SIM336 STRATEGIC MANAGEMENT

ASSIGNMENT 1 - TITLE:
Due Date:

Strategic Analysis

28th December 2015

Learning outcomes: Strategic analysis of an organization.

Synthesis of ideas or solutions relating to strategy issues
Skills outcomes:

Research skills
Critical evaluation
Creativity
Communication

Moderated by:

John Dixon-Dawson

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:
Select an organization with which you are familiar (this can be the organization you are working for or
you have worked with, or other public/or a private business organization). Analyse a business policy or
strategic management topic, carry out individual research or evaluation of an organization by
undertaking the following tasks:
This assignment is to be undertaken individually. It is primarily designed for you to demonstrate your
understanding of key concepts, theories, or models covered in this unit and apply/link them to
business reality/your personal experience to facilitate your learning. Be assertive to draw conclusions
for your analyses and evaluations. You are strongly encouraged to reflect on your own managerial
experience, if you have, in developing business strategy in your organization. Besides searching for
literature or publications, you may consider interviewing managers in the organization you have
selected. The length of this part of the assignment should NOT exceed 3,500 words.
Describe briefly the background information of the organization selected. This information
should be relevant to the discussion of your assignment;
Conduct a macro-environment analysis for the industry within which the business organization
operates. You may use the PESTEL framework learned in course module. Ensure that emphases
are placed on the purpose of this analysis, the interconnectedness of the different environmental
factors, and their overall impact, in terms of key opportunities and threats, on the industry as
conclusions on this analysis;
Carry out an industry or competitive analysis using Porters 5 forces model. Pay attention to the
purpose of this analysis, the inter-connectedness of different aspects of the competitive forces,
the links between the competitive forces and macro-environment, and their overall impact on

the industry and the organization selected in terms of main driving forces in the competitive
environment.
Conduct an internal analysis by identifying and explaining the core competences of the
organization. Justify the core competences identified based on the four criteria covered in the
lectures.
Describe the content of the current business strategy deployed by the organization through:
Identifying and briefly discussing the contents of the business strategy; and
Explaining how the strategy has been identified (i.e., is it intended as a written document (as a
plan), or emergent as a pattern of decision-making/activities/behaviours (you can use value
chain analysis to help identify the patterns of the organisations activities and processes.
Evaluate the suitability of the strategy identified in the light of the outcomes of your analyses on
the environment (both macro and industry environments), and the organizations core
competence.
Provide recommendations accordingly.
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.

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.

Assessment Criteria
Your seminar tutor on the basis of the following general criteria will assess the paper based on the
following criteria:
Description
Company Information
Marco Environmental Analysis
Industry Analysis
Identification of Core Competence
Current Business Strategy
Evaluation on the suitability of strategy
Conclusion & Recommendation
Presentation & Structure

Marks
5
10
15
20
20
15
5
10

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%
76-85%

70 75%

Pass

60 69%

50 59%

40 49%

Fail

35 39%

30 34%
15-29%
0-14%

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 unequivocal 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 excellent 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 excellent in the majority of the categories cited above or by demonstrating particularly compelling evaluation and elegance of
argument, interpretation or discourse and there may be some evidence of originality.
The work examined is of a high standard and there is evidence of comprehensive knowledge, understanding and skills appropriate to the Level of the qualification. There is also clearly articulated t evidence demonstrating that all the
learning outcomes and responsibilities appropriate to that level are satisfied At this level it is expected that the standard of the work will be high in the majority of the categories cited above or by demonstrating particularly compelling
evaluation and elegance of argument, interpretation or discourse.
Directly relevant to the
A substantial knowledge of
Good analysis, clear and
Generally coherent and logically
May contain some distinctive or Well written, with standard
Critical appraisal of up-to-date and/or
requirements of the
relevant material, showing a orderly
structured, using an appropriate mode independent thinking; may
spelling and grammar, in a
appropriate literature. Recognition of
assessment
clear grasp of themes,
of argument and/or theoretical
begin to formulate an
readable style with
different perspectives. Very good use
questions and issues therein
mode(s)
independent position in relation acceptable format
of source material. Uses a range of
to theory and/or practice.
sources
Some attempt to address
Adequate knowledge of a
Some analytical
Some attempt to construct a coherent Sound work which expresses a
Competently written, with
Uses a variety of literature which
the requirements of the
fair range of relevant
treatment, but may be
argument, but may suffer loss of focus coherent position only in broad only minor lapses from
includes some recent texts and/or
assessment: may drift away material, with intermittent
prone to description, or to and consistency, with issues at stake
terms and in uncritical
standard grammar, with
appropriate literature, though not
from this in less focused
evidence of an appreciation
narrative, which lacks
stated only vaguely, or theoretical
conformity to one or more
acceptable format
necessarily including a substantive
passages
of its significance
clear analytical purpose
mode(s) couched in simplistic terms
standard views of the topic
amount beyond library texts.
Competent use of source material.
Some correlation with the
Basic understanding of the
Largely descriptive or
A basic argument is evident, but
Some evidence of a view
A simple basic style but with Some up-to-date and/or appropriate
requirements of the
subject but addressing a
narrative, with little
mainly supported by assertion and
starting to be formed but mainly significant deficiencies in
literature used. Goes beyond the
assessment but there are
limited range of material
evidence of analysis
there may be a lack of clarity and
derivative.
expression or format that
material tutor has provided. Limited
instances of irrelevance
coherence
may pose obstacles for the
use of sources to support a point.
reader
Relevance to the
A limited understanding of a Heavy dependence on
Little evidence of coherent argument: Almost wholly derivative: the
Numerous deficiencies in
Barely adequate use of literature.
requirements of the
narrow range of material
description, and/or on
lacks development and may be
writers contribution rarely goes expression and presentation; Over reliance on material provided by
assessment may be very
paraphrase, is common
repetitive or thin
beyond simplifying paraphrase
the writer may achieve
the tutor.
intermittent, and may be
clarity (if at all) only by using
reduced to its vaguest and
a simplistic or repetitious
least challenging 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.