Business and business environment

Purpose of Assignment:
The aim of this unit is to provide students with background knowledge and understanding of business, the functions of an organisation and the wider business environments in which organisations operate. Students will examine the different types of organisations (including for profit and not for profit), their size and scope (for instance, micro, SME, transnational and global) and how they operate.
Students will explore the relationships that organisations have with their various stakeholders and how the wider external environments influence and shape business decision-making.
The knowledge, understanding and skill sets gained in this unit will help students to choose their own preferred areas of specialism in future studies and in their professional career.

Unit Learning Outcomes:
LO1 Explain the different types of organisations, including their size and scope.

LO2 Demonstrate the interrelationship of the various functions within an organisation and how they link to organisational structure.
Task 1
You have been appointed as the Business Advisor by GlaxoSmithKline plc (GSK) to investigate different types and sizes of business in the wider business environment in which organisations operate.
You are required to investigate and explain different types of organisations (use a range of examples including for profit, not-for-profit, public and private, small and large organisations) to highlight differences between them. This should include their legal structure, size and scope, as well as their key stakeholders.
Explain the various functions and interrelationships within GSK and how they link to their objectives and structure.