UGB319 CORPORATE STRATEGY ASSIGNMENT 1 - TITLE: Strategic Analysis Issue Date: 23rd October 2013

Due Date: 16th December 2013 Learning outcomes: Strategic analysis of an organization(s). Synthesis of ideas or solutions relating to strategy issues Skills outcomes: Research skills Critical evaluation Creativity Communication John Dixon-Dawson

Moderated by:

All students are required to submit their assignment via Turnitin. The penalty for students that do not submit their assignments through Turnitin is that they will fail the assignment. Students may submit assignment drafts through Turnitin prior to the hand in date to generate originality reports. The last submission of the assignment prior to the hand in date will be deemed to be the final submission for assessment purposes. All work submitted must adhere to the University Policy on Cheating, Collusion and Plagiarism You must not submit an assignment that analyses the mobile phone industry and or a mobile phone company.

Task: You are required to submit an individual report of 3,000 10% words, which can be based on an organization or idea of your own choice. The strategic analysis must be related to a recognised aspect of business policy, strategic management or the philosophical underpinning of a particular methodology within the public or private sector strategic management domain. If your analysis is of an organisation then it must contain a minimum of two organisation functions, examples would be, Leadership and Marketing or Marketing and Manufacturing or Finance and Leadership or Leadership and Human Resource Management or Marketing and Human Resource Management, etc.. Your strategic analysis may contain two or three functions however more than three functions would make it difficult to achieve a good depth to the analysis. At the functional level, in your analysis, you would need to consider the impact of how one function would impact / does impact upon the other function(s). For example in a manufacturing organisation if the Marketing function develops a strategy to increase sales by 20% then this may have a detrimental impact upon the organisation if it is already running at maximum capacity. The organisation would need to increase its capacity by perhaps purchasing new machines or even new premises.

The report must be written in a recognised style, i.e. table of contents, introduction, main analysis, conclusions, recommendations, references and bibliography. You must apply the Harvard system of referencing in your report.

Objectives To analyse a business policy or strategic management topic, to carry out individual research or evaluation of an organization.

Requirements Meet the learning outcomes listed above, identify and critically analyse fundamental issues related to strategic management. Undertake a study that shows clear evidence of synthesis and evaluation. There are a number of ways you might carry out this assignment: here are a few ideas: Use a theoretical model to reflect upon the reality (practice) of a situation. Use theory to predict the outcomes of practice. Use practice to reflect upon / modify theory; Compare theory and practice: Does M.E. Porters (1985) model of competition support the experience of practitioners? i.e. use a practical example /case / issue to reflect on Porters model(s) and examine success and / or failure. A case study approach: Is Steve Ballmer, C.E.O. managing Microsoft as effectively as he might? i.e. do an analysis of Microsofts performance in relation to declared (or undeclared) strategy and the efficacy of his strategy. A recovery plan: My advice to the Chief Executive Officer of the Sony Corporation is i.e. suggest a way forward for the organization in light of their poor performance over the last 5 years. A risk management strategy: My advice to British Petroleums Chief Executive Officer in light of their environmental disaster in the Gulf of Mexico.

These are merely examples of approaches you might take; thinking up your own ideas might be more productive and fun.

Assessment Criteria Your seminar tutor on the basis of the following general criteria will assess the paper: Content - the quality of research and analysis undertaken and the use of initiative in finding sources of information; Process - the quality and clarity of the assignment and your ability to demonstrate command over the subject area and the development of a case or argument; Discretion - additional credit may be awarded to a student who tackles a difficult subject well. 2

The assignment will be graded for individuals on the basis of the specific criteria outlined on the following page. The Presentation element of the Generic Assessment Criteria will be used to assess the report structure.

