Critical Review of Financial Performance of M&S PLC and their Plans and Strategies

Learning Outcomes

1. Deploy appropriate accounting theory and tools to the critical evaluation and interpretation of financial reports.
2. Master critical awareness of how management accounting has developed tools and techniques in order to improve strategic decision making and performance management.
3. Deploy appropriate accounting theory and techniques to the evaluation and analysis of performance measurement.
4. Critically evaluate strategic and stakeholder analysis using appropriate accounting theory and tools.

Assessment Task

Retail Economics chief executive Richard Lim said the cuts represented a "massive reduction" in the M&S workforce. The retailer was "desperately attempting to reposition the business towards a new-normal emerging in the sector". "Retailers were already battling with the pace of structural change facing the sector but the impact of the pandemic has been a step-change for the industry."

He said retailers remained in "survival mode, preserving cash and hanging on for more sustainable levels of demand to return".

"But the way we shop has changed on a permanent basis for many parts of the sector almost overnight.

"The reality is that many more retailers will fail and the number of job losses will ramp up as government support is withdrawn. This is the calm before the storm."

Compile more recent financial information yourselves. Using all the financial data available, critically review the financial performance of M&S PLC.

Your report will need to include an analysis of any new plans and strategies.

• Assess and review the financial summary above and the most recent financial performance of the group leading up to and including YEAR END 2020. You are required to undertake additional research to determine the following:-
• What have been the underlying reasons for the financial performance? (identify and discuss significant strategic developments)
• What significant trends/ developments have occurred since 2014 in respect of the case study organisation and relevant business sector?
• What do you consider to be the major financial performance challenges and opportunities in the foreseeable future?
• You must submit assessments in Microsoft Word, Microsoft PowerPoint or PDF format.
• The file must be no larger than 40MB.
• Your writing is expected to conform to Standard English in terms of spelling, syntax and grammar.
• You must include your Assessment Number (J Number) in the header or footer.
• Include your word count at the end of the assignment or the front cover.
• Set up your page for A4 paper in portrait style.
• The font size must be a minimum of point 12 Calibri (or equivalent) for the body of the assessment and footnotes must be 2 points smaller.
• Line spacing in the body of the assessment must be 1.5 lines.
• Number the pages consecutively.
• Students should submit work before 12 noon on the deadline date electronically via Moodle. Please follow the ‘Turnitin submission’ link on the module space and follow the on-screen instructions, paying particular attention to any specific instructions for each assignment.

• You must submit your work with the following details written on the first page:

- Title of your work

- Module title and code

- Module Leader and Seminar Tutor (if relevant)

- Number of words

- Your student assessment number (J Number)

Student work that does not have this information on will not be identifiable after marking has taken place and risks being recorded as a non-submission.