellence
Author: Sarah Cook
Publisher: Kogan Page Ltd
Unit 13 - Internet Marketing
This unit is designed for students to consider the impact of the rise of internet
marketing and how businesses use it for research and national and
international growth .

Students can use ATHE resources and are also expected to undertake their
own research.

You should provide the students with sixteen questions based each of the
assessment criteria on the learning outcomes below.

The answers provided should be in the region of 400-500 words.

Learning Outcomes (The learner will)
1 Explain the promotional uses of the web
2 Describe order processing within the internet
3 Consider customer relationship management
(CRM) and ways it can be utilized with the internet
4 Consider customer relationship management
(CRM) and ways it can be utilized with the internet
Assessment Criteria (The learner will)
1.1 understand ways in which the internet can promote
business
1.2 understand affiliate marketing and it’s differences
from other web advertisement strategies
1.3 describe the ways in which the customer sees
internet marketing
1.4 evaluate the differences between web marketing
and traditional methods
1.1 detail the stages of order processing from start to
finish
1.2understand web-forms and how they are used with
order processing
1.3 describe the “track order” facility within order
processing
1.4 understand ways in which customers’ security and
their concerns can be met to encourage their
confidence in purchasing online
1.1 understand why advertising to existing customers is
often more strategic than advertising to new customers
and vice versa
1.2 explore the ways in which a loyal customer base
can be developed
1.3 describe why social networks and web-portals
attract traffic
1.4 understand the Data Protection Act and other
consumer rights to privacy
1.1 understand why advertising to existing customers is
often more strategic than advertising to new customers
and vice versa
1.2 explore the ways in which a loyal customer base
can be developed
1.3 describe why social networks and web-portals
attract traffic
1.4 understand the Data Protection Act and other
consumer rights to privacy

Useful Textbook
Title: Internet Marketing
Author: Dave Chaffrey
Publisher: Financial Times, Prentice Hall
Unit 14 - Business Globalisation
This unit has been made to for students to question the pro’s and con’s of the
rise of business globalisation.

Students can use ATHE resources and are also expected to undertake their
own research.

You should provide the students with eight questions based each of the
assessment criteria on the learning outcomes below.

The answers provided should be in the region of 400-500 words.

Learning Outcomes (The learner will) Assessment criteria (The learner can)
1 Understand reasons for the growth of globalisation 1.1 Examine the advantages of trading blocs

1.2 Write about the changes in the balance of world

trade during the course of the 20th Century
2 Know the advantages of globalisation to an 2.1 Examine how Economies of Scale has benefited
organisation specific industries

2.2 Propose reasons why globalisation has led to

3 Understand the cultural dimensions of globalisation
organisations finding cheaper resources
3.1 Propose ways in which individuals and businesses
can deploy culture to transform social and economic
inequalities, and bring about social and economic
change

3.2 Propose ways in which a business can enter into

new forms of relationship with diverse cultures to
enhance cultural diversity and innovation
4 Understand the implications of globalisation for 4.1 Examine why globalisation is of particular interest to
organisations and their management employees of a major organisation

4.2 Propose reasons why some believe that the current

form of globalisation has brought poverty and hardship
to millions of workers

Useful Textbook
Title: Economics for business
Author: Mcaleese
Publisher: Pearsons Education Ltd
 Assessment Criteria/Marking Guidelines

Assessment Evidence:
All mandatory units must be tested as well as eight of the optional units.
The centre will have two options regarding testing of units.

Evidence of outcomes could be by written presentations. This evidence can

be assignments for each outcome or one assignment integrating all outcomes,
possibly with a case study approach covering a specific business or topic.
These assignments covering the Learning Outcomes will be marked internally
by the tutor and will be related to the knowledge, skills and understanding of
the Learning Outcomes.

If the centre prefers, the Unit knowledge can be shown by tests based on the
Assessment Criteria. In this case the student will need to answer one question
from each assessment criteria.
The answers should add up to no more than 4000 words in total for each unit.
That will also apply to the assignments method.

The external assessment will be based on the knowledge and understanding

of the Unit and will require content which has shown some evidence of
research and its analysis. This can be Secondary or Primary. The method of
assessment used by the centre will be of less significance than the quality of
work provided by student.

Marking Criteria
ATHE colleges can use their own marking criteria if approved by ATHE,
however the recommended ATHE tutor marking guidelines can be found at
www.atheuk.com/markingguidelines.

Certification
Upon students completion of the Advanced Diploma in Business Management
colleges can e-mail certificates@atheuk.com to receive the certificates.

Go to www.atheuk.com and click on procedures on the left to find the student

certification form.

If colleges require further information on progression from the Advanced

Diploma in Business Management to University degrees or other courses,
please e-mail Arthur@atheuk.com with any advancement questions.