Generic Assessment Criteria Undergraduate These should be interpreted according to the level at which you are working and related to the assessment criteria for the module Categories
Grade 86 100% Relevance Knowledge Analysis Argument and Structure Critical Evaluation Presentation Reference to Literature The work examined is exemplary and provides clear evidence of a complete grasp of the knowledge, understanding and skills appropriate to the Level of the qualification. There is also ample excellent evidence showing that all the learning outcomes and responsibilities appropriate to that Level are fully satisfied. At this level it is expected that the work will be exemplary in all the categories cited above. It will demonstrate a particularly compelling evaluation, originality, and elegance of argument, interpretation or discourse. The work examined is outstanding and demonstrates comprehensive knowledge, understanding and skills appropriate to the Level of the qualification. There is also excellent evidence showing that all the learning outcomes and responsibilities appropriate to that level are fully satisfied. At this level it is expected that the work will be outstanding in the majority of the categories cited above or by demonstrating particularly compelling evaluation and elegance of argument, interpretation or discourse. The work examined is excellent and is evidence of comprehensive knowledge, understanding and skills appropriate to the Level of the qualification. There is also excellent evidence showing that all the learning outcomes and responsibilities appropriate to that level are satisfied At this level it is expected that the work will be excellent in the majority of the categories cited above or by demonstrating particularly compelling evaluation and elegance of argument, interpretation or discourse. Directly relevant to A substantial knowledge A good strategic Generally coherent and logically May contain some Well written, with Critical appraisal of up-todate the requirements of strategy material, analysis, structured, using an appropriate distinctive or independent standard spelling and and/or appropriate literature. of the assessment showing a clear grasp of clear and orderly mode of argument and/or thinking; may begin to grammar, in a readable Recognition of different themes, questions and theoretical mode(s) formulate an independent style with acceptable perspectives. issues therein position in relation to format Very good use of source material. strategic theory Uses a range of sources and/or practice. Some attempt to address Adequate knowledge of a Some analytical Some attempt to construct a Sound work which expresses Competently written, with Uses a variety of literature which the requirements of fair range of relevant treatment, but may be coherent argument, but may suffer a coherent position only in only minor lapses from includes some recent strategic the assessment: strategy material, with prone to description, or loss of focus and consistency, broad terms and in uncritical standard grammar, with texts and/or appropriate literature, may drift away intermittent evidence of to narrative, which with issues at stake stated only conformity to one or more acceptable format though not necessarily including a from this in less an appreciation of its lacks clear analytical vaguely, or theoretical mode(s) standard views of strategy. substantive amount beyond library focused passages significance purpose couched in simplistic terms texts. Competent use of source material. Some correlation with Basic understanding of Largely descriptive or A basic argument is evident, but Some evidence of a view A simple basic style but Some up-to-date and/or the requirements of the the strategy but narrative, with little mainly supported by assertion starting to be formed but with significant appropriate literature used. Goes assessment but there are addressing a limited evidence of analysis and there may be a lack of clarity mainly derivative. deficiencies in expression beyond the material tutor has instances of irrelevance range of material and coherence or format that may pose provided. Limited use of sources obstacles for the reader to support a point. Relevance to the A limited understanding Heavy dependence on Little evidence of coherent Almost wholly derivative: Numerous deficiencies in Barely adequate use of literature. requirements of the of a narrow range of description, and/or on argument: lacks development and the writers contribution expression and Over reliance on material assessment may be very strategic material. paraphrase, is common may be repetitive or thin rarely goes beyond presentation; the writer provided by the tutor. intermittent, and may be simplifying paraphrase may achieve clarity (if at reduced to its vaguest all) only by using a and least challenging simplistic or repetitious terms style The evidence provided shows that the majority of the learning outcomes and responsibilities appropriate to that Level are satisfied for compensation consideration. The work examined provides insufficient evidence of the knowledge, understanding and skills appropriate to the Level of the qualification. The evidence provided shows that some of the learning outcomes and responsibilities appropriate to that Level are satisfied. The work will be weak in some of the indicators. The work examined is unacceptable and provides little evidence of the knowledge, understanding and skills appropriate to the Level of the qualification. The evidence shows that few of the learning outcomes and responsibilities appropriate to that Level are satisfied. The work will be weak in several of the indicators. The work examined is unacceptable and provides almost no evidence of the knowledge, understanding and skills appropriate to the Level of the qualification. The evidence fails to show that any of the learning outcomes and responsibilities appropriate to that Level are satisfied. The work will be weak in the majority or all of the indicators.

76-85%

70 75% 60 69%

Pass
50 59% 40 49% 35 39%

Fail
30 34% 15-29% 0-14%