Draft a business Report analysing The Reject Shop

Topic overview
Complete a written report analysing The Reject Shop (TRS). The report is to include a business profile of TRS and an analysis of its industry context and must demonstrate an understanding of the users of TRS's financial information and their needs.

Your report will facilitate a more in-depth financial analysis of TRS in Assessment 2.

Assessment criteria
This assessment will measure your ability to:

• Provide a brief business profile of TRS and identify the competitive conditions in the industry and the ensuing challenges and opportunities that will impact TRS's future financial performance (10 marks)
• Identify the users of TRS's accounting information and their needs, and analyse the difficulties managers face in providing the information users need (7 marks)
• Write and present a professional report (3 marks)

Requirements
You have been hired as a consultant by an organisation that is considering the option of investing in TRS. As an initial engagement they have asked you to prepare a business report addressing the following:

• Provide a business profile of TRS and explain the competitive conditions in the industry. Use available data (where appropriate) to explain the challenges and opportunities that could affect TRS's ability to maintain or improve its financial performance. (10 marks)
• Explain the role that accounting information plays in that company by answering each of these questions. (7 marks)
• Who are the users of TRS's accounting information?
• What do they use the accounting information for (what sort of decisions do they make about TRS based on the accounting information)?
• What are the problems faced by TRS's managers in trying to provide the information that users want?
• Marks will be allocated to the standard of the report presentation, including the executive summary, content and format, referencing and quality of writing. (3 marks)

Submission format

• Written assessments should be word-processed and neatly presented. As a guide, you should generally conform to the presentation style of a business report and should include a title page, table of contents, executive summary (including summary of key findings) and headings to identify the response to each question.
• A list of all references and source materials drawn upon in completing the report must be included. Reference list, tables and appendices are not included in the word count.
• Resources and readings relevant for assessment
• You will need to access the TRS Annual Report. It is also recommended that you use a variety of sources to research the company.
• You will be provided with the following resources to facilitate completion of this assessment:
• Guide to accessing relevant databases through the La Trobe University Library
• The Learning Hub has been designed to develop and extend your academic skills.
• You also have access to assessment feedback and online study support chat through Studiosity, which can be accessed from any subject LMS page. You can also access the Library services remotely.