AF3004 Business Intelligence and Analytics Assessment Brief 2025/26 | Northumbria University

AF3004 Module Learning Objectives:

Knowledge & Understanding:

• You will build an appreciation of all the different data sources, which are accessible from the university and develop an understanding of how to analyse and interpret data in different practical situations (ML01)

Intellectual / Professional skills & abilities:

• You will develop professional communication and presentation skills, which are appropriate to the data sets you have researched and analysed. You will learn how to present your material in a clear and professional manner (ML02)
• Throughout the module you will reflect on your own understanding of data and experiences by the preparation of your reflective journal (ML03)

Personal Values Attributes (Global / Cultural awareness, Ethics, Curiosity) (PVA):

• You will develop your enquiry and awareness of legislation that governs data processing and data handling in organizations. (ML04)

AF3004 Assessment Brief

(Part 1) Word Limit: 2000 words

It goes without saying that the last couple of years have been globally challenging. Some business sectors have flourished whereas other have faced unprecedented challenges. For this assignment you are required to compare and contrast the financial performance of three companies in one particular sector of business.

You must choose three businesses within the transport sector.

The three companies chosen must be:

1. similar in terms of their main business sector e.g. in transport (e.g. coach firms, taxis company, haulage etc.);
2. It would be useful that the three chosen firms were competitors e.g. taxi firms operating in the same city or haulage firms operating in the same region/county;
3. They have at least seven years of accounts available from 2011 to present;
   It is acknowledged that there may be some uncomplete records (especially due to the pandemic). Please ensure your report makes explicit reference to this missing data and how you have taken account of its absence.
4. You may use Company House (UK), the financial database Fame or Bloomberg to source real company data.
5. (e) All three companies should be similar by function i.e. taxis firms and should also be of similar sizes (financial or physical).

You will produce a professional written report of findings involving both data collection and financial analysis from your chosen companies, including a brief discussion of relevant GDPR implications of the information you have included within your report. For each of the companies, please include some information in respect to:

1. The historical ownership of the company.
2. The general comparison of the performance of the three companies over the reporting period i.e. 2011 to present
3. Summary of any pertinent information in respect to the impact of the pandemic on the company's fortunes 2020 to present
(Hint: this could include any generic news items in respect to the wider industry).
4. Relevant graphical representations comparing at least three elements of the key financial metrics.
5. Calculate the average profits over the period of accounts available.

(Part 2) Word limit: 500 words

Write a short reflective journal style statement based on your understanding and experiences of collecting, analysing and interpreting financial data.

Appendix

You will also need to provide a separate Excel file that will contain the data (adjusted for presentation porposes by yourselves) and calculations on which your report is based)

Assessment structure:

Length for both parts maximum of 2500 words (with a +/- 10% tolerance level) which must be stated. The appendix is not included in this word count.

Calibri 11 font; Justified paragraphs; Single line spacing with 6pt before and after paragraphs.

Quotations should be in italics with the reference and page number stated. Quotations of more than 2 lines must be shown as a separate idented paragraph.

Tables and figures should be inserted at an appropriate point in the text and should be easily readable.

• Referencing must be APA style.

AF3004 Assessment Criteria

The first column indicates the general assessment criteria used within NBS the second column indicates the specific criteria used when marking your assessment.

Mapping to Programme Goals and Objectives:

This assessment will contribute directly to the following programme goals and objectives. Knowledge & Understanding:

• Develop the skills to enable business and management problems to be analyzed and understood with reasonable resolutions explored (3.1.2).

Intellectual / Professional skills & abilities:

Demonstrate the development of interpersonal communication skills and an awareness of the necessary skills to work in multi-cultural teams. (3.2.1)

Develop self-reflection skills. (3.3.1)

Personal Values Attributes (Global / Cultural awareness, Ethics, Curiosity) (PVA):

• Enable an awareness of the international accounting, finance and economics environment in which professionals' work can have cultural and ethical dimensions. (3.1.4).